LETTERS: Albion is the best town

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To the editor:

I just wanted to say, how happy I am to live in Albion. I love this beautiful town. I’m so pleased to see the village bustling again. A few years ago Main St. was desolate. Now the village is full of people, new living spaces, and several new businesses are thriving. I’m just so pleased. The village is still small, quaint, & has all the country charm that I moved from China to Albion for.

I am so grateful for the wonderful people that run this town. A few weeks ago I had an issue that (to me) was important, but truthfully could’ve waited. But me, being me, went knocking on the town office door even though it was clearly closed. I should not have been surprised, but I was, when the door opened. I was given the info I needed right then and there. I then made contact with the town road commissioner. He answered my call, even though he was actively working on a job site. Within an hour he called me back with the info I needed. The state was not as helpful, but that’s neither here nor there.

By the end of the day, when realizing what a pain I am (lol) I went to bed thanking my God for the people in and the town itself of Albion.

Thank you to every town official and every town resident who make this beautiful country town the most perfect place to live.

Danielle Foster
Albion

LETTERS: LD-290 is insane

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To the editor:

Wake up people of Maine! Regarding LD-290, a sleeper bill that slipped through without any discussion called, “A tax relief program”, is a misnomer. Freezing a poor person’s tax increase on their home is ridiculous. Taxes rise and fall! Let’s hope and pray Gov. Mills spots this and vetoes it immediately.

To the idiots who created this bogus bill designed to cause mayhem throughout cities and municipalities with needless paper work and money wasted.

Now, if someone with common sense at the state house could come up with a sensible bill used in other states called, “The real estate tax deferment plan,” [there are] lots of similarities except for the increase freezing nonsense. It requires at 75, Homestead act on home for 10 years at the federal poverty level, and have been living in the home for a minimum of 20 years. So, LD-290 is not going to bail out poor people and give them more money for food. I sure hope the governor wakes up quickly and vetoes this insane bill. Bear in mind, deferred means not paying any taxes until you sell or die!

Frank Slason
Somerville

Editor’s note: A new property tax law passed in the most recent session of the Legislature is entitled LD-290 – An Act to Stabilize Property Taxes for Individuals 65 Years of Age or Older Who Own a Homestead for at Least 10 Years.” Very little information has been shared with municipalities on how the program will be administered. The state expects the application and more information to be available by August 8. This law applies to the tax year beginning April 1, 2023. Interested taxpayers will need to apply with the municipality where their homestead is located on or before December 1, 2022.

LETTERS: Are solar panels a blight?

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To the editor:

An observation…am I the only one who finds the acres of solar panels a blight on our beautiful Maine landscape? Is it asking too much to leave a border of trees to hide these fields of plastic…I haven’t heard anyone else commenting on this and our town voted down giving the select board time to develop a new ordinance to regulate them…so am I alone in my distaste for these unsightly fields that are, in my view, an eyesore?

If they are a necessity, can we at least create a buffer to hide them from view?

Linda Morrell
China

LETTERS: Thanks to all voters

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To the editor:

I wanted to send a sincere thank you to ALL who voted in the District #62 Republican primary on June 14. I appreciate the civic engagement and concern you have for the future of Maine!

As your Republican candidate for the position of State Representative I want to assure you that I am open to hearing your ideas and your desires for the state and I welcome emails, calls and invitations to sit down and talk them over. I can be reached at katrinaformaine@gmail.com or at 207-230-9583.

My desire as a State Representative is to be your voice and to boldly pursue legislation that advances freedom, conservative values and prosperity for all Mainers in Augusta. Already I have listened to hundreds of people who worry about inflation and the hardship of surviving winter, about the great concern parents have for the education their children are currently experiencing and about the difficulty of doing business in Maine. I have heard person after person proclaim that if Maine doesn’t see a change in this election they will have to move and their hearts are broken about it. I pledge to work every day to make Maine a state we can afford to live in, want to live in and are safe to live in. Thank you again and I hope to see you soon!

Katrina Smith
Palermo

LETTERS: Announces candidacy

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To the editor:

My name is Stephen J. Hemenway, a retired Deputy Sheriff of 32 years, currently living in Northport, producing a national family educational public access tv show called The Children’s Corner, which is also on Youtube. I decided a few months back to leave my little retirement “safe zone,” and run for State House Representative for District #39. Why would I do such a thing?

It wasn’t the 2019 expansion of renewable energy laws that are currently devastating miles of woods with toxic and caustic solar panels or the now current LD2003 law that allows developers to build low income housing, aka “projects”, in the suburbs. It was the 2021 law, LD864, that takes away the rights of parents and guardians to watch and listen to what’s being taught to their children when being taught at home over the internet, ie: “remote instruction.”

Parents and guardians are “not authorized” to watch, listen or record the instruction and are only “authorized” to help the child gain access to the instruction, per this law. This law was sponsored by my opponent, Jan Dodge, the current Representative for District #39. She supported everything else I mentioned above as well. It is imperative that all voters know what their representatives are doing in the House before they vote! I do not support Jan Dodge and hope to win this seat this November 8.

Stephen J. Hemenway
Northport

LETTERS: Food pantry thanks community

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The China Food Pantry at 1320 Lakeview Drive in China. (photo by Eric Austin)

To the editor:

The China Community Food Pantry thanks all those in town who donated food in the US Postal Food Drive. Your generosity is greatly appreciated.

Ann Austin, director
China Community Food Pantry

LETTERS: Kudos to wolverine article

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To the editor:

I want to thank Roland Hallee for his informative article on wolverines (Things you see in the dark, The Town Line, June 9, 2022 issue, page 7). Thank you also for this opportunity to add to the information contained in Mr. Hallee’s column.

Wolverines appear to be increasing their numbers and range in North America. In addition to the sighting reports noted in Mr. Hallee’s column, five wolverine sightings occurred in Utah in 2021, several of which were believed to have been the same animal. One sighting was of an animal less than twenty miles from Salt Lake City. A wolverine was also trapped and radio-collared in Utah by state biologists in March 2022. From 2004 to 2010, a female wolverine lived on Michigan’s Lower Peninsula until it died of natural causes. In December 2020, the first video footage was made of a wolverine inside Yellowstone Park and up until 2018, a wolverine was known to be living in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains.

Just as they wrongly denied the presence of resident lynx in Maine to forestall a federal listing, Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife denies the presence of wolverines in Maine. Of course, the Department has no proof since absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.

It is known that both wolves and wolverines can travel a thousand miles or more in search of a mate and a suitable territory, therefore, it is not outside the realm of possibility that a wolverine was seen in Vassalboro. A Canadian study documented twenty-one lynx that crossed the St. Lawrence River, including one that traveled from Newfoundland to Labrador and south across the St. Lawrence to Quebec where it was trapped. If wolves and lynx can do it, so can wolverines.

John Glowa
South China

LETTERS: Tuminaro would be huge asset in District #62

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Dear editor:

My name is Sherri “Dowe” Gamble and I am writing in regards to Jennifer Tuminaro’s bid for the House Seat in District 62. I was the manager of the China Dine-ah from 2007-2014.

This is where I met Jennifer.

Jennifer left her job at MBNA so she could spend more time at home with her family. At the time she had two small children. She applied for a part time job at the China Dine-ah, in China, and was a very dedicated worker. She worked through dinner rushes with smooth capabilities and never got flustered no matter how hectic it became. Jennifer took her job very seriously and made sure her tables, as well as those around hers, were always satisfied with the service.

During Jennifer’s time at the Dine-ah she became pregnant with her third child. This didn’t slow her down one bit. She had an incredible work ethic and I commended her for always being willing to help out when needed.

When Jennifer’s children became school age it didn’t surprise me at all when she decided to home school them. She set up a class room and with her classic efficiency has home schooled all four children. Reading their end of the year accomplishments is always a treat. As a former Title 1 Reading teacher, I can very much appreciate the type of dedication it takes to set up a learning environment that keeps your children ready to learn.

I believe Jennifer Tuminaro would be a huge asset for the towns of China, Windsor, Palermo, Somerville and Hibberts Gore and that she will work hard for these communities. I wish her the best in the upcoming election.

Sherri (Dowe) Gamble
China

LETTERS: Renewed appeal for litter-free roads

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To the editor:

Time for the annual plea to stop littering Lakeview Drive and other China roads. Is there a way to appeal to otherwise thoughtful drivers? Paper and plastic cups, beer and soda cans, paper plates, plastic spoons, plastic bags, napkins, etc? Why not just keep it in the car and dispose of it as you know you should? Car litterbags are easy to come by, you’ll feel better, and it takes less effort than running the window down and tossing stuff out. To the drivers who drink beer while driving, please re-think what you are doing for more important reasons. Hey, it won’t be necessary to get rid of evidence in case you are stopped! Let’s create a litter-free China and give a friendly toot if you see someone walking and picking up litter. Those good deeds are appreciated BUT they won’t solve the problem, all drivers need to be heroes!

Richard Dillenbeck
China

LETTERS: Stover champion of working people

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To the editor:

I had the privilege of driving Rep. Holly Stover as she knocked on doors in South Bristol this week. The experience of riding and chatting informally with Holly and witnessing her interaction with voters only deepened my commitment to this champion of working people.

While I was familiar with the broad strokes of her resume – 23 years working within our state’s Health and Human Services agency, currently executive director of Lincoln County Dental, a small grassroots dental agency that delivers oral health services to those who need them most (and if you’ve ever had a toothache, you understand how critical dental health is to our mental well-being!) and also program director for a Boothbay peninsula-focused addiction outreach council – three hours of lively conversation as we drove from house to house to house only increased my appreciation of her work on behalf of me and my neighbors.

She’s done it all, from dealing with teens at the Lincoln County Group home to bathing elderly adults. She’s been spit on (literally, not figuratively) and she’s developed and helped to implement important state-wide programs that have helped hundreds, if not thousands of Mainers, navigate challenging journeys of substance abuse or difficult, even life-threatening health issues.

As we drove and talked I realized that, always, always, always Holly’s focus has been on making certain that the people of Maine, our neighbors, you, or me, have the best shot at making a decent – not an extravagant, not an unearned – but the best shot at making a decent life for ourselves. And what more can any of us ask? Holly understands and works from the point of view that folks don’t need (and don’t want) a hand-out but that sometimes the best of us needs a “hand-up.”

I urge you to make certain you vote for Rep. Holly Stover in our upcoming June 14 primary election. We need her to continue her service to the people of the Midcoast and all of Maine in Augusta.

Geoff Bates
South Bristol