In his 2006 State of the Union address, George W. Bush formally acknowledged what many have said: We are addicted to oil. Two years later, we are going through the shudders and heaves of an addict in withdrawal.With the triple shocks of higher heating, food and gasoline prices – all linked to the unprecedented runup […]

In mid-April, Larry and Carol Yates lost their Andover home to fire. They had lived there 30 years and carried no insurance.In early May, a fire at the Irving Forest Products mill in Dixfield caused the evacuation of 40 employees and heavily damaged the planer mill. Six fire departments responded.Later that month, two teenagers set […]

As the nation braces for a long and grueling presidential contest, what are the chances that either candidate – Democratic Sen. Barack Obama or Republican Sen. John McCain – will talk about the one crucial issue at hand? I’m not referring to some bogus threat from Iran, or a dubious climate cataclysm, or a “crisis” […]

President Harry S. Truman, it is often said, was in the habit of writing fiery missives to colleagues or rivals and then stashing them away in his desk drawer for a day or two. Many of his most vitriolic messages, including one well-known and notorious letter to his wife Bess, were never mailed.After this self-imposed […]

If you’ve ever played an outdoor sport, you know firsthand the impact of distractions while you’re trying to perform at your best. For example, if you’re in the batter’s box during a friendly softball game or a hotly contested baseball game, nothing is more irritating and distracting than trying to ignore or swat that pesky […]

Finally, it’s decided: American citizens do have an individual, constitutional right to bear arms.Wednesday morning, the U.S. Supreme Court wisely ended years of debate with an historic decision: Guns aren’t just for the maintenance of a militia, they have a place in the homes and on the hips of Americans.Now we can stop talking about […]

Lost in the political bellowing about Sen. Barack Obama’s rejection (or was it denouncement?) of public campaign financing was deserved recognition of the earthshaking impact that Internet fundraising has had.Obama’s unprecedented fiscal success is attributable to the Internet’s easy facilitation of donation – a few clicks, and the proverbial check is in the e-mail.But this […]

After years of struggle, the Androscoggin Bank Colisee needed a change. The sale to Firland Management cleans the Colisee’s slate and opens the future for new opportunities.From a fiscal perspective, the sale was less than ideal for Lewiston. The city neither recoups millions in debt for its investment into the Colisee, nor does it relinquish […]

If Sen. Ed Muskie were alive, he’d be proud – but unsatisfied – with progress toward improving water quality in the Androscoggin River. The yardstick of his perception would be long, from the river’s worst days to today, perhaps its best in memory.Muskie’s grandchildren, though, likely wouldn’t share his view. No matter how often Grandpa […]