Because the omicron variant is highly contagious, Portland has approved mask mandates for indoor dining. But, added to this, vaccinations and proper masking practices need to be officially required, to offset how deteriorating standards for mask usage in restaurants is causing many people not to dine indoors. People wear masks when walking to and from […]

The response of Maine Republicans to the stickers sold at Portland City Councilor Andrew Zarro’s business is typical of their two-faced pettiness. Sure, “defund God” and “Abort Republicans” is low humor at best. But those sentiments were not a call to any real action, unlike the “fight like hell” urged on angry protesters by an […]

I am writing to express my complete and total exasperation with the inability of the Senate to compromise on a change to its rules that would allow critical voting rights legislation to be passed by a simple majority vote. Voters across the country are losing their ability to vote through widespread state voter-suppression laws and […]

Re: Jim Fossel’s Dec. 26 column (“Biden falls short on vow of unity”): While I disagree with Mr. Fossel almost all of the time, I have come to at east expect intelligent opinions from him. This time, he pushed intelligence aside, blaming Biden for not being able to “garner much Republican support for his proposals”. […]

On Nov. 18, 1978, in Jonestown, 909 Americans committed suicide by drinking cyanide-laced punch. Jim Jones was the leader of the Peoples Temple religious cult preaching unconventional ideas and activities. Paranoid of scrutiny, Jones moved his cult to Guyana. U.S. Rep. Leo Ryan was killed visiting the settlement to investigate. Jones’ followers died because they […]

I’m still digesting Sen. Susan Collins’ Dec. 29 column. She is one of the most senior senators and the ranking member on an important committee. The initiatives she stated are what is expected from someone of her standing. While I applaud the senator for her efforts regarding the pandemic, I wish she would use her […]

I’m a 12-year-old at a middle school. I’m a Mainer who loves winter. And I’m ready for climate action. Good endings. That’s all we have, isn’t it? We’re all tired of hearing pessimistic news surrounding various issues; but climate change is the “threat multiplier.” Climate change makes all the other issues worse, and it costs […]

Thanks to Staff Writer Colin Woodard and the Portland Press Herald for covering Sen. Angus King’s heroic efforts to defend our democracy from voter suppression and election subversion by Republican legislatures around the country (“Sen. King’s new mission: Safeguard democracy,” Dec. 26, Page A1) and to allow consideration of the badly needed Freedom to Vote […]