that we have so many students that don't fit in to the school program during the day. I wonder how many of those who are in the in school suspension programs are minorities frustrated by our language or way of life? Could Supt. Webster provide the sun journal with that kind of data for publication. I would find it interesting to know.

to whomever decides to run against Olympia Snowe for the US Senate.
She will get 80% of the vote again...wait and see.

Let's hope that the new bill becomes law and as part of it there is a retroactive clause that goes back at least 5 yrs from the date it passes and becomes law.
It is obscene to see that this guy can collect that much money while he is in jail. At the least, his pension should be deminished by the cost of his incarceration per year... and at the maximum the whole pension should be forfeit, but we don't want him to get out of jail and become another welfare case, so perhaps we ought to leave him a percentage that becomes active when he gets out so he can have something to live on besides the welfare system.

Not at all,if you chose that accept all the refuges and their families and their relatives and they keep having more and more children. Why should Lewiston be surprised about needing more classroom space, having to move seniors out of their comfort zone spaces, adding classrooms and bonding for large projects that the state won't fund.
Examine a map and you will see that where the expansions are like McMahon have a large immigrant population in public supported housing.

Driving the local population out of once all white areas in other areas. Catholic Charities of Maine brought these refugees here and dumped them on the city of Lewiston. That church ought to pay for their education costs, etc, oh I forgot that they probably haven't any money after all the sexual crimes committed by their priest and then having to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in settlements for each one.

It is an interesting contrast Pedophiles and Refugee support. Then the burden falls on the city. No one in Lewiston asked for all these people and did anyone ever look at the long term impact? I doubt it, they probably just said save these poor people... Damn they weren't even Christians. Shouldn't the Catholic Church save those people first?

Germany prior to the second world war, such patients were euthanized because they were such a drain on the state economy. Personally, I believe that if I were in a similar situation I would want to be put out of my misery and yes I know there are religious and moral issues, but carrying this forward and look at the cost and if the cost were zero then the idea is sound, practically, probably not however, a solution needs to be found and this is one way to do it.

As usual our Governor takes a business attitude in that HE controls all things and everything must bend to HIS will. He is a poor politician because he does NOT know the state law and constitution. He overstates or creates conversations that he would have liked to have had with the slant that he would want during that converstation.

This guy is like a kid who hasn't read the driver's manual. He takes off and opens the throttle up full blast. He forgets that there is a brake.

The brake is the Maine Constitution and Laws of the State. The Legislature may be a majority of his Republican Party, but they are NOT fools. They know that if they want to get re-elected and do right by the people of Maine then they too must be accountable for their actions.

Giving the Governor what he wants is like the "full throttle" and they know that they have to put a brake on him and his overstatements and "Big Mouth".

Business attitudes are fine, despotic attitudes are not a way to run a government unless you want to go back to the time of the 1930's in Germany and Italy and we all know where those attitudes got the world. NEVER LET ONE MAN HAVE TOO MUCH POWER!

Like I said yesterday, lure Hanniford from Auburn just across the river to Lewiston and I know they already have one in Lewiston, but it is at the other end of the city. If you decide against that then consider putting in a Large Drug store complex. There had been talk of one on Center St. in Auburn, but the space, parking, etc has seem to have fallen through on that issue, so for the Citizens of L/A let's have one or the other. Personally I prefer a grocery store, and I am sure that if the city gives enough incentives Hannafords will move from Spring Street where the building is old, small and parking is terrible. Please conside these options city council members. We have enough parks in Lewiston and we need businesses that employ or pay taxes or both.

These changes sound like a good direction to move in, but student led parent teacher conferences in the elementary schools, I doubt it will work well, with older HS kids this sounds like a fine idea.
Letting student move through education based on proficiency-based learning could end conventional grade-grouping. Not a bad idea if the student displays enough emotional maturity to handle the social interactions. Ex. A 6th grader working at an 11th grade level, but missing the social interaction of any peers would be harmful or at least cause minor disfunctions especially where things like gym or the team sports are concerned. Should we be considering doing away with all sports because there will be no one to play these games? I hope not as life skill and social skills go hand in hand with this kind of interaction... Academics, yes, but the rest needs more thought and work. No one wants to bore any student, but repetition is good. Remember your multiplication tables practice. Yes, you can do it on a computer too.

bet he did not espouse that value around election time did he?
Should never tell seniors to go to H..L as they have too many relatives in the area. Sounds like a good plan for the city, but
should the k of c hall be considered for other city needs? In time there probably will be a need for something on that street.

Every year, I complain about the Park getting plowed before the upper end of Winter St. I can explain that when the plow turns the cornor to plow up toward the end of winter st, it breaks off and goes down into the park, then returns later in the day to do above the entrance to the park.
My problem is if there are no activities scheduled for the park or hockey rink because of the weather, then why should they have priority over TAXPAYERS. Please plow from 132 Winter St to the end and then back down into the park before anything else. It is important to us that we get the services that we pay for... huh... regardless of the priority listings.

I believe that if no one receives half of the popular vote in any election, then the two highest candidates should have a run off and the one who achieves a total of 50% or higher should be declared the winner. Although this process might cost more, it assures that in the end the people of Maine get a Governor who is wanted by the majority and not a process like the City of Portland had where second third forth, fifth etc choices determined the outcome. Perhaps that could work with smaller communities, but not the whole state of Maine. Will our Governor push for such a change? I doubt that will happen as he was elected one way and would not favor a method in which he might not get elected too. The state constitution woul have to be change, but as the Republicans hold a majority in both houses and the Governor ship as well NOW IS THE TIME TO PROVE THAT THEY WANT AND CAN BE A POSITIVE FORCE FOR THE STATE'S FUTURE ELECTIONS... I hope that they all read this and take notice.

It might be more interesting to change the City Charter and give the Mayor a VOTE so that he/she can be more responsive to the people and follow through on what he/she would like to see done. It might be a good thing. Regarding the Mayor vs. the City Manager, if you check the background of these people you will find that the Manager is better trained in the overview of all depts and collecting data, then reporting his finding to the council for their approval. The two jobs really are different and should not be combined ever.

Yes, Alice there are good people out there despite the bad ones. There are many more good ones, but not all are in a place to give as the economy is so tight. If you can afford it, please continue to help this couple out with donations. I plan to do so.

I guess this means that the project envisioned for the casino near the parking garage is partially dead as it had included a hotel. Didn't these folks want to build a hotel near the falls on the other side of the bridge before?

I hope you all have looked for and found the article in which this college student tells of her first hand experiences at Wal Mart and how people paid for items with welfare and food stamps ... this is a viral You Tube and should be fairly easy to find if you look for it. Viral means wide spread but not a virus containing item.

Please read this and forward it to all the state legislative branches and members before they make any cuts in the welfare program as well as the Director of DHHS and
The Governor of Maine. Thank you and let’s not let all those drastic cuts happen.

http://thecollegeconservative.com/2011/12/13/my-time-at-walmart-why-we-n...

but it seems to me that the timing and the comment about "His dream for many years was to serve as mayor of the city. He had big plans for the city and was loved and respected by thousands of Lewiston citizens." remain too political with the run off election tomorrow Tuesday. I can only wonder if the SJ allowed this to run because they supported Lewiston Democrats in general.

I remain saddened by the loss of anyone during the holiday season as each year during this time the family will recall his passing. I again offer my condolences to the family.

I wish to close by stating that I rarely comment on obits, so you must understand that I am at a loss due to the timing of News Conferences, etc.

are absentee ballots available for the run off election and if so where can people obtain them?

The ONE poling place in the city of Lewiston seems to be in the heart of the district containing those people that the Republican candidate most wants to put pressure on to move or have landlords be more responsible.

I sincerely doubt that Mr. Macdonald will do well as this area is generally populated by liberals and those on welfare.

One place for the whole city to vote is very limiting and requires that those who support Mr. Macdonald drive to this spot and vote.

I know it costs more to maintain the additional number of polling places, but I believe that the vote would be much closer and certainly represent a fairer balance of the Lewiston population than going to the heart of liberalism. I just don't see how the Republican candidate can win with the voting place stacked against him. At least the turnout at the debate was worthy and let's hope that that translates into people getting out there and voting. Please vote citizens of Lewiston. The city needs a large turn out to show that it believes in the process of voting for a candidate regardless whom it may be.

I live in Auburn so I can't vote for you, but you have my emotional support after all the years of legal discussions we had at McMahon School in Lewiston. Best of Luck

I would like to see ALL comments offered here under add a comment.
I think it would be fun and informative to know what local people think. Hope you will do it. Thanks

either full or part time. BS/M.ed/M.ed worked 33 yrs for last employer. Need a job that I can sit most of the day. Can do management or run a reception desk, phone work, within local area of L/A most hours available to work. Computer skills, taught basic computer, worked with difficult youth, high desire, but will not work for minimum wage. Send contact reply to this posting. Thank you.

the movie
We Were Soldiers
with Mel Gibson, if you did then you will understand the horrors of the Vietnam War and perhaps realize that being on a carrier is work, dangerous work, but nothing compared to facing the enemy eye to eye as was shown in this movie. Granted it was a movie, but too real for most of us. God Bless our Soldiers, Sailors and Marines.

Can someone list the web site with articles like this please so we may check them at our liesure?

Bob,
I know you will do a great job and I only wish I could have voted for you after all the years we worked together in Lewiston. You were more than fair and an honest, reasonible Supt. Your addition will be an asset to the community at large. Best Wishes
PJB

grow up in Lewiston and go to McMahon Elem. School?

I urge everyone to vote for Robert Connors. I was employed for 30+ years by the Lewiston School Dept. and I learned a lot from watching and listening to him even though we often disagreed. Regretfully I can not vote for him as I live in Auburn. However, I urge you to Vote Connors for the knowledge he brings to the position. Thank you. PJB

How many kids at the middle school level are minority groups?

I understand ALL groups at this age behave terribly. Can't something
be done about their behavior after school and on the streets as well?

will the public get a chance to view this expansion at an open house or some such for the ex students or ex teachers?

Pettingill is a great solution. Thank you Tina.

It just isn't finding a space. It is finding the funds to heat the space during the Spring, Fall, and Winter months. If the school dept. allows seniors to use Pettingill School, then they have to add heating into their budget. What is needed is a relatively small space that is centrally located with some parking and heats well. If anyone knows of such a space please comment here. THank you

looks to me like Auburn did an over all average job if you look at the last scores and compare them to the state. This is NOT bad, but obviously there is always room for improvement. I think that over the years the demographic would show highs and lows as the population relates to educational curriculum. All students might learn but as was indicated in a previous article the morning the learn at different rates. These rates can vary understanding a concept by as much as 12 to 18 months.

I would bet we all have had something that was difficult to understand, and later we would look at it and say "OH, yeah! Now I understand."

Elementary schools have needed medical coverage for years. School nurses in my day were stretched between two or three schools and that always meant they were not usually somewhere when an accident occurred. This left the medical work to either the principal or a competent clerical person. Thank God for these people. They comforted many teary eyed youths in their moment of need. At the end of the year, school nurses were responsible for updating each child's school health record. This meant paperwork between 750 and 1000 student records. Too much for any one person to take on. Exactly how is medical coverage done in elementary schools for next year?

I said all that and I would always want someone who represents me to be knowledgeable about all areas especially those involving city personnel. There is nothing wrong about the question. Belinda tried to call me today but I was in the middle of a household project and couldn't take time to discuss this issue with her. If she will reply here, then we all can see how she feels about why she or any other councilor for that matter qualifies to judge negotiations between the city and its employees. Support for candidates varies but I believe that she believe what she does and says. I am only questioning the why.

I note that a couple of Maine events have in recent years changed the weeks or weekends which they were held because of the constant bad weather year after year. Perhaps looking back and trying to find a good week of weather or one when these balloons were NOT committed to flying somewhere else would be a good idea.
We laugh almost every year when Smokey's Great Show comes to Auburn and expect it to rain 80% of the time. They must get discouraged too.

L/A check weather history and find a different weekend.

Farwell School not Farewell school unless there is another that I am
not aware of which there could be. However, elementary school is where you master spelling. Please add Farwell to you spelling checker.

are reimbursed by the Federal government as I recall, but the amount is based on the previous years local budget expenditures and not on the present year.

As for Somali students in special education classes, I believe that this is wrong. Although there must be a Federal Law that says we can not discriminate against them by putting them all in one or two classes and teaching the group.

Being from another country and not knowing the language in this country does not, in my opinion, qualify anyone for special education, however, it should qualify them for language support or ESL which translates as English as a Second Language. I believe in EFL or English as a First Language which all of our forefathers had to learn the hard way. Just keep in mind that all newcomers to our country should speak English first and whatever else second. However, being a realist I know that this will not happen until the second or even third generation of Somalis or any other group that has immigrated to our shores.

any one use this section of road unless they are desperate for a better and quicker connection under the present conditions.

A more pressing question is "When or IF" the city will change the yield sign (by removing it altogether) at the corner of MT. Auburn Ave and Summer St (or is that Summer St. extension) where there is now merely no sign at all.

As the MT. Auburn Ave road has become more and more the traveled route, there should be a STOP SIGN at the end of Summer St where it meets MT Auburn Ave. This would allow a quick and easy flow of traffic along what is becoming a major travel route.

On the ISSUE of repair, if the city owns the section of Summer St between Park Ave and Mt. Auburn Ave, it should be either repaired or discontinued all together. I vote to discontinue it and thereby solve all those nasty sign or road repair issues in the area.

This just leaves us with one question "What about that blind knoll on Mt Auburn Ave at the corner by the farm." It would be nice to see it reduced in some way and give travelers more visibility.

Hope .... Hope and wait... I would like to hear what city officials have to say about these ideas. Thank you.

went to St. Mary's to the psych unit. He has serious problems and
those do need addressing before he should be released or tries to do this again...he might succeed the next time.

Congrats to the officer. I know he and all emergency workers look at it as just another day of what they were trained to do, but we really appreciate having them even when they stop us for a traffic ticket.

Best of luck to the father and son.

Please have someone bring your petitions by my home on Winter St.

I was critical of you before we had a long and wonderful phone conversation.

You are the first local politician to call me instead of the other way around. Your expressions showed thought and character.

The city would be at a loss without you on the council in some form. I await the petitions and I know you know how to get in touch with me.

I wish you the best of luck in the upcoming election.

You have survived many changes in education and I do mean many!

Anyone who can do that deserves a long and pleasant retirement.

How many people ever knew your husband was a Registered Maine Guide while he worked in education at the high school?

We note that your daughter is doing well and expect that she will continue the family tradition in sports and education.

Just get a new toy and someone damages it. Adults are just big kids.

I am sure that just leaving Lewiston and the related stress is enough to re-energize ANYONE. He is an excellent politician and I have long expected him to be appointed a commissioner of education or serve in an executive capacity in state government somewhere. Although we did not always agree, I knew that he did what he felt he had to according to the events. Best of luck.

One man in both cities causing such a fuss. Does he pay taxes in both and where does he legally reside? That city is where he should take his comments to and not someplace else unless he owns property in the other.
Does anyone know where he lives/how much property if any in the other city? I feel that only taxpayers or impacted residents of a city should be allowed to speak at council meetings. It is NOT a forum for political outcry against a government or the dealing of a national government.
Oh, renters who are not property owners should also be allowed to comment during an open session in the city that they live in

Must be really in need of money. How much can you get from Sam's and does that person realize that the crime is going to get them a long sentence because of what they said ... I doubt it, don't you?

Any sport in which the fans operate with tunnel vision is just wrong. Keeping an open mind about this is what cost Lewiston the team. Fan support of a minority of people who claimed it was their team didn't really matter as more people many more people had to share their opinion about this or any other sport. Lewiston / Auburn is NOT LARGE enough to command any pro, semi-pro, etc. team....the population and fan base are not large enough. Regardless of the canadian hockey league or not, the reason that the portland pirates can operate is the fan base in a much larger city/cities in that area. Comparing Portland to Lew/Auburn is a sad comparison. There is not much here to attract anyone where in Portland they have the old port, the harbor, minor league baseball, minor league hockey, etc... based on a much larger population.... so no sport will survive in this area... reason with me that the facts are demographic and cannot be overcome by constantly repeating your joy for hockey locally.

charter schools probably work best in very large cities like New York. They would draw talent from across several neighborhoods. This might work in the public section. Surely the best scenario would be privately funded schools and the state offering scholarships for students who do well on national test, not these local tests that the state requires. I see this as the Maine option. Overnight schools, motivated students with the same interests, working outside of the guideline that requires them to have special needs students who really cause a distraction in a working environment. This is obviously something that the Maine Civil Liberties Union would parade and cry against. However, we have come a long way to integrating special needs students within the local school systems. If we only allow a few students to join these schools, then there is no huge drain on the local system. How many drop outs have the systems worked with in order to account for their body in the classroom just to have state and federal funds in the system? An experiment worth the effort, yes, more private than public, but leaving the door open for some talented students to become highly motivated in this new environment. Looks like the hiring practices of instructors is the next question. Certification within a couple or three years seems fair if the individual(s) have an appropriate background in (ex) math or science or technology. Perhaps a retired professor from another state or even a former disenchanted administrator who wants to get back to the classroom. Ok, Claire, we know each other and I am the more conservative of the two of us at this point in time although you know what a liberal I used to be.
Have a great day and weekend.

Your seeking to prepare students for what in your opinion is an unsure future. This means that your not sure what your doing is correct either. I would agree with the dvd and the communications skills that you expect them to produce. However, this is like preparing for jobs that do not even exist isn't it? I am a big believer in the Basic Skills of 4 years of Math, 4 of Science, 4 years of English, and 3 years of history. I'll bet that employers need students who can make change without a computer or cash register telling them how much to give out. Being able to do things manually is also very helpful, driving nails, using basic tools to build things your employer might need, but MOST OF ALL ... we need to equip them with common sense... this is learned by repeating different learning situations or solving the same. What if the light goes out? Did the bulb burn out or was the circuit overloaded and the breaker in the panel box tripped. This is the kind of logic we need to teach out students. I hope you will understand my reasoning.

Did they really want food instead of money? Perhaps that would have been better as they could have eaten the evidence... huh?

I cheer on the Celtics, but as I said the other day I believed at this moment the heat were the better team.
Let's hope that they go all the way which will minimize the issue of losing. When you lose to a champion, then you don't feel as bad as when you lose to a runner up....Have a restful summer, good drafts and a better year next year.

As a gun owner,trained and certified to carry; I know this will stir- up the "Outlaw all guns group." This represents a migrant "visitor" that could care less about laws and or gun safety.
I applaud the Lewiston Police on their handling of this incident in a prompt and professional manner, despite the neighborhood and audience. The end of the video depicts the true mentality of the young bystanders. Respect for authority seems to be a joke to them, and apparently they do not care who knows this.
Good job LPD, from an Auburn respectful citizen.

This is such a wonderful thing that is done for many of the need in our community. High Praise should be given to these dental practices for their work year after year. When will other practices begin to follow their example? We know that it will be difficult for them to see all the needy people. If others could other it later in the year wouldn't it be wonderful!

than the Lakers, regardless of the final outcome. The Lakers were embarrassed in that last game especially and Boston has made it a contest in most games.

However, I believe that the inevitable final put Dallas against the Heat and that should be well worth my time to watch the entire game, not just the highlights. Best of Luck Boston!

come out of tragedy don't they. I hope we will all check out these puppies and those of us who can will give them the home and love they deserve. Certainly they give us plenty of love regardless and we all can use plenty of that in today's world.

This is just another sign of the times. It used to be the propagation of the faith was enough to sustain the church and they grew they would all go to church and participate in the religious community. However, in the last 40 yrs. the family as a unit has desintegrated and the free thinking individual has become the focus of society. Churches close because children no longer believe or attend or just moved away. The larger churches always had large attendence and with that came large amounts of money in the form of donations. With the recent sex scandals in the Catholic Church during the past decade, many have had their faith shaken. Why not? Those who were supposed to be the examples of the faith have proven unworthy of any support as have several of their superiors who covered things up by moving priests around the state or region. I love old well build buildings and it is very sad to see them come down, but our memories and faith in what we learned can never be destroyed by perverts. Like any large group, the priesthood has its rotten apples, but let's focus on the good memories. This will not save several churches from closing, but it might help our senior citizens cope with the losses of their faith, at least in the physical sense. Remember the spirit of an individual is great and can be made even greater by sharing these positive memories with others. In conclusion, I blame the Catholic Church for the problems in the priesthood. Certainly the one thing that the Protestant Church does and the Catholic Church should do is allow its priests to marry. I believe the first nine hundred years of church history showed this to be a viable option. Please correct me if I am in error.

Is it just MC? I recently had an issue with my MC and fortunately it was picked up by the MC Paypal Fraud Acct. people. As it was not tied to my business, I was able to have all charges dismissed. I believe that these charges were linked to an expense I was supposed to have made in Africa. Oh boy, as if there were not enough reasons to stay away from Africa. Now I have another.

Finally a place for a system of learning the was attempted almost ten years ago in Lewiston.
Let's not rush to blame them though as I was told that the state had MANDATED these changes.

Teaching is an art form and you cannot mandate a baseline change in curriculum. Most children learn respective to their age. The Holistic curriculum that I speak of had a small paperback book and you were supposed to integrate your curriculum into it for at least half the day. This created a monstrous reference notebook of some 4" for each little paperback book. It was widely accepted by most as what else can we do. My disagreement with this development put me out the "nonconformist" list of teachers. As I was at the end of my teaching career, I did not care how I was labeled.

I can see now that the TRUE place for this type of expanded teaching is at the 6, or better 7-8 grade levels when all the basic skills like math, spelling, etc have been taught and learned within a nominal middle range for elementary students. Yes, teach elementary students the way we taught them in the 70's and 80's, then turn them loose on this form of learning and I think that you'll find this kind of success all through the state educational community.

Hurray for Portland's King Middle School students and teachers on a job well done. Did they have access to the state computer laptop program? I hope so.

Has anyone seen a map of the routes that the plows take during phase one and two, and of course phase three and four in Auburn. Please publish this as my section of the street is sometimes overlooked and plows go into Pett. Park instead of going up and down the length of Winter St first. What prompts the plow to do this? Certainly the park doesn't pay taxes. We do. So no one should be going into the park in the middle of the storm anyway. Do the taxpayers a favor and plow us first and last...We do not like being forgotten... I await a view of the MAP.

Is it possible to combine the CLT with the often spoken of Franco American Center?

Certainly the distance between the two is relatively short, just across a bridge, but one

must wonder "How wide is the river?" IS it the same divide that keeps all Auburn and Lewiston

departments from joining and saving the taxpayer money. Reason wants to know if this is a good idea and when can it begin.

When will we learn that you just can't throw money at a problem and expect it to be fixed! Oh does the city get reimbursed for the teachers hired for the English as a Second Language Instructors (that is what they were called when I went to school) just as we call Bi-Polar (manic/depressive)personalities today. Giving fancy or different names does not change the situation. Most of these students and their families come to the state of maine because of our EASY welfare roles in which there is no time to wait, just sign up and get your benefits. Workfare is what is needed, not welfare.
Do you realize that the School Committee of Lewiston has to pay the teachers for these 660 students and in doing so it has to take the money away from other accounts to pay for added staffing. Let's imagine that there were no ELL teachers needed. This would save the city roughly 1.23 million per year...yes, that much and while the city waits a year for the state to reimburse this amount as it is considered special education funds that amount is supposed to be given back at 100% the following year. In the meantime, the city takes funds from reserve accounts, etc to fill these gaps.
New students arrive because we have a minority group in the Lewiston area who are Somali
s and of course we ask how did they get here. The Catholic Charities of Maine is responsible for the importation of these people to Maine. I have not seen any positive results in having this new minority present. Some would argue that we saved their lives by getting them out of their home country. I wonder if this is accurate. What have they contributed to our community in a positive manner since their arrival? Reason needs to see that these minorities are contributing and no, we are not interested in the fact that they enhance us in a broad worldly knowledge of other cultures and races. If they receive welfare, what are they doing to make Lewiston or Auburn a better place for all of us to live?
If they don't add to the community, what are they doing here. Oh, I know they are here to bleed the local and state welfare systems dry. This is not a bigot speaking it is a voice of concern and reason. Do not be swayed by liberal tendencies. Ask for an honest return for your money. Wouldn't Lewiston be better off putting that 1.23 million somewhere where it could do good? It doesn't come out of your city taxes, but does come from state revenues.
Consider!

Reason knows this one just replaces a similar one at the same location, however, just how many restaurants can A/L support. A/L stands for Auburn-Lewiston, as we are tired of hearing it put in the wrong order alphabetically and it should start with quality and decend which it now does using A/L. I urge all citizens of Auburn to use this new and proper notation in all communication.
Bars, Restaurants, Night Clubs, and fast food joints. Just how many are there in total and in each catagory ? Couldn't the Sun Journal do an article on these places in total?

Reason does wish Bill Welch the best of luck in his new venture.

It is my understanding that those people who lost their jobs at CMMC, or at least some, were met at the door by their supervisors and a security officer, told that they had to clean out their lock, escorted to it, and off of CMMC property. No notice was given, etc... all I can say is if that is true, that is a pretty HARSH way to to treat people. I come from a different environment where people are given two week notices, doesn't CMMC expect that of its own people when they leave (to give appropriate notice)? SO IS IT OVER? Will there be more cuts down the road, will cuts be in personnel or salary? Just how many bodies can be cut and still maintain quality care in this institution? Far better that IF there is another round that that they cut (entirely) top administration positions (saving of hundreds of thousands of dollars just there), and next take a percentage salary reduction for the remainder of the staff, BUT IT MUST END SOMEWHERE, and can't keep going on and on. I also note that I did not see that any of the Board of Directors returned any salary or benefits (if they receive any at all. I, along with many many others, urge the state to pay their bills to the hospitals to maintain the quality of care that remains. PLEASE PLEASE SAVE OUR LOCAL HOSPITALS. YES, local consolidation is not possible as there are wide philosophical gaps, but it would make a lot of sense wouldn't it. OF COURSE, it would.

The city needs to have a truck come up Winter St all the way before it circles back down into the park to plow. We pay taxes and expect services. Oh, I have been told that these are parks and rec. trucks, but they are NOT. The size and color are all wrong.

Please plow up and down our street, then come back around and go down into the park and do what is needed.

Citizens who pay taxes, need services first, not the park and rec dept. as they are already part of the city...

Did you HEAR this Mr. Belz....?

Remember how hard Lewiston worked for this designation? What ever happened to those who felt that it was important to have this? It is obvious that those who decide things no longer care about the looks of the city. I vote that they give back the All American City designation if they cannot keep up appearances. Yes, we all understand that time are tough and money is tight, but use the few dollars that are needed where they will serve the city best. Portland's Old Port is charming because they keep the area in a clean and traditional manner. No asphalt or duct tape found there.

Cheers for the Editorial Board to bring this issue up again, but What took you so long to chastise the City of Lewiston? Someone needs to act as a conscience for the city and you have the power and voice to do it, so please don't wait 8 more years for this to happen again. Reason is with you.

I believe that when they opened the ground up in my neighborhood, they found the water lines were not exactly where they thought or as deep as they thought.

My biggest objection is that the Gas Line runs under the sidewalk right in front of my house because of the water or storm drain connection/separation. I asked and they said that nothing could be done. The gas company has to move gas lines and now there is an entanglement of these in front of my house that prevents the gas line movement in the future.

My street is scheduled for repaving within the next three years. Can't someone from the gas company and all these other utilities work together to get things correct. Certainly the water line could be moved and the gas line installed, then the water line replaced. I hope that this will be discussed before repaving occurs and then you have to dig it up again.

Money makes money isn't that what the saying is and in this case it seems that this could benefit us all in turning around a neighborhood.

Too bad the trains no longer run as we could use those today too. Has anyone noticed how traffic surges a peak hours in the morning and afternoon? Traveling by train is the ultimate. I remember a trip to Boston with my Dad to see the Red Sox play and we rode the train both ways... nice memory.

Reason with me why the second largest community in the state does not have passenger rail access? Isn't that the same thing that they said we didn't need a branch of the University of Maine here either. Many years later, as always, they are proved wrong again. WOW ! What a surprise!! We know that freight trains use the local tracks just ask those who live in Auburn about midnight most days.

Reason that we need less pollution and better transportation. Trains can do both, so let's see us connect with Brunswick or wherever AmTrac is extending to... Check into this Senator Snowe.... thank you.

ALIEN LIFE FORM and certainly ugly....Reason wonders why this even gets into the news...don't you?

Finally a smart move on the part of the city council...status quo... hurray for common sense. We Reason this is a vote for the people and should remain this way forever.

Leave things alone, they work fine. Belinda is correct. THE WORSE PLACE would be city hall and its parking garage. It is a poor choice when the city wanted to vote on one item in the past and would be a worse choice with all districts moving into that area. Perhaps the high school gym if enough parking is available in the lower area and the field is made available. As the gym is one of the few buildings up there that might not fall in on you while you're voting...LOL. We however feel that walking to polling places is as important to citizens as the second amendment is to bear arms. WOW, nice comparison even if I do say so myself. Reason with me.

Pirate,
If you ever worked for a group like a school system, you would know that if you did not agree with the "Master Plan" for the system wide education, then you could be fired if there were not unions. Within the first two years, any teacher for example can be let go without what is legally called "Just Cause" and after that they must show WHY other than the color of your eyes or skin that you were dismissed. Unions do have a purpose, however, before you run out and join one please understand that it cuts both ways. You may HAVE to do things you don't like or didn't want to do such as attend meetings after work or go outside and stand around in the cold weather just to name a few reasons. Yes, Unions are both good and bad, but it depends on what you need for job protection and are willing to do to have to keep your job... thoughts to reason with for your day.

No promises should be made if they can not be kept. However, the costs to which you refer reflect much on the aging and retired population of firefighters, police, teachers, administrators, and municipal works. These people were promised something and now the state must deliver.

Ok, if those entering a profession understand the limits of the job benefits, all is fine, but the retired members of the state work force should get what is due them. It was promised.

The state has raided the pension fund in Jim Longley's time and that was a poor thing to do. I am not sure how much if not all of it has been paid back, but the recent economic downturn has deminished everyone's retirement fund reserve.

Things will bounce back in the stock market as they always do, but it takes time. Patience and the belief that state government can do the job will support an economic turnaround. Serve those who served you well in years pass, it is the honorable thing to do and must be done.

Guess you stayed to the right side of the store huh. If you had mozied over to the left side you would have encountered a wonderful and large selection of fire arms. Yes, they do buy and sell at very competitive prices. Protect yourselves ladies. Learn to shoot or at least wave it in the air and yell "Yippie" when you find a bargain worthwhile. Remember no shooting in the store...LOL

Rules and their changes come and go. However, it is important to maintain a basic form of communication. You do not throw out rules because you do not like them or that based on research acknowledge their no compliance to your set of standard is not desired. Rather the most modern standard seems to be usage. As much as I hate agree with this newest rule, I find that words are introduced into the dictionary based on common usage.

I believe that form and structure are important. Rules guide us in everything we do. Why not let rules give structure to language. Many people do not follow these rules except when writing and much of that is not done even today. If we allow rules to crumble into ruin, we will be a society with regional and then decay even further to local language. Maine with not be able to communicate to New York, the U.S.A. will not be able to communicate to Canada, and the world will be in ruin. We need rules and we need structure. Communication is the most important thing we do in the world today. Oh yes, I know that we have moved away from the one country and one language concept of a hundred years ago, but I blame this on the large influx of Hispanics into the southern US. These people come across the border without the proper papers and are not required to take a language course or US history to become citizens. Instead they sneak into our country, they steal our money and services because of our liberal policies.

If you truly propose to change the English language, please come up with a better language. This language will need rules too. Try to create one for all races on our planet. If you cannot, please leave the English language alone. It has rules and they are not bad rules. Perhaps merely being a critic is part of the editorial boards function and perhaps they are just trying to get those of us who still love this language upset, I wonder don't you?

Reason believes that there just wasn't enough noise raised about the budget.  However, we also find that the sun journal did not to our knowledge remind the public that this vote was upcoming.  If we missed that notice, we apologize.

Lucky is the budget that can absorb cuts and remain level.  Do not expect this to happen next year, or the year after. It can not happen year after year without significant damage to the educational process.

We still say that combining EL and Lewiston in Lewiston's huge building is better for the taxpayers of Auburn.  Why?  Because then Auburn pays tuition for the students to go to Lewiston, and avoids the multimillion dollar burden of a New High School unless the people of Auburn are so locked into the color red or a tradition of sports.  Think of the power in sports that a combined basketball team or football or even baseball team would have and the chance to win state championships year after year.  Oh, I digress.  Parents live vicariously through their kids so that will never happen.  God, if you cut a kid that had been primed for years to be Daddy's little hero or heroin then hell would be raise.  However, there is also another alternative.  St. Dom's who would well enjoy an influx of money and athletic talent in its ranks.  Be wise Auburn, forget the chance to build another high school and let's make the high school kids tuition students.  This will keep taxes down as EL is NOT ON THE LIST to have state reimbursement of 95% or more paid by the state.  Also consider that the state is in financial trouble and this list may not exist or will be postponed for years.   Reason says grab the financial opportunity while it exist.  OH THERE IS ONE DRAWBACK, as always.!!!  LEWISTON has to vote to accept those former EL students and the AUBURN MONEY.    Reason DOUBTS that LEWISTON is smart enough to see the benefit in such a plan.  REASON WITH ME>>>>

we wonder if he belongs to a woodworking site called LJ and if so what his used name is.. Thank you.

Oh dear, has the violence and convenience store robberies now spilled into the local supermarkets?  Will we all have to start carrying our hand held pistols in the open like it was done in Portland the other day just to dissuade these people from thinking about doing this. 

People will react when the violence becomes either overwhelming or they see it as threatening to their personal safety. 

To prevent this, Reason suggestst that instead of cutting back budgets for such needed sections of the municipal budget that they hire MORE police and More firemen for the city.  Safety and quality are what cities are built on and advertise so that people will live within their boundaries.  Would you live in Detroit?  Probably not, and perhaps we would not even want to live in Lewiston.  Too many slum type sections, bars, hookers, etc.  Crime migrates across the river and now Auburn is infected.  Reason says Auburn needs a greater police force and visibility on the streets and parking lots.  When was the last time you saw a cop walking a beat in Auburn?  Patrol cars are nice, but you need to know your local officer like the first name of your mail man.  Lewiston trys this with bikes, which work ok in the downtown sections, but not in the outer sections as you get away from the core of each city the vastness of Maine begins to impress and the connections between police and the local residence become vapor thin.  Support a better budget especially for the police depts in both cities.  Reason with ME on this.

If we all went nude, they would laugh at some men.  Really though, if we all went nude then we might be forced to shape up our bodies more as we might be embarrassed by how fat or ugly the stuff is that we hide under all those layers of clothing.  However, We do not advocate going outside nude in the Maine winters.  We would hate to freeze anything vital, or not so vital depending on our age.  Reason laughs at all the fuss over nudity... We are all born naked, and although it may be hard for some to believe we are all born White too.  It is only after birth that the skin pigment really begins to change.  Truly we are one race of men and women on this world.  Reason thinks you should believe this for it is true.

Praise all teachers for putting up with the public. 

Praise all teachers for parenting and essentially raising our children. 

Praise the school system for feeding our kids breakfast, lunch, healthy snacks, etc. 

Praise the welfare system for keeping people at home having kids to receive more money each month. 

Praise the federal government for giving us the money to support these people with food stamps, section 8 housing or buy them cars, etc. 

Our ancestors may have come to this country and not been able to speak English, but they learned because they had to do it.  Many immigrants should be learning English and practicing it where ever they go.  Speaking in a foreign language in public places just makes them seem more foreign and turns more people against them.  Do you really want to merge into the great American melting pot? Reason says time will tell. 

Perhaps the second or third generation will be the ones we can really judge.

Reason does not mind helping those in need.  Reason minds a welfare state that includes required education, did you know that the cities are refunded from the state based on a per pupil cost and if the drop out rate is high, they lose money, so it is a business decision to try to keep kids in school, not a lofty moral issue as it is pretended, as the loss would be between $1000 to $2000 per student per year.

  Welfare NO, workfare Yes.  Why pay people to sit at home when they are healthy or semi-healthy and could contribute to the community plus gaining valuable experience in the workplace? 

Reason hopes that none of these people have religious conflicts with working or fear that they might be sexually harassed in the workplace were they to be employed.  If we allow that then what next?  Why should any of us ever work?

 Obviously she was not turned off by the change in administrative approaches to education over the last decade. 

Anyone who last this many years and enjoys all these changes is a special person or just insensitive.   None of these changes have ever shown to improve the quality of education just the testing and testing that so often occurs now. 

Reason wonders how many of you know that much of the second grade curriculum is a repeat of grades K and 1 with some new material thrown in.  It is a great year for most kids and they really enjoy it.  Second grade teachers are often praised and they often have great personalities. 

Your average teacher cannot withstand the stress of the testing results demanded of them.  If you check with the Maine Teachers Association in Augusta, you will find that most retire between twenty-five and thirty years.  Males in elementary schools retire earlier than those in the other two branches. 

She must have had small classes from the beginning with 18 or less to only have had this.  Many elementary school teachers normally have 25 to 30 per year which would put the her total number of students closer to 1000.

Reason says well done, regardless of the interaction with administration or the state's rules or even the "No Child Left Behind."  We are glad to see some educators recognized for their undying commitment to the children.  Teacher's know what is best for the children, but not most parents, the local district, state or even the federal government. 

Reason urges educators to stand up and revolt against this liberal tyrany from the feds, state and local systems, yet we wonder could it be all tied to the feds and state payments to the local school system that makes the changes in education whether they are right or wrong.

we meant where to go, not where to do

Reason believes this is a lose, lose, lose situation.  It was not his fault that his mother did that to him and his daughter should have known better unless she thinks she can still sue someone.  There is no money left in the class action suit.  Maybe she should be in that institution, obviously she is not too smart.

Ok, What are the response times for the police if they are based on Minot Ave?  Where are the most traffic accidents and crimes in Auburn?  Has all this been calculated into the equation to move things around?  What are the plans for the old police station if this happens? 

Perhaps a better plan would be to station a couple of cruisers at each substation and a couple at city hall.  Makes more sense to spread out the coverage.

Of course, I am really a fan of combining all police, fire and education with Lewiston.  I think that this could save each city huge amounts of money.  Perhaps then Auburn wouldn't have to build a multimillion dollar school, but could share Lewiston's vast site.  Education budgets are shrinking and it seems time to make the hard choice of taking the best teachers of each system and making one great educational system.  Once the new EL is built, this plan would never go forward.

Think about the cost of education, it amounts to about 52 percent of each city budget.  Taxpayers, would you object to what would amount to approx. 25 percent reduction in your tax bill?  I, Reason, doubt it very very much. 

I know it means giving up the wonderful EL which is falling down and may not pass the state inspection to be certified very soon.  Those who will object most would be former students, and I applaud that loyalty.  However, we must reason what would be best for the children, taxpayers, etc.  This is a worthy plan and should be explored more.  I, Reason, expect that Lewiston would NOT be willing to participate in this even if it saved their taxpayers the same 25%.  There is not an logic on that side of the river. 

Reason with Me and discuss this with your councilors today before a new EL is built and taxes increase.

Just what Lewiston needs another set of Gamache's pounding the faces and bodies of other young men.  The issue of fighting in Lewiston certainly doesn't  create prestiege for the city to have such violence associated with it.  There is enough violence on lower Lisbon St to satisfy everyone.  

If you want violence, then turn to a Lewiston favorite, hockey.  People start early teaching their kids to play hockey and forget just how violent this so called sport really is until they get hurt.  All they can think of is living vicariously through their children by building a team that will win a state championship. 

Raising a generation of children who know only violence through boxing or hockey will not eliminate the issue of bullying in schools.  Can't we begin to understand how these relate to the issues of bullying?  Reason says if you look beyond your own desires, you will find what you are truly creating and you may not like it.  Bullying must be stopped and mimimizing violence in the general community is the way to take a good first step.  Parents Reason hopes you read this with understanding and thought, not a knee jerk reaction to the issue, but one of logic.  Can I hope for that from the parents of Lewiston?  Reason has doubts.

We see that old feeling of a very very tight division race between the Jets, Miami, and the Patriots with the Bills as the spoilers of the division race.  We feel, sadly, that this might be the year that the Jet stomp on everyone.  Let's hope not.  With regard to Bill B., he does not own the team, but just works for them.  If the Kraft's will not put up enough money to keep veterans or buy into free agents, then truly New England is doomed.  The Yankees put tons of money into their baseball teams and expect to win every year.  If New England expects to win every year, then they too have to let the moths out of the wallet and buy the talent to do the job year after year.  Reason knows there is never a guarantee of winning, but we would have something to cheer for on every Sunday afternoon.  Remaining competitive is the key.  Reason with Me.

A brave act to give up your daughter for the good of others and a wise choice

Again, they will take anything won't they.

Ahhh Aho administers Auburn and the policeman works for Lewiston, so how are they related? I agree that police and firemen do not earn their just pay for the work they do for the public and the community; but someone has to manage and govern. Everyone is trained for a purpose, this Lewiston policeman was quick to react, thought it through and brought this dangerous felon to jail. Whether it will happen again, who knows maybe the prisoner won't be so lucky next time.

Good job officer Higgins!

How many of these responders really own property?  Do they rent and just don't want to have rent increases?  I wonder how many really live in Auburn also.  It doesn't count if they live in Lewiston to comment as to do less and keep the taxes down?  The SJ needs to filter out the Lew. People when commenting on the Auburn taxes.  The real Auburnites want the same services, and if it costs a little more well that is the way it goes.  There is no such thing as a zero budget.  Things cost more each year.  We have to recognize that fact.  Zero is a step backward.  We live in Auburn and are proud of it.  Don't make us a clone of Lewiston, a backward thinking city.  Reason that what we need may cost and there is no way to keep things at a lesser level without the city becoming a greatly lesser city.

Just another example of where the schools are surrogate parents.  Worried about a socialist state are you?  Reason that parents should teach their children how to behave and not the school system.  Bullying has been around since Cain and Able, it won't go away.  We can manage it by going back to a system where the families in the neighborhood care and report misdeeds to the parents of children who fail to follow proper behavior.  Of course, this requires that the parent do something about such behavior.  IF we continue to dump the active role of parenting on the schools, then who is responsible for this move toward a socialist state?  You the parents of course.  Schools now feed children breakfast and lunch in a large number of families. We have added teaching them how to behave.  What will be next?  Will we be feeding them their evening meal, providing a place for them to sleep over the course of the week and only visiting their parents on weekends.

Parents demand your rights.  Take care of your child.  If you are responsible enough to have a child then feed, dress, and teach them how to behave.  Do not take the role of dumping a child upon the local government and demanding that they raise them.  Be Responsible, or do not reproduce and this creates a vicious circle of dependency and the children grow up to be just like their parents living in subsidized housing and feeding themselves from food stamps and local welfare programs.  We, Reason that it is time to break this circle and stand up for your rights and privileges of parenthood.  Reason doubts that most will see this point as  no one wants to give up free things.  Parenting is not free, it is demanding of you.  Free food, free money, free rent, free time while your child is in school and doubtless free time after school and many of these parents will NOT help their child with academic questions at home.   Parents like these should not be parents. We, Reason this is why our country is declining.  Too Liberal and Morally weak.

What do you reason?

I, Reason that those councilors who voted for the continuation should be commended and those who opposed with such short sighted action should be voted out of office, I hope you agree and will remember this at the poles too.

Typical, isn't it, that the city wants recycling, but when it comes to priorities they keep the money, park trucks, don't pay staff, and discontinue the program for a "year."  Can I believe them?  In hard economic times, the frills get cut.  Technology is the frill in the education budget, can you believe it?  So recycling must be the frill in the city side of the budget.  I wish that this newspaper would publish on the standard web site the list of the city council agenda items a week before the meeting.  Certainly this agenda has more value to the general public than re-reading old editorials.  The Sun Journal has done an exceptional and wonderful job enhancing the paper to the esunjournal.  Quite a feat and should be commended.  There are few that are such an exceptional format.  However, those who do NOT chose to subscribe should be able to electronically view the city council agendas and decide it items on this are important enough for them to desire to attend.  I, Reason, would have at least written electronically to my council person to express my opinion had I known of this issue.  Reason with me that knowledge is power.  We must use our power to create the best city in Maine. I do not favor trash bag fees and special fees, but I do think that there are programs in other state and towns in PA. where people fully recycle and the programs works well.  We should look at these programs if a change is in the offing.  I do not support any recycling ideas presently in place in Maine.  Reason with ME.

Can you believe that they are building another UGLY garage in Lewiston?  How can they do that and justify the cost and the disfigurement of Lewiston.  At least Auburn has an attractive parking garage.  Which reminds me that buses linger around garages like they do near the Dingley Building and this centralizes those who need services.  Good for that one, but when people protest that they need more ridership routes I wonder about those big foreign built buses which always seem to be empty to me.  Wouldn't it be better to have several small van types to transport people and be full or at least seem full to the observer like me.  Then and only then could I feel the need to support more routes for these riders.  Can anyone believe that they want more when the buses are mostly empty.  Garages are bus magnets so this is how we came to this discussion today.  Reason with me what is needed here is better management of what we have in Lewiston and not more of what doesn't visibly work.

Maine Law should allow for Charter Schools

Too many rights in the world today.  When we as children grew up, everyone in the neighborhood watched out for everyone else's kids.  Parents were allowed to spank, or appropriately discipline their children.  A good physical whack or even the threat of one should be enough to keep a child in good behavior.  Take away all the cell phones, over protective parents who insist that their child can do NO Wrong, and tell them about life in the 1950's... most kids today are by my opinion just spoiled rotten.  They really don't understand hard work.  The Internet didn't exist when we went to school.  We had to use books and the dreaded "card catalog" to find what we wanted in a library.  Do your kids even know where the building is and do they know that founder of US Steel Dale C. established a trust fund to build libraries because he knew the importance of knowledge in the life of each of us.

Reason that the liberals, and the liberal Supreme Court decisions over the last 60 yrs have sent us all into a period where you can't discipline your own children or at least the most you can do is take away their cell phone.  You may not even be able to yell at them as that is considered Verbal Abuse... can you believe it?  No hitting, or yelling at your own children and they can take you to court for this.... NO, NO, NO, ... too wrong... and I won't even discuss their rights to speak or write in a language that is just excessively grammatically incorrect.  Reason with me, we need to change the laws relating to the family in this country... if we don't what will happen in the next generations?  I fear to even imagine.

All changes are not always good, but no change is worse than any change.  Failure to keep up with the times and cost of medical expenses is at the very heart of many issues in America today. 

Start somewhere and watch the politicians add riders on to other bills that will amend this one... it will happen. 

When workers are healthier, they take less sick time which means more productivity for each company and thus the country.  Reducing these sick days will save hundreds of millions in the next decade. 

Consider the fact that many people with existing conditions can't get insurance.  When they are ill and have maxed out the allowable amount, they must sell their house, etc,.to pay these bills.   This is not right. 

We would all be healthy if we could be.  Certainly no one wants to be sick unless your a hypochondriac.

Reason with me that health care change is a positive thing for all Americans especially our troops.

Another ex teacher dies, how many of his students remember him and who says that teaching isn't hazardous as both he and his brother have died, both teachers, and hopefully the stress of the job did not carry beyond the classroom and put them early into their graves.  We will never know how many Good men pass quietly into the night, but  I will miss them.  There is no reason for such men to die so young.

Would someone please tell me the day, place and time of the Class A finals?

Ok, good...when is the next game and who is it against?

If the bank CEO and CFO and COO, are being required to GIVE BACK bonuses and substantial increases, then why shouldn't hospital execs do the same.  Just imagine, how silly it is to pay someone to run a hospital when they make 20-30 times the local wage earner salary, and THEN give them a bonus, hidden as a retirement compensation... JUST INSANE.  Sure on one wants leadership to be underpaid and the state of the hospitals in Maine to go without good guidance, but this IS MAINE... not New York City or Fairfield Connecticut where people earn salarys in the 7 to 8 figure range... 300-500K even though excessive in Maine should be a legislative limit for the Top Managers.  Do they think we are stupid because we live in Maine?  The cost of living and food, etc does not justify those salary payments.  Perhaps this is where Maine natives need to take charge of Maine businesses.  Paul Dionne, just another ex Lewiston Mayor, knows the the ins and outs of Lewiston Politics... yuk.  Not much of a recommendation for someone to be on a board of directors.  How do you get to be on the board of directors anyway?  Politically connected?  When will regular people sit on such a board and work in concert with medical staff to run a more honest business.  Yes, take a LOT of money from those at the top, if they move, ok, I bet you can find a lot of people who have hospital management skills across the country

Reason says that money always overcomes political views.

Fewer heart attacks in this weather, hospitals may wish for snow, but not me.

This is always the same threat regardless of which management team is involved, labor cut your salary or we cut the workforce. For years school systems have said, "Do more with less and now they want the labor force to have fewer days, but they will hold them to the same standards when it comes to test results for the state? Ok, less days, less money for staff, some will be on food stamps, especially the lower paid employees. That is not a saving to the state. The average school district/region in Maine holds classes 175 day of the year. and this reduction is about 2.28 percent of the year. Thus will the state drop its expectations by the same percentage on school test results. Further, school years that go beyond Memorial Day in May have yet to recognize that there is no learning achieved after that point. This amounts to about 10 days yearly or another 5.7 percent yearly. If you started school 10 days earlier in August and ended by Memorial day weekend then you would not need to consider this 5.7 percent. However, the normal school year which would be proposed with 4 days reduced and 10 days lost production amount to a percentage of approx. 8 % ... now ask the state if they would be willing to reduce test scores by 8% on the norm and then come back and ask employees to take a salary reduction. Either way it is NOT GONING To HAPPEN as these people have worked for years to develop their seniority under existing labor contracts and pay scales. Perhaps the school district/region should declare bankruptcy like the auto makers, then the labor contracts would be null and void. Also perhaps the Feds would jump in with money to save them... laugh, laugh... I, Reason, this won't happen.
What do you Reason?

I am going to say it again... clean up main st in lewiston. Stop the traffic flowing left toward the mobil station and blocking through traffic for a length of time. If this turn is important, then create a separate lane to turn left, there is NO right turn at that intersection anyway so no big deal... I doubt that the mobil/big apple station does a lot of business with those who cut across the traffic lane anyway. Be aware improve your city in the best way. Function before aesthetics.

If you really want to help the city of Lewiston fix the traffic pattern around the city, look no further than Main St. Travel up Main St from Auburn, two lanes, and that is fine... UNTIL some one decides that they need to either turn into the Big Apple/Mobile station by making a left turn from the left lane. Because the traffic is oncoming, they stop, forcing everyone behind them to wait, then as the light turns they zoom into the Mobile Station. This means that the entire traffic flow behind them has waited... until they turn. Why not just move into the other lane around them you ask, because it is full of fast flowing traffic... which is what this lane should be... It was wise to remove an unneeded stop light on Main St, not the city should take it one step further, not allowing either a left or I believe there is a sign for it already in place, a right turn down a one way street from Main.... Please do something about this, I do not live in Lewiston, so the city will not listen to me, but they might listen to you...."the people's voice"
thanks

I agree with momof4 by asking "Why Here?"
Is it because that others are here, the state has a weak record of following up on these guys, food stamps, welfare support of other kinds, or what ... perhaps this would be a good topic for an investigative reporter... Think about it Sun Journal.

Ted was the emotional leader of a great team for years. I hope that he will have a Bruschi while watching the game...he deserves to be applauded for his years of excellent work.
If you are a Patriots fan, you will reason this too.

I think that you will have to go back farther than Jim Bennett to blame your troubles on Martindale. It really all began with a small group of people who yearly brought up the fact that they wanted a new clubhouse at the yearly winter meeting. Finally one year (remember this is in the winter) when the many senior members were far away in FL. they were able to just squeak out a majority and win approval. You had to attend the meeting to vote and that was their advantage. Ok, well the new club house cost...was it one or two million dollars ....who cares... this was the real sink hole of debt and although it looked nice it was almost impossible to pay for it. During this time there was an underhanded movement to reduce the number of older members and get those young turks out there playing and socializing so they could develop greater community diversity. Well, someone forgot that the older group had for years been the most stable group. If Martindale really wants to change, then there are things it must do internally. Most obviously it needs to eliminate so many in house tournaments. Minimize tee times, limit them to just the weekends and maybe Friday afternoon. Allow the public to play without restriction or tee times the remaining days of the week. Many many people enjoy just driving up to a nice club and getting out and off the first tee without being pressured to hurry. A course for the people is what is needed and not a course for the elitist members. I applaud the fact that the receptions, dinners, social events make money for the club and that people like to recommend it for usage. Reason says "A balance must be struck and presently the Members have too much control of the course during all days of the week. Leagues are competitive, but Martindale has too many of these too. As I said limit members, leagues, and tee times to Fri, Sat and Sunday for Members and invite the public or members for non tee times the rest of the week." Enough Said, but blame the right people.

The fact that the school committees through out the state have the final control on all financial items by law is usually what causes local problems....they make a take it or leave it offer and if it is too drastic then the teachers or police or firemen leave it. There is NO binding arbitration on financial matters, but there should be. This would give both sides a chance to work together to resolve these matters. However, remember one thing and that is that the process of negotiations is NOT A FAIR and BALANCED process as we would think. Offers are made from strength and unions can either accept them or not, if not they have to try to force the school committee and the public to realize their issue which is not one of greed, but of fair play. This can not be done until all options in the negotiation process have been used. This is why the city has taken so long. They do not wish anyone to know what is happening. Just like those awful issues of "PERSONNEL" matters which happen behind closed doors, they take negotiations even in its final stages behind the same closed doors. I say let the teachers strike, just dock them their daily pay for every day they don't work. The public hates to have their kids at home during the fall, winter and spring, so it shouldn't take long for a resolution. Just for you information, Teachers can strike, but not in Maine, ask people in Pennsylvania about teachers strikes. Reason says work together and do what is fair, but he knows that won't happen as someone has to prove they are the tough guy on the education block.

It was a very sad thing to lose Tom Rowe so early in his life.
Enough said.

Blame the former Lewiston City Manager if you will, but the rational is that he only advises the City Council and "THEY" must make the decisions to buy, not buy, renovate, etc. I, Reason, believe that Mr. Bennett was in many cases used as a Scape Goat for political policies and city financial errors. The "Arena" has always been an issue and with a city which thinks that HOCKEY is almighty, of course, you want to save it as it is the "Will" of a strong and outspoken "Minority." He was correct when he advised the City Counselor of the inappropriateness of his presence at a meeting. He did it in a professional manner and for that professional issue there seems to have brewed a real hatred by the city counselor, and I for one am glad that the election is close at hand because there are several city counselors who need replacing. I can only hope that someone more educated and less sensitive will run to replace those who voted Mr. Bennett out. If the citizens of Lewiston want better government, then they have to participate in it. I, Reason, that there is no other way.