The Lewiston mass shooting has served as a stark reminder that such atrocities can happen even in places we consider safe right within our communities, seemingly out of the blue. Just prior to the shooting that evening, I had returned from a refreshing 4-mile run in Yarmouth. With no knowledge of what was going on […]
Lakes Region Weekly opinion
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly, The Forecaster
Mainewhile: Spread goodness and notice everyday fortunes
“How’d your pumpkins do this year?” The question from my brother-in-law caught me and my husband off guard. What? What pumpkins? For a few different reasons, all of which would be too long and boring to recount here, we don’t have a vegetable garden. Yet. Maybe not ever. Jury is still out, but certainly not […]
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Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly, The Forecaster
Mainewhile: May Lewiston’s tragedy be a marker for change
Like most, I am heartbroken and anxious and angry over the recent mass shooting in Lewiston. I am heartbroken for the lives lost, the families shattered, the kids who are having trouble sleeping at night now. I am anxious over the lack of answers, clarity or safety we have. I am angry because this feels […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly, The Forecaster
Mainewhile: Don’t sterilize Halloween, let kids face and conquer fears
Halloween is my absolute favorite holiday. I mean, what’s not to love? It has whimsical costumes, scary stories, a normal bedtime (looking at you, New Year’s) and chocolate. What could be better? Plus, it takes place at this magical time of year where everything is windy and dark, shifting and in flux. Best of all, […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly, The Forecaster
Through My Lens: Interfaith unity needed here as conflict rages far away
The past couple of weeks have weighed heavily on many of us, especially within the Muslim and Jewish communities here in Maine. For me, as I witness the unfolding events in Israel and Palestine, I can’t help but reflect on a challenging period in my life when I was just 15, growing up in Mogadishu, […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly, The Forecaster
Mainewhile: Creative use of old spaces can bring back sense of community
It is not exactly news that the recent global pandemic took a toll on our collective sense of community and belonging. Sociologists are busy constructing studies to calculate what, if any, impacts upon our social fabric can be attributed to the pandemic, but while we wait for the graphs and figures, I’ll just wander out […]
Posted inLakes Region Weekly
Letter: Elect ‘reasonable’ Govoni and Kellner to RSU 14 board
On Nov. 7 we will be voting for Windham representatives for the RSU 14 board. This letter represents me as a private citizen and not as a member of the RSU 14 board. I will be voting for Marge Govoni and Joe Kellner. The original letter I wanted to have printed included an unedited slanderous […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly, The Forecaster
Mainewhile: Dogfighting torture happens everywhere, even here
I don’t know if you saw this in the news or not, but Frederick Moorefield Jr., deputy information officer for the Pentagon, was recently arrested on charges related to dogfighting. I saw the news thanks to an NPR report, and let me just say this – do not read the details. Not if you want to […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly, The Forecaster
Through My Lens: Provide would-be asylum seekers a realistic picture
We who have experienced the difficult U.S. immigration process can make a significant difference by sharing our stories to help those crossing the border. When we do this, we help people become more informed about what to expect because there is a lot of misinformation out there. One major piece of misinformation I see often […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly, The Forecaster
Mainewhile: Why do we pay Congress when they don’t do their job?
The big news is, as I am sure you’ve heard, the government shutdown has been averted. For now. We will go through this whole rigmarole again, no doubt, in November since that is as far down the proverbial road as they managed to kick the budgetary can. And this leaves me feeling annoyed. I think […]