Stirring the pot?

Why is The Rumford Reporter involved in this private matter?

"Dear Editor,

I have been upset for some time now about the fact
that the St.A/St.John school has remained open considering that the
enrollment continues to drop drastically with every passing year."

"Shame on the teachers at the school for taking a paycheck that they are not really earning."

therumfordreporter.com/2008/09/lte-costbenefit-analysis-not-adding-up.html


"Dear Editor,

I just thought the community should know who the "business heads" at the St John/St As school are:"

therumfordreporter.com/2008/09/lte-st-johnst-business-heads.html

A quick message to TRR

Provide proof for your malicious behavior. You have none.

Once again your website is full of lies and slander. You obviously hate to be called on your disreputable and unethical behavior and so you continue to try to hurt innocent people.

Once again, you prove your actions are motivated by hurting anyone you "think" may be holding you accountable and that you will seek revenge without regard for who you hurt in the process, even if it's the children of this town. You have a long history of this behavior.

You continue to prove it never was about caring about this town or the people in it. You are little more than a band of bullies.

You're behavior completely disgusts me.

The real editor of the RFP

It's none of their business really. I think the school is going through a transition. I think in the near future they will become a pre-k through 5 school which will work much better for them. They're enrollment in the lower grades is quite high. It would be a shame to see the school close after being part of this community for so many years.

ok, i have really had it with her this time. It seems like she's going after whatever she can.

I can see her flying a small plane over ST. John-St. A, shooting down kids (in her badly fitting camouflage). It's only a matter of time before she dons those rimless glasses and sweeps her hair up into a 70's do.

But seriously, folks, why does anyone put up with this crap? She has the most transparently evil website that allows no response (why is every letter signed " concerned citizen" when she demands your name , your pets' names, and social security number to have a reply posted?)

It would be wonderful to be able to simply ignore TRR (believe me, i try), but the fact is, that site is not benign at all. It's actively malignant and, in my opinion, dangerous to the community.

Setting aside the pros and cons of a casino in the Rumford area, please note that Seth Carey "officiated" at her wedding at the beautiful Height of Land. Apparrently he's still officiating in some capacity.

I am opposed to censorship, but i am also opposed to vile manipulation.

She doesn't really accept postings (unless you give blood), but you can send emails to her and let her know how you feel. You may get a nasty and threatening response, but that's less time she will have to post some new insidious and vicious article.

It's still a free country, and she has every right to post whatever garbage she likes; however, we all still have the right to respond.

Don't be afraid of her. She needs to be challenged.

There are so many thoughtful people who post here, and they are mostly intelligent, polite and considerate .... perhaps too polite and considerate, considering how feverishly she is working at tearing down the community.

I know this forum was created after she and her cronies forced all the other ones out. Let's not let this happen again.

This concerned citizen didn't mention that the dedicated teachers of this catholic school are earning at least 1/3 less than those who teach in public school while the catholic priest of this parish can afford to be driving a new Jaguar.

Those vows of poverty sure are tough.

bug wrote:Those vows of poverty sure are tough.

Vows of poverty are for religious professions such as nuns. I don't believe any of those teaching at the school are nuns. To the best of my knowledge, they are secular people who believe in providing a quality education with a solid base in the Catholic faith.

Kevin,

I think the poster was referring to the jaquar'ed priest (who DO, depending on the order, take vows which often include poverty) and making a light-hearted comment about it. Have you considered applying for a position with the publishers of Webster's, since you seem to like definitions and rules so much. (nothing wrong with that)

On the other hand, it's also nice to see you offering what appears to be a bit of support for the teachers.

Kevin, Kevin.........................................................

Sorry for the oversight, I didn't get much sleep this weekend.

Since the school is subsidized to some extent with taxpayer money (I
don't have the accounts with me, but believe SAD 43 provides buses,
books, and some other financial support to StA-StJ) this is very much a
public discussion.

I think that this is a discussion that is long in coming. While the editorial on TRR could have been more sensitively worded, how public funds are spent is everyone's business. In today's difficult economy tough decisions need to be made. In order to make the right decisions discussion has to occur with facts - both pro and con - being shared with all participants.

Just my $.02... Take it for what it's worth

Mark Henry

Mark, you’re missing the point.

TRR thought the people over there were behind this site. That’s why TRR targeted them. It’s what they always do. The examples of this are numerous. It’s there M.O. Hurt anyone that dares to stand up to them and hurt what is important to that person. They took a shot in the dark again and were wrong again. It was worth it to them though even if it hurt people that are in no way involved, even if it hurts children.

Do you think some people in town are afraid of them? They have seen what they did to Jolene, Jim and many others. Look at what they did to the last person they thought was operating this site. How would you like to be exposed to that kind of bullying and intimidation?

That is the type of community they have created. People are afraid of expressing their opinions because they know they will be lied about, slandered, attacked and that the things they care about will be attacked. They worry about what their families will have to go through.

Sometimes I feel like I’m living in the 1930’s with a band of thugs bullying their way to power through fear and intimidation. In order to live a half way decent life, you have to keep your head down and pretend you don’t notice while the thugs run rampant.

You’re right about issues needing to be debated with facts. TRR isn’t interested in debating with facts though. They are interested in providing misinformation to exact a punishment on anyone that they think may stand up to them or challenge their hold on the town.

Don’t believe for one minute that the info posted over there is factual. Their untruths are to numerous to mention also. That’s why they don’t allow comments.

Mark, MSAD #43 does not subsidize the private Catholic school. Assistance for school bus, books, public health nurse and tests are requested from the town under the initiated articles. As you know, townspeople vote on intiated articles and have the right to vote them down. As you may recall, the Catholic school received a 20% cut in their request this year. Also, these students would require bus rides, books, tests, etc. regardless of whether they were in a private or public school. One of the selectmen continually asks how many children ride the bus. The bus is a fixed route, meaning it comes from the schools and travels to the furthest point, regardless of how many students are on the bus. It does not, in fact, cost more money for bus service and MSAD #43 receives additional funding from the town for routes they are already driving. You might look to the SAD rather than the school for clarification.

TRR's point is to target Brad Adley's family. Period. Mark Belanger's connection is that he and his father-in-law have always been against the school for personal reasons.

When the Catholic school was staffed by nuns, (who are the ones who take the vow of poverty) they received no pay. Therefore costs were much lower for the church. Lay people began to replace the departing nuns about 30 years ago. At that point, A&J began needing more funds to pay teacher salaries. Teachers in the Catholic school make approximately one-third less than their equally trained and tenured public school counterparts.

When the cost of lay teachers was added to the school costs, what was once a "free" school became a tuition based operation. That tuition has risen steadily over the past years and includes different rates for church envelope contributing Catholics, non-participating Catholics and non-Catholics.

The problem with Catholic schools throughout the state is that the costs are continually rising, including all the costs everyone experiences such as insurance rates, heating, etc., etc. The Bishop has taken a strong stand to keep the remaining schools open and the burden of funding falls on the parents, as it would in any other private school. The church has steadily decreased its percentage of the burden since it has financial troubles of its own. The priests traditionally do not want the burden of a school, especially in light of all the abuse cases against the Diocese. It is a complicated issue. The priest has to follow the Bishop's mandate but there are ways around that.

This isn't about taking funds that people aren't aware of or any such thing...it is the scrambling and jockeying that is happening everywhere as people fear the coming winter and rising costs. The Diocese has so many lawsuits against it and they have spent the last several years consolidating churches and selling property - mainly for fiscal survival.

So, long story short, what you have here is a difference in priorities and personal values...when those values encompass religious practice and money, there is bound to be heavy dispute about what's right.

One more thing - believe me, if the Bishop wanted the school closed, it would be. TRR should take Judy Collette and Sue Adley off the hook and address their complaints to Bishop Richard Malone of the Portland Diocese. I speak with the authority of having been a member of the Diocesan School Board.

Mr. Henry,

This issue: [therumfordreporter.com/2008/09/lte-st-johnst-business-heads.html] has nothing to do with the issue you raise.

The Rumford Reporter "editor" is using St. Athanasius St. John School as a pawn to attack and malign specific people in the Rumford community and to further The Rumford Reporter agenda. There is no level to which she will not stoop to reach her goal. I find this non-Christian behavior ironic considering her weekly, Sunday Bible messages, most notably the message posted on 9/14/2008.

And oh, Ms. Stowell-Norris, it’s St. Athanasius St. John School not “St John/St As“.

Timeout, thanks for the information.

T, You're right. Talk about Hypocrisy. They did it before to someone and now they're doing it again. That is evil!

From The Rumford Reporter: An Update
Submitted by The Rumford Reporter
at 9/17/2008 09:30:00 PM


Editor's Note: The Rumford Reporter
received an update. Apparently, the first person that Mrs. Adley felt
was the writer of the letter wasn't that person after all. Before she
learned that this individual was not the writer of the letter, she had
wrote [sic] mean, nasty things about them on her blog. Shortly after having
her husband convince this person that she was not ADMIN (because she is
"computer illiterate"), she retracted the statement and then began to
accuse another person who she felt was the writer. It is the policy of
The Rumford Reporter to protect our sources at all costs.

[therumfordreporter.com/2008/09/lte-st-johnst-business-heads.html]

I wonder who wrote that TRR editor's note update. I couldn't follow............ And don't they realize that we may like to protect our "sources" as well, and for very good reasons?

And now it appears that they want to censor The Sun Journal and the police department.

If JSN truly wants to create a lovely image of Rumford, she might want to consider closing her site down.

Well said Bug!

I think it annoys and perhaps makes TRR even a bit paranoid that any of the RFP administrators or members could be sitting across from them while diligently at the library or be sitting next to or behind them at church, a public meeting or while they sip coffee at a local eatery. If so, I would think this feeling might make them re-think their mission, if it's causing feelings like that perhaps it's because TRR is doing something wrong. Which makes me also wonder if the posting of religious messages on TRR is some sort of penance...

Personally, I think she's unbalanced (yes, I'm trying to be kind). And she does flip-flop on issues, which is crazy-making, not to mention hard to argue with. Just take this one example: She gets indignant because this site allows anonymity; on her site most posts are signed "a_________citizen" (editor???) She vows to protect the identity of her posters. Does this make sense? And remember, this woman has a masters' degree.

And I'm still waiting for some serious flack from her posting that photo of herself pointing a rifle at a person's head. This comes from one of our professional armed forces who are paid to defend and protect.............

She is loose in this community (and in Lisbon) purposefully wreaking havoc. (On Sundays she does this under the banner [shroud] of Christianity. She epitomizes hypocrisy, and sadly hasn't a clue.

Making innocent people pay to get to others is an age old tactic. I saw it used on a movie I saw not to long ago called the Postman. Remember that movie? Kevin Costner pretends to be a postman in post-apocalyptic America and the leader of a band of outlaws starts killing innocent people so the postman will give himself up.

TRR may not be killing people but they do wield their website like a weapon against some of the people of this town.

On the one hand, she talks about the crime associated with multi unit buildings, yet then the next day, she posts the gushing piece about the rehab of one. Personally, I thought she was way off base (gee, how unusual!) in the post about crime being associated with multi units, and I am happy to see that some of these unique places are being rehabbed. I am simply pointing out her typical hypocrisy.

It may be true that, in Rumford, those large apt. buildings may be the only place that people on limited means can afford to live. It doesn't make them any more criminal than people who operate self-indulgent and destructive web sites.

A lot of my relatives lived and thrived in those kind of buildings. There were many plus's to having your aunt living downstairs (as well as a few minuses!)

So, I applaud the rehab efforts, yet bristle at her innuendo (as usual. she speaks out of both sides of her mouth)