I launched Parke’s career in journalism. He paid me back in spades, launching my career in public relations. It was really nice to start making decent money
Send Lawyers, Guns & Money…
God smiled upon me, and I was able to cap off my much-ballyhooed, mini vacation in the best way possible last night, spending time with my good friend Parke Burmeister.
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Parke and I have known each other since 2003, and he reminded me last night about how we met.
Parke had graduated from Colby College but was killing time, working in construction with dreams of someday being a reporter.
He had tons of enthusiasm but zero experience.
He went to the Press Herald. No dice.
He drove up to the Lewiston Sun Journal. Another rejection.
He was living in OOB, and –undeterred, still chock full of naive enthusiasm — stopped by the offices of the weekly Biddeford-Saco-OOB Courier on a Tuesday afternoon.
At that time, I was the managing editor of the Courier and three other weekly publications owned by Mainely Newspapers, Inc., then owned by David and Carolyn Flood .
What Parke did not know — and what most people did not know — is that Tuesdays were the Courier’s weekly deadline day.
That said, what most people — within 100-mile radius of Biddeford — especially our editorial staff — did know and accept was this:
You don’t fuck around with Randy Seaver on Tuesdays.
Laura and our kids embraced that reality.
I already had a reputation for being grumpy, short-tempered, impatient, brash, arrogant and opinionated.
Just your run-of-the-mill news editor, stressed to the max under a looming deadline and fueled by 36 gallons of coffee and at least two packs of Camel non-filters (I have since quit smoking).
The news staff called me “Chief.” I was a demanding, overbearing perfectionist prick (as it should be in a newsroom)
I made novice reporters cry and more experienced staffers angry and resentful.
I expected everyone around me to also work no less than 140 hours per week.
The news staff called me “Chief.” I was a demanding, overbearing perfectionist prick (as it should be in a newsroom)
So when I was called from my office to the lobby, I was predisposed to being a self-righteous asshole, full of sound and fury.
But I saw something in Parke. Something that intrigued me.
I also thought of all the editors who made me cry when I was a rookie; men like Bob Melville and Harry Foote, both of whom gave me a shot and just a sliver of encouragement.
I don’t remember all the details, but Parke does.
Here’s what I allegedly said in a terse and unforgiving manner:
“Okay,” I huffed. “Here’s the deal. There is a school board meeting in Old Orchard Beach tonight.
“Go there and write a 450-word summary. I’ll publish it and give you a byline as Staff Intern.
“That way, the next time you bother an editor on deadline, at least you’ll have something to show them.”
According to Parke, I then turned away with a huff and retreated to my office.
And that was how it started with me and Parke.
I launched his career in journalism. A few short years later, he played a huge role in launching my career as a political/policy consultant at Barton & Gingold.
Parke fixed my toilet. Laura and I traveled to Cape Cod for his wedding.
RIDING THE MERRY-GO-ROUND | Parke with my wife, Laura, in Old Orchard Beach, Summer, 2005
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I have had the distinct honor and privilege of watching Parke’s growth and success for nearly 25 years.
Today, Parke owns and operates a boutique law firm in Portland. He is raising two funny, beautiful and smart daughters.
These are the kind of friends you want.
These are the kind of friends you need.
When friends like this call, you drop everything.
LAST MEN STANDING from Barton & Gingold, a highly regarded public policy consulting firm that was sold and dismantled in 2016. (Left to Right) Tobey Williamson, Parke Burmeister and me after breaking my arm at Moosehead.
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I am so fucking lucky because I have a small handful of other people in this same category.
We had so much fun last night. So many laughs. These are the moments that matter
An aging news editor still enjoys writing about the young punks who are now taking over his hometown of Biddeford
It’s really very cool being the editor of a community newspaper in a small town like Amity, Mass. – – oops . . . strike that . . . Amity (which means friendship) was a fictional town in the 1975 blockbuster Jaws.
I am not Harry Meadows, the fictional editor of the fictional newspaper — the Amity Gazette — in the fictional town of Amity, Mass.
I am Randy Seaver, the editor of the Biddeford Gazette, the community news organization that covers the city of Biddeford, a city that just feels fictional sometimes.
I must admit, I often channel the overweight, impatient and ass kissing Harry Meadows, a journalist who often blurred the lines between news and opinion and had his head permanently stuck up Mayor Larry Vaughan’s ass.
“Come on guys, I need a picture for the paper . . . stand together. Come on, I need a picture for the paper.”
Newspaper Editor Harry Meadows (far right) listens as Mayor Larry Vaughn (center) schools Amity Police Chief Martin Brody about the inherent perils of these “local waters.” Photo | Jaws Wiki Fan page
If you haven’t figured it out yet, I am a Jaws superfreak fan, and yes – that is why I named my own media outlet the Biddeford Gazette, inspired by the Amity Gazette.
But I digress, like I often do – especially when I forget to take my meds.
I first met Ryan more than a decade ago, when he was nothing more than a snot-nosed, young punk looking for votes and name recognition.
Today, not much has changed.
20162026
Fecteau is still a snot-nosed young punk looking for votes and name recognition, and I am still an overweight, grumpy news editor.
(Relax. This is satire)
On a more serious note, I have been impressed by Fecteau’s meteoric rise in Biddeford’s political circles.
Although Fecteau and I sometimes disagree on specific policy issues and initiatives, there are a few reasons I really and honestly like him.
He’s smart. He’s funny. He is passionate and hardworking.
But the main reason I like Ryan is because we are kindred spirits. We both care passionately – to our core – about the city of Biddeford and its people.
“ . . .Fecteau began what will probably be a long and notable political career by actually winning an election as one of five people elected to serve as a commissioner on the city’s charter review commission.
“The charter commission is not much more than a group of dorks who want to sit around and debate whether the city’s bylaws should include more semicolons.
“There were seven slots available and only five candidates on the ballot, so it’s not like Fecteau proved himself to be a tactical genius.
“But you still have to respect a kid who is willing to tinker with the city’s charter when most young men his age are doing more important things like getting laid or drinking beer.”
What I wrote about Fecteau almost a decade later (2024)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR | Randy Seaver is still an overweight, grumpy and bald news editor living in the not-so fictional city of Biddeford, Maine. To this day, he is terrified of swimming in the ocean. Send him your news and dieting tips by email | randy@randyseaver.com
I just learned from a reading a story in Saco Bay News that Bill Johnson – a former mayor and city councilor — recently passed away at the age of 92.
This news leaves a hole. I regret losing touch will Bill.
He was such a kind and wise man, and he always offered sage and measured advice. I first met him almost 30 years ago after he had just been elected to transition from serving as a Ward One councilor to becoming the city’s mayor in 1997.
He was a new mayor, and I was a new reporter in Saco, despite having grown up in that city.
Bill Johnson | City of Saco photoBill and Mary Johnson | Sweetser photo
Bill took me under his wing and offered me advice with his warm grin and elder-statesmen sense of discipline. He was always quick to smile and had a deep laugh.
He said he was happy to be working with a reporter who had a long and personal connection to the city.
We reporters are trained to not become personally connected to the government officials they cover, but I could not help myself.
Bill was just so decent, kind and patient — a perfect grandfather of sorts. He leaves behind a legacy of public service, a love for his community and a reputation for hard work and dedication to his family.
Bill was one of a kind; a man equally comfortable in a suit and tie at some government function; or wearing a flannel shirt and wandering Saco’s northwestern rural and pastoral neighborhoods.
Bill was just so decent, kind and patient — a perfect grandfather of sorts
The late 1990s were not the best of times for Saco. There was plenty of political tension, and Bill’s job as mayor was anything but easy.
The city was still rebounding from serious and consequential financial difficulties, but Bill was the right leader at the right time. He was quiet, measured and thoughtful. He never spoke an unkind word about anyone.
Bill Johnson will be missed . . . by me and by everyone who ever had the good fortune to cross paths with him.
Godspeed, Mr. Mayor.
May you eternally rest in peace, Bill and may your memory never be forgotten, especially in the city you loved.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR | Randy Seaver is the editor of the Biddeford Gazette. He also was a reporter who covered the city of Saco from 1997 to 2006 for the Biddeford-Saco-OOB Courier and as a freelance reporter for Saco Bay News from 2023 to 2024.
NOTE: Some photos in this story were used without expressed permission. Those photos are attributed to their original source, but may be removed, if necessary.
DISCLOSUSURE | Randy Seaver’s stepsister, Jodi MacPhail, currently serves as mayor of Saco.
From the March 7 issue of the Biddeford Gazette | Reader levels charge of news bias, editor disagrees
By RANDY SEAVER, Editor
A former Biddeford resident who now lives in Ada, Mich., recently sent an email to the Biddeford Gazette complaining that we have been “unfair and biased” toward the University of New England.
In his March 6 email, Bernard Roy – a 1971 Biddeford High School graduate – expressed disappointment regarding the Gazette’s coverage of issues connected to UNE.
Roy also expressed outrage that the Gazette “ignored” a letter-to-the-editor he sent to us on Feb. 28, somehow missing the fact that his letter was actually published by the Biddeford Gazette three days later, on March 2, 2026. LETTER | City is Treating UNE Unfairly
The Gazette regularly and frequently publishes a high volume of news focused on the city of Biddeford. Thus, it is understandable how Roy could have missed seeing his letter published on our site.
The Gazette strongly encourages and promotes transparency and reader feedback regarding our coverage. Go here to submit your own letter
In the interests of transparency and full disclosure, the Gazette is sharing its unedited emailed response to Mr. Roy today, March 7.
“I would advise you to tread carefully before you accuse me and/or the Biddeford Gazette of any negative “bias” toward the University of New England.
1.) We did, in fact, publish your letter to the editor on Monday, March 2, which coincidentally was my birthday and a very busy news day. Here is the link to your piece in the Gazette: LETTER: City is treating UNE unfairly – BIDDEFORD GAZETTE
2.) I did feel compelled to attach an “editor’s note” to your submission. I know that you grew up in Biddeford and graduated from Biddeford High School (Class of 1971) so I was quite surprised that you would complain about how poorly your sister was treated by parking enforcement at Goose Rocks Beach. Most Biddeford folks know that Goose Rocks Beach is located in the town of Kennebunkport, not in the city of Biddeford. I also was left scratching my head, trying to figure how that particular incident has any bearing on the issue at hand . . .
So, it should come as no surprise that I woke up at 3:30 a.m. yesterday with the idea that I should make a Top 12 list of my favorite journalists – people who have inspired me, people I have worked with and even people I have worked for.
It was originally going to be a Top 10 list, but I could think of no-one on this list who should be eliminated as a finalist.
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12.) Marian McCue, The Forecaster
(Portland Press Herald photo)
Marian McCue was inducted into the Maine Press Association (MPA) Hall of Fame in 2019
According to a story published in the Portland Press Herald, McCue purchased the former Falmouth Forecaster in 1990 at a time when it was published every two weeks and mailed to residents.
The MPA reportedly described McCue’s tenacious commitment to journalism as “great foresight and a singular journalistic duty, into what would become arguably ‘the’ community newspaper of record for the greater Portland area.”
I have long admired Marian’s work ethic and her commitment to the very best principles of true community journalism.
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11.) Liz Gotthelf, Saco Bay News
(Saco Bay News photo)
When it comes to community journalism, few do it better than my friend Liz Gotthelf, who launched Saco Bay News – a digital media outlet – in 2020, shortly after the daily Journal Tribune forever closed its doors.
A former Tribune reporter, Liz is dedicated to the community where she lives and works. She built Saco Bay News on nothing more than an idea and a desire to keep covering the communities of Biddeford, Saco and Old Orchard Beach.
Liz is a scrappy journalist with a HUGE heart. Her care and commitment to journalism shines through in everything she writes. Liz was knocked to the ground in August 2024 when her husband died suddenly and unexpectedly. She took just a few days off, and then – despite near overwhelming grief – jumped back in the saddle, covering community news and events. How do you spell integrity?
I am lucky to call Liz a friend, and I was proud to work with her for a little more than two years as one of her contributing writers.
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10.) Chris Busby, The Bollard
(Bangor Daily News photo)
The Portland-based weekly The Bollard is one of my favorite newspapers. Busby is one of those people who has likely forgotten more about journalism than I will ever learn.
More than 20 years ago, Busby began building the Bollard with his own blood, sweat and tears. The paper reeks with journalistic integrity and offers a no-holds-barred approach to covering local and state government. The Bollard is also where I get my regular fix of Al Diamon’s Politics and Other Mistakes column and Liz Peavey’s weekly column.
The really good news? The Bollard is available online and its print version is available for free throughout southern Maine. I pickup the Bollard at the Hannaford grocery store in Biddeford.
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9.) Barbara Walters, ABC News
ABC News Photo
Barbara was a true journalism pioneer. She broke the proverbial glass ceiling that held back so many women in the news business, especially in the realm of televised newscasts.
Her legendary career, which started in 1951 at an NBC affiliate station in New York, earned her numerous accolades and awards, often described as one of the most trusted, and dogged reporters of the 20th Century.
Of course, Walters is best known today for her time as a producer and reporter of NBC’s Today Show and then later becoming the first female co-anchor of a network evening news show with Harry Reasoner on the ABC Evening News.
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8.) David Flood, Mainely Newspapers
BCHC Photo
David and Carolyn Flood launched the weekly Biddeford-Saco-OOB Courier in 1989. They immersed themselves in the community and quickly became a fierce and reputable source of competition to their much larger, daily counterparts, the Journal Tribune and the Portland Press Herald.
Their hard work and commitment to community news paid off. The company expanded into a group of weekly newspapers that included the Scarborough Leader, South Portland Sentry and the Kennebunk Post among others.
David’s business model of not charging for subscriptions proved effective. But David cared more about Biddeford than just becoming the paper of record. He was the principal founder of the Heart of Biddeford.
He was always bullish about the city, especially its downtown area. After selling his publications, he was elected to the Biddeford City Council. Two years ago, he was inducted in the Biddeford Cultural and Heritage Center’s Hall of Fame. He also served briefly as president of the Biddeford-Saco Chamber of Commerce.
David hired me as a reporter in 1998. He then later promoted me to become the Courier’s editor and then later I became managing editor of all his publications.
I drove David nuts. I gave him plenty of reasons to fire me, but he didn’t. In fact, he gave me a rather long leash, and I think he valued my intense work ethic and my fierce sense of newspaper competition.
I often joke that the Biddeford Gazette is my baby. If that’s true then David and Carolyn Flood are the Gazette’s grandparents.
It is well-written, often long-winded (a man after my own heart) but always informative, balanced and not afraid of controversy. As an opinion columnist, Jacoby admittedly leans a bit to the political right, which must make him wildly popular with the men and women who work in the Globe’s newsroom.
Don’t get me wrong. Jacoby may lean just a bit to the right, but his analysis is often scorching and always thought-provoking, but always fair and balanced.
I love Jacoby’s column, and that’s reason enough for him to be on this list.
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6.) Jack Beaudoin, Journal Tribune
JackBeaudoi.com photo
If you ask people who have lived in Biddeford a long time about who they think was the city’s best reporter, Beaudoin’s name invariably rises to the top.
Jack, a Biddeford native, earned his reputation as an outstanding reporter. He was usually the smartest guy in the room but never acted like it. In fact, he is one of the most self-effacing people I have ever met.
Jack is also the former publisher of the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting. Today, he lives in Stonington and describes himself as an “ink-stained wretch.”
I think it was 2001 when Kelley and I first met. She had been assigned to cover Biddeford back when the Press Herald had a bureau office on Main Street in Biddeford.
I am lucky to know Kelley as a friend, despite the fact that we were fierce competitors back in the day, when MERC was still burning garbage downtown and dinosaurs could be seen stumbling down Lincoln Street.
Kelley was tough as nails. She never accepted the proverbial talking point memos. She asked hard questions, but she was fair and thorough. Today, she still holds my feet to the fire, often questioning the motives of some of my political posts on social media. I really miss working alongside Kelley. Those days are some of my favorite memories.
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4.) Harry Foote, American Journal
Press Herald photo
If you’re a journalist over the age of 40 in Maine, it is more than likely that you once worked for Harry Foote, the late founder and publisher of the weekly American Journal, then based in Westbrook.
Harry — always grinning but unrelenting in his push for perfection and “real news,” — probably taught more journalists than the Columbia School of Journalism.
I learned so much from Harry. He was a legend and a force to be reckoned with, just ask former mayors and city councilors from Westbrook.
Harry died in 2012 at the age of 96. In 1990, he received the Maine Press Association’s Journalist of the Year award. In 1999, he was inducted into the Maine Press Association’s Hall of Fame.
I really miss Harry, the chaos of his newsroom, his collection of pencils and the apron he would wear around his waist. I’m one of the lucky ones. I got to work for Harry Foote.
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3.) Mike Wallace, CBS News/ 60 Minutes
Wikipedia photo
It is a well-known fact that journalists in the United States are required by law to pay silent homage and tribute to Mike Wallace before writing or producing every news story.
Wallace is considered a deity by so many of his peers in the world of journalism. He was one of the original four members of the magazine-style television news program, 60 Minutes. He was the definition of investigative journalism. He was loathed by President Richard Nixon.
Why is he on this list? Because he is Mike Wallace, and I am legally required to describe him as one of the greatest journalists of all time.
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2.) Carl Bernstein, Washington Post
Wikipedia photo
Although never as well-known or revered as his Watergate counterpart — Bob Woodward – Carl is a man after my own heart.
He never graduated from college, but he was a brilliant and remarkable reporter. It is rumored that he lied in order to get hired by the Washington Post when he was still in high school. His peers often described him as a manic and tenacious workaholic.
Many people believe that without Bernstein’s rabid and aggressive style of reporting, the Watergate scandal may have never been brought to light. I was 10 years old when Nixon became the first president to resign from office in August 1974. I was glued to the television coverage. It was then that I knew I wanted to be the next Bob Woodward or Carl Bernstein.
Quite simply, the late Hunter S. Thompson is my hero, my idol and all sorts of other things. He is the founder and creator of Gonzo-style journalism.
He broke all the rules of traditional journalism. A heavy drinker and smoker, he also experimented with drugs, including hallucinogens. He was a prominent leader of the counter-cultural movement that swept across America during the late 1960s and the early 1970s.
His landmark book — Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas — was well received and required reading for rebellious teenagers who wanted nothing more than to piss off their parents.
Hunter’s career started back in the days when people like Jack Kerouac and Alan Ginsberg were gaining traction in literary circles, creating what became the Beat Generation and a legion of self-described “beatniks” who desperately wanted to follow in their footsteps.
Thompson was simultaneously brilliant and self-destructive. He didn’t take criticism well, unless it was from someone he respected and also loathed like Truman Capote.
I really believe that I was born 30 years too late, I like to think that maybe Hunter and I would be friends. We both served in the U.S. Air Force.
Perhaps no writer influenced me more than Thompson. I tried to use a Gonzo-style approach when writing my weekly All Along the Watchtower column for the Courier.
My sincere apologies to all my friends who I could not fit on this list. I really do respect your work, and I do – unlike Chris Busby – care about how other journalists perceive my work.
I had a lot of fun writing this. I hope you enjoyed reading it.
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Randy Seaver is a hack journalist living in Biddeford. He is the editor and founder of the Biddeford Gazette, a non-profit digital news publication that focuses on the city of Biddeford.
Randy has been annoying other journalists and editors since 1981 when he did a brief stint as an unpaid student intern at the former Journal Tribune, a daily newspaper based in Biddeford.
As first reported this morning by the Maine Wire – a politically conservative media outlet — a Waterville public teacher is now facing scrutiny and widespread backlash after making a post on social media that calls for people to physically harm President Donald Trump and his supporters.
Notice how I chose my words carefully. Using the words “ki**” or “assasi**te” in connection to the President of the United States can land you in serious hot water.
I know this lesson better than most everyone else who is commenting on this now viral story that has been picked up by mainstream media outlets across the country.
“The Secret Service has the perfect opportunity, if they choose to step up and take it. You are the ones with power. Coordinate. Take out every single person who supports Trump’s illegal, immoral, unconstitutional acts. Look at the sycophants and give them what they’re asking for,” St. Germain wrote on her Facebook post.
As expected, the vast majority of commenters criticized the teacher, calling into question her mental health and her motives for such a fiery post.
A screenshot of St.Germain’s Facebook comment posted by the Maine Wire
No matter where you land on the political spectrum, you gotta feel sorry for both the school superintendent and principal. Their offices were reportedly flooded with calls from angry and worried parents.
“If I had the skill set required, I would take them out myself,” St. Germain also wrote on her social media post.
According to the Bangor Daily News, the U.S. Secret Service is aware of St. Germain’s post.
A big no-no
There is no doubt that Trump has created controversy and deep resentment because of his controversial policies, inflammatory statements and his confrontational personality, but that doesn’t give anyone the right to encourage a physical attack on him.
Public school teachers like St. Germain are entrusted by taxpayers to use good judgment.
It remains to be seen if St. Germain will face any repercussions from the school department for her inflammatory, thoughtless and emotionally charged public statements.
So, why do I claim to know so much about this story?
For that, we need to get into the “Way Back Time Machine” and set the dial to 1984.
Ronald Reagan had just been reelected for a second term as president of the United States. I was 20 years old, working as a third-shift janitor at McDonald’s. I was an avowed liberal and blamed Reagan and his “trickle-down” economic policies for all of my troubles.
I was actively involved with a group named PAUSICA (Portlanders Against U.S. Involvement in Central America). I was reading books by Angela Davis, the vice -presidential candidate for the Communists USA party. In my spare time, I participated in nightly vigils with other malcontents in Monument Square, protesting a ramp up of nuclear weapons.
For Christ’s sake, I was pretty much a reincarnated version of Lee Harvey Oswald.
One night, while feeling particularly frustrated about Reagan, I made a remark saying someone “should do something about him” and if no one else was willing to, I would take on the task myself. As you can probably imagine, those were not my exact words.
A co-worker apparently called the Portland Police Department to report my comments about the president.
Before we proceed, let’s also remember that I had just been discharged from my third, involuntary psychiatric hospitalization. I was estranged from my family. I had no girlfriend or close friends.
I was a low-wage underachiever. In high school, I had pinned all my hopes to a career in the U.S. Air Force. But that did not go the way I intended. Although I received an honorable discharge, I considered myself a failure; now 20 years old with no future.
As you can imagine, the life I was living set off a lot of red flags for the U.S. Secret Service. For Christ’s sake, I was pretty much a reincarnated version of Lee Harvey Oswald.
The Secret Service asked to meet me at the Federal Building on Forest Avenue. They conducted a rigorous interview, took handwriting samples and a fresh set of finger-prints.
They let me go, but with a stern warning. Do it again, and you’ll find yourself in jail, they told me. I was pretty much scared straight, though I lost my job as a janitor at McDonald’s.
My view of Ms. St. Germain’s public rant?
She needs help. Pronto. I understand that Trump can make people very angry, but you simply can’t call for someone to help him shuffle off his mortal coil, especially if you hold a position of public trust.
We deserve better.
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Yesterday was “Career Day” at the Biddeford Intermediate School, an annual event that gives third, fourth and fifth-graders an opportunity to explore various career fields.
I was asked to be one of the many presenters, but I knew that I was in trouble as soon as I walked through the front-door, clutching a stack of old newspapers, a reporter’s notebook and two pens (always two).
The other presenters were so much cooler and interesting. The police K-9 officer and her dog showed up, a firefighter arrived wearing his helmet with a large oxygen tank on his back. There was a nurse with a stethoscope draped around her neck.
For Pete’s sake, Graig Morin of Brown Dog Trucking even brought one of his 18-wheeler trucks for the kids to explore.
Admittedly, I was a bit nervous as I waited for my first of three-groups of students to arrive in my designated classroom. It’s been a while since I have been grilled by a group of nine and ten-year-olds.
If you’re not careful, they can really get into your psyche and throw off your whole game. For example, during one of the Q & A sessions, one young lady asked me if I was afraid of heights. I quickly admitted that I am terrified of heights.
“What about snakes?” was her follow-up question. “Yes,” I responded, I am also very afraid of snakes.”
A quarter century? Really?
On the night before the event, I ventured into my basement and hauled out an old-cargo chest that holds scores of old copies of the weekly Biddeford-Saco-OOB Courier. I was in a rush, so I just reached in and grabbed five copies, paying no particular attention to the dates or the stories.
I have worked for several newspapers, but most people ‘round here equate me to my fun-filled days as the Courier’s editor (1997-2006) and my infamous weekly column, All Along the Watchtower.
As I was waiting for the kids to arrive, I started flipping through the old papers. Yes, I know that all past issues of the Courier are available on microfiche at the McArthur Library, but this seemed like a more practical way to make my presentation.
As luck would have it, the papers I grabbed were all from April of 2000, exactly 25 years ago. It seems like yesterday, but it was a quarter-century ago. A quarter century.
Just a few weeks ago, the Courier’s new owners (the Portland Press Herald’s parent company) abruptly announced that they will no longer offer print versions of the paper that had been delivered to every household in the Biddeford-Saco area since 1989.
When I heard that news, I didn’t realize how deeply that weekly paper was connected to the community. A wave of nostalgia washed over me as I flipped through the pages of yesteryear.
Time may change me. But I can’t trace time.
The kids were eager to pore through old copies of the Courier. Sure, I still write news and opinion, but I can’t imagine 25 years from now that a bunch of kids would be so excited about reviewing a web site.
It was interesting to see what caught their eyes and their imagination. Each of the newspapers had a full back-page ad from Marc Motors. Apparently, in April of 2000, you could buy a 1998 Pontiac Sunfire for $10,995 or a weekly payment of $38. Or you could get a 1997 Ford F-150 for $17,995 (or $65 per week).
In April 2025, we ran a contest: Find the Mistakes in the Courier. The person who found the most verifiable mistakes each week got a free lunch at the Wonderbar. We were all glad when that contest ended.
A lot of the names have changed, but the news back then was not much different than it is today. Ironically, one of the headlines told readers that Biddeford voters may soon be asked to approve construction of a new school to address overcrowding. That school? Yup, the Biddeford Intermediate School, where I was sitting yesterday morning.
The Old Orchard Beach School budget was up $500,000. There was an explosion of a propane tank at the former Maine Energy trash incinerator in downtown Biddeford. Another story explained how Biddeford’s tax rate would increase $1.50 if MERC left town. The top five taxpayers then were MERC, IBC (Nissen Bakeries), Central Maine Power, Walmart and D.K. Associates Limited.
Saco residents were faced with a possible pay-per-bag trash disposal fee, a downtown landlord in Biddeford found himself in hot water with the city’s code enforcement office.
On and on. Into infinity and beyond.
I asked the kids if any of them remember the Yellow Pages. They were stumped; their brows furrowed with intrigue. It’s quite likely that someday the same fate will finally overcome print newspapers.
There’s no denying it. This is not your father’s news industry anymore. That’s good news, but it’s also very bad news.
I’m writing this because there were three significant local changes in the news industry that happened in just the last two weeks.
More about that in just a moment.
Traditional, legacy media outlets are no longer the sole guardians of truth and justice, and that fact — like it or not – will impact you — and it might even hurt you.
For centuries, newspapers, (and then later) radio and television news operations kept an immeasurable amount of gravitas in their pants’ pocket, like so many nickels and dimes. The publishers, editors (and oftentimes the reporters) took your trust in them for granted.
Nearly 300 years ago, Edmund Burke, a member of British Parliament, reportedly coined the term “Fourth Estate” to describe the press, pointing out its obligations as a check in government oversight and its responsibility to frame political issues as well as to be an advocate for the general public.
Pretty big responsibility, eh?
The industry that was once the trusted and almost sole gatekeeper of vital public news and information is now scrambling, desperately trying to find a way to remain relevant or at least financially solvent.
So, what are the threats and challenges facing both you as a news consumer and traditional media outlets?
First and foremost, social media platforms are taking over the distribution of news and information. There are no more paperboys and even newsrooms are shifting away from brick-and-mortar structures.
In survey after survey; in poll after poll, one fact becomes abundantly clear. Consumers want their news on their schedule (on demand). Readers also try to skirt paywalls, no longer seeing the value of paid news subscriptions.
Readers today gravitate toward click-bait headlines and “news” websites that match their own political ideology.
Photo: The Death of the Newspaper Industry | John W. Hayes)
Never-ending competition, a 24-7 news cycle and the disturbing rise of AI (artificial intelligence) all remain as threats to established and not-so-established news outlets.
And to top it off, reader trust in traditional news outlets is plummeting faster than shares of K-Mart stock.
In his Nov. 29, 2022 opinion column, Boston Globe columnist Jeff Jacoby pointed to a recent Gallup report, which revealed that just one out of three Americans claimed to have a “great deal” or a “fair amount” of confidence in the media.
We could talk all day about the national news scene and the spiraling demise of legacy media, but let’s take a deeper look at the news on a local level, right here where it hurts the most.
Today, almost everyone is a journalist – or so they believe. All you need is a keyboard and an internet connection and it’s off to the races.
While I love certain aspects of “citizen journalism” it does sort of invite a Wild, Wild West approach in reporting news.
While I love certain aspects of “citizen journalism” it does sort of invite a Wild, Wild West approach in reporting news.
These citizens journalists typically do not have editors or the resources of an editorial board. They have no professional training. Ethics and objectivity are now electives, no longer requirements.
In other ways, however, these pesky citizen journalists and their social media followers do keep some much needed pressure on those Fourth Estate guys, the traditional legacy media outlets.
We’re not in Kansas anymore
Speaking of legacy, traditional media, the Bangor Daily News (BDN) – Maine’s preeminent source of political news – decided last week to shut down its editorial board. The paper will no longer have an Op-Ed (Opinion-Editorial) section.
I found that news strange. It struck me as counter-intuitive, especially since so many people are saying that readers are flocking toward opinion and away from objective news reporting.
In a Jan. 24 column, the BDN described the move as “the end of an era.”
Susan Young, the paper’s opinion editor, said the news was “bittersweet.”
“Far too few people read opinion content, so we have to try different things,” Young told me during an online conversation, saying the decision was influenced by the paper’s digital analytics.
The BDN’s decision will also mean the end of rigorous and highly regarded opinion columns from people like Amy Fried on the political left to Matt Gagnon on the political right.
Still closer to home, the publishers of the Biddeford-Saco Courier announced on Wednesday that they will now offer their subscribers a digital weekly update via email.
That “announcement” dropped exactly two weeks after I formally launched the Biddeford Gazette, a free digital newspaper dedicated to covering Biddeford news, opinion and events.
For more than 30 years, the Courier has relied upon free delivery of its print publication at newsstands or tossed into the driveways of private homes.
The Courier was founded and locally owned by David and Carolyn Flood. A few years ago, the paper was then sold to the owners of the Portland Press Herald who also own a number of weekly and daily publications.
Courier reporter Sydney Richelieu announced the “inaugural edition” of “Biddeford-Saco | Now” in an email sent to subscribers. The move, she said, is designed to offer readers another option in finding out what is happening in their community.
I have some unsolicited advice for Sydney and the Courier’s editors, please stop printing press releases and then labeling them with a byline of “Staff Reports.”
Otherwise, I am quite pleased that you guys finally want to step up your game in covering local news.
To be honest, I have a bit of an advantage over the other guys. I’m a Biddeford native and resident, and I have been covering Biddeford for nearly three decades. I have a stockpile of sources and lots of time on my hands.
Just a few days ago, a close friend of mine remarked that other local publications are now starting to pay more attention (deservedly so) to the city of Biddeford, since I launched the Gazette.
That’s actually really good news, especially for the people of Biddeford.
The other guys may not like the fact that I am now in the mix, but they should remember the folks at the Journal Tribune were none too happy when the Courier was launched in 1989; and the folks at the Courier were none too happy that Saco Bay News came along in 2019 and showed off the nimble advantages of being a digital publication.
Increased competition does not help the Courier, Saco Bay News or the Biddeford Gazette, but it does keep a fire lit under our asses; and that is good news for readers.
The people of Biddeford should not have to rely upon just one reporter for the news that matters to them.
Competition keeps reporters motivated, but more importantly – it keeps them in check.
The Biddeford Gazette is not trying to put anyone else out of business. In fact, the opposite is true.
The Biddeford Gazette uses its own social media pages on Facebook, BlueSky and X to round up and share local news stories from other media companies. No one else does that.
You read that right. We take the time to share news from the other guys on our social media pages. And when you click to read those stories, you are not directed to our website, instead all the postings will link automatically to whatever source produced the news, whether it’s Saco Bay News, the Courier or WGME-TV.
Please visit our new Facebook page and follow us to experience a new level of local news coverage.
Whenever or wherever news about Biddeford is published, we will be there to make sure you know about it.
That’s my mission. That’s my passion.
I value your trust.
I will not stop.
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George Orwell once wrote “Journalism is printing what somebody else doesn’t want printed. Everything else is public relations.”
Since I have worked as both a journalist and as a public relations professional, I can tell you that quotation from Orwell often rings quite true, especially in a small town where some things are considered off-limits for pesky reporters.
Since this is a column about the city of Saco and Thornton Academy, and since I graduated from T.A., I lifted the title for this column from my senior year yearbook: “A Campus Set Apart.”
Sounds nice, doesn’t it? A Campus Set Apart. A distinguished honor, a trumpeting of high achievement.
But what I want to know is this: A campus set apart from what, exactly?
Let’s pause here for a moment for some very necessary disclosure: I graduated from Thornton Academy in 1982. My sister also graduated from T.A., as did my father and both of my aunts. In fact, my grandfather taught there briefly before teaching at Biddeford High School.
So, I know a little bit about Thornton Academy, its reputation and its history.
More disclosure, since we’re also talking about the city of Saco: My youngest step sister, Jodi MacPhail also graduated from Thornton and is today the mayor of Saco.
Although Thornton Academy is a private school, it has also served as Saco’s default high school for nearly 200 years. That’s quite a history.
But despite this long-standing relationship between the city and Thornton, and the fact that these negotiations happen every few years, there seems to be a fair amount of friction between the two parties.
I posted the story on the Biddeford-Saco Community Facebook page on Wednesday morning. Within just a couple of hours, the accusations and fervent defense of one side’s position went almost off the rails.
That Facebook post reached more than 2,000 viewers within the first 24 hours, and it generated more than 117 comments.
I was stunned by the commentary, the bulk of which was aimed at defending Thornton Academy and criticizing the city’s negotiating team.
Honestly, I expected the reverse. As someone who tracks local issues very closely, I wrongly assumed that Saco taxpayers would naturally align closer to the city’s negotiating position.
Then again, the city of Saco does not employ a public relations professional, but Thornton Academy does. And it appears to be money well spent.
Maybe I’m a cynic, but it appeared that Thornton Academy had rallied their troops and circled their wagons even before the story was published. Many of the commenters didn’t disclose their own connections to the private school, including teachers and other employees.
Commentary in support of Thornton Academy pummeled the opposition by a margin of close to 9-1.
Wow, I thought. I better be careful about what I write about Thornton, especially if I have the temerity to tackle some of the school’s beloved mythology.
I was born in a small town
Sometimes it can be weird: being a reporter in a small town. Reporters are supposed to be objective and unbiased. Sometimes, it’s a bit tougher to accomplish those high ideals of journalism than it looks, especially when you bump into the people you write about at the grocery store or if your kids play on the same Little League team.
Simply questioning Thornton Academy or sympathizing with the city’s negotiating team feels almost treasonous to me. I am an alum, after all.
But unlike almost all of my 1982 classmates, I have a rather unique view of Thornton Academy.
It’s no secret that I was experiencing some difficulties during my teenage years. When things got too far out of control, my mother sent me to live with my uncle in West Peru. That transition happened just a few weeks into my sophomore year at Thornton.
Kids from the town of Peru were sent to Rumford High School, now Mountain Valley High School. I finished my sophomore year and then attended my entire junior year in Rumford.
But I begged my mother to let me return to Thornton so that I could graduate with all my “friends” from Saco before heading off to basic training in the U.S. Air Force.
In retrospect, I should have stayed at Rumford. I never really fit in at either Thornton or Rumford. It may surprise you – and I now find it quite ironic – that many kids from Rumford looked down their noses at kids from Peru. Imagine a snobby kid from Rumford. A contradiction of terms.
At least the undercurrents of elitism at Thornton were based on some measure of reality. But kids are kids, no matter where they go to school. Still, I was able to compare two high schools as a student of both.
Oh, the places you’ll go
The defense of Thornton on social media followed two very basic themes. 1.) Thornton Academy is a top-notch school, and 2.) Saco should just be grateful, stop asking questions and shut up. Thornton Academy, after all, is a private school. They answer to no one except their own self-appointed Board of Trustees, a virtual who’s who in Saco’s power structure.
But here’s one of the main rubbing points in this current negotiation: Saco representatives want just a bit of accountability and transparency from Thornton, including a proposal to have a city representative appointed as a non-voting member to the Board of Trustees.
Sounds reasonable, right?
Yeah, not so much. It was as if the city asked Thornton to change its name to Saco High School.
Make no mistake. The city of Saco is damned fortunate to have Thornton Academy as the primary option for all its public high school students.
But it should also be noted that Thornton Academy is also quite fortunate to have such a close relationship to the city, a steady, reliable and predictable source of income.
Many private schools struggle when the economy disrupts the ability of parents to pay private tuition costs. Thornton has a healthy buffer from those recession and inflationary woes: a buffer to the tune of more than $17 million per year in tuition costs from Saco taxpayers.
Furthermore, even though Thornton Academy can charge prime market tuition for its private students, it is still a non-profit entity and does not pay any property taxes on its acres and acres of manicured lawns and the several brick buildings that make up its campus; a campus set apart.
Let’s make a deal
From all accounts, the ongoing negotiations between Saco and Thornton Academy are based upon something that both sides agree upon. Both Thornton and Saco ultimately want what is best for Saco kids.
In any negotiating situation, both sides have to come to the table in good faith. Both sides have to give a little and both sides have to get a little. Otherwise, it’s not negotiating. It’s blackmail.
But let’s remember something for all of the people bragging about the success of their kids who went to Thornton and later got into very good colleges and universities: not every kid is college bound.
In fact, several Thornton Academy students take vocational classes at the Biddeford Regional Center of Technology.
However, according to Saco City Attorney Tim Murphy (who also serves on Thornton’s Board of Trustees), use of the word ‘Biddeford” anywhere on Thornton’s campus is a felony offense that carries a minimum two-year prison term in the town of Dayton.
Relax, Tim Murphy never really said that.
All kidding aside, some Saco school kids also require special-ed services. Not every kid is college bound. Saco has a responsibility to advocate for ALL of its students, not just the college-bound students or the outstanding athletes.
Eight of the 11 private high schools in Maine provide all their students with free lunch, consistent with a new state law that requires all public schools to offer free lunch. Thornton is one of the three private schools that does not offer that option. Why?
Although private schools like Thornton are exempt from the new law, it creates a dividing line between the haves and the have nots. Remember high school? Now imagine being one of just a few kids who has to ask for a free lunch.
To their credit, Thornton has a policy to expand free lunch for any student within 260 percent of the federal poverty rate, but it still forces students and their parents to go through the humiliation of asking for financial help.
The city of Saco is not looking to “take over” a private high school with an exemplary reputation, but if I’m going to fork over $17 million for something you can bet your sweet ass that I’m going to want something in return.
For comparison purposes, the city of Biddeford has a contract with a private firm that handles repair, maintenance and operations of all its photocopiers. That annual contract is roughly $150,000 a year and includes the school department.
Biddeford’s contract with that private firm has more transparency and accountability for photocopiers than Saco has for all of its high school students.
If Thornton doesn’t want public accountability, then maybe it should stop taking public funds. Many private companies across the country have government contracts, but they also have to follow certain rules including accountability and transparency.
Bath Iron Works strikes me as an exceptional shipyard, but when the Senate Appropriations Committee comes sniffing around for accountability and transparency regarding federal contracts, you can bet that BIW doesn’t tell Sen. Angus King to go pound sand.
Thornton Academy: Myth, Legend or Reality?
On a final note, while Thornton certainly has the prettiest high school campus in southern Maine, how does it stack up against other high schools when it comes to things other than landscaping?
As I said previously, I went to Thornton and Rumford High School. I would be hard-pressed to come up with any objective measure of which school was better.
I was one of those college-prep kids. In my sophomore year at Rumford High School, we were studying the works of Marcus Aurelius – in Latin. English teacher Richard Mullins – one of my favorite high school teachers – required us to do a deep-dive into Orwell’s Animal Farm, requiring essays and research to critique that work’s inspiration: the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution.
Thornton also had amazing and dedicated faculty who pushed us hard. One of my favorites was Norman Trottier, who adamantly refused to let me drop French IV during my senior year so that I could just coast toward basic training.
Phil Curtis was such a passionate and dedicated teacher at Thornton. He was so incredibly patient and kind towards me, even though I barely understood the mathematical foundation of two-plus-two.
There were so many other fine teachers at both Rumford and Thornton. How do you objectively measure which school is better? You really can’t.
Public schools in Maine are required by law to publicly post their MEA (Maine Educational Assessment) scores. Not Thornton.
So how do Saco taxpayers really know what they’re getting for their $17 million per year? Do taxpayers just have to blindly accept what the cheerleaders are screaming on the sidelines?
Maybe, but it would appear that there is also more than landscaping that “sets Thornton apart.” They also have a pretty good public relations department.
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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 the pages of the Biddeford-Saco-OOB Courier in 1999. Since then, it has appeared in other publications, most recently on the pages of Saco Bay News. I always tell people that I do not play favorites. I call ’em like I see ’em.
My column was based on the prolific work of syndicated columnist Art Buchwald and also well-known Maine columnist, Al Diamon, author of Politics and Other Mistakes
Well, folks — in the interest of fairness and full disclosure — I think that pendulum of criticism should swing both ways.
In this installment, we will focus on some of my bad (and rather outrageous) behavior over the last few days.
In short, I owe an apology to Biddeford Mayor Marty Grohman and his family; and to City Council President Liam LaFountain.
If you’ve been paying attention lately to Biddeford politics, you already know that things have more or less blown-up over the last couple of weeks.
Our municipal elections were held only six months ago. Longtime Biddeford mayor Alan Casavant opted not to seek a seventh consecutive term. Voters chose former city councilor and state representative Marty Grohman to take over the helm at City Hall. Grohman won that seat with a comfortable margin of 54 percent over former state senator Susan Deschambault.
In that same election, LaFountain was unopposed for a second term on the council, representing Ward 7 (my ward). A few weeks later, the city council voted 6-3 to name LaFountain as the new council president.
Biddeford was getting a fresh start; a new perspective. Sure, the city was — and is — facing several challenges, but there is also ample room for optimism. Biddeford’s storied reputation of political bickering and City Hall drama seemed to be fading fast. We were beginning a second decade of being a more positive and attractive community.
Biddeford, the sixth largest city in Maine, suddenly found itself in an enviable place as a destination for fine dining, a boutique hotel, pristine beaches, thriving business parks and easy access to state highways.
Things were looking up. Yes, we are struggling — as are many Maine communities — with affordable housing and a growing unhoused population, but overall, the future seemed bright,
I have been covering the city of Biddeford for the better part of the last 30 years. We were in some unchartered waters.
Biddeford City Council President Liam LaFountain
Sure, we’ve had councilors resign before, but never two at basically the same time. The timing of the resignations became an issue. One would require a special election, the other — coming just a few days later — would require an appointment by the mayor without the need for public input.
Grohman was caught off-guard. LaFountain was caught off-guard. I was caught off-guard. Strange stuff. Lots of moving parts. Lots of questions. What’s the intent of the city charter in these situations? The city clerk was scheduled to go on vacation. A brand-new deputy clerk just started her job last week.
Yes, many people reached out to me. Some passed on rumors that I ignored. Others provided valuable information. Others were simply flabbergasted and raising questions about how the resignations should be handled.
Now, it’s not just Saco Bay News watching City Hall. Other media outlets are now reporting and paying attention to what is happening at Biddeford City Hall.
Let me be perfectly clear. My mental health issues are NOT and never have been an excuse for my stupid decisions. They do, however, provide a bit of context for what I am about to share.
I have a Bipolar-1 (manic-depressive) diagnosis, as well as severe anxiety and frequent bouts of schizoaffective disorder behaviors. Trust me. It can be challenging, especially for my wife and other family members. But it is NOT an excuse for my bad behavior last week.
Before the announcement of the city council resignations earlier this month, I was hard at work on three significant news stories. Sometimes, it takes weeks, even months, to put together significant news stories.
All three of these stories are connected to Biddeford City Hall. You’ll be reading about them in the near future. But the sudden and unexpected resignations threw a proverbial wrench into my workload.
Again, not an excuse for my boorish behavior, but mentioned here for context.
The journalism game can by hyper competitive. I have always been a competitive guy. The media industry is not a 9-5, Monday thru Friday gig.
Today, more than ever before, the media is a non-stop, 24-7 enterprise. We all want the story first. We all want your attention. Sure, we’re also doing a public service because we all basically believe in your right to timely, accurate and unfiltered information about your community but basically, we’re always competing.
In a recent blog post, I wrote “there is right way and a wrong way to resign from public office.”
Well, there is also a right way and wrong way to go about writing a news story. Last weekend, I chose the wrong way.
I almost literally had a meltdown while trying to obtain information about how the council vacancies would be handled. I was rude and belligerent. Sort of a “Do you know who I am?” moment of delusional grandeur.
I mean, really. I wasn’t working on the Pentagon Papers, the Watergate Scandal or the criminal trial of a former U.S. president.
Dude, it’s the weekend. Calm down, It’s a story about Biddeford City Hall intrigue, not the apocalypse. Get a grip.
On Friday, I called LaFountain, pressing for information. He was out of the country, but as always returned my call almost immediately with dignity and grace. He was also feeling pressure and doing his best to figure out the next right step. He was calm, respectful and doing his best to answer my questions.
I was acting in a complete opposite fashion. I wasn’t angry with him, but I found myself screaming into the phone, full of indignation, almost frothing at the mouth, my words laced with profanity. I was screaming and ranting about other people.
Liam was patient, thoughtful and respectful. He didn’t even try to interrupt my rant. I mumbled a half-assed apology for interrupting his vacation with my call. He actually thanked me for calling, said he understood my frustration and said I should call him back if I had more questions.
A few hours later, on Saturday morning I awoke with a proverbial hair across my ass. It’s 6:30 a.m. I am drinking coffee at my desk, muttering to myself. I’ll be damned if I am going to allow them to block the flow of public information, I tell myself. My blood pressure was soaring. They made a mistake of messing with a guy who buys ink by the barrel, I muttered.
My chest is puffed out now. My dog is begging for my attention, but I ignore her and instead begin crafting a story that I wanted to publish later that day. I wanted to have the news first. That was all that mattered to me.
It is now 7:45 a.m. Saturday. I send Mayor Grohman a terse text message. In essence, I tell him that it’s in his own best interest to call me back pronto. I am writing a story, with or without his input. At 8:17 a.m., I receive a text from the mayor. “I’ll email. Deadline?”
I hate text messages. It’s just so much easier to have a quick two-minute phone call, that way I can easily ask a follow-up question or for clarification. But whatever. You can’t really blame Grohman for being cautious with me. I have been acting like an arrogant prick for more than 72 hours. Grohman is smart. He’s probably pissed, most likely annoyed but he is responding on a Saturday morning.
I get the email from him with his official statement a few hours later. I then add fuel to the fire by sending him a series of pissy text messages. I ignored the fact that he was at a family function.
They say that all’s well that ends well. In this case, Marty and I had the opportunity to clear the air this week. He wasn’t his typical genial self. He was pissed and he (in a nice way) let me know that. I had to take it.
He was right. I was wrong. My judgement was clouded by my both my ego and my hyper-competitive nature. We got things squared away. We found a lot of common ground. Ultimately, we both want what is best for the city. We are both trying to stay ahead of a rather crazy curve of events.
I owe both Marty Grohman and Liam LaFountain a sincere apology for my belligerent behavior. They both acted much better than me, and I could stand to learn a valuable lesson from each of them.
Me Culpa.
Like, I said at the beginning: I call ’em, like I see ’em.
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LESSONS IN MEDIOCRITY | OUTLAW JOURNALIST 