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Journalism, A Casual Conversation?

I’m back at college way up here on the North Shore now and I’ve been trying to keep up with what’s going on back at home by checking out the local papers’ websites, like Cape Cod Times and Cape Cod Today. But it’s tough when I’m not actually there because the big stories like Glen Marshall and the whole casino deal overshadow almost everything else, and then I miss all that little stuff.

So here’s the solution to all that…

Google has just obtained a revolutionary website called GrandCentral.com (http://www.grandcentral.com/). Here’s how it works: Anyone can create an account and then reserve a FREE phone number with the area code of anywhere in the U.S. you would like your number to be from. If you have a blog, like me, you can post your new phone number and have readers call in with story ideas, tell their own personal story, or maybe just to be interviewed for a story you’ve already written or would like to write.

You can set up your new GrandCentral number so that it will ring on your cell phone, office phone, or home phone—or all of them! The number that shows up on the caller ID is the GrandCentral number. If you know you’re expecting a call from someone to interview, you can answer. If you would rather the caller leave a message, you just let it go to the voicemail box of your GrandCentral account.

Just by hitting the number four on your phone, you start recording your conversation with the caller (if they have agreed to be recorded for an interview of course). If you decide not to answer, the caller can leave a message for you, which is also recorded. And now for the best part… After an interview is recorded or a voicemail is left, the recording is emailed to you in mp3 format instantaneously for your listening and easy-editing pleasure. Amazing.

Now I have my new GrandCentral number (508-444-8643), after Craig Walker the Founder and CEO read my blog post about his site and emailed me to tell me good job, and I’m just waiting to hear from my fellow Cape Codders about interesting stories and things that are going on back at home. I will leave prompts here and there and hope that readers also call in to give their thoughts and ideas on the subject. Keep an eye out for my GrandCentral number and go get your own! Hurry, the numbers can’t possibly be free for long.

Proud to Be an American

Going to the base on my day off and checking out all kinds of military apparatus was not exactly my top priority on Sunday. After dragging my boyfriend to the beach for a couple of hours in the morning, he gave me a well-thought-out guilt trip about how we should now spend the rest of the day doing something he wanted to do. So off to the Cape Cod Air Show we went.

The parking situation on the base was horrendous, and it was noisy, crowded, hot, and entirely too full of testosterone. But as the afternoon wore on and the clouds burnt off, I suddenly became interested in all of the fancy planes and things; I even climbed up and sat inside of some of them.

We peeked inside of a Coast Guard helicopter, one very similar to what you can see in the film about the Coast Guard Rescue Divers, The Guardian. (I highly recommend it to anyone by the way). Then we strapped ourselves into a UH-60 Blackhawk. Mike and I saw a B-52 Bomber and walked right through the almost 250-foot long C-5 Galaxy. We stood outside the fenced off area where the stealthy F-117A Night Hawk sat guarded by several military personnel. Then I immediately felt goose bumps all over after seeing an F-15 Eagle with a sign that read “First on scene on September 11, 2001.”

After a few hours of walking around at Mike’s high speed pace in a pair of crappy worn out $3 flip flops, my feet were really killing me. I sat down on the concrete and planned to remain there until Mike wanted to venture over to the fried dough stand. But as soon as those Thunderbirds took off for the sky, I was right back up on my feet, staring up at them in awe. “This is the sound of freedom,” said the announcer as they took off.

And he was right. It was nothing short of amazing watching the pilots perform unbelievable stunts and fly in flawless formations all afternoon. The show ended with a huge applause from the crowd and the song “Proud to Be an American” blaring from the speakers on the runway. It was a great feeling to be there and see all of that. It really did make me feel proud to be an American.

We never did get that fried dough, and we ended up sitting in traffic for almost 2 hours although the Falmouth gate is mere minutes from my house, but the Air Show was definitely something I’m glad I didn’t miss. I didn’t even really mind all of the traffic on the way out because it was a good indicator of just how many people came out to support our country’s military this weekend. And I’m proud I was able to one of them.

Bridge Collapse on Cape, Maybe Not Too Far Off

With last week’s tragedy of the bridge collapse in Minneapolis, there’s been much talk about the safety of our own bridges right here on the Cape. Only a couple of days after the disaster, I ventured off-Cape over the Bourne Bridge and got a sharp shiver and an uneasy feeling passing the heavy oncoming traffic. Could it happen here?

Well if the proper measures are not taken, it is very possible. The Federal Highway Administration’s National Bridge Inventory has listed 50 of the Cape’s bridges as functionally obsolete, including both the Bourne and Sagamore Bridges. This term, ‘functionally obsolete,’ basically means that at least one aspect of the bridge is not in compliance with current standards and needs to be fixed. Scary? I thought so.

What’s even scarier is that there are six other bridges on the Cape with bridges that need immediate renovations and are listed by the federal agency as structurally deficient, two of which are in Falmouth and I use both on a regular basis.

The 55-foot Water Street drawbridge in Woods Hole and the 120-foot Chapoquoit Bridge in West Falmouth both need to be replaced. There are plans in the works for both projects but the earliest date mentioned for the replacements is 2009. At least once a week I go to Chappy, my favorite beach in Falmouth. This means I drive over the Chapoquoit Bridge a minimum of twice a week. As for the Woods Hole drawbridge, I may not use it as much, but every couple of weeks or so my boyfriend and I go out to dinner down in the Hole. But now I think we’ll just take a short detour around Eel Pond to avoid the dicey drawbridge.

It's got me wondering, if the bridge collapse in Minneapolis had not happened, would anyone have noticed the poor condition of these local bridges?

Deep Doo Doo

As a dog lover, I cannot imagine a day when I am not allowed to bring my old black lab, Bailey, for a walk on the beach. Sometimes I get glares from the disgruntled tourists who—for some unknown reason—feel that once they are here for the summer, everything is theirs, including our beaches for which they come and crowd.

I do have a problem, however, with dog crap that is left behind for someone’s lucky foot to step in, and sadly it is probably more often than not a local’s foot instead of a tourist’s. I am certainly not saying to stop bringing your dogs to the beach, like Bowerman’s Beach Club feels is the answer.

There’s an easier way that will make everyone happier. A couple of years ago, Falmouth and other towns across the Cape, installed plastic gloves that turn inside out into baggies after you pick up your pet’s poo. Then, you simply toss it in the trashcans that are scattered around the beach parking lots.

C’mon, we dump enough crap into the water just a short ways offshore, there’s no need to leave any more on the beaches.

The 28A Ice Cream Cruise

Got that summertime craving for sweet and creamy ice cream? Just take a quick ride down scenic 28A and you are sure to find exactly what you fancy.

Starting in West Falmouth and heading north on Route 28A, you will find Eulinda’s Ice Cream on the left almost directly across the street from the West Falmouth Market. This quaint little ice cream shop has a variety of flavors, frappes, and sundaes to suit anyone’s cravings.

Next stop, the new Whistle Stop Ice Cream in the small plaza in between North Falmouth Liquors and the Village Pantry. This ice cream shop used to be a little ways back right off of 28A in a tiny building, which now is surrounded by a huge condo complex. There is another Whistle Stop in Bourne off of Shore Road as well.

Smitty’s Too comes up quick after Whistle Stop, less than a minute’s drive. But be sure not to miss this small, secluded ice cream shop right next to Jack in the Beanstalk. There are a few umbrella-covered picnic tables and plenty of parking. But obviously, the delicious homemade ice cream is what brings in the crowds each night.

Although this next ice cream shop is a little ways off the beaten path of 28A, Holy Cow is definitely worth the short detour. Take a left at the Route 151 and 28A lights and follow County Road through a 4-way stop for less than a mile and Holy Cow is on the right. A black board filled with unusual flavors, like Smurf and Dinosaur Crunch covers an entire wall of the small building. They also sell Cape Cod Bagels for those early birds starting at 7 AM.

If you’re more in the mood for soft serve ice cream, Dean’s House of Pizza back at the corner of 151 and 28A has chocolate, vanilla, and twist and a list of toppings, like Heath Bar, Crunch Coat, Reeces Pieces, M&Ms and more.

Next up on the route is the new Lazy Sundaes ice cream shop. It is located where the well known Emac & Bolio's Ice Cream once was, right behind The Parrot Bar & Grill. You are sure to enjoy the long list of traditional & delicious lavors offered here.

Last, but certainly not least, Somerset Creamery ends this 7-stop ice cream cruise. With homemade ice cream and warm, freshly made waffle cones, this ice cream shop immediately won me over since it’s opening a few years ago in Cataumet. The original has been located in Somerset, MA for almost 70 years now. They must be doing something right. And now with an addition on the building, it gives the employees more space and more cash registers to get those long lines moving even quicker. The only draw-back: no rainbow sprinkles!

So what are you waiting for? Go satisfy that ice cream craving!

The Vineyard, No Longer Home of Black Dog

Going over to the Vineyard used to be such a treat when I was a kid; taking the slow-but-steady ferry or maybe the somewhat speedy Island Queen, eating my favorite ice cream at Mad Martha’s, riding the prettiest painted horse on the Flying Horses Carousel and trying desperately to nab that brass ring, then grabbing lunch at The Black Dog Tavern of Cafe, and maybe mom will even give in and buy that overly-priced Black Dog sweatshirt you want so badly.

Well nowadays, you are sure to run into a Black Dog Store if you come to the Cape without even taking the short voyage to the Vineyard. There are now 13 Black Dog Stores altogether, including a few on the island and Nantucket, stretching to the Mainland in Falmouth, P-town, and Chatham and reaching all the way to Portland, Maine and Newport, Rhode Island.

Why did this small, celebrated, local piece of Cape Cod have to become something more? My only hope is that the Café, Tavern, and Bakery do not follow suit and take to the Mainland. We need to keep these Black Dog favorites intrinsic to the Vineyard. Driving to downtown Falmouth to shop at The Black Dog is just not the same as taking a memorable ferry boat ride there. And Portland, what are they doing with our Black Dog?

FA Gets Idea of Renewable Energy Spinning

Yesterday afternoon Falmouth Academy took a huge leap to going green. Alternate Energy Systems finished positioning a 92-foot pole adjacent to Beebe Woods, which is going to be the base for Falmouth’s first wind turbine.

The small 215-student school has already been recognized by the state as a leader in recycling ad conservation. After an Algebra II class went through the mathematical procedures with information given by WHOI and the manufacturer, the turbine is expected to provide up to 10% of the school’s electricity needs. The $70,000 project is partly being paid for by a $47,000 grant from the Massachusetts Technology Collaboration.

There are a few other turbines scattered across Cape schools, including Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical School and Mass Maritime Academy. This addition to the Cape’s growing collection of wind turbines demonstrates the great push the Cape community is making to go green and reduce energy costs with renewable energy options.

Cherrystones, Devastated by Fire

A Cape favorite, Cherrystones Restaurant & Lounge, caught fire on the morning of Saturday, April 21 and most of the building burnt down and is now destroyed. Firefighters from several towns were called to the scene at around11:45 AM. Officials speculate that a faulty electrical wire sparked the blaze that crept all the way up into the ceiling and devastated most of the building on Nathan Ellis Highway in Mashpee.

The small, elegant restaurant that many from around the Cape enjoyed dining at regularly, including myself, is now out of commission for an indefinite amount of time. After 18 years in business, it can only be hoped that Cherrystones gets back on its feet soon to continue serving up excellence…especially my favorite Seafood Scampi over angel hair. I miss it already.

Angel's Hope in Harwich

Give a swab of saliva on Saturday and help save a life at the Angel’s Hope Walk in Harwich.

On May 5, Cape Codders interested in being bone marrow donors may register right here on the Cape instead of driving up to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. The Caitlyn Raymond International Registry will be coming to the Harwich Community Center from 10 AM to 1 PM for people interested in entering the registry of donors.

Those interested will only have to answer a few questions and have their mouths swabbed quickly and it is free of charged.

It costs $15 to walk in the seventh annual Angel’s Hope Walk, which also begins at 10 AM from the Community Center. The four-mile walk raises money and assists families in paying for cancer treatment for children. Martha Knapp started Angel’s Hope after her son died of cancer at the age of three. She was recently highlighted in Cape Cod Life’s April issue of the “400 People Who Make A Difference.”

Local Hokie Hopeful

With the heartbreaking events that took place this week in regards to Virginia Tech, I think it’s safe to say that no one had a real good week. It seems like everyone you talk to knows someone, who knows someone at VT. A fellow Cape Codder, Laura Gonser of Sandwich, is still a proud student attending the close-knit university in Blacksburg, VA, “Nothing will change how much I love this school,” she said.

Laura always knew she wanted to do civil engineering and VT definitely has a good program. She said, “I was blown away with how beautiful our campus is and how friendly the students were.” I can vouch for this. I didn’t know Laura at all, but I read a CC Times article that mentioned her name and I decided to send her a Facebook message asking if she would be interested in answering a few questions for me for the blog. I was expecting no response or a rude one back for being too insensitive. Immediately after sending the message I regretted ever doing it. I was afraid I had just crossed “that” line that I’ve always tried to avoid in journalism.

To my surprise, Laura wrote back right away and was so friendly and helpful. Even during this awful time for her, she took time out of her busy week to thoughtfully respond to several questions I had for her. Without even meeting her, I can tell she is a genuine person and I do not doubt that the entire Hokie community shares this quality.

Laura explained that while she and her friend were walking to their 10:10 AM class in a building behind Norris Hall Monday morning, everyone around her in the drill field just stopped moving. She and her friend had been talking and laughing and did not hear the gunshots, but apparently everyone else had. They saw people running out of Norris Hall and then decided to head back to their residential hall instead of proceeding on to class.

“Most students were still in shock on Monday afternoon, or still looking for friends who were missing. Tuesday most students knew who they had lost,” Laura said. Everyone lost someone. VT lost 33.

Laura explained that she is in an engineering course, Measurements, and one of the two professors and four of the five teacher’s assistants were killed. “That was a hard hit. Dr. Loganathan was an amazing man and I will miss him dearly. I am very thankful though that my TA was the one that is alive today but I mourn the loss of the others,” she said. G.V. Loganathan was 51 and had taught engineering courses at VT for over 25 years. He won many awards for excellence in teaching and was the advisor to about 75 students.

Laura has not lost any pride in her school or the engineering department; in fact, I think she has gained even more. When I asked her if this heartbreaking event has changed her career plans at VT she answered, “There is nothing I want to be more [than a civil engineer]. With all my heart I want to make my professor proud and graduate a civil engineer.”

But outside of her engineering family at VT, Laura also lost some very close friends. One of her closest friends in the corps lost his best friend and roommate, Cadet Matthew La Porte. “I am heartbroken for my friend’s loss, though I did not know Matthew personally,” she said. And another personal friend of Laura’s was Jeremy Herbstritt, a 27-year-old grad student in the civil engineering program as well. “I had only met him once or twice but you instantly loved him. I will never forget the friendship, small though it may have been, we had,” she said.

The days following the incident only seem to get harder. She describes the atmosphere of the university: “Those that were going home left and those left began mourning. Campus is peaceful at points and full of tears at other points. The media is all around so it does not feel like the little town of Blacksburg we all know and love.”

I for one am outraged with the media’s treatment of this situation. The lack of sensitivity and large amount of blame has only made things more difficult for everyone. Laura explained that many of the students are frustrated with the press. “Yesterday when my friends and I were going to mourn at the memorials I had to say at least 10 times that we would just like to be left alone and respected today,” Laura said. Isn’t enough, enough?

In regards to NBC’s broadcasting of and sharing to rival networks Cho’s photos and video footage, Laura said that it was a “horrendous thing to do. I can’t imagine being a mother of someone lost and seeing those images.” I know many people agree with this. Thankfully, the television networks have severely limited the use of those disturbing and frightening images over the past couple of days.

The news has made me fearful, but Laura has made me hopeful…hopeful for those families and friends who have been left behind and hopeful for all the Hokies. She was at the convocation on Tuesday in the overflow seating in Lane Stadium. When asked how it felt to be a Hokie that afternoon as Nikki Giovanni read her inspiring poem and the auditorium began the “Hokie chant,” Laura said, “Being surrounded by Hokies as she read the poem was powerful and uplifting. I will never forget that moment.”

Laura’s parents have been very supportive this week and they wanted her to come home this while she does not have any classes going on. But she explained that as much as she loves her parents, she feels that VT is where she needs to be right now. “I need to be here with my Hokie family.” And later Laura mentioned, “I cannot express in words what it is like to be a Hokie. We are such a united school; the pride we have goes deeper than football and school colors.”

So while it appears the media is trying to focus the country on the killer and the tragedy itself, the Hokie nation knows what is most important right now; staying close and growing closer with each day. Laura has certainly helped me refocus on what matters most and I want to sincerely thank her for this. It’s the people not the tragedy that we need to keep in mind and America’s biggest tragedy yet would be losing sight of that.

Virginia Tech Shooting Hits Home

After hearing about the tragic massacre of 33 people at Virginia Tech all day yesterday, I was hoping that it would not hit home for anyone on the Cape. I woke up this morning to read articles about the newest information regarding the school shooting. I came across an article in the Cape Cod Times and sadly read that for two Sandwich families, the country’s largest mass murder in history hit too close to home.

Two young women, recent graduates of Sandwich High School, Laura Gonser and Carly Siegel, were right there on campus during the madness yesterday. Fortunately, they were not injured at all. Neither had been informed of the situation’s severity. According to the Times, both students had not known about the first shooting of the first two students at 7:15 yesterday morning. The majority of the shootings took place at around 9:50 AM in Norris Hall, the engineering academic building. But why were students even sent to classes after a shooting had taken place only a couple of hours prior?

Last night at the CNN press conference the college’s president, Charles Steger, was barraged with very discerning questions. Why were the students not informed immediately after the initial murders that there had been a shooting on campus? And why weren’t any precautions taken? Asking the campus community to “report anything suspicious” certainly was not a safety measure. But blame is not the answer to this problem today.

After hearing about this shrilling “historic massacre” and seeing the frightening cell phone video coverage of the graduate student, Jamal Albarghouti, running for hours last night on CNN, I just thought of all of those families who still had yet to know that their son or daughter was one of the casualties of America’s biggest mass shooting. My heart goes out to all the students and faculty and the families with lost loved ones.

The massacre is still under investigation, naturally. But for more information please check out CNN.com. Stories are constantly being updated with the latest information. Also the live broadcast of the VT convocation today will be on NBC at 2 PM and George W. Bush's short address at the ceremony can be viewed on NBC.com.

I really did not want to write about this tragedy. It worries me knowing that my small college in a small suburban town could encounter the same situation. It makes me feel uneasy and nauseous. This reality immediately yanked the feeling of security that I had right out of me, and I’m sure the same goes for thousands across the country today.

Nasty--Yes, Nor'easter--No

Courtesy of Cape Wide News at www.capecodtoday.com


Sunday night’s storm certainly proved to be a windy, wet mess on the Cape, but luckily no wintery mix hit the area. Police and fire officials across the Cape reported power outages due to high winds and flooding, which closed roads in some coastal areas.

Commercial Street in Provincetown; West Dennis Beach; Crooked Cartway and High Street in West Barnstable; Iyannough Road and Ridgewood Avenue in Hyannis; Surf Drive and Menauhant Road in Falmouth; Stowe Road in Sandwich; and Shore Road in Yarmouth were all hit pretty badly by flooding and other repercussions of the storm and its strong winds.

Fortunately, there were very few major car accidents last night and this morning although the roads were still very slick and covered with tree branches and debris.

NStar crews were still working hard this morning to return power to the entire Cape, but what really matters is no one was inured in the messy storm.

Overall, this “Spring Nor’easter” was not so bad. There was no snow and temperatures hovered around 42 degrees. Yes, the rain was miserable and the wind was awful, but it was no Nor’easter. Period. In fact, before I left to drive back to school today, the sun came out in Falmouth.

Eco-Cape Codders Step It Up

All photos courtesy of www.stepitup2007.org


In honor of the very first National Day of Climate Action on Saturday, April 14, several Cape towns held rallies to inform the community and push for Congressional action toward reducing carbon emissions by 80% by 2050. More than 1,400 rallies were held across the country yesterday; Centerville, Falmouth, Hyannis, Truro, and Wellfleet represented the Cape’s support for this greener, cleaner air. The website, stepitup2007.org, is the hub for pushing for Congressional action to stop global warming and the creator of the new environmental day.

More than 80 supportive community members came out to the Pamet Harbor Yacht and Tennis Club in Truro to listen to various guest speakers. People rallying in Wellfleet marched down Uncle Tim’s bridge and crossed Duck Creek waving their eco-flags in the breeze. They sang a marching song targeted towards the government: “step it up, one step at a time...organize, one step at a time...."



The rally in Falmouth started at Surf Drive Beach with demonstrations of new water levels that will creep up the shore and rise about three feet as a result of global warming. Then participants walked, biked, and skated to the Village Green where the Solutions Fair was held. There were many speakers and organizations with tables set up, ranging from Brownie Troop 1048 that gave out free tree seedlings and Boy Scout Troop 38 that distributed free fluorescent light bulbs, to the Town Energy Committee, Clean Power Now, and the Coastal Resources Working Group and several others.



The day was certainly a success for the community members. But now all we need is the government to step it up and start lowering carbon emissions.

Bring Back the Shack

Courtesy of www.capecoddiningguide.com


The Compass Rose Summer Shack in West Dennis is back in action despite allegations that owner Don Cox was violating the trademarked restaurant name “Summer Shack” of Boston chef Jasper White.

Last summer there was a big ordeal regarding Mr. Cox’s small restaurant at the Bass River Marina. Mr. White, owner of the Summer Shack restaurant chain, filed a trademark infringement claim.

First of all, the name is Compass Rose Summer Shack; it isn’t even the same name. Mr. Cox said that his small restaurant is actually a shack and in no way resembles Mr. White’s large chain restaurants that are located throughout the Boston area and Connecticut. Mr. Cox also claims that his eatery on the Cape does not even compete in any way with Mr. White’s Summer Shacks that are almost two hours away. This should not even have been anything to dispute from the start.

Mr. Cox expressed much optimism regarding the closing settlements of the Summer Shack case and regular customers are certainly excited to see the Shack’s doors open for dining once again.

Centerville Woman Spins the Wheel

Courtesy of Wheel of Fortune at www.wheeloffortune.com


“I’d like to buy a vowel,” just might be a line that Meaghan Hubler of Centerville will be using tonight while Vanna White gently taps the screen to make the letters magically appear and possibly put thousands into Hubler’s bank account.

This young Centerville woman was chosen after various auditions to play on Wheel of Fortune during the R & R week. There were hundreds of other hopefuls auditioning with Hubler in Rhode Island several months ago, but the second round of auditions only held about 60 people. Hubler was chosen from the 60 to play on the show. The show was taped back in November in Los Angeles and will air tonight at 7 PM on Channel 12.

Hubler is a dental hygiene student at Cape Cod Community College. She works s a dental assistant at Dental Associates of Cape Cod and as a waitress at Not Your Average Joe’s restaurant in Hyannis.

So how much money does she win? You’ll just have to tune in tonight and find out!

Flyover, Just Not Flyin' With Fire & Police

Courtesy of www.capecodtravelguide.com


Taking Route 3 back to school is not a chore anymore; with the new “flyover” it’s almost fun. Almost.

The new $59 million flyover at the Sagamore Bridge replaced the old Sagamore Rotary and has been doing a decent job loosening up traffic to and from the Cape for commuters. But public safety officials are not as pleased with its performance.

The Police and Fire Departments are concerned with speeding on the bridge and the flyover. Both are skeptical and feel that the new traffic design could increase response times during busy travel hours, in the mornings and in the early evenings.

But could response times actually be longer than when the chronically backed-up rotary existed? I really doubt it.

Cape Wind, Breezing Through State Approval

Courtesy of EV World: The Future in Motion at www.evworld.com


Supporters of the nation’s first potential renewable energy wind farm, Cape Wind, have been receiving mixed messages for the past week regarding the project’s future.

On Friday, March 30, 2007, supporters of Cape Wind felt a real sense of accomplishment when the state’s secretary of Environmental Affairs, Ian Bowles, officially signed off on the project. Opponents of the project were fuming and said that Governor Deval Patrick’s newest renewable energy priorities played into the state’s approval. Bowles, however, insists that politics had no place in the decision and told the Cape Cod Times “We decided it on the merits, straight up.”

The pros of the project more than outweigh the cons. With a local alternative energy source, like 130 wind turbines working in an optimal location like Nantucket Sound, the Cape and Islands could receive about 75% of its electricity from Cape Wind. The Department of Energy said the New England coastline has “the strongest, most sustained winds” in the country. This would certainly cut energy bills down by more than half; not to mention reduce greenhouse gas emissions, create more jobs on the Cape, and make a national leader in renewable energy out of the state of Massachusetts.

Supporters of Cape Wind hope to soon benefit from the alternative energy source and were more than happy to hear this news and that with federal approval of the project, construction will begin next year and be completed in 2010. Opponents of the wind farm, on the other hand, were outraged… but not for long.

Last night, April 5, 2007, the federal agency, Minerals Management Service, which is in charge of given the go-ahead for the Cape Wind project announced that they are going to release the final decision later than originally decided. The date has been pushed back from April 2008 to the fall of 2008. According to a statement from the agency in Washington D.C., the internal review process has taken longer than expected.

Lucky for the opponents of Cape Wind, they gained a few extra months of inhaling polluted air and using up as much fossil fuels as they possibly can. But it’s just inevitable; the turbines are coming eventually.

Sorry Senator Kennedy, I think you are just going to have to stomach these hideous, barely-visible smudges on your horizon line from your compound in Hyannisport.

Arsons at FHS

Courtesy of Cape Wide News at www.capecodtoday.com


Falmouth Police arrested two teenage boys, 15 and 16, yesterday after they set fire to the weight room next to the track at Falmouth High School. A Falmouth Fire Rescue crew extinguished the blaze at 7:56 AM, which was reported at 7:34 AM.

According to a member of the FFRD, Mike Mueller, the firefighters had to partially open up the ceiling and roof to check if the fire had spread. Fortunately it had not and damage to the small building was very minor.

Since the two teens are juveniles, their names cannot be released and it is still unclear whether or not the boys are students at FHS. They have been charged with a long list of crimes including maliciously injuring real or personal property and disorderly conduct.

This startling event follows a few others that occurred this week at the high school, including a bomb threat written on a classroom desk and several false fire alarms.

Rhiannon: A Fallen Star

College students, including myself, often try to get away with keeping candles in their dorm rooms despite the institutions' policies against having them. I always thought that the rule was ridiculous. When fire inspections take place, students hide their candles so they are not confiscated. We are in college; can't we be trusted with candles? We are responsible twenty-somethings. Right?

My thoughts certainly changed this past weekend after hearing that one of my former fellow soccer players was killed in a fire at her Boston University apartment on Aberdeen Street. Yes, we are responsible. Yes, we are old enough to have and use candles. But yes, we still can make mistakes sometimes, and sometimes those mistakes cannot be undone.

Rhiannon McCuish, 21, from Mashpee was a junior at BU and a standout soccer player throughout high school. She sadly and needlessly was killed in the blaze that occurred because of a burning candle in her dorm room. We can never be careful enough.

As soon as I heard of this tragic news, I remembered a news clipping I had highlighting the Enterprise Upper Cape All Stars of 2003; Rhiannon and I were both selected that season. I searched through all of my boxes of soccer and track memories and found this picture of her. And all I could think of is that I wish had gotten to know her better. The Cape Cod Times chose her as an All Star regularly for soccer and I remember reading her name frequently in the sports pages of the Times. But unfortunately that was pretty much the extent to which I knew Rhiannon. She was an excellent athlete who lived in the town next to mine, and from what I have read about her, she was also a great student, sister, daughter, and friend.

Rhiannon will undoubtedly be missed and remembered by many.

There will be a memorial service for friends and family Thursday, March 1, at 11 AM at the Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home off of Route 151 in Mashpee.