I am not personally familiar with the situation at Maine Float-Rope Company, but I am versed with laws and expectations surrounding contracted workers.

Through a glass darklyTraditionally, this newspaper’s editorials are more or less a weekly position statement for this newspaper’s ownership. As the editor, crafting each one falls to me. Sometimes it’s a collective effort, sometimes not, but the specific wording is always mine.

At the heart of every YMCA are the staff members and volunteers who make a difference, who exemplify the Y’s core values, caring, respect, responsibility and honesty. The CLC YMCA has volunteers in its walls every day making a difference. I would like to recognize some of those volunteers.

This is the first time I felt so much empathy for someone falsely accused of a crime. Karl Tarbox was asked to drive this person home from the Montsweag Roadhouse one and half years ago on Halloween eve, because she had too much to drink.

If 9/11 had never happened, it is possible that the last great American nightmare, our last national “remember where you were moment,” would be the school shootings at Columbine High School in April 1999.

First came school consolidation, which was a good idea but then the economy tanked. Now comes a portion of what I have been advocating for years, eg., transfer all 43 students in Somerville to Windsor. Close or even sell this school; find a buyer or a host of other uses for it. It won’t cost more to maintain either way.

I am writing my first letter to the LCN because I am extremely concerned about the upcoming Bristol Town meeting and decisions that will be made there, especially those that greatly impact the children of our town. Many members of the budget committee feel we need to continue to cut teachers and increase class sizes, despite the recommendations of the school committee and administration.

Like a schoolyard bully, the state just keeps picking on the smallest kids on the playground.

I wish I had called the LCN to take a picture of the sea of Dunkin’ Donut cups that were all over the side of the Poor Farm Rd. It is a disgrace to see trash on the sides of our roads.

I would like to thank the men and women for all their hard work over the week-end, with thousands and thousands without electricity, it was only 48 hours that my area was without power. Sometimes we forget how dangerous this job can be, they work hours and hours, with live wires.

Once again we have to take our hat off to our emergency responders, our volunteer firefighters and our county’s paid professionals who were out in the teeth of the storm last week doing what they could to keep us safe.

I am troubled about the effort to discontinue Bristol’s Highway Department and contract those services to an outside vendor. While to some this may seem like a wise, cost-saving move, I believe Town will see little savings, if any at all. I’m also concerned that the quality and availability of those services will drop.

For many parents, 2009 was a year in which they watched good things happening in the lives of their children. Our schools are helping students eat healthier foods. There’s greater opportunity for children to be engaged in sports, music, dance or arts. Social events and networking keeps them connected their friends.

Just about every week in our area, someone is holding a fundraiser for someone or something.

It could be a capital improvement project, it could be a school related trip, or it could be to help a neighbor in need. There is seemingly no end to the good causes that cry out for support.