CapeCodToday Blog Chowder

Representative Perry calls for movement on the 10th Amendment Bill

Representative Perry calls for movement on the 10^th Amendment Bill

Click the link below to view a video message on the 10^th Amendment by Representative Perry:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PV2a508cJQE

State Representative Jeffrey Davis Perry (R-Sandwich) is calling on legislative leaders to allow his Bill on the 10^th Amendment to be released from Committee.

House Docket 4701 was filed by Perry and is now at the House Committee on Rules waiting for a formal Bill Number.  Representative Perry first filed the proposal as a Bill earlier this year; however, the Bill was not released from the Clerk's Office.  In an effort to move this important matter forward, Representative Perry has requested a public hearing on the proposal.

"The federal government has been encroaching on the Commonwealth's ability to govern itself through strings attached to federal money and mandates and regulations promulgated by its agencies.  Massachusetts has been a leader in protecting states' rights, and it is time again to remind Washington. D.C. of their Constitutional limitations," Perry said.

"The purpose of this Bill is to clearly affirm to Congress and the President our State's sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution and to demand that the federal government halt the practice of assuming powers and imposing mandates upon the states for purposes which are not enumerated by the Constitution of the United States of America" said Representative Perry from the State House.

As cited by the 10th Amendment Center, "James Madison, during the Constitutional ratification process, drafted the "Virginia Plan" to give Congress general legislative authority and to empower the national judiciary to hear any case that might cause friction among the states, to give the congress a veto over state laws, to empower the national government to use the military against the states, and to eliminate the states' accustomed role in selecting members of Congress.  Each one of these proposals was soundly defeated.  In fact, Madison made many more attempts to authorize a national veto over state laws, and these were repeatedly defeated as well..."

The Tenth Amendment defines the total scope of federal power as being that which has been delegated by the people to the federal government, and also that which is absolutely necessary to advancing those powers specifically enumerated in the Constitution of the United States.  The rest is to be handled by the state governments, or locally, by the people themselves. The Constitution does not include a congressional power to override state laws.  It does not give the judicial branch unlimited jurisdiction over all matters.  It does not provide Congress with the power to legislate over everything. This is verified by the simple fact that attempts to make these principles part of the Constitution were soundly rejected by its signers."

In an effort to allow a public hearing on this issue, Perry is requesting residents to contact the House Committee on Rules and request the Committee release the Bill from their Committee and HD-4701 to be scheduled for a public hearing and hopefully a vote on the floor of the House of Representatives.

Perry said, "It's important for the citizenry to be engaged in the legislative process.  By contacting the Rules Committee and asking them to release HD-4701 favorably, you can help send a message to our national leaders that we value our state's sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution."

Individuals who are interested in voicing their opinion to the House Committee on Rules may do so using the following information:

Room 166
State House
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: (617) 722-2692

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Truro, Massachusetts

Truro, Massachusetts
January 14, 2010

     It may be one of the smallest towns on Cape Cod, but Truro stacks up against any of the others when it comes to natural beauty and historical attractions. Located only thirty-eight miles from Hyannis, the commercial epicenter of Cape Cod, the tiny town of Truro seems to be the closest to how Cape Cod must have appeared when the first Pilgrims set foot on it nearly 400 years ago. Probably known to some simply as the gateway to Provincetown, Truro is relatively unknown to the average traveler. For anybody seeking a real taste of the unchanged natural beauty of Old Cape Cod, take an afternoon or a whole day and drive up to Truro.

Once you get past Wellfleet Center on Route 6, the Cape’s main highway, you will begin to notice just wide open the Outer Cape really is. Established in 1709, Truro is home to many beautiful beaches both on the eastern, Atlantic Ocean, side and the western, Cape Cod Bay, side. The first stop was Ryder Beach(right), a nicely secluded stretch of beach nestled ten minutes from Route 6 on the bay side. Taking a right onto Prince Valley Road will get you there. Though there are several lavish homes in the area surrounding the parking lot, Ryder Beach has a very cozy feel. Perhaps it is due to the fact that it is tucked away down several rural roads and is therefore not easily found. There is extensive erosion control going on at Ryder Beach so be aware of the signs. Otherwise, enjoy the breathtaking views. On a clear day you can see the shoreline from nearby Provincetown all the way out across Cape Cod Bay toward Plymouth and the South Shore.

After leaving Ryder Beach the next area I visited was Pamet Harbor, the birthplace of the American Whaling industry. Named for the tribe of Indians that inhabited the land there was barely a boat to be found in Pamet Harbor during the dead of winter, although the harbor was bustling with activity. At the mouth of the Pamet River a jetty heavily damaged by a recent storm was being rebuilt. The sounds of gigantic boulders being carried and deposited only a few hundred yards away echoed throughout the clear, calm January air. Truro’s harbor houses some amazing scenery which would be appreciated more in the warmer months. Also the Pamet Harbor Yacht & Tennis Club, located adjacent to the harbor, should be visited during a trip to Truro as well.

Next up was another out of the way beach, Ballston Beach. A quick journey across Route 6 via an underpass to the ocean side of Truro leads you to yet another beautiful scenic view. Situated near the end of North Pamet Road, Ballston Beach itself is small; the sandy pathway to the beach was off limits due to an open trench caused by a recent storm. Slightly to the north sit a pair of homes sitting majestically atop a pair of high hills. On this particular day, where the snow was still covering most of the ground, the hills looked like mountains ripe for skiing or sledding(left).

Back across Route 6 sits Corn Hill and Corn Hill Beach. Corn Hill Beach(right), conveniently located on Corn Hill Road, runs out to the mouth of the Pamet River which contains a different view of Pamet Harbor. If an overnight stay is desired the Roseville at Corn Hill cottages are located directly across the street from the beach. With all of the amazing views nearby it is almost recommended. Corn Hill’s name is taken from a group of sixteen pilgrims, led by Miles Standish, who discovered the precious Indian corn on that spot in 1620. Also of note, Ralph Barnaby became the first to exceed Orville Wright’s American record for motorless flight at Corn Hill. In 1929 Barnaby flew for 15 minutes, 8 seconds, breaking the Wright record of 9 minutes, 45 seconds set in 1911. Markers on the edge of the parking lot at Corn Hill Beach designate these events. Following Corn Hill Road to the top leads to a scenic overlook of not only the coastline, but also a marshy area below inhabited by blue herons.

Before leaving Truro, I had to see the most popular attraction, that being Cape Cod Highland Light. Highland Light(left), which is surrounded by the Highland Links Golf Course, is the oldest lighthouse on Cape Cod; the current tower was finished in 1857. It was moved back 453 feet from the eroding cliffs in 1996 to save it from possible collapse. Looking to the south one can see several structures which lay on the grounds of the defunct North Truro Air Force Station. Though it is no longer operational, it is considered government property and therefore cannot be explored. The lighthouse, however, can be climbed from mid-May to mid-October.

After visiting Truro it amazes me that more people have not discovered this scenic jewel of Cape Cod. Take my advice and make it a point to visit not just the places noted here, but others such as Pilgrim Heights that I did not have the time to see. Have fun and happy traveling!


Directions: Ryder Beach: From Rt. 6, left onto Prince Valley Rd. Drive until meeting Old Colony Road, turn right. Left onto Ryder Beach Road, follow to the beach lot.
Pamet Harbor: From Rt. 6, left onto South Pamet Road, turn left at Truro Center Road. Take a slight right onto Depot Road; follow it to the harbor parking lot.
Ballston Beach: From Rt. 6, right onto North Pamet Road, take a quick left onto South Pamet Road, follow it to the end.
Corn Hill: From Rt. 6, left onto Castle Road which turns into Castle Hill Road. Follow it; this will become Corn Hill Road. Beach and overlook are on it.
Cape Cod Highland Light: From Rt. 6 take right onto Highland Road exit. A large sign designates this exit. Follow the signs to the lighthouse.

References: Cape Cod Highland Light
Truro Chamber of Commerce

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Cape gets richer & smaller; Ptown activist gets 7½ years for child porn; Plea deal reported in Linda Wiggin's murder; State Senate plan would cut agencies; Midwest laughs at Cape Cod; Nauset teacher concessions needed; Hyannis Air Battle continues

TODAY's quote: "People who move tend to be younger and have lower incomes. Normally, if there is a big influx of young people, that could pull down the income of an area and if there is a big outflux of young people that can raise income in an area."
- Demographer William Frey of the Brookings Institution.

              Air Battle over Hyannis

An ongoing spat between Hyannis Municipal Airport and high-end air charter outfit Rectrix Aerodome Centers Inc. has escalated, with the airport telling Rectrix to stop operating charter flights out of the facility.. Boston Business Journal.

Cape Cod bucks National trend
We get richer and smaller at same

When counties lose population it always results in a lower median wealth for those left, except here. WE are part of the half of one per sent which got richer.

According to an Associated Press analysis something unusual happened in a tiny fraction of the nation's 3,141 counties: total incomes rose in more than 200 counties even though they lost households. That was because poorer migrants moved out and richer ones moved in. Topping that list were several counties known for beaches, second homes and retirees: Collier, Palm Beach and Pinellas counties in Florida and Barnstable County, Mass., home to Cape Cod. See page 3 of the report in The Star-News. See the Census Bureau tables here.
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Former Cape Gay rights activist John Perry Ryan gets 7½ years for child porn

The photo on left is from Ptown in 1997. The one on right was as he left the courthouse after sentencing.

A former Cape Cod resident living in Vermont is going to federal prison and losing his home for trafficking in child pornography. John Perry Ryan, 63, pled guilty Monday to transmitting child pornography on the internet in 2006. It included a photo of an adult male having sex with a toddler.

He was charged with distributing some of 24,000 images of children being subjected to sometimes violent sexual acts was sentenced in federal court in Burlington on Monday to 90 months in prison.

Judge William Sessions told John Perry Ryan, 62, that Ryan's conduct represented "one of the most egregious cases of child pornography I've seen." Some of the images showed toddlers being subjected by adults to sex acts.

In the plea deal, Ryan will also forfeit his home in Braintree. Under federal law, he automatically faces at least five years in prison. Ryan lived in Provincetown during the 1980s and 1990s and showed no remorse during the sentencing in U.S. District Court in Burlington, Vt. In addition to his prison term, the judge ordered that Ryan be supervised for five years after his release... Burlington Free Press.

Supporters back child-porn convict
Several Cape Cod residents, former residents and civil rights advocates want leniency for a former Provincetown gay rights activist facing prison in Vermont for transporting child pornography, reports the Cape Cod Times.

Twenty-two letters of support for activist John Perry Ryan, 62, of Braintree, Vt., were filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Vermont. Of those, 17 mention Ryan's civil rights advocacy on the Cape from the 1970s through the 1990s. The letters - a few handwritten, others typed, most addressed to U.S. District Court Judge William K. Sessions III - ask that Ryan be considered for a reduced prison sentence or at-home confinement... Herald.
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Murder plea deal reported in Linda Wiggins murder

Linda Wiggins lived in Ptown and often went to art fairs, craft shows and shops using a special $10,000 camera and Polaroid film for her psychic services.
   She was a police dispatcher with the Provincetown Police Department during the summer of 1999.

Accused murderer David Denny is expected to plead guilty to second-degree murder today in the November 2008 death of his girlfriend, one-time Cape Cod psychic Linda Wiggin, who was allegedly beaten to death with a frying pan, according to the Rutland Herald.

Denny is expected to plead guilty Monday to killing his girlfriend at her Poultney home in November 2008.

But the brother of Linda Wiggin, the 49-year-old Castleton State College professor found beaten to death in her basement, said in Rutland District Court Thursday that his family was opposed to the plea deal which he said would send Denny to jail for only 22 years.  Wiggin said, "I do not think the deal is satisfactory. This was a brutal, brutal murder"...

Kenneth Wiggin said prosecutors told him that the deal would allow Denny to receive the minimum sentence of 20 years for second-degree murder with an additional two years tacked onto the sentence because Denny committed the crime while on probation. "I think this rises above the minimum for second-degree murder," he said.... Rutland Herald.
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Nauset teachers concessions may be only way to prevent layoffs

Still faced with a $300,000 gap in next year's budget despite numerous cuts, retirements and salary concessions by administrators, Nauset Regional School officials will be forced to lay off at least eight teachers if no other solution can be found.

Tbut here had been speculation in recent weeks about the possibility of putting forth a Proposition 2 1/2 override - a vote that allows municipalities to raise taxes beyond the limit of 2 1/2 percent over the previous year - the committee dismissed that idea at its Jan. 4 meeting... The Cape Codder.
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Rural Midwest chuckling over east coast NIMBYs
With a dozen times as many Indians they embrace wind turbines at dawn

Sea breezes are intended to fan the embers of clam bakes.
Let the rubes in flyover America help reduce fossil fuel dependency.

For the record, Atchison County, in the far northwestern corner of Missouri, has 12 times the Native American population as Nantucket County in Massachusetts. That said, census reports list 12 Native Americans in Atchison County and one on the Massachusetts island.

Pointing out the statistical irrelevance might only heighten the comedy of arguments playing out along the Atlantic Coast, where renewable energy resonates in the abstract but not in reality.

If God had meant Massachusetts to produce energy from offshore turbines, residents there think, he wouldn't have invented the Midwest.

Sea breezes are intended to fan the embers of clam bakes. Let the rubes in flyover America help reduce fossil fuel dependency... News-Press.
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Green party hopeful taps anger
Stein takes page from Brown

Lexington doctor Jill Stein launched her second long-shot campaign for governor yesterday with a forceful attempt to tap the populist anger that propelled Republican Scott Brown into the US Senate last month... Patrick is facing a Democratic primary challenge from Grace Ross, who ran as the Green-Rainbow Party's candidate for governor in 2006. In the Republican primary, Charles D. Baker Jr., a former health care executive, is facing Cape Cod businessman Christy Mihos. State Treasurer Timothy P. Cahill, who left the Democratic Party in July, is running as an independent...Globe.

Why are Galapagos sea lions moving to Peru? WHOI scientist may have the answer

Warming ocean waters are turning the Peruvian coast into a retreat for Galapagos sea lions, according to an ocean life monitor in South America. A colony of about 30 sea lions from Charles Darwin's old stomping ground recently migrated 1,000 miles southeast to the northern coast of Peru, the Lima-based Organization for Research and Conservation of Aquatic Animals (ORCA) recently announced. The organization says the sea lions migrated south because of rising temperatures off the coast of northern Peru, which warmed six degrees Celsius over the past decade to 23 degrees Celsius as a result of climate change, reports the BBC...

However, biologist Michael Moore of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution on Cape Cod, Mass., says it is often too simplistic to blame animal migration completely on climate change... Christian Science Monitor.
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State Senate plan would cut agencies, boost economic development

Murray said she heard of idea of a state bank while speaking to a Cape Cod cultural council.

Senate leadership today will propose a drastic reduction in the number of agencies under the state's far-reaching economic development bureaucracy, empowering the governor's economic development chief with enhanced oversight of several quasi-public agencies and opening the door to a state-owned bank.

Under legislation developed over the last year with Senate President Therese Murray's supervision, the state's housing and economic development secretary would chair all boards that handle economic development work, including MassPort, the port authority that largely escaped consolidation measures in last year's sweeping reorganization of the transportation bureaucracy, and the Mass. Convention Center Authority.

MassDevelopment, the state's finance and development authority, would lose its ability to support tax-exempt bonds floated by non-profits, leaving the Housing and Educational Facilities Authority to enable that borrowing, according to a summary of the Senate bill... Daily News Tribune.

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1961: Massive snowstorm inundates Cape; 1895: Volleyball invented in Bay State; 1914: Fierce storm dooms one of last six-masted Shooners

1961: Local residents hit with a "vicious killer nor'easter"

The Cape Cod Canal was completely iced over and ice extended for a mile into Cape Cod Bay.

On this day in 1961, Cape and islands were digging out after one of the worst snowstorms in years - with the prospect of more snow to come.

A "vicious killer nor'easter," as described by UPI, dumped two feet of snow across the region, with drifts of up to 15 feet measured elsewhere in New England. Heavy snow snapped power lines and left a quarter of a million people without power in the dead of winter.

The Cape Cod Canal was completely iced over and ice extended for a mile into Cape Cod Bay. Snow began falling on the evening of Friday Feb. 3 and didn't stop until nearly 30 hours later.

"An estimated 100 deaths on the Eastern Seaboard were attributed to the storm that finally went out to sea after reaching near-blizzard conditions Friday," UPI reported. "Virtually every segment of life was affected - transportation, communications and industry."

The storm's breadth and fury were unequaled until that of another to hit the Northeast on this same week 17 years later - the Blizzard of 1978.

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1895: Bay State man invents Volleyball

Holyoke women play a 19th century game of volleyball.

On this day 1895, a new game was first played at the YMCA in Holyoke. Many of the men who came to the Y were excited about another new game; basketball, but the Holyoke sports director was looking for a less strenuous indoor sport. Borrowing from basketball, tennis, and handball, William Morgan came up with "Mintonette," soon re-named volleyball.

William Morgan was born in the state of New York and studied at Springfield College, Massachusetts. Ironically at Springfield, Morgan met James Naismith who invented basketball in 1891. Morgan was motivated by Naismith's game of basketball designed for younger students to invent a game suitable for the older members of the YMCA.

Over the next half-century, the game spread around the world. At the first Olympic competition in the 1964 games in Tokyo, the Soviet men and Japanese women took the Gold. However, when the Volleyball Hall of Fame opened in 1987, it was in Holyoke, the Massachusetts mill town where the game was born.

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1914: Fierce storm dooms one of last six-masted schooner

On this day in 1914, a fierce storm with winds up to 60 mph doomed efforts to salvage the six-masted schooner Alice M. Lawrence that had run aground on Tuckernuck Shoal two days earlier.

The 305-foot vessel, built in 1906 in Bath, Maine at a cost of $130,000, was "bound light" (without cargo) from Portland to Norfolk, Va., most likely to pick up a cargo of coal. Its crew was forced to abandon ship on Dec. 14.

The Alice M. Lawrence is believed to have been the first American-built schooner outfitted with electric lights. 

The last of the schooners, these giant six-masted ones were said to have paid off their costs with a few years. The schooner is a fore-and-aft rigged vessel with at least two masts, named the fore and the main mast. There were only ten six-masted schooners built.

According to the tradition the word schooner was first used in Gloucester, Massachusetts, in 1713 when a new vessel was launched at the shipyard of Andrew Robinson. It has been said that when the vessel entered the water that a spectator remarked "Oh, how she scoons!", upon which Robinson replied: "A scooner let her be." True or not, fore-and-aft vessels of the schooner type had been built before that date and are illustrated in Dutch paintings from the early 17th century. (photo credit,  Maine Maritime Museum)

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Calling Citizen Scientists: Horseshoe Crab Conference

Horseshoe crabs are popular inhabitants of the coastal waters of Cape Cod. Their size and recognizable shells make them a favorite of child and adult beachgoers alike. Horseshoe crabs provide food for important bird species as well as bait for the fishing industry Their blood—sustainably harvested—is used in a test for bacterial contamination in a wide range of drugs, vaccines and medical devices. The test was discovered at the Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole. Sanctuary Director Bob Prescott covers these and other issues in this presentation.

Research by the sanctuary on horseshoe crab populations in Wellfleet Harbor has been ongoing for more than two years. Many sanctuary volunteers have assisted in this research. The research has already prompted the Division of Marine Fisheries to propose new regulations to improve the management of horseshoe crab populations in Cape waters. We appreciate all of you who attended the hearing and submitted letters and emails to the DMF. We will let you know when a decision is reached.

As part of the sanctuary’s enhanced research effort we have scheduled a free, public conference. It will  highlight important studies related to horseshoe crabs, with noted researchers from the local area sharing their findings. Information on how to become a citizen scientist and help in this research will also be provided.

The Horseshoe Crab Conference is scheduled for Saturday, April 17, 9:30 am-3 pm at the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. This free conference will feature presentations by local experts. They will include the biology and development of horseshoe crabs by Dr. Daniel Gibson of WPI; an overview of state-wide spawning surveys and management of horseshoe crab fisheries by Vincent Malkoski of Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries; results of an independent study on the  mortality of horseshoe crabs bled for the bio-medical industry by Alison Leschen; and details of the movements of horseshoe crabs within Pleasant Bay by Dr. Mary-Jane James-Pirri.

For a full agenda, please click here. And plan to join us for this interesting and informative conference!

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One injured in car vs. school bus rear-ender; Man MedFlighted to Boston after ladder fall; Yarmouth Police arrest four for drunk driving this weekend, 10 underage drinkers summoned

On injured in car vs. school bus rear-ender

  FALMOUTH - The driver of a Buick sedan was injured on Monday afternoon, February 8, 2010, around 3:15 p.m. when their car rear-ended a school bus. 

The driver was transported to Falmouth Hospital with reportedly minor injuries. There appeared to be signficant damage to the hood and driver's side windshield of the sedan.

According to the Falmouth Police Department, the ten students and school bus driver onboard at the time were not injured.

Photo and video by David G. Curran.

Man falls from ladder in Bourne, MedFlighted to Boston

   A man injured after a fall from a ladder is carried to a MedFlight copter in Bourne.

BOURNE - Around 11:40 a.m. Monday, February 8, 2010, Bourne Firefighters transported a man to an awaiting MedFlight helicopter at the Bourne State Police barracks at the Bridge Rotary.

Internet Safety Meeting

An informative Internet safety meeting will be held Monday night, February 8, 2010 at 7 p.m. in the auditorium of D-Y Regional High School on Station Avenue in South Yarmouth.
   Assistant District Attorney Jennifer McNulty will speak about dangers associated with the Internet and cell phone use including texting and sexting. The meeting is open to parents, school staff and the public.
   Courtesy of the YPD.

According to police radio reports, the 52-year-old male fell 20 feet from a ladder sustaining chest injuries.

The extent of his injuries and the location of the fall are unknown at this time.

Photo by David G. Curran.

Yarmouth Police arrest four for drunk driving this weekend

Ten underage drinkers summoned as well

YARMOUTH - From the early hours of Saturday morning, February 6, 2010 to the equally early hours of Monday, February 8, 2010, the Yarmouth Police Department made four drunk driving arrests.

In addition to the four arrests above, Patrol Officer Christopher Van Ness responded to a disturbance call on Route 28 Sunday at 3:42 p.m. Ten local teens were found to be minors in the possession of alcohol:

• Joshua Danforth, 17, of Osterville
• Danielle Faria, 17, of Hyannis
• Fabrina Galvin, 17, of Hyannis
• Christina Gatti, 17, of Hyanni
• Tyesha Smalls, 17, of Centerville
• Female juvenile, 15, of Barnstable
• Ryan Ebert, 17, of Marstons Mill
• Don Petelle-Murphy, 17, of Brewster
• Michael King, 19, of Harwich
• Jordan Byers, 19, of Hyannis

All have received a summons for the charges.

Release and mugshots courtesy of the Yarmouth Police Department.

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The #1 Argument AGAINST Cape Wind

Is Nantucket Sound too important and too beautiful?

An awful lot of the Cape Wind debate is devoted to “technical” issues:  Costs, fishing, navigation, aviation, tourism, etc.  Anybody who has read my stuff knows that I spend most of my time on technical issues and I usually argue that, when we look at the evidence, these issues don’t work against the wind farm.

 One of the nice things about the technical issues is that evidence can be gathered and evaluated.  Over the years, the appropriate government agencies have been assigned to do this.  The FAA is reviewing effects on aviation.  The Coast guard has reviewed navigation.  The Interior Department has reviewed effects on fishing, mammals, the sea bottom and a host of other environmental issues.  Almost without exception these agencies have determined that the effects of Cape Wind will be minor or that they can be mitigated.  By this score Cape Wind is on a long winning streak.

 But there is one very important issue that cannot be evaluated technically:  Whether or not Nantucket Sound is too important and too beautiful a place to devote to industrial development.  Even if you have the stamina to read every word of the Marine and Mineral Service Environmental Impact Statement you won’t find a section that examines this issue.  Why?  Because it can’t be evaluated technically.  Deciding this issue involves a judgment call.  At the risk of being maudlin, deciding this issue requires one’s heart, not one’s head.

 I can understand the frustration of Cape Wind opponents who feel very strongly that the Sound shouldn’t be developed.  Even though the review process has taken an unprecedented amount of time and been of unprecedented depth, it has not considered their fundamental concern.  It has not validated their fundamental belief.

 It’s my personal opinion that this frustration drives many Cape Wind critics to support all of the technical criticisms that just don’t hold water.  And I believe that, in so doing, they hurt their case.  They lose credibility.  But they’re driven to this by the failure of the process to consider the "non-technical" value of the Sound.

 I also believe that many critics have heart felt opinions in this area that are being lost in all of this technical talk.  Lately, I’ve been encouraging the Cape Wind critics I know to go back and voice their opinion about the Sound.  That is, to forget about cost, fishing, aviation and the rest and tell us why it’s too important a place to develop.

 So I hope that, if you read this and you feel strongly that the Sound must be preserved, you will write a post and describe those feelings.  This most important issue gets lost in all the technical talk.   So let’s talk about it.

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The Parkington Sisters: five Cape originals

Cape Cod, still an artistic refuge

   The Parkington Sisters. Photo by Nate Miah Johnson.

By William DeSousa-Mauk

Cape Cod has consistently been an artistic refuge. In 2000, AmericanStyle magazine named Cape Cod its #1 Arts Destination in the Nation. In 1899 artist Charles W. Hawthorne founded the Cape Cod School of Art here, introducing near-derelict fishing town Provincetown to Greenwich Village intelligentsia. Other artists drawn to Cape Cod include Edward Hopper and Jackson Pollock. Eugene O’Neill’s first plays were written and produced here and screen stars are no strangers here—Marlon Brando, Richard Gere, Al Pacino, Bette Davis and others have performed on Cape Cod. A young Tennessee Williams, once an unknown alcoholic struggling to write plays, summered in P-town.  Stanley Kunitz, Mary Oliver and Mark Doty live here still as did Norman Mailer prior to his death in 2007. Artists of every discipline and ilk have lived and worked here, many still do.

Sibling songtresses

The Parkington Sisters on stage in Wareham earlier this year. According to all five siblings, it's the ocean that continues to inspire them. Photo by William DeSousa-Mauk.

Given the foregoing, small wonder the eponymous Parkington Sisters—five gregarious, charismatic, beautiful and talented sisters born and raised in Wellfleet (except Ariel, who was actually born in Missouri)—launched their career as a musical group on the streets and byways of Provincetown. Lydia (18-years-old) plays cello, guitar, and banjo; Rose (21-years-old) plays guitar, piano, and accordion; Nora (23-years-old) plays violin, guitar, and tambourine; Sarah (28-years-old) plays violin and guitar; and Ariel (30-years-old) plays violin and has two Master’s degrees. Rose and Lydia attend UMass Amherst where Rose majors in Sustainable Agriculture and Lydia is a cello performance major; Ariel teaches violin and viola in western Mass; Nora lives in Boston and is traveling with Winter Olympics Halfpipe Gold Medalist Hannah Teter this month; and Sarah lives in Manhattan’s trendy East Village where she is a freelance musician.

Talented parents

Some of the Cape’s great artists and artisans were born and raised here, allowing the Cape itself to seep into their psyche, endowing them with its special magic from childhood when little ones are at their most impressionable and malleable. With innate parental musical proclivities nurtured within Cape Cod’s benevolent terrain, the five sisters were guided by two extremely talented and musical parents; their talents were forged and annealed here. Each daughter was trained musically and played one or more musical instruments as young children. Mostly, all five sisters proclaim “It is the ocean which inspires us,” and, with 560 miles of seacoast encircling the peninsula, it remains clear why the sisters are so inspired.

"Under the radar"

Community Arts in Action
Editor's note: The writer met up with the Parkington Sisters at a benefit performance for CAIA in Wareham.
   
Community Arts in Action is a charitable Wareham-based organization—501 (c)3—whose primary mission is three-fold:
 - To present a variety of quality entertainments—in music, storytelling, drama, dance, literary programs—to Wareham and surrounding communities;
- To encourage inclusivity and community-building by making such programs available at a modest cost;
- To provide financial support for a local cultural entity or project that enhances the quality of community life.
    President Leie Carmody (right), a tireless and driven lady, attends most events and is very hands-on in selecting and retaining entertainment and technical staff, securing performance venues, producing the monthly program guide (including advertising), selling and taking tickets, organizing the performers, handling the marketing and public relations within the community it serves, managing photographers and, although there is an active board and volunteers, Leie seems to manage all the details of the organization with aplomb and seamlessly.
   Through the organization’s series of performances, the community has come together for excellent entertainment, fellowship and to support various organizations in greater Wareham. Proceeds of performances support a variety of programs and beneficiaries have included Wareham Free Library and Wareham Council on Aging and Social Services. Community Arts in Action will consider proposals from other local entities or groups seeking limited financial assistance for projects enhancing the quality of community life.
   Organizations interested in making a proposal to CAIA for financial assistance should telephone Leie Carmody at 508-295-0164 or, by e-mail, to info@warehamarts.org. Click here for a list of upcoming performances.
Individuals wishing to volunteer may do so by writing volunteers@warehamarts.org; for tickets, write tickets@warehamsarts.org. Sponsorship information is available by writing sponsors@warehamarts.org.

The issue of Cheryl and Dani Parkington of Wellfleet, daughters Ariel, Sarah, Nora, Rose, and Lydia are more than sisters, they are soul sisters. Their heady music touches deep in the soul’s core; it grabs listeners from the first bar and does not release until they are taking their bows. Paterfamilias Dani Parkington says his daughters were nurtured in an environment of contemporary Americana music influenced mightily by such luminous musicians, singers and songwriters as Joan Baez, Laura Nyro, Joni Mitchell and Aretha Franklin; French jazz violinist Stéphane Grappelli, and prominent contemporary bassist and composer Edgar Meyer. The sisters’ mother, Cheryl Parkington, is a member of a celebrated lower Cape American string band, The Higher Ground. She nurtured her daughters in the folk tradition. Their father, Dani Parkington, who plays strings and percussion instruments, classifies himself as a ‘world musician’ and studies and plays eastern music, in particular. On family road trips, the car was always a rolling concert; attending concerts and listening to avant-garde classical music was standard family fare. All five sisters agree that their parents and family were the most influential factors in their collective and individual musical evolutions. The women enjoy the group’s ‘under the radar’ status and, in fact, The Parkington Sisters were acclaimed a best ‘Under the Radar’ group by American Songwriter magazine.

From a duo on Commercial

The original duo comprised Sarah and Rose captivating passersby about seven years along Commercial Street. So much did the pair enjoy performing, they soon entreated the three remaining siblings to join in and, within a couple of years, Ariel, Lydia, and Nora were also toting guitars, violins, cellos, banjos, mandolins, accordions and tambourines and the group was born.

Acoustic-indie-folk with classical roots

There is a special bond, a tacit understanding and empathic resonance these five beautiful and richly-talented sisters emanate.  It is palpable … their sonorous music and lyrics cannot fail to impress. At first, one feels as if he or she has wandered into a chamber music concert, until the gentle strains of the guitar, mandolin, accordion or banjo blend seamlessly creating a mélange of sound. Self-describing their style as acoustic, indie, folk with classical roots one must listen closely and then readily identify the diverse influences which color and influence their music. While each woman is both a musician and a songwriter, The Parkington Sisters always comprises all five sisters as a group. Sarah and Ariel are both professional violinists who, between them, have performed with symphonies, chamber groups and bands across the country. The other three sisters also play individually in different venues and settings.

The Parkington Sisters "Chains", for others click here.

A return to Cape Cod

Each of the sisters returns to her beloved Cape Cod each summer, where they are always inspired to write and perform. On Cape, they play at local festivals, on village greens and libraries as well as concerts for charitable causes. And what of the future? At present, the relatively noncommittal commitment to “keep writing music and growing and developing” represents the best oracular prediction for the five sisters, collectively and individually. The Sisters are currently working to release their first music CD which they hope will occur during summer 2010.

The Parkington Sisters will appear with Livingston Taylor Sunday, February 14th at 3pm at the First Congregational Church on Main Street in Wellfleet for a Payomet Performing Arts Center benefit.

Visit the Parkington Sisters' website for upcoming dates and to listen to their music.

Bill DeSousa-Mauk, born in Manhattan and raised on Long Island, is a principal in Michael Patrick Communications, Ltd., a tourism PR firm based in Hyannis, which handles PR for Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard. He is also a freelance writer for Boston Spirit Magazine, Global Traveler and other publications. He has lived on Cape Cod for 20 years and loves exploring and finding the Cape’s never-ending nooks, crannies and bejeweled morsels to explore and savor. Between explorations in and around Cape Cod, he is always off exploring the wider world, particularly Hawaii (seven visits), Mexico, the Caribbean (almost every island) and Germany, (he is a fluent German speaker). But all trips must come to an end and, regardless where travels take him, he breathes a deep sigh when crossing the Bridge to his beloved Cape Cod. DeSousa-Mauk’s love of travel naturally led him to a career in tourism and his bags (and his husband Troy’s) are always packed for the next adventure.

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Jeff Perry for Congress Campaign Kick-off Party announced

State Rep to run for Congress, kick-off party announced

The Jeff Perry for Congress Campaign Kick-off Party will be held on Friday, March 5, 2010 at 7 p.m. at the Cape Codder Resort in Hyannis. Perry is currently serving as the State Representative for the 5th Barnstable District.

The evening will feature appetizers and a cash bar.

To learn more about State Representative Perry's candidacy, visit his website here.

The Cape Codder Resort is located at 1225 Iyannough Road (at Bearse's Way) in Hyannis.

Email us any upcoming Cape Cod political events (campaign kick-offs, fund raisers, informational sessions, debates, monthly meetings, etc.) and we'll feature them here on our Cape Cod Political calendar.

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Stop 'n Shop prepares for strike; 200 mile Cape Relay Race; Dennis man charged with growing pot in his house; Store owner convicted of sexual assault; The Elizabeth Islands explained; Cape Cod gave the world Sunroots

TODAY's quote: "We are making contingency plans that include placing ads in local newspapers for temporary workers in order to continue business operations in the event there is a work stoppage." - Stop 'n Shop spokeswoman Faith Weiner.

The ad in local newspapers reads: Stop&Shop Now Hiring Temporary Replacement Workers for Cashier and Clerk Positions. The temporary employment would occur in the event there is a strike or lockout because of a labor dispute. Full-time $15.00/hour • Part-time $12.00/hour, 18 years old and older. Bring proof of identity and work authorization. Apply in person at teh store on Route 28 in South Yarmouth.

Stop 'n Shop hit on ‘strike' hiring

Stop & Shop is hiring temporary replacement cashiers and clerks in case contract talks break down with the union representing some 36,000 New England employees.

The Quincy-based supermarket chain has been advertising for full- and part-time workers "in the event there is a strike or lockout because of a labor dispute."

But a union official for one of five United Food and Commercial Workers locals negotiating new three-year contracts called the move "bad theater" and an attempt by Stop & Shop to persuade workers to accept its contract offers... Herald.

The Provincetown Banner reported last week that the union representing workers at Stop & Shop grocery store (in Provincetown) is girding for a battle with management that could send many of the store's almost 100 employees out on strike in two weeks.

Union contracts with 14,000 Stop & Shop workers in Southeastern Massachusetts are set to expire Feb. 20. Store managers have begun advertising in several local newspapers for temporary cashiers and clerks. In addition, the company held several job fairs, including one in South Yarmouth, on Monday to interview prospective workers.
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Dennis man charged with cultivating marijuana

Derek Pitcher, 23, is charged with cultivating marijuana at his home at 110 Acorn Rd., South Dennis. Pitcher also faces charges related to two default warrants.
   Just before 10:30 Sunday morning, police received a 911 call from the Acorn Road address, where they had previously responded to domestic disturbances. Officers found marijuana growing in two rooms, including a child's bedroom.
   Pitcher was found hiding behind a child's bunk bed... The Register.

Former Dennisport store owner convicted of sexual assault

A Dennisport man has been found guilty of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 and sentenced to 2 ½ years in the Barnstable County Correctional facility.
   Richard Macaruso, 58, was convicted after a three-day trial in Orleans District Court. Macaruso operated F.I.T. Games in Dennisport where the incidents that led to the charges against him took place in 2006. Macaruso was convicted of having sexual contact with a then 12-year-old boy... The Register.

Relay race will take runners 200 miles from Quincy to Provincetown

The race course winds its way more than 200 miles from the shores of Boston Harbor to the tip of Cape Cod. Competitors in the inaugural Cape Relay on May 1 and 2 won't be running alone, but as part of six- or 12-member teams...

Teams need to average 11-minute miles to be able to finish the course within the 36-hour time limit, he said. The top teams will finish in 22 to 23 hours, he said... So far, more than 200 teams of runners have registered for the overnight event... Patriot Ledger.
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History of Elizabeth Islands shared

Raised on the shores of Buzzards Bay, Seth Mendell had sailed past the Elizabeth Islands countless times.

He was always curious about their history.

So he did what any good history teacher would do: He researched the subject himself... He described how Gosnold sailed "to the New World" from England aboard the Concord with 20 colonists and 12 sailors.

Although Gosnold's original destination was Virginia, he missed his target and landed on Cape Cod in 1602 with four other men, making them the first Englishmen to set foot in New England... Standard-Times.
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Foodie Freak: Sunroots
They were discovered by Champlain on Cape Cod

Sunroots are a potato-like tuber that grows underground and looks like really fat ginger. They are a great food for diabetics because sunroots store their starch in the form of inulin (a polysaccharide) and not carbohydrates.

Diabetics can eat sunroots all day long without having blood sugar problems.

You might not be familiar with this vegetable because they've gone through a little identity crisis. For a long time sunroots went by the name "Jerusalem Artichokes" but the title just confused people since they aren't from Jerusalem and they aren't anything like an artichoke. They're actually a variety of sunflower.

Sunroots were "discovered" in a tribal garden in Cape Cod by Samuel de Champlain (in 1605 ACE) who sent them to his homeland, France. He called them "Canadian Artichokes" since he thought they tasted like artichoke hearts.A Swedish Naturalist then renamed them "Topinambour" after a cannibalistic tribe from Brazil (that's a long, dull story) and they are still called that in France today... Lake County News.

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