Archive for ‘Opinion’

  • Support for Maine Trails Bond

    By Matt Markot Executive Director at Loon Echo Land Trust I am writing today to express my support for Maine’s first-ever Trails Bond. If passed, the bond would invest a much needed $30 million to support our state’s outdoor recreation industry. Maine trails play a vital role in our economy, generating hundreds of millions of […]

  • Independent Thought — The Circle of Life

    By Rev. Bob Plaisted Columnist “There’s far too much to take in here, more to find than can ever be found. But the sun rolling high through the sapphire sky, keeps great and small on the endless round, in the circle of life, the circle of life.” Those lyrics are from “The Lion King,” written […]

  • Earth Notes: Thy Kingdom come; our stuff be gone

    By Rev. Robert Plaisted Guest Columnist It’s time for another Earth Notes column. You may have heard of the Anthropocene Epoch. The International Union of Geological Sciences is debating which geological indicators would be appropriate for the boundary between the current Holocene Epoch and the incoming Anthropocene. Discussion focuses on the first appearance of man-made […]

  • In Ye Olden Times: Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus

    By Mike Davis BN Columnist Howdy neighbor! If you couldn’t tell already, I do a lot of reading in antique newspapers. It’s a big part of my job, and is the first resource I turn to for any local historical research; but it’s also something I do for fun most evenings — I know, what […]

  • Earth Notes: I’m dreaming of a last Christmas

    By Rev. Robert Plaisted Guest Columnist Seeing today’s title, some readers might say, “Whaaaat? Christmas will go on forever.” No, it won’t. Nothing goes on forever, no matter how beloved it may be to us. Humans once celebrated Christmas for the first time and, one day, humans will celebrate Christmas for the last time. Now, […]

  • In Ye Olden Times: The case of Bridgton’s stolen Boston Post Cane

    By Michael Davis Guest Columnist Howdy neighbor! In our last issue, I was pleased to see featured as a front-page story the recent transferal of the town of Brownfield’s Boston Post Cane to Mrs. Della Smith, who at 95 years of age is the oldest legal citizen of that town. And as this story involves […]

  • Earth Notes: Gratitude for all that is around us

    By Megan-Mack Nicholson Guest Columnist Sitting at my computer, waiting for the inspiration of what I’m going to write about, I realize I keep going back to the knee-jerk reaction to write about “gratitude” and all the things we have in nature to be grateful for. I mean, let’s be honest, I would say (as […]

  • Independent Thought

    Gun Rights? Enough, already! By Rev. Robert Plaisted Guest Columnist This column began as my thoughts on the Israeli-Hamas war — an example of the madness of warfare and terrorist violence.  I never intended to write back-to-back columns on America’s homicidal obsession with guns. Then, another form of madness exploded right in my own Maine […]

  • My Irish Up

    By Mike Corrigan BN Columnist Television was invented for Cro-Magnon man, and the Internet for Neanderthals. On television, your typical Cro-Magnon can click, and be entertained, or not. Whatever. Bottom line, Television Man knows he’s being coddled and often lied to, but he’s kind of soothed by the process. He’s used to it. It’s entertainment. […]

  • Independent Thought — Ban books, not guns

    By Rev. Robert Plaisted Guest Columnist Some critics may have done a double-take when they noticed the title of this column. They might have wondered if that “commie-pinko” Rev. finally had abandoned the dark side and come over into the glorious light of “conservative” truth. Nah! Cease your heart palpitations, fellas. My views haven’t changed. […]