Our next governor
It is uplifting to hear a gubernatorial candidate speak positively about Maine’s environment and about his involvement in efforts to combat climate change.
At the Sept. 5 meeting in Hallowell of Sierra Club Maine, I heard Rep. Mike Michaud speak about the excellent performance of a model wind turbine’s recent completion of its first year of testing off Castine. Michaud is not only helping to advance that particular project, but is also communicating with the United Kingdom about climate change in general and firmly believes that Maine can become a leader in converting to clean energy.
He helped protect our environment as a state legislator, as a U.S. Congressman, and I have no doubt that he will continue to do so in the future. He says, “We have a responsibility to our children and grandchildren to do it.” I look forward to having Michaud serve as governor of Maine.
Fern Stearns
Orland
Local broadcasts
We receive our television programing via Dish Network satellite and have been a customer since 2007. Approximately eight weeks ago, Dish discontinued broadcasting WABI and CW channels. We have made many calls to Dish and Mike Young at WABI asking when the programming will once again be reinstated.
It seems Dish and WABI are at an impasse and can’t negotiate an agreeable contract. This is terrible. There are many viewers who subscribe to Dish for their programing and many viewers who miss the local WABI and CW channels. We have always watched WABI especially for the evening news. We miss the channel.
We’ve been told by WABI that perhaps we should find another way to receive its programming. Or maybe we’ll just decide to watch another local channel to receive the local news. Or maybe change to cable TV or DirecTV, which at the present time do include WABI in their programing. It is too bad that these two entities can’t come to an agreement and start broadcasting the local channels.
Sharon Caron
Orrington
Support Weston
As a life-long resident of Maine, I believe now, maybe more than ever before, is the time to elect leaders to represent us in Augusta. I am supporting Cary Weston for state Senate to represent Bangor and Hermon in the November election.
Weston has a proven record of collaborative leadership while serving on the Bangor City Council. As mayor, Weston was able to work with a number of groups to solve vital issues, including budgetary items that affected the city. He started the “Mayor’s Coalition,” bringing together mayors of service centers in Maine to solve similar issues using a common-sense approach. This ability to bring people together is the only way to break the polarization in the Legislature.
Weston and his wife are both small business owners. Small businesses are the fastest growing economic sector to develop new jobs. This background will be invaluable in Augusta where so many decisions influence the business environment of our state.
Please join me in supporting Weston for state Senate.
Robert Welch
Bangor
Morton for county sheriff
I am now retiring after 36 years with the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office. There are two candidates seeking election to my vacated position. While, in my view, both are good people, only one individual has the experience to assume the leadership of an agency responsible for both law enforcement and corrections. During his 25 years of experience at the sheriff’s office, Troy Morton has not only worked in every division of the sheriff’s office, but also has had a major role in the management of the department.
Morton is the only candidate whose career has been actively involved in major investigations, working harmoniously with every sector of public safety, and has been actively involved with numerous citizen coalitions. This is not a job one learns from a textbook but skills acquired through a lifetime of active involvement in public safety. I am pleased to offer Morton my endorsement for Penobscot County sheriff.
Glenn Ross
Exeter
Drone attacks hurt U.S.
There are at least two important differences in the kind of brutality exercised by the Islamic State in beheading journalists and the kind of brutality exercised by President Barack Obama in killing civilians as collateral damage in drone attacks in Pakistan, Yemen and elsewhere. First, so far, the beheadings are much smaller in number, (two vs. hundreds) and so are easier to focus on individually. Second, the beheadings have much more detailed, accessible video that is easier to be appalled by.
But the family and friends of women and children killed by U.S. drone attacks probably do not need webcam images to imagine how their bodies were blown into bits of corpse and how they suffered in the process. In trying to imagine the impact of our military policies – and why people joining with the Islamic State may not view us as morally superior — we will need to come to terms with such facts.
Gray Cox
Bar Harbor
Mainers support railways
In reference to the George Betke Aug. 21 OpEd regarding the proposed Amtrak facility in Brunswick, I would refresh his memory. His alarmist words and barely disguised putdowns of both those persons who advocate for passenger rail and those whose property abuts or is near the Brunswick rail yard ignore several factors, of which I will mention three.
More than 90,000 Mainers 1) ordered the state government to bring passenger rail service to Maine; 2) spend no less than $40 million to do it; and 3) support railways in the same manner in which highways and airways are supported.
Paula Boyer Rougny
Brunswick
Michaud for governor
The haze of rhetoric put out by independent gubernatorial candidate Eliot Cutler cannot hide the fact that he has participated little in the democratic process while his Democratic opponent, Mike Michaud, has spent his entire career in Congress negotiating with the “other side” to pass legislation that would help Maine citizens.
Where was Cutler when the Maine Legislature debated the Medicaid expansion that would have provided healthcare to millions of Maine citizens who couldn’t afford private health insurance? Cutler’s contribution to this debate was an OpEd blaming both parties for failure.
Mike Michaud refuses to play the blame game. In his years as a congressman, he has worked to transcend partisanship to do what is in the best interest of our citizens. Michaud has paid his bipartisan dues. He should be our next governor.
Linda Hjortland
Bath
Fulford vote
Waldo County deserves a better representative in Augusta than Michael Thibodeau. I know Jonathan Fulford. I’ve worked with him. He is someone we can trust to put our interests foremost. For the good of all the county, cast your vote for Jonathan Fulford.
Chris Gordon
Belfast