The passage of LD 1829 is both disappointing and dangerous. This law prohibits Maine municipalities from requiring fire sprinkler systems in certain Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), undermining local efforts to protect residents from deadly fires. Yes, we need more affordable housing. But affordability should never come at the cost of safety. Fire sprinklers are a […]

While reading your story about York County’s new mobile alert system for beach safety (July 5), I was reminded of another health hazard in places we love to swim and surf: nasty bacteria in the water. Our research partners found that 78% of tested Maine coastal beaches had potentially unsafe levels of fecal matter on […]

Sens. Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski have long portrayed themselves as reasonable, moderate women of conscience who would do what they saw as the right thing regardless of partisanship. This has been belied by the passage of President Trump’s “big, ugly bill.” Collins allowed the bill to advance to a vote when she had the […]

When summer heat hits New England, our regional demand for electricity spikes — especially during late afternoons when air conditioners and heat pumps are blasting. This surge is called peak power demand, and it puts a strain on the grid. “Shaving” peak power means reducing electricity use during these critical hours to ease that strain. […]

In his farewell address, Dwight D. Eisenhower famously warned against the “military-industrial complex,” stating, “We must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex.” We are now experiencing the results of ignoring that warning. Defense contractors have controlled our foreign policies for decades. We taxpayers reportedly pay more […]

How did we get here? An unconscionable act: the Trump administration incinerating 500 tons of food in a warehouse in Dubai, enough food to feed 1.5 million children for a week, gone up in ash. How does this happen? Why does this happen? Our identity, our character traits of decency, compassion, humility and caring, are […]

Sen. Susan Collins voted to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as secretary of health and human services despite her “concerns” about his anti-vaccine policies because, she said, of deference to President Trump’s right to build his own governing team. Sen. Angus King voted against Kennedy’s confirmation, calling him “grossly unqualified” and a “danger” to public […]

In ahem, retirement, I became a cheesemaker, the kind favoring French fromage on which I grew up. It took a while, but once I got the brie and camembert nailed, Fore Street Restaurant’s Sam Hayward welcomed it and I made them tres petit — individually sized in special molds — perfect for a premier restaurant’s […]