When confirmation hearings begin next week, it is likely that Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor will be questioned at length about her views on discrimination ”“ and reverse discrimination. If so, the story of Frank Ricci’s struggle for a fire department promotion in New Haven, Conn., will be heard many times. For many, it is […]

Signs of economic recovery continue to be elusive. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has predicted that the recession will end later this year, and the consensus among economists seems to be that a sluggish recovery will be underway by the end of the year. But the unemployment data for June, released last week, provided an […]

Thumbs up to the neighbors and friends of brothers Derek and Gage Greene, who have cooperated with police in the investigation into the shooting deaths of the Greenes in front of Rory Holland’s home Tuesday, June 30. As well, the Biddeford Police Department and Maine State Police should be commended for their hard work investigating […]

The private insurance market will be an essential part of whatever reform plan emerges from Congress, but a public plan should also be strongly considered ”“ as an alternate route to health insurance coverage. A public plan would encourage private insurers to try and match Medicare’s low administrative costs. Perhaps more importantly, it could ensure […]

The United States handover of control in Iraq is marked with fear as well as hope. Violence has been on the rise in recent months, and with combat troops due to leave in a little more than a year, the future is uncertain. But June 30 was marked as a state  holiday ”“ National Sovereignty […]

Computers are so essential today that business routinely invests in new hardware, rather than risk falling behind. Last week the Biddeford  School Committee also acted on this belief, ordering new laptop computers for Biddeford High School students. Though the cost seems daunting, past experience indicates that the investment will be a good one. For seven […]

The passage of a 1,200-page climate bill by the House of Representatives last week ensures a thorough discussion of U.S. energy policy will soon be on the table. It’s up to the Senate to decide the bill’s fate, but many of its provisions ”“ particularly the regulation of carbon dioxide emissions and the establishment of […]

Thumbs down to Old Orchard Beach officials for dragging their feet on completing a town budget. It’s simply not prudent to still be debating whether or not to raise taxes when the end of the current fiscal year is only days away. The council needs to make a decision on whether to invest in infrastructure […]

County government, suddenly facing a financial crisis, is contemplating 20-40 layoffs from a workforce of 110. Such layoffs could bring county government to a halt. They are expected to affect every department except the jail as officials struggle to come up with $932,000 in savings. The York County Sheriff’s Office is considering cutbacks that would […]

Disposing of fluorescent light bulbs in the trash has been prohibited in Maine since 2007, but the state has now taken the next logical step, requiring manufacturers to establish recycling programs for the bulbs. Maine is the first in the nation to take this step, but others are likely to follow with measures to deal […]