Category: All Along the Watchtower

Selected pieces from my newspaper column, All Along The Watchtower

I’ve got a Golden ticket

~ Randy Seaver ~ Leave a comment

Once again, it would seem that many of Maine’s most ardent Democrats cannot see the forest for the trees.

And that’s saying something, especially since Maine is the most forested state in the country.

Matt Dunlap, Maine’s former secretary of state, decided to end his four-day titillating tease, ceasing the media foreplay — will he or won’t he — make a primary challenge against incumbent Rep. Jared Golden, a much more moderate Democrat?

U.S. Rep. Jared Golden (photo: Wiki Commons)

Maine’s Second Congressional District offers a virtual smorgasbord of political ideologies. Despite the common misconceptions of southern Maine folks, CD2 is not just a swath of God-fearing, gun-toting and Bible-thumping rednecks, it is also home to progressive enclaves such as Belfast, Lewiston and Bar Harbor.

Over the last four years, Golden has figured out how to saddle the district that is almost evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats.

Victories for Golden have been hard fought and razor-thin, but never since winning his first election to the U.S. House in 2018 has Golden been challenged by his own party – – – until now.

Less than a year ago, Golden eked out his re-election campaign with only 50.3 percent of the vote over Republican newcomer Austin Theriault, who lost by a little more than 3,000 votes with 49.7 percent of the vote,

Folks, federal elections don’t come much closer than this.

But that was 2024, when Trump supporters were campaigning with a fevered pitch. Still, Golden held strong and put on a clean flannel shirt for the cameras on Election Day.

Golden won his first term as a U.S. Representative in 2018, facing incumbent Bruce Poliquin. That race was telling. Golden won, but it was no landslide: 50.9 percent to 49.4 percent.

For a while, it seemed that Maine Democrats had learned their lesson, suffering back-to-back losses in CD2 when progressive candidate Emily Cain was propped up by her party to take down the evil Poliquin. The short, balding guy with a creepy grin beat her twice, in 2014 (45.2 percent) in a three-way contest; and again in 2016 (54.8 – 45.2 percent)

I believe it was the 2016 election when Democrats were finally willing to admit that a more moderate approach would be needed if they wanted to capture Maine’s Second Congressional District.

In fact, Golden – though acting like a political maverick right out of the gate – did not face a primary challenge in 2020, 2022 and in the 2024 race.

But many Democrats said they were simply holding their noses when casting a ballot for Golden. The balance of power in Washington was shifting. Republicans had gained a lot of ground.

“For a while, it seemed that
Maine Democrats had learned
their lesson”

Every seat mattered.

According to several of my sources within the Maine Democratic Party, the Dems realized that they had to forsake the perfect to get the good.

But enough is enough, I suppose.

Enter Matt Dunlap and the Golden ticket he apparently found in a Wonka chocolate bar.

Will there be a test?

From all accounts, Dunlap is a decent guy. He is affable, a bit quirky and probably never sat at the cool kids’ table in the high school cafeteria.

Sure, he is currently Maine’s auditor and previously served as Maine’s Secretary of State (both appointed positions by the Legislature) but it seems as if there is not a lot of meat on his 61-year-old bones.

State Auditor Matthew Dunlap

Let’s face facts. Dunlap is hardly a heavy hitter. But his party has called him up from the JV team and coordinated a press conference.

Here’s a fun fact: Dunlap was elected Maine State Auditor by the Maine Legislature and took office on January 4, 2021, but had to give up the position after failing the exams needed to meet the requirements of his new position.

He did later meet the requirements and was selected for the position again on November 14, 2022.

I’m a boy, and I’m a man

Golden, it seems, has gone a bit too far in being a moderate. He consistently refuses to toe the party line all the time. He must be held accountable.

With Trump in the White House, the last thing Democrats want is a representative who is willing to reach across the aisle. You know? A consensus builder . . . a, what do you call it? . . . oh yeah, an “Independent.”

But here’s the deal. Maine is really a purple state.

Former Maine Governor Paul LePage

Chellie (I’ll stay in D.C. until I die) Pingree is a progressive Democrat, and she’s not going anywhere, despite the incredibly stupid move by now Biddeford Mayor Marty Grohman who ran as an Independent and tried to beat her.

Yeah, that didn’t work out so well.

Susan Collins, a Republican, is chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee. She is going nowhere. Maine’s other senator won’t even call himself a Democrat even though he votes with the Democrats more than 98 percent of the time.

On the heels of Trump’s 2024 victory, Maine Republicans are betting on former Governor Paul LePage to finally knock Golden from his perch.

Trump did well in Maine’s CD2 last year. As expected, Harris won Maine’s 1st Congressional District while Trump won Maine’s 2nd Congressional district.

For Democrats, the question once again becomes are you going to sacrifice the good for the perfect?

If so, I think you’re making a big mistake. But what do I know?

_________________

Randy Seaver is the editor and founder of the Biddeford Gazette. He may be reached by email: randy@randyseaver.com

c.) 2025 All Rights Reserved

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Do you have “too much?”

~ Randy Seaver ~ 1 Comment

I see a lot of social media chatter about the evils of “billionaires who have far more than they need.”

My question is what about millionaires? If you have a net worth of $700 to $950 million, is that also too much? Do we also loathe millionaires?

Money: The root of all evil?

If we get rid of billionaires and millionaires and redistribute their wealth to the less fortunate, then do we go after the people with a net worth of more than $850,000? Do they also have “too much?” Are they just greedy?

The MEDIAN net worth in the U.S. is roughly $200,000, meaning that half of the population has a lower net worth than $200,000 and half of the population has a net worth of more than $200,000.

Do you really need more than
one television, one computer,
one phone or one tattoo?

Do we use that number? Does anyone really “need” a net worth of $200,000? Furthermore, who decides what is “too much?” If you own an acre of land, do you have too much? Do you really need an entire acre?

Do you really need more than one television, one computer, one phone or one tattoo?

Do you really need more than one car? Do you really need 14 pairs of underwear?

I think we need to be careful when pointing fingers because, eventually, we’re going to be pointing at ourselves.

I do not believe in a flat tax, even thought that (by definition) is the fairest solution.

I am only saying it gets really tricky, really fast when we talk about things such as “fair share,”

Rant over. Peace.

If I were King of the DNC

~ Randy Seaver ~ 1 Comment

I got a lot of angry feedback about my last blog post, which suggested that Democrats and others who despise President Trump need to do a lot more than attend rallies and protests if they really want things to change.

I learned some lessons from that post, namely that I buried the lead of what I was really trying to say.

That post was also way too long, and I learned that you can’t kick readers in the nuts and then ask them to consider the larger picture.

I apologize. So, allow me to try a different tact this week.

Our problems are much greater and complicated than Donald Trump

In addition to running a small, Biddeford-focused media site, I earn a living by offering clients throughout New England political and public relations advice.

Although I have never worked professionally on a federal campaign, I do have a pretty good track record when it comes to statewide and municipal campaigns.

So instead of criticizing others, allow me to offer my own unsolicited advice to those who are really concerned about the Trump Administration.

Before we proceed, allow me to ask you a question that I ask of each new client: which is more important to you: your pride or your greed?

Think of that question this way: your “pride” is about how you do things and your ego. Your “greed” is about your objective and what you want.

There is not a right nor wrong answer to that question, but if your pride is more important than your greed you should probably save your time and stop reading here.

I cannot help you if your pride is greater than your greed.

Stop doing this!

If I were king of the DNC

Here is my unsolicited and free advice in five easy steps.

  1. Take a deep breath. Acknowledge the painful loss and allow that disappointment to be the fuel that drives you. Ask yourself and your friends some hard and difficult questions about went wrong.
  • Protests are fine, but don’t miss the bigger picture. The midterm elections will be here before we know it. Now is the time to develop crisp and clear messaging that focuses on positive messages. Simply bashing Trump on social media or during rallies is not enough. We all learned that lesson the hard way seven months ago.
  • Do some reconnaissance work. Start watching FOX News. Attend events that you would normally abhor. What are the other guys saying and doing? Go beyond your comfort level and actually listen to what the other guys are saying, no matter how badly you disagree.
  • We need more voters. The last presidential election was razor-thin. Trump won the popular vote by a margin of only 1.48 percent.  We need to peel off the moderate Republicans. Stop catering to the far-left progressives. When it matters, they will line up. Find a candidate (candidates) like Bill Clinton. Someone told me recently that Clinton was his favorite Republican president.
  • Finally – and most importantly – take the high road. Let your greed trump your pride. Stop ridiculing and name-calling conservatives. Stop making fun of them. Stay on the high road as if your life depends on it, because it does. Do your very best to respectfully engage. Don’t talk to them. Listen. Ask them questions. Find out what’s important to them. Listen. Take notes.

As Ghandi said, you do not help a man see your point of view by giving him a black eye.

I could learn a thing or two from Ghandi. How about you?

For a deeper analysis of what I think went wrong in November, check this piece.

__________________

Randy Seaver is a cranky, nearly insufferable malcontent living in Biddeford. He may be contacted by email: randy@randyseaver.com

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Fear and Loathing in Biddeford

~ Randy Seaver ~ 2 Comments

It’s been a crazy, hectic and somewhat emotional week.

On the work front, I was dealing with back-to-back significant news stories that took up a lot of my energy and time.

And — Laura chipped a tooth while eating a salad (Exhibit 104 of why you should avoid salads). The ensuing emergency dental visit put a nice little ding on the bank account.

We struggled with getting the camper ready for the season, and could not figure out why the battery was not charging. It’s fixed now. Also, the work week was evenly framed by two Saturdays of rain. Nice. I am already way behind on my outdoor chores.

And then there is always the plentiful criticism, the wailing and gnashing of teeth from people who are upset about me being one of the admins on the Biddeford + Saco Community Facebook page. What else is new?

But there was one thing that hit me much harder than expected this week. It was supposed to be a rather benign feature story about the closing of the JFK Memorial School in Biddeford.

My friend Liz Gothelf, publisher of Saco Bay News, was also there to cover the story, but I doubt that she experienced any of the emotional baggage that I felt walking back into that building for – presumably – the last time.

I would not be who I am today
if I didn’t shit my pants in the first-grade.

You see, I was a first and second-grade student at JFK, just before my parents bought their home in Saco.

Liz and I left the press event at the same time. On our way out, we spotted a large canvass hanging in the hallway. Apparently, it was used to take pictures of the students. The banner read: “Be Awesome Today! We Are So Proud of You.”

We simply could not just walk past that photo opportunity. We took pictures of each other under the banner before exchanging goodbyes in the parking lot.

I quickly walked back to my truck, trying to hold back the tears welling up inside of me. I didn’t want anyone to see me crying.

All I could think about in that moment was a little six-year-old boy so afraid of his surroundings and the teacher that he literally shit his pants instead of asking the teacher to use the bathroom.

It might be okay if that was an isolated incident. Accidents happen, more literally: shit happens. But this was just a symptom and sort of encapsulated how I continued living my life.

For as long as I can remember, I have always been afraid. Always.

I was afraid of the other kids. I was shy, terrified of gym classes with Mr. Stanley at Young School in Saco. I was terrified of storms, I believed my parents were intentionally trying to poison me.

This carried on into high school. I was a shy basket case. I went through the motions, almost completely disconnected from my classmates. In fact, you cannot find a photo of me in our senior yearbook.

It’s as if I was invisible, and that’s how I liked it.

The fear thing continued into my very brief stint in the Air Force and followed me to college and later as I rather aimlessly shifted about the country. In and out of psychiatric facilities in Arizona, Tennessee and Oregon.

Things didn’t really change until the late 1990s when I was hired by the Biddeford-Saco Courier. All of a sudden, I had both a purpose and a personality. A couple of years later, I met Laura.

Today, I am not afraid of public restrooms. I’m not afraid of the teachers or even the principal.

Almost 55 years later, I was telling the teachers and staffers where to stand and how to pose for the photo. People listen to me — and for reasons I do not understand – they seem to respect me.

I wish I could go back in time and tell that terrified, little boy that he doesn’t have to be afraid; that very good things are coming his way. I wish I could tell him, ““Be Awesome Today! We Are So Proud of You.”

But you know what?

I would not be who I am today if I didn’t shit my pants in the first-grade.

Randy Seaver is a cranky, nearly insufferable malcontent living in Biddeford. He may be contacted by email: randy@randyseaver.com

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An Open Letter to Rep. Marc Malon: Transparency is needed and necessary

~ Randy Seaver ~ 2 Comments

Dear Marc,

I just read your recent “Cleaning Out the Notebook” piece that you posted on Facebook.

Overall, this is a good and interesting piece; a valuable behind-the-scenes view for those of us not watching Augusta as closely as we should.

Although I sometimes disagree with your positions, I do admire your tenacity and your underpinning commitment to the people like me who live in your district. (Hence, why I’m always happy to have your campaign sign on my lawn.)

That said, your repeated swipes and criticisms of your Republican colleagues comes off as sophomoric and rather boorish. Certainly, well below your ability.

In your most recent column to the Courier aka the Portland Press Herald, you write: “The loss of access to trustworthy information has impacted our political discourse greatly. It has created a void that rewards clickbait and outrage, causing misinformation to spread on social media before anyone can even attempt to correct the record with the truth.”

State Rep. Marc Malon (D-Biddeford)

Reading your piece, it doesn’t appear that you are willing to even attempt anything even resembling a bipartisan approach, castigating those on the right side of the aisle for everything from taking too long to eat their lunch at Applebee’s to outright questioning of their cognitive skills.

This is a problem for you, especially. Why? Because you are actually employed by one particular party. You are a professional party operative, beyond your role as a lawmaker.

Your day job as job as director of party affairs for the Maine Democratic Party, puts you in an awkward position.

Maine’s Democratic Party helps pay your mortgage, your utilities and Christmas presents for your children. The Democrats are your employer. I don’t blame you for wanting to keep your boss on your good side. That’s a simple survival skill.

But you are not a pundit. You are a duly elected representative in the Maine Legislature. You voluntarily took on a much higher responsibility than some wayward guy making jokes on Facebook. This recent post of yours comes off as snobbish, condescending and a bit elitist.

I should not have to remind you that not everyone in your district is a Democrat, and you have a responsibility to be fair to them, also. You were unopposed and your district is, in fact, one of the strongest of Democrats’ strongholds across the state.

Maine’s Democratic Party helps pay
your mortgage, your utilities and
Christmas presents for your children.

As I said near the top, I don’t pay as close attention as I should. Perhaps you are making a good-faith effort at bipartisanship. It would be nice to hear an example or two from you. . . from time to time.

I get that the work is sometimes frustrating. I also get that Republicans simply dig in their heels sometimes for no other reason than they are the minority party right now.

Back in the day (mid to late 1990s) I covered Augusta for various publications. I saw plenty of times when both parties were being somewhat silly and very partisan, but I also saw a lot of compromise and good-faith efforts from both sides of the aisle.

I would find your column a bit more palatable if you tried a bit harder to at least appear a bit neutral. But hey, it’s your column so do what you want.

You are a smart and principled man. You are also a community leader. For better or worse, this latest column from you does not reflect those admirable traits of yours.

You owe me nothing. But if you’re going to complain about a “fractured system” and a “lack of serious media,” maybe you should not be dumping gasoline onto that fire.

As a professional journalist, I offer you this last bit of food for thought:  If you are going to write a newspaper column, you really should disclose your employer. It is especially relevant to your opinions and your subsequent commentary.

Best to you and your wonderful family. Enjoy the weekend.

Sincerely, R —

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Fatal Attraction or Dog Day Afternoon?

~ Randy Seaver ~ Leave a comment

If you think about it, it’s a really sad story. Pathetic, even.

Ted Cohen – once a highly respected veteran reporter for Maine’s largest newspaper – is today reduced to freelance writing for a handful of irrelevant websites.

Cohen has become “that character.” You know — that overweight, balding 58-year-old guy, sitting alone at the bar in an Applebee’s, nursing a Budweiser during happy-hour so that he can enjoy a half-off platter of chicken wings.

That guy at Applebee’s can’t handle the fact that his “glory days” are well behind him. He keeps talking to anyone who will listen about that high-school football championship game when he scored the winning touchdown.

Of course, the Applebee’s guy stays permanently stuck in that memory — because he can’t handle the reality that he is now divorced and the assistant manager at Wendy’s.

Over the past few days, Cohen – for reasons unknown – has decided to take some wide swipes at me and my coverage of local news in Biddeford.

Ted Cohen/ Facebook photo

Back in the old days — when we were both somewhat relevant in the news game – Cohen and I got along pretty well, especially considering that we were competing journalists.

I really admired Cohen. I liked his style and his dogged approach to getting a story. I tried to learn from him.

I am now sincerely puzzled by his animosity, and the fact that he is basically unwilling to return my calls or text messages.

What went wrong?

Ted Cohen’s biggest claim to fame was a story he uncovered about former President George W. Bush back in 2001.

Cohen was assigned to cover the town of Kennebunkport, where the Bush family spent their summers. Cohen learned that the former president was once charged with an OUI when he was a teenager.

Today – all these years later – it remains a bit murky about why Cohen’s story was never published. Cohen has written a book about the incident.

Back then, Cohen said the Portland Press Herald gave him the boot. When asked by other media outlets why Cohen was shown the door, the newspaper’s publishers said Cohen had quit and was acting like a toddler in need of a time-out.

That was all more than two decades ago. I heard that Cohen left the news business and became a truck driver, but I’m not sure if that’s true.

What I do know is that Mr. Cohen seems somewhat fixated on his former employer and relentlessly criticizes them every chance he gets with snide comments on social media.

I can certainly understand why he is still upset with the Portland Press Herald, but what puzzles me is why his is now trolling my social media accounts.

In two recent blog posts, Cohen writes that I am “masquerading as a journalist.” He also describes me as a “two-bit blogger”

“For example, when you blog about your anxieties and your mental illness,
the first thought that comes to my mind is STFU, no one cares,”

–Ted Cohen

Who pissed in his Cheerios?

What’s up with this rather creepy Fatal Attraction thing?

Howling at the moon

Over the years, Ted Cohen and I had lost touch but a few months ago he surprised me with a Facebook message, offering me some unsolicited advice.

Because it was Ted Cohen offering advice, I gave it serious attention. After all, Cohen had befriended me and was a valuable and trusted mentor.

“You’re a great reporter, and I think it’s criminal that you were taken off the Biddeford beat,” Cohen wrote, somehow missing the fact that I voluntarily gave up being a reporter so I could focus on ousting Biddeford’s controversial city manager.

Cohen was upset that I would no longer cover Biddeford City Hall.

“You can’t be a credible reporter while you are at the same time blogging your personal beliefs about the state of this world and also your personal life,” Cohen wrote, somehow missing the fact that I had given up covering City Hall as a neutral journalist.

“Stop sharing every unspoken thought you have with the public,” Cohen advised. “Stick to straight reporting. Enough already with the commentating.

“For example, when you blog about your anxieties and your mental illness the first thought that comes to my mind is STFU, no one cares,” Cohen added.

I thanked Cohen for his honest remarks, but told him I was going to continue my efforts to remove Bennett. Once completed, I could easily go back to journalism.

And then? Silence . . . right up until earlier this week.

The wrath of Khan?

With no advance notice, Cohen pounced on me just hours after I broke the news story about the abrupt departure of Biddeford City Manager Jim Bennett.

In a recent blog post, Cohen wrote: “Seaver’s political activism masquerading as journalism [resulted in him] either pulled off the city beat or resigned while writing for Liz Gotthelf, who runs Saco Bay News.

I was like a deer frozen in the headlights.

You would think that someone like Cohen – an old-fashioned reporter – would maybe check a few facts before releasing a screed?

First off, he should have called Liz, the publisher of Saco Bay News, to inquire why I stopped writing about Biddeford politics for a few weeks.

Liz would have told him that I approached her in July and told her (during a conversation at Garside’s Ice Cream stand) that I wanted to focus on ousting Bennett and could no longer ethically cover City Hall until Bennett was gone.

Cohen said I then “started my own on-line gig.”

Sorry, Ted. That’s strike two. Reporters should really check facts. I started my blog – Lessons in Mediocrity – in 2011, 14 years ago. I formally launched the Biddeford Gazette in January well after Bennett announced his resignation.

According to his bio on the National Writers Union, “Cohen was born in Burlington, Vermont in 1951, and got his degree in journalism from the University of Vermont.

Cohen is a member of the National Writers Union and a past president of the Vermont Associated Press Broadcasters Association. He is also a contributing writer to The Forecaster, a (weekly) Maine newspaper, as well as a notary public.”

So, if you need something notarized, give Ted a call.

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Smokin’ In The Boys’ Room

~ Randy Seaver ~ 1 Comment

It’s really not that surprising, and I’m not so sure that I disagree with Maine Governor Janet Mills.

Here’s the set-up: Maine Democrats – who have majority control of both chambers in the State House – are in a tough spot.

Why? Because there is a possible and significant state budget shortfall on the horizon.

To pay for everything their party approved last year, and to keep pace with the additional spending the governor wants — not to mention that Mills’ latest budget proposal is roughly 10 percent higher than the last biennial budget — the Democrats are going to need to find some new revenue.

Stat!

And where is the easiest place to find new tax revenue without inciting street riots from Sanford to Caribou?

You go for the low hanging fruit – a.k.a. the people who don’t have a team of lobbyists and consultants in their back pockets; the people easiest to demonize.

You go for the smokers. Nobody – except other smokers – really likes cigarette smokers. They stink, they tend to be less educated and low-income workers. . . you know? . . . the very same people that Democrats claim to love and care for so dearly.

Although no can really blame Republicans for crowing about this targeting of low wage earners (Why not? It kind of makes Democrats look bad) but there is plenty of hypocrisy here for the Maine GOP, as well.

Sure, sure, sure . . . Mills has also set her sights on some other relatively easy targets for additional revenue.

After all, we can’t expect the smokers to live long enough to become a reliable revenue stream for our ever-increasing state budget. Many of these folks can’t even walk down a grocery aisle without coughing and feeling out of breath.

In addition to an increased cigarette tax, Mills and her gang are also eyeing increased taxes on streaming services such as Netflix and Spotify; as well as a four percent increase on cannabis taxes.

Nobody – except other smokers – really likes cigarette smokers.

That’s okay. The stoners won’t even notice that they are paying more for weed while watching back-to-back reruns of Breaking Bad.

Right on cue, Republicans have stepped forward to skewer the governor for supposedly hurting the very same people she claims to care so much about.

“We’re already one of the highest taxed states in the country so we don’t see a need to increase any taxes,” House minority leader Rep. Billy Bob Faulkingham said, according to a story filed by WMTW-TV.

In that same news story, Mills defended her decision to go after smokers for additional revenue.

“Let me just say Maine has the highest adult smoking rate and the second highest youth smoking rate in New England, Mills told reporters. “We also have the cheapest cigarettes of nearly every state in New England, and we haven’t raised the cigarette excise tax in two decades.”

In her defense, Mills makes some excellent points.

There is no question whatsoever that people who smoke on a regular basis are much more likely to develop serious health problems.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, cigarette smoking cost the United States more than an estimated $600 billion in 2018, including more than $240 billion in health care spending.

They say that no one is more stridently opposed to cigarettes than former smokers. That may be true.

Up until just a few years ago, I smoked more than two packs of unfiltered cigarettes every day. It was a habit I started during basic training in the U.S. Air Force. The guys who smoked got frequent breaks while the rest of us did not.

When I quit smoking in 2016, the owners of 3Ds Variety on Main Street in Biddeford filed for federal relief funds to help offset the loss of revenue. (Relax, that is a joke). At that time, I was spending roughly $20 per day to support a habit that benefitted no one, especially me.

Last year, I did some rough calculating. By quitting smoking, I saved more than $45,000. But by then, some irreversible damage had already been done.

I lost several of my upper and lower teeth near the front of mouth. Remember that kid playing the banjo in the movie Deliverance?

Yeah, well — that kid has more of his teeth than I do. I will have to wear partial dentures every day for the rest of my life or figure out how to consume all my meals through a straw.

I don’t blame the Air Force or the R.J. Reynold’s Tobacco Company for the damage I caused by choosing to smoke.

I am also not holier than thou when it comes to addictive behavior. If I found myself unhoused, with no family, no car and sleeping outside in freezing weather, I’m pretty sure that I would pick up the habit again.

Yup, smokers have a pretty weak lobby in the Legislature. And most people – Democrats and Republicans — will likely support a tax increase on cigarettes.

As the old saying goes, “smoke ‘em if you got ‘em.”

Editor’s Note: If you or someone you know wants free help in quitting smoking, please visit the Maine Quit Link

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A Legacy of Service Deserves Nothing Less

~ Randy Seaver ~ 3 Comments

Gen. Wallace Nutting was the walking, talking definition of being a local bad ass, but he was also one of the most humble and sincere people I have ever met: a man who led by persuasion — a man always in search of the potential good in others.

Therefore, I think it’s the very least we can do to rename a bridge in honor of a man who gave so much back to his community during a lifetime of service to others.

I clearly remember the first time I interviewed Wallace Nutting, a four-star U.S. Army general who grew up in Saco and later decided to run for mayor in Biddeford.

Nutting was nothing short of daunting. He was tall, well-built and leaned into his words with a gravelly voice and a demeanor that reeked of honor and respect.

But he was also a bit mischievous and his blue eyes would often twinkle while his mouth formed a sly grin.

In this 2004 photo, Nutting chats with Erin Donovan, a Main Street business owner, during a walking tour of downtown Biddeford

I started off that interview by implying that he was off his rocker with the idea of becoming Biddeford’s mayor. He was, after all, a Saco native who graduated from Thornton Academy. Worse yet, he was a registered Republican in a city dominated by Democrats.

He just smiled at me. I was playing checkers. He was playing chess.

At the height of his career, Nutting was Commander-in-Chief, United States Southern Command. He was the one who executed the plan to extract Manuel Noreiga from Panama in 1990.

While working at the Pentagon, Nutting was a senior advisor to President Ronald Reagan. Despite all this, I predicted that he would get creamed in a three-way race for mayor against Daniel Boucher and City Councilor Marc Lessard.

It wasn’t even close. Nutting won that 2003 election with 3,184 votes compared to 2,339 for Boucher and 2,244 for Lessard.

Two years later, when Nutting decided to seek reelection, no one even dared run against him.

During his four years at the helm of Biddeford, Nutting was faced with several daunting challenges, not the least of which was the city’s relationship with the owners of the Maine Energy Recovery Company, the downtown trash-to-energy incinerator.

Despite the often prevalent odors of trash being burned in the center of the city, Nutting had nothing but optimism for Biddeford’s nearly hollowed out downtown area.

Nutting was a true believer of Biddeford’s downtown, a visionary who consistently extolled a message of optimism, predicting a rebirth – a revitalization of a downtown, then almost ignored by City Hall.

But there was nothing Nutting loved more than his wife, Jane and their four children.

Nutting didn’t like the invisible division between the cities of Biddeford and Saco. He pushed for regional planning, for shared resources and ideas. To him, the two cities were one community, much stronger when they worked together.

One of my favorite quotes from Nutting was this, when asked how he won his first election as mayor of Biddeford:

“People have told me that they feel as if I speak with sincerity, truth . . . I articulated my message positively, Nutting told me. “You have to radiate integrity. You don’t lead soldiers into battle in a half-assed manner.”

Sadly, General Nutting died last year at the age of 95.

“You have to radiate integrity. You don’t lead soldiers into battle in a half-assed manner.”

— Gen. Wallace Nutting

If all goes as planned, the bridge connecting Biddeford and Saco at the bottom of York Hill will soon be named in honor of a man who was one of the community’s most distinguished and accomplished citizens.

City officials in both Biddeford and Saco have jointly petitioned the Maine Legislature to officially name the bridge in honor of Gen. Wallace Nutting, a man who was literally dedicated to bridge building between the two cities.

He was a Thornton Academy graduate from Saco, but loved Biddeford dearly.

“You know, I’m a local boy, too,” Nutting told me. “I went sledding in Clifford Park and jumped into the river with the kids from Biddeford, and flew model airplanes off the runway at the Biddeford Airport.”

As I said at the top, naming a bridge in Nutting’s honor is the least we can do.

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This is where it ends

~ Randy Seaver ~ 1 Comment

Former Biddeford Mayor Donna Dion had a favorite saying that she often repeated throughout her political career, including during her unsuccessful bids to become Maine’s governor.

“You can’t have community without unity,” Dion would often say, pointing out that we all have a stake in the game, a moral obligation to work together for the common good.

The restored, historic City Hall Clocktower in Biddeford (Seaver photo)

Over this past week, I have come to better understand what Dion meant when she repeated that phrase over and over again. “You can’t have community without unity.”

Three events in Biddeford this week reminded me that we are a community, and that we are stronger when we are united in purpose; when we are connected by common threads —  a sense of community.

In the span of just six days, our community experienced a full range of emotions – from pure holiday joy, to a poignant reminder of our shared past and then –, sadly — the tragic news that we lost a young and much beloved member of our police department.

Sgt. Jacob Wolterbeek was killed in a traffic accident on his way home at the end of his shift on Thursday morning. He was only 41-years old and leaves behind a wife and three young children just days before Christmas.

Let’s back up a bit, and think about last Friday night.

From joy to sorrow

I have the privilege of being one of four administrators on a Community Facebook page dedicated to the Biddeford-Saco region. It’s a volunteer gig that is sometimes frustrating – – watching adults bickering with each other over petty matters — but it is also rewarding to see just how quickly the entire community bands together in a time of need, a time of loss.

It was a cold night, and Laura was away for the weekend. It was also the night when Santa Claus makes an official stop downtown to greet all the good boys and girls.

The Merry and Bright Night event is coordinated by the Heart of Biddeford, a non-profit organization that takes the lead in organizing community events in the downtown area.

I really didn’t want to leave the warmth and comfort of my home, but something made me want to go and check out the festivities.

As soon as I parked my truck on South Street, my mood improved dramatically. It was bitterly cold, but there were several fire pits, where I found dozens of residents teaching their kids how to make S’mores.

There were hundreds of people milling about, almost everyone was smiling. Holiday lights were strung everywhere and holiday music was being played over a loudspeaker.

Hundreds celebrate the kickoff for the holiday season in downtown Biddeford (Seaver photo)

Before Santa Claus arrived to greet the children, before the city’s Christmas tree was lighted – I realized that it took a lot of work to make this happen. It took scores of volunteers – but it also required loads of help from city employees, including public works, the police department and even the fire department.

A lot of people pitched in to help make that night magical for families and dozens of onlookers

It was a great night to be part of our community.

Pride in the name of love

Every community – whether it’s Bedford Falls or Biddeford, Maine – has its own curmudgeons. But even Ebeneezer Scrooge, Henry Potter or the Grinch himself offer us lessons about the power and benefits of community.

A few years ago, Biddeford voters overwhelmingly approved a renovation project at City Hall. The project included life-safety improvements, energy efficiency and the outside appearance of the building and its landmark clock tower.

Yes, a handful of our local curmudgeons took to Facebook to complain about spending taxpayer money to restore and repair the clock tower.

That clock tower is a focal point for our community. It is a symbol of community pride. Something that is apparently lost on the curmudgeons.

Mayor Marty Grohman was offering residents tours up into the tower during the downtown holiday celebration.

Biddeford Mayor Marty Grohman and I strike a pose near the mechanical gears of the clocktower (Daniel Boucher photo)

After climbing nine flights of stairs, our group finally reached our destination. The walls surrounding the clock’s 150-year-old mechanisms seemed to be dripping with history.

The mayor offered each of us the opportunity to leave our name on the walls where dozens of others over the years have left their own names.

It wasn’t that long ago when Biddeford had two clock towers. One was perched atop City Hall, the other atop the then vacant and crumbling Lincoln Mill Building across the street.

A few of us tried to rally the community in an effort to preserve the Lincoln Clocktower, but we failed. That tower was eventually removed and destroyed because of structural concerns.

I think that was a lesson for all of us, a reminder that we have to show effort to preserve our history, which brings me to this week’s second lesson in the power of community.

Take me to the river

The former St. Andre Catholic Church in Biddeford was closed nearly 15 years ago after being an integral part of the community for more than 100 years.

The church remained vacant and somewhat neglected until a team of people decided that the magnificent structure could be brought back to life as a place to provide nurturing, learning and social activities for young people.

The community celebrates the grand opening of the My Place Teen Center in the former St. Andre Church building (Seaver photo)

On Monday evening the community gathered in the building once again, not as a church – but as admirers of a renovation project that required millions in monetary donations and lots and lots and lots of heavy lifting by volunteers and others, including state and local officials.

Scores of people attended the grand opening of the new My Place Teen Center.

Renee O’Neil of Biddeford was one of those people who attended Monday’s event. O’Neil shared memories of attending church at St. Andre’s when she was a little girl.

“I used to stare at those murals,” she said, pointing to two historic murals near the altar of the former church. “It’s just incredible that they were able to preserve so much history. It really warms my heart to know that this building will continue to be a place for community support.”

Jim Godbout, a well-known community volunteer and the owner of Jim Godbout Plumbing & Heating, once again stepped forward and offered his help as the lead contractor. He was able to rally many others to pitch in to the complex and daunting renovation task.

The transformation of the long-since neglected building was nothing short of amazing.

The St. Andre building served the community for so many years, a vital part of its working-class neighborhood. Today – thanks to a community effort – it will once again serve the community.

“This is a story of resurrection and new life,” Tim Higgins, chair of the My Place Teen Center’s board of directors, told reporter Tammy Wells a York County media specialist. “Lives will not only be changed here, they will be saved here,” Higgins said.

A devastating loss

Unfortunately, a  community that celebrates together also grieves together.

On Thursday morning, we learned that we had lost a much-admired member of our community.

Within moments of sharing the awful news on our community Facebook page, the shock and sorrow spread throughout our community — and beyond.

Sgt. Jacob Wolterbeek receives his Seargeant badge from Police Chief JoAnne Fisk (Photo courtesy of Biddeford Police Department

It became quickly apparent that Sgt. Jacob Wolterbeek had a profound impact on our community. Within two hours more than 400 people reacted to the awful news, expressing sympathy and support for Wolterbeek’s family, friends and co-workers.

But one particular Facebook comment really struck a chord with me. It came from a young man who had met Wolterbeek under not such great circumstances:

“That police officer changed my life,” the young man wrote. “I was into some bad stuff as a teenager. He arrested me. Gave me a talk about the road I was going down and what it would lead to.

“For the next two years — anytime he saw me walking — he’d stop to check in; to make sure I was alright, to ask if I was having trouble; as a boy with no present father.

“For a stranger to do that. It changed my thinking. I went to college and I became a nurse. [He] used to protect us breakers. Always telling us “I see the good you do in the neighborhood”

That, my friends, is community. The good times, the shared connections and the bad times.

Today, I am feeling blessed to be a small part of such an extraordinary community.

Donna Dion was right. We are stronger and better when we realize that unity is a fundamental part of community.

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Moving In Stereo

~ Randy Seaver ~ 1 Comment

I make my living by stringing words together, but I have always thought that they were just words — tools to build a story or make a point.

Some people, however, get all bent out of shape and very self-righteous if you have the temerity to use a word not sanctioned by the guardians of political correctness.

State Sen. Donna Bailey of Saco is one of those people, always ready to correct you with her vastly superior intellect and unquestionable moral fiber; a proud member of the Semantics Police Department, serving northern York County.

Allow me to back up a bit for context.

Gimme three steps, mister

It was the summer of 1987 when I almost died because of the words I used.

Okay, so that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but the rest of the story is painfully true.

I was 23 years old and found myself working on the Cheyenne River Reservation in Eagle Butte, South Dakota.

Me and some of my students on the res in 1987

I was one of five young men contemplating becoming a Catholic priest. We were sent to the reservation to help with mission work. I was assigned to teach summer school in a one-room schoolhouse on the far edge of the reservation.

It was rewarding work, but I quickly discovered that becoming a priest was not going to be a viable option for me.

You see, there was this smoking hot blond girl from Marquette University who was also working on the reservation that summer. That is a story for another day.

Why I didn’t become a priest

One evening I strolled into a tavern that was located not far from the rectory. I got a few strange looks but no one seemed to mind me being the only white person in the building.

Yes, I instantly felt awkward and out of place. A big part of me wanted to turn and head for the door. That would not be polite, I reasoned. So, I strolled to the bar and took an empty seat.

I ordered a Coors beer and tried to relax. There was a very big man sitting next to me. He was alone at the bar, so I decided to strike up a conversation.

“It must be really hard to be a Native American living on the reservation,” I said.

He slowly turned his toward me and said, “What did you just say?”

For reasons still unknown, I decided to double-down and still felt quite proud of my sensitive, caring nature. So, I repeated myself: “It must be really hard being a Native American on the reservation.”

His eyes narrowed and he leaned forward on his stool, gritting his teeth.

“I am a fucking Indian,” he snarled.

I wanted to cry. I wanted to run. I wanted the 82nd Airborne to come rescue me.

He continued, his eyes locked on mine. “Don’t you ever use those words again,” he sneered. “Maybe it makes you feel better about yourself or the fact that it was your people who raped our women and stole our land, but it’s an insult if you think using pretty words is going to help anyone.

“I am a fucking Indian and don’t you ever forget it.”

I tried to absorb his words, nodding politely. I sat in my seat for a few more minutes.

A few painful seconds of awkward silence passed, and the man to my right let out a sigh and turned toward me once again. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I know that you’re here to help, but it’s just frustrating. As if a couple of words are going to change anything.”

What are words for?

For better or worse, we live in a world where we are now required to walk on eggshells, a never-ending requirement to sugar coat reality and inflate our chests about our moral superiority simply because we no longer use the “N-word,” the “R-word,” or even the “C-word.”

It’s really rather silly how quickly we trip over ourselves without thinking about how perfunctory our conversations have become.

No, I am not advocating for bringing back use of the N-word or any other long since abandoned — or intentionally offensive phrase.

I simply believe that what you do is far more important than what you say.

I simply believe that what you do is far more important than what you say

I think too many of us pat ourselves on the back for using the “right” words, the appropriate pronouns and phrases without doing much else other than pontificating with smug moral superiority about our vernacular.

Earlier this year, I got called to task for using the word “homeless” in my three-part news series about a growing problem in my community. It was a comprehensive series that attempted to dig deeper into a complex societal issue.

None of these “unhoused” advocates thanked me for taking on the issue, for actually interviewing people who are living on the streets. They simply felt the aching need to criticize me for using the “wrong” word.

What did I do? I went back to speak with some of those people I interviewed and asked them their thoughts about my word choice.

They laughed at me. “Who really cares?” one man asked. “I don’t care. I just want to live inside.”

Back to Donna Bailey

Bailey recently won her reelection bid as the state senator representing Saco, Buxton and Old Orchard Beach. She is an attorney and charter member of a political clique that includes former state senator Justin Chenette of Saco and State Rep. Lori Gramlich from Old Orchard Beach.

State Sen. Donna Bailey

These guys work like velociraptors. They hunt in packs.

Earlier this year, when I was working on a story for Saco Bay News, I had a really hard time getting a hold of Bailey. She was reluctant to return my calls, and then told me she had been “really busy.” Hmmm. “Really busy” for nine days?

On election night, while greeting voters headed into the Thornton Academy gymnasium, Bailey could barely bring herself to look at me when I greeted her and wished her luck.

I was not at all surprised by Bailey’s behavior. She keeps an enemies list, and my name is on that list.

One of my closest friends – Craig Pendleton — had decided once again to run against her this year.

Craig got smoked in that election. Bailey won by a large margin, a repeat of an earlier contest four years prior. But she will never forgive me for supporting my friend

Earlier this week, members of the 132nd Legislature went sworn into office. The ceremony is a big deal in Augusta. Lots of media coverage. Everyone is smiling as they prepare to begin another two years of pomp and circumstance.

State Rep. Marc Malon (D-Biddeford) posted a comment on his personal Facebook page, telling us he was honored to represent his district again. Malon also decided to again express his ire about a fellow lawmaker, a Republican from Sanford who is accused of domestic violence.

Malon is also somewhat pissed that the Portland Press Herald repeatedly used the words “choking” and “choke” instead of strangle and strangling in their ongoing stories about this dirtbag.

Marc and I get along pretty well, even though we often disagree about politics. Regardless, I once again had one of his campaign signs on my lawn. I responded to his post saying that I understood his frustration about the scumbag from Sanford, but I also cautioned him against railing a fight on semantics with the state’s largest media outlet.

Within minutes, Donna Bailey decided to also jump into the conversation. Funny – – on this busy day – Bailey had enough free time to chide me about the issue of choking versus strangling.

Being the sometimes-insufferable prick that I am, I basically told Bailey to please take a long walk on a short pier.

Malon – being the only one of good character in this story – ended the conversation by taking down his Facebook post.

Tomato or tomato?

If my wife were to tell you that I intentionally choked her, would you shrug your shoulders and say, “wrong word. Call us back if he strangles you?”

Unhoused versus homeless?

Strangled instead of choked?

Native American or indigenous person?

Woman or menstruating person?

How far down this silly-ass slope are we going to slide until we finally recognize how lucky we are if words are the things we are most upset about?

Words are harmless, it’s how we use them that matters.

P.S. As predicted; Bailey has “unfriended” me on Facebook.

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