Evan Cyr, in an article in the Jan. 17 Sun Journal, complains that after nearly a dozen years on the Auburn Planning Board he was not reappointed to that position. The former Auburn City Council, at its final meeting on Dec. 4, attempted to extend its control over future Planning Board membership by making three […]
Letters
Letters to the editor of the Sun Journal.
Robert Macdonald: Terminating employees for doing their job a ‘joke’
During my 33 years working for the city of Lewiston and six years as the city’s mayor, I cannot remember a Lewiston employee being terminated for doing their job. It reminds me of a late night TV joke. Does anyone realize the effect this will have on our current city employees? In a year will […]
In rebuttal: Ron Russell: Auburn board appointment letter reflected sour grapes, not hypocrisy
Brian J. DuBois’ criticism of Ryan Smith (“Criticism of new Auburn Planning Board member,” Jan. 19) seems misplaced. Not knowing either person, I found the letter blaming Mr. Smith a bit conflicted. The removal of Evan Cyr from the board was the decision of the City Council. Putting Mr. Smith on the Planning Board is […]
Donald Dubuc: Immigrants’ free housing overshadows needs of Maine natives
Do people ever wonder when the taxpayers of this state will stand up and say enough is enough? We have the state supplying $3.5 million to house undocumented immigrants free of charge for two years in Brunswick. That is not all that they are giving these immigrants, while a lot of the elderly in this […]
Denis Mancine: Adult vs. child reactions to the schoolyard bully
As kids we encountered schoolyard bullies. A few kids become allies of the bullies. A few kids stood up to the bullies. The majority of kids did their best to avoid the bullies and to stay out of the way. Almost all kids knew that a bully was not a person to admire, a bully […]
Chief Jason Moen: ‘We hold ourselves accountable to the people we serve’
This is in response to Moe Galarneau’s letter published Jan. 11, “Police aren’t above the law.” Mr. Galarneau is absolutely right; police aren’t above the law. He saw an Auburn police cruiser committing a speeding violation and submitted a Freedom of Access Act request for the GPS data for the cruiser in question. Once the […]
Hillory Oakes: SJ’s ‘look back’ to 1924 event could have used editor’s note
I always take a moment to read the “Looking Back” column; I usually focus on the “100 Years Ago” entries since they tend to be the most charming, such as an entry a few weeks ago describing a man who showed up at City Hall offering to chop wood to pay his taxes. (His offer […]
Jim Lysen: Drug use needs public health response
I have lived in Lewiston for 40 years. The last 12 years of my professional career I was the executive director of Community Clinical Services, a federally qualified health center affiliated with St. Mary’s Health System. I was in charge of 23 sites, including five school-based health centers. It was clear then that substance use […]
In rebuttal: Constance Michaud: ‘Not all Catholics are true Christians’
I write in response to the letter regarding Donald Trump’s evangelicals (“‘Trump’s evangelicals have taken Christ out of Christianity’,” Jan. 13). This letter was well written and accurate until the paragraph that begins with “President Biden is a Christian and member of the Catholic Church.” This is where the difference lies: A true Christian has […]
Sarah Gibson: Schizophrenics need proper treatment
I write as the mother of an adult son very ill with schizophrenia who is refusing help, about to run out of money, and become homeless in southern Maine next week. Given recent events, I feel I must speak out because what many people do not realize is how potentially dangerous untreated schizophrenics can be. […]