Alexis Cannon-Powell: Bethel needs a teen, family center

The people of Bethel need an indoor recreation center so that the kids can have somewhere to go after a long day at school or work. I know Bethel is a small town, but a rec center could help with a lot of different things. It would reduce stress in high school-aged kids, especially with […]

Tristan Pelletier: Does wearing masks outweigh the risks?

Students should not have to wear masks to school. For most adults, masks in public indoor settings cause only minor inconveniences, but children, who experience serious outcomes from COVID-19 at far lower rates, have different needs and vulnerabilities. Childhood is a crucial time when humans develop cultural, language, and social skills, including the ability to […]

Donna Dodge: My religion is my ‘line in the sand’

I will not be renewing my dietitian license in Maine; this is not my choice. My request for a religious exemption to the COVID vaccine mandate was denied. I follow Christian Science, a religion usually granted exemption. Not this time. I was told that because of penalties from the federal government, my employer had to […]

Editorial cartoon for Wednesday, Dec. 1

Katelynn Evans: High school students benefit from modified schedules

Modified schedules are something that have been newly accessible to students at my school, Telstar Regional High School, and I think that they should be more widespread for students everywhere. Modified schedules go through our guidance counselors and are an opportunity for kids to not attend school for the full day. Students can go home […]

Rep. Heidi Brooks: Lewiston would benefit with Rotundo’s return

I am encouraged by the announcement that Peggy Rotundo is running for the Lewiston State Senate position. She is an outstanding mentor and role model for our community. She demonstrates how we can lift each other up to improve conditions. Peggy is humble and persistent. She has a strong foundational knowledge. She integrates that knowledge […]

David Goodwin II: Greenwood needs its own ladder truck

I believe that the Greenwood Fire Department should purchase its own ladder truck. According to the Oxford County Regional Communication Center, Oxford County radio communication center dispatch times, Greenwood has been first on-scene for the last two structure fires in our mutual aid towns. If Greenwood fire had the equipment I am requesting, it would […]

Editorial cartoon for Tuesday, Nov. 30

Rich Lowry: The shoplifting capital of the USA

The shoplifting problem represents a deliberate choice rather than an unstoppable tide. Modern societies long ago figured out how to maintain civil order such that law-abiding people could buy and sell goods without being systematically preyed on by thieves. It’s just that the Bay Area has chosen to forget.

Patients now see their records, but can they understand them?

Providers need to do a better job of explaining to patients what tests we order and why. And we need to be available to explain and answer questions when scary results come in. Important in this era of primary-care physician burnout, providers need to be reimbursed for the significant hours that appropriate and sensitive patient-portal communication demands.