This spring I have realized once again just how lucky I am to live in Dover-Foxcroft. Although I have retired from my medical practice, I am now devoting most of my “working hours” toward making life better for the people of our area.

Central Maine Power won't address the over charging of power bills for January and February 2018, a time when other customers saw unusually high bills, prompting a Maine Public Utilities Commission investigation.

Wouldn’t it be nice if the Maine legislature could get along in order to get things done in Augusta? Well, you may think it’s not possible, but I would argue that here in Maine we have a unique chance to make that happen. In fact, I believe we are at a significant turning point in American politics, and Maine could lead the way. Unfortunately, we have to overcome persisting resistance from those who don’t want to give up their power or control over the Maine legislature. But on June 12 we have the chance to finally put these career politicians in their rightful place, out of office.

I recently had the opportunity to meet Lucas St. Clair and listen to his presentation to a group of concerned citizens in Dexter. What a breath of fresh air!

Majority rule is the basis of democracies around the world. However, over a century ago, Maine chose to allow state elections to be won with less than a majority of the vote, in order to save the time and expense of runoff elections. Ranked Choice Voting avoids the time and expense of runoff elections while at the same time allowing majority rule.

U.S. Sen. Angus King does not have the people of Maine’s best interests at heart by saying he would vote against Gina Haspel to become director of the CIA. Instead, King has decided to play obstructionist games with our national security.

Why are Maine Republicans so adamantly opposed to ranked-choice voting? There are four Republican gubernatorial candidates on the June primary ballot. Hypothetically, if the first choice votes resulted in a 26 percent, 25 percent, 25 percent and 24 percent apportionment, and ranked-choice voting was not in place, the candidate with 26 percent of the vote would be declared the winner for receiving the most votes (a plurality). That would mean that 74 percent of voters did not favor this candidate.

As you likely already know, the Maine Legislature adjourned in the early morning hours of April 19 with a great deal of work left undone. We returned on Wednesday, May 3 to act on various bills that the Governor had vetoed. That day I voted to extend the session one day to take up some important bills. The vote failed.

I had found that our yearbook collection was missing copies. In March I sent out an appeal for donations to complete our collection. The response was wonderful. We were missing 31 different years. Due to the generosity and help of our community we now are only missing 12.

Do you ever wonder what your next meal will be? Do you think about what is not in your cupboards or how to stretch what you do have on hand to make a meal for you and your family? Well, there are some of our neighbors that do have these questions.

Despite having reached out to him numerous times over the past 16 months, Rep. Bruce Poliquin has failed to represent me in Washington, D.C. I will be supporting Lucas St.Clair to take his seat.

Al Larson’s April 7 letter to the editor (in the Bangor Daily News) makes it sound like the woods are full of hunters using AR-15s with magazines that hold a large amount of ammunition.

We’d like Dover-Foxcroft pet owners to take a moment and look at the world through their dog’s eyes. Eating, sleeping and playing take up most of their day. The one job they do have, at least in their minds, is protecting their turf and their family.

In November of 2017, 59 percent of Maine voters approved Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act. We understood that our vote would extend health care coverage to tens of thousands of low-income Mainers.

During my career, I’ve been an educator and a businessman who focused on workforce development for one of Maine’s largest companies. I feel the need to weigh in on the issue of proficiency-based education -- an issue that’s extremely important to me.

The upcoming spending bill in Congress is being used to sneak in language to repeal or weaken the Johnson Amendment, the law that since 1954 has shielded nonprofit organizations from partisan politicking. That bill must pass by March 23 to keep the federal government from running out of money (and shutting down for a third time this year).

The best way to stop the drug problem in Maine is to concentrate on drug enforcement. If the drug flow into Maine is stopped, then the rehab problem will take care of itself. No drugs, no need for expensive rehab programs.

I strongly recommend and support Sue Mackey Andrews for District 4 senator. We will all benefit so much.