Tell It To George is a collection of thoughts from here and away, from people who want to get their two cents worth in, without using their names.

Since Bintliff's never opened at the Mason Station, perhaps Roger could consider a floating restaurant concept for the coal barges, kind of like DiMillio's floating restaurant in Portland.

  At one time there was talk of a nature trail going all the way from Chewonki to Wiscasset village. Now that a 230-foot gasification facility is being proposed for a "rural" area, perhaps the nature trail could be turned into an Army Ranger training trail, where recruits could scale the 230-foot smokestacks on the way through the marine village.

George! My thoughts on Twin River Energy Center. Yes, our tax base needs some industry. (I thought Point East Industrial park would do this! When??) Yes, our children need jobs close by, not out of state. BUT, until Scott Houldin or someone from National RE/sources answers our questions, my vote is NO!

Coastal Maine gets enough pollution to breath from the wind that blows across the country. We don't need closer pollutants in town to breathe.

My biggest question is where ten million gallons of water a day will come from? I personally enjoy the water that comes from our well. But if ten million gallons comes from the aquifer under us, how long will it last - days - months - before all our wells go dry!

Again, my vote is NO! Until they are honest with us, the people of Wiscasset, and answer our questions!

My children are the sixth generation of our family in Wiscasset, and I'd like to see the seventh and eighth generation grow up here, too!

Why vote to change the height ordinance and give control of Wiscasset to the ultimate rich guys from away.

The president of National RE/ sources lives in Greenwich, Conn. where property values are the highest in the whole of the United States!

Congratulations to Roger Bintliff for his nationally televised cooking school, which is now located in Edgecomb on Route 1 - a great addition to the midcoast for jobs and the economy.

Wait a minute. Didn't the Governor come to Point East to herald what was going to be restaurants and a cooking school at the Mason Station???

Another failed promise by Point East and the gang at National RE.

Anyway, congratulations Roger!

Why is Scott Houldin still holding the tape of the recent informational meeting on Westport Island on the proposed gasification plant? Why does he not release it so that it can be run on local cable television BEFORE people vote.

Proponents of the gasification plant like to note that many opponents of the plant do not live in Wiscasset. True, but have you noticed that the majority of the letters to the local papers in recent weeks in favor of the proposal have come from people who do not even live in Maine?

George, wouldn't you think after at least two calls a day - all summer long that you hang up on - they would get the idea you wouldn't renew your car's warranty? It's 9:30 a.m. and I've had two calls so far today.

Maine has sign laws to minimize the visual pollution and keep our surroundings "the way they should be."  During elections, candidates pepper our roads with signage, and as annoying as that is, it does serve a public purpose. 

However, when a local furniture business assaults our senses with dozens of day-glo orange signs solely for business purposes, that is crossing the line. Most furniture store "going out of business" sales are just a ploy used to generate traffic. I already knew this store was having a sale already, traditional advertising mediums had already successfully delivered that message.  

If this store is indeed closing due to "retirement," then its departure means we won't have to put up with another sign attack again. However, if this business continues to operate... it can count me out of going through its doors ever again... I won't support a business that intrudes on our roads in that manner.

Anyone remember the old Harper Valley PTA song about a town's hypocritical judgment of a sexy single mother?  The song calls out each of the critics and points out their hypocrisy. I think I went to sleep in Wiscasset and woke up in Harper Valley.

We've got a Selectman wannabe who failed to get elected on his "What Wiscasset needs is New Business," so he's now leading the charge against Twin River's new business because it will be in his own back yard (YIKES!).

Our "Visionary Lady" wants green lawns for her grandchildren, yet neglected to mention that she's been trying to get out of Dodge for more than a year, but can't, because her home won't sell. Then we've got a left-of-the-left liberal lawyer "for the environment…"

And for all those good folks who speak for the working waterfront - how many have actually been sternmen, worked in the mud, or even know what a clam rake is - other than an interesting decoration for their waterfront porch? If these people are so committed, why not open their front lawns to these hard working diggers so that they can get immediate and free access to the water? You're not fooling anybody! Small towns - you gotta love 'em.

Send "Tell It To George" e n tries clearly marked (this way, we won't use your name) for the "Tell It To George" column, by mail at P.O. Box 429, Wiscasset, ME 04578.

Or hand carry them to our office on at 47 Gardiner Road (don't mail them to Gardiner Road, because they will be sent back to you by the post office); just put them in our mailbox right next to the front door.

Or, walk right in and give them to us.

Or, send them to us by E-mail, at wiscassetnewspaper@verizon.net.

Or, fax them to us at 882-4280;

Or, if you're not good at writing, leave us a voice mail on our answering machine after hours, at 207-882-6355 (speak slowly and distinctly). Please make sure your entries a r rive by noon on Tuesday for publ i cation in Thursday's issue.