I tend to stay out of public frays and to keep my opinion to myself. I have, however, practiced as a criminal defense attorney in Damariscotta and Newcastle for nearly 17 years, which sometimes gives me a perspective shared by few others.

My wife and I came home Monday from a visit with our kids to discover that someone had come into our home and stole around $1200 from us. It was more than just money. My wife nearly died in a motorcycle accident (which I witnessed) two years ago.

I am disturbed by the email from the office to town email list. First of all I have been involved in this town since 1988 when I came in to see about working off my past taxes. In turn I was asked to be the town clerk when Lisa Bailey gave it up. I had been her deputy over a year. I had to give up my job in 2000 when I broke my shoulder. I was hired as the deputy in August of 2008, when I came to work off taxes I couldn’t pay.

Town meetings, with the election of town officers and approval of all expenditures for schools, roads, and other capital expenditures will be taking place throughout Maine during the month of March. These meetings and elections have a significant impact on the quality of life and the future of Maine towns. It is important that all citizens participate.

It’s town meeting time again.

Between now and June, Lincoln County residents across the county will have a chance to have their say in how their town is governed. Given the recent hullabaloo about local control, we think it’s only right to point out that the annual town meeting time is the ultimate in local control.

I read the article in your Feb. 3 edition about out of state delivery with interest. I have received the LCN for many years as a gift from my parents every year on my birthday, and last year began returning the favor by giving them a gift subscription of their own.

As The Lincoln County News editorial in the last edition said, that in canceling Gateway 1, Gov. Paul LePage is “walking the walk he talked about on the campaign trail.” As an alternate representative from Nobleboro on Gateway’s Implementation Steering Committee, I for one applaud that decision.

It was with great interest that I read the three introductory paragraphs in the Damariscotta Police report in last week’s edition. My first thought was, “who complained?” and my second was, “why do they feel they have to defend themselves?”

Following up on a previous letter in which I discussed the subject of “the Official Maine Dessert,” I conducted an informal, written poll at S. Fernald’s Country Store, asking staff and customers to choose between the Whoopie Pie and the Blueberry Pie or neither.

We have been, and still are, taking a wait and see attitude with our new governor. As we do every time we have a new chief executive, we hold out hope they will succeed beyond anyone’s wildest imagination.

Of all the possible outcomes we thought about as this Gateway 1 project ground along, we never thought our new Governor would give his blessing to the DOT kicking it to the curb March 1.

Wow.

Why are we making such an ado about a work of art? It seems to me that, for the duration, the proper place for Judy Taylor’s mural about Maine’s labor history is the Frances Perkins Center in Newcastle. In a kindlier time, it could be returned to the Dept. of Labor.

Now that gas is approaching $3.50 a gallon, maybe high prices might end a practice that is all too common leaving the engine running while shopping or getting the mail.

I want to thank District 51 Rep. Jon McKane (R-Newcastle) for standing up for businesses in Maine. Jon is co-chair of the Joint Select Committee on Regulatory Fairness and Reform. He understands real jobs are created in the private sector, not by government. Local businesses are the heart of our state economy providing much needed jobs for citizens.