I went to the local grocery store the other morning. Normally, in my small town, I can get a parking spot in front of the store or, at the very least, in the adjacent parking lot two or three stalls from the door. Today, I had to park in the lot near the back of the store. It was just strange for a rainy, gray day in Podunk.

This Legislature hasn't even finished their work finalizing a budget yet, and already we are talking about spending more money than we have.

As Maine inches toward ending another legislative session with little to no progress on the deadly issue of gun violence, even as 12 more people are dead from a mass shooting in Virginia Beach, a student-led movement should be forcing us all to confront our own complicity.

Many Americans are fascinated by British royalty, following the romances, marriages, childbirths, divorces and the gowns and jewels. We may be the citizens of a democracy but we seem hypnotized by the bluebloods of Europe.

Battle lines are drawn. The NRA is the target du-jour of the litany of Democrat presidential candidates, vying for boldest denouncement of the millions of armed, peaceful and law-abiding citizens in America. Six million strong, this large sector of the American public is an easy target for these “bold” politicians to threaten fearlessly; after all, they are law-abiding.

Since I am no longer employed at the Maine State House (1989-2012), I haven’t tried this experiment. But every now and then, while at the State House, I would take one workday and ask people: If I ask you to name a famous drummer, which drummer first comes to mind?

Late last week the Maine Legislature, for a change, did something that I am very happy about. They took action to reform Maine's broken initiative and referendum process.

Health care. Homeless shelters. The military. In school. At work. The Trump administration is further escalating its attack on transgender people, including in situations when people are their most vulnerable.

I have many questions regarding the power line to Boston, also known as the Central Maine Power corridor.

As we near the end of this current legislative session, it is crucial that we contact our district's House Representatives now to express support for LD 1083 “An Act To Implement Ranked Choice Voting for Presidential Primary and General Elections in Main”' because right now is our last chance for such a bill, if passed any time in the next four weeks, to improve our voting system in Maine in time for the 2020 presidential election. Go online to http://legislature.maine.gov/house/house/ or call the House's Clerk's Office at 287-1400 to leave your message for your district representative.

Six years ago, Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen published, “The New Digital Age: Reshaping the Future of People, Nations and Businesses.” They describe their book as “about technology...and how humans interact with, implement, adapt to and exploit technologies..now and in the future....”

On behalf of the citizens of Dover-Foxcroft and the surrounding communities, I would like to congratulate the senior class at Foxcroft Academy on their accomplishments. I also want to thank the boarding students for choosing Foxcroft Academy for your American education.

President Donald Trump is the oldest person ever elected to a first term as president. He was 70 years old when he was inaugurated (a year older than Ronald Reagan), is 72 years old today, and will be 74 on Election Day of 2020. Were he to win, he will be 78 years old when he leaves office.

Earlier this week, Gov. Janet Mills announced her intention to create a 10-year strategic economic development plan for the state. It’s a good idea -- if it doesn’t fall victim to politics and the great divide between rural and urban areas.

Dear members of the Milo, Bowerbank and Sebec fire departments, we the members of the Three Rivers Kiwanis are sending this letter as a thank you and a well-earned pat on the back for the super job rescuing a racer in our annual Sebec River Canoe Race on May 18.

Memorial Day, Decoration Day, all one in the same. Originally May 30, 1868, a day set aside by the Grand Army of the Republic to decorate the graves of Civil War dead.

These days we seem to have never-ending election cycles. Do you know your ancestors’ political leanings? Genealogists may assume their family was always Republican or Democrat. This isn’t true. These parties came into being at the advent of the Civil War. Republicans favored the fight for the Union. Democrats, also known at the time as Copperheads, opposed the war. There were entire areas in Maine where Republican draft officers didn’t dare go.

I listened this week to a “Team Never Quit” podcast interview with American swimmer Dara Torres, a 12-time Olympic medalist and former world record-holder in three events. Mrs. Torres’s interviewers are three retired US Navy SEALS.