http://www.gloucestertimes.com en-us Copyright CNHI All Rights Reserved. 5 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 05:43:00 +0000 http://www.gloucestertimes.com/puopinion/local_story_310225442.html http://www.gloucestertimes.com/puopinion/local_story_310225442.html I had a few "happy thought" dollars to offer at our Gloucester Rotary meeting this past Tuesday. First, I offered to put up a buck for each of our members who had already voted in the Gloucester election and mdash; and that did make me happy, since nearly 20 had voted as of noon. Sat, 07 Nov 2009 05:39:00 +0000 http://www.gloucestertimes.com/puopinion/local_story_310225254.html http://www.gloucestertimes.com/puopinion/local_story_310225254.html The last Mayor's Desk column I wrote for the Gloucester Daily Times was on Saturday, Aug. 15. That was the day that the Babson Water Treatment Plant failed, too. I can't tell you how frustrating it was to not have a direct line of communication with the community during the prolonged water crisis. Sat, 07 Nov 2009 05:35:00 +0000 http://www.gloucestertimes.com/puopinion/local_story_310225414.html http://www.gloucestertimes.com/puopinion/local_story_310225414.html To the editor: On Monday, Nov. 9, two articles relative to Conomo Point will be before the public for a vote at the Special Town Meeting. Article 1 asks for funds to extend the contract with Horsely Whitten Associates for additional support to move the definitive sub-division for Southern Conomo Point through the approval process and to bring the necessary zoning bylaw amendment to the Annual Town Meeting in May 2010. Sat, 07 Nov 2009 05:34:00 +0000 http://www.gloucestertimes.com/puopinion/local_story_310225029.html http://www.gloucestertimes.com/puopinion/local_story_310225029.html To the editor: If you are one of the Essex voters who has attended numerous town meetings over the last 10 years and voted repeatedly to preserve the 10 acres of town-owned waterfront at Conomo Point for public use, you need to attend the Special Town Meeting on Nov. 9. Sat, 07 Nov 2009 05:24:00 +0000 http://www.gloucestertimes.com/puopinion/local_story_310225137.html http://www.gloucestertimes.com/puopinion/local_story_310225137.html To the editor: During floor debate on the health care reform bill, please support an amendment to incorporate longstanding policies against abortion funding and in favor of "conscience rights." The Stupak Amendment in the House addresses essential pro-life concerns on abortion funding and conscience rights in the health care reform bill. Help ensure that the rule for the bill allows a vote on this amendment. If these serious concerns are not addressed, the final bill should be opposed. Sat, 07 Nov 2009 05:19:00 +0000 http://www.gloucestertimes.com/puopinion/local_story_310225331.html http://www.gloucestertimes.com/puopinion/local_story_310225331.html To the editor: Thanks to the parents and residents who supported my campaign for the Gloucester School Committee. I am determined to repay the confidence you have placed in me, and do the best job I can to see our schoolchildren through the challenging fiscal tempests that lie ahead of us. and not;  Sat, 07 Nov 2009 05:14:00 +0000 http://www.gloucestertimes.com/puopinion/local_story_310225205.html http://www.gloucestertimes.com/puopinion/local_story_310225205.html To the editor: I would like to respond to the headline on the letters page last week that read: "What's Wrong With Capitalism?" If that person does not see any problems with capitalism, I would like to leave that person with just one thing to think about: 40 percent of the income earned in these United States of America goes to the top 1 percent of the people. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:55:00 +0000 http://www.gloucestertimes.com/puopinion/local_story_309212934.html http://www.gloucestertimes.com/puopinion/local_story_309212934.html Nine months after voting to approve a Gloucester charter school, four months after supposedly revisiting the issue and evaluating their own flawed process, and now seven weeks after the Times blew the lid off the board's governor's office rep saying he needed approval of a Gloucester charter solely to avoid blowing Deval Patrick's charter school "agenda" and mdash; the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education returns to town tomorrow for yet another hearing regarding the Community Arts School that is already chartered for opening next year. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:40:00 +0000 http://www.gloucestertimes.com/puopinion/local_story_309213318.html http://www.gloucestertimes.com/puopinion/local_story_309213318.html To the editor: I agree with Mr. Parkhurst (Times, letters, Tuesday, Nov. 3) that the artist who paints the new dragon on the rock should be carefully considered. That being said, a mid-winter contest should be held with the emphasis on Cape Ann. The artist would submit three copies of proposed artwork and colors. These would be distributed to the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce, the Rocky Neck Art Association and the Cape Ann Historical Society. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:40:00 +0000 http://www.gloucestertimes.com/puopinion/local_story_309213155.html http://www.gloucestertimes.com/puopinion/local_story_309213155.html To the editor: I would like to encourage the people of Gloucester to once again come forward tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. at City Hall to oppose the utterly flawed and politically corrupt application and approval process of the Gloucester Community Arts Charter School. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:40:00 +0000 http://www.gloucestertimes.com/puopinion/local_story_309213248.html http://www.gloucestertimes.com/puopinion/local_story_309213248.html To the editor: "The year was 2081, and everybody was finally equal. They weren't only equal before God and the law. They were equal every which way. Nobody was smarter than anybody else. Nobody was better looking than anybody else. Nobody was stronger or quicker than anybody else. All this equality was due to ... the unceasing vigilance of agents of the United States Handicapper General." Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:40:00 +0000 http://www.gloucestertimes.com/puopinion/local_story_309213125.html http://www.gloucestertimes.com/puopinion/local_story_309213125.html To the editor: The article by Richard Gaines, "Protest Brings Out Hidden Show of Force" (Times, Tuesday, Nov. 3) illustrates the dysfunction between the National Marine Fisheries Service and the fishermen. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:55:00 +0000 http://www.gloucestertimes.com/puopinion/local_story_308223907.html http://www.gloucestertimes.com/puopinion/local_story_308223907.html For months, the Gloucester fishing community and industry leaders across New England and the nation have begged federal regulators to delay the implementation of a new regulatory structure that, by many counts, could throw the regional industry into chaos and drive many independent boat owners out of business. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:45:00 +0000 http://www.gloucestertimes.com/puopinion/local_story_308225127.html http://www.gloucestertimes.com/puopinion/local_story_308225127.html After a Times editorial suggested that Rockport needed a different form of government, several residents wrote in favor of Town Meeting and I agree with them. I lived in New York City for more than 40 years and had heard the phrase "democracy in action," but never experienced it until I moved to Rockport in 1986 and attended my first Town Meeting. For the first time, I saw that my vote counted. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:40:00 +0000 http://www.gloucestertimes.com/puopinion/local_story_308224118.html http://www.gloucestertimes.com/puopinion/local_story_308224118.html For five hours this past Sunday, O'Maley Middle School held a student/faculty/family clean-up and landscape day. The 38 recorded volunteers who signed our sheet (and there could be a few I've missed) did a tremendous job through a collaborative effort to give O'Maley a much needed facelift. It looks transformed.