Reporter Joe Lawlor did some excellent work lately (“Closure of Maine’s rural birthing centers is part of national ‘crisis,’” Dec. 20). Lawlor quotes a recent Roux Institute report authored by Kathy Simmonds. The report highlights the increasing difficulty of rural hospitals to create the competent clinical care teams needed to keep low-volume birthing centers open. […]

Why is the town of Cumberland Center planning to install EV charging stations at the library using citizens tax dollars? This does not seem to be the type of business the town should be in. Or does the school need a place to charge their proposed electric buses? It is a slap in the face […]

I write to respond to two paragraphs of a recent op-ed blaming medical malpractice lawsuits, in part, for high health care costs (“The best defense to for-profit health insurance? Staying healthy,”) Dec. 20. According to the writer, Dr. Gary Zartarian, the legal system is run by crafty medical malpractice lawyers who, in a ploy to […]

Why is it more difficult these days not to become cynical? We are today confronted with the antics of two billionaire narcissists with fragile egos and blatant self-serving ambitions, who are hellbent on dismantling political norms, thereby destabilizing political discourse even further. Donald Trump enjoys unprecedented presidential power, while Elon Musk has rather unlimited resources […]

Thanks to Dr. Gary Zartarian for reminding us of the costs of our “health care” system (“Opinion: The best defense to for-profit health insurance? Staying healthy.” Dec. 21). The decision to embrace all the emerging technologies and drugs and medical devices and short-change prevention efforts has brought us to this point. High costs are “baked […]

The legacy of Sen. Susan Collins is at a tipping point. Will she truly represent the interests of the people of Maine by insisting that the incoming administration’s department heads be people of integrity, wisdom and experience? Or will she “toe the line” and sail off into the sunset on a ship of fools? Leo […]

Brunswick Town Council passed the two-way conversion of Pleasant Street (at a $4 million premium) without a plan. Yet we couldn’t approve consultant-planned brick sidewalks that would have cost $1 million more than the concrete alternative now being built due to cost. In the town’s haste to capture those extra dollars, we have signed up […]