Archive for the ‘Columns & Essays’ Category

In a column earlier this year, I apparently offended a few people when I offered the following observation. “For too many Americans the emotional memory of the horror and outrage of 9/11 has faded.” On the eighth anniversary of September 11, 2001, it seems an appropriate time to address the matter of how we remember […]


93 year-old WWII vet taught in Wakefield, Massachusetts for 30 years The school calendar is so engrained in most of us that the arrival of September each year invariably evokes memories our own school days. It may only be a passing memory of a classroom, a classmate or a favorite teacher. I took things a […]


Season Fails to Meet Expectations Welcome, Summer. Thanks for finally putting in an appearance here in the northeastern United States. Now that you’ve deigned to show up, step into my office. As you know, it’s time for your annual performance review. And you might want to loosen that tie, because things are going to get […]


They say you should take it easy when the summer heat gets unbearable. This black squirrel is cool in more ways than one. First of all, he has a blond tail, a very eyecatching trait. Second, he is apparently seeking relief from the summer heat by stretching out on the cool metal of this fence […]


Vandals Deface World War II Monument in Wakefield, Massachusetts I considered ignoring the recent spate of vandalism that has seen the World War II Monument on the Common desecrated and the bandstand marred by graffiti. The pacifist criminals spray painted “War is not the answer,” and a peace symbol on the World War II monument. […]


Legendary Wakefield Amusement Park Opened 50 Years Ago Writing about my recollections of Pleasure Island on the occasion of its 50th birthday forces me to acknowledge that I am at least as old as the park. So let me stipulate up front that I was but a wee lad, still wet behind the ears, when […]


Hundreds of local residents attend ceremonies in Wakefield, Massachusetts “I get to stand here today because of those who served before me,” Chief Master Sgt. Alfred Wilkes of the U.S. Air Force told the crowd assembled yesterday in front of the World War II Memorial, “and I’m damn proud of them.” “Gathering here today is […]


As soon as Swine Flu became the trendy disease of the week, you had to know that it was only a matter of time before it got its own Facebook page. Significantly, Swine Flu’s less hip cousin, influenza, isn’t on Facebook. (No, you can’t catch Swine Flu from the Internet.)


Oh, wow, man. Bummer about the new bylaw banning public consumption of herb. Dude, it’s another attempt to snuff out our Constitutional right to toke up anywhere, anytime. I’m pretty sure it’s in the Constitution, because George Washington grew hemp on his farm, man. And he was, like, the father of our country and stuff. […]


Strong cast featured in Stoneham Theatre production The outstanding quality of Stoneham Theatre’s current production of William Inge’s 1953 Pulitzer Prize-winning play, “Picnic,” is largely attributable to skillful casting and the superb performances that bring to life Inge’s memorable characters. The play’s power derives from Inge’s dark exploration of timeless themes, such and judging – […]