One thing is clear when it comes to Central Maine Power’s proposed electrical transmission line linking Quebec and Massachusetts via western and southern Maine: It’s a dilemma of epic, and perhaps existential, proportions for Maine environmentalists. For decades we’ve watched as environmentally minded groups and individuals have opposed all sorts of development projects, citing impacts […]
Lakes Region Weekly opinion
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Here’s Something: Loss of Cole Farms also our loss
The new year isn’t going so well. Internationally, Iran is causing waves of worry and fear. Domestically, impeachment looms and stocks teeter as investors contemplate current events. And, here in southern Maine, Cole Farms Restaurant in Gray is closing. What? Why? I understand Trump’s targeting of a man who has caused so much bloodshed in […]
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Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
The Universal Notebook: Maine horror stories
Lately, the local news has been filled with horror stories – a child beaten to death by her parents, a boyfriend shot dead by his girlfriend’s brother, a random murder by a young man gone berserk, a young woman disappearing without a trace. None of these tragedies are things I would have been apt to […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
The Universal Notebook: These are the good old days
Back in the good old days – by which I mean the innocent years of the 1950s and early 1960s before I graduated from high school and America went to hell – things were substantially different than they are today, by which I mean simpler. Also dumber. Dumber? People smoked in restaurants and airplanes, even […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Here’s Something: Magic 8-Ball predictions for 2020
One of the best annual traditions we had at Current Publishing (which was bought by The Forecaster in 2015), was consulting the Magic 8-Ball around Jan. 1 to seek clues as to how current events would trend in the new year. Reporters and editors at Current Publishing’s family of weekly community newspapers would come up […]
Posted inLakes Region Weekly
Letter: ICE protects American citizens on a daily basis
Mr. Beem’s denigration of ICE in his Nov. 24 article “Making nice with ICE,” while somewhat restrained, is off the mark. He tries to include comments on administration policy, Customs and Border Protection policy, Border Patrol activity and ICE in a somewhat confusing manner. The main thrust of the article is criticism of ICE, including […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Here’s Something: Gorham council wrong to ignore will of voters
Sometimes, you have to fight Town Hall before you can join Town Hall, and that’s just what Gorham’s Janet Kuech is doing. Kuech has worked as an educational technician (teacher’s helper, for those who don’t speak educationese) for 18 years in the Gorham school system. In November, she was elected to the Gorham Town Council. […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
The Universal Notebook: 2020 visions
Though I possess neither crystal ball nor psychic powers, I believe anyone who is paying attention can foresee the immediate future. Gazing across the void of a few days into 2020, here’s what I see: Donald Trump will face impeachment, but he will not be removed from office. There aren’t enough Republican senators with integrity […]
Posted inLakes Region Weekly
Letter: Congratulate EPA, at 50, for job well done
Mainers under 50 were not yet born when the modern-day environmental movement was born out of general outrage over the smog suffocating our urban areas, widespread pesticide use and harmful discharges into our waterways rendering it unsafe to drink and lethal to fish. The youthful rebellion took the form of Earth Day (April 21, 1970) […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
The Universal Notebook: R.I.P. GOP
As I watched the impeachment hearings, I kept thinking that there must be some Republicans left in Congress who understand the threat the Trump administration poses to American democracy, but alas, all those who spoke just repeated lies from the conservative echo chamber, accusing Democrats of everything Trump does daily. Jeb Bush got trashed. John […]