The New Hampshire Legislature is considering lowering tobacco taxes to help increase cigarette sales ”“ yes, increase cigarette sales. It is discouraging to see New Hampshire and other states ”“ New Jersey and Rhode Island ”“ considering this change when smoking has been on the decline for years. We’ve come a long way from World […]

One day last week, this densely wooded landscape was a myriad tangle of pencil lines drawn against a snowy white background, and it was difficult to tell which had come first: The light or the dark. In the art world, there exists a concept known as chiaroscuro, wherein light and dark surfaces are overlapped in […]

Once again this past weekend, people throughout the state marked Maine Maple Sunday, visiting local farms and sugar shacks for a taste of this region’s sweetest natural treat. This annual event is promoted by the Maine Department of Agriculture’s “Get Real Maine” campaign and helps maple syrup producers promote their products. For those of us […]

Thumbs up to all of those who supported Waban Projects, Inc. of Sanford in their annual telethon drive to raise funds for programs they provide for children with developmental disabilities. The telethon raised $84,472 in all, which helps support developmental therapy, assessment services, therapeutic recreation, and other educational and habilitation-based services for children at the […]

When more than 3,000 young students saw the Portland Pirates vs. the Worcester Sharks hockey game as part of the annual School Day Game on Tuesday, they were unfortunately exposed to unnecessary violence. Referees ejected four players from the game after a fight broke out on the ice. This fight understandably upset some parents and […]

The recent enrichment day for Massabesic High School students included a unique opportunity that ought to become available to all motorists: A chance to experience the effects of impaired driving in a safe environment. Students at MHS participated last week in driving a golf cart while wearing “drunk goggles” and then while texting on a […]

As use of technology continues to grow in our daily lives, municipalities will need to adapt, which is why towns like Wells, Arundel and Old Orchard Beach are moving in the right direction. Town councilors in Old Orchard Beach discussed broadening recording of Town Council workshops and other committee meetings, which are shown on local […]

La Fete du Printemps, a theater and music festival planned this weekend in Biddeford to celebrate French-Canadian arts and culture, is a wonderful testament to this community’s enduring commitment to retaining its identity. The festival, slated for Friday through Sunday, will feature traditional French-Canadian music, an English play by a Franco-American Maine native about growing […]

Some lawmakers have argued that this proposal is about government intruding on individual rights and limiting choice, but at the same time the Transportation Committee is also looking at a bill that would prohibit people from texting while driving or speaking on a cell phone. How could such a bill past muster when we cannot […]

I woke this morning to a late winter snowfall, the kind that whispers as it falls: “Mark me well, because I won’t be around very long.” It’s the type of snow that falls straight and soft and starts clinging to the ground and to tree limbs almost right away, saturated with a moisture that will […]