Letters and emails support Houlton Humane Society
and its executive director
Editor’s note: This newspaper received nearly 100 emails, a half dozen phone calls and numerous comments and negative ratings on our Facebook page in regard to the Oct. 28 letter to the editor by Darlene Kenney regarding the Houlton Humane Society executive director and its board of directors. A representative sample is printed below:
To the editor:
It is my understanding that you have been presenting a negative view of Heather Miller and Miller’s Safe Haven of Houlton, Maine without getting both sides of the story. Seeing both sides of the story would go a long way to letting people make their own decisions.
Heather Miller has been doing a wonderful job taking in and caring for animals that no one else wants. She works tirelessly to provide them love, comfort and the medical care they need.
Your paper would be doing a public service to interview her and print the findings. Printing one side does a disservice to all. Many of us sincerely hope that you will do the right thing and interview Heather Miller yourself so that the record can be set straight.
Sheila R. Birenbaum
The Woodlands, TX
To the editor:
As others I am requesting that you retract the recent article on Heather Miller and Houlton Humane Society. Being a follower of their (Facebook) page for over a year now I find it not only biased but unprofessional to print a story on accusations, deceit and personal agenda. As a journalist you need to check your facts and get the other side of a story.
I find it interesting this article appears after a local TV station did a piece on all the wonderful work Heather does with these animals. Apparently envy truly does bring out spiteful people.
Patty Beck
Sherman, IL
To the editor:
I must state that I am very puzzled as to why your newspaper would publish an article which takes the side of someone who does nothing but stalk and defame an organization that takes care of and gives a loving home to animals that would be otherwise discarded by society!
It is very apparent that Darlene Kenney has a very personal grudge against the Houlton Humane Society and Miller’s Safe Haven. Her comments are totally transparent, are nothing short of libel and slander, and they have no factual basis whatsoever!
There is very little that is more important than caring for helpless animals, and especially caring for those that have serious health problems! The HHS (and Millers’ Safe Haven) does exactly that and the owners/operators have never said a bad word about any other rescue organization. Yet they are forced to see your newspaper put a black mark on their good reputation.
Suffice to say, I am a firm supporter of HHS and MSH and I very strongly feel that you have wronged them in a quite significant manner. It is my sincere hope that you will come to the realization that you need to correct an “oversight” and let the public know that there is no allowance for one-sided defamation in the journalism field. It can only serve to improve the image of your publication, if you make every effort to make amends for a lack of compassion and for publishing information that has no factual basis.
Timothy Fredrikson
Charlottesville, VA
To the editor:
I understand that Darlene Kenney has very strong opinions about Houlton Humane Society and Miller’s Safe Haven. I sincerely hope that you will due your due diligence and contact the humane society and Miller’s Safe Haven and investigate both sides of the story.
Undo negative publicity can cripple a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit which strives to care for critically ill pets that others cannot, or will not, care for themselves. I have followed Emerson and Miller’s Safe Haven and can see the care these animals receive. I have two cats myself and had one cat previously who I loved to death who had chronic colitis so I know the effort, time and expense it takes to care for a special needs pet.
Social media and and undo bad press will unfairly influence people from donating to a wonderful cause. Please do not let the animosity of one individual who is full of hate take away from a place that provides a loving sanctuary.
Laura Geis
La Grange, IL
Criminals target unsuspecting seniors
To the editor:
None of us would willingly let a criminal intent on stealing from us into our home. But for too many people that is exactly what is happening. The criminal isn’t coming through the door but is coming in through the telephone or perhaps through the Internet on a computer. Alarmingly these criminals are using new technology to mask their real identity and using the name of trusted sources to gain the confidence of the target.
I work for the Aroostook Agency on Aging and many older people are helped by the agency and trust us because of the positive difference we have made in their life. I received two calls from older people who had supposedly received a call from me the evening before pleading for a donation to assist and care for “wounded and crippled veterans.” It was not me who called them nor, if they had agreed to make a donation, would their money have gone to help a veteran. It was a scam trying to steal their money.
Another of the agency’s staff got a call from an older person she had helped. Earlier that day the targeted older person got a call by a person using the name of our worker. The caller “needed” personal information including date of birth, Social Security number and bank account information. Fortunately she refused to provide it and called our worker directly suspecting a scam. Her instincts were right — it was a so-called “phishing scam.”
The so-called “Grandparent” scam has been reported to us by a couple of seniors in recent weeks. One person unfortunately believed his grandson needed $2,500 to get out of jail. He was allowed by the “U.S. Agent” to talk with his “grandson” and family details known by the “grandson” convinced him the call was real. His caller ID said the call was coming from “Homeland Security Department”. He sent the money and too late learned he had been scammed, his grandson had never been in any trouble.
Family information probably came off a Facebook page used by the criminals to gain his confidence. Technology is available to alter caller ID so you can’t trust it to tell you where the call is really coming from.
York County Sheriff William L. King shared this fraud alert with us today –“ Kittery Detective Ray Hazen received a report of an “IRS” scam call from 202-864-1377. The strange thing about this scam call is that the intended target’s caller ID showed the call came from the “York County Sheriffs.” The accented caller told the resident that he owed a significant amount of money to the IRS that needs to be paid today or a York County Deputy would be sent to arrest him within an hour. The scammer told the intended target to call the number and ask for Officer Shawn Woods of the IRS. The target was a bit thrown off by the caller ID. Detective Hazen called the number and they answered on the first ring, “IRS.” Please spread the word about this latest scam, using the sheriff’s office as a ruse.”
It is truly tragic when you know a person has worked all their life and was able to save hard-earned money to provide for their retirement and have it stolen in a blink because of a scam artist. The best defense is to just hang up the phone. If the IRS truly has an issue with you and you owe money, they won’t call you but will send a letter.
Don’t get suckered into the “Grandparent” scam by news of a supposed family tragedy or the harm or jailing of a loved one requiring you to send money immediately. Call another family member or your local police or the Aroostook County Sheriff’s Office and tell them about the call and ask them to check it out before you send a penny.
Steve Farnham, executive director
Aroostook Agency on Aging
