Letters to the Editor

VERY IMPRESSED

Dear Editor:

I was very impressed with the complete professionalism of the Sept. 4 election, directed and managed by Town Clerk Carla Vitale and her entire department which is a distinct credit to our Town for all of their important functions, so well performed. In this era of concern about potential elections interference from many sources it is comforting to know that Winthrop’s vital election process is in such capable and professional hands. 

Sincerely,

John Vitagliano

 

Clerk thanks election workers

Dear Editor:

The Winthrop Town Clerk’s Office reported a 22 percent turnout at the election on Sept. 4 ! Thank you to the people that helped to make our election happen on the heels of a holiday weekend! It is many people and departments that make elections happen! Thank you : Joanne DeMato, Amber Miller, John McDougall Jr., Winthrop Police Department, Winthrop School Department, Mike Diluiso, Jodee Harris, Lauren Mazzuchelli, Ro Mazzuchelli, Alan Shore, Barbara Flockhart, Pam Spoto, Betty Maylor , Department of Public Works, and our over 50 poll workers and the folks I forgot!

Carla LoConte Vitale, CMMC

Winthrop Town Clerk

 

 

Shorebird Migration comes to Winthrop

Dear Editor:

Currently, and for the next several months, large numbers of long-distance migratory shorebirds will be using the Winthrop shore for refueling stopovers. These shorebirds (sandpipers and plovers) nest far north in Canada in the summer, migrate through our region in the fall, and end up in Central or South America for the winter. In spring they start the cycle all over again, migrating north though the United States into Canada.

This migration cycle, and the fact that these birds cross international boundaries during their travels, led to the adoption of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act between Canada and the United States in 1916. This treaty “… makes it unlawful without a waiver to pursue, hunt, take, capture, kill, or sell birds listed … as migratory birds.” [Wikipedia] The Winthrop Conservation Commission, of which I am Chair, has therefore taken action to protect areas of the Town critical to shorebirds over which the Town has jurisdiction, declaring them off-limits to trespassing by people and their dogs.  Snake Island and the narrow-gauge railway embankment in Winthrop Harbor have been posted with “No trespassing” signs.  The public is required to stay off these areas that are heavily used by resting shorebirds. Town officers will issue citations to anyone violating these rules.

Additional information on shorebird migration is offered in the article below by a longtime observer of these long-distance migrants.

Norman Hyett, Chair

Winthrop Conservation Commission

 

 

Shorebirds making a stop in area

Dear Editor:

Shorebirds. They’re all over our beaches and coastal mudflat right now. Many have arrived from northern Canada and are headed to Central or South America. Some like Semipalmated Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Semipalmated Plover, or Black-bellied Plover winter around the southern U.S., in Mexico and Central America, or in northern South America. But when you see a Sanderling running around the beach, or if you’re lucky and find a Red Knot, White-rumped Sandpiper or Hudsonian Godwit, these are birds that go far south along the coast of South America or inland to the Pampas of Argentina.

These epic travels generally start in Arctic or near-Arctic Canada and often include long non-stop flights between feeding stops. So a small (one-ounce in the case of the Semipalmated Sandpiper) shorebird might fly for five or six days the distance of 3,000 miles to get here to our shores. Winthrop, Revere and Nahant, and the mudflats in Boston Harbor are major stopping places for these hungry birds because they offer vast acreage of feeding habitat at low tide. Shorebirds feed furiously and fatten up here for one or two weeks before heading south again, this time to the shores of the Caribbean. The ones heading to southern South America strike out over the Atlantic Ocean on a southeast heading.

But while here they have another requirement: A safe place to roost and rest at high tide. During low tide shorebirds are scattered far and wide over the feeding sand or mudflats, but as the tide comes in, they gather into tight flocks and head to traditional roosting spots. This happens twice a day. So at high tide we might see them at places such as the wrack-line at Nahant, or in the salt pans at Rumney Marsh or Belle Isle Marsh, on the Five Sisters or Roughan’s Point breakwaters, at Snake Island, or on the old narrow-gauge railway embankment near Fishermans Bend.

Many of these roosting places, such as the breakwaters, are reasonably safe places for sleeping birds because people and other mammals are kept away by the surrounding water. It’s important that we understand what is going on with these birds — that they need food and safety — and give them their space to accomplish their programmed migrations. They have evolved to use our planet in amazing ways as described above; their continued survival is at stake. In my lifetime I have seen drastic drops in the numbers that migrate through our region and the population trend for many species is still downward.

Winthrop is among the top places in the state to see these birds in large numbers for the few weeks that they are here with us. Let us enjoy them,and let us avoid harassing or harming them. They are our family, friends and neighbors; we wish them a long life and many happy returns.

SoheilZendeh

Lexington

 

THANK YOU           FOR VOTING

Dear Editor:

I want to take this opportunity to thank and congratulate every single person, no matter the party and no matter who you voted for, who took the time to do their civic duty on Tuesday, September 4.  Our republic only works, indeed can only thrive, if informed citizens participate.

I’m truly humbled and honored that 64 percent of those who voted in the Republican Primary selected me to be the Republican nominee.  I want to congratulate Dr. Louis Kuchner, my primary opponent, for running a spirited campaign that took the high road and focused on issues. He has graciously endorsed my candidacy and pledged his support. I am truly grateful. Having Dr. Kuchner as a primary challenger has made me a better candidate.

I’m running, quite frankly, because I’m sick tired or hearing people complain about the way things ought to be, but never doing anything about it. I’m just an average working-class citizen, struggling to pay my bills. I’m a taxi dispatcher. I’m sure you’ll hear that from my opponent’s campaign at some point. What can I possibly know about being a legislator? The answer is simple I have live with and under the laws, pay the taxes, and deal with consequences of what legislators do – just like the average voter in our district. But most important, I love my country and I don’t believe that Katherine Clark’s vision of America and policy views are consistent with what the vision and policy views espoused by the hard-working people, struggling to make ends meet in our district.

America is bulwark of freedom. The Constitution protects and guarantees that freedom, primarily from the government. Our free-market economy affords Americans the best hope for liberty, opportunity, and prosperity. Free market capitalism, although not perfect, has done more to elevate people from poverty than any well intentioned government programs, which often times institutionalize poverty for generations.

I want to congratulate Katherine Clark and invite her to debate the issues. I believe there are stark differences in our philosophy of government. Let’s debate them.
The hardworking people of the 5th Congressional District deserve no less.

I invite you the voters to visit www.johnhugo.com to read more specifics about what I believe and what priorities will be as your congressman.

Respectfully,

John Hugo

Candidate for Congress

Massachusetts 5th        Congressional District