“I put a dollar in one of those change machines,” George Carlin used to say. “Nothing changed.” Carlin must never have worked at a weekly community newspaper. Here, change is inevitable, and recently it has seemed like someone has been stuffing lots of dollars into the change machine. In December, staff writer Randy Billings moved […]

If you’ve been around as long as I have, you’ve probably noticed how the pendulum swings back and forth between economic development schemes when times are tough and growth management strategies when the economy is booming. A lot of people are beginning to realize, however, that it may be time to stop growing. Despite the […]

There are certain things for which a woman must be in an appropriate mood: visiting with in-laws, attending an elementary school band concert, lunch-time sex – and calling a company to resolve any dispute involving billing or payment. After experiencing a week overflowing with examples of customer service at its worst, I’m once again left […]

Is Bain Capital some evil example of free enterprise, or capitalism’s competition? Or is it perfect preparation for watching your country’s finances? When the alum is Mitt Romney, Bain is bad. But  when it’s a feature of the resume of the president’s new deputy director for management of the Office of Management and Budget,  Bain […]

It was disappointing to see Sandi Amorello use her recent column to malign Cape Elizabeth schools. The situation she described is an all too common one: she made choices that resulted in negative consequences, and rather than recognize her own accountability, she made excuses and blamed others. Good parenting requires that we make our children […]

Property taxes are due Feb. 16 in South Portland. How many of us understand where our money is going? Much of it goes to necessary expenses. However some of it goes to unacceptable expenses. Our city councilors can, and some do, get 100 percent free taxpayer-paid health insurance. What great things do they do to […]

I encourage the Falmouth Town Council to take some time as it decides how to use the expected proceeds from the sale of the Plummer and Lunt school complex to Ocean View. I agree with many of the counselors that placing the funds in a reserve account for a year or two will allow Falmouth […]

The Falmouth Town Council has asked for input regarding the notion that funds generated by the redevelopment of the Plummer-Motz/Lunt site “be placed in reserve for a future community center.” This is a bad idea. The money should go back to the general fund. Anyone paying attention to what’s going on in Augusta and elsewhere […]