Seven Villages, Janet Joakim

In a time when we struggle to make ends meet, when people are losing homes and he cost of heating oil and gasoline are causing us rearrange our budgets and priorities, the needs of neglected, abused and discarded animals are not at the top of many lists.

But there are so many pets out there, waiting to become a part of a family.  I have seen a TV ad for the SPCA that is repeated on cable news stations that shows neglected and abused animals in shelters. This time of year too many people who have unexpectedly received a dog or cat or guinea pig or bird for Christmas are realizing they are unprepared for such a gift and will be dropping the animal off at their local shelter…..

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WE LOVE OUR SHELTER DOGS!

The past few days I have been home-bound, working, cleaning up after college students home on break, and getting caught up on several writing projects.

Throughout each day I am flanked by my two dogs. Both are work-dogs. Both were rescued. Each is Continue reading rescued pets mean challenges and unconditional love…

Happy Holidays!

Continue reading merry christmas…

Continue reading thanks rob!…

for a message regarding Wendy Williams link to this post see the end of this post…….

THIS post is continued from (or rather part 2 of) this previous post……

We reported to the Department of the Interior on Friday Dec. 14, 2007 to meet with:

• Randall Luthie Secretary of Minerals Management for the Department of the Interior:
• Walter D. Cruickshank Deputy Director
• Jon A. Hrobsky Deputy Director
• Michael Olsen Deputy assistant secretary Land and Minerals Management
• Chief of staff MMS Holly Hopkins

This group from Mineral Management is now in the process of assembling a report on the proposed Cape Wind project.

As an introduction, we made it clear that we were very unhappy that throughout the information gathering of the draft Environmental Impact Report and possible permitting of this process, no one has asked for input from the surrounding communities that would be directly affected by this project.

Right up front we explained that the characterization of the surrounding communities as wealthy ocean front homeowners who are concerned about their views is great PR for Cape Wind, but Continue reading continued…local officials visit m.m.s. in dc to discuss the wind project proposed for nantucket sound…

Friday December 14^th a group of local officials traveled to Washington to meet with Senator Kerry and the Department of the Interior officials to insist that our voices be heard as part of the latest environmental impact report being and permitting process underway with the Minerals Management Service…The trip was organized by Representative Demetrius Atsalis with the assistance of the Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound. The group included: 

• Representative Demetrius Atsalis
• Cheryl Andrews-Maltais Chairwomen-elect of the Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe
• Chuck Green- Mashpee Selectmen and Historic – of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe
• Bill Morasco  - Yarmouth Selectman
• Janet Joakim – Barnstable Town Council President
• John O’Brien – Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce
• James Powell – Martha’s Vineyard Commission
• Charles Vinick – Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound

This group represents the communities surrounding Nantucket Sound. Collectively we are frustrated with Continue reading a huge industrial project that will affect our communities - and we are never invited to the table during environmental impact and permitting discussions …….

Do you care?

You know that the “coggers” will Continue reading barnstable charter commission public hearing - monday, december 17…

*UPATED* – see completed post  —  The judge has denied Greg Milne’s Motion for a Preliminary Injunction in the case he Continue reading *breaking news* in greg milne case and is your village a city?…

If you are reading front page stories lately, it is clear that large chain box stores are trying to find their way to our pocketbooks by setting up shop in Hyannis.

The current front-page-story-proposal is for a major electronics company to move in close to the traffic nightmare around the airport rotary and add more cars to the mix.  Any curb-cut with that amount of of added traffic so close to an already over-clogged rotary is causing concern in the community.

There are issues of zoning and traffic changes that are being discussed in the whole, but the larger issue is simply: big box stores. National chains. 

Do we want them in Hyannis? 

This is becoming an important part of the discussion and we need to hear from you. Continue reading tell me, please, do you want box stores?…

Another local blogger is proving that blog sites are an useful tool; he using his blog to provide valuable information.  Over the past week, the Barnstable Beat Blog has broken down Barnstable’s charter and section by section, and Continue reading a great opportunity to get familiar with this town’s charter…