Global economy

It seems that we need to ask just how the decisions on the direction of education at the University of Maine are being made. We are being told that only courses that are repetitive or underattended are being curtailed or reduced in frequency. If what I have heard in the news is true, this would include many courses in the foreign languages department.

The fact that we are in a global economy should not be news to the supposed leadership at the University of Maine. Many of the school systems in Maine have problems recruiting foreign language teachers, so could someone explain to me just how we will recruit the teachers to prepare our children to participate and succeed in this global economy? If our state college system can’t be relied on to be responsible custodians of this important task, then I fear we will continue to lag behind many other parts of the country and world.

Robert Simpson

Columbia Falls

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End the polluted legacy

As a resident of Ferry Road in Orrington, I was amazed to see a recent flyer sent out by Mallinckrodt Corp. with the following quote from its “redevelopment expert” Blaine Buck blazed across an inside page: “I’m attracted to [toxic] brownfield sites.” (Honest; that’s what it says!)

Buck argues that once Malllinckrodt caps off its leaking toxic dumps, the HoltraChem site will be, as he says, “ready for development.” The idea that responsible companies will flock to a site with four leaking toxic dumps strains credibility, as does his point that the river location makes this site attractive: Given the mercury contamination in offshore sediments, a permit for a docking facility is totally out of the question.

And if Buck’s fantasy actually did come to pass, it would require a great deal of heavy construction — including blasting, since most of the land sits on the same ledge the dumps are on. Anybody willing to trust Mallinckrodt’s “landfill” solutions under those conditions?

Let’s face it; there aren’t a lot of good corporate citizens out there looking for a brownfield, at least while business parks in Hermon, Hampden, Bangor, Brewer and elsewhere still offer clean, vacant land. In truth, the only companies willing to accept the legal complications of locating next to leaking toxic dumps are other pol-luters. Let’s not make Orrington a sacrifice zone for industries no other town wants.

Orrington is already known statewide as the place were Maine sends its trash; we need to end this legacy here.

Richard Judd

Orrington

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Eyes open to abuse

April is Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Month. While child abuse and neglect occur every month, we should all pay greater attention to it this month to bring a heightened awareness to the tragic affects it has on our most vulnerable residents.

The most heartbreaking part of any child’s injury or death due to abuse or neglect is that it could have been prevented. The best-proven child abuse and neglect prevention are home visiting programs. These voluntary programs target young at-risk parents; a trained professional visits homes on a regular basis and teaches parents about the needs of babies and toddlers, and coaches them through each developmental milestone.

These professionals also coach parents about how to deal with frustrations.

As law enforcement leaders, we know child abuse and neglect takes a toll on not only families, but also on our community. We also know how hard it is to break the cycle of violence without intervention.

We urge everyone to become aware of the signs of child abuse and neglect, and to report situations involving possible abuse.

It is time to speak for those who cannot ask for help. Reporting possible child abuse and neglect is the first step and may help identify parents who are in need of support through home visiting programs.

Home visiting programs are relatively inexpensive investments that pay great future dividends — in lives as well as dollars. While we have a long way to go, we are pleased Congress recently approved the first-ever federal funding to expand home visiting programs. It is an excellent start to ending the vicious and often deadly cycle of child abuse and neglect.

Glenn Ross

Penobscot County Sheriff

Ronald K. Gastia

Bangor Police Chief

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Selective outrage

The writer of the letter “Tea Party not violent,” states that he along with others believe the government is usurping their rights guaranteed by the Constitution. What rights would those be?

Perhaps the Fourth Amendment, or the Sixth or the Eighth? No, Bush did it and was praised for it. They say they are concerned about the direction the country is going; perhaps they would like to go back to needless wasteful wars, costing more than the health care bill; tax breaks for the wealthy; an energy policy that no one was allowed to see or question, tripling the size of the federal deficit so the rich can get richer, leading this country into an economic abyss not seen since the Great Depression.

Where were you then, tea partiers? Stand and protest these things, and I will be glad to stand with you; until then, count me out.

I believe if the president could walk on water, you people would say it’s because he can’t swim. If you want to find out the truth stop listening to Limbaugh and Beck and read the Congressional Record. After all, that is a right guaranteed by the Constitution (Article 1, Section 5).

Bob Clark

Bangor

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Don’t forget Aisha

Forgotten by so many, Aisha Mariah Dickson would be celebrating her sweet 16th birthday party on May 3. It doesn’t seem possible that it has been 15 years since her brutal murder (Jan. 6, 1995). No one was ever charged or held accountable.

BDN columnist Renee Ordway, who was so vigilant during the days after her death and funeral and former BDN columnist Tom Weber, who wrote eloquently of her funeral and wrote “no one should allow this tragedy to be put to rest,” moved on to bigger and newer stories.

Don Winslow, who was Lt. Don Winslow at the time of her death, moved on to become police chief and has since retired. There are some of us who have never forgotten.

Perhaps it is because we got to know her, hold her and love her, or perhaps it is just because people don’t care anymore when tragedy strikes a helpless victim. At eight months old, Aisha could not defend herself against the brutal, cowardly bully who ended her life so prematurely.

She can not speak to us from the grave to see that justice is served. It is left up to us, those who still care, to keep her memory alive.

There were only three people in that apartment that night. How can it be that this murder is still unsolved? Shame on those who have not been diligent in solving this crime.

Shirley J. Melancon

Starks