Here are 10 updates in approximately 100 words or less. As always, these are mostly unrelated topics that I think are noteworthy for engaged citizens — here we go! Goodwill has big ribbon-cutting I was at the Goodwill of Northern New England ribbon-cutting on a frigid morning two weeks ago, with 50-75 shoppers on hand […]
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Outstanding Nordic skiing at Jackson Ski Touring
Jackson Ski Touring in Jackson, New Hampshire, is usually one of the first Nordic ski centers in the region to offer quality skiing. However, they experienced a dearth of snow during the first several weeks of the winter season. A succession of late-January and early-February snowstorms changed that dramatically. Jackson Ski Touring has much to […]
Some of our best lessons come through failures
“It’s okay to make mistakes. Mistakes are our teachers — they help us learn.” – John Bradshaw, educator and author Whether you’re a second-grade student or a corporate executive, you will make mistakes in life. After all, we’re human. That’s an important lesson the Brunswick School Department teaches our students. Although it may not feel […]
Where there is water, there is life
Many people are getting resettled after the recent school vacation week and while, according to a recent news story, one of the most popular vacation destinations for Mainers is Florida — same ocean, just much warmer — there are many oceans to visit farther afield. In addition to our vast Atlantic Ocean, the other three […]
‘The little woman’ of Brunswick who helped spark American Civil War
One hundred and seventy-five years ago this week, in late September 1850, the United States was a nation engulfed in the searing flames of slavery. A new law forced Americans to take part in the “offensive and unchristian” act of returning runaway slaves back into the wicked bonds of American slavery. This newest Fugitive Slave […]
The importance of indoor air quality
Americans spend approximately 90% of their time indoors, and as winter tightens its grip, we may spend even more time indoors, with our windows sealed against the cold. This creates an important challenge — maintaining healthy indoor air quality. According to the American Lung Association, indoor air can contain two to five times more pollutants […]
The numbers we should care about
The past few weeks have been like nothing in my career. I work with many organizations that have ties to the federal government in one way or another, and each meeting I’ve had over the past five weeks, someone in the meeting has mentioned a delay, a pause or some uncertainty that has affected their […]
Nordic skiing in Maine is back
For the first several weeks of winter, Nordic skiing was almost nonexistent in Maine. Rainstorms dominated the weather pattern in December and early January. Cold weather with minimal snowfall ensued. Finally, beginning in late January, a succession of modest snowstorms gradually covered the trails in my favorite ski areas. As usual, Rangeley Lakes Trails Center […]
When pets grieve the loss of their human
Do animals grieve the loss of those they love? Scientists have debated the ability of animals to feel emotions like grief for centuries, emphasizing the need to not interpret animal behavior through a human lens, often attributing changes in behavior to changes in circumstances, not emotions. Recent years have found new research into animal behavior […]
The death of Maine’s greatest legend, Chamberlain
He is the best known and most respected hero in Maine’s illustrious history. From his exemplary service in the American Civil War to his courageous defense of Maine in 1880, he was an accomplished man of courage and determination. His death 111 years ago this week, was “a personal loss to every citizen of Maine.” […]