Maine is blessed with pristine vistas where souls can find their quiet repose and reflection. The soothing sounds of nature, while rejuvenating, prove to us that in the silence of the forest it is nearly impossible, even in the whisper of the wind and the chirp of the chickadee, to find complete silence. And yet, Rep. Jared Golden has managed to achieve the impossible.

While this global pandemic has already consumed many of our nation’s largest cities, as the recent Bangor Daily News OpEd “Coronavirus pandemic is exacerbating a rural access crisis” highlights, what has been overlooked is the profound and potentially irreversible effect of this crisis on rural communities around the nation.

The teaming frustrations aired by protesters demanding removal of restrictions to our daily lives due to the highly contagious COVID-19 virus is frightening. Why one would even consider endangering my life and yours by not following simple directions from our elected officials to promote safety?

This letter is in regards to a situation years ago when I first met then Cpl. Paul Davis of the Maine State Police, and now running for re-election in Senate District 4, Piscataquis County.

With all the uncertainty and safety concerns surrounding the coronavirus outbreak, would you consider voting by mail in the July 14 primary election, using an absentee ballot? Imagine the satisfaction of having time to consider the issues, ask and research questions and vote from home.

The people of Maine now have an opportunity to try to resolve the bear debate by ending Maine’s bear feeding program. Since 2004, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has falsely claimed that bears must be fed in order to kill them to control their population.

Why are so many people turned-off by voting? Do they think government doesn’t affect their lives, isn’t responsive to the needs of their community or just isn’t worth the time and trouble? 

Some of our Legislative leaders have finally asked to reconvene so they can reconsider the emergency powers of the Governor. My hope is that those "stay at home" orders are rescinded. This statewide shut down of business is not the measure we need to prevent the spread of this virus.

Regarding the quarantine, let us remove it, with an understanding that businesses, their staff and clients, incorporate protocols that we know mitigate spread of the virus.

Due to the coronavirus, many details concerning this year's 2020 Congressional primary election have yet to be determined. What we do know is that the election date has been set as July 14.

Even in the most rural of regions, the people chosen to represent us to the state prove just how much they deserve the job in times of public crisis. Clearly, this pandemic is such a time for us, and it is sadly obvious that Reps. Stearns, Foster and Higgins and Sen. Davis have no primary interest in their most important job --- keeping their constituents safe. If they did, they never would have published their joint letter "We Need to Open the Penquis Region Today."

The Maine people recently voted as a large majority to keep the law regarding vaccinations intact. By doing so, they showed that the majority of Maine citizens believe that protecting the public’s health overrides the individual’s right to refuse vaccinations. Likewise, protecting oneself from getting infected by the covid virus protects the public’s health.

Town buildings and certain facilities remain closed due to COVID-19 but the town’s work carries on.  Our first responders, police and fire are at the ready to answer the call day or night to make sure our community is safe.  The town’s road crew is busy with road work and preparing for summer paving.  If you’re still seeing broken trees or limbs affecting your commute, let us know.

The April 24 letter from Bob Jean made my day. He wrote the letter I didn't get around to writing myself, perhaps better than I could have.

I understand that the drawing for moose permits will be online only as those in charge feel that would be prudent. Many unusual restrictions of gathering and other freedoms have been decreed by the authorities in these troubled times.

Gov. Janet Mills’ leadership has kept Maine’s coronavirus infection and death rates among the lowest in the nation.

I call for the release of as many jail and prison inmates as possible in light of the threat to inmates of the COVID-19 virus. If anyone going into a locked facility, where inmates and staff have no good option of safe distancing, has the virus, it will be almost impossible to prevent a health and safety crisis.

Luckily, all of us can ease the pressure on our planet by filling our grocery bags — whatever they are made of — with delicious, healthy vegan foods. Researchers have found that animal-derived substances have carbon footprints two to 20 times larger than vegan foods.