The Maine Public Utilities Commission “wants” an answer to the question “are so-called smart meters hurting us” (July 25)? It “decides” to investigate safety concerns? What a ridiculous sub-headline.  

Anyone in the state who followed the lack of investigation, the lack of concern about the public’s safety and the lack of ethics on the part of the Maine PUC in fast-tracking the greed of the foreign-owned monopoly they call Central Maine Power knows better.  

Additional Photos

A “smart meter” displays power usage at a Freeport business. A reader questions a recent headline that stated that regulators are interested in looking into safety issues regarding smart meters. 2010 File Photo/The Associated Press

I am sure David Littell wants to “move quickly” and did not anticipate that the Maine Supreme Judicial Court would actually rule that the PUC did not do its job when the fast-track-without-appropriate-information travesty was completed.

If anyone actually believes that the PUC will “look hard” at the issue and actually have the health and safety of the public as its priority — I have a bridge to sell you.  

The Maine PUC did not do its job when it helped CMP ram the meters down the throat of the public, and this current review is obviously already a partnership between the PUC and CMP. (CMP’s “spokesperson,” John Carroll, “appreciates” the PUC’s interest in moving the matter ahead “expeditiously.”)

The way to stop another dereliction of duty is for the public to rise up and hold the state and the PUC accountable. Unfortunately, the masses in Maine are ignorant and do not pay attention to those around them who do not have their interest at heart.  

And it is especially difficult to educate the public when media articles start with obfuscating headlines. Shame on you, Portland Press Herald.

Kerry Corthell

Scarborough

With Kindle, iPad or books, library patrons still reading

When my husband hollered into the kitchen that the South Windham Public Library was selling its books cheap and closing, I’ll admit my first thought was, “Yeah, cheap books for my classroom!”

I teach fourth grade, where independent reading is critically important to reaching my goal of developing lifelong readers. To do this, I must have thousands of books readily available for my 25-plus students.

Donalyn Miller, of Book Whisperer fame, researched what makes a person truly a lifelong reader. The most important two factors were stealing time to read and belonging to a reading community.

I am also on the board of the Scarborough Public Library, where I advocate for our community of readers and where we actively move with the times. Shutting down a library isn’t a sign of the times; it’s a sign that people are unwilling to open the borders that once defined a library.

It is sad that the value of the library seems to be wrapped up in the perception that technology is stopping people from reading. Using a Kindle or iPad is the same as those paper things we call books — just other tools for stealing time to read.

Tools do not a community make. The reading community is thriving and bigger than it ever was before. Technology makes us all closer.

I tweet about the books I read with the authors who write them. Librarians and teachers are writing blogs and enlarging their reading communities every minute of every day.

Books are not the only purpose; the librarians and the patrons make the library. We must have the people and the tools.

Kimberley Gorelik Moran

Scarborough

Pro-charter school letter promotes elitist viewpoint

Tony Payne’s letter of July 13 (“Charter schools give kids place to shine”) extolling the benefits of charter schools “to advance the knowledge of students and prepare them for lifelong learning” helps to confirm the suspicions of the public school sector that charters are, at their very core, elitist, discriminatory and exclusionary.

Mr. Payne views charters as a sanctuary for the self-directed (“to allow kids with ambition to pursue academic excellence”) and a safe harbor from the messy diversity of public school.

Struggling students and those with lower socioeconomic backgrounds, non-English speakers and students with disabilities (“the slower students hold back those ready to move forward at a faster clip”) are, from his perspective, an apparent drag on the system. Even worse, they require unnecessary social services that are summarily forced on all students.

If this sad testament to discrimination masquerading as support for academic excellence is representative of Maine’s charter movement in general and the supporters of the Baxter Academy for Technology and Science in particular, perhaps its proponents should rethink their message.

William M. Stahl

South Portland

Plain-speaking governor doing his best for Maine

I am writing to express my gratitude for the great job Gov. LePage is doing for the state of Maine.

Some people may feel that he is not politically correct enough and may offend some people. I say more power to him, he isn’t concerned with being politically correct, he’s more concerned with doing his job and making Maine a better place to live and prosper.

I guess to some, hearing the truth can be a hard pill to swallow and they need it fed to them sugar-coated like the rest of the liberal media does.

Gov. LePage is trying to save Maine from going broke, and he’s trying to make it a place where businesses can start to flourish again and begin employing more people.

Doing the right thing is more important than winning a popularity contest, and I, for one, am thankful to him for not caving in to all the people who want to accuse him of being hateful. I say to those people, you are the ones slandering the governor and his good intentions.

Terrie Moustrouphis

South Portland

Proud veteran would like to know flag’s daily status

Wouldn’t it be great if you could have a U.S. flag on the left-hand side of the front page with the status of the flag for the day? I fly my flag daily and don’t always know if it should be flown at half-mast at times.

I read the paper daily and always know what the weather is going to be for the day. How about the status of the flag?

If I miss hearing it on the news, I am embarrassed if I am riding around town and see it at half-mast and mine isn’t.

I am a proud U.S. veteran and citizen of this great country, and I like to be proper in the display of this great flag.

Stefanie Dylewski

Scarborough

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