Whether it’s a fight over pollution in the Androscoggin River or new regulations on automobile emissions, proponents of the status quo often argue that tougher rules put the environment ahead of the economy.Two new studies, unveiled in California as part of the debate over the state’s efforts to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions, provide evidence […]

The state’s Board of Education has suggested a dramatic departure from the status quo for public schools.Last week, the board recommended reducing the number of school districts from 286 to 35, extending the school year, expanding the state’s laptop program and increasing teacher pay. Other recommendations are more ethereal: encourage Maine residents to be more […]

After initially shrugging off the idea of a public hearing, the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife will open for public debate a provision that would strip from some Maine guides their ability to make a living.The new regulations would require guides to pass a criminal background check before they could get or renew their […]

No list of dangerous jobs can be complete without talking about the United States military.Engaged in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, U.S. service members face perils that would leave most of us crying for mom. They do it voluntarily. And sometimes they pay a terrible price.On Jan. 15, the Sun Journal reported on the relative […]

Ask a teenager – or the parent of a teenager – and they can tell you with remarkable precision about the requirements for getting a driver’s license. There’s a bright, clear line over the horizon for kids. They know the whens, whats and whys.At the other end of life, there are no lines, bright or […]

Gov. Baldacci sent a clear message with his State of the State address: He’s not backing down on Dirigo.While much of his script held to a familiar pattern, there was one big difference from last year’s speech: There was no offer of conciliation, no plea for bipartisanship. In fact, Baldacci drew a line in the […]

The state should not knowingly send convicted sex offenders – or other serious criminals – into a person’s home or business.It does.Rep. Nancy Smith of Monmouth has introduced legislation that would at least require the state to tell someone that a state worker with a record is on the way.L.D. 1859, which could come up […]

The race for governor really kicks off tonight for John Baldacci.The governor will deliver his last State of the State address, delayed one day so Maine could mark the death of Passamaquoddy leader Melvin Francis, before facing voters in November.The speech is his opportunity to lay out his successes, to tick off a list of […]

An alarming number of commercial truck drivers are ignoring weight limits on Maine’s roads, putting unnecessary strain on the state’s infrastructure and threatening public safety.The Associated Press reported Monday that 16 percent of the tractor-trailers in the state run overweight. In some places, more than 60 percent of the truck traffic is ignoring the law.Policing […]

Does Otisfield really need a harbor master?One person thinks so and that’s enough to trigger a mandate under current state law that one be hired.According to the Maine Municipal Association, there’s a little-known provision in the law that requires towns to appoint a harbor master even if a town has little need for one – […]