Before leaving for Norway last week, Gov. Janet Mills announced a new commission to study the state’s school construction program and report to the Legislature by next April, to which one might respond, “It’s about time.” The state’s existing construction model simply isn’t working, and has left municipalities and Maine’s regional school districts with crumbling […]

Tim Walz did a lot better than I thought he would in his debate with J.D. Vance last Tuesday night. Walz didn’t knock himself out of the race like Joe Biden. And he flashed some of the human skills and policy smarts that got him elected and reelected as a congressman and governor by the […]

Lipman Emanuel (“Lip”) Pike was baseball’s first Jewish superstar and arguably the game’s first professional player. “The Big Book of Jewish Baseball” wrote that in 1866 Pike agreed to accept $20 per week to play third base for the Philadelphia Athletics. Before he turned professional, Pike debuted with the Brooklyn Athletics in 1865, one of […]

I was reminded the other day of a phrase: “People who live in glass houses should not throw stones.” Out of curiosity, I thought it would be interesting to see if I could invent similar aphorisms. How about: “The crow calling the raven too dark.” “The sea accuses the beach of being sandy.” “The hammer […]

Our visits always ended with her standing abruptly. “Harold will be coming home,” she’d always say. “Sorry. you have to leave. I’ve got to be ready for him.” Ready? “Oh Gloria, not again,” I griped. Well, it’s different in your home,” she said. “You have a normal husband.” And then, “Oh my, what did I […]