Thumbs up to the area athletes who earned individual state titles in track and field, wrestling and swimming. In Class A indoor track, these athletes include Thornton Academy’s Hannah Wiley (400m dash, 55m hurdles), Biddeford’s Maria Curit (long jump, a record, 200m dash) and Massabesic’s Hannah Pierce (1-mile).
In wrestling, these athletes for Class A include Massabesic’s Ethan Gilman (119) and Andrew Tripp (160), and for Class B Wells’ Vanya Tomaszewski (112) and Stephen Johnson (285). In Class A swimming, Sanford’s Jenni Roberts won and set state records in the 100 free and 200 individual medley.
Thumbs up to members of the Dog Park Committee in Biddeford for their continued efforts to raise funds for an area where dogs can run free. Anyone who owns a dog ”“ especially those with active breeds ”“ knows how important it is for a dog to be able to run full speed, dart about and play with their own kind. In the past year, the committee has not had much luck with corporate sponsors, so they should step up their efforts fundraising from the public. The park will be an asset to the community and give dog owners a legal outlet for their pets’ energy.
Thumbs up to the friends, family and community members who are supporting fundraising efforts for Susan Lavertu-Sansevieri of Sanford, including the benefit dance held Feb. 12. Sansevieri recently found out that she has a tumor on her spine and to make matters worse, the insurance company won’t cover treatment. Hopefully, her support network will be strong enough to get her through the cancer, filling in where her insurance safety net should be.
Thumbs down to the pay-as-you-throw proposal for garbage disposal in Sanford. There is fairness in establishing a fee for the expensive service of trash disposal, but we fear it could be a hardship for some. The cost of a $2 bag each week for a year is $104 ”“ and that’s assuming only one bag, while larger families may need more. It’s hard to believe that the average renter or homeowner will be paying that much extra in taxes for waste disposal if the program is not established and the town’s report clearly states that there will not be a corresponding tax decrease. Though it would increase recycling, this program simply amounts to paying more money, out of pocket, for the same level of service. Taxes ought to cover a few basic needs and waste disposal is one of them. Sanford has worked hard to clean up its image and the last thing the town needs is trash dumped on the streets by those who can’t afford to buy bags. The council needs to find another way to cover the costs ”“ it seems that even raising taxes wouldn’t hit most people’s pocketbooks as profoundly as a bag fee would.
— Thumbnails is a Monday feature of the Journal Tribune’s opinion pages. If you would like to respond, please write the Reader’s Forum via e-mail at jtcommunity@journaltribune.com or by dropping your letter off at our Biddeford or Sanford offices.
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