Maine is experiencing its biggest HIV outbreak in state history. In January 2026, the Bangor Daily News reported that Penobscot County’s HIV outbreak stood at 36 cases. In most of those cases, individuals also tested positive for hepatitis C. Health officials estimate that for every identified case of hepatitis C, there are roughly 12-14 unidentified […]
letter to the editor
Posted inLetters to the Editor
I’m hoping America is enlightened, and fast | Letter
It’s been a little over two years since my last letter to the editor was published (“Trump epitomizes the worst that America has to offer,” March 16, 2024). At that time, Donald Trump was on his way to becoming the Republican presidential nominee. The first sentence of my 2024 letter: “Should Donald Trump again become […]
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Sophie Warren for Maine Senate | Letter
I’m proud to support Sophie Warren for Maine Senate. Sophie has consistently shown that leadership means listening to people, working hard and standing up for the community she serves. In the Legislature, Sophie has been a thoughtful advocate for Maine families, championing practical solutions on issues like food access, energy policy and supporting working people. […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
America has lost its way | Letter
Recent events make it clear that we have lost our way. Our societal values are proven less by what we say and more by how we allocate our money. “Fraud, waste and abuse” in career government pales in comparison to wasteful decision making by politicians, due to a lack of or dishonest public debate of […]
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Pressing topics for the dinner table | Letter
Three ideas to spark conversations at the moment. Gil FraserNew Gloucester
Posted inLetters to the Editor
I couldn’t be more proud of Graham Platner | Letter
There’s a reason thousands of us have signed up to make phone calls, knock on doors and do what it takes to get him elected.
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Health care fraud may be a symptom of a curable illness | Letter
I’m writing in response to John Schaberg’s letter of Feb. 25 (“Dr. Oz may want to focus more on Medicare fraud”). While I certainly agree that fraud, in any situation, hurts all of us, I believe that often the institutional fraud in the Medicare system that Schaberg writes about is a symptom of a very […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Don’t forget how ICE recruited its agents | Letter
Of the unconstitutional, immoral, economic and social consequences of ICE’s invasion of our cities, one result is frequently not recognized: the training and arming of white nationalists and neo-Nazis in modern urban warfare. ICE’s recruitment drive used music and language aimed directly at extremist groups such as the Proud Boys, whose “Unite the Right” paraders […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Vital health care services in Maine need protecting | Letter
Legislation currently being considered in Augusta — LD 2196 — ignores the vital community role hospitals play and the specialized care that could be lost if passed. As a Maine pediatrician, I have witnessed the life-saving interventions provided in the neonatal and pediatric intensive care units, in the emergency departments throughout Maine and in the […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Maine needs a Universal Constitutional Remedies Act | Letter
George Simonson’s March 8 letter involves a justified concern about potential abridgment of our constitutional rights. He urges that Maine pass a Universal Civil Rights Act (UCRA), similar to laws in Minnesota and Colorado. But the Minnesota and Colorado laws are anti-discrimination laws, and at least the Minnesota law was passed with bipartisan support many […]