Bethel is not such a far cry from Rumford after all, at least in terms of adherence to Maine’s Freedom of Access Act and respect for the public’s fundamental right to know.Last month, the Bethel Board of Selectmen twice met without posting the meetings, a requirement under Maine law, mimicking a similar move by Rumford […]

• Cheers to the anonymous donor who gave Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School more than $1 million for scholarships. Among the scholarships given out tonight during the school’s graduation will be an additional $100,000 from this new donation. That’s good news in an era of escalating college tuition costs.• Cheers and congratulations to Maine’s high […]

Sure, times are tough, perhaps the toughest many people have seen in their lifetimes. But, like your mother probably told you, things could always be worse. And, indeed, they are much worse in other parts of the U.S.Hard to believe, but we are fairly sailing through this recession compared to the really hard-hit parts of […]

And your Mom was right about one other thing – You need your sleep!A new Columbia University Medical Center study says teens who get at least eight hours of sleep had fewer cases of depression and suicidal thoughts.The study examined data on 15,659 teens. Those with parental-mandated bedtimes at midnight or later were 25 percent […]

If we wait for the perfect tax reform bill – one that offends no one – we will wait forever.That’s why Gov. John Baldacci should pick up his pen and sign the income tax cut plan before him.It will have a small effect on some industries, but it will have a big impact on two […]

Bluntly, most of us will die on the government’s dime. The law of averages says we’ll spend many years being fairly healthy and about two years being extremely sick.And those two years, spent in and out of hospitals and doctor’s offices, will cost the government programs of Medicare and Medicaid a pile of money.As the […]

After nearly eight years of war, you’d think we could get this right.But no. Another year brings another report on how taxpayer money is being squandered and stolen in an extremely chaotic military contracting system.In a report to Congress that will be released Wednesday, the Wartime Contracting Commission says tens of billions of dollars have […]

Danyell Giroux lost her three-wheeler and learned a valuable lesson last week: There are more good people than bad.Giroux is 12 years old and suffers from juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, which makes it difficult to ride a two-wheeler. Instead, she pedals around on an adult-sized trike for transportation and exercise. Until someone stole it from her […]

When it comes down to it, we can live with paying another $5 on a restaurant tab of $100, if it means the income tax rate is cut by 2 percent. We’re happier having that money to spend how we want, rather than letting Augusta politicians spend it as they want.This is an inch-deep assessment […]