Mayor picks new resident to fill council vacancy

Originally posted in Saco Bay News The wait is over. Biddeford Mayor Marty Grohman is expected today to formally announce his nomination to fill one of the two vacant seats on the city council. According to multiple sources, Grohman has selected Neva Gross to take over the Ward Five council seat that was vacated by … Continue reading Mayor picks new resident to fill council vacancy

Don’t Do Me Like That

For better or worse, I have a reputation in my hometown. I am the guy who holds local and state politicians' feet to the fire. I rarely hesitate to publicly criticize elected officials when I think they have screwed up or acted inappropriately. Biddeford Mayor Marty Grohman My column, All Along The Watchtower, debuted on … Continue reading Don’t Do Me Like That

Political rivalry could play role in filling vacancies on the Biddeford City Council

By RANDY SEAVER BIDDEFORD --- Dominic Deschambault, a former school committee member and current board member of the Biddeford Housing Authority, has reportedly expressed interest in being appointed to fill the city council seat that was vacated last week by former Councilor Julian Schlaver. Mayor Marty Grohman declined an opportunity to confirm that he has … Continue reading Political rivalry could play role in filling vacancies on the Biddeford City Council

No More Mister Nice Guy

There is a right way and a wrong way to resign from public office. Over just the past few days, folks in Biddeford and surrounding communities got to see examples of how to; and how not to act when you get caught with your fingers in the pudding. In many ways, being a reporter in … Continue reading No More Mister Nice Guy

Top-20 local, political movers and shakers

After more than 12 years, I have finally gotten around to publishing an update about who I consider to be the most influential politicians, policy makers and staffers in the Biddeford-Saco area. The Top-20. This list is a bit different from my original 2012 list. Most notably, I have shortened the list from 25 names … Continue reading Top-20 local, political movers and shakers

Losing My Religion, Part Deux

Originally published at Saco Bay News, April 6, 2024 This is a story about a Maine state senator and some very blatant hypocrisy and the pure political exploitation of a religious holiday. Despite the claims made by some neo-conservatives and other outright bigots, I believe -- as did former President Ronald Reagan --- that our … Continue reading Losing My Religion, Part Deux

So Long and Thanks for All the Fish

The title of this week's blog post comes from writer Douglas Adams and his series of books in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy anthology. I thought it was an apt title for a column about Bobby Mills' quite sudden and rather mystifying resignation from the Biddeford City Council on Tuesday afternoon. Mills will also … Continue reading So Long and Thanks for All the Fish

Dance This Mess Around

Some helpful advice for the North Koreans, the Chinese, the Russians or anyone else looking to destroy the United States. Forget about obliterating our infrastructure, such as roads, bridges and tunnels. Don’t bother bombing NORAD or any of our ballistic missile sites. All you need to do is take out Facebook. Apparently, based on my … Continue reading Dance This Mess Around

Don’t Steal My Sunshine

Note: This is the unedited version of my March 8, 2024 installment of All Along the Watchtower that originally appeared on the Saco Bay News website. It probably would not come as much of a surprise if I were to tell you that a lot of people don’t like me very much. Chief among those … Continue reading Don’t Steal My Sunshine

Turn You Inside Out

When Biddeford City Manager James Bennett first unveiled his proposed FY 2025 municipal budget last week, he made a point of reminding the city council and the public that the city is not operated like a business. Bennett’s remarks were likely intended to get ahead of a frequent refrain often heard from beleaguered and stressed … Continue reading Turn You Inside Out