Bangor Daily News

Sears Island Preservationists Prevail at Meeting

BELFAST - Those wanting to preserve Sears Island in a mostly natural state were out in force on Saturday at a daylong information gathering session, and their vision for the state-owned island dominated discussions. The facilitated meeting at the University of Maine Hutchinson Center drew more than 60 participants. It is the first of two sessions in which public input is being gathered by a steering committee to guide a planning process for the 941-acre island, linked to the mainland in Sears...

Mma Training Vessel Comes Home Students, Crew Return After 60 Days Overseas

CASTINE - The sun broke out from its prison of clouds on Saturday evening just as the training vessel State of Maine pulled in to the dock. It was a shining homecoming for the crew and students who had manned the ship during Maine Maritime Academy's annual 60-day training cruise.

'Unfavorable' Outlook Won't Hurt Bangor Rates Official: Conflicting Reports Offset One Another

BANGOR - Conflicting outlook opinions issued by two major credit rating agencies won't have an adverse affect on the interest rates that the city pays when it goes out on the market to issue bonds, the city's finance director said Friday. "It won't," Finance Director Debbie Cyr said. That's because potential investors "will look at both" reports.

Do You Fill Your Tank Up When You Buy Gas? Have Your Gas Buying Habits Changed with the Higher Prices?

"I always figure I'll just put in 10 bucks cause it's so expensive, but I end up filling the tank anyway." Luke Robinson, Auburn

Permit Sought for 2nd Tidal Project

PERRY - The Trescott engineer who has gained the attention of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission with his proposal to build both a tidal power dam and a liquefied natural gas facility on U.S. Navy property in Cutler now has a third energy project to offer. Normand Laberge wants to construct a second tidal power dam at Half Moon Cove on Cobscook Bay in Perry. Last week he called the Half Moon Cove location "the perfect site."

Time On Managed Care

Maine legislators were informed last week the Department of Health and Human Services would have trouble awarding a managed- care contract for mental health services by Jan. 1, 2007. This is of particular interest to legislators for several reasons, one of which is that they have already booked savings of more than $10 million from the contract for next year. But rather than scold the department for being late, they should praise it for being cautious. What may cost Maine short-term - it's no...

Korean Confusion

The talk and apparent threatening action from North Korea is troubling - and confusing. The country, according to U.S. officials, is preparing a test launch of a ballistic missile. But, one of the country's top diplomats said this week that while North Korea had the right to develop and test missiles, the situation should be solved through discussions. While the United States is right to reject one-on-one talks to resolve North Korea's nuclear issues, such talks could defuse the current situa...

Perfect Performances

I want to applaud two recent musical productions in the Bangor area performed entirely by local talent. When my wife, Esther, and I came to Maine 25 years ago, there was a lot about the greater Bangor area that appealed to us, but we resigned ourselves to the fact that we would probably have to make periodic trips to Boston to attend various performing arts events. Thus we were pleasantly overwhelmed by the wealth of performances - many of a world-class caliber - provided in this area by the ...

No Water Crisis Here

Had the Bangor Daily News done more local research before simply reprinting in the June 14th edition the Washington Post's June 12 article "Bottlers, States and Public Slug It Out in Water War," they would have found the article was manufacturing a crisis where none exists. This article presented as fact the speculation and opinions of a few individuals, while giving scant attention to state officials, geologists, and environmental experts who have the credentials to make reliable claims abou...

Misconstrued Support

John Cook's letter (BDN, June 12) leveled false accusations at four individuals who are working to encourage economic development in Washington County. First, he erroneously suggested that Eddie DuGay crafted the law that created a pilot project allowing the former Cutler naval station to qualify for Pine Tree Zone (PTZ) status for tourism. This was a unanimous recommendation of the Washington County Economic Development Task Force. The Cutler developers have not yet applied for this designat...

Troop Support Helps

My son recently returned from a year deployment in Ramadi, Iraq. He volunteered to go, and served as a mortar man and a gunner with the Mountain Infantry Division. He was assigned to the Vermont Unit, as his Brewer unit had not yet been called up. I would like to thank all the wonderful people who showed their concern, put him on the prayer list at their churches and offered a kind word without hesitation. Not a day went by that the great people I work with at the ED at EMMC did not ask how R...

Planners Discuss Expansion Needs at Mack Point

SEARSPORT - The question of how much expansion is possible at the industrial port facilities at Mack Point, just a half-mile from Sears Island, loomed large on Saturday at a planning session on the island's future. Some suggested by reconfiguring or removing tanks and buildings on the 70-acre parcel, the warehouses needed for break-bulk cargo could be built. Adjacent acreage also could be purchased, some said.