This time two years ago, Cumberland County voters faced a tough decision: Spend $34 million, plus an estimated $20 million in debt service, to renovate the Civic Center in Portland to make it more attractive and hospitable to event-goers, or withhold the capital infusion and watch as the concrete behemoth plodded along, losing money and […]
American Journal Opinion
Posted inAmerican Journal, Current, Lakes Region Weekly
POLITICS AND OTHER MISTAKES: Boredom is just a state of mind
There’s nothing more exciting than the latest bestseller from a Maine gubernatorial candidate. Except it turns out David Baldacci isn’t running for anything and isn’t even one of the local Baldaccis. His newest thriller has nothing to do with public policy. It’s just mind candy. Which isn’t something that can be said about Eliot Cutler’s […]
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Posted inAmerican Journal, Current, Lakes Region Weekly
POLITICS AND OTHER MISTAKES: Boredom is just a state of mind
There’s nothing more exciting than the latest bestseller from a Maine gubernatorial candidate. Except it turns out David Baldacci isn’t running for anything and isn’t even one of the local Baldaccis. His newest thriller has nothing to do with public policy. It’s just mind candy. Which isn’t something that can be said about Eliot Cutler’s […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Current, Lakes Region Weekly, Northern Forecaster, Web
DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH: Reminders of an ugly truth
After spending more than eight years researching several cases involving the pain and suffering experienced by children who are victims of sexual assaults, I’m compelled to share what I’ve learned with as many people as possible for as long as I can. Becoming familiar with and sharing the reality and details of these assaults is […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Current, Lakes Region Weekly
ESPECIALLY FOR SENIORS: Those fall traditions beckon
Autumn is my favorite time of year. The sun isn’t quite as bright (but still there) and one can enjoy the free Vitamin D without getting overheated. There’s less traffic, but we do have to watch out for the school buses that seem to be everywhere, making numerous stops. I guess youngsters of this generation […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Current, Lakes Region Weekly
ON THE RIGHT LANE: For a few dollars more
I am tired of reading and watching the news because of all the stories about our government at many levels such as the pending U.S. government shutdown or the city of Portland instituting a rainwater fee. I wouldn’t disagree with the fact that a government shutdown might be a good thing but unfortunately my retirement […]
Posted inAmerican Journal
DOWN THE ROAD A PIECE: Keeping outcomes as they should be
Ask some people and they’ll tell you that Maine has a strong two-party system. Ask other people the same question and they’ll say, “Very funny.” The funny thing is, there are things about Maine politics that are pretty funny. Years ago, Maine was one of the most Republican states in the nation. When Maine used […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Current, Lakes Region Weekly
LIFE IN THE SUBURBS: Big controversies, as always
Confused week in Zip Code 04074 land…weather can’t decide if it is summer or winter (nights!)…do we let dogs run on beaches unleashed?…will Town Council Chair Ron Ahlquist run for re-election, or will he go off to pursue other interests? And if he does, do we allow that leashed, or unleashed? Kidding, Ron! PHOTOSHOP THIS […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Current, Lakes Region Weekly, Northern Forecaster, Web
EDITORIALS: Parents are at core of student learning
It’s 8 p.m. Do you know what your children are doing? That oft-spoken phrase beckoning parents to check on the whereabouts and goings-on of their children has surely reminded parents to take a more advisory role through the years. Now, it seems we need one for daylight hours. It’s 8 a.m. Do you know what […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Current, Lakes Region Weekly
POLITICS AND OTHER MISTAKES: Sacrificial lambs
With the polls in Maine still more than 13 months from opening, we here at the Politics & Other Mistakes Center for Farcical Statistical Analysis are ready to call some of the 2014 races. Our projections show Republican Susan Collins winning re-election to the U.S. Senate by a sizable margin, probably more than 20 percentage […]