It is critical to our democracy that every citizen’s vote has value, and is felt by the voter to have value. Enacting a national popular vote will ensure that every vote has value; and is not lost due to the particular majority party of the voting district. No longer will Piscataquis Democrats or York Republicans have reason to say, “My vote doesn’t matter.”

It has been my honor and pleasure to serve our communities on two fronts over the last 32 years; as a physician and as a Mayo Regional Hospital board member. The hospital's financial status is in serious peril, with an operating loss of $1.5 million through the first four months of the fiscal year we could potentially see an operating loss of $4.5 million by the end of the fiscal year. This trend is unsustainable and the genesis of consideration of a merger with Northern Light Health.

Democrats are laying the whip to the foundations of our Republic. Those who represent us are either standing aside in mute obeisance or taking their beating in silence. What can be learned from the whimpers of the cowed, distant in the still?

Thank you to the BDN for the Feb. 21 editorial suggesting our increased climate change awareness might translate into increased action. It joins increased media coverage on climate concerns, much from the younger generation. Although the BDN identifies shortcomings of the Green New Deal, we must not dismiss its loud, clear statement from youth, amplified by student strikes across Europe and elsewhere.

“By Honor Bound,” is the autobiographical story of Vietnam War US Navy SEAL Congressional Medal of Honor recipients Tom Norris and Mike Thornton. In the book's epilogue I learned new things about that medal. Moreso, I was reminded of the contrast of how people I grew up with -- adults and kids -- valued America as the Land of the Free; much different than the America of self-identified socialists running for US President in 2020.

I have been a family physician living and practicing in Dover-Foxcroft for over 25 years. I have lived in Piscataquis County nearly half of my life. This is my home. Mayo Regional Hospital is my hospital. My daughter was born here. My mother and mother-in-law each died here. I get my personal care here. Every day I am proud to say that I am a part of the Mayo team. I write now to tell why I think that the time is right for Mayo to move forward with its merger with Northern Light Health as has been proposed by our board of directors.

Maine lawmakers on the Veterans and Legal Affairs committee on Friday will hold a public hearing on a pair of bills -- LDs 418 and 816 -- which would bind Maine’s Electoral College votes to the winner of the national popular vote.

There is an expectation in this Republic that the duly elected representative of the people will represent the people. Not so for the voters of Congressional District 2 (CD2) in the state of Maine. As the freshman representative from New York, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, has established herself as the standard bearer of the Democrat Party, Jared Golden, the freshman representative from Maine who campaigned on standing up to his party, is content to offer his silence as consent.

It was the Saturday after Thanksgiving and I was visiting a local baby store. Minding my own business, I strolled down the aisle when out of nowhere I was attacked, set upon by a foam Elmo couch for kids.

There is a simple way to sell the Green New Deal to at least 35 percent of the county. All they need is a mind-numbing chant.

Most genealogists are familiar with the population schedules of the Federal censuses. We use these because after 1840 they tell us the names of people in the household, relationships, occupation, ages, places of birth, and other information. Most genealogists stop there. However, there were some federal non-population and special censuses taken and these are worth a look when you’re searching for information about your family.

Any member of the public wishing to follow official documents pertaining to the criminal trial against Roger J. Stone, Jr. brought by the U.S. Department of Justice -- or any case filed in federal courts -- may do so through the court’s electronic filing system. Observers simply create an account through something called the PACER Case Locator (pcl.uscourts.gov).

I am not sure how political news reporting pulls out of its years-long credibility nose dive. What’s happening now with former CBS war correspondent (2002-2018) Lara Logan is a recent example. Let me be clear: my subject here is “political news,” not sports news, cooking news, nor any type of news other than political news.

While the extent of this global emergency is daunting, there is a ray of hope in HR 763, The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act. This nonpartisan solution is estimated to reduce America’s carbon pollution by at least 40 percent within 12 years, while returning a carbon dividend to all Americans monthly.

There are few places as inhospitable to conservatives as the city of Chicago. In the 2018 election for governor in Illinois, for instance, the city of Chicago voted for Democrat J.B. Pritzker over incumbent Republican Governor Bruce Rauner by a whopping margin of 81.34 percent to 15.19 percent. The Democratic margin of victory was even larger in the 2016 presidential contest.

Unlike every other elected office, a presidential candidate can (and five times in our history has) win election without winning the majority of votes cast. Think about that. Except for the presidency, all federal, state, and local elected positions (whether selectmen and women, state legislators, governors,congressional and senatorial positions -- even dog catchers and coroners, where elected!) must win the most votes from all eligible voters to win.

Considering that we live in perhaps the safest, least war-torn time in all of human history, it feels like a disservice to complain about minor inconveniences. After achieving in-box zero right after the holidays, the endless stream of spam emails I receive on a daily basis has me creeping back up closer to a 1,000 reminders that I need to take out the trash.

Climate change is a polarizing issue everywhere, including Congress. So far it has been impossible to pass bipartisan legislation to address it. Citizens Climate Lobby, a national nonpartisan organization, is working on this. They helped bring about last month’s introduction of the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act by a bipartisan group in the U.S. House of Representatives.