A Glorious Summer

‘Now is the springtime of our discontent, made glorious summer’ by a hot dry spell. Pardon the Shakespeare quip but it occurred to me that a “glorious summer” would be a fine thing about now. What are the chances of that happening?             If you haven’t been keeping count, we just had the 13th rainy […] Read more »

Fluoride in the Water – Good or Bad?

In April, Robert Kenedy Jr ordered the CDC to stop recommending fluoridation of the public water supply, contrary to the recommendation of the American Dental Association and most public health experts.             Why the controversy? Is fluoridation a Communist plot to weaken our society as General Jack D Ripper thundered in Dr. Strangelove?             The […] Read more »

24th Marion to Bermuda Race

The 2025 Marion to Bermuda race kicked off just after noon on Saturday, June 20. The ships practiced back and forth across Buzzards Bay until they began their multi-day journey. Coming across Penikese Island and making their way around the Elizabethan Islands, the ship Redwood with skipper Pike Severance (Oyster Bay, New York) took the […] Read more »

Juneteenth Celebration at Ned’s

Juneteenth 2025 found celebrants enjoying the gift of being in community with like-minded people and exchanging greetings and joy through the recognition of this special day.             Guest speaker to the celebration was Marcus Coward, Human Rights Commissioner, host of Wake Up New Bedford, and a candidate for the New Bedford School Committee, speaking on […] Read more »

The United States Has a Gun Problem

In 2022, there were 48,204 gun deaths in the United States, 132/day. Of these, 27,032 were suicides, 19,651 homicides, 463 unintentional and 643 fatal shootings by law enforcement.             White males have by far the highest rate of suicide by gun while black males are much more likely to be victims of homicide. The U.S. […] Read more »

The Gears of Government Grind On

Just when I thought it was safe to come out in the open now that the Town Meeting and local election have passed into history; just when this opinion columnist could stifle his views and concentrate on musing about important things like bathroom tissue perforations, where is Pine Island, Stumpy the late cherry tree, and […] Read more »

Juggling Skills Serve Tennis Star Well

            The last several years have been a juggling act for Emma Collings, whose educational experience at Old Rochester Regional Junior High School had led her to believe this skill, from a literal standpoint, is but a normal rite of passage.             “We had this thing at ORRJH called ‘flex time,’ and the most popular […] Read more »

Juneteenth on the Southcoast

Thursday, June 19 marks the 4th year Juneteenth has been celebrated as a national holiday in the United States. The day celebrates the final emancipation of slaves in Texas and the general enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation in all reaches of the country. Though the Civil War ended on May 26, 1865, the last slaves […] Read more »

Marion First Responders Rescue Three

Police Chief Richard Nighelli and Fire Chief Brian Jackvony report that their departments cooperated to rescue three people after their boat capsized in Buzzards Bay in the early afternoon on Wednesday, June 11.             Marion’s emergency dispatchers received a 911 call reporting that three individuals fell in the water after their boat capsized at 12:46 […] Read more »

mRNA Vaccines – Are they Dangerous?

            RFK Jr, our anti-science Secretary of Health and Human Services, has declared that new vaccines should be developed without using mRNA technology and has cast doubt on the safety of mRNA.             What do we know about this technology?             mRNA occurs normally in our bodies. It carries instructions from our DNA out to […] Read more »