Judging by the wailing and hand-wringing of media members who cover the professional sports business, you’d think that the current National Basketball Association labor impasse is an epic economic disaster with potentially catastrophic consequences, both in the United States and internationally. Fortunately, that’s not true. The current dearth of major league professional basketball isn’t Armageddon. […]

Penn State is taking a beating in the court of public opinion for reports that is officials knew about sexual abuse allegedly committed by a former defense coordinator and friend of the program. Penn State Athletic Director Tim Curley and Senior Vice President for Business Gary Schultz were indicted on charges of perjury and failing […]

It is fast approaching the time when a glance out any of these windows will once again show me bare trees, their trunks gray against the remaining green of the pines and hemlocks. The leaf drop continues to reveal new pieces of sky to me, and the horizon lowers a bit more each day. For […]

Election Day is that chance, once a year, when voters all over the country have the opportunity to head to the polls to decide who will represent them and how their towns, cities and states will be run. Today is that day. In Maine, voters across the state will have four important issues before them: […]

Thumbs up to the late E. Armand Talbot, a Sanford citizen who always took the time to speak up and ask questions about municipal projects and state his opinion on the answers he heard. Armand died in a fire at his home a week ago and will be missed ”“ at town council meetings and […]

Useless endorsements; alienating college students; efforts to limit democracy; Republican hypocrisy; all are ways to describe the past few months of this election cycle. Let’s begin with useless endorsements. When a candidate has to tout endorsements, I feel as though they are filling our brains with fluff in order to distract us from the real […]

Kennebunkport residents will have board term limits on the local ballot on Election Day. Board term limits would allow appeals, planning and assessment board members to hold office for three consecutive terms. Those people would then need to take a break before serving again. Term limits are intended to allow more people the chance to […]

Councilors in Sanford were deeply divided Tuesday over whether or not to renew the licenses for Fresh Start Catering at Mousam View Place ”“ a business that was recently accused of hosting sex parties that violated town codes. After much spirited discussion, the council OK’d new liquor, victualers, special amusement and dance licenses for Fresh […]

The continuity, professionalism and expertise provided by a town manager are a benefit to any community, and as Hollis voters consider the prospect, we would note that this significant improvement to the town may be possible without a major expenditure. Voters on Nov. 8 will simply be asked if the Hollis Board of Selectmen should […]

This week’s column was originally going to focus on the daily changes I’ve been seeing in these woods the last few weeks. But I’ve had to alter my course and work in the fact that October 2011 will most likely go down in the meteorological records as the month when leaves and snowflakes collided. One […]