ACCIDENT AFTERMATH

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

It is with a heavy heart and great pride that I write this letter about the tragic bicycle accident last week in Tisbury. It was heartbreaking to witness the incomparable pain of the loss of a wife, mother and good friend in an accident that struck without warning or preparation in the midst of a carefree day here on the Vineyard. But the response of the Island community coming to the aid of these victims and their police, fire and EMT rescuers was, as usual for the Vineyard, without parallel. The owners of Mac Sales provided initial shelter followed quickly by Steve Perlman at the Hanover House, taxi service by Jeff Early at All Island Taxi, and transportation by the Patriot boats aided by Ralph Packer. Meanwhile a professional crisis team from Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard quickly arrived with their tender, hands-on embrace to help these families through this extraordinary crisis in their lives.

There is yet still more that I would ask of the community that is so willing to give. There were many witnesses to this accident who were undoubtedly traumatized by what they saw and heard. It is quite normal to experience strong emotional repercussions from such an event. If you are such a person or are close to someone who may be suffering, please offer them time and a caring ear or suggest that there are resources to help them cope such as Hospice or Island Counseling Center. Thanks for being the kind of community that cares and then acts.

Melinda Loberg

Vineyard Haven

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UNSAFE CONDITIONS

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

I am very upset by the death of bicyclist Dina Dececca.

For decades we have known about unsafe biking conditions on Martha’s Vineyard, but have left them uncorrected. (Six bicyclists have died since 1987.)

In 2008, MTV (channel 13) aired an eye-opening video called Let’s Make Biking Safe On MV. The video showed hundreds of unsafe conditions, including the sidewalk that Dina fell from. (That sidewalk appears at the video’s 40-minute mark.)

Another warning was given in a 2009 MVC report. It states “missing links [between bicycle paths] create safety hazards for users.”

I urge selectmen and other decision-makers to quickly correct the Island’s dangerous conditions. For a video introduction to them, go to channel 13 and watch the 2008 video. (Go to mvtv.org and watch it on demand.)

In addition to building safe bike facilities, bicyclists and motorists need an educational program that tells them how to safely use our roads and paths. Sometime next week, MVTV will be airing a four-minute video called Roll Together Concord. Although produced in New Hampshire, it should be required viewing for everyone on Martha’s Vineyard.

Let’s not delay making corrections to the Island’s bicycle facilities, and learning to drive safely. We owe it to Dina’s family, and our own.

Chris Fried

Vineyard Haven

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LIFE, INTERRUPTED

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

I was glad to see an explanation why four “uninterruptable” power supply (UPS) devices in my house went on the fritz simultaneously last Tuesday. Nothing I did could reset them. I lost most of a day of work, chasing false leads. It was no less puzzling later in the day when all four of them suddenly were working fine again. NStar’s brownout seems also to have been responsible for a chaotic morning for my daughter and the rest of the management at Morning Glory Farm.

The UPS supporting their snazzy new computerized cash registers got interrupted. Staff were having to total and write receipts by hand. Too bad their windmill isn’t on line yet. But thankfully nothing like the “brownout” at the Atlantic!

It appears that when NStar’s voltage sagged, each UPS interpreted low voltage as no power and went into alarm-and-battery mode until the battery ran out. On subsequent investigation, it turns out that the voltage sensitivity of a UPS is adjustable (on most models), but on mine it’s done with software so it’s too late when the system is down. And who knew? But since low voltage can shorten the life of computers, maybe it’s just as well we didn’t know.

Probably other folks with uninterruptable power supplies have been puzzled why they got interrupted. Here’s to alternative local sources of energy. Meanwhile, let’s hope NStar monitors those cables to the mainland better.

Bruce Nevin

Edgartown

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MISQUOTED

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

I am writing this letter because I was misquoted in the Tuesday, July 6, Gazette. I have never said anything negative about Featherstone or my customers there. Featherstone is a wonderful location and it is absolutely beautiful. I have very good repeat customers at Featherstone. I have been at the Tuesday flea for five years. The ladies that run Featherstone are very pleasant and enjoyable to work with. I feel very fortunate to have two incredible venues to sell my wampum and stained glass art. I have good customers at both the Chilmark Flea and Featherstone Flea.

Gwen Nichols

West Tisbury

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MORE THAN APPROPRIATE

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

The following letter was sent to the Chilmark selectmen:

The Edgartown selectmen are soliciting your assistance or suggestions regarding a couple of issues, the first being the Martha’s Vineyard Center for Living, which is in need of a home. The organization is an independent nonprofit that works in conjunction with our respective councils on aging. The organization sponsors and provides the senior day program that is so vital to the needs of many of our senior citizens.

At this moment the senior day program must move around between the senior centers in Oak Bluffs, Tisbury and Edgartown. This is not a tenable situation. We are writing this letter in the hope that together we can come up with a permanent solution that will be of benefit to all our senior citizens.

It is with this hope in mind that we have sent the enclosed letter to the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital suggesting they include the funding of this solution in their plan to spend the approximately two million dollars required by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, to be spent within our community.

Further, we take this opportunity also to suggest that the Vineyard Health Care Access program, which is now funded by the towns and the county, be funded with these required monies. It is more than appropriate that our hospital, the beneficiary of the services provided to these clients of the Health Care Access program by virtue of the insurance payment directed to the hospital, should be sponsoring and funding this valuable program.

Margaret Serpa,

Arthur Smadbeck,

Michael J. Donaroma

Edgartown

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GOOD PEOPLE

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

Another experience to make me ever-grateful for life on the Vineyard. Somewhere in the course of running errands in Vineyard Haven and Oak Bluffs on a busy Friday at the end of June, I managed to lose my wallet. I hunted high and low, before slipping into a dead panic over the prospect of replacing everything I’d stuffed into it.

Then came the call, hours later, from the Tisbury police: an unidentified citizen had turned it in, intact, $65 and all. She may work at the UPS store, the officer told me, when I pressed him for clues. The next day I went to the store and met Hayley who said that a Mr. Maciel had found my wallet in the parking lot and given it to her in hopes that the owner would come looking for it. When that didn’t happen, she took it to the police.

My heartfelt thanks to both of these kind people for sparing me a huge amount of inconvenience and, more important, for confirming what I already knew — that there are truly good people here.

Penny Bragonier

Oak Bluffs

and Boston

The Vineyard Gazette welcomes letters to the editor on any subject concerning Martha’s Vineyard. The newspaper strives to publish all letters as space allows, although the editor reserves the right to reject letters that in her judgment are inappropriate. Letters must be signed, and should include a place of residence and contact telephone number. The Gazette does not publish anonymous letters.