I am concerned about a bill that would have unintended consequences for Maine residents. L.D. 1215 – legislation that would ban the sale of flavored tobacco and nicotine products – would prohibit products that 80,000 adult smokers in Maine have already turned to as a replacement for more harmful combustible cigarettes. Without access to these […]

The current proposal in Falmouth for workforce housing is wrong for the community. How is $450,000, with a $90,000 down payment, workforce housing? Why would anyone buy a $450,000 half-house in Falmouth when the same money can buy a whole house and land in Westbrook? A realtor website currently shows four houses in Westbrook under […]

As a medical professional dedicated to public health and safety, I fully support the Maine Gun Safety Coalition’s efforts to promote sensible gun safety policies. The recent mass shootings in Lewiston underscored the urgent need to address this issue. The coalition’s four key policy priorities emphasize critical aspects of injury prevention and harm reduction. Firstly, […]

A good commander knows when to cut his losses and withdraw to see another day, knows to save the lives left under his charge. For Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, this extends far beyond his soldiers; his people are at stake. After two years, it’s clear that Ukraine cannot win and Putin won’t back down. Both […]

Last week’s storm reminded me of many things: We live in an environment that doesn’t follow the calendar. That having no power is a drag. That all plans can go awry when the weather and climate don’t cooperate. Gratefully, it also reminded me of how thoughtfulness, kindness and good planning can help us manage those […]

Immigration is fast becoming one of the most contentious issues in the present election cycle. Many are blaming the Biden Administration for the lack of control over our borders. While we do have many people coming through the borders, this is not the fault of the present administration but is attributable to years of failed […]

As a proud Maine nurse, I have been extremely disheartened by the campaign supporting L.D. 1639, a bill that would impose arbitrary nurse staffing ratios in our hospitals. Just today, I saw a social media post by the nurses’ union suggesting that hospitals — not nurses — are the only opponents of this bill. Nothing […]

In the article, “Food aid reaches Darfur, but hunger remains,” (April 6, Press Herald) the Associated Press reports the following on Sudan: • 5 million face starvation • Some 222,000 children could die of starvation in coming months • U.N. appeals for $2.7 billion is only 5% funded • 10,000 to 15,000 already killed by […]

Republican State Sen. Stacey Guerin voted against the bill for a constitutional right to abortion on April 1. She said that it disregards the rights of unborn children. Guerin stressed the “basic human rights” of a fetus without mentioning pregnant women. She failed to acknowledge that fetal wellness hinges on the health of the woman […]