Monday, January 7, 2013
This letter was submitted to Weston Patch.
I am sending you a series of comments, appended to an article about 2013 New Year's Resolutions on WestonPatch, [regarding] the inferior education currently being provided to some Weston special needs students. There is also apparently a climate of fear among parents about speaking up on this issue to the School Committee or to the Superintendent of Schools. I hereby request that you please read these parent remarks carefully and take immediate action to address and to remedy the problem. I hope to attend the next meeting of the Board of Selectmen on Tuesday, Jan. 8 at 7 p.m. at the Town Hall to follow up on this communication. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Sincerely, Isabella Jancourtz
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
A letter to the editor from Isabella Jancourtz.
- OPINION
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Tuesday, July 31, 2012
To the Editor: Mike Barrett will be at Bruegger's in Weston Center this Friday, Aug. 3, at 8 a.m. to meet and greet local residents. Barrett is running for the state senate seat now held by Sen. Susan Fargo (D. Lincoln), who is retiring. In addition to Weston, this "Third Middlesex District" includes Waltham, Lincoln, Concord, Carlisle, Bedford, Chelmsford and large parts of Sudbury and Lexington. There are five Democrats running in the Sept. 6 Democratic primary. Both registered Democrats and independent "Unenrolled" registered voters may vote in this primary. These are all fine candidates, but I like Mike. Barrett is the only candidate for this office from either party who has actually served in the state senate before, and he has a …
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
A letter to the editor from Kunal Jasty of Weston.
- GOVERNMENT
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Wednesday, July 11, 2012
To the Editor, Every aluminum can consumed in Massachusetts has an 80 percent chance of being recycled. Every water bottle, sports drink, or other non-carbonated beverage has a 20 percent chance. What accounts for this huge discrepancy in recycling rates? Much of the difference can be attributed to the 5 cent bottle-deposit system, which covers carbonated beverages but excludes plastic bottles. An Updated Bottle Bill, which would expand the bottle-deposit system to include water bottles, sports drinks, and similar beverages, would prevent an estimated one billion plastic bottles from entering landfills next year. Despite widespread support for the update from 208 municipalities, 105 legislators, and 77 percent of the public, the state’s …
Thursday, July 5, 2012
A letter to the editor from Mike Barrett, candidate for state senate.
- OPINION
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Thursday, July 5, 2012
To the Weston Patch Editor: As a Democratic candidate for state senate and a health care technologist in my professional life, I’m elated by the Supreme Court’s vindication of national health insurance. The decision pretty much ends the debate on health insurance for all (we’re going to have it). So now it’s on the next big question — how do we control the associated costs? Guiding idea #1: Bring back the Kaiser model. Whatever you call it — staff-model ACO (accountable care organization) or staff-model HMO (health maintenance organization) — let’s re-establish the concept of doctors cooperating in integrated networks, coordinating care between GPs and specialists, and working on salary and outcomes-based bonuses rather than fee-for-…
Monday, June 11, 2012
Kristen Oseychik remembers her late father and the laughter he created in life.
- OPINION
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Monday, June 11, 2012
A Tribute to Thomas Lonergan from his little girl. Lonergan, a Weston resident, died unexpectedly in April. Dear Dad, You and I had an amazing journey. For 35 years, no matter where I was or what I was doing, I knew there was one person in this world who loved me, wholly and unconditionally, without judgment, every moment of every day. It is a rare and precious gift that you gave to me. My whole life people have wondered how I could always be so happy, so confident and so full of joy, no matter what the circumstances. The answer is simple; you loved me. You loved me in a way that few are capable of, without judgment or condition. Your hopes and dreams never tied to my accomplishments or lack thereof. Your pride and acceptance of all of …
Monday, June 4, 2012
A letter to the editor from Jon Spector.
- OPINION
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Monday, June 4, 2012
To The Editor: Several months ago, a Weston resident filed a complaint with the Massachusetts Ethics Commission, charging Town Moderator Wendy Spector with misconduct, self-dealing and a number of other ethical breaches. It’s unfortunately not possible to completely remove the stain to a person’s reputation that a public complaint creates — particularly when that complaint is trumpeted repeatedly in the press, as this one has been. The Ethics Commission, bound to follow the actual facts rather than the public rhetoric, has now responded to the complaint by dismissing each of the allegations made against Wendy. I hope this will lay most peoples’ concerns to rest. Jon Spector, Conant Road
A letter to the editor from William C. Crum.
- OPINION
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Monday, June 4, 2012
Dear Editor: In his 1836 satirical novel, Sartor Resartus (“The Tailor re-tailored”), Thomas Carlyle parodied German philosophical Idealism with predictably hilarious Anglo Saxon practical results. This book was published in Boston through the sponsorship of Ralph Waldo Emerson and influenced works as diverse as Herman Melville’s Moby Dick and John Le Carre’s The Tailor of Panama, itself a redo of Graham Greene’s Our Man In Havana. More duality than Twin Peaks! Now the Mass. Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) has produced a similar poioumenon, or meta-story about the process of recreation, by returning to the Land Court the Weston Zoning Board’s objections to Regis East for a new trial on the facts, as opposed to summary judgment on the law. F. …
Thursday, May 24, 2012
A letter to the editor from Isabella Jancourtz.
- OPINION
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Thursday, May 24, 2012
To the Editor: Among the many reasons why our selectmen should vote against the Conservation Commission's recommendation to allow bowhunting of deer in our town forests are public safety and the town's liability for any resulting injury or death. We don't need another lawsuit and town-sanctioned bowhunting in our town forests is a lawsuit waiting to happen. Beyond that, we don't need to inflict injury and death on man or beast in the sanctuary of our town conservation land. Let us take the time and spend the money required to deal with the deer problem humanely. Why not try the birth control option? Apparently it has worked well in other parts of the country. The selectmen could make a decision at their meeting on Monday, June 11, at …
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
A letter to the editor from Diane Anderson.
- OPINION
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Tuesday, May 22, 2012
To the Editor: Over the nine years I’ve lived in Weston I have felt pretty good about our town government. However, I recently attended a couple of Conservation Commission meetings that left me feeling very concerned and disappointed. They were the last two of a series of meetings to discuss with town residents the possibility of managing Weston’s deer population. I walked into the Feb. 16 meeting fully expecting that the Commission would explore all of the deer management options carefully. I assumed they would try their best to find a humane solution if possible. The first thing I saw when I entered the meeting room was a table covered with deer antlers and pro-hunting brochures. There was not a single leaflet about humane alternatives…
A letter to the editor from William Crum.
- OPINION
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Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Dear Editor: Now that our Annual Election and Town Meeting are completed, many of us no doubt look forward to a relaxing, contemplative summer. In that spirit, in the past 31 years, out of 63 Selectperson and Moderator races, only 10 were competitive (some open) and no incumbent ever lost. Maybe we live in the “best of all possible” towns to paraphrase Voltaire’s Prof. Pangloss or maybe we could use more informed choices as involved voters. Meanwhile, a number of environmental issues need our attention, now and in the future. I have more questions than answers, but then that’s part of lifelong learning. Hobbs Brook Dam and Pond. I supported Article 25 to repair the Hobbs Brook Dam and am glad it passed. I hope the project will get started …
Concerned Parent
3:10 pm on Saturday, January 26, 2013
Ed - Does ANY town governing body have control/oversight over the School Committee? The Superintendent works for the School Committee - not the other way around. Yet when the Superintendent presents misinformation to the School Committee the School Committee accepts this misinformation at face value, despite the objection of parents who have evidence to the contrary, and/or the School Committee … more ›