Facts are the most important issue regarding the upcoming vote to decide to ban or continue to allow the allegedly, “cruel and unsportsmanlike,” hunting practices currently used in the state of Maine when hunting bears. There are three hunting practices at issue: Hunting using foot traps, dog packs, and food placement (training the bears to feed in specific places). These three are referred to as “trapping, hounding and baiting.”

There have been arguments made that the fact that RSU 12 has a Fiscal Year 2013 deficit of just over a million dollars is good reason for Wiscasset to withdraw from RSU 12. I would like to put the RSU 12 deficit in perspective.

Once again the notorious anti-hunting Humane Society of the United States is attempting to regulate how bears are hunted in the State of Maine.

In his letter published last week, Rep. Devin tries to make the case for expanding Medicaid. He wrote that “the Federal government would be paying for 100 percent of costs for the new Medicaid recipients for the first three years, gradually declining to no less than 90 percent of costs by the year 2020.”

The Republican Party has declared itself irrelevant.

I have always argued against a third party. Unfortunately, by the process of unintended consequences those of us disenfranchised by the establishment leaders of the Republican Party have effectively been cast into a third party.

This is in response to Mr. Kenneth Marden’s letter concerning the practices of bear hunting in Maine. Once I read the letter I was beyond angry! Everything he states just sounds so absurd to me.

I read your article on the comprehensive plan with great interest. (“Damariscotta invites feedback on comprehensive plan,” LCN, 10/10/2013, Page 5) I have attended many meetings of the comprehensive planning committee and I am pleased to see that income disparity as related to housing costs was addressed.

Hooray for Lincoln Academy! Ever since leaving Lincoln and my hometown Damariscotta 62 years ago I have followed, through the LCN and the newsletters, their progress and expansions.

As we put this edition of The Lincoln County News to bed this week, it is literally 12 years to the day; at the time of this writing, almost to the hour, of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The voters of Maine should write to U.S. Representatives Michaud and Pingree and to Senators Collins and King to urge them to vote “No” on President Obama’s resolution to attack Syria in response to its use of chemical weapons.

Early Monday morning we were hit by a lightning strike, which caused at least two electrical circuits to fail, three of our phones to die and a propane gas leak.

On Sept. 10 two of the biggest towns in Lincoln County will vote to settle budget matters left over from their June town meetings.

This past June at Newcastle’s annual town meeting, voters rejected a proposal to replace the current sign ordinance language with a more comprehensive, stand-alone sign ordinance. Objections to the proposal largely revolved around illuminated signs; however, there was general agreement that a new sign ordinance was needed.

Beauty is more than skin deep, yet a good holster helps. Maine is one of the only places where a woman gets compliments for having a nice rack and she proudly points to the deer in her truck. She doesn’t get offended. She’s got a great holster. It’s easier to laugh about the small stuff when you’re prepared for the big stuff.