NewburyportNews.com, Newburyport, MA--Opinion

We want to hear from you

Sat, 10 May 2008 08:12:00 EDT

Letters to the editor are welcome and encouraged. Letters should be brief (not more than 500 words), factual and all are subject to editing for length and libel.
We do not run "open" letters to politicians or other individuals and groups. Letters should be signed and include your name, address and phone number for verification.

My view: Weak law encourages secrecy

Sat, 10 May 2008 03:39:00 EDT

Massachusetts has one of the most toothless Open Meeting laws in the nation. Public officials who violate it face no consequences.
A compromise bill recently reported out of committee on Beacon Hill is being touted as a major reform of the Open Meeting Law. But rather than add teeth, it takes from the law what little bite it had.

Taylor Armerding: Some random thoughts before they get too, er ... ripe

Sat, 10 May 2008 03:39:00 EDT

Random thoughts accumulated over random weeks:
I got a press release a while ago telling me World Vegetarian Week was nigh. It gave me an irresistible craving for a burger.
nnn
I used to think ripe was really a positive word. You know, perfect. At the natural peak. Full of health and flavor. Until I got to be my age. Now, my friends remind me that ripe is just this side of rotten. Thanks.

Our view: Lack of parking limits access to trains

Fri, 09 May 2008 03:30:00 EDT

Skyrocketing gas prices have sparked an increase in ridership everywhere in the MBTA system. Everywhere, that is, except on the Rockport and Newburyport branches of the commuter railroad that links the North Shore with Boston.

Letter: Vote for St. Arnault in Newbury election

Fri, 09 May 2008 03:23:00 EDT

To the editor:
I read with interest a recent letter endorsing Joe Story for selectman in Newbury.
The author cited the need for stability in leadership during the difficult times Newbury faces. Essentially, this was a "don't change horses in midstream" argument. Perhaps it would have been better for the author to ask who rode the horse into the middle of the stream in the first place? And do we really want to keep going that way?

Letter: Joe Story deserves another term

Fri, 09 May 2008 03:23:00 EDT

To the editor:
My husband and I have known Joe Story for over 30 years. When we discovered that Joe was interested in serving the town of Newbury as selectman, we were thrilled and behind him one hundred percent.

Bill Plante: Private worlds come together

Fri, 09 May 2008 03:23:00 EDT

I was wearing a broad-brimmed hat while walking Kay and Babe the other morning, so I didn't see the pair of Canada geese on the near side of Quill's pond until I was within a dozen or so yards of them.

Letter: Disappointed with Joe Story's record in office

Fri, 09 May 2008 03:23:00 EDT

To the editor,
I am one of many who sought the election of Joe Story as selectman in Newbury a few years ago. We all are familiar with the Story family's long history as hard working and community minded people.

Letter: St. Arnault is best choice for Newbury

Fri, 09 May 2008 03:23:00 EDT

To the editor:
Steve St. Arnault, candidate for Newbury selectman, is competent and a truly honest man. He understands the need for professional management and fiscal responsibility in Newbury. He believes all residents, even those who have differing opinions, should be treated in an appropriate and respectful manner.

Viewpoint: Memories of growing up in the Port City

Thu, 08 May 2008 03:31:00 EDT

After reading Ralph Ayers' column a few weeks ago concerning earlier times in the Port City, I was compelled to respond.
First of all, let me comment on Ralph's opening phrase about my beloved Patriots. I've been a season ticket holder since 1980, having missed a total of three regular season games (two were attending weddings and one was due to a hospital visit for a clogged artery). No, I won't get over their loss to the Giants! But by the time the 2008 season rolls around, I will have learned to live with it.

Our view: Use of landfill gas for power is innovative idea

Thu, 08 May 2008 03:31:00 EDT

When it comes to the possible uses of methane gas generated by rotting trash in old landfills, it wouldn't take much thought to prefer electric power over stench.
But not every closed landfill has an owner as progressive as the Covanta energy company, which bought the 70-acre Ward Hill landfill and the adjacent trash incinerator in Haverhill from Refuse Fuels. Anyone who travels down Interstate 495 toward Andover is probably familiar with the incinerator and landfill, both of which are located next to the highway.

Letter: Thanks to Pioneer League coaches and what they taught

Thu, 08 May 2008 03:31:00 EDT

To the editor:
As an old Newburyporter, I see a combination of the good and bad things that have happened to Newburyport since I was a kid in the '60s and '70s. One of the good things is the Newburyport Pioneer League. As I stood on the field with my son's C League team on Saturday and listened to the speeches given, it brought back a number of great feelings and memories. It also made me proud to be part of this organization that gave me a love of the game.

Letter: Toothprints another tool to protect children

Thu, 08 May 2008 03:31:00 EDT

To the editor:
In reference to The Daily News article, "Police dog can track missing by saliva" (April10), I would like to comment on the success of Toothprint programs not only in our state, but also in many other states nationwide.

Letter: Plastic containers with BPA are safe to use

Thu, 08 May 2008 03:31:00 EDT

To the editor:
Your article, "Pass the milk, hold the chemicals; Amid safety concerns, parents seek alternatives to traditional baby bottles and sippy cups" (April 18) and several reports released last week may cause confusion and unnecessary alarm about Bisphenol-A (BPA). It's important for your readers to know that the National Toxicology Program (NTP) report indicated that the effects of BPA produced negligible risk, the government's lowest possible risk ranking. In fact, the U.S. government has studied the health effects of BPA exposure for more than 40 years, and the overwhelming body of scientific evidence continues to prove that actual exposure as found in some consumer food and beverage containers has no adverse effect on humans of all ages.

Our view: Peeking behind the Statehouse's locked doors

Wed, 07 May 2008 02:46:00 EDT

The region's state representatives claim to do what their title implies — represent the people of their districts.
But they obviously want we, the people, just to take their word for it, since they don't want us looking on as they make some of the most critical decisions of the year — how to spend the money they take from us in taxes.

Letter: Guns are not the answer

Wed, 07 May 2008 02:44:00 EDT

To the editor:
I am writing to comment on a column that suggested the best response to headline-making, mass killings by armed psychopaths, would be to encourage more citizens to carry a gun ("Guns, gumption and government" by Robert McGlew, March 25). The idea being that if everyone had a gun, the psychopath could be killed quickly.

Letter: Earth Day trail building in Salisbury

Wed, 07 May 2008 02:42:00 EDT

To the editor:
On Earth Day 2008 Salisbury had another great trail building day with Timberland Company. April 22 dawned bright and sunny and the cool temperatures invigorated all involved. Timberland brought a remarkable number of employees to the Salisbury Point Ghost Trail as part of their worldwide Earth Day service effort. They were joined by volunteers from City Year, the Essex National Heritage Commission, Salisbury's Hilton Senior Center and, of course, many local residents from Salisbury Coastal Trails. They and town employees from the DPW and the Planning Department all spent the day extending and improving the trail.

Letter: Rev. Wright is wrong

Wed, 07 May 2008 02:40:00 EDT

To the editor:
I can't fathom why Barack Obama hasn't completely distanced himself from his pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright. The reverend addressed the National Press Club in Washington on Monday and once again came across as bombastic and almost arrogant in his selection of words.

As I See It: More coffee breaks, please!

Wed, 07 May 2008 02:38:00 EDT

There comes that moment in everyone's life when a correction must be made. "All right," you say, "what to do?" A time-out is often invoked by a parent to an unruly child; by a teacher to an unruly child; by a barista to a ... Wait just a minute! What's a barista? I'm glad you asked.

Viewpoint: There's a name for my condition

Tue, 06 May 2008 03:46:00 EDT

For awhile, I thought I was becoming mentally deranged. Countless times, I've had to ask the kids where we are going while speeding down I-95, looking frantically for the coffee that flew off my roof two miles back. At least I have the wherewithal to tell the kids our final destination before we leave the house as I rummage around for my keys.