LETTERS: Stop dark money interference

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To the editor:

Last year, I was part of a team that successfully collected over 80,000 signatures to qualify for the ballot to protect Maine elections from big, dark money interference from corporate and foreign government entities.

Countries like Qatar, Canada, China and Russia contribute freely to our politics to curry favor, flood the airwaves, get an edge, and profit. They have unlimited resources to tie up cases in court and pass policies that benefit their bottom line. They have the audacity to pose as magnanimous entities packaging pretty lies under the guise of free speech. They have unlimited resources to thwart the will of the people, and keep pushing their agendas until they achieve their intended outcome. Nothing they do centers Maine or the people who live here. Their motives are purely profit and power over people, and their money shouldn’t be purchasing policies.

We don’t have time to lose on this issue, and we shouldn’t be waiting for the ballot. Those of us who volunteer for political causes have seen people’s confidence in our political system plummet in direct correlation to the outrageous amounts entities spend to manipulate and deceive the people. The Legislature has a chance right now to pass this widely supported, bi-partisan bill outright, and get big money out of politics. I urge them to do so. Getting monied influences out of politics is fundamental to achieving the changes that myself or any of us seek, and we’d like to get to work.

Kelly Merrill

LETTERS: Please keep solar panels out of sight

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To the editor:

A question…wondering if anyone knows if DOT is planning on putting solar panels in the Waterville freeway exits? I have never seen anything uglier then what they did in Augusta. I understand the city had nothing to say about it, that the land is owned by the state. Hard to believe that anyone thought that was a good idea. Maine wants to be known as a beautiful place to vacation…putting solar panels in such visible places is not beautiful…are there not enough open fields in Maine? Please keep them out of sight, at least with a buffer of trees to hide them.

Linda Morrell
China

LETTERS: Moving too fast to electrification

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To the editor:

A few ideas on what I see coming due to the electrification of America.

First, within a decade the government will require all citizens to own electric cars which will mean upgrading everybody’s electric service.

Second, we will have all oil, gas, natural and propane stoves, heaters, ovens, home heaters removed and replaced with not only heat pumps, which also require heat back-up, and or electric baseboard heaters and others.

Third, all this electrification will be putting an enormous strain on the electric grid, which means we will need a grid that must be able to carry the loads which presently they cannot. As the loads will be not only double, triple, and even quadruple. Where we will put these new towers is another future problem as we all ready know is a problem in Maine.

Fourth, as we know the ultimate goal is to become carbon neutral. Well, solar panels wear out and wind mills freeze, break down, etc. And to all my wood stove neighbors, beware, that will be the last thing with the government telling everyone to throw out their wood burning stoves as they are also a pollutant.

As a retired electrical contractor/engineer, I am all for electrification, but feel we are moving too fast on alternative “green” energy.

Frank Slason
Somerville

LETTERS: AARP wants to hear from you

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To the editor:

Do you ever get the feeling that no one’s really listening to you? Well, that’s about to change.

As we move into this new year of 2023, AARP Maine wants to hear what you have to say about things like housing, heating and health. These, and a host of other issues and ideas, which are of import to all Mainers age 50+, are the things which are important to us.

With that in mind, beginning the evening of Monday, February 20th, and continuing for the next six (6) weeks, AARP Maine volunteers and staff will be hosting a Virtual Listening Tour. Conducted over Zoom, our virtual session “stops” range from Maine’s Southern Coast to its Northern Tip. We invite you to visit our website to find when we will be visiting your area, and to register to participate.

As we collectively engage in clarifying the questions and concerns we face, and crafting creative solutions on behalf of ourselves and those we care about, we want to add your voice; and to do that we must first hear and listen to what you have to say.

Come join us; let’s talk, let’s listen.

Carl M. Toney, P.A.
Executive Council Volunteer
AARP Maine

LETTERS: Thoughts on going carbon neutral

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To the editor:

A few thoughts on going carbon neutral. Must first mention that while everyone is concerned with oil prices on consumers, what was omitted was the cost to us carbon neutral electric consumers who are feeling the costs of our electric bills which on average right now are over $400 per month, for electric heat.

What I am seeing happening in the future is the trouble when all this conserving and getting off fossil fuels is the following: first is the push to solar panels which are not biodegradable and also wear out. Must add they are ugly and destroying all our precious farmlands. Remember solar panels were first introduced out west and down south where there is plenty of sunshine.

Wind power is a much better alternative and even then, wind doesn’t always blow. Why not go nuclear power? Yes, there are risks but so are there with solar and wind. To continue with carbon neutral we are going to first get rid of all the family gas ranges, natural and propane, and replace them with electric induction ranges, and also regular electric ranges.

Next, we will all need electric cars, adding to the grid load. Bear in mind the experts don’t tell us all this changing won’t be able to augment and add the capacity to the grid, which means we will need to build more transmission lines along with the non-fossil fuels for generating electricity. My suggestion is to build small nuclear plants around the country to offset the cost of just a few huge ones like they have in Europe. Incidentally, Poland just signed a big contract with Westinghouse to build a new nuclear plant there. Also, must add where I came from, in just a radius of 40 miles, we had three small local power plants owned by consumers and all even had electric heat rates for us.

Don’t be fooled that heat pumps are going to solve all our problems. The manufacturers of them even suggest electric heat back up for them, and we all will be using electric heat to heat our homes, too, adding more load to an already over-stressed grid.

I recall the 1960s when power companies would supply all the appliances free if you went all electric, including heat. Looks like maybe history will repeat itself in the future.

Frank Slason
Somerville

LETTERS: A thank you note from our family

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To the editor:

Remy Pettengil

To our family, friends, neighbors, fellow Scouters, Masonic brothers, Erskine Academy family, China Middle School family, coworkers, & the greater China Community:

We started out making a list of those to thank during this past month but realized that the amazing amount of support came from an overwhelming amount of people both near and far – we feared forgetting someone.

To our family, there are no words to express how thankful we are for you. You kept our household going, you held our hands, you provided a shoulder to cry on, and you continue to provide us with unwavering support always.

To those of you that sent words of encouragement, prayed for Rémy and our family, and kept us in your thoughts – thank you! We read each and every card and message; the amount of love for Rémy gave us some comfort in this very trying time. We were humbled by all the wonderful stories of Rémy’s reach and quiet positive impact on others, which we now realize far pushed the bounds of what we knew.

To those of you who provided a meal for our family – thank you! Although it seems like such an everyday task, you allowed us to just be together as a family without the burden of a chore.

To those of you who gave a monetary gift or a gift card – thank you! We never realized until this tragedy, how helpful those could be. Please know we will continue to pay it forward.

To all the area sports teams who are rocking crazy socks or taking a moment of silence – thank you! That simple action to keep Rémy’s legacy and love of life alive means more to us than words can say.

To those of you who took Rémy’s legacy to heart and are going above and beyond to spread kindness and are encouraging others to do the same – thank you!

We can’t forget the socks; to those of you that donated a pair or more – thank you! Rémy loved his crazy socks. Thus far we have delivered 6,588 pairs of socks in his honor and have at least 399 more pairs to deliver – that’s 6,987 pairs! As a family, we have decided that we will start an annual tradition of getting socks to those in need each October (before the Maine winter sets in) – stay tuned.

To those of you who organized/took part in the candlelight vigil, assisted with Rémy’s celebration of life, or are working on other things to keep his memory alive – thank you! We are so touched by your actions.

To the neuro-ICU team at Maine Med – thank you for taking care of all of us! You are an amazing group of compassionate people. Fr. Kevin and Fr. Claude – thank you for supporting us spiritually! Plummer Funeral Home – thank you for your genuine care and concern for our family!

Each day Rémy walked this Earth, he greeted friends and strangers with a smile. He was a voice for those who could not find their own, he protected the weak, he championed the underdog, and he helped those in need. Please remember him with joy. Help Rémy continue his legacy – be kind to one another, hold the door open, smile, and care for those you know and even those you don’t. Love, laugh, live life to its fullest, and wear crazy socks!

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts,

Lee, Danielle, Aiden, & Bryson Pettengill

LETTERS: A lesson in good will

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To the editor:

On Friday, December 9, I stopped at the Hannaford grocery store, in South China, at about 12:30 p.m. to pick up a few groceries. When I came out of the store, to put my groceries in my car, I was met by a gentleman and his son. The son came up to me and gave me what I naturally thought was a Christmas card. I thanked him, and his dad graciously put my groceries in the trunk of my vehicle.

When I got home and put my groceries away, I thought, ‘I’ll go sit down and read my card.’ Low and behold, when I opened the envelope, there as no card. There was a gift certificate to Hannaford! I could not believe my eyes – a perfect stranger giving me a gift card. I would like very much to thank both the dad and this young man! What a lesson in good will.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to both of you! It was appreciated more than you know.

God bless and a very Happy New Year to both!

Your mystery Hannaford lady

LETTERS: Overjoyed to see the Wreaths Across America

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To the editor:

As a veteran, I was overjoyed to see the Wreaths Across America honor the people of America at Arlington National Cemetery, but also the unsung heroes at Hannaford, in China, who graciously and with big hearts received the 50-plus caravan that stopped in China on Sunday morning, December 11, and greeted all of them with coffee, sandwiches and doughnuts, and even a portable toilet. God bless them all!

It is very sad to notice over my 90 years how so many of our ceremonies of our heroes from the past, present, are not mentioned in print, TV or radio. Did any of you readers notice anything about December 7 [Pearl Harbor Day]? I certainnly didn’t.

If this letter is late getting printed and by some miracle the media did in fact cover the Wreaths Across America, besides the one liners mentioned on TV and never mentioning China’s wonderful reception for them, I apologize.

Frank Slason
Somerville

LETTERS: Is Poland more forward thinking than us?

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To the editor:

Concerning the new trend toward the electrification of America, just a reminder of what’s to come. This stampede to electric cars and heat pumps all need electric back ups and will put a big strain on our already crumbling grid.

Electric vehicles will have to beef up their electrical services and night workers will charge their cars during the day while day workers will have to charge their vehicles at night, thus putting a 24 hour a day strain on the grid.

My other view is all this stampeding for green energy is false, as solar panels are not biodegradable and also not permanent, so when they fall apart in possibly two decades, what do we do with their junk? I must add that solar panels are the ugliest sight ever and what do we do when these solar people finally con all the farmers into selling their land? Starve?

With the above in mind, it would seem logical to concentrate on nuclear power, our only hope for the future of this country. I must add an engineering company in America just signed a contract with Poland to build a brand new nuclear plant in Poland. Maybe Poland is more forward thinking than us, eh?

Frank Slason
Somerville

LETTERS: Appalled at court’s action on public land

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To the editor:

As one who helped draft Article 9, Section 23 in 1993 to protect our public lands from private misuse, I am appalled at this court’s action [Maine Supreme Judicial Court in the case of Russell Black et al v. Bureau of Parks and Lands et al.]. This ruling is an insult to the 243,000 Mainers who spoke loudly to protect our public lands. And it is a slap in the face to the Maine Legislature that just last year voted 26-5 in the Senate and 66-52 in the House to assert its right and responsibility under the Constitution to determine this matter. The job of the Supreme Court is to serve the people of Maine and to protect our Constitution. With this ruling, they have instead sucker-punched the people of Maine and subverted our Constitution. Most tragically, they have done so to benefit foreign corporations and illicit transactions that were intentionally hidden from public scrutiny.

State Senator Rick Bennett
Oxford