As 2011 comes to a close, The Forecaster is saying goodbye to one of its most prolific writers, Randy Billings.
Randy has been at the newspaper for about five years. He started as our news assistant, compiling calendar entries, School Notebook news and People & Business items. When he became our reporter in South Portland he produced relentless, award-winning coverage of city government. He also covered the Portland School Department, and eventually took over the Portland City Hall beat, where we could count on his stories being days ahead of the competition.
Besides being an award-winning reporter, Randy is a cancer survivor, who chronicled his diagnosis, treatment and recovery in an insightful and touching blog. He is also a talented musician and singer, known around Maine for his love of Irish music (and Guinness stout).
It was inevitable that Randy’s personal and professional growth would not go unnoticed and would produce other career opportunities, and we wish him the best in 2012 and beyond. As the Irish say, “As you slide down the banisters of life, may the splinters never point the wrong way.”
• • •
It’s easier than ever these days to get worked up about government, elections, social issues, the news in general, the Red Sox – you name it – and immediately blow off a little steam or express your opinion.
You can tell your friends what you think on Facebook and Twitter, you can post comments directly on websites, you can blog, use your smartphone to post a video rant on YouTube – the possibilities increase every time the next great social media tool debuts.
Compared to these newer methods, sitting down and writing a letter to the editor can seem, well, tedious. And so old-fashioned – even if instead of pen and paper or an IBM Selectric and the U.S. Mail you use an iPad, wireless Internet and Gmail.
Putting together some well-chosen words, signing your name and putting your opinion out there for the scrutiny of others takes effort and courage.
That’s why this week I’m continuing a practice we started last December, thanking and listing everyone who took the time to write, sign and submit a letter to the editor in the last 12 months. Whether you wrote once or half a dozen times, I appreciate your effort, your thoughtfulness, your candor, and your participation in what we do at The Forecaster.
Michelle Ambrose, Freeport
Patrick Amoroso, Yarmouth
Bonnie Anderson, Falmouth
David Andrews, Falmouth
Jan Andrews, Falmouth
James Ascanio, Falmouth
Debbie Atwood, Brunswick
Willie Audet Jr., Falmouth
Doug Babkirk, Falmouth
Paul S. Bachorik, Falmouth
Jim Bailinson, Cumberland
Philip M. Baker, Falmouth
Ron Bancroft, Cumberland
Craig Barnes, Woolwich
Dr. Steve Barr, North Yarmouth
Josh & Wendy Barrett, Falmouth
Ralph Baxter Jr., South Portland
Michael Beaudoin, Portland
Matthew Beck, South Portland
Maxine Beecher, South Portland
Rusty Bennett, Falmouth
Jonathan Berry, Falmouth
Arveen Berryman, Cumberland
Bill Beyer, Falmouth
Bo Bigelow, Falmouth
Allison Bishop, Falmouth
Tom Blake, South Portland
Fred Blanchard, Brunswick
Julie R. Blodgett, Cumberland
Jack Boak, Bremen
Raquel Boehmer, Falmouth
Karen Boffa, Falmouth
Ed Bonney, Freeport
Janet Bowne, Falmouth
Shane Boyington, Portland
Glen Brand, Falmouth
John Brautigam, Falmouth
Cathy Breen, Falmouth
Robert & Sandra Brennan, South Freeport
Gil Broberg, Yarmouth
Marie C. Brown, Falmouth
India Broyles, Falmouth
Gail Bruzgo, Cape Elizabeth
Jill Bryant, Falmouth
Michael T. Bucci, Damariscotta
Sandy Buck, Cumberland Foreside
Audrey V. Buffington, South Thomaston
Steve Bunker, Gray
Cathy Bunton, North Yarmouth
Frank & Kimberly Burke, Freeport
George Burns, Falmouth
Maureen Burns, Scarborough
Mark Burnes, Falmouth
Erin Cadigan, Falmouth
Zoo Cain, South Portland
Wendyll Caisse, Freeport
Drew Campbell, Scarborough
Susan Campbell, Cumberland
John Capasso, Falmouth
Ken Capron, Portland
Lalla Carothers, Cumberland
Susan Chamberlain, Falmouth
David Champlin, North Yarmouth
Fred Chase, Falmouth
Lawrence Chern, Scarborough
Phil Chin, Yarmouth
Kendra Chubbuck, Bath
Marsha Clark, Falmouth
Dana A. Cleaves, Portland
Kristen Cobb, Portland
Stuart Cobb, Portland
Chad Coffin, Freeport
Anna T. Collins, Portland
Marti Collins, Woolwich
Susan Collins, South Freeport
Kerry Corthell, Scarborough
Diana Costa, Brunswick
Linda Cote, Falmouth
Phil Coupe, Portland
Jim Coull, Cliff Island
J.D. Cowie, Portland
Hugh & Colleen Coxe, Falmouth
Gary Crosby, South Portland
Bryon Crowder, Falmouth
Jonathan Culley, Falmouth
Richard Cunningham, Cape Elizabeth
Michael Danahy, Falmouth
Ilene DaPonte, Portland
Gia Davis, Falmouth
Jerry Davis, Falmouth
Paul Davis, Falmouth
Wayne E. Davis, Topsham
Marian Day, Cumberland
Constance Dayton, Falmouth
Rosemarie De Angelis, South Portland
Marnie Dean, Cumberland
Dena DeSena, Cape Elizabeth
William DeSena, Cape Elizabeth
Dr. Richard C. Dillihunt, Portland
Albert A. DiMillo Jr., South Portland
Rep. Mark Dion, Portland
Anthony DiPhillipo, South Portland
Rob Donovan, Falmouth
Kristen Dorsey, Freeport
Tim Doughty, Portland
William L. Downes, Cape Elizabeth
Michael Doyle, Falmouth
Steven Dugas, Yarmouth
George Ryder Eaton, South Portland
Jane Eberle, South Portland
Katharine Echavarri, Falmouth
Dr. Mary J. Edwards, Cumberland
Kristina Egan, Freeport
Karen Farber, Falmouth
Dick Farnsworth, Portland
Katie Fellows, Scarborough
Dave Fenderson, Cumberland Foreside
Pam Fenrich, Falmouth
Lloyd Ferriss, Richmond
Annie Finch, Falmouth
Jon Fitzgerald, Falmouth
Gene Fitzpatrick, Falmouth
Leah Flumerfelt, Falmouth
George A. Fogg, North Yarmouth
Brita Forssberg, Falmouth
John B. Fossum, Falmouth
Gary C. Foster, Gray
Marilyn Fraktman, Scarborough
Beth Franklin, Falmouth
Arthur Frederiksen, Falmouth
Richard Frost, Falmouth
Ben Frueh, Falmouth
Celine Frueh, Falmouth
Bill Gardiner, Falmouth
Rick Gause, Cumberland
Officer Joe Giacomantonio, Scarborough
Wolcott Gibbs Jr., Bath
Brad Gilbert, Falmouth
Richard Gill, Falmouth
Jeffrey Gilman, Salem, N.H.
Stan Given, Falmouth
Gordon A. Glover, South Freeport
Peter Goffin, Falmouth
Valle Gooch, Falmouth
Corey Goodrich, Cumberland
Crystal Goodrich, South Portland
Coleman P. Gorham, South Portland
Betts J. Gorsky, Cumberland Foreside
Rep. Anne P. Graham, North Yarmouth
Audrey Grassman, Falmouth
Colby Green, Cumberland
Marji Greenhut, Brunswick
Bill Gribbin & Lisa Wilson, Yarmouth
Kevin Grover, Falmouth
Mark D. Grover, Gray
Maurissa Guibord, Scarborough
Jean & John Gulliver, Falmouth
Marie Gunning, Freeport
Michael Gurau, Freeport
Bob Hackett, Old Orchard Beach
George G. Hackett, South Portland
Steve Hadik, Woolwich
Bill Haley, Cape Elizabeth
RuthAnne Haley, Cape Elizabeth
Darcy Halvorsen, South Portland
Stephen Hamilton, Falmouth
Bethany Hanley, Cumberland
David Hanson, Portland
Scott Harriman, Brunswick
Clare Harrington, Falmouth
John Harrington, Falmouth
Ronald A. Hart, Falmouth
Pamela Harwood, Cumberland
Kathy Hayden, Falmouth
Gwenn Hayes, Portland
Karyl Hazard, Falmouth
Charles Hebson, Falmouth
Shirley Helms, Woolwich
David Hembre, Falmouth
Karen & Dieter Hessel, Cape Elizabeth
Susan Higgins, Scarborough
Averyl Hill, Scarborough
Sarah Hill, South Portland
John Hobson, Falmouth
Jennifer Hodsdon, Brunswick
Maureen Holland, Cumberland
Maria Holt, Bath
Diane Howe, Falmouth
Susan Howe, Falmouth
Kandi-Lee Hoy, South Portland
Melissa Hoy, Topsham
Gunnar Hubbard, Falmouth
Leslie Hyde, Yarmouth
Andrew C. Hyland, Falmouth
Chuck Igo, South Portland
Deborrah A. Jabar, South Portland
Allison Joel, Brunswick
J. Philip Jones, Yarmouth
Lucia Jones, Scarborough
Sean P. Joyce, Falmouth
Pieto Julek, Portland
Phil Kaplan, Falmouth
Lee Karker, Rockland
Dennis Keeler, Falmouth
Donald Kelley, Wiscasset
John M. Kendall, Falmouth
Maura Kenney, Cumberland
Carol Keroack, Falmouth
DeWitt Kimball, Brunswick
Claudia King, Falmouth
Andrew Kinley, Falmouth
Ned Kitchel, Falmouth
Sharman Kivatisky, Scarborough
Kurt & Elizabeth Klebe, Falmouth
Paul M. Koziell, Scarborough
Amy Kuhn, Falmouth
Anna Kupel, Scarborough
Don L’Heureux, Falmouth
Gretchen Lacombe, Falmouth
David La Graffe, South Portland
Michelle Lamb, Falmouth
Janine Lambert & Dave McConnell, Falmouth
John Lambert, Cumberland
Analiese Larson, Falmouth
Andy Lebel, Falmouth
Bruce LeClaire, Windham
Martha Leggat, North Yarmouth
Porter D. Leighton, Falmouth
Richard D. Levin, Jupiter, Fla.
Taylor Lewis, Bath
Dave Libby, Falmouth
Nancy Lightbody, Falmouth
Erica & Cameron Linen, Falmouth
Robert M. Lord, South Portland
Henry Loughlin, Freeport
Joan Lourie, Scarborough
Bill Lunt, Falmouth
Bob Lyman, Freeport
Kathleen M. Lynch, Cumberland
Julie MacDonald, Falmouth
Jim MacLeod, Yarmouth
Bruce Macmaster, Falmouth
Sean Mahoney, Falmouth
Dan Maloney, Falmouth
Robert S. Maloney, Cumberland
Theresa Maloney-Kelly, Cumberland
Ted Markow, Brunswick
Stephen Marks, South Portland
Bob Marley, Falmouth
Belinda Marston, Cumberland
Philip McCormick, Falmouth
Mary McCrann, Falmouth
Alison McDonald, New York, N.Y.
John McDonough & Helene Plourde, Scarborough
Peggy McGehee, Falmouth
Jill McGowan, Falmouth
Suzanne McGuffey, North Yarmouth
Robert McIntyre, Harpswell
Steve McKelvey, Scarborough
Dianne McClellan, Scarborough
Thomas R. McNaboe, Cumberland Foreside
Pam McTigue, Falmouth
Steve Melchiskey, Falmouth
Nancy & David Merrill, Falmouth
Jen Meserve, Falmouth
Elizabeth Miller, Portland
Marna Miller, Falmouth
Judy Miskell, Freeport
M.D. Mitchell, Freeport
Steve Mittl, Freeport
John R. Moon, Falmouth
Margi Moran, Judy Berghuis & Lisa Sanford, Yarmouth
Rake Morgan, Portland
Robert N. Morrison, Brunswick
Rep. Terry Morrison, South Portland
Rowan Morse, Falmouth
Sarah Mosley, Westbrook
Madeleine Msall, Brunswick
Bill Muller, Falmouth
Jack Mullin, Cumberland
Kelly Noonan Murphy, Scarborough
David R. Murray, Falmouth
Pat Murray, Bradford
Christopher B. Murry Jr., Falmouth
Judith Mushial, Scarborough
Sarah M. Nash, Bar Mills
Anna M. Nelson, Brunswick
Rep. Mary Nelson, Falmouth
Dr. Nicholas M. Nelson, Topsham
Art Niedzielski, Newtown, Conn.
Linda Lois Nutter, Falmouth
Ryan O’Connor, Brunswick
Joseph W. O’Donnell, Falmouth
Daniel Olds, Falmouth
Richard P. Olson, Falmouth
Chris Orestis, Falmouth
Ike Ostrove, Falmouth
Stephanie Paine & John Pier, Freeport
John Pankowicz, Boothbay Harbor
Judy Paolucci, Yarmouth
Nick Pappas, Cape Elizabeth
Wendy Paradis, Falmouth
Janice Parente, Scarborough
Kathleen Parr, Falmouth
Deborah Patten, Bath
Linden Thigpen Pavloff, South Portland
Edward Pearlman, South Portland
Michael Perfetti, Cumberland
Cody Perkins, Harpswell
Anne Perry, Harpswell
Joseph Perry, Bath
Brian Peterson, Westbrook
Dr. Jeff Peterson, Portland
Julie Peterson, Falmouth
Kent Pierce, Yarmouth
Alex Piper, Freeport
Jonathan Piper, Falmouth
Jane Small Plante, Spofford, N.H.
Barbara Powers, Falmouth
Mike & Tina Pratico, Falmouth
Lisa Preney, Falmouth
C.H. Preston, Chebeague Island
Cathy Prichard, Falmouth
Gary Profenno, Freeport
Christine Provencher, Scarborough
Jerry Provencher, Bath
Eydie Pryzant, Falmouth
Rodger Pryzant, Falmouth
Jeff Putnam, Cape Elizabeth
Gaetano Quattrucci, South Freeport
John W. Quinn, Falmouth
Julie Rabinowitz, Falmouth
Dr. John Radebaugh, Falmouth
Patrick Rael, Brunswick
Amanda Rand, Falmouth
Maryella Rawnsley, Cumberland
Emily Read, Scarborough
Fran Reardon, Falmouth
Abbey Record, Portland
Kathy Hillman Reed, Falmouth
Rachel M. Reed, Falmouth
Pat Davidson Reef, Falmouth
Michael C. Reis, South Freeport
Jeff Reynolds, Brunswick
Mark Richard, Falmouth
Bill Richards, Cumberland
Sybil Riemensnider, South Portland
Richard J. Rizzo, Brunswick
Mark Robinson, Biddeford
Bonny Rodden, Falmouth
Bob Roffler, North Yarmouth
Jill Rose, Harpswell
Sue Rowe & Serena Mercer, Yarmouth
Betsy Ruff, Freeport
Tom Rumpf, Brunswick
John W. Russell, Portland
Stephen C. Ryder, Falmouth
Tom Sauberlich, Falmouth
Pem Schaeffer, Brunswick
Robert Schaible, Buxton
Jeffrey Schneider, Brunswick
Beth Schultz, Woolwich
MaryAnn Schwanda, Freeport
Donna Schwartz, Portland
Jacquetta Searle, South Freeport
Barbara Seelen, Falmouth
Judy Shirk, Scarborough
Sarah Shmitt, Portland
Kimberly Simmons, Cumberland
Angela Smith, Falmouth
Gregory Smith, Cumberland
Hugh Smith, Falmouth
Stacy Smith, Falmouth
David Snow, Falmouth
Donna Snyder, Scarborough
Caroline Southall, Freeport
Rose Splint, Falmouth
Anne Staples, Falmouth
Jeffrey Stevensen & Dana Trattner, Cape Elizabeth
Richard Stites, Bath
David Strauch, Brunswick
Thomas C. Sturtevant, Winthrop
Lynda L. Sudlow, Falmouth
Dan Sullivan, Brunswick
Jack Sullivan, Portland
Eva J. Szillery, Orono
Georgia Temple, Topsham
Carl M. ter Weele, Falmouth
Marcy Tierney, Yarmouth
Suzie Tierney, Falmouth
Kathryn Tolford, Falmouth
Michael Tolley, Falmouth
John W. Trafton, Brunswick
David Treadwell, Brunswick
Nancy Triggiani-Musco, Freeport
Kathy Tucker, Falmouth
Mariana S. Tupper, Yarmouth
Faith Varney, Falmouth
Mark Verrill, North Yarmouth
Jill Victor, Brunswick
Rep. Amy Volk, Scarborough
Jamie Wagner, Cape Elizabeth
Chantal Walker, Falmouth
Michael J. Waxman, Yarmouth
Rep. David Webster, Freeport
Genie Wheelwright, Brunswick
Everett White, Cumberland
Harry White, Scarborough
Lin White, Pownal
Lucinda White, Freeport
Sharon Whittier, Randolph
Ethel Houlle Wilkerson, Freeport
Diane Wilkins, Falmouth
Martha Elbaum Williamson, Falmouth
Betty & George Willhoite, Falmouth
John M. Willis, Falmouth
Carol Wilson, Falmouth
Nell Wing, Cape Elizabeth
John P. Winslow, Falmouth
Amy Winton, Falmouth
Judith Wohl, Cumberland
Mark Woodbury, Falmouth
Merrie Woodworth, Yarmouth
Lauren Wynne, Saco
Jay York, Portland
Susan Lebel Young, Falmouth
Ed Zink, Yarmouth
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Mo Mehlsak is editor of The Forecaster. He can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 107 or mmehlsak@theforecaster.net. You can also follow Mo on Twitter: @mmehlsak.
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