Letters to the Editor

Election letters

To the editor,

Anne Carney is approachable, grounded, thoughtful, and exactly the person we need in the Maine State Senate right now.

Senator Carney has tirelessly worked to improve the quality of life in our community. Her leadership as a member of the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources has led to a new law imposing tighter restrictions and testing on emissions from oil tank farms, helping to ensure we have clean air to breathe.

She has collaborated successfully to make health care more affordable for Maine families by increasing access to federally funded health insurance for 40,000 of our children. As chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Carney has strengthened our human rights laws and fought discrimination.

We need Sen. Carney to continue her work in the Maine Senate, supporting, protecting and improving our state and our community.

Please join me in voting to re-elect Sen. Anne Carney this November.

Misha C. Pride

South Portland

To the editor,

I am voting for Brendan K. Williams for South Portland City Council. I met Brendan back in 2018 when I first ran for city council. He volunteered on my campaign knocking on doors and phone banking. He understood the importance of representation on city government.

Brendan has been involved in helping the most marginalized members of our community by serving on the South Portland Human Rights Commission for the past year and a half. When Brendan started collecting signatures, we met and discussed the urgent need for more low-income and affordable housing, taking care of our environment, among other important issues.

If Brendan is elected, he will bring his love for the community to each council meeting and always keep those who are marginalized at the forefront of his mind when making a decision. I hope you will join me on Nov. 8 and vote for Brendan K. Williams.

Deqa Dhalac, mayor/city councilor

South Portland

To the editor,

I’m one of many South Portland dog owners who’s enthusiastically voting for Natalie West for city council.

After weeks and weeks of input from a committee, city staff and members of our community, the council made a decision. “We need to monitor those changes to see whether they’re effective,” Natalie has said. “The council spent a huge amount of time on the dog issue and it’s time to deal with some of the city’s other issues.”

I couldn’t agree more.

I’m as devoted to dogs as anyone in the universe; they’re often kinder and more loyal than many humans and they love unconditionally. But that does not mean my dog and I live in a world without restrictions.

Unfortunately, Natalie’s willingness to compromise has enraged a group of dog owners who feel only their position is acceptable, even though we know that democracy is negotiation and compromise.

Natalie’s record speaks volumes about who she is: For 10 years she has quietly helped members of our community on one issue after another, without drawing attention to herself. When a group of neighbors and I opposed a proposed used car lot on Cottage Road, Natalie’s input helped the city resolve the issue in a way that protects our neighborhood while enabling a small business to proceed. And that’s just one example.

As a former city attorney, Natalie can provide the knowledge and experience that no other candidate can possibly match.

I invite you to join me in voting for Natalie West, a truly committed neighbor.

Laurie Kahn

South Portland

To the editor,

Please join me in supporting Anne Carney for re-election as our District 29 state senator. Anne is a seasoned, diligent, and respectful representative of the communities of Cape Elizabeth, South Portland and Scarborough. Her work in the State Senate demonstrates her continued commitment to healthcare, education, the economy, and the environment – each an issue of great importance to the people in District 29 and throughout the state of Maine.

In her first term in the State Senate, Anne worked hard to improve access to healthcare for Maine families. She sponsored two bills that ensured Maine moms have comprehensive health care coverage for a full year following childbirth. Her hard work also led to giving up to 40,000 Maine children access to health insurance coverage that is primarily funded by federal dollars. This commitment to the children and families of Maine and, in particular, their access to health care, is essential to this state.

Anne also continues to be an advocate for public education, another key component of building a better Maine for all of us.

I am proud of the work Anne accomplished in the State Senate, and I look forward to seeing the impact she makes as she continues to serve as our District 29 state senator.

Katie Hawkins Vail

South Portland

To the editor,

I urge voters to support Gov. Janet Mills again – for a lot of reasons: She has worked with Democrats, Republicans, and Independents to get done the real work of the people of this state. The former governor was about division and attacking people.

Governor Mills has more than capably steered Maine through the COVID-19 pandemic. LePage wanted to recklessly reopen everything just a few months into the declared pandemic. Mills has expanded health care to nearly 100k Mainers. The previous governor did everything possible to actually block voter-approved Medicaid expansion from being put into place. Mills fully funded education for the first time in state history. The previous governor failed to do so in any of the eight years that he served. Mills has protected reproductive rights and been a strong supporter of the LGBT community. The former governor opposes abortion rights, supported conversion therapy, and argued against marriage equality.

It’s a stark choice, so get out there and vote.

Richard Foss-Lacey

South Portland

To the editor,

I am writing to fully endorse Brendan Williams for the South Portland City Council. Mr. Williams has done a tremendous job on several of the committees he serves on, including the Human Rights Commission, and I know that his dedicated service to the city with extend to the city council.

Brendan will work for disabilities rights along with many of the other issues we all face here in South Portland, including climate change, shortage of affordable housing, and keeping the work force here in South Portland by working on policies that will curb tax increases and unaffordable rent increases.

Brendan will work for all people of South Portland with a fair and open-minded approach. I will be very encouraged to have a voice like Brendan’s at the city council table.

Jocelyn Leighton-Cory, District 1 city councilor

South Portland

To the editor,

Marty Riehle is a competent, compassionate and committed individual, and a candidate running for the South Portland School Board. She leads by example. As vice president of nursing and associate chief nursing officer at Maine Med for 15 years, she stepped in whenever her staff was shorthanded to help fold sheets, change beds, check on patients, and any other tasks that needed doing.

She has tutored adults in Portland Adult Ed for the last five years, in the classroom and working with individuals immigrants from Angola, Afghanistan, Tibet, and Jamaica, focusing on tutoring English.

She also served for five-plus years on the South Portland Economic Development Committee, working to promote the city as an open and welcoming community in which to do business.

She is generous-hearted, friendly, and caring. She is a dedicated team player. Please consider voting for Marty Riehle for South Portland School Board on Nov. 8.

Frank O. Smith, Dale P. Stephenson

South Portland

Writing to persuade

I teach preparatory reading and writing at Southern Maine Community College and my students are learning the art of writing to persuade. I hope your readers enjoy this first group of letters, as these young adults learn about community involvement through sharing their opinions in letters to the editor.

Rosemarie De Angelis

SMCC Adjunct Professor

To the editor,

Social preconceptions regarding particular groups of people are known as unconscious biases and are formed by individuals without their conscious knowledge. Everyone has unintended biases towards numerous social and identity groups, and these biases are established by a tendency to categorize people and situations.

For instance, unconscious bias might influence hiring practices, team interactions, workplace diversity, and discrimination. In short, we can fight unconscious biases in both our personal and professional lives by using effective tactics such as stepping out of our comfort zone and interacting with new people, whether that is having lunch with a new group or even having a conversation with someone we don’t know.

As soon as you can, roam outside your comfort zone and introduce yourself to individuals who don’t share your interests, talk to someone who doesn’t look like you, or do something in a new social circle.

Amran Mohamed

South Africa

To the editor,

Skateboarding is more than teenagers riding a piece of wood with wheels. It’s a whole culture, a safe space for people. Skating has no gender, no age, no race, no language. It brings people together no matter their background. Anyone can pick up a skateboard and fall in love with the sport and culture.

Skating is important because instead of being on the streets or doing hard drugs, kids will devote their energy to skating. A kid with a mental illness will get outside and skate instead of sitting in their room letting their mental illness get to them. Most importantly it brings people together. You can go to a skatepark and see that people of all races, genders, sexualities, and religions are together in one place, all focusing on one thing together, skateboarding.

I want you to pick up a skateboard and just skate. Don’t worry about all the B.S going on in your life. Worry about learning how to push. Go to a skatepark and discover the world of skating.

Sam Bernier

United States Of America

To the editor,

We should eat healthy. Many of us have bad habits of eating fast food, maybe because we have a busy life or the lack of time for cooking. Sometimes we forget that everything we eat affects our health. The source of many chronic diseases like diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol is usually from what we eat.

We can improve our health by eating less calories and sugar.

Eating vegetables and fruits every day is also important. For those who don’t get time for cooking, there is always a way to know if the food is healthy by reading the ingredients of food.

I would like to encourage people, especially the younger generation to eat healthy. Try reducing fat and sugar in your diet. Cooking healthy meals is easy and cheap. You should be mindful and aware of what you are eating for your own health.

Virginie Nduwayo

Burundi

To the editor,

High school is an important part of everyone’s life, no matter who you are I’m sure you at least had one fun year. High school is so needed for kids, for the social and academic parts. It’s where you figure yourself out, figure out what you like, what you don’t like and how to deal with people.

You need to go so you can learn English, math and more, but also to learn how to get along with others, how to problem solve and learn. Maybe you’re not always right. Teachers help students prepare for college or whatever you want to do after so make those years count.

Get up, get to school and enjoy it. Take a step back and realize you’re lucky to be there and lucky to be learning. Parents and teachers, I want you to talk to your children and students. Let them know not everyone goes in the same path but you should at least finish high school.

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