The Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting last week reported that the Maine Department of Environmental Protection had removed a climate change report from its website in December, 2011. A DEP spokesman said this week that the report was restored in April, 2012, at the request of a citizen. The Center interviewed DEP Commissioner Patricia […]
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A heartfelt, patriotic show of support
When Helaina Lake journeyed home Tuesday, she was met by the community of Maine. Sgt. Lake, an Army policewoman injured by a suicide-bomber in Afghanistan last June, arrived in Portland after months of medical treatment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. From Portland, she was transported north to Jay by limo, and all along […]
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Can Lincoln’s example inspire today’s leaders?
We know our nation to be divided between red and blue states, between Republicans and Democrats and between competing visions of the future. But after the bitter election just concluded, it is worth noting that our country has been far more deeply divided than it is today and faced challenges much more daunting than the […]
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A stroll down health care’s memory lane
“The time is at hand this year to bring comprehensive, high quality health care within the reach of every American. I shall propose a sweeping new program that will assure comprehensive health insurance protection to millions of Americans who cannot now obtain it or afford it, with vastly improved protection against catastrophic illnesses.” Barack Obama […]
Posted inOur View, sj-web
Can Lincoln’s example inspire today’s leaders?
We know our nation to be divided between red and blue states, between Republicans and Democrats and between competing visions of the future. But after the bitter election just concluded, it is worth noting that our country has been far more deeply divided than it is today and faced challenges much more daunting than the […]
Posted inOur View, sj-web
Lesson learned about school reform in 2012
Teachers unions remain the Goliath to the school reformers’ David, even in red states. That was the lesson from votes last week in Idaho and Indiana, where unions successfully took on or took out Republican school superintendents. In Idaho, three laws associated with Tom Luna, the state superintendent of public instruction, were repealed by referendum, […]
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Maine can’t ignore impact of rising seas
Gov. Paul LePage should re-examine his administration’s decision to shelve climate-change planning, a decision that leaves Maine increasingly vulnerable to the sort of devastation recently visited upon New York and New Jersey. The Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting explored the issue in a story last week. The climate change debate is complicated, and it […]
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‘Moocher’ idea unsupported by election results
As Republicans try to interpret what happened on Election Day, a dubious explanation is getting a lot of attention. It holds that Republicans lost because the country has reached an unfortunate tipping point where people who pay no income taxes and/or receive government benefits now outnumber productive taxpayers. Those people, sometimes called the “moochers” or […]
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Despite smears, King ran strong in turbine town
Bulletin. Bulletin. Ring the fire bell. This just in: Sen.-elect Angus King will caucus as a Democrat! Wow. Was that the most widely anticipated announcement of the year or what? King originally left open the possibility of walking a middle road without committing to a party. That wasn’t realistic; no party, no committee assignments. No committee […]
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Hotline to ice cream
Sue and Mike Jillson are experienced business owners. They’re also experienced dealing with government regulation. When the couple set out to open Fielder’s Choice in Sabattus in 2006, they first had to deal with a building that didn’t pass inspection and then an inadequate septic system. But, they persevered and their baseball-themed ice cream shop […]