I’m forever grateful for scouting. But the abuses that ruined many lives may be taking down an organization that, had it been vigilant, could have kept on guiding young people toward adulthood. Even those who never again turned a rope into a knot.
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.
Jillian Pelletier: Support LD 471, oppose energy corridor
Central Maine Power is planning to build a energy transmission corridor through 53 miles of undeveloped forests in northern Maine, and the company is are calling it a “Clean Energy Corridor.” This is far from the truth. The corridor will threaten wildlife and ecosystems, and it doesn’t create any new renewable energy. CMP is in […]
Leonard Pitts Jr.: ‘A change gon’ come’
Sam was right: change gon’ come, regardless. You fear that truth, but it gives us hope, it makes us strong. So yeah, congratulations on your Jim Crow 2.0.
Gina Morin: Raise corporate tax rate, close loopholes
Corporations in Maine and this country have used public investments in education, health, and infrastructure to get to where they are. Meanwhile, much of the public is left poor and struggling. It’s about time large corporations start paying their fair share instead of the rest of the population being left holding the bag. Maine cut […]
Dave Griffiths: Misinformation threatens democracy’s core
Why do 49% of Republican men surveyed in a Marist/NPR-PBS poll say they won’t get a COVID-19 vaccine? Presumably, these men would heed a cardiologist if they have heart trouble, an oncologist who spots “something concerning” in a lung x-ray, or an orthopedist who recommends joint replacement to deal with crippling arthritis. So why do […]
Jason Long: Perry for Paris Select Board
Walter Perry is running for the Select Board in Paris, and folks who know him realize what an asset he would be in that role. A teacher and coach in the area for over 20 years, Walter has long avoided politics but been active as a coach, volunteer, and good neighbor. If one’s kid has […]
Linda Deane: Maine needs online voter registration
The state of Maine needs to add an online option to the current methods for voter registration. One lesson from the pandemic was the necessity of online transactions. With state and town offices closed, or open limited hours, I paid my property taxes and renewed my driver’s license and car registration online. I have obtained […]
Jerry Hume: A pork-filled pandemic plan
This is in response to Crystal Ward’s letter, “Praise for the American Rescue Plan,” which ran March 27. The timeworn saying that everyone is entitled to their own opinion but not their own facts comes to mind here, although cherry picking one’s facts may be more appropriate in this case. While good things do come […]