Don’t forget to log out!

LEWISTON — Theresa Arita of Auburn learned a tough lesson recently: When using a public computer, log out!

Arita was at the Lewiston Career Center Nov. 17 searching for a job. She used the center’s computer for her job search and sent some personal e-mails. She left the computer, forgetting to log out.

An apparently mean person sat down and used her Yahoo account, sending her family members terrible e-mails with bad language. “My family thought all week I was being cruel,” Arita said.

After some tears and hurt feelings, Arita was able to explain what happened to her relatives. She wants others to know if they receive an e-mail that looks like it comes from someone you know, but the content is out of character, “not to assume they sent it.” That kind of misunderstanding “could have messed up the holidays,” she said.

“Also make sure to log out,” Arita said. Where there are public computers, there should be warning signs to people reminding them to log out, she said.

Career Center Manager Mary LaFontaine said whenever people use public computers they need to be extra careful. “We tell people all the time ‘Be sure you log out all the way.’ Despite that, we still find computers with personal information up, including Social Security numbers.” The center is a busy place, LaFontaine said. There’s not time to check every computer after it’s been used.

In addition to Arita resolving her relatives’ hurt feelings, there’s more good news. She got a job.

— Bonnie Washuk

Blue light special

Project Blue Light is a national effort by Concerns of Police Survivors to highlight the work of police officers in the United States. 

The organization encourages Americans to display a blue light in a window or outside their home during the holiday season in “remembrance of those officers who have made the supreme sacrifice, and honor those officers who continue to work the violent streets of our nation.”

Project Blue Light selected the color blue not because of police uniforms, but because the color is symbolic of peace.

According to Paul Armitage, a former police chief in Middleton, Mass., by “placing strings of blue lights outside your home, at the police department and throughout the community, law enforcement officers will understand that they are appreciated.”

He encourages Mainers to display blue to support local police officers and send a message “that the coming year will be a year of peace.”

— Judith Meyer

Faith restored

After an article appeared in the Sun Journal reporting the theft of a memorial stone cover from the Veterans Memorial Park, the Desjardin family has stepped forward and offered to replace the stolen cover.

The green-and-white cover, bearing the L&A Veterans Council seal, was found to be missing on Veterans Day morning as vets were preparing to dedicate the 18th memorial stone in the park. It had been used to cover the stone before its official unveiling.

After learning of the theft, Gregory Desjardin contacted the council and offered to pay for a replacement cover on behalf of his family and father, Dr. Daniel Desjardin, who served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II as a bombardier on a B-24 Liberator with the 8th Air Force in Europe from 1942 to 1945. Daniel’s brother, Clement Desjardin also served in World War II, and their youngest brother, John Desjardin, served 26 years in the U.S. Navy and was a decorated Naval aviator for his service during the Korean and Vietnam wars.

According to Gregory Desjardin, “The Desjardin family is very proud of all veterans and enjoys the freedom and posterity that their efforts made possible.” Donating funds to replace the stolen cover is “the least we can do for those who paid such a price,” Desjardin said.

The cover being replaced by the Desjardin family will be used as part of the unveiling of the 19th memorial stone in the park on Memorial Day 2010.

— Judith Meyer