As hard as it is to look away from impeachment drama, I hope Mainers will consider the latest numbers from the U.S. Census, showing that 13 percent of Americans live below the poverty line. In Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, the statistic is worse: nearly 15 percent of the population lives in poverty.

Letter-writer Alan Boone is correct that the climate has changed before. However, it's the pace of the current change that is most troubling.

Congratulations and thanks to Matthew Gagnon for his column, “Why climate change skeptics still exist.” It’s remarkable that all the apocalyptic predictions of climate doom (Al Gore and many others) over the past 30 years have come to naught. Now they must make predictions for many decades in the future so we naysayers won’t be around to criticize.

Let's be honest, this was always the way this was going to happen. As we all know by now, on Aug. 12, a whistleblower complaint was filed with the inspector general of the intelligence community by a CIA officer who had worked at the White House. The complaint, as we now know, alleged wrongdoing by President Donald Trump.

I’m nervous about next week. Really anxious. The US Supreme Court will hear arguments on three cases that have the potential to upend the lives of LGBTQ people across the country.

The Land Use Planning Commission continues deliberation of New England Clean Energy Connect corridor at the Oct. 9 commission meeting in Greenville. For the exact time, the agenda for the meeting will be posted on the commission’s calendar and meetings page.

Matt Gagnon speaks for climate change skeptics in his Sept. 6 column. His argument points more to the fact that he and his fellow skeptics are basing their knowledge on climate outliers’ articles from nearly a half century ago than the way things are now.

An OpEd was published by Matthew Gagnon where he placed doubt on current climate science by identifying examples of some past climate predictions which never happened. If all of us had a dime for every economic forecast, or political science poll or sports prediction that didn’t happen in the past we would all be rich.

My kudos go to Matthew Gagnon whose column clearly states one reason that I am a staunch denier of the so-called climate scientist predictions. I am 80-years-old and have lived through every one of these dire predictions mentioned in the column.

Matthew Gagnon’s opinion column suggested that past predictions made by various scientists have failed to come true, and this causes skepticism of some current climate predictions. He cited predictions by Stanford biologist Paul Ehrlich who thought mass starvation would occur in the 1970s due to overpopulation. Gagnon also referred to predictions made in the 1970s and 1980s regarding air pollution. In part, these predictions didn’t come true because steps were taken toward solving the problems

Climate change skeptics like columnist Matthew Gagnon seem to believe bad things are not already happening because of climate change. They need to get out of their recliners and take a trip along the Maine coast.

With the orange stand-up paddle board under my right arm, my swim gear and paddle in my left hand and under my left arm, I walk down the weathered wood steps to the sandy beach. It’s a short hop to the water’s edge. I step in, ankle deep, lowering the SUP board onto Bear Pond.

Columnist Matthew Gagnon downplays the threat posed by global warming. However, in its report "Catastrophe Modelling and Climate Change," Lloyd's of London states that the 8 inches of sea-level rise off the tip of Manhattan increased Superstorm Sandy’s surge losses by 30 percent, and that "Further increases in sea level in this region may non-linearly increase the loss potential from similar storms.”

On Monday, the United Nations held its 2019 UN Climate Action Summit, which was intended to push the world into advancing "climate action" on greenhouse gas emissions. It featured government officials, speakers, activists, intellectuals and academics, and of course plenty of scientists.

On Monday, Sept. 23 I received an email from the Piscataquis Observer which contained “1-Minute Hike” by Aislinn Sarnacki. I am a huge fan of Aislinn’s column and on Wednesday, Sept. 25, I hiked the Shaw Mountain trail which was her subject on the 23rd. I had a wonderful hike and her detailed explanations of the trail, which I had printed and carried in my pack, made navigation easy.

Signers beware. That’s the first lesson all Mainers should take away from the recent people’s veto effort targeting vaccine regulations in the state.

After intently watching the Democratic debate on Sept. 12, I wonder if anyone is really listening to what they are proposing. Free health care for all, but where will the money come from? Do we really think that free health care is not going to come out of our paychecks? No wonder Democratic candidates want to raise the minimum wage.

Here’s a contrast in the speed of communications: I am reading “James Marshall: Definer of a Nation,” by Jean Edward Smith. Marshall was, among other things, Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, largely responsible for shaping that court and, to a great extent, our nation.