Letters to the Editor

Tethering should be abolished

Dear Editor:

The German shepherd in Middleborough who chewed off part of his paw after reportedly being tethered for at least a day and becoming entangled is a reminder of the cruelty and danger of tethering and why it should be banned altogether.

Entanglement and neglect are just two of the many risks that chained dogs face. They are also exposed to weather extremes, parasites, heartworms, mange, and other maladies, and, when they hang themselves on fences, strangulation. They are shot, stabbed, poisoned, and set on fire by cruel humans who also steal them for “bait” in dogfighting rings and to sell to laboratories.

Chained dogs often go without food, water, shelter, veterinary care, and exercise.

Massachusetts should ban unattended tethering altogether or strengthen the existing law that limits tethering to 24 consecutive hours.

Dogs are pack animals—they need and deserve love, companionship, and a safe place to sleep. Please, keep your dog indoors and contact authorities right away if you see a chained dog in trouble. You can also urge elected officials to have chaining banned in your community.

For more information, visit www.PETA.org.

Craig Shapiro


PETA Foundation

501 Front St.
Norfolk, VA

 

Chemistry Council disputes article

Dear Editor,

The article, “Styrofoam regulation ban goes into effect in 2017” has several errors that require correction, beginning with the headline. Styrofoam is a registered trademark of Dow Chemical Company and is not used in foodservice packaging or restaurant takeout containers as incorrectly indicated in the headline and first paragraph. The article also mistakenly questions the safety of polystyrene foodservice packaging, which is the actual target of the ban.

In the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) strictly regulates all food packaging materials, including polystyrene. Polystyrene’s safety profile is so strong that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has reviewed the safety of polystyrene used in direct contact with foods and beverages – and for 50 years has confirmed polystyrene to be safe for this use. The European Commission/European Food Safety Authority and other regulatory agencies have reached similar conclusions.

From 1999 to 2002, a 12-member international expert panel selected by the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis conducted a comprehensive review of potential health risks associated with workplace and environmental exposure to styrene.

The scientists reviewed all of the published data on the quantity of styrene contributed to the diet due to migration from food contact packaging. The scientists concluded that there is no cause for concern from exposure to styrene from food or from polystyrene used in food contact applications, such as packaging and foodservice containers.

Public health officials encourage the use of sanitary, single-use foodservice packaging (such as polystyrene) in appropriate settings – single-use foodservice packaging can help reduce food borne illness in homes, hospitals, schools, nursing homes cafeterias and restaurants.

To better understand the differences between styrene, a liquid chemical, and polystyrene, a solid plastic, you may find https://plasticfoodservicefacts.com/ a useful resource.

Mike Levy

Senior Director, Plastics Foodservice Packaging Group

American Chemistry Council

700 2nd Street, NE,

Washington, D.C. 20002

 

Calling all

community members

Dear Editor:

So many folks in our small town care so much about the community that they work tirelessly volunteering time and energy to support CASA and its initiatives.

The CASA Board of Directors has decided to pay tribute to our founder and honor a CASA member for their hard work. We invite you to nominate a fellow community member who has worked this year to help facilitate change around drug and alcohol misuse and further the mission of CASA for the Mary Ann Lounsbury Community Service Award. Please help us spread the word. The award recipient will be honored at our Recovery Event on September 14. Find the link to the nomination form on our website or attached here. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to reach out to us! Thank you for your time!

CASA started with a woman’s desire to create a safe environment for her children to grow up! In 1997, MaryAnn Lounsbury overheard one of her children and his friends discussing the drug transactions that were happening on school property. Outraged by what she was told, she began to talk to town officials and community leaders. Unfortunately, her words fell on deaf ears and she did not take that lightly. The substance abuse coalition, called CASA was born from this incident and MaryAnn worked tirelessly with CASA’s co-founder Brenda Curry, to keep the conversation of addiction and substance abuse on the forefront of our community. She enlisted the help of friends to keep her initiatives and ideas moving in a forward direction and growing within the community, which in turn has become what we know CASA to be today.

Maryann grew up in East Boston and moved to the town of Winthrop with her family of two brothers and one sister in her early childhood. A Johnson Avenue resident, Maryann attended Catholic schools before moving on to Nursing School. In November of 1967 She married David Lounsbury and they made their home on Washington Avenue. Lounsbury balanced her career as an Alzheimer’s Unit nurse in Marblehead with raising three boys. Lounsbury retired in 2006 after being diagnosed with lymphoma (cancer). Maryann was a fighter, however after 8 years of surgeries, chemotherapy and more she lost her battle to cancer in November of 2014.

For those who knew Maryann, they knew a woman who had a great sense of humor and would do anything for her friends, family and her community. Her smile could light up a room and she always wanted what was best for those around her. As a parent she loved her three boys unconditionally, she would never miss an event or anything her boys participated in. She was an avid hockey fan as all three of her boys Brian, Geoffrey and Jonathan played for many years. Maryann was a problem solver, kind-spirited supermom, loyal friend and a strong advocate for substance abuse. She was determined to make a difference in her community and challenge the social norms and stigma to create change for her children and the future children of the town of Winthrop.

Nomination Process

Nominations may be submitted by active CASA members by 6 pm August 19, 2016

Eligibility criteria is as follows: Any individual who has made a significant contribution to the Substance Misuse/Recovery community during the prior year

The award recipient will be selected and notified by the CASA Board of Directors by Sept. 2, 2016

Nomination Packets

 should include:

A complete separate nomination form. A nominating statement of no more than one typed page explaining how the nominee satisfies the award criteria. Please be specific, providing concrete examples.

Relevant supporting documentation may be attached but is not required. Complete nomination packets must be submitted to:

Amy Epstein

CASA Executive Director


18 Bartlett Rd


Winthrop, MA 02152

[email protected]

No nominations will be accepted after that date and time..

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