Chamber is right
The Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce should be commended for taking a stand on the quarry debate. There is no debate when it comes to the quarry and the Chamber leadership is wise to realize it and speak out in defense of the rule of law.
The Chamber has been silent through the years on many issues in town and it’s nice to see the officers and executive director take a stand on an issue that affects not only their own members, but non-member businesses as well.
Businesses that comply with all ordinances and regulations required by government should be able to go forward with their business plans. That’s what the developer of the quarry, Peter Busque, is trying to do. He is suffering costly delays and the Chamber sees this as an affront to the entire business community, not just for Busque.
The only real quarry quibble that needs to be resolved is whether Busque will respect the neighbors’ wishes and limit the blasting and dust emanating from the quarry. Most important for neighbors is the quarry’s hours of operation. They don’t want to see – and shouldn’t have to bear – Sunday or early-morning operations. Saturday operations should be limited as well. They have real quality-of-life concerns, ones that a well-intentioned developer should take into consideration.
Sure, Windhamites probably lament yet another eyesore in town, but we need to get our gravel from somewhere, and pits, while they may be “the pits” for some neighbors, are necessary evils. All that blasting and bulldozing are the sounds of the American economy staying strong.
Buy a smoke detector
It’s not often that what you read in a newspaper can save your life but the next four words just might: Install a smoke detector.
In Standish this week, a 31-year-old man named Donald King died after a fire broke out in his apartment. Though details of his last moments can’t be known, investigators believe the man started cooking some dinner on the stove and then went to relax and unfortunately fell asleep while the stove was alight. The stove then caught on fire and the resulting smoke suffocated the man in his sleep.
It was an unfortunate and all-to-common occurrence, which could have been avoided if he had working smoke detectors in the apartment, which investigators said he didn’t.
Smoke detectors are often thought of as irritants, especially while one is broiling or making toast. Some choose to unplug the unit’s battery or pull out wires in a frenzied attempt to quiet the beastly noisemakers. Unfortunately, these same people either forget or choose not to reinstall the battery, leaving themselves and their families open to injury or death. With fires, the smoke will normally claim life first, especially when the victim is asleep and doesn’t realize the loss of oxygen.
Let’s learn from this tragic loss in Standish. Go out and buy a good quality smoke detector. That sometimes-annoying device may one day save your life.
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