What a difference a day makes? Look what has happened in a week. Last week I wrote of the airlines, my bank, and the nearby farm store, doubling down on cleanliness as a precaution against coronavirus. I wrote also of local grocery shoppers hoarding toilet paper and soap.

So where are all the small government, deregulate and keep the state out of their life proponents now?

Italy is the epicenter in Europe of the COVID-19 epidemic. They are doing everything possible to strangle the spread of the virus, including closure of everything except essential services. You are not allowed to go next door to visit your neighbor. You cannot travel by car or train without a very good reason. In spite of the difficulties, my Italian friends say everyone is cooperating. Everyone is pulling together, as Americans will also do.

One thing in this life is certain: if you are currently living through one of those, the other will come eventually. If an economic boom is happening, there will be an eventual slowdown and recession. If you are in the middle of economic calamity, there will come days when economic expansion happens again.

Earlier this week, the firm where I work presented a webinar in collaboration with the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce. The two-hour presentation was intended to provide some practical advice for companies that are trying to deal with the spread of the coronavirus and COVID-19. The webinar is free and you can watch it at: https://www.portlandregion.com.

The BDN’s March 13 editorial called President Trump’s urgency “welcome.” Give me a break! Welcome? This urgency should have been displayed months ago when President Trump was first briefed on COVID-19 and downplayed it! 

As we sit right now, we own the building, no debt. The only thing at cost at present is the utilities cost and the insurance cost for the building. We do need to talk about needed maintenance cost.  And where to go from here.

Help is available for them at Project Rachel, The Post-Abortion Healing Ministry of The Catholic Church. Project Rachel, who is open to anyone regardless of their religion, has a network of specially trained clergy, spiritual directors and therapists who provide compassionate “one-on-one care” to those who are struggling with the aftermath of abortion. 

This past week especially I feel as if much of America, overreacting to non-stop, worst-case scenario coronavirus news, is effectively moving through each day with their shoes on the wrong feet.

The question is, does it need to remain in a 120-year-old theater or do taxpayers deserve a more practical and efficient use of their money? The selectboard has added a discussion article to the town warrant so that we, the residents of Sangerville, can talk about the issue. 

As St. Patrick’s Day approaches we’re reminded that at least 33 million Americans of Irish descent live in the United States. 

A "psychic vampire" is "a person who gets increased energy around other people, but leaves those other people exhausted or drained of energy." The political class, and the class of now mislabeled political news reporters, are thick with psychic vampires.

Many readers have suggested that U.S. Sen. Susan Collins has lost touch with Maine. What surprises me is how out of touch she seems to be with Washington. How could any observer of Washington politicians have thought that the president was going to amend his ways after his impeachment? People don't change, especially when they believe their behavior got them to where they are.

We are at a crossroads about the future of the Sangerville Town Hall Building. Some factions have the opinion the town hall costs too much to keep in use. Options I’ve heard include to “mothball”, sell or demo it. None of which keep it as a good identity for Sangerville. 

During recent meetings, the select board of Sangerville has discussed the possibility of giving up on the historic town hall in favor of building a new, smaller facility for town government. It seems that the present town hall is in need of extensive repairs which will be costly for the residents. While the board is to be complimented on their efforts to save money for the citizens of Sangerville, the bottom dollar should not always be the driving force behind a decision of this magnitude. There are other perspectives about the town hall and its future that should be explored.

In Maine, our natural resources are the foundation of our culture, our heritage, and passion -- and for many of us, the reason for choosing to live here. Likewise, the land base that supports our farming and fishing industries brings innumerable benefits to our everyday lives and our economy.

Donald Trump talked big about lowering the price of prescription drugs, but instead about the only thing he’s done is take big money. Trump promised nearly 80 times to lower drug prices or claimed he already had -- yet, in the first six months of 2019, 3,400 drugs increased their prices at a rate five times higher than inflation. We need a president who won’t sell us out, and who can take real action to lower drug prices. Mike Bloomberg will be that president.

Over the past six years serving in the Maine Legislature we have debated and acted upon many, many government programs. One that has really caught my attention is the Medicare Advantage Plan Program.