When I was a kid, staying home sick from school meant getting tucked in on the couch with ginger ale, saltine crackers and game shows on the TV. I wasn’t allowed a lot of TV, so it seemed extra special, sort of a cosmic equalizer for the horrors of the flu. These memories are deep. […]
Forecaster Opinion
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly, The Forecaster
Mainewhile: Consumer-owned utility would be powerful improvement
This week’s column almost didn’t make it in because the power went out. Again. Power outages are an inconvenience for me. They are life-threatening for others. The irony of it going out literally moments after I had opened my Central Maine Power bill to find an astronomical leap in cost was not lost on me. […]
advertisement
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly, The Forecaster
Mainewhile: Yes, it’s possible to end homelessness with some creativity
In theater improv, there is a grand tradition of the “Yes/And” practice. That is, if one actor suggests something or asks a question to another, the other actor may not say “no.” They must instead run with “yes, and…” using whatever unforeseen, unplanned, tricky or even ridiculous notion tossed out there to build upon for […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly, The Forecaster
Through My Lens: To enjoy local beauty without cars, we need more sidewalks
We need to address the lack of sidewalks in the Yarmouth, Falmouth and Cumberland areas. As an enthusiastic runner and cyclist, I have come to cherish the beauty of our communities, but I am deeply concerned about the safety risks I and others face when navigating certain routes. Specifically, I often find myself doing long […]
Posted inForecaster Opinion, The Forecaster
Portland Superintendent’s Notebook: Listening and learning to get to know Portland Public Schools
I am honored to join the Portland Public Schools community as the new superintendent. As I transition into the district, I look forward to listening and learning from all members of our community. Throughout the selection process, I had the opportunity to engage with students, families, staff and community members. While everyone answered the “What […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly, The Forecaster
Mainewhile: Acknowledging natives’ contributions to the Constitution
Recently, in honor of the Fourth of July, I spent some time looking at the Declaration of Independence. It seems only right to spend a moment on the sister document, the Constitution of the United States. Of the two, the Constitution is my favorite. It has a real “roll up your sleeves and get to […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly, The Forecaster
Forum: One-size-fits-all corporate mentality a scourge on state
A century-old Midcoast Maine institution is quietly suffering from a hostile takeover. I have spent my past 12 summers, and as many long weekends as my work-from-home job allows, in Phippsburg, a town suspended in a bygone era, where time goes by a little slower than where I come from. Maybe it’s the early sunrises […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly, The Forecaster
Through My Lens: Termination of affirmative action hurts immigrants and everyone else
The U.S. Supreme Court’s termination last week of affirmative action in college admissions is a devastating blow for Black immigrants pursuing the American dream. It undermines the need for a support system to aid Black and minority students who have hopes of reaching their highest education potential. Having personally experienced education in both Maine and […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly, The Forecaster
Mainewhile: Pondering Declaration of Independence concepts in today’s world
Back in the day when the kids were little, my best friend from college brought her family to visit every Fourth of July. This meant, among other things, that on the morning of the Fourth itself, the entire house was woken, bright and very, very early by her husband belting out, “When in the course […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly, The Forecaster
Mainewhile: Let’s turn the volume off on Fourth of July fireworks
Setting aside, for now, the complicated origin story, I love the Fourth of July. Cookouts, watermelon, lawn games, swimming holes and a nighttime filled with explosions of color as an entire field of people chorus “ooh” and “ahh” in unison. In the mental scrapbook of my mind, one year stands out particularly. I was about […]