The housing crunch is not going away without bold action. Current production will not meet the need. More people are moving to Maine than we are building. More than 16,300 people moved to Maine last year, and only 6,800 building permits were awarded. Four out of five of those permits were only for single-family homes.
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.
Froma Harrop: Putin sends renewable energy — and efficiency — into even higher gear
Russia has many reasons to regret its savage war on Ukraine, but a very lasting one will be how it supercharged Europe’s plans to end its dependence on that country’s oil and gas.
Cal Thomas: What the election in Brazil can teach America
Brazil, and much of the rest of Latin America, is flirting with economic, social and political disaster by embracing left-wing populism. North Americans would do well to take note and vote accordingly and intelligently.
Leonard Pitts Jr.: Democracy’s on the ballot
Ultimately, you see, this is not an election about inflation, crime or even abortion. It’s an election about the future. And whether America is going to have one.
Emma DayBranch: School district’s proposed gender policy deserves support
I’m writing regarding the gender policy proposed for SAD 17. I support these measures to protect LGBTQ+ youth. Youth mental health is a top health priority, and LGBTQ+ youth are among the most at risk in Maine. Due to the stigma and bullying experienced in schools, at home and in community settings, LGBTQ+ youth are […]
Kate Snyder and Tobin Williamson: Evidence shows Black Lives Matter signs still needed
When we lived in Southern Indiana, we proudly displayed a Black Lives Matter sign on our front yard. I once watched two people kick it and spit on it. I took it inside, cleaned it off, straightened it out, and returned it to the yard. The community needed to hear its message. The sign now […]
Lisa Moore: Oxford Hills school board’s inclusivity policies deserve support
I was unable to attend the forum at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School Nov. 1, but I want to express my deep and unequivocal support of any LGBTQIA+ students who attend Oxford Hills schools. As Dr. Martin Luther King once eloquently expressed, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” […]
Froma Harrop: The republic will survive drag queens
Parents who want to bring their children and themselves to drag queen reading hours should have every right to do so. Those who don’t like these events don’t have to go.
Anya Fetcher: With federal protections under threat, Maine needs to be ready to safeguard our waters
As we celebrate 50 years of progress due to the Clean Water Act’s effectiveness, the U.S. Supreme Court is hearing a case that could cripple it. In Sackett v. EPA … a radical opponent of clean water is seeking to withdraw the act’s longstanding protections for roughly half the nation’s streams and wetlands. In Maine, more than 206 miles of streams could lose protections.