Just around midnight

Within 24 hours the family feud will be over but political tensions in Biddeford will likely remain high long after the ballots from the June 12 Primary Elections are counted. For the first time in more than 25 years, incumbents in each of the city's three legislative districts are facing primary challenges. Now for a few predictions … Continue reading Just around midnight

First blood

Hell hath no fury like a politician scorned, or so they say.... Enter State Senator Nancy Sullivan, the self-righteous, semi-retired English teacher who desperately wants to keep her state health insurance and can't accept the terms of Maine's term limits law. Sullivan is being forced from the senate because of term limits, so now she wants … Continue reading First blood

The Usual Suspects 2.0

What a difference a day makes. Members of Maine's Democratic Party are breathing a collective sigh of relief today after learning that Biddeford City Councilor Bobby Mills has returned to the fold as a solid Democrat. For those of you playing at home, yesterday Mills announced that he was leaving the Democratic Party and his … Continue reading The Usual Suspects 2.0

The Usual Suspects

In just a few weeks, Biddeford voters will face a rather unique set of choices. For the first time in more than 20 years, all three of the city's incumbent state representatives are facing challenges from members of their own party for the June 12 Primary election --- well . . . up until an … Continue reading The Usual Suspects

We love dirty laundry

It's a strange time for the newspaper industry --- especially here in Maine, where we recently witnessed several seismic shifts in the media landscape. Yesterday it was announced that Donald Sussman's investor group will now own a 75 percent stake in the company that publishes the Portland Press Herald, Kennebec Journal, Waterville Morning Sentinel and … Continue reading We love dirty laundry

Let’s be independent together

Angus King has some problems. I know, I know . . . King is the heir apparent for the U.S. Senate seat that will be vacated this year by Olympia Snowe. Although the polling data points to a considerable edge for the feisty and "independent" former governor, I'm not so sure that King is a lock … Continue reading Let’s be independent together

Money for nothing

Anyone with a pulse and an IQ exceeding room temperature can likely agree that our nation’s health care system is seriously flawed. But that’s generally where the agreement stops. That’s why I was impressed when Biddeford Mayor Alan Casavant posed a series of observations about Maine’s own raging health care debate on his Facebook page. August … Continue reading Money for nothing

Like a bridge over troubled waters

If one could only be a fly on the wall inside the offices of U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree Today, former Maine Governor Angus King officially took his big toe out of Maine's political pool, climbed a 15-story ladder and then did a quadruple jacknife dive (with a twist) into the deep end of the pool. The ensuing … Continue reading Like a bridge over troubled waters

Walking On Sunshine

Former mayor, state representative and city councilor Joanne Twomey announced Sunday that she would seek a return to the Maine House of Representatives. At the Biddeford Democratic caucus, Twomey told a sparse group of fellow Democrats that Dist. 135 needs a "real" Democrat to stand up to Republicans in Augusta. Twomey also said that she encouraged … Continue reading Walking On Sunshine

All the young dudes

What was up with 1992 and the name Ryan? Of course, we all know the fictional Jack Ryan. You know, . . .the humble Tom Clancy character who routinely saved the world from a cadre of evil forces while also writing a thesis about the importance of granola in the post-Soviet socio-economic structure. Ryan Gavin But what about … Continue reading All the young dudes