The hoopla over the electric smart meters is a little baffling. I don’t question the symptoms people are feeling, but I do question whether they’ve done their homework before making a diagnosis. If we were talking about toxic pollutants, it would make sense to raise an alarm and not wait for research to prove a […]

A sincere thank you from the Yarmouth school nurses to the many volunteers who, once again, helped us make our seasonal flu vaccine clinics so successful. From the nurses who gave the shots, to the crowd-control experts, right down to the cheerful and enthusiastic volunteers who checked students in at the door, the teamwork was […]

I have been reading Edgar Allen Beem’s columns for a while now, and have disagreed with him on most political things that he says. I do, however, respect his right to say anything. There have been times when I wanted to respond, but didn’t for various reasons. Now, however, I find I must respond, not […]

I have to say I’m deeply disappointed to read the The Forecaster is even considering the publication of anonymous letters in its print editions (“Editor’s Notebook,” Dec. 8-10). To my mind, the flood of uninformed, scurrilous, often illiterate garbage on media websites is an increasingly negative influence on American political and social discourse. Professor Bill […]

Back on April Fool’s Day, when President Barack Obama spoke in support of health care reform at the Portland Exposition Building, among the tea party protesters outside was a lady carrying a sign that read “Mr. President, why do you hate us?” Eight months later, liberal Democrats like myself might well ask the same stupid […]

I have a confession to make. I’m done living a lie. I’m coming out. Of the closet. No, I am not here to tell you, dear readers, that I am a lesbian. Although, during my seven years of dating, I have more than once considered taking the alternate path. No, when I say closet, I […]

I often hear phrases that start “Kids these days …” and imply that youngsters are less thoughtful, caring or engaged than in past generations. Sometimes, people ask me, “What are young people thinking?” Or they remark, “I don’t know what’s happening with today’s youth!” I have worked with children my entire professional life. Over and […]

Imagine a beautiful winter’s day, low tide, lots of beach to walk on, kids all bundled up, dog in the car, everyone excited to be going to Higgins Beach, and then you drive around looking for a parking spot and all you see are “No Parking” signs. That could be the reality this winter. The […]

I want to address a comment from Councilor Ron Ahlquist that was directed at my remarks about the Higgins Beach Ad-Hoc Parking Committee at the Scarborough Town Council Meeting on Dec. 1. My statements about the inadequate representation of the town and the lack of option identification/evaluation came from reading all the committee minutes and […]

Falmouth School Superintendent Barbara Powers seems to be lost at sea. In a School Board meeting this year she didn’t know the correct number of students to teachers in the system, the number of teachers (FTEs) under her supervision (it’s 197.43, not the 180 Powers thought), she didn’t have a census (list) of the teachers […]