Some final thoughts on Question 5, the referendum to change the state flag to the Pine Tree Flag. The existing state flag leaves little for interpretation by Mainers and non-Mainers. Perhaps the only thing needing interpretation is the word Dirigo. This beautiful flag has been around since 1909, a total of 115 years. The replacement […]

As the longtime athletic trainer at South Portland High School, I am writing to urge South Portland voters to vote “yes” on the athletic complex project. The artificial turf surfaces are much safer and more environmentally friendly than earlier iterations of artificial turf. Studies from the Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine and American Journal of […]

I’ve been out in Maine communities talking to people about the election, and I notice something. People are hungry to have real conversations with other people, even if they have different ideas or different party affiliations. It has been such a rewarding experience to put the relationship first – the acts of respecting, listening to […]

As a teacher and auntie, I believe it is important that we cultivate a more child-friendly Portland. That’s why I support Todd Morse’s candidacy for City Council in District 1. He’s repeatedly highlighted the need for quality pedestrian, cyclist and transit infrastructure. These networks promote children’s developing independence by allowing access to local amenities and […]

Hurricane Helene in the South, and last winter’s disastrous storms in Maine, highlight the stark contrast between our two candidates for president. Across the U.S. today, most of us recognize that the growing intensity of severe weather events is real – and is caused by our use of polluting fossil fuels. Kamala Harris endorses a […]

My late father-in-law had a saying: “Perfection is the thief of progress.” I think of Merritt when I hear candidates express utopian visions for the future. We need elected officials who fight for both the ideal and the pragmatic; people with a positive vision for the future who understand we can’t wave a magic wand […]

Christina Mitchell has devoted 30-plus years teaching English and social studies in Wiscasset, at Portland High, USM and Taiwan. She is a Cumberland resident, school board member (MSAD 51) and volunteer for the Cumberland Historical Society and the Cumberland 200th Anniversary Committee. She married a Mainer, whose paternal grandmother, Elsie Cushing, was born and raised […]