Thursday, June 28, 2007

Comes From Away Award

This week's CFA Award goes to President George W. Bush. He will arrive in Kennebunkport today. Air Force One will land at Pease Air Force Base at 3:30 this afternoon and the President will go directly to Walker's Point. (We might go over to the spur road and see if we can catch the motorcade heading north on the turnpike--although we might also hear Marine One fly overhead.)

He doesn't win the award for the inconvenience and delays he's causing for the residents of town on a holiday weekend. Rather, he wins for sticking the town of Kennebunkport with the tab for the extra police protection.

Each time the President visits Walker's Point, it costs the village about $9,000 for the extra security (this in addition to what the Secret Service and Coast Guard provide). Previously, the town has used a $27,000 Homeland Security grant to cover the costs, but that money ran out earlier this year. Kennebunkport is asking police forces from York and Kittery to send extra officers to help out for this visit and there's hope that the other villages will cover the cost of those officers.

There is a protest planned for Sunday afternoon with an estimated 2,000 protesters clogging the village. If you'd like to protest, please park at Kennebunk High School. Shuttle buses will take you to the village green.

Update: Foster's Daily Democrat has additional information on the planned protests:

At Walker's Point, featured speakers will be heard and drums will pound. In addition, a 7-foot replica of the Statue of Liberty will be placed in a coffin to mock the loss of liberties under President Bush.

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