Since last March, we’ve seen how the global pandemic has impacted not just our country as a whole, but our neighbors right down the street. While there has been direct economic fallout attributed squarely on the pandemic, it also highlighted the long term, systemic needs in our community that have been there all along. It’s […]
Courier Opinion
Posted inBiddeford-Saco-OOB Courier, Scarborough Leader, Southern Maine Weeklies
Make Child Tax Credit expansion permanent
For far too long, our government has done too little to support working families. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of U.S. children were living in poverty, and the pandemic has only exacerbated these issues, reinforcing systemic inequities. The harmful effects of child poverty profoundly affect American society and our future economy. Reversing these trends […]
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Posted inBiddeford-Saco-OOB Courier, Southern Maine Weeklies
Twenty-five ideas for enjoying the great outdoors
A couple of key milestones occurred simultaneously earlier this month that are worth noting. The CDC revised their health and safety guidelines, emphasizing that outdoor activity is for the most part safe now and recommended whenever possible vs. gathering indoors in large groups. Their announcement coincided with May Day, or the time when people recall […]
Posted inBiddeford-Saco-OOB Courier, Southern Maine Weeklies
We may be stepping on miracles
During the last few weeks, I’ve been hard at work planting new things, moving others around, weeding, and just basking in the sensation of life springing from the earth. This body of mine isn’t young anymore, so I have to pace myself a lot more now. Moving a plant from one spot to another involves […]
Posted inBiddeford-Saco-OOB Courier, Southern Maine Weeklies
What’s happening at the Dyer Library and Saco Museum
I know we can all agree that it has been a strange, strange year. It seemed like a good time to update you on what’s happening at the Dyer Library and Saco Museum. If you haven’t noticed this, we are open. We have been open nearly the whole time since June 1, 2020, and we […]
Posted inBiddeford-Saco-OOB Courier, Southern Maine Weeklies
April is Pet Month at McArthur Library
Last April, I was adjusting to working from home. My three at home coworkers are Miss Lady (15 ½ years old), New Dog (10 years old) and Asher (3 years old). They are all traumatized rescue mutts with difficult and unknown backgrounds. During the pandemic they disrupted Zoom meetings, barked through Book Group and met […]
Posted inBiddeford-Saco-OOB Courier, Southern Maine Weeklies
Beyond the Headlines: Reflecting on 3 decades of life
As I enter a new decade this month (turning 30!), it got me reflecting back on some of the important life lessons I’ve learned along the way. Be true to yourself. Easier said than done right? For many of us, finding out who we are is a tall order. It takes a lot of trial […]
Posted inBiddeford-Saco-OOB Courier, Southern Maine Weeklies
Spring grows more precious with each passing year
Spring drew on … and a greenness grew over those brown beds, which, freshening daily, suggested the thought that Hope traversed them at night, and left each morning brighter traces of her steps. ― Charlotte Brontë, “Jane Eyre” It is amazing that, despite the fact that I’ve gardened for nearly half a century, I still […]
Posted inBiddeford-Saco-OOB Courier, Southern Maine Weeklies
Moving forward in our community
We recently marked the one-year anniversary of the pandemic, and amidst the grim statistical reminders of our horrifying collective ordeal, the Joni Mitchell lyric of “you don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone” comes to mind. For those of us lucky enough not to get sick who spent the year physically and socially distancing […]
Posted inBiddeford-Saco-OOB Courier, Southern Maine Weeklies
A Ruralist Lament – Farming: A dirty truth
These days it’s common for in-crowd folks to adopt trendy and overused lingo. Maybe you’ve noticed that we don’t have towns or cities anymore. We have “communities.” “Problems” have been banished in favor of “challenges.” Once upon a time there was a notion of “truth.” Now everybody apparently has “their truth.” Perhaps related is the […]