Shame on Bangor
Shame on Bangor. Every town and even the city of Brewer is proud of the U.S. and supports our troops, who watch over this country 24/7, by flying American flags on their main streets.
What does Bangor have? A few flags downtown and that’s it. I am lucky I live on outer Union Street next to the Hermon line and pay the veterans in Hermon to put flags up in front of our home.
I think it’s time for Bangor to do something to show support for our troops and be proud to be Americans.
Bert Johnson
Bangor
Canadian roads
Why should Maine build a road for Canada? The road has no purpose other than to meet the needs of Canada’s energy interests. It will make very few people in Maine rich, and that will definitely not includ you or
me. Why don’t Canadians build and pay for a road across Canada?
We, the unfortunate majority, will simply suffer all the negatives of this unnecessary superhighway in their peaceful backyards. Why would anyone in Maine want to build a huge road with a 2000-foot corridor that takes properties by eminent domain, demolishes rural life and literally divides the state of Maine? Not a good idea except from the perspective of the few rich entities that will get richer from this project which “we the people” are just finding out about.
Meredith and Stephen Perkins
Sangerville
BDN praise
The BDN should be commended for the noticeable improvement in the quality of its local and state news coverage that has developed in recent weeks. The front page has become a must-read every morning with interesting and well-developed stories that frequently put
important local issues into a broader statewide context.
The midcoast has been a particular beneficiary of this focus on solid reporting and attention to schools and pressing environmental and social issues. Thank you Tom Groening, Abigail Curtis, Bill Trotter and others for digging in and writing well.
You’ve also been running some spectacular photographs. Recent photos showing gulls and birds of prey going after alewives are a great example of what makes a newspaper come alive visually. That’s prize-worthy work by Robert Bukaty.
As a former newspaper editor, I know that none of this happens by accident. It takes a financial commitment (read staff numbers and salaries) by the paper, astute editors and well-trained, inquisitive reporters and photographers to produce a paper that informs readers rather than merely titillates them. TV can’t, or won’t, provide this sort of intelligent, in-depth news coverage. I hope your readers and advertisers support what you are doing in a very difficult economic environment for the print press. I certainly do.
Pat Griffith
Belfast
Accessibility for all
After 26 years of running an art and frame shop in Machias, I have moved downtown. I noticed that the three-step entry would be impassable for some of my mobility-challenged customers.
My landlady agreed to add an access ramp, and contacted the selectmen as the entrance abuts the public sidewalk. We were shocked when they objected to the ramp, stating that “a public space shouldn’t be used for private enterprise.”
Sidewalks are used by people to enter private businesses. Special parking spaces and curb cuts, including in front of my shop, have been provided for the disabled to get onto the sidewalks. Is it wrong to use part of that sidewalk for a ramp to access a business when the design leaves adequate space for pedestrians and fulfills the ADA standards for older buildings? My able-bodied customers are happy that I’m downtown. They can use the public sidewalk to access my gallery and other stores that have steps on this side of Main Street. Even one step can seem like Mt. Everest to some disabled individuals. Everyone has a right to equal access to businesses.
When a small business is willing to go to the expense of becoming accessible and the town blocks the process rather than supporting it, there is something terribly wrong. I urge anyone who agrees that all people should have access to local businesses to call the Machias town
manager and selectmen at 255-6621 or email machiastownmanager@myfairpoint.net.
Holly Garner-Jackson
Woodwind Gallery
Machias
Mr. and Mrs. Perkins, think of the Canadian Isthmus through Maine as yet another step in the Republican plan to sell off America piece-by-piece, factory-by-factory, and politician-by-politician. This same party is insisting that we build a pipeline through the heart of the midwest to transport dirty oil from the tar sands of Alberta to Texas where it can be shipped overseas.
Meredith and Stephen Perkins, would you prefer that all paved roads be torn up and returned to dirt? Horse and buggy transplort only?
The simple fact is that we in this state do a heck of a lot of business with our Canadian neighbors. Which will be increased even more this year, as of June 1st Canadians will be able to carry back $800 in purchases with out duty for a 48 hr. stay.
We have a port in Eastport that is underutilized that would greatly benefit having a good road nearby. Eastport is in Maine BTW. Do a map search and you will see that this route would greatly reduce the miles between Maine and Michigan and the industrial midwest.
We need jobs in this state. It’s that sweet and simple. The one thing that will make this state more attractive to industry would be access to good transportation.
Obviously it’s just an ALEC conspiracy.
If we want to connect Eastport and the rest of Maine to the rest of the U.S., we should improve existing roads in the U.S. Looking at the map, it’s just about the same distance to Michigan and the U.S. midwest whether you would go via Cianbro’s proposed E-W highway or if you went via I-95 to I-495 to I-90. And if you went via Cianbro’s proposed road, there would be the hassle of clearing Canadian Customs at Coburn Gore and clearing U.S. customs when re-entering the U.S. The U.S. would have to build another large port of entry at Coburn Gore to accomodate the east-bound traffic entering the U.S.
If existing roads in the U.S. aren’t satisfactory, an E-W highway could be built using the existing corridors of Route 2 and other roads. Such a road would truly benefit Maine and the rest of the U.S. And if Canadian truckers wanted to go from St. John, NB, to Montreal, they could take the U.S. road; it would be just a short run to Montreal once the trucks got to Vermont. (It’s about 60 miles from Burlington, VT, to Montreal.)
Like any other public works project, the benefits of the proposed highway can’t viewed without considering the negative impacts. In this case the major negative impact is a 2,000 foot-wide swath across some or all of Maine. And there’s also no guarantee that Maine won’t be left “holding the bag” if this project doesn’t turn out to be profitable enough for Cianbro et al.
I’m not a “rocket surgeon” (as some guy said), but the more I look at this proposed road, the more convinced I become that it would be built almost entirely for the benefit of Canadian business and would be of little benefit to Maine and the U.S.
I agree that the road should be built as an interstate traversing the northern tier of New Hampshire and Vermont into New York. Unfortunately it seems that the powers that be have designated this corridor as a dead zone and won’t build it with public funds. It should have been done 40 years ago. Your are correct that a normal limited access Interstate highway on the US side of the border would benefit us a lot better.
That being said, the proposed highway built with private funds is sort of what my wife describes me as ‘better than nothing’.
Unfortunately the US Interstate System was not designed nor built for economic development. It was designed and funded by the US Government as a means to effectively evacuate civilian population centers and provide rapid transit for military units in case of emergency.
If it had been designed for economic development it would have had many different routes that it does.
That being said, it should be redesigned, rebuilt for economic development but you are right The Powers That Be do not want that.
The interstate system may have been put in with that titled aim but one of the great side effects is the economic development that has flourished at or near many of the exits and feeder routes. Manufacturers were no longer held hostage to the RR’s and built plants away from the high priced industrial property along the rail lines.
=-=-=-
“Every town, even the city of Brewer is proud…” Interesting juxtaposition, there. Not sure if that is a compliment to Brewer or a slam to Brewer. But anyway, I think it takes a lot more than flying a few flags to be a good American. It takes informing oneself of the issues, it takes voting, it takes protesting when you know your country is in the wrong. And when I see an overwhelming number of American flags it reminds me that now America is known as “The Homeland” and I get queasy.
It’s sad really, that these flags are left out at night with no lights on them. They get wind blown, and tangled, and left that way all summer. If these towns and cities are going to fly our flag the least the could do is take care of them.
seriously? wow…
Yes, seriously.
Nothing shows a lack of respect for the flag and, as far as I am concerned, the country then a faded, worn out, dirty, torn or otherwise badly taken care of flag.
These flags will be correctly taken care of free of charge by any number of organizations in just about any town.
what a whiner. I love driving through towns, like Franklin for example, with the flags on every pole. It shows patriotism. Close your eyes.
No I am not a whiner. I enjoy seeing well cared for, properly displayed flags.
I do, however, expect people who claim to be patriotic by flying a US Flag to show pride in the flag, not leave a faded, tattered, dirty, worn flag up. If you knew anything about the proper way to fly the flag and show it the respect it deserves, you would have the same problem I have.
It’s not patriotic to leave this country’s flag uncared for, in fact it’s the opposite.
It doesn’t show patriotism. It just shows a lot of flags. They look pretty. Patriotism has nothing to do with putting up a lot of flags. They are not an outward symbol of an inward grace.
Yes, it is disrespectful, our flag is to be lighted if flown at night. Maybe you think it’s okay to leave them wrapped around a phone pole all summer I don’t. I find it some what hypocritical, when using the flag to tout patriotism, then to leave it flying in disgrace.
When the Elks Veterans Committee in Farmington started raising money to put flags up on the poles in town, they got a hold of CMP to get the number of poles with street lights on them so that at night they would be flying under light.
good for them, that is as it should be.
So flying a bunch of Chinese made flags from Wal mart makes you a good American??
If you really want to support our troops then demand that they be brought home immediately. This debacle in Afghanistan is a pure waste on men and materials. We have already admitted that we cannot win the current conflict, an dthe longer we remain the more troops will be needlessly killed.
Yes, call Obama and tell him to bring them home…
Why? So you Republicans can attack him for being weak on defense?
LOL !!!
No, because he is the one that has them there…..
It’s my understanding that the EW road would be a limited access road with only 3 exits in Maine. Somebody tell me again how this is going to create a roaring economy in Maine?????
—-
Read the introduction and first part of the report. Thanks for the link. It looks like are also planning for the road to be a haul road for the huge Canadian style log truck trains that operate in the northern sections of Quebec. Normal truck and car traffic would be almost impossible with those things on the road.
=-=-=
Condemning the population of an entire city because it flies too few flags seems slightly obsessive and definitely, irrational.
East-West highway will be built… Don’t fight it..
Kick and scream all you want, it will do you no good..
If you really want to show your concern for the veterans support them by providing them the services: educational, psychiatric, medical, rehabilitative and jobs that support them when they come home. Waving a flag is easy and simple minded. That is not patriotism. Not whining about paying taxes to support the men and women that fight our wars is patriotic.