Mahon About Town Nantucket Blog

The Nantucket Independent has been acquired by GateHouse Media New England. The Independent was founded in 2003 by Editor and Publisher Don Costanzo. Don will remain with the paper for a transition period, while current Associate Publisher Dan Drake will assume the role of Publisher. The Independent has earned numerous awards for editorial excellence, including four-time finalist for ‘Newspaper of the Year’ from the New England Press Association. It has also won NEPA’s 2006 and 2007 Advertising General Excellence.

GateHouse Media Inc. is headquartered in Fairport, New York, and publishes 87 dailies, 198 paid weeklies, and free papers, shoppers and specialty and niche publications.

Most often, it seems to me, when someone tells you that they’re passionate about something, they say it with a passionless voice and no apparent passion at all.

I spent some time with Rick Ulmer this week after he called me late late Tuesday night to say he was buying the Dreamland. I met with him a few times to offer my help, my thoughts and my encouragement. His excitement is contagious. Wrapping up our last meeting with Jonathan Burkhart (Nantucket Film Festival Chairman of the Board) and Michael Kopko (selectman), Rick began to choke up when he told us how lucky he felt to be able to save such an important part of our heritage. That, my friends, is being passionate about something.

Details:

The Dreamland Theatre has been sold to Rick Ulmer, current owner of the
Rose & Crown and Foood for Here and There, for an undisclosed purchase
price.

“My first goal was to save the Dreamland so it will always be a movie
theater downtown.” Rick told me. “The rest of the project will be
scaled for Nantucket, and it will be open year round.”

Rick’s plans currently call for full restoration of the movie theater
and concession stand on the first floor, a ballroom on the second
floor, and a restaurant on the third floor.

The Ballroom will be designed as a multipurpose space with a stage. The
space could be rented to theater groups, wedding parties, proms,
receptions, and group meetings. With a second projector, the second
floor could also be used to show independent film or children’s movies
at the same time as the main theater.

Rick will operate the third floor mid-priced restaurant, with both
indoor and outdoor dining overlooking the Easy Street Basin.

The parking area at the rear will be sold to the Nantucket Land Bank at
below market value to be converted to parkland for the public. It could
have a bandstand and accommodate public events.

The renovation is intended to restore the exterior of the building with
minimal changes. There will be no underground garage, no high-end
condos and one less restaurant.

“I’m so glad to know that a local business owner will now take the
reins and restore the Dreamland to its original glory”, said Jonathan
Burkhart, President of the Nantucket Film Festival.

The business will be structured as a for-profit LLC. Rick’s closed friend Judy Seinfeld is
an investor. Rick is developing an investor packette and will be meeting with interested parties
in the next 2 weeks.

Thank you to everyone who responded so quickly to my request to sign the petition for a Special Town Meeting to decide whether the Town should buy the Dreamland Theater. Jonathan Burkhart and Michael Kopko tell me that more than 100 people signed the petition in the few hours after I sent the newsletter. I received close to 100 personal messages from readers, every one in full support of the initiative. Here’s one that touched me the most:

Hello!

My husband told me that if he can’t go to the Dreamland he doesn’t want to come to Nantucket!

Is there any kind of on-line petition? We live in Monaco and won’t be on the island until August.

Thanks and regards

.

As a result, we have well over the 200 signatures needed, but you can still sign the petition as a show of support at Legion Hall through the weekend. Unfortunately you must appear in person to sign. I believe the petitions will be presented to the Board of Selectmen at next Wednesday’s meeting, after the Town Clerk has certified the signatures.

The theater is for sale. If there are any offers on the table to buy it, by agreement, the owner must first offer it to the Town. The situation is changing quickly, and I’ll let you know how it develops as soon as I can.

Cape Air/Nantucket Airlines is ramping back up, as they resume flights on many of their routes as replacement parts are installed.

For Nantucket Airlines customers on Thursday (14th) and Friday (15th), flights between Hyannis and Nantucket will resume on a reduced schedule. Island Airlines will continue to honor Nantucket Airlines tickets when seats are available.

For Cape Air fliers on Thursday, all routes will operate on a reduced schedule. Passengers should call Cape Air at 1-800-352-0714 to reconfirm. By Friday, they plan to be able to accommodate most passengers holding confirmed reservations.

Unused tickets may be used on a future Cape Air flight up to one year from the date of issue, or you may request a refund. E-tickets may be refunded through email by emailing the e-ticket to reserv@flycapeair.com. Paper tickets may be refunded by mail to Cape Air, Attention: Refunds, 660 Barnstable Road, Hyannis, MA 02601.

Full operations should resume in a few days.

The trial on Thomas Toolan for the murder of Beth Lochtefeld began this morning with opening arguments and a visit to the murder site. Here’s the latest from the WNAN Blog on the trial.

Friday June 8, 2007

9:45am
Opening arguments began. Prosecutor Brian Glenny spoke for 30 minutes presenting the facts of the case. Defense Attorney Kevin Reddington began by requesting that the Judge remind the jury that opening arguments are not evidence. He directed the jury to remember to leave all emotion out of the trial. He said, “People are suffering from mental disease and many times you can’t tell. This was an act of desperation by a man who has been victim of the ultimate rejection.” Reddington used movie examples to illustrate seemingly well-functional human beings who were suffering hidden mental diseases. He spoke for 20 minutes.

10:50am
The jurors, Defense Attorney, and Prosecutor boarded a Nantucket Island Tours Bus to go and view the Nantucket Airport, Brant Point Marine, and 1A Hawthorne Lane, where the crime took place.

From an article by Marli Guzzetta in the Nantucket Independent: “Democratic candidate for president and junior senator from Illinois, Barack Obama is tentatively scheduled to make a Nantucket campaign stop on Friday, July 20. Obama is expected to keynote two events - a larger, daytime event and then a private evening event at an island home.” Lou Sussman is hosting the appearances. Mimi Beman, owner of Mitchell’s Book Corner, and part-time resident Doug Rediker are assisting in the events’ planning.

I asked Jill Burkhart, Executive Director of the Nantucket Film Festival, to tell us which films we should see if we only had time to see 5 this year. Here they are, not in any particular order.