The Iowa caucuses may be over by the time you read this. But it doesn’t matter. The caucuses are the second-most fraudulent event on the nation’s political calendar. The first, of course, is the Ames Straw Poll. It’s entirely meaningless, but political reporters pay attention to it because if they didn’t, their editors would make […]

Replacement of bridge is most prudent option Officials in Alfred and Sanford announced this week that they each plan to move forward with an agreement to replace the bridge over Hay Brook, which separates the two towns. There have been no votes taken yet, and more discussion will ensue, but agreeing that replacement is the […]

When World War II ended, Americans took to the streets, clanging pots and pans in celebration and shouting out the victory. Times have certainly changed. No such hubbub will accompany the end of the war in Iraq this month, a war that has claimed the lives of 4,500 Americans and 100,000 Iraqis. The long-awaited troop […]

With 2012 just around the corner, we’d like to take a look back at some of the most memorable sports moments in York County during what proved to a be a great year for some area athletes and teams. First, we should start with high school hockey. The Biddeford Tigers once again seemed like the […]

Thumbs up to the students at Dayton Consolidated School for collecting and donating hundreds of coloring books and crayons to children at the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital. The students in Julie Montalbano’s second-grade class and Crystal Blais’ fourth-grade class worked together and organized the school-wide collection, which garnered 211 coloring books and 158 boxes of […]

Despite the fact that winter can be a difficult time of year in Maine, I always love watching snow fall. There is so much going on, yet it is all happening so quietly. The only time it makes any sound at all is if the snow is falling on dried oak leaves still clinging to […]

It’s encouraging to see the Saco City Council looking for ways to reduce waste and printing costs, but we’re not sure buying iPads is the way to go. Councilors discussed purchasing the gadgets at their meeting this week, as a new paperless way to view agendas and related meeting documents. Councilor Marston Lovell said that […]

During the past six months, I have written a political column for the Journal Tribune covering a wide range of issues in state government, from civics education to fiscal responsibility.  Hopefully, I have helped to spur discussions around the dinner table about the potential solutions to the problems facing the economic and political future of […]

It’s now officially too late to do your Christmas shopping early. That’s OK. Doing your Christmas shopping late counts, too. Remember, it’s not the thought behind the gift that counts; it’s what you spend on it. Oh, I imagine you Xmasologists out there are offended by such crass materialism. You say that Christmas should be […]

The Sanford Council has skirted an application to site a methadone clinic in town by instead approving a moratorium on such facilities. We think this was an unprofessional move by the council to prevent a business from opening within its borders. Although it may be legal, it seemed like an underhanded move to wait for […]