A debate in Mexico about quashing benefits for illegal immigrants would likely draw worldwide attention, if taking place inside the government halls of Mexico City, not among selectmen in Western Maine.Some in the town of Mexico believe Maine government, which is operating under a policy against asking a person’s immigration status, is slipping into a […]

Perhaps spurred by fear in certain parts of Maine of Wal-Mart and its big-box ilk, a piece of flawed – yet “bipartisan” – legislation called the “Informed Growth Act” cleared the Maine Legislature last year.The act makes big-box developments subject to a builder-funded “economic impact study” as a stipulation of local planning approval. The gist […]

There is a better way to review wind power than checking which way the wind is blowing.In its decision-making Monday, the Maine Land Use Regulation Commission did just this. It rejected one project – Black Nubble – and approved another – Kibby – despite the inherent contradiction of this action.Black Nubble, as wind projects in […]

David Duguay just doesn’t want to party anymore.Not that Duguay needs to tone down his wild side, though. He’s a supermarket manager and an Oxford County commissioner. He was a Republican until just last week, when he stood before a GOP gathering and revealed he’s decided to leave the party.“Commissionersmust be free to move within […]

School consolidation is like owning an old house. One can tinker with it forever, and it still won’t be perfect. It’ll be drafty in places, musty in others. Floors and walls won’t quite be straight and level. Now and again, major improvement projects are needed.Yet after awhile, the nuisances become lovable quirks. It’s home, for […]

“Whether people like it or not,” all-terrain vehicles are here to stay and need to be managed professionally.New Hampshire Bureau of Trails Chief Chris Gamache made this pronouncement at Tuesday’s outdoor recreation and tourism conference in Newry.In New Hampshire, ATV registrations have increased three-fold from 1995 to 2003, and national sales of ATVs are five […]

It’s about 40 minutes from the Blaine House to Second Street in Auburn, and you, Gov. John Baldacci, should make the trip. You’ll find a “State of the State” much different than the rosy picture you painted this week.There, you’ll find an apartment building abandoned by its landlord, and a family of five searching for […]

Gene Johnson, the chief executive of Fairpoint Communications, would have probably promised to shovel the driveway of every new Maine customer if the Maine Public Utilities Commission made it a stipulation of his company’s purchase of Verizon’s business in northern New England.Instead, the MPUC made him promise to pay $150 million by 2011 if FairPoint […]

Outgoing Superintendent Barbara Eretzian has a pretty sweet deal with the Auburn School Department: She’s retired and still earning $750 a day to work for that district.Eretzian signed a contract last June to serve as an educational consultant for the city of Auburn’s education department for the 2007-08 school year, agreeing to accept $45,000 for […]

We say we want a digital revolution, but what Maine needs is a few successful insurrections, as the state hasn’t proven, yet, it can complete a major information technology initiative, despite the political will and funding to do so.This isn’t unusual. “Systems upgrade” is a synonym for delays and cost overruns. Although the final product […]