To call 2018 a challenging year for newspapers would be a major understatement.
Ownership consolidations, revenue and circulation declines, rising newsprint costs, attempts to manipulate public opinion through disinformation, lies, propaganda and “alternative facts” all made this a year we’re glad to put in the rear-view mirror.
At The Forecaster, American Journal and Lakes Region Weekly we’ve tightened our budget belts in several ways, including a cost-saving move from Falmouth to Portland. In an effort to control newsprint expense, we’re writing tighter, shorter stories and columns, and starting in 2019 will be asking letter writers to limit their comments to 200 words (120 for political endorsements) rather than 250 (150). We’re also being more vigilant than ever about making sure the news we report can’t be confused with the “fake” variety.
What hasn’t changed is our mission: providing local news that respects, informs and challenges our readers. We know we’ve done a good job, not because of industry awards we’ve won, but because you’ve told us so.
The people we meet or interview tell us they appreciate our commitment to covering their communities. They often tell us we are their primary source of local news. If I had a dime for every time someone told me they love our papers and read them every week, I wouldn’t be rich – but I’d have a wicked collection of dimes.
There’s another way we measure how well we do our job: Letters to the editor. And the volume this year did not disappoint.
More than 430 readers took the time to share their opinions, gratitude or criticism, and generally respond to what they’ve seen in the paper. We take letters seriously, because your opinions reflect who we are and where we live. They matter.
And regardless of the challenges next year will bring, we will work every week to merit your continuing support and feedback. Thanks again to the letter writers listed here for being an important part of what we did this year, and here’s wishing all our readers and advertisers a 2019 rich with health, happiness and good news.
Mo Mehlsak is executive editor of The Forecaster, American Journal and Lakes Region Weekly. He can be reached at 780-9107 or mmehlsak@theforecaster.net. You can also follow Mo on Twitter: @mmehlsak.
Heather Abbott, Yarmouth
James J. Adams, Portland
John Adelman, Falmouth
Beth Ahearn, Freeport
Vito Ancona, Lisbon Falls
Amy Anderson, Yarmouth
Nancy C. Anderson, Cumberland
Kara Auclair, South Portland
Newell Augur, Yarmouth
Susan Auglis, Scarborough
Stephen August, Bath
Rep. Sue Austin, Gray
Jo Anne & Ross Babcock, Yarmouth
MaryBeth Bachman, Falmouth
Michael P. Bacon, Westbrook
Harlan Baker, Portland
Philip M. Baker, Falmouth
Elise Baldacci & Devin Deane, South Portland
Whitney Ball, Falmouth
Erica L. Bartlett, Portland
Mako Bates, Portland
Maxine Beecher, South Portland
Art Bell, Yarmouth
Mark A. Bennett, South Portland
Jeff Bennett, Portland
Skylar Bennett, Yarmouth
Ray Berard Sr., Windham
Rob Billings, Yarmouth
Susan Bisbing, Cumberland Foreside
Allison Bishop, Falmouth
Natalie Blake, Gray
Guy Blanchard, Freeport
Dorothy Blanchette, Falmouth
John V. Bond, Phippsburg
Sharon Bondroff, Gray
Elizabeth Bouvé, Harpswell
Chris Bove, Westbrook
Lisa L. Brady, Scarborough
Lynn A. Brady, Scarborough
Michael Brennan, Portland
Steven R. Brier, Westbrook
Trish Brigham, Scarborough
Kevin Browne, Falmouth
India Broyles & Bob Shafto, Falmouth
Eleanor Buchanan, Yarmouth
Michael Buhelt, Gray
Zachary Bull, Falmouth
Rachel Burger, South Portland
Will H. Burrow, Gray
Meredith Strang Burgess, Cumberland
Brian Burwell, Freeport
Mary Sue Cady-Mainella, Falmouth
James Cagney V, Portland
Hope Cahan, Falmouth
Sandy Carder, Gray
Donnell Carroll, Gray
Gerald Caruso, Falmouth
Meghan Casey, Yarmouth
Demetria Chadbourne, Gorham
Jim Chaousis, Falmouth
Nancy Chapman, Phippsburg
Susan Chase, South Portland
Phyllis Chinlund, Cumberland Foreside
Bob Clark, Windham
Dick Clark, Windham
Marsha Clark & Peter Goffin, Falmouth
Susie Coffin, Brunswick
Michelle Cole, Casco
Marty Colello, Westbrook
Erin Collins, Freeport
Connie & Philip Conner, Harpswell
Greg Cook, Gray
Heather Coon, South Portland
Mike Cooney, Falmouth
Rep. Janice Cooper, Yarmouth
Kelly Corbin, South Portland
Laura Coroi, Yarmouth
Thomas & Deborah Coward, South Portland
J.D. Cowie, Portland
Tony Cowles, Yarmouth
Jonathan Cox, Miami and Boston
Jo Coyne, Portland
Jonathan Crasnick, Scarborough
Dr. Catherine Crute, Portland
Jani Cummings, Raymond
Alice Darlington, Casco
Phil Davies, Falmouth
Sarah Day, Yarmouth
Attila DeLisle, South Portland
Mike DelTergo, Falmouth
Stephen Demetriou, South Portland
Bryan Dench, Falmouth
Rep. Dale Denno, Cumberland
Mary DeRose, South Portland
Judy Dickson, Windham
Kelly Dillavou, Falmouth
Tom DiPasqua, Scarborough
Rick Doane, Cumberland
Anne Wescott Dodd, Brunswick
Bill Donovan, Scarborough
Barbara Doughty, Portland
Linda Draper, Cumberland
Heather Drake, South Portland
Joan Drouin, Yarmouth
Benjamin Dudley, Portland
Russell DuPree, Freeport
Joanne Duran, Falmouth
Loretta G. Dyer, Yarmouth
Jane Eberle, South Portland
Sam Eddy, Yarmouth
John F. Edwards, Falmouth
Jim Elkins, Scarborough
Jenny Ellis & Jim Hauptman, Falmouth
Geoffrey Emanuel, Falmouth
Robert Emple, Falmouth
Burton R. Epstein, Portland
Robert Erdlitz, South Portland
James Erwin, Yarmouth
Geoffrey Evans, Brunswick
Sheri Faber, Gorham
Tracey Falla, Cumberland
Karen Farber, Falmouth
Kristen Farnham, Falmouth
Frank Fassett, Boothbay Harbor
Michael Fasulo, South Portland
Andrew Favreau, Yarmouth
Donna Fenton, Scarborough
Kimberley Fiorillo, Scarborough
Susan Flaherty, Scarborough
Anne Fleming, Yarmouth
Polly Haight Frawley, Cumberland
Len Freeman, Portland
George & Merlyn Fogg, North Yarmouth
Michael Foley, Westbrook
Mike Foley, Scarborough
Tom Foley, Cumberland
Mark Follansbee, Scarborough
Karrtikah Foote, Westbrook
Aaron J. Fuchs, Orrs Island
Jane Fulton, Yarmouth
Philip Galipeau, Westbrook
Bill Gardiner, Yarmouth
Anne Gauthier-Maurice
Acting Fire Chief Keith Gautreau, Portland
Charles F. Gauvin, New Gloucester
Jane Gildart, Yarmouth
Susan Gilpin, Falmouth
Susan Gleason, Raymond
Amy Glidden, Scarborough
Lorraine Glidden, Westbrook
Richard Goan, Westbrook
Peter Goffin, Falmouth
Cheryl Golek, Harpswell
Rick and Debbie Goss, Westbrook
Lindy Graham, Yarmouth
Bruce Green, Brunswick
Nancy Green, Yarmouth
Ann-Marie Grenier, Windham
Pamela, Jeremy & Mathew Grondin, Scarborough
Mark D. Grover, Gray
Leah Guay, Yarmouth
Michelle Gurney, Freeport
Jacqueline Guyol, Portland
Bryce Hach, Falmouth
Jason & Colleen Hallee, Yarmouth
Donna Halvorsen, South Portland
Robert A. Hammer, Falmouth
Leland Hanchett, Falmouth
Greg Hanscom, Scarborough
Chalmers Hardenbergh, Freeport
Ben Hartwell, Gorham
Larry Hartwell, Scarborough
Barbara Campbell Harvey, Portland
Jim Hauptman, Falmouth
Christine Hayashida, Yarmouth
Michelle T. Hayes, Scarborough
Councilor Peter F. Hayes, Scarborough
Tony Hayes, Falmouth
Caleb Hemphill, Falmouth
Steve Henrickson, Scarborough
Daniel Hildreth, Falmouth
Colleen Hilton, Westbrook
Mary House, South Portland
Lindy Howe, Raymond
Susan Howe, Falmouth
Al Howlett, Yarmouth
Lois Howlett, Yarmouth
James E. Hoy, South Portland
Gunnar Hubbard & Amy Winton, Falmouth
Matthew Hubbell, Cape Elizabeth
Sherry Huber, Falmouth
Ruth & John Hughes, Scarborough
April Humphrey, Yarmouth
Carla Hunt & Andrew Tonks, Yarmouth
Shawn Hunter, Yarmouth
Helen & Sparky Hurgin, Windham
Leslie Hyde, Yarmouth
Andrew Ingalls, Cape Elizabeth
Frank Isganitis, Rockland
Paul Johnson, Scarborough
Tommy Johnson, Falmouth
Jennifer Jones, Falmouth
Philip Jones, Yarmouth
Catherine V. Jordan, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Dr. Richard Jorgensen, Portland
Jennifer Jortberg, Scarborough
Lisa Joy, Falmouth
Brian Kanode, Scarborough
Mylissa Kapela, Harpswell
Larry Kaplan, Cape Elizabeth
Charles Kenny, Cumberland
Scott & Meredith Kerr, North Yarmouth
Chris Kessler, South Portland
Jeffrey Kew, Yarmouth
Claudia King, Falmouth
Mark Kirshe, Brunswick
Ned Kitchel, Falmouth
Lorrie & Kevin King, Yarmouth
Richard Klain, Falmouth
Bob Knecht, South Freeport
Mark A. Krogman, South Portland
Kris Eric Kucera, North Yarmouth
Amy Kuhn, Falmouth
Beth Kus, Windham
Meg Kusturin, Gorham
Marissa Lagasse, Windham
Stephan Lanfer, Yarmouth
Mary Ann Larson, Portland
Chris Lavoie, Portland
John Lawlor, Windham
Martha Leggat, North Yarmouth
Peter Lento, Raymond
Richard B. Lethem, Bath
Robert A. Levine, Portland
Chief Chris Lewis, Topsham
Juliana L’Heureux, Topsham
Dave Libby, Falmouth
Michael Liff, Portland
Peter Lindsay, North Yarmouth
Susan E. LoGiudice, Portland
Ben Lombard, Yarmouth
Russ Lunt, South Portland
Katharine Lyon, Topsham
Wells Lyons, Brunswick
Ellie & Andrei Maciag, Falmouth
Jock MacGregor, Sebago
Mark Mahnke, Bath
Sean Mahoney, Falmouth
Dr. James H. Maier, Falmouth
Doyle Marchant, North Yarmouth
Nancy Marcoux, Westbrook
Michele Maria, South Portland
Ted Markow, Brunswick
Kim Matthews, Westbrook
Mark Mayone, South Portland
Charlie McBrady, Falmouth
John McCall, South Portland
Dave McConnell, Falmouth
Allie McCormack, South Portland
Rep. Jay McCreight, Harpswell
Dr. Sharon McDonnell, Yarmouth
Dr. Brian J. McGrory, Falmouth
Stephen McKay, Brunswick
Tracy McMahon, Scarborough
Jackie McNeil, South Portland
Steve McPike, Gray
Dennis Meehan, Scarborough
Carmen Melito, Yarmouth
Jennifer Melville, Freeport
Lincoln Merrill Jr., North Yarmouth
Andy Meyer, Falmouth
Sen. Rebecca Millett, Cape Elizabeth
Christina Mitchell, Cumberland
Margaret Mogavero, Scarborough
Judith Moll, South Portland
Anne Mommers, Brownfield
Ray Monahan, Windham
Peter Monro, Portland
Bruce Moore, Cape Elizabeth
Victoria Morales, South Portland
Steve Moriarty, Cumberland
Trish & Scott Morin, Cape Elizabeth
Harriet Moroney, Windham
Terry K. Morrison, South Portland
Jane Mount, Scarborough
Richard J. Moylan, Yarmouth
Kelly Murphy, Scarborough
David R. Murray, Falmouth
Bill Myers, Falmouth
Chris Neagle, Cumberland
Mary P. Nelson, Falmouth
Mike Nelson, Yarmouth
Ann Nemrow, Topsham
Cynthia Nilsen, Scarborough
Kristen Nilsen, Scarborough
Bill Norbert, Brunswick
Andrew Pal, Windham
Petros Panagakos, Portland
Betsy Parsons, South Portland
Anne Chadwick Parker, Falmouth
Dr. Deborah Patten, Bath
Rosalie Paul, Brunswick
Susan Payne, Cape Elizabeth
Tony Payne, Falmouth
Pays & Anne Payson, Falmouth
Edward Pearlman, South Portland
Val Philbrick, Scarborough
Jeffrey Morgan Pierce, Windham
Jean Powers, Brunswick
John O’Hara, Westbrook
Philip R. Ohman, Gray
Ted O’Meara, Yarmouth
Craig Phillips, Brunswick
Sally Pierce, Cumberland
David Plimpton, Cape Elizabeth
Lori Poland, Windham
Sammy Potter, Yarmouth
Kellie Potvin, Falmouth
Tina Pratico, Falmouth
Barbara Price, Scarborough
Janis B. Price, Peaks Island
Warner Price, Harpswell
Steven Priestley, Portland
Jane Pringle, Windham
Gene Proctor, West Bath
Paul Proudian, Gray
Jerry Provencher, Bath
Eydie Pryzant, Falmouth
Becky Quinlan & Marvin Druker, Cumberland Foreside
David P. Ray, Yarmouth
Gary Reed, Falmouth
Kathy Hillman Reed, Falmouth
Tom Reinsborough, Yarmouth
Bob Remick, Westbrook
Rhonda Remick, Westbrook
Mark Richard, Falmouth
Doug Robertson, Yarmouth
Bonny Rodden, Falmouth
Parker Rollins, Yarmouth
Steve Romanoff, Falmouth
Sam Rudman, Falmouth
Rebecca Rundquist, Yarmouth
Don Russell, South Portland
Rose Marie Russell, Westbrook
Pat Ryan, Brunswick
Ryan Rybka, Belchertown, Mass.
Jo D. Saffeir, Pownal
Rebecca & Jesse Sammon, Yarmouth
Kim Samuelson, Gorham
Jackie Sartoris, Brunswick
Ronald G. Sawyer, Yarmouth
Julie Schirmer, Falmouth
Katelynne Schmidt, Falmouth
Denise Schwartz, Harpswell
Orrin Shane, Portland
Camilla Shannon, Yarmouth
Tim Shannon, Yarmouth
Heather Shields & Lee Lindenau, Yarmouth
Kate Shub, Yarmouth
Chuck de Sieyes & Carol Ward, Falmouth
Kimberly Simmons, Portland
Peter Simmons & Charlotte Agell, Brunswick
George Simonson, Harpswell
Sarah Singer, Brunswick
Greg T. Sirpis, Standish
Mike Skillin. Falmouth
Rob Slattery, Bridgton
William H. Slavick, Portland
Katherine Slye, New Gloucester
Pam Smith, North Yarmouth
Stacy Smith, Falmouth
Halsey W. Snow, Casco
Jon Spinner, Scarborough
Sue Stableford, Brunswick
Mitchell & Martha Stein, Cumberland Foreside
Barry Stephens, Scarborough
Lauren Sterling, Falmouth
Benjamin Stevens, Yarmouth
Howsie Stewart, Falmouth
Marissa Stewart, Gray
Bruce R. Stillings, Falmouth
Grace Stone, Yarmouth
Sarah & Hawley Strait, Yarmouth
Jennifer Sullivan, Scarborough
Mary Beth Sullivan, Bath
Ruth Summers, Scarborough
Kevin Sweeney, South Portland
Laura Sweet, Cumberland
Vicki & Bob Swerdlow, Falmouth
Anne Swift-Kayatta, Cape Elizabeth
Karen Tcheyan, Harpswell
Nils Tcheyan, Orrs Island
A.W. Thayer, Yarmouth
John Thibodeau, Portland
Frank Thiboutot, Cumberland
Linden Thigpen, South Portland
Mikala Thompson, Yarmouth
Andrew Tonks, Yarmouth
Tiffany Townsend, Yarmouth
Alan Tracy, Freeport
Anna Trevorrow, Portland
Ben Tucker, Brunswick
Lucy Tucker, Falmouth
Nancy Tucker, Brunswick
Karl Turner, Cumberland
Kristen Turner, Scarborough
Terry Turner, Raymond
Linda Valentino, Saco
Shikha Vasaiwala, Falmouth
Patrick Venne, Portland
Tony Vigue, Standish
Janis Visser, Gray
Randy Visser, Gray
Scott Vonnegut, Portland
Peter Vose, Falmouth
Bob Wake, Windham
Brian Walker, Raymond
Emily Ward, Scarborough
Ralph Warnock, Falmouth
John Wasileski, Falmouth
Bret Watson, Gorham
Dan Welch, Falmouth
Dorothy M. Wentworth, Harpswell
Ted Westerfield, Yarmouth
Fire Chief James Williams, South Portland
Mike Williams, Cumberland Foreside
John P. Winslow, Falmouth
Liz Wisecup, Windham
Sarah Witte, Yarmouth
Anna Wrobel, Westbrook
Jenny Yasi, Freeport
Andy Young, Cumberland
Mike Zagariello, Orr’s Island
Carol Zechman, South Portland
Barry Zuckerman, South Portland
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