Former Bethel Police Chief Darren Tripp has been ordered to reimburse the town more than $6,000 in court costs after a judge ruled that his $500,000 lawsuit was not legitimate.Tripp sued Bethel after he was suspended, and later fired. For two years, he has tried to force his way back into his job, to punish […]

Education Commissioner Susan Gendron is making promises to school districts we hope she can keep.In a letter sent last week to superintendents, Gendron revealed her plans to extend the state’s innovative middle-school laptop program beyond its initial four-year run. She’s included $10 million in her budget request to replace all the computers in the program […]

Participation in local government often falls short of the ideal.When a school board member in Lewiston is elected – unknowingly – by an ad hoc, write-in campaign and most other town officers face no electoral challenge, it doesn’t bode well for democracy.But the hyper-involvement of groups in other towns suggests there’s hope for a renewed […]

With a crusty layer of snow covering the mud that once was yard, it’s nice to think about golf, even if the prospects of a round are months away.We learned last week that the next Charlie’s Maine Open will be played at Fox Ridge Golf Club in Auburn. It’s the biggest golf event in the […]

A federal judge last week struck down restrictions placed on parade organizers in Augusta.The judge ruled that the city’s requirements place an unconstitutional limit upon free speech. People seeking to hold a parade were required to apply for a permit 30 days in advance of the event, meet with the chief of police and pay […]

Lewiston-Auburn College has built a reputation among its students as a special place to learn. We understand why.Zark Van Zandt, the college’s dean, says the school is designed to be transformative for its students, providing them with the “knowledge, skills and work habits that will make them better citizens, workers and life-long learners.”On Monday, the […]

Despite last-minute efforts to stop progress, seven New England and Mid-Atlantic states – including Maine – moved forward this week with a groundbreaking regional compact to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.On the eve of the planned announcement of the agreement, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut balked, putting the laboriously negotiated plan in jeopardy. Just hours later, […]

One of the most famous and touching editorials ever written was penned by Francis P. Church for The New York Sun in 1897. According to the People’s Almanac, the editorial was reprinted yearly until the paper folded 1947. On this Christmas Eve, we offer Mr. Church’s words.We take pleasure in answering thus prominently the communication […]

One of the most famous and touching editorials ever written was penned by Francis P. Church for The New York Sun in 1897. According to the People’s Almanac, the editorial was reprinted yearly until 1947 when the paper folded. On this Christmas Eve, we offer Mr. Church’s words. We take pleasure in answering thus prominently […]

Whether it’s a fire that threatens to destroy one family’s Christmas, a woman being evicted from her apartment or children trapped in the burned ruins of a failed country, our community is ready to respond.On Dec. 5, the Sun Journal’s Doug Fletcher reported on the desperate needs of an orphanage in Haiti run by the […]