Four dogs drown when car rolls into Stillwater River

maybe the university should do something important for once and put in a barrier, and there has been other vehicles rolling into the river prior to this

Bangor Daily News
Dear Editor:

It is disheartening to see one of Old Towns largest providers of living wage employment close its door. However, we must understand that in a changing economy jobs do not come with life time guarantees. With this reality we must move forward in the most beneficial method for ourselves and the State of Maine. The current administration in Washington D.C. stated policy is people outsourced, downsized and just plain fired should educate themselves for employment in the current economic environment.

It benefits no one to educate oneself for a job that does not exist. The University of Maine is a tax payer supported institution for the purpose of educating people to enhance the quality of their lives and improve the quality of life for all residents of the State of Maine. It is the democratic responsibility of all residents of this state to hold university administration and faculty accountable.

I find it appalling that the state university has a school of performing arts but lacks a program to train personal to insure the safety of our citizens. The University of Maine at this time offers no training in criminal justice or fire science. I fine it important to support the arts and recognize the value and contribution to society of art throughout history. However, the basic infrastructure of the state and meaningful employment of its citizens should come first. Today no place or person in our great land is safe from the effects of even a distant terrorist attack. A professional police force and fire department is mandatory for the safety and well being of our citizens.

At this time the university is failing the young people of this state who are interested in public service as police officers and firemen. Fire personnel are increasingly called upon to handle hazardous materials. Police officers need a basic understanding of the law to insure fair and evenhanded justice for all. We as citizens need to demand of our state representatives that something be done to educate Maine citizens to provide and upgrade the professionalism needed by local and state police and fire departments. These basic services should not be provided by people from out of the state while our young are unemployed. The University of Maine is training musicians to fiddle while the state burns; and no one to protect us when it is needed.

S. W. Binette
Bradley

That would be good, I was always spooked by the unsafe accessibility to the river from that parking lot. I bet it is about the money that it would cost to put an attractive fence or shrubs, trees, etc. there to make it a safer place to park. You know this is a poor state......

Oh My God,

How TRAGIC!! God bless those dogs. I am so sorry to hear of this........so sorry.