Letters to the Editor

The continued persecution of Dr. Richard Smayda

One has to wonder why, having been acquitted in May of charges of sexual harassment, Dr. Richard Smayda (of Brewster) is being forced to defend himself once again against similar charges brought by a group of middle-aged women who suddenly "remembered" instances of impropriety only AFTER the initial case was publicized?

I have been to Dr. Smayda and other physicians at Brewster Medical for all manner of treatments; including internal exams and adjustments. None of the doctors there (and I saw Dr. Smayda exclusively for 2 years)has EVER made me feel uncomfortable.

D.A. O'Keefe's duty to the taxpayers is to determine which cases have merit to spend taxpayer dollars prosecuting. NOT to allow frivolous lawsuits to conduct a witch hunt against a person who has already been acquitted once.

The whole process of watching the ruination of a fine doctor and his reputation revolts me! This case is a perfect example of abuse of the system, and maybe we should take a closer look at D.A. O'Keefe's agenda (and that of these women who should have spoken up AT THE TIME the supposed "violation" of their persons occurred)?

Had something like they are claiming happened to me, I would have reported the incident IMMEDIATELY!

I have seen Dr. Smayda's wife, and I sincerely doubt he would feel inclined to seek out middle-aged women (not ONE under 50?)...........

Come on now. This continued prosecution constitutes harassment at this point!

C. Contilli
Brewster, MA

Proposed Nantucket Sound wind farm

What do you advocates of the Wind Farm think now that you've seen the destruction in the Gulf States from the hurricanes?

Driving 130 wind mills into the glacial till of Nantucket Sound and expecting  the installation to survive these types of storms gives me pause.

I see a 24 square mile junk yard. Who would be responsible for cleaning that up?

The oil spill from the windmills and transformer building will be catastrophic. Hopefully Greenpeace and the rest of the wind farm advocates will take this into consideration.
 
Richard F. Mullin, P.E.
South Dennis, MA

Kudos to Cape Cod

Kudos to Cape Codders!  In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Cape Cod  has joined the rest of the country in raising and donating money and supplies for our fellow Americans in need. Closer to home, we opened  our arms and our hearts to folks at Otis.

From Provincetown to the bridge, Cape Codders quickly organized fund raising events with proceeds benefiting the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army and other reputable charities. To date, some of those events have included:

• A wine tasting event at the Crowne Pointe in Provincetown which raised $5,000 for the American Red Cross and the Humane Society.
• A collection at the Falmouth "Pops Goes the Summer" concert which raised roughly $50,000 with the help of the event's sponsors and Sovereign Bank.  
• The Academy Playhouse in Orleans raised $1,500 for the Salvation Army by donating the proceeds from their Thursday evening performance of "Lend Me a Tenor".
• Many churches and other organizations have also raised funds for this very important cause.  
  

Cape Codders have shown that every little bit counts as we continue to find ways to help our neighbors in need.  If you are interested in  joining in, check our calendar for future fund raising events.  If you or your organization is planning an event, let us know and we'll help you spread the word.

And last, but not least, we haven't forgotten the beloved pets who were also victimized by Katrina.  Yarmouth Port based IFAW (International  Fund for Animal Welfare) has played an integral part in rescuing dogs and cats (and even a 300 lb pot-bellied pig called Rooty) who were stranded in the flood waters.

Sometimes it seems it is easier to point out all the things that are wrong with Cape Cod.  It's nice to be able to talk about something that is right.

Positive or negative, we welcome your comments and opinions about Cape Cod issues.  Let us know what's going on--what's bugging you or putting a smile on your face. 

Editor,
CapeCodToday.com
Dennis, MA