When former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell, D-Maine, spoke at Bates College on Thursday night, he took questions from the audience.

One elderly man asked about large corporations, greed, how corporations don’t care about people. A young man asked about partisan gridlock devastating the country.

Mitchell’s answer was it’s not as bad as it may seem. “There’s a natural human tendency to look at the past with rose-colored glasses and remember a time that never was, and look to the future with blinders and be less optimistic.”

History shows people who thought the past was better, and underestimate the future, were wrong, Mitchell said.

To gridlock, he said politics has always been rough. Go back to what was said about Jefferson, Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt.

To a bleak future, Mitchell said he doesn’t agree that the United States’ best days are behind us. “We are going through a difficult patch now, but I have no doubt of our ability to emerge from this stronger and better than before.” It is manageable, Mitchell said. It’ll take vision, strong leaders and time, “but I do not have any sense of foreboding or despair.”

— Bonnie Washuk

They served cake!

Monday night’s Lewiston School Committee meeting was held at the Green Ladle, across from the Lewiston High School.

Per usual, there was some lucky group in the dining hall being served food prepared by Lewiston Regional Technical Center high school students. Those in the conference room got to feast on reports and questions.

Near the end of the meeting, a high school server came in with two huge platters of desserts, cakes of every kind. Oh my! Those desserts were made by high school students, School Committee members bragged. They offered audience members some cake.

Of course, a journalist does not eat food offered by sources. No, no, reporters stay objective, and cannot be bought with enticing flavors.

Mostly. After the meeting, slices of cake were just sitting there. “Take one, take two,” committee members urged.

The reporter caved. “Just to be polite,” was the justification, selecting a piece of chocolate cake with chocolate chips and mint and vanilla frosting.

Those kids can cook.

— Bonnie Washuk