The Inflation Reduction Act brings big changes to Medicare plans starting January 2025. Knowledge is key. Ninety percent of Medicare beneficiaries with prescription drug plans and Medicare Advantage plans will be affected. There is both good news and disruptive news. First, the good news: Starting in 2025, prescription medication costs will be capped at $2,000. […]
Forecaster opinion
Mainewhile: How lucky Mainers are to host celebrities, two- and four-legged alike
Our state gets a lot of visitors. This is not news to anyone. After all, though we may think of ourselves as “the Pine Tree State,” our license plates proclaimed us “Vacationland” way back in 1936 – and it seems to have stuck. That’s fine. We are a gracious state, we roll out the pine […]
RSU 5 Superintendent’s Notebook: Every day counts – the consequences of chronic absenteeism
“One day Alice came to a fork in the road and saw a Cheshire cat in a tree. ‘Which road do I take?’ she asked. ‘Where do you want to go?’ was his response. ‘I don’t know,’ Alice answered. ‘Then,’ said the cat, ‘it doesn’t matter.’” – Lewis Carroll, “Alice in Wonderland.” Over two decades […]
Through My Lens: It takes real courage to have an honest conversation about immigration
Sometimes, it takes real courage to have an honest conversation about immigration, even if that means sitting down with people who are suspicious, unsure or convinced that immigrants are brought in by Democrats to bolster their voter base. This conversation requires us to confront deep-rooted misconceptions and challenge the narratives that have been fed to […]
Mainewhile: Why must Halloween infringe on summer?
Happy Labor Day! By the time you are reading this, the holiday will have come and gone. How was it? I would love to spend some time talking about the holiday origins and labor unions, but I am here right now to talk about Labor Day as a marker, a line to be crossed on […]
Mainewhile: Fair season is the best season
OK everybody, here we are at my most favorite time of year – fair season. I mean, OK, it can be an exhausting day. You get hot and dusty, and sort of overwhelmed with sights, sounds, smells and crowds. But, oh, who am I kidding? All worth it, it’s the fair! The thing about the […]
Through My Lens: Kamala Harris’ acceptance speech and inspirations
Kamala Harris’ acceptance speech was more than just a moment of political significance — it was a beacon of hope for many across the nation, particularly for immigrant families and young girls who see themselves reflected in her journey. As the daughter of immigrants – her mother hailing from India and her father from Jamaica […]
Mainewhile: Versant offer is well intentioned, but crosses a line
Props out to the Maine Public Utility Commission for drawing a line to preserve our collective right to privacy in rejecting Versant Power’s recent offer to turn over electric usage records as a way for police to target illegal marijuana farms. The offer makes a sort of sense, I suppose. Illegal pot farms have been […]
Portland Superintendent’s Notebook: Gearing up for the 2024-2025 school year
One of the things I really appreciate about education is that it’s cyclical. We feel pride and a sense of accomplishment as school ends each June and renewed excitement each fall as we begin a new school year. The summer provides an interlude that we use not only for summer learning, but to reflect on […]
Mainewhile: Civic Center fare top notch; aesthetics, not so much
Maybe it was a concert, or a convention, or a trade show – for a lot of us it’s a sports event (especially tournament time for basketball) – but for a lot of us who live in Maine, the Augusta Civic Center has been the site of a lot of memories. The thing is, and […]