Artemis’s Caution

When you look at a deer

what do you see?

Carrier of ticks? Raider of you garden? Meat for your freezer?

Pest, scourge, rodent with antlers?

When you contemplate a deer,

the only large animal left to roam wild

in our woods, a brilliantly fired creature who bolts off

with lifted white tail, speed like a gazelle, consider

When an individual on Mar tha’s Vineyard dials 911 seeking assistance, a sheriff’s dispatcher answers the telephone, takes information and dispatches the appropriate emergency responder. This sounds like a fairly straightforward task, but nothing could be further from the truth.

Chief Thomas Wagoner of the Loveland, Colo., police department said it best, and to mark national public safety telecommunications week, I would like to share his remarks, which follow.

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As a photographer I am always keeping my eyes open for new things to shoot. Often subjects have a way of finding me.

In every generation each person should see him/herself as if he/she personally was liberated from Egypt.

GOOD FOOD, GOOD SCHOOL

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

April Days

Rain, rain go away — the familiar children’s rhyme runs through the mind this month. April showers? More like deluge with nearly five inches of rain dumped on the Island by Wednesday this week in a record storm that washed out roads and sent highway and emergency workers scrambling. Suddenly winter coats have been replaced by slickers and tall rubber boots, the better for fording puddles the size of small lakes on downtown streets and in driveways.

Treatment Required

Who’s minding the store at the Edgartown wastewater treatment plant? The question has now been taken up by the Cape and Islands district attorney, who is investigating allegations of fraud in connection with shoddy accounting practices flagged by town auditors. Under investigation is the way the sewer plant has documented septic pump-outs hauled by independent contractors; discrepancies were found between receipts at the plant and self-reporting done by the haulers on a handwritten ledger.

Up-Island School Lesson

The Up-Island Regional School District dodged a bullet this week when West Tisbury voters refused to cut the district’s budget despite a strong argument to the contrary from both the town finance committee and the three selectmen; as a result school administrators may breathe a little easier knowing that they will not be forced to make cuts in educational programs.

Plum Achievement

Plum Hill School and Island Waldorf Community, Inc. recently were awarded Waldorf certification by the Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America. Plum Hill invites all parents of children who are or will be two years, nine months through five year of age to contact the school for enrollment possibilities, at 508-696-7701.

Red Cross Classes

The Cape Cod and Islands Chapter of the American Red Cross will offer an introductory class for prospective volunteers on Friday, April 29, from 6 to 9 p.m. The class is open to anyone interested in learning more about volunteering with the Red Cross.

On Saturday, April 30, the chapter will offer all-day training for people interested in joining the disaster mental health team. This class is only available to those with an active mental health license, or a license in school psychology or school counseling.