Sunday, October 3, 2021. A gorgeous, blue-sky morning in Sutton, Massachusetts. Rick Muhr, 64, was finishing a bike ride with three friends and his wife, Lori. He was wearing pink in honor of his sister, a breast cancer survivor. While speeding down the final hill at 40 mph, Rick saw a car taking a left […]
opinion
The Conversation: Name-calling in politics grabs headlines, but voters don’t like it — and it could backfire in midterms
THE CONVERSATION — Spending on political advertising is setting records in the midterm elections. But evidence shows that negative messages might discourage voters from casting ballots altogether. As the 2022 midterms get closer, political attacks in campaign advertisements are on the rise. In November, Rep. Paul Gosar shared an anime cartoon video showing him physically attacking Rep. […]
Giving Voice: It’s the personal connection that makes the difference
At The Gathering Place (TGP), we are happy to welcome people when they need us most. Feeling truly welcome is essential for someone with no other place to go. Respect is free, but the positive effect is priceless. Many of our guests have shared that they have been ignored, uncared for and forgotten, making them […]
Commentary: The U.S. neglects basic human rights for children
Based on our child marriage, corporal punishment, child labor and juvenile justice records, Maine is one of 20 states recently flunked by Human Rights Watch.
Our View: Maine’s indigent legal services system cannot wait for help any longer
Gov. Mills and the Legislature could have solved this problem last session. Now the crisis has deepened.
Commentary: Portland charter reforms will strengthen democracy – that’s a good thing
The measures proposed are not radical, but neither they are Band-Aids. Why the furious reaction? Let’s unpack.
Peter Funt: In fundraising, father knew best
An unsolicited solicitation package from Boys Town arrived by mail the other day, earlier and bulkier than usual. I’ve given to a lot of charities, but the Nebraska-based organization, founded in 1917 by Father Edward Flanagan, has never been one of them. Yet, the volume of free stuff they sent this year made me wonder […]
Tom Purcell: An extension of tax grief
I used to love the first weekend of autumn. Now I loathe it. Maybe I better explain. I used to wait until the nicest week in spring to organize my taxes, but now I wait until the nicest week in autumn. Autumn officially begins this Friday, Sept. 23, which is when I will begin the […]
Douglas Rooks: Post-pandemic, unions again on the march
Less than a month after a decertification effort failed spectacularly, the nurses’ union at Maine Medical Center signed its first contract – a historic achievement, possibly a milestone in reviving the union movement. As just about everyone knows, unions, until the pandemic, had been declining for decades, with their private sector membership a third of […]
Commentary: Why I’ll be voting to raise Portland’s minimum wage to $18
I’m a server who wants to be paid a fair wage for a hard day’s work. It’s that simple.