Dear friends and neighbors, I want to congratulate Paul Davis for retaining Senate District 4. Despite the toxic environment on both sides of the aisle at the state and national level, I believe we treated each other with respect and civility. I wish Paul the best as you continue to serve the people in our district and want to assure you that I will work at your side to promote the issues raised by so many local residents -- healthcare access and costs, property taxes, the quality of our educational system, and economic growth and sustainability for our large rural region.

While scrolling through my photos of past trips to Baxter State Park, I realized that in years past every trip included a photo of a moose. This year, I made a half-dozen multi-day trips to the park to both the north and south ends, and not only did I not see a moose, but it was only outside the park that I even saw evidence of moose.

It’s November 7, 2018. The morning after the 2018 midterm elections, the first day of campaign season for the 2020 general elections.

Going into Tuesday's election, there were a lot of predictions. A lot of polls. A lot of prognostication. The conventional wisdom was that we would see a Democratic tidal wave across the nation from the House to the Senate to state governorships.

I would like to thank every person in Maine House District 119 that exercised their right to vote in the recent elections. I would also like to recognize my opponents, Mr. Adkins of Monson and Mr. Deertrack of Abbot for the way that they conducted their campaigns; it takes a great commitment to throw your hat into the ring in an effort to serve the public. They are to be commended.

Perhaps more than any election year in my lifetime, the press has come under intense pressure and attack. Deemed the “enemy of the people,” the media is being forced to adapt to a political climate in which a significant portion of the people have given up on the idea of truth and facts.

This isn’t about President Donald Trump, though he has become the news cycle, created a dangerous social movement and now embodies America. Democrats and Republicans aren’t resurrecting this flawed democracy. They are complicit in a partisan, fantasy game of politics that is truly dangerous to any hope of meaningful public discourse.

When it comes to interpreting old handwriting most genealogists agree it’s a difficult task. I’ve done my share of puzzling over words that I’m sure were created by a malevolent clerk chuckling over the trouble he was creating for future genealogists. For example, I recently came across a word on an old marriage record that was nothing more than a series of bumps. Eventually, I was able to figure out it was supposed to be “Lincoln.”

There has been some discussion lately about the ongoing process of Mayo Regional Hospital’s plan to enter into a new agreement with Northern Light Health (formerly EMHS or Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems). We wanted to take the opportunity to provide an update and further clarification, because we understand as the region’s healthcare provider and largest employer, our future affects many, if not all, members of the community.

In a book of collected letters, written by former President Herbert Hoover to American children, I was impressed with one letter to a kid who had written to the President of the United States with a question about how government can best help U.S. citizens.

Recently, I had dinner with three very informed, intelligent, politically savvy friends, all of whom -- just for the record -- happen to be Democrats. Naturally the conversation drifted toward Election Day, and the same question that I have been asked thousands of times this year, and thousands of times in each of the preceding election years, was again asked of me.

The knock on Janet Mills has never been that she’s soft on crime. In fact, during the Democratic primary, I would say that her law and order credentials were a sticking point for some of the more liberal members of the party. And they were considered a strength in the general election.

Mayo Regional Hospital executives seems to be misrepresenting the activity concerning the soon to come name change of Mayo Regional Hospital and HAD #4 (Hospital Administrative District #4) soon to take place.

We Maine voters have our very own Bernie Sanders to elect for U.S. Senator in Zak Ringelstein. The very best news about voting for such a candidate to high office is that we citizens of Maine now have Ranked Choice Voting for our U.S. Congressional and U.S. Senate seats. Therefore, we have the pleasure of very effectively voting to rank Zak first, Angus King second (suggestion: you may choose to not rank Eric Brakey at all).

Gary Chester, starting in the 1960s, was a top New York studio drummer. One of a special breed of musicians who music producers and artists counted on to make hit records. Mostly these musicians worked inside recording studios in places like New York City, Los Angeles, Muscle Shoals, and New Orleans.

Unless you were completely oblivious, you saw what happened with political polling in the 2016 election. In a word, it was an unmitigated disaster.

With Election Day less than two weeks away, we have to talk about ranked-choice voting. When Maine voters walk into the voting booth — or fill out their absentee ballots — they will have a chance to rank the candidates running for U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives.

I am writing in support of Tyler Adkins for House District 119. Tyler is an independent candidate. He recognizes that there needs to be a voice in Augusta to help bridge the divided political factions, to work together to improve the economy of this region.