Monday, Aug. 6, 2012: Waterfowl hunting, caring for disabled adults and deadly intersection

Waterfowl hunting

Once again the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has demonstrated lack of knowledge about waterfowl and a real lack of concern for average waterfowl hunters.

These travesties are shown in proposed south zone waterfowl seasons of Oct. 1-13 and Oct. 29-Dec. 22. To make matters worse, IF&W has established a coastal zone of Oct. 1-13 and Nov. 12-Jan. 5, 2013.

Where did the coastal zone come from, and why was it done? Why were hunters not informed prior to this?

For Down East duck hunters this means no duck and goose hunting in Cobscook Bay and other coastal areas for one month. Dumb! Both south zone and coastal zone must be straight seasons. Down East — no closures.

Why is sea duck hunting season a straight season (Oct. 1-Jan. 31, 2013) and other ducks are not? How many other ducks get shot when their season is closed during sea duck hunts?

The closed period is when many migrant waterfowl pass through the state. A closed season at this time deprives hunters of an additional hunting opportunity. This is prime time for hunters to be afield. December waterfowl hunting has too many icing problems. What is the biological reason for waterfowl hunting closures in these areas? There isn’t any.

Commercial duck hunting operations rule IF&W. It is quite evident that IF&W is not interested in good waterfowl management and does not care about the average duck hunter. I have been hunting waterfowl in Maine for 55 years. Years ago, waterfowl management was important in Maine. Today, it’s not.

Fred Hartman

Whiting

Freedom vote

Our flag motto, “Dirigo,” is an ironic thought in a dwindling job market and shrinking economy. We rank at the bottom in the nation for wages and last in personal income growth. This pattern of political discouragement is disheartening.

In Maine, the roots of our economy stem from our natural resources and the resourcefulness of our workers. We need to kick-start the economy through responsible investments, development, environmental stewardship and job creation for Mainers.

If you’re proud of the LePage administration’s record and Ryan Harmon who has typically sided with LePage, there is no need to read any further.

If you’re like me, you’re tired of watching the deterioration of our great state we all love.

Harmon voted against a jobs package that would have created jobs and saved Maine people and small businesses money by cutting their dependence on foreign oil. Harmon sided with polluters over Maine people by shielding companies from prosecution for environmental crimes if they aren’t prosecuted within six years, regardless of impact to Maine communities and the environment. He even voted against creating an income tax credit for the purchase of qualified plug-in electric vehicles.

LePage and Harmon are leading us further from our roots and further from creating a sustainable Maine economy.

If you are concerned with our current leadership or find it troublesome, please kindly join Maine’s hardworking folks in November by voting for Brian Jones of Freedom, to represent District 45. Help bring life in Maine back to where it should be.

Jason Seyfried

Freedom

Tori Day

I am thrilled that Victoria “Tori” Kornfield is running to represent Maine House District 17 in Bangor.

I know Kornfield’s 30-year career as a teacher at Bangor High School uniquely positions her to understand the challenges Bangor faces.

She has seen the struggles that young people face finding jobs in Bangor, and she knows that in order to draw businesses with good-paying jobs to the area we must ensure that our students can compete at the highest levels.

I hope you will join me in voting for Kornfield on Election Day.

Carol Farthing

Bangor

Forgotten disabled adults

I am writing in response to the article, “ Cookie-cutter crisis.” You are so right. I am one of those crumbling Maine families who has a totally disabled young adult at home. She just aged out of children’s services and has been on the Section 21 wait list for three years. She now has no services, and all I hear from the powers that be is, “Sorry, there is no money.”

I am a single, working parent, and all I want to do is to support my daughter and keep her in her own home. Which is better: giving my daughter up to the state to get the services she needs or keeping her home surrounded by ones who love her? Unless she is homeless, abused or neglected she is not considered on a priority one level and does not get the services she desperately needs.

I go back to work in the fall, and she is completely incapable of staying by herself. As a human being, doesn’t she have the right to be safe and stay in her own home? This is something we take for granted every day. Aren’t we supposed to be helping those who can’t fight for themselves? What if this was your child?

Maine: The way life should be — not anymore. I thought we took care of our own.

Kathryn Wakely

Brewer

Intersection horrors

I am a lifelong resident of Monroe and read your coverage of the fatal accident of July 31 at the intersection of routes 141 and 139 in the town.

As every motorist who passes through this intersection knows, there is a very unnecessary sight obstruction, which contributes in large part to the danger at this area. The homeowner of the corner property to the left of the stop sign chose several years ago to plant bushes near the road, so one must actually drive by the stop sign, partially onto Route 139, to see around them before proceeding.

Route 139 is used heavily by trucks engaged in hauling gravel. Also, as in all towns, motorists exceed safe speed limits. This intersection was and remains very dangerous, especially to left-turning traffic from Route 141 onto Route 139.

The bushes so near the road add to an already poor-visibility traffic area. I call upon the property owners to remove this landscaping hazard that drivers face daily.

As to the fate of the cyclist, if he had had better vision of the intersection and been more aware of the lack of traffic at that moment, it is possible that he would have made a split-secondbdecision to “run” the stop sign, as opposed to the fatal braking that caused him to lose control and his life.

Robert Hood

Monroe