Thank you to the city of Portland; you have made your citizens proud. Portland has shown the country that it prioritizes the health and well-being of its children. Recently, Portland City Council members unanimously voted to end the sale of flavored tobacco products and sent a strong statement against big tobacco companies. By ending the sale […]
Forecaster letters
Posted inThe Forecaster
Letter: N. Yarmouth permit cap needed to offset tax hikes
We are in favor of the building cap limiting residential development in the village center and village residential to 15 building permits versus the unlimited building permits we currently have. We have TIF (tax increment financing) districts that pay taxes to the town, but not to the school district, even though these developments impact the […]
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Posted inThe Forecaster
Letter: Larsen has the right stuff to serve SAD 75
I am writing to support Ryan Larsen as a candidate to the SAD 75 School Board of Directors in the March 12 election. Ryan is a respectful communicator, open-minded advocate and steadfast supporter of the conditions that are essential to fostering a learning environment. In his professional life, Ryan manages and directs teams of contributors, […]
Posted inThe Forecaster
Letter: Forecaster should stop printing Balentine’s inaccuracies
In Mr. Balentine’s opinion piece from Feb. 10 (“Here’s Something: COVID lockdown story points to media’s failings”), he references a “newly released study overseen by an economics professor at Johns Hopkins University” and uses this study to continue to push the false claim that the lockdowns have been “next to useless.” It is very important […]
Posted inThe Forecaster
Letter: Statistics refute Balentine’s COVID lockdown claims
The title of the opinion piece “COVID lockdown story points to media’s failings” (Here’s Something by John Balentine, Feb. 2) is an interesting choice of words for an editorial piece that professes to be factual. The “working study” referenced purports that “lockdowns” only reduced deaths by two-tenths of 1%. This claim is demonstratively false. Please […]
Posted inThe Forecaster
Letter: Support building cap in North Yarmouth village district
North Yarmouth residents are upset. They approved a Comprehensive Plan and Land Use Ordinance amendments to protect our rural character. They see intense development instead. In the last three years, 131 new house permits have been issued. Instead of analyzing what is driving this activity and determining residents’ support, some of our municipal leaders are […]
Posted inThe Forecaster
Letter: Basis of Balentine column bogus at best
Balentine claims that a “Johns Hopkins study” reviewing “thousands” of research articles showed that shutdowns had no effect on COVID deaths (“Here’s Something: COVID lockdown story points to media’s failings,” Feb. 11). The study is not a Johns Hopkins study. The lead author is a part-time professor there and a senior fellow at the Cato […]
Posted inThe Forecaster
Letter: Larsen right choice to serve Harpswell in SAD 75
We need Ryan Larsen on the SAD 75 School Board. Now, more than ever, we need members who are good listeners, thoughtful decision-makers and strong advocates for public education. As the father of three, he brings the voice of our families. As a manager at L.L.Bean, he brings budget and financial acumen and the ability […]
Posted inThe Forecaster
Letter: Support Portland’s diverse student body
This week’s talk about Board of Education priorities reminded me of two years ago as people were losing jobs or unable to go to work (“Portland Superintendent’s Notebook: Budget will keep the focus on teaching, learning,” Feb. 16). Day care was reaching crisis; everything affected normal life. I remember the city manager submitting a Portland […]
Posted inThe Forecaster
Letter: Balentine inadvertently makes case for BLM
If ever there were an argument to explain the need for Black Lives Matter, it would be The Forecaster column by John Balentine (“Here’s Something: BLM should learn to be more like MLK,” Jan. 17), whether Balentine purposefully chose to provoke a response or inadvertently illustrated precisely why Black Americans should never quit being aggressive […]