Trump tax cuts
As a retiree on a fixed income, I consider a breakfast at Dunkin Donuts my big splurge for a meal out every couple of weeks. I was offended when I saw Donald Trump, our president-elect, promise to people paying $36 for a hamburger at a restaurant in New York City that he would reduce their taxes. What about retirees on a fixed income?
Carol Gater
Belfast
Boost fire department ranks
Owning a summer camp or year-round home on Beech Hill Pond in Otis is a dream come true. It’s quiet, sounds of nature abound and the lake is spectacular, until a resident awakens to the sounds of “fire.” A resident quickly learns how helpless he is and how vulnerable his situation is.
This past season, my neighbor suffered a devastating fire around 3 a.m. Within minutes, I was up and outside with the garden hose in an effort to fight back the flames but to no avail because of a safety measure installed by the utility company, shutting down the power. The fire department was notified immediately but took more than 45 minutes before the first engine arrived. By then, the entire home was involved, and it was a total loss.
Since then, I’ve researched some of the past fires in the area, all of which ended with similar results. I find this unacceptable. This is not fire protection. By the time most fire departments arrive, they simply are putting out the ashes. Most of the departments I contacted all said the same thing: They lack the membership.
I contacted my local state senator, Brian Langley, urging him to enact some legislation that would provide incentive to attract and maintain active membership. It’s been several months, and I have not heard from him or his office.
We all are at risk. I urge everyone to contact their representatives to demand that action is taken.
Bob Rabey
Otis
Beavers environmental allies
I have explored, in both winter and summer, the land that is now the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, and I have seen firsthand that the monument offers diverse landscapes with great potential for wildlife and habitat restoration. It is my hope that habitat restoration will be a primary focus of the National Park Service.
These lands have been subject to the same abuses of most forestland in the region and have a good deal of recovery to do before resembling a natural state. One of the National Park Service’s most important allies in the effort to manage this land for habitat restoration will be the North American beaver. This partnership can be challenging as human infrastructure, roads and trails inappropriately encroach upon riparian zones, restricting the natural, cyclical and critical activity of beavers as they engineer bio-diverse habitats, something they are specially evolved to do.
My explorations, on foot, bicycle and skis have taken me down the International Appalachian Trail and the areas around the loop road, Sandbank Stream and Deasey, Moose and Lynx ponds. I discovered some active sites and many potential conflict sites where there will need to be thoughtful planning and investment to provide for what could be exemplary wildlife habitat. The resultant superior restoration of biodiversity, habitats and ecology will provide opportunity for a higher level of experience for human visitors as well as benefit the native and natural wildlife and flora in the monument.
Richard Hesslein Jr.
Brownfield