Thumbs up to Southern Maine Health Care for investing in some new services in Sanford that will serve both the city and the surrounding rural towns. Observation beds in the emergency room, more day surgery availability, more physicians and a walk-in clinic are positive
Thumbs down to the circumstances that led to the decision by Southern Maine Health Care to discontinue inpatient beds in Sanford. We fully understand the economic reality and the difficulties associated with providing the best care possible when there is a consistently
low average daily census. It’s tough going when a 58-bed hospital has an average of 10-14 patients a day. We get that. But it is a sad situation, nonetheless.
Thumbs up to all who made the second annual Blues in The Ballpark possible. It’s nice to see live music at The Ballpark in Old Orchard Beach again and equally nice to see the number of music fans who came out on Sept. 5 to the event.
Thumbs up to the Biddeford City Council for voting in favor of introducing 20-foot barriers between crosswalks and parking spaces. As the city continues to develop its downtown, more pedestrians will be walking the streets and using the city’s crosswalks. When vehicles are
parked too close to crosswalks, it can be difficult for both pedestrians to see moving traffic as well as for drivers to see pedestrians attempting to cross the street. The 20-foot barriers are also recommended by state and federal safety regulations.
Thumbs up to the Kennebunk Board of Selectmen, who agreed to have voters decide Nov. 3 on whether to send a $100,000 contribution to the Kennebunk Land Trust. Over the somewhat histrionic concerns about the funding, four of seven selectmen agreed to let the voters
of Kennebunk decide whether they want to preserve the 111 acres of land along the Mousam River. Land studies and multiple committees have determined that this area of the river is a high priority for conservation, and the KLT has a number of recreational uses planned for the property. If the selectmen in opposition are so concerned about protecting the rights of taxpayers, the right thing to do is let those taxpayers decide at the ballot box.
Thumbs up to the 1,820 fans who showed up at Hill Stadium last Friday night for the Sanford-Thornton Academy football game. In a time in which attendance for high school sporting events has dwindled across the country, it’s encouraging to see a large crowd show up
to support two local teams. If you haven’t been to a high school game recently, go out and support your local student-athletes – they deserve it.
Thumbnails is a Friday feature of the Journal Tribune’s opinion pages. If you want to respond, feel free to write to the Readers’ Forum via e-mail (jtcommunity@journaltribune.com) or by dropping your letter off at our office.
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