All letters and guest columns must include the writer’s name, town of residence and a telephone number, for confirmation purposes only.

Letters and guest columns must be received by noon the Friday before publication. Letter and guest columns regarding electoral candidates or referendum must be received two weeks prior to the election.

Letters to the editor must be limited to 300 words (150 words if the letter is a political endorsement of a candidate or referendum). Guest columns should be limited to 600 words.

Letters and guest columns should be emailed to editor@theforecaster.net.

We do not accept material written in longhand.

We reserve the right to reject or edit any submission. Personal complaints or attacks, poetry, plagiarized material, religious treatises or submissions from organized letter-writing campaigns will not be published.

We do not provide a forum for defendants to rehash court cases. Likewise, letters that have to do with private legal matters, including divorce and child custody issues, will not be printed.

We do not print letters or guest columns from disgruntled employees of private businesses who complain about unjust firings, or other problems. We do not print letters or guest columns accusing public or private individuals of criminal conduct. These types of complaints should be submitted to law enforcement officials instead.

Letters containing original poetry will not be printed.