Sen. Susan Collins recently urged the federal government to “open (the) northern border to vaccinated Canadians.” It may be time to do this, considering the desire to return to a normal flow of commercial and personal visits between Maine and Canada. It would have been nice if Sen. Collins had been as direct after having […]

The child care workforce shortage is not a new problem. The pandemic has brought to light the field’s high turnover rate and instability. Early childhood educators are the backbone of the child care industry. The ability for a child care center program to provide high-quality child care services depends on trained, educated and compassionate employees. […]

Congress must carefully review the provisions of HR 4373 (the 2022 Department of State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Appropriations Act) before extending any aid to Armenia, a Russian proxy. Section 7047 states that “… None of the funds appropriated by this Act may be made available for assistance for the central government of a […]

Living through a global pandemic has reinforced our common needs for shelter, safety and shared community. Economic disruptions and public health threats underscore our reliance on accessible housing and services. The lack of choice and affordability in Portland-area housing is acute and solutions are discouragingly insufficient. Many municipalities, however, have expanded housing options aided by […]

The news from Afghanistan is bad: American troops are pulling out; half the country is controlled by the Taliban; our military leaders say the government could collapse within months. There are some 18,000 Afghan citizens whose lives (and those of some 50,000 immediate family members) are in grave and imminent danger because they served in […]

I had a stroke when I was 58. I had valve replacement surgery years ago. A pacemaker was inserted in my chest five years ago. I have been on blood thinners and blood pressure, cholesterol and related medications for more than 20 years. Those cardio issues, and some of the other afflictions that befall an […]

Did you know that the Police Citizen Review Subcommittee was created by the Portland City Council in 2001? In the words of Biggie Smalls: “If you don’t know, now you know.” The Police Citizen Review Subcommittee is a seven-member board that provides a form of accountability in Portland that helps promote fair and professional policing, […]

As syndicated columnist Megan McArdle noted July 23 (“Carbon tariffs are not a real response to climate change,” Page A11),  “Global warming is a genuine cost of emitting carbon … .” And lately, that’s a cost we’ve all been feeling. While Maine hasn’t experienced the incredible heat of the West Coast or the extreme flooding of […]