Dear Editor:

Thank you for having the courage to publish my last "letter to the editor," reference Double Standards. I have had phone calls in support of my letter from some who feel they could not support it publicly. That in itself says a lot about America today.

Continuing, please consider the following two separate submissions for "letters to the editor." Thank you!

1. For your interest:

For those of you who would like to know more about the case of which I mentioned in my letter to the editor entitled "Double Standard," please check wbir.com. There also is an archive section on the home page; and, there is a "comment" section with 126 postings as of this morning, 1/21/07.

2. Murder and the DOT:

Is it only me? How much more are you going to take before you demand that the state return to sanding the roads instead of "pre-treating" by spraying liquid salt, or spreading rock salt? Drive around Boothbay Harbor and you have SANDED roads… drive over on Westport Island and you have SANDED roads. Now compare how many "black ice accidents" there have been compared to the state roads…

A few days ago as I traveled out on Route 27, I came across a vehicle off the road after sliding on the ice-covered surface. A few weeks ago the headlines read: "6 dead in Poland car accident." Last week the Lincoln County News carried the story of a 19-year-old Newcastle man who died on Route 215. Two years ago it was me. Route 1 - straight, wide road, out by the Teepee, past the Baptist Church heading towards Bath. Forty five mph, 10 mph below the speed limit, 8:30 a.m. in bright sunshine, and then multiple cars sliding on black ice with mine colliding with a 49-year-old woman from Bath. She was killed instantly, and I have lifelong effects from a broken neck. The traffic report says it all; "accident caused by slippery, UNSANDED roads." And a year ago, near the same spot, two people from Massachusetts killed in an accident caused by road conditions. It goes on and on all over the state. Plain and simply, the State of Maine DOT is guilty of pre-meditated murder in the unnecessary deaths of Maine motorists involved in accidents on unsanded roads. And all of this to save money. The choosing of saving money on sand and spring sand cleanup over the lives of motorists on the state highways.

And that accident in Poland? The most talked about aspect of that story wasn't road conditions, it was the fact that the driver had a suspended license! A suspended license doesn't cause a car to slide off the road. "It will be weeks or months" before the report on the cause of the accident will be ready… according to Channel 6 news, quoting State Police. Really? How long does it take to look at the ice-covered roads, see where the car slid sideways. Or, will the report take weeks or months, coming out in spring or summer, so that when it is released most people will have forgotten that accident and many others?

Who makes the decision to not use sand, but to spray car-damaging liquid salt on the highways that harms the environment along with rusting out your brake rotors and exhaust systems? The salt that melts the ice, only to allow it to refreeze, and to give you the skating rink to drive on! Let's choose from the following:

The decision to do away with sand was made by: (a) the person(s) who just made a "RUMBLE STRIP" in the MIDDLE of Route 1 between Wiscasset and Woolwich! A "rumble strip" in the middle of the road! And not just where the lines are solid yellow, but the whole section of road, even where it's legal to pass! Now let's get this straight; a "rumble strip" is really a uniform series of POTHOLES that causes your tires to jump up and down when you go over the strip… Helllooooo… Doesn't that cause your tires to lose traction just as you are making a legal pass? And, since these holes fill up with water, snow, etc. and FREEZE, don't we now have a ribbon of ice in the center of the road that your tires go over as you turn them to make your legal pass? Add that to your "no-sand" policy and maybe we can get some more cars off the road. Is it only me? I didn't have any problem seeing the yellow lines, did you? (b) The person(s) who after we taxpayers paid for a rest area South-bound just outside of Bath, decided we taxpayers didn't want that rest area so had it torn up at taxpayers' expense and the area planted grass. The grass that cars now stop on. (c) The person(s) who decided we needed a brilliant, eye-blinding, white strobe light in FRONT of a red light! Is it only me? I got my driver's license in 1960 and haven't had any problem seeing a red light since then. Now, however, and especially at night, I can approach a red light and be forced to have a white strobe light flash in my eyes while I await a light change, thus robbing me of some of my night-vision. And they were installed free, correct? (d) The person(s) who decided to transform police cars from a "safety vehicle" to a "road hazard." How many of you remember when the State Police were known as "State Bulls" and police cars had a SINGLE round, rotating blue light on top affectionately called the "bubble-gum machine?" I didn't have any trouble seeing that single light up ahead, or in my rear-view mirror where it usually was. Today? I came around the corner on 27 in Edgecomb on a black night after raining. Up ahead was right out of a space movie. Flashing blue and white strobe lights blinded me. Not only was there a "light bar" on the roof of the car with alternating left and right brilliant flashing lights but a second light bar in the back window. Flashing white strobe lights were on both sides of the license plate. Now, there are even lights in the mirrors, grills, and parking lights that flash strobe-like intensity. The number of lights on the vehicle is a hazard in itself.

And on that subject, is it only me? A school bus is yellow, has yellow flashing lights when the driver warns you he is going to stop, and red lights that tell you to stop. This hasn't changed since I got my license, either. Not now, though… No, we have a flashing stop sign that comes out from the side of the bus (effective), but a white flashing strobe light on the top of the bus! Is this an aircraft warning light? Just what purpose does this white strobe light satisfy?

Who comes up with all of this? I know, the person(s) who said salt is better than sand, and that we can save a few bucks if we stop using sand on the roads.

P.S. How about this? Let's heavily sand a ten-mile stretch of 295 on one side, use liquid salt "pretreatment" on the other side, and then keep track of how many accidents there are on each side. And, sand one half of Route 27 from Route 1 to the Harbor, leave the rest for the salt, and let's see which fares the best.

Bobby Bradley

Boothbay Harbor

Dear Editor:

It's no secret we are privileged to have one of the best basketball teams in the state playing on our peninsula. This newspaper provides excellent coverage, and Channel 7 should be commended for the terrific job they do televising tapes of the games.

But there is no substitute for showing up in person to cheer them on, so do yourself a favor and go to see Boothbay play at rival Wiscasset Friday, then treat yourself Tuesday night to the final home game of the season at Porter Memorial Gymnasium. This team will feel the energy that a packed gym can generate, and feed off it as they head to the Western Maine Tournament in Augusta.

These are special players who have worked hard to get where they are, and they deserve the attention of the entire region, not just the great core of fans which regularly make three-hour road trips. The Seahawks will certainly generate thrills in the coming weeks that they'll remember the rest of their lives. It's our last chance to see the seniors who have starred for this program the last few years. Don't miss your opportunity; you can be sure they'll be making the most of theirs as they pursue the Gold Ball.

It's not only one of the best entertainment options in town but showing support for this team is an example of what living in a small town in Maine during February is all about.

Go Seahawks!

Tom Perkins

Boothbay Harbor

Dear Editor:

I am writing in opposition to the Baldacci administration initiative to create large "regional learning communities" to replace local and regional school districts in the state of Maine. First of all, let's remember who is proposing this initiative and their track record so far. This is the same administration that proposed the Dirigo health plan. While visionary in intent, this plan has been poorly implemented so that few are being covered at relatively high cost. This is also the administration that spent millions of dollars on an untested system for administering Medicaid claims which has caused havoc in the health care system and which now needs to be replaced because it will apparently NEVER work.

With respect to education in the state of Maine, I believe that our system works quite well as is. Our standards are high and our students are generally getting the teaching they need to meet them. There are certainly inequities across regions and there could be improvement in the way that education is funded in Maine (less dependence on property taxes and more on broad based taxes). There are certainly problems with our property tax system that force people out of their homes as out of state and non-resident buyers run up property values, particularly along our coast and on our lakes. The Baldacci proposal does little to solve these problems except in a cosmetic way.

First, although presented as an efficiency (i.e., cost cutting) measure, this initiative promises funding of new services such as expanding the laptop program to grades 7-12. While it may be desirable to cut administrative costs and devote the savings to things that impact instruction more directly, this isn't the way this initiative is being presented. Second, administrative costs in Maine, while a larger proportion of the total school budget than in some other states, are still a very small part of overall educational costs. The projected savings of administrative consolidation cited in the bill is $160 per student. This amount can only have a miniscule impact on property taxes even if it isn't offset by other spending. Also note that part of the "projected savings" described on the Department of Education Web site is due to the mandated by law but not yet fully enacted 55 percent state funding of education. This is a gross misrepresentation: This isn't savings, it's just a different funding mechanism. As I read the bill, local funding for schools may be apportioned entirely by property valuation rather than by the number of students served, although alternative mechanisms are allowed as well. And while the new districts take over any funds remaining in the accounts of the old districts, they are NOT required to assume debts incurred by the old districts.

But the most compelling argument against this proposal is the loss of control over our schools. The Boothbay region would become part of a geographically large district covering the areas from West Bath to Nobleboro, South Bristol to Alna. Bath is the (relatively) large population center of this new district and could clearly dominate voting on the school budget every year. One of the reasons many of us live in Maine is because we CAN have influence over our local institutions. Over many years, we in the Boothbay region have made a clear commitment to the youth of our community. While we want to be assured that our tax money is well spent, we are willing to spend it on a quality education product. If this proposal becomes law, we will be giving up a huge measure of control over the education of our children for a tiny cost savings (if any). It isn't worth it. I ask you to read the bill. You can find it on the Department of Education Web site (www.maine.gov/education/support

ingschools). (Please note that I have tried to use the 'contact us" area to ask questions but have received no answers.) I beg you to call or write our governor, local senator and local representative and just say no.

Lee Lucas

East Boothbay