Resort prices
All these businesses around vacation resorts complaining about losing business because of the rainy weather and high gas prices could certainly help themselves by helping the vacationers. It's a bit too much to ask $8 for a hamburger, $2.75 for a bottle of water and 75 cents for a postcard. I'll bet they don't pay those prices when they go on vacation.
Time for change
To Councilor Donahue in Haverhill: The next time the election comes around it's time for a change.
Host campers
I think there should be an audit for host campers at Salisbury Beach State Reservation. They have the same ones every year.
Hospice vandals
When they arrest the vandals who spray-painted the hospice house, as part of their punishment, they should be made to spend a day at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. That will put a face to the ones they harmed.
Back to work
Ms. Traficanti of Lawrence, who has been collecting workers' compensation in the amount of $60,000 in a year and a half, has been making a living whether her lawyer believes it or not. She is making a living off the taxpayers of Lawrence. If she is ready to go back to work, let her go back to work at her old job. If she doesn't like her old job, she can file to get a new one. If she can't get a new one, she can either quit Lawrence and find something else, or she can learn to live with it. This is ridiculous. If she can collect workers' compensation and still be viable to work, she needs to go back to work. If she can work in Haverhill, she can work in Lawrence.
Minibikes
I always thought that motorized minibikes could not be driven on the road. In Haverhill it must be OK to do this. Every day there is a minibike going up Lake Street. Is the phone number for Haverhill police the nearest doughnut shop? Is that where I should call? Because it is not the Haverhill police as listed in the phone book. There are never any officers available according to the dispatch officer at the station.
Doing the job
Regarding the caller who said Methuen City Councilor Jennifer Kannan is always chewing gum: I would rather have a gum chewing councillor who does her job than some empty chairs.
Slow down
Hey you speeding cars and trucks on Interstate 495 at the bridge over the Merrimack River: The speed limit is 55 mph, not 80. I am going to call your license plates in to the Registry. The same goes for Route 213 in Methuen.
Saving Essex Street
First it was Emerson College that was to lead the resurgence of downtown Lawrence. Then it was Northern Essex Community College. But surely it would be Museum Square with its phantom museum. However, the new courthouse was a slam dunk. Now it's the new federal building. Give me a break. The only way our City Hall circus will ever "bring back" Essex Street (whatever that means) is by digging it up and moving it across the New Hampshire border.
Fading plates
The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles is aware of the fading green and white plate problem. A directive has been issued to all state inspection stations to refer drivers to the local RMV office for complimentary replacements when the plate presents as illegible. This will phase out the old green plate with white background and phase in the now standard red with white background plates.
Protesting movies
People are insane. Oh, am I allowed to use that word since it might offend those people who are insane? Those people fighting that movie that uses the "R" word too many times are exactly what the "R" word means! What's next? People in this country complain and picket about everything! It's just getting ridiculous!
Courtesy needed
Many of us were offended by Haverhill School Committee member Scott Wood's saying that Dr. Buchanan has "no regard for the taxpayers' money." When Scott Wood has earned an advanced degree, worked his way up through the ranks to be worthy of appointment as a superintendent of a school system, then will I put any credence in his words. Of course, he should also have been put in a position where, over several years, he had been given much less money than is needed to adequately fund his school system. And that doesn't even factor in the human element: loss of jobs, children not able to take classes they want, sports fees going out of sight. Until then, Mr. Wood, exercising a bit more thoughtful analysis while treating an excellent academic leader a bit more professionally might be in order.
Driving while talking
You have to be wary of drivers backing out of parking spots with a cell phone in one hand and barely holding on to the wheel with the other. Many of these VIPs are driving large SUVs. Are these calls that important? And besides, where do these drivers place their containers of coffee?
