By Todd R. Nelson My father could hold a conversation with anyone. Some of my favorite recollections are of him doing just that. His print, radio and television journalism career took him to myriad places and stories in 40 years of reporting. He earned a living starting conversations with unlikely people in unlikely places. As …
By Fred Benson In case we hadn’t noticed, President Donald Trump is winning. From a low of 35 percent in November 2017, his approval rating has grown steadily to 45 percent along with a concomitant reduction in his disapproval rating. On the investigation of possible Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election, confidence in Special …
By Jack Russell As Mainers gear up for primaries, I reflect on political parties in our time. Many think that two stable major parties have long orchestrated American politics. The Democratic and Republican Parties have dominated national political life for 164 years and 42 presidential elections. Only once since 1856 did the presidential candidate of …
By the Bar Harbor Town Council Bar Harbor voters will decide on June 12 whether to approve article 7, the parking meter system. Here are 10 reasons to approve this plan. Parking meters open up spaces downtown by encouraging visitors and residents to take the bus, bike or walk and by funding more frequent buses …
By Dennis Bracale Over the past months, we’ve heard much discussion about why we need to buy the former ferry terminal property on Eden Street. Good reasons to vote “yes” on article 6, the ferry terminal land purchase bond, include the price and maintaining local control and access. It’s a great bargain, since we can …
By John March Editor’s note: This fictional short story was inspired by last week’s Mount Desert town meeting. “I don’t know, Lester, I just don’t know.” “What’s that?” said Lester. He sat by the stove in the selectmen’s building, watching the snow as it dissolved in the mill pond. A late spring storm. It wouldn’t …
By David MacDonald As community discussion has begun regarding last month’s release of Acadia National Park’s draft transportation plan, I am reminded of the balancing act we all seek in managing a national treasure that also happens to be our collective backyard. Sharing “our” park with millions of visitors each year is a mixed blessing. …
By Fred Benson Taken in its best possible light, the upcoming summit meeting between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un could result in an extraordinary agreement in which North Korea commits to giving up its nuclear arsenal. In return, the United States would agree to sign a peace treaty, provide security guarantees, …
By Rep. Brian Hubbell As the end of this legislative session took a sharp and irresponsible turn last week, I want to offer my perspective from the Appropriations Committee. Traditionally, the major work of the Appropriations Committee is to integrate the governor’s budget request with the legislature’s own spending and policy initiatives as they emerge …
By Durlin Lunt I write not as the town manager of Mount Desert but as a lifelong resident unburdened by the fear of losing my employment, unafraid of offending the wrong parties and blessed with the freedom to comment on the realities as I view them from a perspective dating back to the years immediately …
