We don’t envy the responsibility that faced Sanford town councilors recently ”“ a discussion about the need for laws prohibiting public urination. Naturally, the details ended up in the newspapers. The problem faced by the council is that no Maine law actually prohibits public urination. In much of Maine, there is apparently enough cover for […]

Critics of climate legislation claim that the U.S. cannot bear the cost of reducing the use of fossil fuels to power the economy. But the U.S. economy has shown great resilience in times of change. The climate bill passed recently by the House, in fact, relies on innovation based on economic self interest. The bill’s […]

Thumbs up to the mayors and councilors of Biddeford and Saco, who were inaugurated at ceremonies last week. For both cities’ mayors, the inauguration was a formality as they stepped into a second term. Both Mayors Joanne Twomey and Roland “Ron” Michaud have seen some political successes in the past years and we wish them […]

Review of the county budget has a long way to go, but it seems inevitable that York County’s 29 cities and towns will share, in some measure, the discomfort felt by county government and workers. Last week, District Attorney Mark Lawrence and Sheriff Maurice Ouellette argued that staffing cuts have put public safety at risk. […]

In seeking to purchase NBC Universal, Comcast Corp. is looking to gain a dominant position as entertainment empires are realigned. The company believes it can prosper by producing and owning content as well as distributing it. The American public has a vital interest in the coming realignment. Comcast’s offer of $13.75 billion to General Electric […]

On Thursday, the City Council will consider the Planning Board’s recommended amendments to Shoreland Zoning ”“ the results of nine months of hard work and considerable debate. The proposed amendments seek to resolve longstanding problems with the current ordinance. Besides settling problems of interpretation, they will extend Shoreland Zoning Protection to an additional 93 acres, […]

At the international climate summit, just underway in Copenhagen, world leaders have a chance to reach agreement on a strategy to protect the earth’s atmosphere. Many see it as a hopeful sign that President Barack Obama changed his travel plans so that he can attend the summit with other world leaders. A spokesman said the […]

Thumbs up to Kennebunk Elementary School second grade student Brian Foisy and his schoolmates who donated 54 pounds of their Halloween candy gatherings to send to U.S. troops and children in Afghanistan. Foisy’s parents should be commended for teaching the child ”“ and through him, the school community ”“ about Operation Shoebox, a humanitarian organization […]

In these days of heightened sensitivity about flu contagion, many of us are following the advice of experts to wash our hands frequently and keep our distance from friends and colleagues who are hacking and feverish. With a long flu season still ahead of us, it may be the perfect time to consider a mandatory […]

Learning a second language is easiest when you begin young, so elementary students in Arundel are getting an exceptional opportunity from a Spanish language program provided by Regional School Unit 21. As Principal Tom Parker said, these young pupils are just learning to count, tell time and other basics. “It’s the perfect time to learn […]