I may not be perfect, but at least I'm not fake.

I may not be perfect, but at least I'm not fake.
This page is copyrighted by Deborah Dorey Wilson, The Lebanon Truth Seekers. All rights reserved.

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

DEES Rt. 202 Diner Announces Wednesday's Specials!!!

DEE'S RTE. 202 DINER SPECIALS
WEDNESDAY JULY 15
 
 
 
NO SHEPHERDS WERE HARMED IN THE MAKING OF THIS
SHEPHERD'S PIE
WITH YOUR CHOICE OF
HOMEMADE TOAST OR BISCUIT
$6.99
 
SOUTHERN FRIED HADDOCK WRAP
WITH COLESLAW & THOUSAND ISLAND DRESSING WITH CHIPS & A PICKLE
$6.99
 
BBQ CHICKEN MELT
3 FRIED CHICKEN TENDERS IN OUR SWEET BBQ SAUCE,
BACON, RED ONION & CHEDDAR CHEESE
ON GRILLED CANADIAN WHITE BREAD
WITH CHIPS & A PICKLE
$5.69
 
LOADED CHEESEBURGER
WITH SAUTEED ONIONS, PEPPERS & MUSHROOMS
ON A HOMEMADE BULKIE ROLL
WITH FRENCH FRIES & A SODA
$6.99
 
COLD HAM & CHEESE
WITH TOMATO, RED ONION & AMERICAN CHEESE
ON A HOMEMADE BULKIE ROLL
WITH CHIPS & A PICKLE
$4.99

Questions Answered to Whether or Not Selectmen Had Promised Asphalt Paving Work on Lower Guinea Road.

 
I had a nice chat with Road Commissioner Tom Torno this morning regarding the question, brought up at Monday, July 13th Selectmen's Meeting, of a promise of asphalt paving on Lower Guinea road.
I explained to Tom that I was looking to find some answers on whether or not it had been promised to Mr. Richard Small, earlier this year that there would be paving done on the road, which has always been an unimproved dirt road, and according to the Road Commissioner, Selectman Ben Thompson was correct in his statement that there had never been any promise to pave Lower Guinea Road, as long as he can remember.
Torno, only newly appointed as Road Commissioner was the Road Supervisor back in March when Mr. Small came into the Selectmen's office with his concerns regarding Lower Guinea Road, claiming that the road was in such poor shape that it was effecting his business. The three member Select Board of Thompson, Heath and Philbrick were acting as Road Commissioners at the time. Speaking with Mr. Thompson after the recent Selectmen's Meeting, Thompson was confused as to why he would have been labeled a liar by the angry Lebanon resident. "Not one of us could have promised anything without the agreement of the other two," stated Thompson, "so I don't know why I was singled out and targeted on this."
Tom Torno remembers that meeting and says that there was talk about what could be done, and there was talk of placing recycled (or reclaimed) asphalt down on the road at a later date, but that no promises were made to that effect.
"I do remember saying that we would take a ride out that way, check out the road and see what we could do," says Torno in a Wednesday morning phone conversation, "but we never talked about paving that road." Torno went on to remind me of the first Selectmen's meeting that Lebanon Maine Truth Seekers attended, where there was discussion about the different roads where RAP (reclaimed asphalt product) could be used instead of gravel. Lower Guinea road had been one that was discussed, but back in early April, the decision was made to place gravel on the road due to the fact that the road was still fairly deep with frost, causing huge pot holes and shifting of the road's surface.
According to Torno, the town has enough trouble maintaining the roads that are already paved, in order to pave Lower Guinea Road, it would be a very large expense to the town. Asphalt can not just be laid down over an existing dirt road, "There would have to be some engineering and at least 6 inches of gravel would have to be added to that road to make it ready," said the Road Commissioner. "plus that road has places on it where there is ledge coming right up through the road, and that would have to be either hammered out, or blasted. If you don't do it right, you're looking at an expensive paving job that wouldn't last two years." We discussed the need to surface some roads due to more homes, and Torno added that there were only 3 or 4 homes on that part of Lower Guinea Road.
The Road Commissioner also talked about working with a tight budget and the fact that they had gone and put gravel down on that road already and that the Road Department was doing the best they could waiting for the October tax money to come in. "There is still a possibility on Lower Guinea for reclaimed asphalt," Torno said, "but we're not looking to pave that road, as we have miles of already paved road that need maintenance work."
In talking with Tom, we wondered aloud if perhaps Mr. Small had heard "asphalt" (as in RECLAIMED asphalt) and didn't know or understand what the reclaimed asphalt product actually was, therefore thinking that the road was being considered for asphalt paving. "That could be," said Torno, "but again, that road has never been considered for paving."
For better understanding, I contacted some old friends with a major Massachusetts road construction contractor and asked them for the correct definition of  Reclaimed Asphalt (aka RAP).
Reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) is the term given to previously used, removed and processed materials containing asphalt and aggregates.  These materials are created from materials recycled when asphalt pavements are removed from roadways that are being reconstructed or resurfaced, or that are being dug up in order to obtain access to buried utilities.  When properly crushed and screened, RAP consists of crushed aggregates (stone) combined with crushed asphalt product.
Highway agencies and taxpayers benefit because recycling stretches tax dollars, allowing more roads to be kept in better condition.
However, when this product is placed on a roadway, does it appear as though it's been paved with virgin asphalt? 
The answer is NO.
When RAP is used on a road, many people will look at the project and think that a form of crushed stone, crushed gravel, or stone dust has been applied. The product looks nothing like a freshly asphalted roadway.
Is the product a better option than just using gravel or crushed stone?
ABSOLUTELY.
The asphalt portion of RAP will soften in the Summer heat and actually adhere to the stone, this makes the material pack down better and create almost a hardened surface, while still remaining soft enough to move with the underlying dirt road. However, if the RAP is placed over wet roadways or in puddles, or if the material is placed during colder weather, it will not perform to the highest standards and could actually be washed out just like a gravel product would be.
RAP should be placed on the dry road surface to a thickness of 2 to 3 inches and then for optimum performance, the material should be rolled, filling in the deeper ruts and holes with more product as it is applied. "Just dumping the product and hoping that car and truck traffic will pack it correctly is not going to work. If you're going to place the product on a road or parking area and not roll it, you might as well just be placing gravel," said the Massachusetts firm.
Many towns and municipalities are using reclaimed asphalt on shoreline roadways, back roads, or municipal parking areas as a budget friendly and more ecology minded alternative to asphalt paving. According to my Massachusetts friend, the product puts out less leachate of oils and other petroleum by-products than asphalt does, so it is a preferred product in wetlands areas or along shoreline drives.
 
 
 
 

Department of Labor Announces 30 Year Low on New Unemployment Claims!!



07/15/2015 10:29 AM EDT

AUGUSTA-Data continues to indicate that Maine's economy is improving. The Maine Department of Labor's unemployment claims filings have fallen to their lowest points in more than a decade.

"Fewer unemployment claims mean that not only are fewer people being laid off due to a lack of work, but also that people who are out of work are finding jobs more quickly," said Governor Paul R. LePage. "This news is encouraging, and we continue to see signs of an improving economy. But we are not yet at full employment statewide, so there is more work to do. We must do all we can to make the changes that will make Maine more competitive and grow our economy. That is why I have focused on lowering taxes and energy costs so Maine not only retains our existing businesses, but also attracts new businesses to our state to create more jobs and prosperity."

Comparing the four-week average for the same weeks provides the best snapshot of unemployment claims trends over time. For the corresponding period, the four-week average for initial claims is at its lowest average in at least 30 years; the four-week average for initial claims was 883 as of the week ending July 4, 2015. The next lowest four-week initial claims average of 996 was for the period ending July 2, 2005 of the 30-year look-back.

The four-week average for continued claims of 6,912 for the week ending July 4, 2015, is the lowest since the corresponding period of 2000, which had a four-week average of 6,794.

Initial claims are people filing for unemployment benefits for the first time; continuing claims are made up of all people received unemployment benefits after having filed and initial claim.

Unemployment claims are following normal seasonal trends, meaning that claims are at their lowest point during the summer months.

The number of people considered "unemployed" as specified in the monthly unemployment rate release is distinct from the number of people filing continued unemployment claims. Unemployed persons are the number of people who are not employed but are actively seeking work. Included are those who are waiting to be called back from a lay off or are waiting to report to a new job within 30 days. Most individuals filing unemployment claims would fall into the category unemployed, but not all unemployed individuals file claims for benefits. Both figures generally move in the same direction, though claims are more volatile.

The highlighted area of the second chart illustrates that the over-the-year change in unemployed (red line) is more steadily declining than claims. Unemployed was down more than continued claims in 14 of the last 24 months, April and May 2015 among the exceptions.

The average duration of unemployment has dropped by almost a week from May 2014 to May 2015, from 14.5 to 13.8 weeks. The low unemployment rate, shrinking labor force, and increasing hiring will draw out discouraged workers as well as under-employed people as they feel more confident about their ability to be hired.

More information about unemployment rates and data about initial and continued claims can be found at the website of the department's Center for Workforce Research and Information, http://maine.gov/labor/cwri .