LePage’s integrity
Gov. Paul LePage’s staff was forced to take oaths in the Good Will-Hinckley questioning. These people must have no personal integrity, if their word has to be questioned by their co-workers. I no longer reside in Maine but follow Maine news. I am saddened by all the news that concerns the so-called governor. He is a people user and has little to no integrity. Now even the people that work for him are so scared of him they are willing to be untruthful to try and protect him. What a shame.
Donald Crowell
Malabar, Florida
Plan for long-term care
After watching the last few presidential debates, something has been noticeably absent: any plans to support caregiving for families. Every eight seconds another American turns 65 years old. That’s more than 10,000 of us every day. And since seven out of 10 seniors will need long-term care at some point in their lives, this is an issue that will only become more important in the next few years.
Long-term care is an issue that our next president will have to deal with. But so far the candidates have been mostly silent on the issue. Anybody who wants to be our next president needs to have a long-term plan for long-term care.
We need to do more to challenge the candidates to talk about caregiving — specifically, what they’ll do to support family caregivers, paid care workers and the growing population of seniors and people with disabilities who need care.
Joyce Dupuis
Waldoboro
Eves a mistake for Good Will-Hinckley
A Nov. 14 BDN letter to the editor from a former Good Will-Hinckley board member that called Mark Eves’ appointment at the nonprofit a mistake caught my eye and I completely agree. It is not whether I think Eves is qualified for the position but the appearance of a prominent state political figure being appointed which smacked of politics to me.
Having someone in charge of a program with the kind of influence a speaker of the House projects sure could look attractive to boards of directors, since many of them are selected for the influence and resources they bring to the board room. I am an educational consultant who works with student placement at many private schools and colleges. I am familiar with boards of directors. This one made the wrong decision for the wrong reasons in the case of Eves, so maybe we should be looking more closely at them.
Peter Duston
Cherryfield
Access to local produce
According to Wal-Mart’s 2015 Global Responsibility Report, the company aims to “double the sales of locally sourced produce sold by the end of 2015. By the end of 2014, we increased sales of locally sourced produce from $404 million to $749.6 million. We remain on track to reach our goal by the end of 2015.”
How can the everyday consumer believe such a statement, when today, right this very minute, there are Canadian potatoes being sold in Wal-Mart stores in Maine, while the Maine potato crop sits in storage going unsold? Earlier this month, I asked a potato supplier about this and I was told the Maine crop is not ready.
This is a blatant falsehood. The Maine potato crop is plentiful and ready and waiting to be ordered and shipped from supposedly reputable Wal-Mart suppliers. I urge Wal-Mart to look into this false proclamation because I am 100 percent certain this is not the case. There are thousands of pounds of Maine potatoes ready for market, and it saddens me that suppliers are blatantly overlooking Wal-Mart’s dedication and commitment to locally grown produce.
It’s a shame that I can’t buy potatoes grown “in my backyard” at Wal-Mart.
Brooke Ridley
Limestone