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Tourney ticker prices too high for families

My family and I love to watch the high school basketball tournaments at the Bangor Auditorium. We were shocked at the price of admission! Adults $7 and students $4: $22 for our family of four!

And there is no readmittance if you leave the building, another $22! We don’t have a child in the tournament, but we like to support the teams. We are raising our children, ages 8 and 11, that education is very important, to be good sports and that family time is priceless. Well, family time spent at the tournaments does have a price and it is outrageous!

Hello! We are in Maine, this is high school basketball, not the NBA! What about the families of the numerous mill closings that have kids that play? What about the families with a son and a daughter playing?

Also, as a full-time college student, I asked for the student-priced ticket, but was informed it was for high school students only.

Well, so much for good, clean family fun! So much for supporting the kids. So much for the statistics that show kids that play sports are less likely to do drugs, alcohol and get pregnant. I know we would go to more games if the ticket price was reasonable.

Patricia Graffam

Levant

PI ‘Cats vs. Caribou belongs at UMPI

Who: Presque Isle vs. Caribou

What: Basketball Game

When: Feb. 11, 2004

Where: Bangor Auditorium

Why: Big East Championship Game

After examining the top section I came to a conclusion that something was very wrong with this picture. Presque Isle and Caribou are a measly 11 miles apart and play twice during the year in highly intense basketball games no matter the circumstances. No games were bigger than this year when, for the first time in a number of years, the two teams were back in the same class.

Presque Isle and Caribou are back in Class B and are part of the Big East Conference. The Big East Conference has a predetermined site for its annual championship game held at the conclusion of the regular season. Thank you Big East for forcing Presque Isle and Caribou to travel 200 miles on a school night to play a meaningless basketball game.

The worst part about the situation, the fans have gotten so used to having to drive the 200 miles one way just to watch their team play that nobody says anything. To make matters worse, Presque Isle and Caribou usually have more fans at games than teams from the Bangor area.

I can understand if a team from the Bangor area was playing in the game. If this would have been the case, then just like the regular season, we are forced to play a schedule that requires extended travel. However, this was not the case; these schools are 11 miles apart, 11 miles.

My suggestion for future situations like this? Two schools from the County stay in the County and play the game at UMaine-Presque Isle or on a neutral floor. This would save the schools the transportation and the fans the headache. Some of the best basketball of the year takes place in the County, so I can see why the two teams who have carried the Big East Conference would be forced to play a game in Bangor so they could see what real basketball is supposed to look like.

C.J. McKenna

Presque Isle

WLBZ-TV wrong on Harvey, Tyler

This is in regard to the recent changes at WLBZ-TV Channel 2 (Bangor) due to the renewing of contracts.

First was sports anchor Wayne Harvey not having his contract renewed despite doing a great job. Next was Ric Tyler, an excellent anchor man, whose contract was not renewed after he opted not to go outside and do reporting as the station requested.

Normally when you start at a TV station you do outside reporting first then get promoted to news anchor. This seems to just the opposite at WLBZ.

We are sorry to see Ric leave. He did an excellent job and leaves a big pair of shoes to fill.

In what direction is the management and Channel 2 headed?

Paul & Jacqueline Tower

Brewer

Six reasons to vote against referendum

Here are six reasons why I think we should vote against the Bear Referendum:

1. Passing it will increase our taxes.

Bear hunting in Maine generates at least $12 million in revenues for Maine businesses. Of that, about $600,000 is paid in sales tax to the state. Is the Humane Society of the U.S. going to replace that loss of revenue? Of course not. We taxpayers will.

2. It is just the beginning.

The HSUS and its affiliates want to ban bear baiting as a first step. They really are against all hunting and fishing – anything that takes a “life.”

These same protesters show up at the Lobster Festival in Rockland each year.

How far down their list is the lobster fisherman? How long will it be before they petition to ban using bait in lobster traps, or petition to ban rabbit hunting with hounds?

3. Jobs.

A significant number of people make their livings, and pay their bills with money they make in the “bear business.” More than 95 percent of bear taken each year are taken over bait or with hounds. Do away with those traditional forms of hunting and you will put taxidermists, guides, camp operators and others out of business. Mainers cannot afford to lose those jobs.

4. Ask New Jersey and New York.

Why did New Jersey bring back bear hunting in 2003? Bear attacks! Ask the mother and family of the infant who was snatched out of its stroller at a camp in the Catskills, carried off by the bear and killed. The Humane Society calls those stories “fear mongering,” but they are true. Let the number of bears increase beyond what their habitat will support and we will have fatalities.

Why take the chance with your child or grandchild … or with anyone?

5. Local control.

Do you really want a group of bleeding hearts from out of state telling Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife what to do? Does the Humane Society have any experience managing any wild animal population? The HSUS exists because it cannot even manage the domestic dog and cat populations. Why give Californians control over our wildlife?

6. Options.

Mainers rely on local experts that work for the DIF&W to recommend hunting and fishing regulations. Passing the bear referendum will eliminate options that are available. If the bear population ever starts to decline, the DIF&W can recommend changes that it deems appropriate. Let’s not tie its hands.

I urge you to consider the above and vote NO on the Bear Referendum.

Fred Haverly

Boothbay

Note to readers: The NEWS asks that letters be kept brief and reserves the right to edit submissions for libel, taste, clarity, and to fit available space. Letters should include a signature, full name, address, and daytime phone number. Letters may be mailed to: P.O. Box 1329, Bangor, ME 04402, or e-mailed: bdnsports@bangordailynews.net