The July 20 editorial, “Rumford can’t afford a failure,” was a superb job at promoting Lewiston-Auburn’s “free” balloon festival while bashing the concert in Mexico featuring the “former member of Santana’s original band.” Gregg Rolie is not only the co-founder of Santana and Journey but also the original vocalist and has written numerous hits.

Another person named in the editorial, Jim Viger, is an accomplished singer and songwriter who has put his heart into this show for the past year. It is a complicated endeavor, dealing with management, schedules and, obviously, a lack of support. Viger won’t make a dime but has donated his time, energy and contacts in the business to help out his hometown.

His partner, Joe Roberts, is an amazing man with many accomplishments.

The “failure” the editorial seems to be about cannot be blamed on Joe, the committee, the towns or the concert, but rather on the thousands of people who come to Rumford to witness the fireworks show yet donate very little money.

It’s true, a lot is riding on the show, which relies on the fans buying tickets, the price of which the editorial claims ($22.50 for an all-day event in a beautiful, western mountain town) is too high.

The band has already been sent a payment, and it’s not Moontide’s money, it’s not Rumford or Mexico’s money, and it’s not the stolen money the editorial writer just could not fail to mention.

Tom Hines, Peru


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