Higher education is a good investment. Yet, as any businessperson can tell you, even a good long-term investment can be swamped by high start-up costs. That’s exactly what too many recent college graduates are finding as they emerge from college or professional school and run right into a “jobless recovery.” With the national unemployment rate […]
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Merry Christmas to you, our readers
Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful. — Norman Vincent Peale, author of “The Power of Positive Thinking,” 1898-1993 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the […]
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DHHS fails to find fraud, loses millions
First, there was Richardson Hollow, at one time the state’s largest in-home provider for people with mental illness. The Lewiston firm went bust in 2007, leaving taxpayers and former employees unpaid. Meanwhile, two local agencies filed suit against owner Linda Hertell, claiming she set up a series of intertwining shell companies designed to keep her […]
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State should name authors of Cutler Files
Maine’s Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices should disclose the names of the people behind the controversial Cutler Files, a campaign web site set up to smear Eliot Cutler, a candidate for governor in 2010. In a contradictory ruling Monday, the commission fined one of two anonymous authors of the site for breaking Maine’s […]
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Sun Journal changes rules for online commenting
Creating a bold, new electronic community Sun Journal changes rules for making online comments American illustrator Norman Rockwell painted what many consider his masterpiece during World War II, a series of magazine illustrations called “The Four Freedoms.” The first oil painting, titled “Freedom of Speech,” shows a man wearing a flannel shirt and a worn […]
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Maine must cut prison costs, but not this way
Mention prisons and you will quickly hear someone say, “lock ’em up, throw away the key and let them eat gruel.” The reality, however, is that prison sentences do end. When they do, men and women often return to their former homes and communities. That means prison may be the only chance we have to […]
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Lame ducks are actually getting some things done
Who doesn’t love a duck? First, there was “The Ugly Duckling,” the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen that tells the story of an unappealing little bird who gets bullied about the barnyard by the other animals. “Ugly” eventually morphs into a beautiful swan, much to the surprise and dismay of his tormentors. Then there’s […]
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Short takes on the week’s news
In Farmington Monday, several drivers received tickets for ignoring posted warnings about rising water in the roadways. Cheers to the officers writing the tickets and jeers to the drivers who, for whatever reason, think that “road closed” signs don’t apply to them. Public safety officers don’t close streets to inconvenience motorists. It’s done to keep […]
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Women top men in their giving to charitable causes
Hey, big spender … No, not you, fella. We’re talking about your lady friend. While the scuttlebutt in the hospitality industry has always been that men are better tippers than women, some new research shows that women are much more generous with their charitable donations. Research from the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University shows […]
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Business people exasperated by red-tape burden
Bravo to incoming Gov. Paul LePage for the red-tape listening sessions his staff and legislators are conducting around the state. The testimony so far has been informative and eye-opening. LePage promised during the campaign that he would slash unnecessary and redundant government red tape and regulation. The listening sessions are the first step in that […]