Globe South Commentary

The wind turbine debate spins on

Letter writer David Reich says (“Different spins on wind turbines,” Feb. 12) he “would take his chances with quiet, non-polluting radiation-free wind turbines.” He might have a different view if he walked a mile in a wind neighbor’s shoes.

Why? The #1 complaint is sleep disturbance.The pulsing noise was so bad in Falmouth that a judge ordered the town to shut down its turbines at night. Now, Kingston, Scituate, and Fairhaven have nighttime shutdown schemes.

Mr. Reich says students and teachers at the school near Hull 1 have no complaints, ignoring the fact that they sleep elsewhere and that others in town have complained.

Across Massachusetts, many residents who welcomed turbines soon began experiencing sleep loss, headaches, nausea, and other symptoms when near turbines.

Can we avoid the harm? Experts recommend a minimum distance of 1.25 miles from homes, and some recommend more. Massachusetts is a densely populated state, so the megawatt turbines across the state routinely exceed state noise pollution limits.

We all agree that we want clean air. But even the largest wind project in the state supplies only 0.0018 percent of the electricity used in Massachusetts. But eight times this output could be had if only half of our households had efficient refrigerators.

Louise Grabowski

Quincy

Revere rides into Canton

RE “In Canton, Paul Revere sets the foundation for a new attraction,” Feb. 19: Very cool stuff.

richstan

On Hingham officials’ refusal to let school principal stay on

RE “Hingham students, faculty support principal’s request to stay on,” Feb. 19: It may be the School Committee’s decision legally whether or not to rehire Dr. Paula Girouard-McCann. But after 17 years of excellent leadership to our schools, this is most disrespectful. Heartless! They are making the wrong decision.

Otishill

If they did a search, extended an offer, and the prospective hire accepted, I would understand why the school district would do this. Anything short of that, I’m at a loss.

DapperDanMan

What an appalling lack of integrity and compassion the Hingham school Committee and Superintendent demonstrate in their treatment of Hingham High School principal Paula Girouard McCann, after the untimely, sudden, and unexpected death of her husband! If Superintendent Galo and School Committee Chair O’Reilly think “We did our job” - the electorate should make sure they do not have that job anymore. Heartless!!!

Doctordude

OK, the woman is 64, and chose to retire. Hingham goes on search, and then she says: never mind. There is a cost to a search, and at age 64, I do not know how likely it is that she will stay on for more than a year or two given she was already planning to retire. So then they have to spend time and money again on a search. I get why Hingham might not want to do that. If they have not progressed very far on their search, then let her come back.

LeftOut