Bangor Daily News

Mainers Treasure Fathers' Advice Remembering Discussions From Tomato Plants to Love On Dad's Special Day

To ask someone to reflect on their father's advice is to invite every emotion. Our dads have inspired us, lifted us up, adored us, defeated us, abandoned us, cheered us on, held our hand and often given us everything they have. "I have struggled to define grace, but now I know," Nancy Smith, a Monmouth dairy farmer and state representative said recently. "It is integrity, strength, humility, kindness, humor - my dad."

Maine Sees 3.4% Drop in Crime Rate

BANGOR - Maine's overall crime rate dropped last year for the first time since 2004, despite a sharp rise in rape and arson, according to figures released Friday. Crime was down 3.4 percent in 2007, reversing increases of 4.6 percent in 2006 and 0.4 percent in 2005, the Department of Public Safety reported. The crime rate dropped 1.2 percent in 2004 and 2.1 percent in 2002.

How They Voted: Maine's Congressional Delegation, June 6-12, 2008 Amtrak Funding in the Spotlight

House votes Democratic Reps. Michael Michaud (2nd District) and Tom Allen (1st District)

On Letters to the Editor

Many newspapers would envy the number and quality of letters to the editor the BDN gets from its readers. Our letters to the editor are lively, diverse and reflect an engaged, informed and - in the best sense - opinionated readership. At its best, the letters section of this page is a public marketplace of ideas, in which Mainers respond to the issues of the day. Public policymakers and community leaders pay attention to the views expressed in the letters, and are wise to do so. Beginning tod...

Thievery in Vienna Takes a Hit

If I were a betting man, I'd wager that a brief Page One story out of the Kennebec County town of Vienna was probably the most discussed item in the morning newspaper one day last week. Headlined "Shotgun greets Maine metal thieves," the article described how the owner of a machine shop from which thieves had previously stolen thousands of dollars worth of scrap metal had dramatically brought things to a screeching halt.

Go Nuclear

Those who believe that there is a magic solution to the current world energy crisis should research "Hubbert's Peak." In 1956, Dr. M. King Hubbert correctly predicted that U.S. oil production would peak by 1970. This prediction proved correct. Using his methods we find that world oil production peaked shortly after 2000. We, in the U.S., must make massive government-led efforts to create alternate energy resources. Private parties are undertaking wind, solar and geothermal projects. We, howev...

'Founded' Worries

Ralph Leonard, in his June 7-8 column "Maine needs to return to reason," talks about "no growth" advocates and "unfounded fears" of nuclear power. Mr. Leonard and I obviously have different ideas about the word "unfounded." When I think of nuclear power plants, I think of Three Mile Island; I think of Chernobyl; I think of highly radioactive waste that will remain highly radioactive for 100,000 years, which no one knows what to do with because no one can realistically make plans 100,000 years...

Drill, Dam and Split

Just saying "change" will not put fuel in my tank come fall. The political leaders have not come up with a real solution. First, they need to open all government land to drilling for both oil and natural gas. Second, take a good look at what the rest of the world thinks about nuclear power. Even Iran is claiming that nuclear power is their real plan and they have lots of oil. Then look at all the hydro that was built in the West and Tennessee valley. New England got left out in the cold on th...

Sen. Collins' Courage

In a May 29 letter, "Collins on the wrong side," Dan Lawson condemned Sen. Susan Collins for voting "no" on the current farm bill. He cites among his reasons for this condemnation Collins' lack of support for a bill he feels strongly assisted those "being hit hardest with rising costs of fuel and food." No one can argue with his compassion for those less fortunate. Nonetheless, the bill is a testament to the power of the farm lobby that has pressured Congress into passing a bill that greatly ...

Using Children in Politics

Shame on Michael Heath and . Paul Melanson for their blatantly political lawsuit, "Grandfather plans rights suit over boy using girls bathroom," (BDN, June 10). It is disturbing to see these men using children to advance their hate-filled political agenda. In these very challenging economic times, the residents of Maine have far better things to do than to use taxpayer dollars to pay for court time for spurious lawsuits. Removing civil rights protections is a bad idea. Let's drop it and focus...

Stop the Beverage Tax

Maine is among the highest taxed states in the country, and has earned a reputation nationwide as a poor place to do business, yet the BDN has no problem with Maine legislators passing a $75 million tax increase in the middle of the night without a public hearing. Instead, the paper saved its criticism for those circulating petitions in an attempt to reverse the tax increase. As a small-business owner who relies on the sale of soda, beer and wine to stay in business, I am very supportive of t...

Facts Are Facts

Sometimes I worry about getting early Alzheimer's when I can't remember people's names, but in this case, I'm sure that I have it right. A recent BDN Op-Ed praised Susan Collins for her work on the Farm Bill. But in fact, Sen. Collins cast her vote against the Farm Bill, while Rep. Tom Allen supported it, and in fact, worked with Sen. Olympia Snowe and Rep. Michael Michaud to secure crucial funding for Maine's rural areas. Maybe this is one of the reasons why people still ask "Tom who?" about...

Biomass Might Save Mill Katahdin Paper Officials Hope Boiler Solves Woes

MILLINOCKET - Katahdin Paper Co. LLC officials are figuring costs in a tentative plan to build a biomass boiler that would wean the local mill off its almost total dependence on oil and save 208 jobs. The installation, which could save company officials from shutting down the mill, could occur in substantially less than the 18 to 24 months mill management originally predicted - and for much less money - but would still cost tens of millions of dollars, mill Manager Serge Sorokin said on Friday.

Plum Creek Compromise

A major concern with Plum Creek Timber Co.'s proposal for a major development around Moosehead Lake - expressed by the governor, local residents and several members of the Land Use Regulation Commission - is that it is too large and sprawls over too great an area. Two environmental groups have offered a solution that is worth a closer look.. The Natural Resources Council of Maine and Maine Audubon this week suggested the company remove development from the Lily Bay peninsula, where Plum Creek...