DEAR SUN SPOTS: Quite often I see the term “theft by unauthorized taking” in the Androscoggin county indictments. Is that politically correct verbiage for stealing? Is there anytime when stealing is authorized? — Charles Bouchles, no town.

ANSWER: Theft by unauthorized taking or transfer is the legal term. “A person is guilty of theft if the person obtains or exercises unauthorized control over the property of another with intent to deprive the other person of the property.” For a full explanation of why it is called that, you can read Title 17 – Section 353 (tinyurl.com/ljs33rq) in the Maine Revised Statutes.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: Catholic Financial Life (formerly l’Union Saint-Jean-Baptiste) Chapter N413, is inviting area residents to join them in our annual family bottle drive to benefit Hope Village in Haiti. Free The Kids is a non-profit organization. Project Hope (Pwoje Espwa) takes care of over 800 orphans, providing shelter, medical care, education and a soup kitchen. They experienced total devastation because of Hurricane Matthew last fall. Living conditions have not improved much since then, so your help is desperately needed. Read more at freethekids.org.

With the help of area donors, our chapter is hoping to raise enough money to receive matching funds from Catholic Financial Life. Last year, our joint efforts brought in $9,200. We need your continued support. Please save your bottles between May 1 and May 31. Kindly redeem your bottles and send us a check by June 5, 2017. Cash donations are also very much appreciated. Please make checks payable to:

Catholic Financial Life Chapter N413

c/o Jean Gastonguay

237 Pleasant Street

Lewiston, ME 04240

DEAR SUN SPOTS: How can I get a speed limit sign posted on my road? Although we’ve never known the official speed, most of us drive about 35 mph. Recently, several new families moved in and they are driving anywhere from 50 to 70 mph. It’s a thin road with no shoulder. Many of us walk dogs and ride bikes. Just this week someone almost hit my 8-year-old son with their car and then sped away! Who can I contact before something horrible happens? — Wendy, Sweden.

ANSWER: First, contact your town office or city hall. For Sweden, the Town Office can reached at 207-647-3944. Then verify that your road is not a private road. If it is not, ask for a speed limit sign to be posted. If it is private, you may have to contact the Maine DOT, or your town may have speed limit signs you can post but it would by the residents’ responsibility on a private road. If you are part of an HOA, you will want to discuss it with them as well.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: The Sumner Volunteer Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary will be holding its annual yard sale on Saturday, June 3 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Sumner Fire Department on Rte. 219. Donations are gladly accepted with the exception of electronics and computers. If you would like to donate to this wonderful cause or have questions, please call Gail at 207-674-5522 or Polly at 207-388-2020. There will be plants, baked goods, door prizes and a raffle. All proceeds benefit the Sumner Volunteer Fire Department.

Use the QR code to go to Sun Spots online for additional information and links. This column is for you, our readers. It is for your questions and comments. There are only two rules: You must write to the column and sign your name (we won’t use it if you ask us not to). Please include your phone number. Letters will not be returned or answered by mail, and telephone calls will not be accepted. Your letters will appear as quickly as space allows. Address them to Sun Spots, P.O. Box 4400, Lewiston, ME 04243-4400. Inquiries can be emailed to sunspots@sunjournal.com, tweeted @SJ_SunSpots or posted on the Sun Spots Facebook page at facebook.com/SunJournalSunSpots. This column can also be read online at sunjournal.com/sunspots. We’ve joined Pinterest at pinterest.com/sj_sunspots.

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