After abruptly closing its Waterboro Walk-in Clinic in mid-June, officials at Southern Maine Health Care announced recently that they plan to reopen the center by the end of January, and possibly even sooner. This is welcome news for the area, and the region beyond, because the more rural an area of Maine is, typically the […]

On my bike ride recently, I heard target practice on the street where I live. Even more disturbing, there were gunshots (not target practice) very near my backyard. I live in the area between the Whitten Hill Road, the Guinea Road, and the Goose Rocks Road in Kennebunkport and my land is posted. Yet, anytime […]

Much is being debated about the upcoming bear referendum. Notions like “barbaric, not fair chase, trophy killing, unsportsman-like, unfair practices, ethical hunting, irresponsible bear management practices, cruel and inhumane” are being spoken and written. It is evident to me that this noise is coming from those who have little understanding of bears, the Maine woods […]

As a former member of the Maine Senate, I feel particularly qualified to judge candidates for the Maine Legislature. In House District 4, comprising Ogunquit and parts of York, Sanford and Wells, the clear first choice is Patty Hymanson. She has consistently demonstrated strong leadership experience as a physician, small business owner, chairwoman of the […]

One year ago, the health care exchanges established by the Affordable Care Act, or ACA, opened access to quality, affordable health care for millions of Americans. Today, despite years of unremitting partisan opposition and continual legal challenges, it’s unassailable that the Affordable Care Act is working. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, the uninsured rate […]

A few months ago, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal traveled to Washington to introduce a new national health care proposal. While there, he arranged to meet privately with a small group of conservative journalists and policy experts at the offices of the Ethics and Public Policy Center think tank. Some of the experts engaged Jindal in […]

Load 16 tons and what do you get? Another cut in your welfare check. Gov. Paul LePage has solved Maine’s welfare problem, and all he had to do was put on a time limit. Now, like any Republican, he forgot to mention how this plan works. He brags how he stop overpayments, but how did […]

Partisan rancor permeates debate in the Maine Legislature. Too many feel the need to toe the party line and vote with leadership. Collaboration and compromise seem to be foreign concepts. I co-chair a small contingent of Democrats and Republicans who seek to work from the middle. We call ourselves the Common Ground Caucus, moderates who […]