Well folks, I had intended to have a whole other conversation with you right now, but you are going to have to wait a week for my intended thoughts because: wow. The aurora borealis! Did you see it? Was it amazing where you were? I saw it, and it was breathtaking where I was. I […]
Forecaster opinion
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly, Scarborough Leader, South Portland Sentry, The Forecaster
Forum: Covering mental health is good for employees, could save money
World Mental Health Day is Thursday, Oct. 10, and it’s an important opportunity to raise awareness about this major public health issue. NAMI Maine reports one in five adults experiences a mental health condition in a given year. Last month, the Biden administration announced updates to the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act – […]
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Posted inForecaster Opinion, The Forecaster
RSU 5 Superintendent’s Notebook: School safety and student well-being are everyone’s business
Maine with all its beauty is an idyllic place to raise a family. Our schools are committed to providing an exceptional education in a safe, nurturing environment for all children. Yet, since the beginning of this school year several schools in Maine have been subject to threats of violence, including RSU 5. Even in an […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly, Opinion, Scarborough Leader, South Portland Sentry, The Forecaster
Through My Lens: Halloween is a time of storytelling in many forms
It’s Halloween season again. Skeletons dangle from porches, pumpkins sit carved on doorsteps, and the air is filled with an eerie excitement. Seeing all this reminds me of the ghost stories and spooky experiences from where I grew up, in Mogadishu, Somalia, a place that could feel like living in Halloween every day. In Mogadishu, […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly, Scarborough Leader, South Portland Sentry, The Forecaster
Mainewhile: Traditions of free stuff on the lawn reflect community
Maine is a land of traditions. Some of them are beautiful. A few are even profound. Some of them are distinctly odd. Most of them are seasonal. None of them (or at least none that I can think of) are pretentious. Which, in its own way, is another one of our traditions. That plaid-clad, down-to-earth […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly, Scarborough Leader, South Portland Sentry, The Forecaster
Mainewhile: Housing needs and solutions come in all shapes, sizes
Housing, housing, housing! Everyone is talking about housing right now. It makes sense. Housing is a big need right now. “Need” is an interesting word to use as a place to start. What does a person “need” in a home? I think it probably varies by the person. There is “shelter,” and then there is […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly, Scarborough Leader, South Portland Sentry, The Forecaster
Through My Lens: Traditions of the fleeting summer season connect us
Thank you, Maine, for another amazing summer. This summer, I joined a community of longtime Mainers, nestled in their cabins off the dirt roads of Shady Nook in Trenton. The driveways led to the peaceful Union River Bay, with a stunning view of Blue Hill where the sun set in golden hues behind the hill’s […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly, Scarborough Leader, South Portland Sentry, The Forecaster
Mainewhile: Where are you from? It’s a complicated question
“Where are you from?” Such an interesting question. On the one hand, I think it is absolutely fundamental to the human experience to ask this. It is rooted in the primal idea of “clan,” the big question of “friend or foe?” I think about all of the many cultures where when people meet, they greet […]
Posted inForecaster Opinion, The Forecaster
Portland Superintendent’s Notebook: Planning for the future of our high schools, near- and long-term
Portland Public Schools envisions a future where our high schools have fantastic facilities where we provide students with a rigorous academic, career and technical education high school experience. And with our high school buildings assessed in 2017 to have $40 million each in improvement needs – a price tag sure to climb higher due to […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly, Scarborough Leader, South Portland Sentry, The Forecaster
Mainewhile: Life is a balance of loss, grief, joy and adjustments
Sept. 11 is a day of national mourning. This year marked the 23rd anniversary of the awful, sad, mind-boggling day when terrorists took so many lives. Moments in history like that, the big traumas, they leave a really big scar. You remember where you were. I was home, snuggled up with my not-quite-1-year-old baby. He […]