You will soon see petitions and petitioners everywhere asking for your signature to help bring Maine’s new gay marriage law to public referendum. You need to be aware that the people behind this drive are there for religious reasons.

At first blush, word the Damariscotta Police Dept. plans to open a satellite police station in the former home of the late Ed Whitney’s barbershop in the Elm St. Plaza plays like another episode of the “You’ve Got To Be Kidding Me” show.

Not one of our representatives to the Congress read the alleged “stimulus” bill. Now we find out the AIG bonuses were included in it. The President said it was critical that it be passed immediately – or else. He is now “surprised” and “shocked” at the bonuses.

My name is John York and I live on West Neck Road with my wife, Rhonda, and my two sons, Austin and Gage. I have been the road commissioner for the last eight years and hope to continue in this capacity for the next term.

Sgt. Paul Baptist of Bristol is attached to the 439th Civil Engineering Squadron out of Chicopee, Mass. This Air Force unit has recently been deployed to Afghanistan for six months.

One of the great conveniences of Midcoast is the Trailways bus stop in Damariscotta. Even before the gas prices rose, a lot of family and friends found it a pleasant way to come for a visit.

On March 5 at 5 a.m. I saw a doe out on the ice in front of our home. I took a picture. Then I realized that the ice she was standing on was very thin. A few days earlier, it was nothing but open water.

When I became a member of the Newcastle Fire Company in 1983, Paul Bryant was fire chief and Clayton Huntley was First Assistant Chief. At that time we had two meetings a month, the first was a business meeting and the second was training.

Bremen town meeting is next Sat., March 28. I urge all voters to attend.

My last letter addressed two warrant articles that could conceivably alter the waterfront and the commercial fisheries district. It seems that one article, 52, has been re-drafted and will be added as an amendment to the warrant – right under the wire. This article is particularly pernicious. It has the potential to destroy bit by bit the commercial fisheries district.

I am a concerned citizen who cares about public safety. I live just north of Pine View Restaurant, one of the busiest intersections in our region. I sit at my window and watch the traffic coming north on Rt. 1 and on Main Street coming north out of town with no headlights on.

A year ago the 150 foot setback was voted in at the town meeting. The main concern obviously was to provide more protection for the waterfront as well as the four ponds that are in or are part of Bremen. One does not need scientific data to know that every foot counts.

The Newcastle Selectmen article in last week’s Lincoln County News had several inaccurate or misstatements that need to be addressed.

The position of Fire Chief is not a new position. The Newcastle Fire Company has elected and had a Fire Chief since its founding in March of 1876.

I would like to bring to your attention what you will be voting on March 31.

Because there were not many people at the March 19 Public Hearing, I want to make sure that residents know what they are voting on, as the language on the town warrant is so misleading.

The Queen is gone; our Muriel, Queen of Jazz and the coffee shops, friend to all of us in the Kingdom. Though with a heavy heart, we want to shout, “Long Live the Queen!” from the rooftops, looking around we ask, “Who is there to replace her?” Indeed, it will take a big soul to fill those tiny slippers.