On Dec. 4 President Donald Trump ordered the Department of Defense to withdraw troops and assets out of Somalia by early 2021. The U.S. has been in Somalia directly or indirectly since the war on terror was announced by President George W. Bush. The main objective of the U.S. was preventing Somalia from becoming a […]
Forecaster opinion
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Here’s Something: Vaccine is best Christmas gift ever
The No. 1 thing we should be thankful for this holiday season is the speedy delivery of an effective COVID-19 vaccine. The proverbial and actual shot in our arms comes courtesy of Operation Warp Speed, the most remarkable and effective private-public partnership the nation has seen since World War II. The scientists at Pfizer, which […]
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Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Mainewhile: Hanukkah could include a new miracle
Happy Hanukkah to all of you who will be celebrating the holiday. Because this festival of dedication runs in accordance with a calendar different from the Roman one we use to chart our Monday through Sunday schedules, the exact start and stop dates for this eight-night-long celebration change from year to year. This year, Hanukkah […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Life Unwound: People need people
In my 30s, I recall saying, “Wait. What? I don’t get it. I should get it. When I was 14, one of my brothers died soon after birth. When I was 21, my 41-year-old aunt died. People die. Grandparents die, but not my grandfather.” Pepere Lebel loved me as one of those people the experts […]
Posted inForecaster Opinion
Over Easy: Heading for the last roundup
The following is fictional but short. Giuliani was the last to arrive, tucking his shirt into his pants, hoping no ants were in his pants. As typical of Rudy, his mouth arrives seconds before the rest of him. Following orders from the president to “dress like cowboys,” the entire cabinet looked like a group audition […]
Posted inForecaster Opinion
Letter: Small states would win with national popular vote
Most of us would agree that the federal government should treat all citizens fairly, whether we live in small-population states or big ones. Right now, there are 13 small-population states like Maine that have only three or four Electoral College votes; 12 are ignored by presidential candidates. Only New Hampshire ever seems to be a […]
Posted inThe Forecaster
Forum: Local agriculture more important now than ever
After Thanksgiving overindulgence and looking ahead to a long winter season of quarantine cooking at home, it’s time to reflect more thoughtfully about where our food comes from and how we can support our local farmers and communities. I grew up going to the local farms in Cumberland – Spring Brook Farm and Sweetser’s Apple […]
Posted inForecaster Opinion
Superintendent’s Notebook: School nurses are on the front lines
“I am convinced that the greatest heroes are those who do their duty in the daily grind of domestic affairs whilst the world whirls as a maddening dreidel.” – Florence Nightingale As the surge of COVID-19 continues, nurses stand at the front lines. Nurses are playing a critical role in keeping our schools open during […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Guest Column: Restricting legal immigrants from becoming citizens
The U.S. government has a new requirement for immigrants seeking to become citizens. This new addition started Dec. 1 and it may be a way to make is harder for legal immigrants to become naturalized citizens. The applicant must answer 12 out of 20 items, which is a passing score of 60%. The previous policy […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Mainewhile: Bellows more than qualified to be secretary of state
Last week, I spent some time reflecting upon the work and legacy of our outgoing secretary of state, Matt Dunlap. We truly have been extremely fortunate to have him in this role, working for all of us in Maine. Last Tuesday, state legislators met to vote for who would serve in the office next. There […]