A major concern with Plum Creek Timber Co.’s proposal for a major development around Moosehead Lake – expressed by the governor, local residents and several members of the Land Use Regulation Commission – is that it is too large and sprawls over too great an area. Two environmental… Read More
In a strong rebuke of the Bush administration’s use of military tribunals to try terrorism suspects, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the detainees have the right to challenge their imprisonment in federal courts. The decision likely leaves it up to President Bush’s successor to determine how… Read More
A two-year battle in the Waldo County town of Freedom (pop. 700) over a wind power project should not – and need not – be replicated in other Maine small towns. Unlike large-scale wind power projects such as the one developed in Mars Hill, which… Read More
The decision by the National Marine Fisheries Service to delay a rule mandating that lobstermen change their rope to avoid entangling endangered Atlantic right whales gives the agency more time to fine tune the requirements. The top priority for federal regulators should be to review where whales and… Read More
Libya’s strongman leader, Col. Moammar Gadhafi, was an international pariah in the 1980s and 1990s. He now has reformed and given up his terrorism and his nuclear weapons program, but Bush administration efforts to patch things up have run into difficulties. Mr. Gadhafi, a sort… Read More
Fifteen years ago, aquaculture looked like the savior of New England’s historic but declining fishing industry. Instead of chasing diminishing stocks of fish around the Gulf of Maine, those who wanted to make a living harvesting from the saltwater could grow their own in bays and harbors close… Read More
It’s a question that’s remarkable for its absence in the Democratic primary season: Is a woman capable of being president? Sen. Hillary Clinton’s candidacy raised a lot of questions, renewed some old criticisms and stirred plenty of new debate, but her fitness for the job, based on her… Read More
This week, ClickBack, the BDN’s interactive commentary feature, seeks reader musings on Hillary Clinton, $4 per gallon gasoline, bees, revolutions and the Boston Celtics. To participate, go to bangordailynews.com and click on the ClickBack logo. Some of the comments posted on the ClickBack Web page will be featured… Read More
More than five years after the U.S. invasion of Iraq, the Senate Intelligence Committee has – after lengthy review and plenty of stonewalling – found that the White House knowingly exaggerated the threat posed by Saddam Hussein. The committee’s report doesn’t change the difficult position the United States… Read More
Consider this fact: The more people in a state with college degrees, the more high-wage jobs in that state. Research completed by the University of Maine revealed that unlike with other supply and demand relationships, college degrees do not devalue when there are more of them, but rather,… Read More
With gasoline at $4 a gallon and food prices on the rise, shoppers will do well to consider some basic rules for coping with inflation. It probably will be harder and harder to make ends meet, but care in grocery shopping can help cope with the economic squeeze. Read More
For a small state, Maine’s congressional delegation is remarkably influential. Yet even with that influence, the delegation has been unsuccessful in reversing one of the more absurd federal regulations, the weight limit on trucks traveling on I-95 north of Augusta. Federal law currently allows trucks… Read More
Believe it or not, $4-a-gallon gasoline has its bright side. It has finally gotten people’s attention and made them realize that fuel economy is essential. It has caused car companies to cut back on the guzzlers. It may even cause the government to draft a sensible energy policy. Read More
At polling places Tuesday, many voters will find more petitions to sign than races to decide. They may want to consider whether this is a good way to set public policy. Although signature gatherers for every question likely won’t be at all polling stations, there… Read More
On Tuesday, voters in many communities, Bangor included, will for the first time vote on their local school budget. The budget validation process was billed as a way to lower school costs and was included in legislation requiring school district consolidation. While more public scrutiny is positive, few… Read More
With Rep. Tom Allen leaving the 1st Congressional District seat after six terms to challenge Sen. Susan Collins, heated primary campaigns are under way as Democrats and Republicans prepare to fight for the open seat. The commonly held perception is that the Southern Maine district tilts heavily toward… Read More
Do you favor a $29,725,000 bond issue for natural resource, agricultural and transportation infrastructure that will leverage $29,780,000 in other funds? Early last year, the Legislature approved a two-part bond package to help the Department of Transportation catch up with road and bridge work. The… Read More
Thirty-two years ago, presidential candidate Jimmy Carter had to explain to many skeptical and wary voters what being a “born again” Christian meant. Sixteen years before that, presidential candidate John F. Kennedy had to persuade voters that his allegiance would be to the Constitution, not his Roman Catholic… Read More
The pitfalls of having separate – and much more generous – unemployment benefits for workers deemed to be out of jobs because of trade rather than, say, modernization of a plant or decreased demand for goods was highlighted last week when Maine’s senators asked for Trade Adjustment Assistance… Read More
This week’s ClickBack, the BDN’s interactive opinion feature, takes on the fate of Hillary Clinton’s campaign, the possible demise of a paper mill in Millinocket, and the “Sex and the City” phenomenon. To participate, visit www.bangordailynews.com and click on the ClickBack logo to post your comment. Readers are… Read More
Early in its handling of an application from Plum Creek Timber Co. to rezone much of its land for development, the Land Use Regulation Commission sought to make a clear distinction between the development proposal and an agreement between the company and conservation groups to protect nearby land… Read More
With little fanfare – no ceremonial cutting of the first toilet paper roll – a public restroom on Route 9 was opened last week. This wouldn’t be remarkable except that it wasn’t supposed to be possible. When it was first requested last year, the Department… Read More
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has plunged into a growing national debate over health care reform. It has ordered several large corporations to include in this year’s proxy materials stockholder resolutions advocating universal health care. The United States is the only wealthy industrialized nation… Read More
A book by former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan is getting a lot of attention, mainly because it is highly critical of President Bush – especially his rush to war in Iraq. Lost in the harsh assertions and equally harsh reaction from the White House is the… Read More
The potential closure of the Katahdin Paper Co. mill in Millinocket because of skyrocketing oil prices is bleak news, especially for the 208 people who may be out of a job. The struggles of a paper mill to remain profitable in the face of rapidly rising energy prices… Read More
Here is a scenario worse than gasoline and home heating oil selling at $5 or $6 per gallon later this year: instead, prices drop to and stabilize at about $3 per gallon. When it’s clear those prices will remain long-term, households and businesses adjust their budgets, car manufacturers… Read More
For decades, environmental groups rallied to save Sears Island from industrial development. In recent years, proponents of a port on the island began pushing back, noting the island was purchased by the state in 1998 expressly for future transportation needs. When the liquefied natural gas industry began looking… Read More
Indian Island, home of the Penobscot Indian Nation, is a visual metaphor for the often uneasy relationship the native peoples have with Maine. That relationship has deteriorated in recent months to the point that the Penobscots are considering severing ties with state government. At the… Read More
An independent review of the state’s many economic development programs, to begin soon, is long overdue. While the study is under way, lawmakers should use the time to fortify themselves to make the difficult decisions that must follow. If lawmakers aren’t prepared to eliminate some programs and devote… Read More
Having nearly completed his freshman year as chancellor of the University of Maine System, Richard Pattenaude is ready to start over again. The chancellor, who previously had been president of the University of Southern Maine, has spoken to 27 Rotary Clubs and Chambers of Commerce over the last… Read More
A Texas court last week rebuked authorities for seizing more than 450 children from a polygamist compound. Texas authorities raided the ranch and removed the children after an alleged phone call from a 16-year-old girl reporting sexual abuse at the Yearning for Zion ranch. A Texas appeals court… Read More
This week, ClickBack asks readers to ponder a shorter public school week, post-traumatic stress disorder and tourism. To participate in the BDN’s interactive feature, go to www.bangordailynews.com and click on the ClickBack logo to post your answer. Some of the responses posted on the Web site will be… Read More
It may be like locking the barn door after the horse has escaped, but Congress’ approval of a bill that includes a provision regulating energy trading is an example of how government can help control escalating energy costs. Though demand for oil has been up in recent years,… Read More
Long before sales and sports and the three-day weekend, Memorial Day was a day of mourning. Turning grim Civil War battle experiences into something lasting and inspiring, Gen. John Alexander Logan set aside May 30, 1868, “for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves… Read More
When the Land Use Regulation Commission begins its formal review Tuesday of Plum Creek Timber Co.’s plans for development around Moosehead Lake, it will have the benefit of a set of recommendations from its staff that call for changes to the plan to protect more land and to… Read More
The emerging question on U.S. Iraq policy may be how much chaos is acceptable when U.S. troops finally leave. Over the last five years, U.S. expectations have devolved from removing the threat of nonexistent weapons of mass destruction, to establishing a pro-U.S. democracy, to “regime change,” and finally… Read More
Congress has demonstrated that if a huge giveaway bill is packed with enough earmarks and pork, members will give the farm lobby almost everything it wants. That describes the $300 billion dollar farm bill that was passed with majorities big enough to override the president’s veto. Read More
Successfully completing that first year in college can be a huge challenge. Making the grade academically is just one hurdle students face, as they live away from parents for the first time with unprecedented freedoms and temptations at hand. Being surrounded by thousands of peers who are also… Read More
The genuinely sympathetic reaction among elected officials and the public at large to the news that Sen. Edward “Ted” Kennedy is suffering from a malignant brain tumor says much about the hold the Kennedy clan still has over the nation’s imagination. But it also says a lot about… Read More
Donating money to charity, especially large sums, is worthy and commendable. Ensuring that money does not duplicate existing efforts and can be pooled with other funds to do more good is smart business and increases the value of such philanthropy. That is the philosophy behind the Maine Community… Read More
For voters hoping the state’s campaign for the U.S. Senate will focus on issues and not personal attacks, Democrat Tom Allen’s call for outside groups to skip the negative advertisements was welcome news. Incumbent Sen. Susan Collins immediately took his challenge a step further and said she’d tell… Read More
Saving through a 401(k) plan – if it is done right – can make all the difference between a successful retirement and a less-than-successful old age. A recent survey shows that too many employees are not doing it right. In the past 20 years, these… Read More
This week’s ClickBack focuses on college tuition, gas prices and gay rights. To share your opinions, go to the Bangor Daily News Web site and look for the ClickBack logo. You can also ask your own questions and compare the positions of many of the candidates seeking to… Read More
Under court order, the Bush administration this week listed polar bears as a threatened species. In doing so, however, the Interior Department took great pains to note that the listing would do nothing to stop climate change or prevent the melting of sea ice, the very problem that… Read More
Once the king of Maine’s economy, the paper and pulp industry’s transformation over the last 30 years has led to a perception that it is dying a slow death in the Pine Tree State. But don’t write that obituary just yet. High-profile mill closings and… Read More
The powerful corn lobby has successfully spread the message that making ethanol from corn will save on fuel costs, reduce American dependence on foreign oil and help save the planet from the effects of climate change. It will do none of those things, but the… Read More
The Bush administration has stalled a plan to require ships to slow down to protect endangered Atlantic right whales because it says analysis of the rule’s economic impact were incomplete. It should give the same consideration to rules requiring changes in lobster gear. The Office… Read More
John McCain has done us all a favor in telling clearly what he would do with the federal court system if he should be elected president. He would continue President Bush’s practice of nominating extreme conservatives to the Supreme Court and lower courts. And he would have plenty… Read More
With energy prices at record highs, Maine looking for ways to better control its energy future and a new company taking over the state’s telephone operations, the Public Utilities Commission will play a crucial role in the state’s economic future. Maintaining the commission’s recently heightened focus on Maine… Read More
More U.S. troops have seen action in the last five years than in the previous two decades. After their service is completed, the government that sent these men and women into harm’s way has an obligation to care for their medical, psychological and, yes, even their educational needs. Read More
So far, despite the recent destructive rainstorm, spring has made a fine start, a great relief from the cold and wet conditions that often seem to linger later in the year than hoped for. There’s still a nip in the air, but nighttime temperatures are… Read More
If the race to the Democratic presidential nomination has been like the Boston Marathon, Hillary Clinton might rightly claim that Heartbreak Hill was named for her. The long, uphill race she ran from late February through early May had her always within striking distance of Barack Obama, but… Read More
More than 10 days after Cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar, killing an estimated 32,000 people and leaving up to three times that many homeless, the ruling military junta has let only a trickle of foreign aid into the country. Exasperated international leaders and aid agencies have been reduced to… Read More
The Schoodic peninsula east of Mount Desert Island is the part of Acadia National Park typically overlooked by visitors. A proposal to develop seasonal and year-round housing, a lodge and a golf course on a 3,300-acre parcel that abuts the park there could mean the end of its… Read More
With the U.S. economy on the skids, gas prices on the rise and no visible end to America’s presence in Iraq, Congress will play a critical role in shaping the country’s future. Because Maine is a small state, its two representatives work closely together and district lines are… Read More
An ambitious universal health plan pending in Congress has just received a green light from congressional budget and tax analysts. They have found that it would not only cut the costs of health care but actually save money. The Healthy Americans Act was introduced last… Read More
Bangor residents may have been disappointed to read that the city’s proposed new post office would not include a drive-through window, a convenient option at the post office across the river in Brewer. While a drive-through wasn’t included in the original plan for the Bangor building, it has… Read More
Even those with misgivings about the school consolidation effort should welcome the part of the law that creates a new school budget approval process. Beginning this month, multicommunity school districts across the state will use the same budget approval process. It’s a process that proponents say builds community… Read More
Want to squeeze a few more miles out of that next overpriced tank of gas? Tom and Ray Magliozzi aka Click & Clack of NPR’s Car Talk fame have a list of miles-per-gallon boosters on their Web site. And they’re not just the obvious and typical “be sure… Read More
With targeted investment, the natural beauty of Maine’s coast, lakes, forests and fields and the man-made charms of its 19th century cities, towns and villages can produce jobs, the Governor’s Council of Maine’s Quality of Place has concluded. The council issued its final report recently, which included 10… Read More
Genetic testing can tell whether a person is at risk of developing cancer, heart disease or other ailments. In the future, it may be able to prevent diseases from developing or even cure them. But many Americans refuse the tests for fear that insurers or employers will use… Read More
Penobscot County District Attorney Christopher Almy, a Democrat, told reporters that President Bush – and Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins and their support of the Iraq War – were to blame for the jury verdict that acquitted six protesters of trespassing at Sen. Collins’ office. Mr. Almy’s… Read More
A veto from Gov. John Baldacci gives lawmakers time to more precisely remedy problems with the state’s sex offender registry. Such fixes are needed to ensure that the registry passed constitutional challenges. Last week, Gov. Baldacci declined to sign LD 446, a move known as… Read More
Diesel fuel and heating oil have topped $4 a gallon, and gasoline is destined to soon break that price plateau. Those prices are double and triple what they were just a few years ago. On the other end of the equation, Exxon Mobil netted a profit of over… Read More
Conservatives are jumping on author Stephen King for his remarks at a recent Library of Congress event, speaking to a group of high school students about the importance of reading. According to transcripts, the writer said: “I don’t want to sound like an ad, a public service ad… Read More
Decades ago, a full mailbox meant you had a lot of friends and family who wanted to keep in touch. Today, it means your address is logged into the credit card industry’s data base. According to 41pounds.org, a nonprofit environmental Web site dedicated to combating… Read More
Last summer, expectations were high that a change in strategy in Iraq was possible. There was a growing consensus among the majority of Democrats and moderate Republicans that the U.S. mission should become more supportive and less combat-driven. A bill to force such a change was never brought… Read More
This week, ClickBack asks readers to submit questions they would ask candidates in the 1st Congressional District primary races. The 1st District seat has been held by Democrat Tom Allen for 12 years; Rep. Allen is challenging Sen. Susan Collins for a Senate seat in November. Six Democrats… Read More
It may have been a quiet week in Lake Wobegon, the fictional hometown of “A Prairie Home Companion” host Garrison Keillor. But in Bangor, where Mr. Keillor broadcast his weekly radio show live from the auditorium Saturday night, it was anything but quiet. The popularity… Read More
Former Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis ran for president in 1988 touting the “Massachusetts Miracle,” the Bay State’s booming, high-tech based economy that brought high-paying jobs and swelled state government tax coffers. Too bad former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney didn’t survive his party’s primaries; he might have revived the… Read More
When humans first harnessed fire, it was wood that provided the fuel. Coal, oil and natural gas followed, but as fossil fuels become more scarce, returning to the renewable fuel that literally grows on trees is a natural progression, especially for Maine, the most forested state in the… Read More
A recent report found that health care spending in Maine is well above the national average with worse than average results. The report calls for an investigation of why the costs are high. What is needed even more is a commitment from lawmakers and regulators to do something… Read More
Many questions remained after the Bush administration released what it called photographic evidence that North Korea had been helping Syria build a nuclear reactor. But one thing is clear: President Bush is staying the course with his effort to complete a nuclear agreement with North Korea. Read More
Although considered a city in Maine, in most other states Bangor would qualify as a small town. It has much to recommend it: a vibrant commercial life as a regional service center; historic ties to natural resources like the Penobscot River and the woods and fields in outlying… Read More
Despite concerns from federal oversight agencies, the National Marine Fisheries Service has gone ahead with rules requiring changes in lobster gear to protect right whales. The aggressive timeline is premature because more research is needed to determine where the whales and lobster gear actually overlap. Read More
Aroostook County’s economic needs are deep and long, and are largely tied to the geographic fact that its modest-sized service centers – Houlton, Presque Isle, Caribou and Fort Kent – are separated from the rest of the state by vast unpopulated areas. Creating a more efficient transportation link… Read More
Gov. John Baldacci’s veto of Penobscot Nation plans to install slot machines on Indian Island has grabbed headlines. But tribal frustration with state officials goes way beyond gambling. The Legislature’s failure to make meaningful updates to the tribes’ status and a massive cut to the commission that provides… Read More
Back during the unpopular Vietnam war, the Pentagon ran 10-day junkets to the war zone to persuade news reporters as well as some public officials that the war was going well. Michigan’s Gov. George Romney ruined his chances for the Republican presidential nomination when he explained his initial… Read More
This week’s ClickBack asks readers to consider the plight of the Penobscot Nation, a potential “people’s veto,” the fuel crisis and LURC’s efforts to further organize the Unorganized Territory. To participate, go to www. bangordailynews.com and click on the ClickBack logo to post a comment. A selection of… Read More
Despite talk of human rights, drug trafficking and tariffs, the political battle over the Colombia free trade pact is, in part, about taking care of those who are thought to lose their jobs because of increased foreign competition. Democrats in Congress want an increase in the benefits offered… Read More
Some 80 percent of Americans define themselves as middle class. Though that self-assessment is most likely grossly inaccurate, it is telling. The fact that more than three-quarters of Americans perceive themselves as sitting on the economic median should have politicians waving the middle class banner more often than… Read More
The Legislature’s passage of a bill to fund an expansion of rail service could hasten the return of trains as a viable freight and passenger transportation option in southern and coastal Maine. The bill, LD 2019, is expected to raise $3 million in fiscal year 2009-2010 and $3.1… Read More
Does repeating something often enough make it true? That’s what some business lobbyists and conservative activists seem to be trying with their repeated assertions about the state’s bad business climate. Days after the Legislature adjourned, these groups complained that lawmakers had made a bad business… Read More
The Land Use Regulation Commission is, in effect, the planning board for about half the land in Maine. Although the raw numbers – 8,800 new units in 35 years – aren’t shocking, half the development in LURC jurisdiction has occurred in areas the commission doesn’t consider healthy. Worse,… Read More
It has long been clear that the Bush administration didn’t have logic on its side as it tried to limit states’ flexibility in extending health insurance to moderate-income children. Now, it turns out, it didn’t have the law on its side either. Rather than wait for the administration… Read More
Nabisco’s Crown Pilot crackers seem to be in danger once more. Mainers who love to crush the oblong crackers into their chowder may have to rush to the defense again, as they did 11 years ago. Sandra Oliver sounded an alert to this new threat… Read More
Members of Congress and the Bush administration have long talked about the Iraqi government taking more responsibility for the security, economy and governing of their country. “As the Iraqis stand up, we will stand down,” President Bush said in June 2005. To date, not enough Iraqis have stood… Read More
Polls show the top issue among voters this election year is their fears about the fate of the economy. Voters can grill congressional candidates at town hall meetings and on call-in radio shows and they can get a fix on the presidential candidates’ economic plans through campaign news… Read More
The prison at Guantanamo Bay has long been a national disgrace. The current mess over how to try suspected terrorists in improvised special courts highlights the need to shut down this facility. President Bush ordered the creation of the detention center in Cuba after the… Read More
The early weeks of spring arrive with their cherished events: Crocuses lift through the thawing earth on the sunny sides of buildings, children begin searching for the baseball gloves they left somewhere (under the bed, maybe) and the Bangor Daily News appeals to scofflaws of Bangor’s pooper-scooper ordinance… Read More
What’s the point of Patriot’s Day? Should Acadia’s beauty be exploited for jobs? Share your thoughts at ClickBack by going to www.bangordailynews.com and looking for the ClickBack logo. Some posts will be printed on Friday’s OpEd page. State and municipal employees had Monday off, but… Read More
Requiring the recycling of computer and television monitors – and having manufacturers cover most of the cost – has diverted tons of lead from Maine landfills while saving residents money. As the country marks Earth Day, the state’s e-waste program can offer a model for the handling of… Read More
Listen, my children, and give a pause for the midnight ride of William Dawes. All right, so Longfellow knew he could get a better rhyme out of “hear” and “Revere,” but the result of his famous poem from “Tales of a Wayside Inn” is that… Read More
Until recently, new stores generated controversy only if they planned to sell pornography, assault weapons or cups of coffee that cost as much as a used car. But so-called big box stores – Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Lowe’s and the like – have divided coastal cities such as Damiriscotta,… Read More
With Democrats Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama locked in a close race for the party’s presidential nomination, the pair’s last televised debate should have been a time to clarify the policy differences between the two candidates. Instead, ABC turned the debate into a wandering discussion of flag lapel… Read More
The Legislature made significant progress on a number of controversial issues – reducing government spending to balance the budget, school and jail consolidation and funding Dirigo Health, for example. But time will tell whether the compromises that made agreement on these issues possible went too far. Read More
The Christian Civic League of Maine has launched what amounts to a pre-emptive strike in the war it has declared over the relative rights of homosexuals in this state. Despite the league’s actions, this battle is largely over and this campaign is a step backward. Read More
Maine’s own long-distance runner Joan Benoit Samuelson will be trying out once more for the Olympics on Sunday. She’s not expecting to make the U.S. team again, as she told The New York Times: “Oh, God, no. It’s just me against me. I want to run 2:50 at… Read More
Building a high-capacity electricity line linking northern and central Maine would seem to be a win for both regions and the state as a whole. The 345-kilovolt line connection proposed by Maine Public Service and Central Maine Power, to run from Chester in northern Penobscot County to Detroit… Read More
After a long, arduous march on the campaign circuit, including visits to small cities such as Bangor, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama stopped in San Francisco earlier this month to raise more money. At the private gathering, Sen. Obama said that in Pennsylvania, where he is in a… Read More