This goes to show that their only human, too. A uniform or title don't work as a magic wand and make anyone safe from being human... (just my opinion and not that of the SJ)...

All i see in these comments are people stereotyping, because they think their so perfect. There are many other reasons that these jobs are not filled, background checks, lack of transportation, lack of experience, etc., not just because "welfare" people don't want to work. There maybe a few that the shoe fits, but to put them all in one pot is way wrong. Next you'll be attacking their sex, religion, color,etc.. I hope these people making these comments are not religious, because if they are then they are very poor ones. Too many times i see this attack on welfare people, Well, gee perfect people you don't know these people, but you keep harping on them and blaming them for your problems. Some of those people are hard working people who ran into hard times and your lucky to still have good times. NO job is secure in the USA, at any time a plant may close or go else where, the jobs could be down sized, a person could be sent packing (because they don't need a reason anymore to fire you), all a person can become ill and lose their postion, etc. If your not going to apply for these jobs, then let the casino handle the filling of these postions on their own terms.

The facts remain the same. If they get assistance from the government or come from a family that can afford to buy their own food, the food is there in the home, these are teenages we are talking about, so if the parent can't fix a breakfast, then these teens need to learn how to make their own. Hungry they can't study, i understand, but you all are to willing to make life too easy for these teens. They can't get up on time to make a breakfast, then go to bed earlier. Stop using excuses to pamper these kids. And don't blame the teachers, the teachers are not their parents...

I do agree with Tim on this. These are high school kids, not 5 year olds. They have food in their homes and are old enough to know how to prepare a breakfast. Plus, if their family is on a food card, then the taxpayer is paying twice for their breakfast food. The average family today is 2 kids, when i was their age a average family had 8 or more. Someone needs to draw a line on all this needless spending. There are most likely more important issues to use this money on. Even though it's a pilot project, it's still money, (taxpayers money), being miss used and you can't take it back. Some times i feel the higher educated, (through schools), a person gets, the less common sense they have. It's not rocket science, people. It's just common sense...(just my opinion and not that of this paper)...

The WHY was for the reporters. They write these articles, but never say anything about President Johnson, in the 60's, taking money out to back the war. Nor do they say anything about the bleeding of SS by other Presidents and politicians, but those who protested the war and those who keep their eyes on our SERVANTS in government do remember. So WHY don't the reporters say anything about this and WHY don't our SERVANTS put it back....(just my opinion, because this paper won't look into it)...

Sorry to hear about the death and injuries, many people will be effected. Hopefully the ones that get effected the most are those who drink and drive, text and drive, do drugs and drive or those who think a car is a toy. Even going to college don't give you common sense, it's learnt through out your life, it don't come in a book...(just my opinion and not that of this paper)...

The differents between Clinton and this is: They paid up front and knew it was sex. Plus, they used a hotel instead of the Oval Office. And these men will get punished for being human. Just because they have a title or wear a uniform don't mean they stop being human. Go to South Korea, Germany and many other countries were it's legal and you find not only our people involved in stuff like this, but other people from all over the world. No one is perfect and i don't condone it, but i don't believe these men should be dragged through the hot coals for it. If they have love ones at home, that will be punishment enough. But of course the "perfect people" will be all over this issue, but their closets are full of skeletons, too...(just my opinion and not that of this paper)...

A lot of people look at an apartment building as investment, but it's more then that, it's a business. With like any other business you need to work on it to keep up with the investment. It's not a stock market kind of investment, you need to keep putting that profit back into an apartment building. It doesn't really matter how much paperwork, investigations or background checking you do on a possible tenant,(but it don't hurt), You can't really tell the future or know how it will all end, as some rental managements found out over time. The tenant can have the best credit, great personality and a great background, but you never know when something happens and they just can't afford the rent anymore and/or they have the stupidity to want to disrespect the property they don't own. I agree that laws need to be changed to evict a bad tenant, but i have seen the best and less costly way is to offer to give them back their deposit and pay for their uhaul truck if they would just find another place to live.It's not the real way to solve the problem, but it works in most cases. I have also notice that less damage is done if the tenant has the cost of the damage added onto their next monthly rent payment,(as long as the damage was done by them or their vistors, wear and tear of normal use is not a damage on their part). But it's sad news to see these well constructed buildings being taken down. To bad families or tenants who want to have a say in their building, don't get together and save these buildings.

Welcome to Lewiston Maine....

If these two bill pass, then those family that don't have kids in school should get that part of their taxs back every year. Fair is fair. Because they too are putting money in something that they have no personal interest in.(just my opinion and not that of the SJ)

You want your kids to have an education, well it's there being paid by the taxpayers, (with or without kids). You want a different school, there are alot of houses that are for sale in many towns, (thanks to the system). You want to send your child to folklore school, then do so, but don't expect the taxpayer to foot the bill. And if your doing this just so your child won't be around what you think is lesser type kids. Here's a news flash, they will all become adults and will have to deal with each other then. Next you will want the taxpayer to pay for college, too.

Your like him, disagree to keep things flowing. Who i know or don't know doesn't matter, because you didn't live my life up till now and i don't have to go out of my way to prove who i know to you. So, far as i'm concern this stops here. Have a nice life.

It's not free speech when you down grade someone you don't even know. You can disagree with strangers without belittleing yourself. When your stupid it shows, right Limbaugh?!...(just my opinion and not that of this paper)....

My only worry about lack of snow is the water level in the spring, we need a healhy water level to get thru spring and summer. Playing is my least worries.

Food cards can also be used to swap food for cash, tobacco, booze and even illegal drugs, but that can't be controled.

They were surprised and shocked to find that these people could buy tobacco and booze. I can't believe, no wait, i can believe these people we put in office don't have a clue what is going on out here in the real world. Their like, "It looks good on paper, let's go with this program." We have been handing out these cards for how long now?! And their shocked that people would use it for that. They got rid of food stamps, because people was trading them for money, tobacco, booze, drugs, etc. So here's another shocker, their still swapping food money for these things. These are humans and just like politicans, their capable of mis-useing money in any form. Remember the old saying, "A lock is to keep an honest person honest." An honest person will spend it the right way,(i hope), but a dishonest person will always find a away around the rules. But even a regular Joe who isn't on these programs and has a job will spend the money first on what he wants and not what he needs, it's human nature i guess or the land of wants and too many choices or "let's follow our elected officials." Last word, come down to human level and mingle with the real world, and i'm not talking just a town meeting, get your body down here among us,MINGLE....(just my opinion and not that of this newspaper)

I'm happy to see money being used on education, but when are the teachers here in Lewiston going to start earning it. I know of one child who past the last three years with failing grades, their in high school now. I know some who are headed for middle school and don't know how to spell worth beans. The lady a month ago said our system is still the late 1800's, but i question that. I went to school under that system and was held back in the 5th grade, because i had B's and C's and the teacher felt i could do better. But like i said earlier, today they pass with failing grades. Maybe it's the "NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND" crap,if so then it's the money thing...pass them so we can get the extra money...If their failing then we are failing, give them the help they need and you'll be giving them, us and the country a better future. (just my opinion, not that of this paper)

Why should some get a decrease while elderly get an increase in their insurance payments. I think the elderly have done more then their part for this state and country. It's time others started pulling their weight. This state USE to be a great place to work and live, now it's all about greed, welfare, immigrants, joblessness, drugs and untrusting politicians. This whole country has become a laughing stock all around the world. We use to be a great nation, for we worked together, watched out for each other and did what we hope was right. Now we are nothing but a joke. We have laws against drugs, but some people go out of their way to get the drugs at any cost. We send aid to other countries for the poor, homeless and hungry, while we have that right here and have no clue how to fix it. We have become a country of wants, because of greed and the misunderstanding of freedom. On June 5, 1973, a broadcast came out of Canada from a radio station CFBR 1010, from a Mr. Gordon Sinclair. The broadcast became a recording and played all over this nation of ours. It was titled,"THE AMERICAN." I wonder if this man was a live today, would he still look at us through the same eyes. It seems today we have more dislike toward our own government then at any time in our nations history, and this state isn't helping the problem any either...just my opinion...(and no, i have run out of ideas to help pull us back out of this mess, we may have gone to far.)...

In 1993 a drunk woman put her young son in the back seat of a car around two in the afternoon. She was taking him to get his haircut. My sister and niece were coming back from looking at furniture for my niece and her soon to be husband. That drunken woman killed my sister and niece. Thanks to my sisters and brother, she got 5 years. The law was going to give her 3 years with 2 years suspended. We don't have tough laws on drinking and driving. Heck, the stores help encourage it by putting the beer in the refrigde for their ride home or to where ever. I say, if your going to pass a law, then BACK IT. That goes with all these laws out there. We have so many darn laws that the law enforcement can't keep up with them all. I can't even come close to imaging how the police can handle this stuff that their suppose to back. One error it could be their jobs, they have to be fast thinking all the time and hope they did everything right. But driving drunk has been out their for decades, so no excuse, slam them and do it hard....

But don't forget, the host was behind that wheel, too. They are also responsible for those deaths as well. I don't know what the out come will be, because it seems to change every time this happens. But i do know this, no matter how many times people are told about drinking and driving, ever one nods their heads in agreement then go get drunk and drive, because "it's not going to happen to them." Even your law enforcements drink and drive, seen it. But i'm not disagreeing with you, just adding my opinion.

I think, becauses their in America, they have that right to speak their mind as MR, MRS or MS Anonymous. It's a freedom we have here and i would gladly spend more time in the Army to make sure they keep that right. It's along the same rights that you have to call them cowards.

Colin Kelly is right, you can't tell the differents between any of the pieces. I like his idea of getting ID, writting a check, but make them wait for three days and notifing the law enforcement. We have a building here on College St. that has been so badly ripped apart, that the owener is going to pull it down. It would cost over $200,000.00 to repair and only about $25,000.00 to tear down. Now to get a law passed to get all metal buyers to do as Mr. Kelly is doing voluntarlly. Or maybe they will step up and do the same without a law being passed, i mean it seems like the right thing to do.

Ya, we just moved in here in August of this year, we were living in a tent. It was good to get inside plumbing again,lol. In the first few weeks here, a few people started asking me or saying that i need to be the president here on their committee. This use to be a busy place with everyone coming down to the main floor to enjoy each others company, but things has changed since cut backs in the budget and it went from 55 & older, to bringing younger people with problems. Now most of the elderly stay in their rooms, down in the main area it's like a ghost floor. My wife has disabilities, but i'm here for her 24/7, because that's what you do when you care for someone. I see the problems here and listen to the people on how it use to be, before the change. I do the best i can to police the area and make sure rules are followed, but i'm no miracle worker, like they seem to think i am. I know there's a chance the senior group at the Multi-Purpose Center may have to move into a new place. I would like them to move here and have their meetings. Then meet and get to know the seniors here. We have a good size community room with a kitchen. Then maybe it will bring some of them out of their apartments.I try to be avilable for all here, but to be honest, being Prsident would be like a full time job and i have my hands full right now. "Very" few dare to get involved, fear of retalation. I've had a tire flatten and later my antenna ripped off, but i still call 911 or report things to management, because this is our homes and there are rules to keep it safe and secure. So they, (seniors), look to me and a few others to solve these problems. I don't know if that answers your suggestion or not, but there it is.

Another thought just crossed my mind, where does Social Security or SSI fit into all of this? Don't a percentage help cover the expense for those who have SS or SSI? I'll re-read the article, but i don't think it was mention....just a quick thought...

The federal government don't like the money to be used for room and board?! So if people are in a nursing home or hospital someone else is paying their room and board? I guess homeless is a great idea, just because he did it and now he thinks he's a hero for doing it? I've been homeless, it's not a great feeling and i don't feel like a hero. That's one of the reasons i didn't vote for him. He tried to make himself look like some kind of hero and have people pity him. To me he came across as a person running away from his problems and left his younger siblings behind to deal with it...just my opinion...

I can't really say what has been said in this article is true or not, but if it is shown to be so, then changes need to be done. If it takes removing people or limiting some companies from bidding, then so be it. But to hear that someone is playing the system and using the low income people is no surprise to me. This kind of stuff goes on daily. People are only human and no matter their title in life or what uniform they wear, there are a few who will play the game to see if they can get away with it no matter who they step on to do so. We teach our kids not to lie, always share and above all be honest. But weak adults can't pratice what they teach, because of greed and temptation, the chance to get rich quick. Hopefully the truth will be found and hopefully the right moves will be taken. We have too many people on a waiting list for affordable housing; elderly, handicap and real people with low income, (yes i know, a few who will try playing the system, but one day we will have better screening to prevent this). Then you have the homeless and veterans. Jobs are few and we have so many who are able, but we the people will find an answer to whatever it is that our elected officals have screwed up.

First thing i wish to say is i dislike the term "underclass", i worked all my life, either full time or part-time, i served my country 1970-1977 in the Army,(i fought to get in, because of a heart murmur). In this country there are only three income classes:High, Middle and Low. There is NO underclass. The low-income are people who are elderly, disable or have very little income. It's not the housing program that is a problem, it's the lack of being able to screen the people going into housing, in the proper way. Because like any other program, you have the few who can play the game and get a free ride. If the city is so worried about low-income people, then stop looking for short cuts and get business interested in having "US" work for them. Give companies a real reason to come back. There was a reason they left, look at it and correct it. We don't need to be know as L/A of the east coast or Las Vegas. Just because i'm classified as elderly, doesn't mean i can't work. I've been working seasonal for LL Bean sice 2005 and held cleaning job at Pineland thru a contract company. Part-time isn't the only thing i can do, i can do full time, but they only want younger people,(which i understand). So stop pointing your finger, just because your better off then i am, because believe it or not you could end up here, too (believe me it don't take much to end up here, i didn't think i'd be here either).