Letters to the Editor - Sept. 22, 2011
City resident felt threatened
To the editor:
Below is a letter I wanted everyone to see last week. The reason it did not appear is because I felt threatened by Randy Seaver, Alan Casavant’s campaign manager. His words were “I talked to Alan Casvant and I advise you not to put the letter in the paper or else.”
I took this at a direct threat. He told me it could ruin Alan’s campaign for mayor. Well, here is the letter as I intended:
I would like to thank Alan Casavant for taking his time to talk to me and take my court paper work to clear my name from the Maine Sex Offender Registry. I have been on the sex offender list for 11 years and I have been trying to get my name off of this list. I was amazed that a candidate for mayor of Biddeford would sit down with me and take over an hour of his time. Not many political candidates would extend their personal phone number to a regular guy. Thanks again for all your help. Vote Casavant for mayor of Biddeford.
James Simpson
Biddeford
Statewide racino vote is not fair
To the editor:
I was among the 59 percent of Biddeford voters who approved a racino for our community at a citywide election last fall.
Call me crazy, but I thought that should have settled the matter. Ocean Properties and Scarborough Downs should already be building the new racetrack, hotel and restaurants that will make up the $120 million Biddeford Downs project.
Hundreds of construction workers would already be on the jobsite and hundreds more would be filling out job applications to work at the new racino. Instead, we find ourselves at the mercy of the statewide vote on Nov. 8.
I believe that cities and towns should be allowed to determine their own destinies. Communities should have the right to decide for themselves. Why should residents in other communities be able to tell Biddeford which jobs we can have and which ones we can’t have?
Biddeford Downs will create hundreds of real jobs now and put money in people’s pockets and back into the local economy.
Please honor a local decision. Vote yes on question two.
Anna Rivard
Biddeford
Biddeford racino will create jobs
To the editor:
Maine voters were right to approve racinos back in 2003 and we should reaffirm that decision by voting yes on question two on Nov. 8.
If we’ve learned anything in the past eight years it’s that we can’t continue to turn away good jobs and economic development. Working class families are leaving Maine because they can’t make a living here.
Approval of question two will bring modern harness racetracks combined with slots parlors to Biddeford and Washington County. It will create jobs immediately and will deliver millions of dollars to the state’s general fund.
The Biddeford Downs project alone will create 800 construction jobs and 500 jobs at the facility when it’s done with an average salary of $35,000. Don’t forget all the other jobs at stake here from hay farmers to feed dealers and equipment dealers who cater to Maine’s horse owners.
I’ve raised standardbred horses for the past 10 years and I’ve gotten to know many of the people involved in the industry. They are a hard-working, tight-knit community that supports our state’s working farms, open spaces and rural heritage, and they’re depending on your vote.
We meant “yes” when we voted to approve racinos in 2003. I urge you to do the same on Nov. 8.
Cyndie Bowie
Isle of Joy Farm, Buxton
Don’t ignore hypocrisy, vote for state racinos
To the editor:
Why is it that Maine seems to be the only state that’s too good to accept jobs when they are right in front of our eyes?
I’m talking about the proposed racinos for Biddeford and Washington County. The residents of both areas overwhelmingly support the projects, yet they must now put their hopes in the rest of us in a statewide referendum on Nov. 8.
Maybe it’s because my wife and I have raised and raced horses in Maine for the past three decades, but a yes vote on this referendum question should be a no-brainer.
We already have gambling in Maine. We have it at Hollywood Slots in Bangor, with harness racing and off-track betting, scratch tickets and a state-endorsed lottery that generates millions of dollars in revenue every year. Then there is the new casino going up in Oxford County.
Why would we allow all of those things but say no to the harness racetracks?
The hypocrisy amazes me. My family has visited other states where there are racinos and we’ve seen how much they benefit the harnessmen and the economy in general. Those facilities have helped create jobs, support local hay farmers, grain and feed stores, blacksmiths, vets and the list goes on.
Please join us in voting yes on question two.
Richard and Helen Belisle
Saco
Santa Bil needs help with donations and more
To the editor:
Is it time to clean out your children’s toys? Are you throwing away old Christmas lights or a tree? Give us a call and schedule a pick up.
Santa Bil’s Workshop has started taking donations and fundraising for the fourth annual Christmas program. We ask the public to donate new or gently used toys, trees, decorations and canned goods. We have a bake sale and car wash Sunday at the Saco Mobile Station.
Soon you’ll see Santa Bil’s boxes popping up around town. You can drop off toys at these locations. We have added a new area to our program and now will have a site setup in greater Sanford. Santa Bil’s Workshop has helped families in the Biddeford and Saco area for three years and needs your help to continue.
For more information, visit www.bilmoriarty.info or type “Santa Bil’s Workshop” in Facebook. For information about the Biddeford program call 205-0943 or for the Sanford program, call Sheila at 608-9846.
Bil Moriarty
Biddeford
Courier was page turning last week
To the editor:
Like so many Biddeford, Saco and Old Orchard Beach residents, I enjoy reading The Biddeford-Saco-Old Orchard Beach Courier from cover to cover every week. However, your Sept. 15 edition got a little wacky when it came to starting and finishing a story.
Unlike past issues when a lengthy story is completed on an adjoining page, your layout editor went out of his (or her) way to make us turn several pages just to finish a particular news item. I found myself constantly going from page 1 to page 20 something, back to page 1 or 2 to begin another story, only to have to turn to a different page (usually in the middle or toward the back) to finish it.
This began to aggravate me by the time I reached an article on page 4 and had to jump somewhere else. By the time I got to the classified pages – where everything was laid out logically – I tossed the paper to the floor and let my (usually friendly) cat destroy it with his claws.
Look, nobody is going to mistake the Biddeford-Saco-Old Orchard Beach Courier for the area’s daily papers, but why put us on a page turning expedition in order to finish a local story? Adapt your successful classified format and keep your related stories within one or two pages.
Gary Dixon
Ocean Park
To the editor:
Below is a letter I wanted everyone to see last week. The reason it did not appear is because I felt threatened by Randy Seaver, Alan Casavant’s campaign manager. His words were “I talked to Alan Casvant and I advise you not to put the letter in the paper or else.”
I took this at a direct threat. He told me it could ruin Alan’s campaign for mayor. Well, here is the letter as I intended:
I would like to thank Alan Casavant for taking his time to talk to me and take my court paper work to clear my name from the Maine Sex Offender Registry. I have been on the sex offender list for 11 years and I have been trying to get my name off of this list. I was amazed that a candidate for mayor of Biddeford would sit down with me and take over an hour of his time. Not many political candidates would extend their personal phone number to a regular guy. Thanks again for all your help. Vote Casavant for mayor of Biddeford.
James Simpson
Biddeford
Statewide racino vote is not fair
To the editor:
I was among the 59 percent of Biddeford voters who approved a racino for our community at a citywide election last fall.
Call me crazy, but I thought that should have settled the matter. Ocean Properties and Scarborough Downs should already be building the new racetrack, hotel and restaurants that will make up the $120 million Biddeford Downs project.
Hundreds of construction workers would already be on the jobsite and hundreds more would be filling out job applications to work at the new racino. Instead, we find ourselves at the mercy of the statewide vote on Nov. 8.
I believe that cities and towns should be allowed to determine their own destinies. Communities should have the right to decide for themselves. Why should residents in other communities be able to tell Biddeford which jobs we can have and which ones we can’t have?
Biddeford Downs will create hundreds of real jobs now and put money in people’s pockets and back into the local economy.
Please honor a local decision. Vote yes on question two.
Anna Rivard
Biddeford
Biddeford racino will create jobs
To the editor:
Maine voters were right to approve racinos back in 2003 and we should reaffirm that decision by voting yes on question two on Nov. 8.
If we’ve learned anything in the past eight years it’s that we can’t continue to turn away good jobs and economic development. Working class families are leaving Maine because they can’t make a living here.
Approval of question two will bring modern harness racetracks combined with slots parlors to Biddeford and Washington County. It will create jobs immediately and will deliver millions of dollars to the state’s general fund.
The Biddeford Downs project alone will create 800 construction jobs and 500 jobs at the facility when it’s done with an average salary of $35,000. Don’t forget all the other jobs at stake here from hay farmers to feed dealers and equipment dealers who cater to Maine’s horse owners.
I’ve raised standardbred horses for the past 10 years and I’ve gotten to know many of the people involved in the industry. They are a hard-working, tight-knit community that supports our state’s working farms, open spaces and rural heritage, and they’re depending on your vote.
We meant “yes” when we voted to approve racinos in 2003. I urge you to do the same on Nov. 8.
Cyndie Bowie
Isle of Joy Farm, Buxton
Don’t ignore hypocrisy, vote for state racinos
To the editor:
Why is it that Maine seems to be the only state that’s too good to accept jobs when they are right in front of our eyes?
I’m talking about the proposed racinos for Biddeford and Washington County. The residents of both areas overwhelmingly support the projects, yet they must now put their hopes in the rest of us in a statewide referendum on Nov. 8.
Maybe it’s because my wife and I have raised and raced horses in Maine for the past three decades, but a yes vote on this referendum question should be a no-brainer.
We already have gambling in Maine. We have it at Hollywood Slots in Bangor, with harness racing and off-track betting, scratch tickets and a state-endorsed lottery that generates millions of dollars in revenue every year. Then there is the new casino going up in Oxford County.
Why would we allow all of those things but say no to the harness racetracks?
The hypocrisy amazes me. My family has visited other states where there are racinos and we’ve seen how much they benefit the harnessmen and the economy in general. Those facilities have helped create jobs, support local hay farmers, grain and feed stores, blacksmiths, vets and the list goes on.
Please join us in voting yes on question two.
Richard and Helen Belisle
Saco
Santa Bil needs help with donations and more
To the editor:
Is it time to clean out your children’s toys? Are you throwing away old Christmas lights or a tree? Give us a call and schedule a pick up.
Santa Bil’s Workshop has started taking donations and fundraising for the fourth annual Christmas program. We ask the public to donate new or gently used toys, trees, decorations and canned goods. We have a bake sale and car wash Sunday at the Saco Mobile Station.
Soon you’ll see Santa Bil’s boxes popping up around town. You can drop off toys at these locations. We have added a new area to our program and now will have a site setup in greater Sanford. Santa Bil’s Workshop has helped families in the Biddeford and Saco area for three years and needs your help to continue.
For more information, visit www.bilmoriarty.info or type “Santa Bil’s Workshop” in Facebook. For information about the Biddeford program call 205-0943 or for the Sanford program, call Sheila at 608-9846.
Bil Moriarty
Biddeford
Courier was page turning last week
To the editor:
Like so many Biddeford, Saco and Old Orchard Beach residents, I enjoy reading The Biddeford-Saco-Old Orchard Beach Courier from cover to cover every week. However, your Sept. 15 edition got a little wacky when it came to starting and finishing a story.
Unlike past issues when a lengthy story is completed on an adjoining page, your layout editor went out of his (or her) way to make us turn several pages just to finish a particular news item. I found myself constantly going from page 1 to page 20 something, back to page 1 or 2 to begin another story, only to have to turn to a different page (usually in the middle or toward the back) to finish it.
This began to aggravate me by the time I reached an article on page 4 and had to jump somewhere else. By the time I got to the classified pages – where everything was laid out logically – I tossed the paper to the floor and let my (usually friendly) cat destroy it with his claws.
Look, nobody is going to mistake the Biddeford-Saco-Old Orchard Beach Courier for the area’s daily papers, but why put us on a page turning expedition in order to finish a local story? Adapt your successful classified format and keep your related stories within one or two pages.
Gary Dixon
Ocean Park
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