In American law, criminal negligence is conduct in which a person ignores a known or obvious risk, or disregards the lives and safety of others. We now have the perfect defendant. It turns out – not that we’re surprised – that the failed casino owner knew all along that he was gambling recklessly with the […]

This year may become known, among many other things, as the Legislative Session that Wasn’t. Since lawmakers confronted the coronavirus tidal wave and left town in March, the State House has been mostly empty – with no public access and precious little legislative activity. This is more than a little odd. Almost every other state […]

When my friend Ken Gordon contacted me about a sea kayak trip Amy Schrag was organizing circumnavigating Swans Island, I didn’t have time for the four-day endeavor. Since I’d never paddled around Swans Island, curiosity compelled me to research the online Maine Coastal Waters Forecast. Stellar conditions were predicted throughout. Although only three days remained […]

It is hard to believe that it has been 19 years since that day in September when everything seemed to change. Prior to Sept. 11, 2001, only a few understood that we were already at war with an enemy that far fewer could even name. Our lives were, for the most part, safe and unencumbered by […]

What does it involve to help another person access resources? At The Gathering Place, Brunswick’s day center for the homeless and others seeking companionship, we do give out a lot: Coffee, companionship, toiletries, outdoor gear, bus tickets and socks. But what about that hand up to get services that are available? How do you get […]

Government must empower essential workers With the recent celebration of Labor Day, it’s a good moment to once again congratulate BIW employees on their new contract. It’s a fitting reminder that there is power in a union – the power to act as a single, unified voice to fight for better and safer working conditions, […]

This pandemic has endured, it seems, forever. Many of us — especially older people — feel penned in, trapped, afraid to venture out for fear of getting the deadly virus. We feel like we’re tiptoeing through the days with masks on our faces and hands tied behind our backs. How long will it be before […]

This story looks like a case of trying to buy your vote using your own money. President Trump ordered the suspension of payroll tax collections during the election campaign. But workers will have to repay the money right afterward. It’s complicated. If you’re confused, don’t worry. Trump surely did not understand the details either. Each […]