Home fires don’t stop for the holidays. In fact, they tend to spike nearly 20% due to seasonal risks. In Maine, 200-plus families experience devastating home fires every year. Every time a Mainer experiences this loss, the Red Cross will be there. I know because I am a Red Cross volunteer. Our disaster action team […]

The second Trump presidency is presiding over the betrayal of the American dream on a vast scale. Our record as a nation, while flawed in some respects, nevertheless has promoted equality, environmental enhancement, the health of our citizens, education for its citizens and equality of our people. The Trump administration is ripping apart our very […]

It’s high time for a governor who puts people ahead of politics. Rick Bennett gives Mainers that choice. Rick offers a unique combination of business experience and public service, grounded in the values of his Maine upbringing. Time spent in Maine’s North Woods deepened his commitment to protecting the environment. The private sector taught him […]

It was disheartening to learn about the closure of the therapeutic recreation program at the University of Southern Maine. The field of arts in health is growing internationally, supported by research funding and expanding community programs. While I understand that the major was unsustainable with current enrollment, USM missed an opportunity to promote the program […]

In nominating Maine native Joshua Dunlap for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, Sen. Susan Collins has made an outstanding choice. As Josh’s former law partner, I know first-hand of his superb qualifications: his intelligence, thoughtfulness, humility and love of the law and the constitution are exceptional.  He will work vigorously for the impartial […]

I have lived over half of my life in Maine and I am lucky. I have always been employed and had health insurance through my employers. I have never had to worry about paying for health care my family needs. We have never experienced food insecurity or had to choose what bills to pay to […]

In the brave new world of AI, we can communicate with the dead vocally or through an AI-based avatar image, usually programmed through interviews with the soon-to-be deceased. After death, they interact as they would normally in conversation — usually with surviving relatives who want their relationship to carry on. Sometimes the experiences can be […]

Should the federal shutdown continue and interfere with SNAP benefits for Mainers who need help feeding their families, I have a suggestion for our leaders in Augusta: Use the rainy day fund to feed Maine families. The federal government spends roughly $84 million per month on SNAP benefits for Maine people. At the end of […]

It was only a bus ride. As teachers, we traveled Africa in the local buses. A man from Uganda during Idi Amin’s reign shared that he spent his days looking for milk to buy for his children. “You will not have time to protest a dictator if your children are hungry.” Hmm. SNAP is gone. […]