OXFORD — Oxford Casino Hotel has hired Braden Sharpe of Durham as director of compliance. He is an alumnus of the University of Southern Maine’s employment law certificate program with experience in risk management. He has been a civilian contractor — facility security officer for the U.S. Army, and spent two terms in the Maine […]
Alex Lear
Staff Writer
Alex Lear is a lifelong Mainer who has spent 25 years in journalism -- the first 20 as a reporter for newspapers in Damariscotta and Falmouth, then as Opinions section editor for the Sun Journal and now a digital producer with the Maine Trust for Local News. His long-running “Learics” column won first place in the Maine Press Association’s 2023 Better Newspaper Contest. He and his wife Lauren are kept young by their 9-year-old daughter Alaina. Send feedback and suggestions to Alex.
Marc Lavoie: Reflections upon Lake Auburn
My family and I are grateful for all of the water district personnel in Auburn and Lewiston — both past and present — who have and continue to provide us with the precious resource … which we, too often, take for granted.
Genevieve Lysen: Let’s save lives by allowing harm reduction health centers in Maine
No matter who we are or what our lives have been like, we’re all human, and almost all of us are touched in some way by the opioid crisis. Most Mainers believe that people who use drugs should not be treated as criminals, and that substance use disorder should be treated as a public health issue.
David Griswold: Biden’s experience an asset, not liability
Sometimes it pays to have a president with experience. Joe Biden was in the Senate for decades and served as vice president. He knows how to develop legislation, and he has relationships with key players on both sides of the aisle. He has the skills to negotiate effectively to get things done. The debt ceiling […]
Tammy Fereshetian: Maine needs strong, courageous, attentive leaders
“A Maine Legislator is charged with civility and responsible conduct inside and outside of the State House commensurate with the trust placed in that Legislator by the electorate,” the Legislative Code of Ethics states. On June 5, a group from Speak Up for Life gathered at the State House to pass out binders to Democrat […]
Patricia Bernard: ‘Infanticide is an abomination’
I can’t believe there isn’t more outrage over the L.D. 1619 abortion bill. Gov. Janet Mills, now that she’s reelected, is supporting the bill. Just think of all the kids who surprised their mothers and showed up a little early. Just think of what wonderful human beings these kids have become. Our representatives should not […]
Joe Voisine: U.S. needs to live within its means, cease overspending
President Joe Biden’s position on the debt ceiling issue on national debt doesn’t seem to bother him. If Republicans under the leadership of Speaker Kevin McCarthy hadn’t passed a bill setting conditions for excessive spending, America’s economy would only get worse. The average person today has to rely on their retirement savings to keep their […]
Sybilla Pettingill: ‘Only extremists’ support abortion bill
Maine showed up. It’s clear by the number who came (and keep coming) to the State House that the majority of Mainers, both pro-life and pro-choice, do not want this extreme abortion bill, L.D. 1619. The mainstream media will not publish accurate numbers or pictures, so the viewers and the readers will think most people […]
Hamda Ahmed: Maine workers need paid medical leave program
The Maine Legislature will soon vote on L.D. 1964, which would create a paid family and medical leave program for Maine. I am writing to support this important policy. Previous to my current job, during the pandemic, I was a case manager and a program manager at one of the largest ethnic-based organizations in the […]
Misty, Isaac and Simon Gendron: Maine needs to shut down abortion expansion bill
“Passing this bill would be justifying my murder, since I was offered to be terminated. I would like anyone supporting this bill to look me in the eyes and tell me that I should have been allowed to die.” — Isaac Gendron, age 16