Establishing a state budget when tax revenue is pinched by a slow economy poses a painful choice. Do you risk dampening the economy further with a tax hike, or cut state spending to the bone? As Gov. John Baldacci said in January, there are no easy answers. The administration and the Legislature have the responsibility […]

Anyone who has suffered from a toothache knows the value of dental care. Dentists and the specialists who share this field solve problems that can seriously interfere with our enjoyment of life. That’s one reason why the opening of the Biddeford Free  Dental Clinic is so welcome. The clinic serves patients  who can’t afford regular […]

The Supreme Court will hear arguments today on how the constitutional right to own firearms squares with local, national and state gun regulations. Passions run high on this issue and the court faces a challenge in balancing individual rights and the general welfare. As we said last fall when the court agreed to hear the […]

Andy Young Columnist They’ve been celebrating over on Ocean Avenue in Portland, and why not? The athletic teams at Cheverus High School have just concluded a terrific winter season. The girls basketball squad went 13-6, a remarkable achievement for a school whose student body was all male until just over a decade ago. The undefeated […]

Columnist ELIZABETH REILLY “And when she wraps her hand around my finger, how it puts a smile in my heart. Everything becomes a little clearer, I realize what life is all about. It’s hanging on when your heart has enough. It’s giving more when you feel like giving up. I’ve seen the light in my […]

Thumbs up to the Central Maine Power crews, emergency workers and Public Works employees for their diligent response after the storm last Thursday night. The violent winds knocked out electricity to 45,000 homes in southern Maine and took down many trees, while the heavy rains flooded out roads and yards. It is the dedication of […]

A massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck Chile early today, killing at least 78 people, collapsing buildings and setting off a tsunami.

The Biddeford and Saco City Councils recently voted to form yet another committee to deal with the Maine Energy Recovery Company waste incinerator, in the wake of the dissolution of the governor’s task force on MERC. It appears to be another blow to the effort to get Maine Energy out of town. For more than […]

A lot of people have lost money in the stock market. And for the most part, it wasn’t their fault. What should small investors do now, to protect themselves, for the future? Almost two years ago, as the stock market was collapsing, investors frequently found themselves without the knowledge or the power to prevent their […]

Planting season is still far off, but seed and nursery catalogs offer a well-timed reminder that it is not too soon to begin planning gardens and landscapes. At this time of year, all you can do is gaze at catalog arrangements of purple coneflowers or red radishes, and consider the descriptions of featured plants. It’s […]