LETTERS: Smith will help regenerate businesses

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To the editor:

Please join me in voting for Katrina Smith as State Representative on June 14 in the primary elections. The representative area will be District #62, which includes China, Palermo, Somerville, and Windsor.

When asked what she perceives to be our state’s greatest challenge over the next ten years, she replied, “The greatest challenge to Maine is rebuilding our economy after the loss of thousands of businesses throughout the pandemic. The state has one of the worst business environments in the country and, without improving it, we will not keep the next generation in Maine and will not see prosperity for our people but only further dependence on state resources.” (https://ballotpedia.org/Katrina_Smith).

We have seen so many small businesses forced to close because of COVID restrictions. We need to help regenerate small businesses, again. I believe Katrina is the person to help us do this. Katrina lives with her family in Palermo, and she says she loves the hardworking people who believe in the way life should be. Please join us at the polls and make a positive change for Maine!

Bonnie Hunter
Palermo

LETTERS: Smith will fight for Mainers

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To the editor:

Please vote for Katrina Smith for House District #62, serving China, Palermo, Somerville, Windsor and Hibberts Gore. Katrina is a voice of reason and principle that will stand up for freedom and liberty for all Mainers. She will push back against the heavy hand of governmental mandates and will fight to make sure parents have the right to direct their children’s education.

She will work to improve health care in Maine by fighting for healthcare workers. She will also fight against over taxation, and work to allow Mainers to keep more of their own paychecks, allowing people to live affordably in our great state.

Katrina will work to develop a robust pro Maine business culture. We need Katrina and many more like her in the State House fighting back against the tyranny of bigger and bigger government. Vote for Katina Smith on June 14!

Al Fereshetian
Turner

LETTERS: Russia: stop this madness, please

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To the editor:

Although I realize they probably have no effect, this is the third message sent to the Russian government since the Ukraine invasion started:

As a great-grandfather, old enough to remember the horrors of WW II, I again appeal to the sensibilities of the Russian people to stop this insanity of armed conflict in Ukraine. You’ve already shown you can destroy a country’s infrastructure and kill thousands, isn’t that enough?

What about all your young people who have died in the conflict? What about all the Russians with means who have fled your country? Is Mr. Putin not concerned about Russia’s future? Stop this madness, please. Simply withdraw your forces from Ukraine, make peace and ask the world’s forgiveness. It would do wonders for your magnificent country, your people, and the world’s impression of Russia. PLEASE!

Richard Dillenbeck
South China

LETTERS: Thanks to China For A Lifetime

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To the editor:

We want to thank the volunteers from the “China for a Lifetime’ committee and others who came to help cut up “Grandfather Pine” (as we always called him) and did so much more. We truly never could have done any of that ourselves. We will never forget your kindnesses.

Thank you.

Rosalyn Vance
Roni Newton
China

LETTERS: Soccer parents support Tuminaro

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To the editor:

We are writing to show our support for Jennifer Tuminaro as she runs for public office. As the soccer coach for Solid Rock, Jen leads humbly, giving clear instruction while coming alongside to help guide those around her. Coach Tuminaro embodies what it means to be a servant leader. She is not afraid of getting down in the trenches with people. She can be seen doing intense drills and exercises alongside the team, even on a 90-degree day, leading by example and showing them that they can do hard things.

We have also observed her on the sidelines engaging with kids and parents alike, some of who are traversing hardships in life, while offering a listening ear and compassionate heart. She is the loudest voice on the field cheering our kids on, and she motivates our children to a standard of excellence, both on and off the field. Coach Tuminaro has a passion for the success of the next generation, inspiring our youth to be leaders and young men and women of integrity.

When problems arise, Jen seeks solutions and is not afraid to ask for help if needed. An example of this was when Covid affected sports throughout Maine. Coach Tuminaro, who is also the athletic director and representative for the MCSSL Sports League, spent countless hours making phone calls, keeping up on ever-changing protocols, and found ways where we could safely participate in the soccer season. It was a daunting task but one she pursued ardently. Her hard work was reflected on the smiling faces of our children as they were able to participate in group sports in this unprecedented time of isolation.

One of Jen’s many strengths is that she is a great communicator who has a heart to hear and understand others, even those whom she may not agree with. This important skill, coupled with her respect for people of all ages and stages, makes her very approachable. Jennifer Tuminaro inspires others to be the best versions of themselves. She is the kind of leader who can capably handle the hard issues of our day while also remaining kindhearted and accessible. Jennifer Tuminaro is a breath of fresh air in the polluted world of politics.

The Solid Rock Soccer parents
China

LETTERS: Fooled by Alpawich

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To the editor:

The article written by our faithful reporter Mary Grow, was certainly well written! I think that was the best April Fool that I have ever been fooled by. I hate to admit I was completely fooled, then I noticed the continued on page 15. I had to laugh at myself when I read, “If you believed this, you are an April Fool.”

Seriously, Mary, I thank you for your dedicated reporting for The Town Line.

Marilyn Reed
South China

LETTERS: Mills, legislature need to read Chief Red Jacket’s speech to Congress

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To the editor:

An open letter to Governor [Janet] Mills and the Maine legislators. Governor Mills threatened to veto and the legislature’s failure to act to restore sovereignty to the Maine Natives prompts this reply.

Gov. Mills and the legislature should go back to this country’s archives and look up the speech, centuries ago, by a native American chief by the name of Chief Red Jacket, he gave to the Congress. His first words were “my people welcomed you to our country with open arms. Friendship and trust.” He then went on to tell Congress how they have repaid this gesture. The speech is too long to write but I hope Mills and the legislature, who have a conscious, will look it up and read it.

I have not plagiarized any of Chief Red Jackets speech, but ironically, when responding to a cartoon in Time magazine 1990s, ended up expressing my thoughts which resembled Chief Red Jacket’s. I wrote to the editor of Time expressing my disgust at seeing a cartoon depicting two Pilgrims, and one said to the other, “What would the Indians have if not for us Pilgrims?”

The editor allowed me to answer that Pilgrims question as such: The Native Americans would still have their clear, clean skies. The Native Americans would still have their clean unpolluted rivers. The Native Americans would still have an abundance of buffalo for their food, clothes and shelters.

However, due to our forefathers “invasion,” the Native American is now treated as a second class citizen. Imprisoned on reservations located in a country they once owned.

Frank Slason
Somerville

LETTERS: Smith resilient, compassionate

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To the Editor,

Resilient, sincere, compassionate, and bold. These are the words that came to mind the first time I met Katrina Smith and listened to her speak. If you have not already done so, please take an opportunity to see and listen for yourself especially on her website and Facebook page.

Katrina Smith cares and brings an absolute passion with her in whatever she does. As a 21-year military veteran and a member of veterans organizations, I can see that Katrina cares about veterans, as she and her family recently participated in the Walk for Vets, which brings awareness to veterans’ issues.

Katrina Smith is running for State Representative in District #62 of Maine, which encompasses China, Palermo, Somerville, and Windsor. If you want a conservative representative with the qualities I have mentioned and many more, please know that we will be in good hands with Katrina Smith as state representative. The Primary is June 14. We hope to see you there.

Paul Hunter
Palermo

LETTERS: Supports Tuminaro

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To the editor:

Having known Jen Tuminaro for the last 7 years, I have witnessed many exemplary qualities of a true leader.

We initially became acquainted when Jen organized and began directing a local campus of Classical Conversations – a classical homeschool program designed to support families home educating their children, through an intentional and community-based approach. Being that this Classical Conversations community was a novel campus to the area, there were innumerable responsibilities Jen had to undertake as it came into existence.

Jen took on the role of personally engaging local families who had a common interest in such an academic program. Jen was responsible for hiring tutors to work within our classroom settings – even dedicating time to tutor some of our classes herself. Jen was relationally engaging with our families on such a genuine level that she would offer her time to help in our home projects, make regular phone calls to keep open lines of communication, and even help to fundraise to offset costs for families in need of financial assistance. Her abilities to delegate tasks and be an assertive director of our campus allowed the program to be a smoothly run, academically challenging and rigorous community, that helped our students and parents to learn and grow in ways that pushed and nurtured our gifts and talents.

As the needs and desires of our campus began to change, Jen was attentive and proactive in changes that began to take shape. Stepping away from Classical Conversations allowed us as a community of families to design a more desirable and suitable cooperative setting for the likes of those involved. Jen again did a fantastic job heading up our co-op.

In all of my experiences under Jen’s guidance and direction leading an academic program my family has been part of, I have extremely benefited from her level of precision, authority and organization. She has exceeded my personal expectations of a leader in this avenue, and it has been a blessing to be a part of these programs.

Bonnie Haiss
China

LETTERS: Swift will work to benefit all

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To the editor:

To Central Maine Voters,

This past weekend I had the pleasure of meeting Pam Swift who is running as a Democrat for Maine’s District #62 House of Representative seat in this fall’s election. I was very impressed by her experience in and interest and commitment to areas such as health care, the environment and the welfare of her potential constituents. She struck me as the perfect candidate for this largely rural district consisting of her hometown of Palermo, China, Windsor, Somerville and Hibberts Gore. As a doctor and farmer, she has been exposed to many of the issues that areas like ours face, and is willing to listen to and act for benefit of those citizens who are her neighbors. I feel supremely confident that if she is elected to serve this newly-created district, she will work for the benefit of all of its residents and not just those of her political affiliation. I absolutely encourage the support of Pam Swift’s candidacy for the District #62 position and am confident that our welfare and best interests are her strongest concern.

Bob Bennett
South China, ME