Not many individuals were demonized as vociferously and consistently during their lifetime as Jack Kevorkian. However, the Michigan pathologist who died last week at age 83 believed far too strongly in his cause to be discouraged by hidebound, vicious critics who hysterically compared him to every murderer from Adolf Hitler to Charles Manson to Vlad […]

 Thumbs up to all the hard work from local high school students, teachers and administrators. A report from the Maine Department of Education showed many increased graduation rates over the last few school years in York County. Biddeford High School had a 5 percent increase in graduates from the 2008-09 school year to 2009-10 school […]

What is the proper size for a governing body? This question has come to the forefront recently, not only at the state level, where a unicameral legislature is under consideration, but also locally. Old Orchard Beach Charter Commission members are proposing a seven-person Town Council instead of five-person, while voters in Lyman are informally discussing […]

It was the 1970s when we first met. I was 19; he was about 50. Every week we would sit through Student Council meetings ”“ I, a sophomore defender of student rights; he, a faculty advocate of common sense. I liked him right from the start ”“ everything from his three-piece name to his scholarly […]

High school graduation season is underway, with Sanford High School grads tossing their caps tonight in the first of many ceremonies that will continue through next weekend. It is a time for graduates to reflect on the years of their childhoods and look forward to the next phase of their lives ”“ and a time […]

Although crime increased in Maine last year, the recent annual report from the Department of Public Safety included some good news, too. Domestic violence crimes decreased for the third consecutive year in the state. The rates of most crimes, including robbery, burglary, theft, aggravated assault, rape and arson, rose in 2010, while domestic violence, auto […]

Back when there were only 20 major league teams, most knowledgeable baseball people recognized Willie Mays as the game’s best all-around active player. Skeptics maintained that was only because Ted Williams had retired, Mickey Mantle was in his dotage, and Henry Aaron, Frank Robinson, and Roberto Clemente didn’t play in large media markets. But in […]

When the Chicago Bulls’ Joakim Noah last week hurled a gay slur toward a fan in Miami, he became the third sports star in less than two months to do so. His words are a sign of a bigger problem within the male sports world ”“ and American culture ”“ which needs to be addressed. […]

Thumbs up to all those who participated in Memorial Day parades and ceremonies to remember America’s war dead. Taking the time to stop and remember those who gave their lives in the defense of our country and its values, here and around the world, is important and those who dedicate hours of their time to […]

Biddeford’s recent proposal to instate a “disorderly housing” ordinance seems a good idea at first glance, as it could help the city crack down on the derelict buildings and rowdy tenants that turn average neighborhoods into “bad neighborhoods.” However, we would caution against this approach because of the impact it will have on landlords and […]