In November of this year, there will be a vote to ban hunting of bears, which is known as the Mainers for Fair Bear Hunting Initiative. Is this the right law for Maine? This referendum is not about Maine or Mainers, but rather about out-of-state special interest groups that have no understanding or interest in […]

In the past few weeks, I have read eloquently written letters in support of George Hogan, by three people I greatly respect: Marc Bourassa, Bud Harmon and Gary Curtis. I would like to add my name to that list. George has lived in Old Orchard Beach his whole life and has served our town in […]

  New York Times on Obama’s Africa Summit: Even as the Ebola virus serves as a reminder of Africa’s manifold challenges, a much brighter future for the Continent was on display in Washington this week, where more than 40 African heads of state are attending a summit meeting led by President Barack Obama. Done right, […]

The excitement was palpable as the pre-assembled steel bridge that will connect the mill districts in Biddeford and Saco for pedestrians was lowered into place late last month. It was the culmination of many months of work and many conversations between the stakeholders, and soon, it will be open for all to use and enjoy. […]

In June 2014, voters in Ogunquit made their municipality the first in Maine to pass a forward-thinking ordinance to restrict the use of pesticides and herbicides on both private and public land. Unfortunately, the Maine Board of Pesticide Control determined, after the ordinance was passed, that the city had failed to meet certain state policy […]

Of the 28 states that allow bear hunting, only 16 states allow the hounding of bears; 12 states allow baiting, some with restrictions as to where bait can be placed and the amount of bait used at the site (www.meepi.org/bears/bearmatrix.htm). No state allows the trapping of bears for hunting, except for Maine. With regards to […]

We taxpayers support the city’s parking education effort. In 2012, a planning team was hired to study the current parking conditions in Biddeford and the mill district. The study team reviewed all available parking resources, studied utilization of spaces, and examined the appropriateness of the parking system to meet today’s conditions and accommodate future needs. […]

Sanford lost a truly amazing person on Sunday when Shirley Benoit passed away. Many of us have had the honor of meeting Shirley when we went to a Sanford Mainers baseball game. Shirley would sit at the top of the stairs and sell lucky tickets. My kids would run up to her and hug her, […]

Perhaps as many as 14 years ago, I saw a moving and thought-provoking film called “Pay It Forward,” starring Kevin Spacey and Helen Hunt. In my view, a great film keeps me thinking about it or at least the messages portrayed in it. It keeps me thinking about issues that affect us, about the human […]