LD 1492 “amends the Maine Criminal Code provisions regarding scheduled drugs by relaxing or eliminating provisions regarding trafficking and furnishing, unlawful possession of scheduled drugs, trafficking, furnishing or possession of hypodermic apparatuses, use of drug paraphernalia and trafficking or furnishing of imitation drugs.” Ask people in San Francisco, Seattle, Portland or Vancouver how that approach […]

Why did we go from energy-efficient vehicles to massive, over-powered trucks? I drive down the Turnpike almost every day in an gas-efficient car that gets 39 miles per gallon, only to be passed by trucks traveling in the left lane going 80 plus miles per hour, maybe getting 20 miles per gallon and contributing to […]

I had a dream recently. I dreamt of a way to help ease harsh winters in the New England states — simply let all the hot air out of Washington, D.C., toward the northern states. Joe Voisine, North Monmouth

After the last snowstorm, former Mayor Bob Macdonald and I were having a conversation and we both agreed that Lewiston Public Works does an outstanding job plowing, snow after storm. We both agreed that we have the best municipal snow plowing in the state. As an aside, can you imagine the two of us agreeing […]

While Congress continues to tilt at windmills, play petty partisan politics, posture for the next election, hold clownish hearings, pander to the media for air time and leak information, they are failing to do the job they were elected to do. Politicians wrongly believe that their goals (power, reelection) are more important than the economic […]

Maine legislators have an opportunity to make a huge, positive difference for those people suffering the effects of substance use disorder by enacting LD 1492, “An Act to Reform Drug Sentencing Laws.” That law would ensure that our state has the proper public health approach to drugs. It also removes significant barriers to treatment services, […]

I write this letter as a registered independent and using just plain common sense, owing no allegiance to any one party. Our elected president ran on a campaign promise that he would “drain the swamp” of corruption in our government. He has an obligation and the right to investigate those individuals in the “swamp.” But […]

A Nov. 14 Washington Post article updated the false or misleading claims made by President Donald Trump since inauguration, with 13,435 “exaggerated numbers, unwarranted boasts and outright falsehoods” in 993 days. Updated another 50 days, at a rate of 13.5 lies a day, Trump has now likely lied over 14,000 times to the American people. […]

This Thanksgiving Day it happened again. Yet another familiar face showed up for our weekly ministry at the Androscoggin County Jail. Though it was good to see this person again, it was not the place we would have preferred to meet and catch up. In the past five years, in my work as part of […]

It is my hope Sen. Susan Collins will request a roll call vote — if the House impeaches the president — for the Senate to vote on the removal of President Donald Trump in order for her to reveal exactly where she stands on the matter. She is not inclined to hold town meetings and […]