Last week, during the Senate debate on the state budget, state Sen. Eric Brakey offered up a floor amendment to change the slogan displayed on Maine license plates from “Vacationland” to “Taxationland.” The proposal failed. This change would have damaged Maine’s reputation everywhere Maine cars are driven, undermining our state’s history as America’s greatest vacation […]
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.
Jim Handy: Maine workers need statewide paid family and medical leave
This year, the Maine Legislature will be considering a bill, based on the recommendations of the Commission to Develop a Paid Family and Medical Leave Benefits Program, to create a statewide paid family and medical leave program. Enacting PFML is a way to support working families and promote a healthier, more equitable, and more prosperous society. PFML […]
Ronald Gallant: Moral rot within a nation topples its government
I am quite assured that if the United States government and Israel look in the mirror, they would see the incarnation of the devil. Compassion is the core of the civilized world. Where there is moral rot within a nation, its government topples easily. Ronald Gallant, Chesterville
Donna Shields: Lawmakers should end sale of flavored tobacco statewide
The Maine Legislature has a bill before it to end the sale of flavored tobacco products. LD 1215, submitted by Sen. Jill Duson, would potentially be the greatest opportunity to protect the health and safety of our kids from harmful, addictive products that are marketed directly toward their age group. I’ve listened to some of […]
In rebuttal: Rudolph Ziehm: Recalling when honor was traded for peace
I write in rebuttal to Lawrence Everett’s letter (“A past not remembered may be repeated,” March 23). Those who ignore history, as Mr. Everett wrote in his letter, are doomed to repeat it. This I accept as fact. His history is good; had his friend, the Panzer commander, told him about Czechoslovakia in 1938? Does […]
Heidi Dunn: Recalling two sets of twins who fought to live, defying all odds
I was awestruck by an article I read recently, titled “‘0% chance of survival’: World’s most premature twins defy doctors.” Written by the Guinness Book of World Records, the article discussed how twins born 126 days early to a couple in Canada just celebrated their first birthday. During the birth, the parents were told that […]
Cal Thomas: For Trump: Character matters
If Donald Trump had focused as much on building good character as he did on constructing buildings and being famous, he likely would not be in the trouble in which he now finds himself.
Sander VanZandt: Experts issue grim warning on climate change
On March 20 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued its latest assessment on climate change, drawing on the findings of hundreds of scientists throughout the world. The assessment details the devastating impacts of rising greenhouse gas emissions, including destruction of homes, loss of crops and fragmentation of communities. Animal agriculture is responsible for at […]