Schools open this week. In short order, we will all be back in our familiar fall routines. Some of us focus on getting the kids out the door in the morning, and others are mainly concerned about avoiding school buses during the morning commute.

Traveling up and down Bunker Hill Road is an experience I love in any season. Thoughtless, selfish and disrespectful individuals who toss their trash and then continue down the beautiful road would do well to heed the long arm (hopefully now washed) and eagle eye of Ron Jones.

My name is Emma Solorzano. I am an 8th grader at Jefferson Village School. I am writing this letter because after hearing all the information from my mother who attended the town meetings, I was deeply disappointed in the town’s decision to cut $240,000 from the school budget.

Twelve Maine Republicans resigned their party positions and un-enrolled from their party this week with a dramatic flourish, sending a letter to the Maine GOP that made the press.

I would like to start out by saying that I normally support the Select Board of the town of Waldoboro, but in this case I feel that they only have their own personal agenda, which is to punish the police department.

Next Tuesday, July 23, in Jefferson a small number of residents are going to commit the town to a course of action.

I am writing to praise one (actually two) of our local merchants. My letter is long overdue, but that does not make it any less sincere.

If you are a resident of Jefferson who is alarmed at the recent increase in your property taxes, vote “yes” on the Jefferson School Committee budget in the Jefferson special election next Tuesday, July 23.

The signs of summer; those days we dream of all winter, the days of our childhood that are recalled quickly as adults; fireflies in Hellmann’s mayonnaise jars with holes punched in the metal top, beach sand in our flip flops, hamburgers on the grill, potato salad and watermelon seed spitting contests. Let us not forget the crowning jewel of summer: ice cream.

This is an attempt to give a voice to two groups of fellow human beings who cannot speak for themselves.

I’ve written letters to the editor on a variety of subjects in the past, urging folks to vote, offering commentary on issues, extending pleas to come and stand on the bridge for a variety of reasons and causes. Rallying support through an occasional public letter has been a way of speaking to many rather than just a few.

On any given day, you could be forgiven for not wanting to get out of bed.

The kids will be going back to school in another month or so.

Looking back, it’s hard to imagine that anyone could have wanted Route 1 in Maine to look like Route 1 in Massachusetts, but it’s understandable if some people felt that a wider road is a safer road and a faster road is a more convenient road.