Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is on his high horse, riding roughshod over his citizens, cracking his whip by banning books because he thinks drawings of genitals and sex acts will horrify children. Children are witness to violence, sex, police brutality, and crimes against women and children on the nightly news. Movies streamed into homes are […]
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.
Dorothy Raymond: ‘Don’t be afraid to love thy neighbor’
We’re seeing an incessant rise in fear and loathing against LGBTQ folks. States (our own included) proposing book bans and threatening teachers, Tennessee’s ban on drag queen shows in public places, misinformation and restrictions on information and support for transitioning kids and their families, ridiculous “Don’t Say Gay” rules. This ugliness has cruel consequences for […]
Tom Hart: Biden ‘has done nothing to help us Americans’
What a waste we have for a president in Joe Biden. He has done nothing to help us Americans. Not even one. Here is what he has done since the first day in office. He shut down the Keystone Pipeline. Sold 180 million gallons in oil reserves, which could have helped with rising high oil […]
Joe Voisine: ‘Too much hanky-panky in Washington’
Under President Biden’s watch, Democrats passed the Inflation Reduction Act at $669 billion. Republicans voted against it. On President Biden’s watch “student loan forgiveness” could cost taxpayers $400 billion. Republicans have challenged that program in court. Seniors on fixed incomes are worried about Medicare and Social Security. Both parties better come up with a quick […]
Dan Pearson: Late-term abortions not needed or supported by most Mainers
Maine now allows abortions up the point of viability, that is, to the time that an unborn child is able to survive if born prematurely. This is about 24 weeks. Gov. Janet Mills promised, when campaigning, that she would not attempt to extend abortion rights beyond this. Yet she is supporting a bill that would […]
Lou Giard: ‘Work together for a better future’
I don’t feel that we are really civilized here in the United States. There’s not enough low income and subsidized housing. Medical care and four-year college should be free to give people equal opportunity to have a good life, free of crushing bills. The same goes for drugs and insurances. All of the items above […]
Christine Gerrish: Abortion expansion legislation should be defeated
I am a lifelong citizen of the beautiful and wonderfully great state of Maine, where living here has truly been “The Way Life Should Be.” That was at least up until I became a legal, voting adult, anyway. I recently learned that there is legislation being considered in the People’s House in Augusta, to support […]
Amy Partridge-Barber: Weighing NECEC vs. TDI-NE
While the rest of us are busy putting hair dryers to frozen pipes and trimming fat off our budgets to cover rising electric bills, Central Maine Power is busy, too. The company is hiring the best lawyers (and it can afford the best) to win one legal battle after another to build the New England Clean […]
Hunter Kissam: All aboard the Maine train: It’s time to invest in rail
With rising rent prices in the Portland area, more people are moving to Lewiston-Auburn for affordable housing. However, a typical commuter spends $3.50 on tolls, between $8 and $15 on gas, and anywhere from $5 to $25 just to park in the city. As we move toward a carbon-neutral future, there’s no easier place to […]