Maine is experiencing its biggest HIV outbreak in state history. In January 2026, the Bangor Daily News reported that Penobscot County’s HIV outbreak stood at 36 cases. In most of those cases, individuals also tested positive for hepatitis C. Health officials estimate that for every identified case of hepatitis C, there are roughly 12-14 unidentified […]

As a proud member of the Maine Irish Heritage Center, I am deeply concerned about Portland’s recent revocation of property‑tax exemptions for nearly 20 nonprofits. These organizations — arts and cultural groups, community service providers and preservation institutions — have long strengthened the city through education, access and public benefit. Their missions have not changed, […]

I might find myself on the liberal side of an argument when the alternative is a small-minded, highly partisan oversimplification but, like many of my fellow Portland and South Portland citizens, I do not approve of how ICE and the U.S. Border Patrol have trampled our laws of human rights, due process and human dignity. […]

It’s been a little over two years since my last letter to the editor was published (“Trump epitomizes the worst that America has to offer,” March 16, 2024). At that time, Donald Trump was on his way to becoming the Republican presidential nominee. The first sentence of my 2024 letter: “Should Donald Trump again become […]

Recent events make it clear that we have lost our way. Our societal values are proven less by what we say and more by how we allocate our money. “Fraud, waste and abuse” in career government pales in comparison to wasteful decision making by politicians, due to a lack of or dishonest public debate of […]

Three ideas to spark conversations at the moment. Gil FraserNew Gloucester