Editor,

The Lakes Region Weekly has made a significant effort to change the face of the paper and to improve its coverage of local news. The “Inside –” town news columns are a valuable addition, and we in Sebago especially appreciate Elizabeth Dolloff’s column with Sebago news.

All those positive things the Lakes Region Weekly has done, however, are negated with negative stories such as the “Meet the Candidates” night article last fall (that was more about the pending divorce of one the candidates than the merits and positions of the candidates running for office) and the article “Sebago Selectman taken to mental hospital” that ran in the Feb. 8, 2008 edition.

This latest story was not news – it was sensational yellow journalism at its worst. In addition to the lurid title, the story was a one-sided and unbalanced recounting of an unfortunate incident. Your story has caused grievous hurt and embarassment to one of our long-time and respected citizens that he does not deserve.

What was your motivation to run this story? It barely qualifies as news and certainly doesn’t fit with the image you are apparently trying to build for the paper. If you really felt compelled to run it because of some weak “this is a public official” reasoning, then at least have the courtesy to do a complete story that has a little balance. What you published was just lazy reporting. If you are intent on an objective and enlightened reporting of the local news, your reporter certainly missed the mark. I sincerely hope that this type of reporting is not repeated in the future.

Allen Crabtree

Sebago Selectman