An open letter to the citizens of the Town of Edgartown:

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends and Neighbors, Voters,

At this year’s Annual Town Meeting, we are being called to hear, deliberate and decide whether or not to consent to the ethics of our government, Article #63.

It was Nov. 7, 1991, when Earvin (Magic) Johnson held a press conference and said: “Because of the HIV virus that I have attained, I will have to retire from the Lakers today.” The admission shocked the world, but it jolted Los Angeles like a magnitude-8 earthquake. The reaction in the newsroom at the Los Angeles Times, where I worked for 20 years, was memorable.

The news media are frequently criticized for focusing on tragedy, but it must also be said that it is human nature to be transfixed by tragic events.

April could be referred to as the month around the corner, the one that signals a directional shift from winter towards the Island’s shoulder season. It begins on a whim, celebrating the art of foolishness (take note Chappy column readers) and ends, at least here on the Island, with a clarity of purpose. The summer show is not far off, reservations are booked, the audience expectant, and the backstage crew working feverishly.

The Hunger Games are almost here. Talk to almost any high school student or even teacher at MVRHS about the best-selling trilogy by Suzanne Collins and they’ll have nothing to express but their enthusiastic love for the series. Some, like my friends and I, will say with glee, “March 23! March 23!”

March 23 is the release date for the highly anticipated movie adaptation of “The Hunger Games.”