Maine news, sports, weather from Waterville Morning Sentinel

Mining for metals pollutes water, kills aquatic life - 05/19/2013
Metallic mining operations pose a major threat to Maine's rivers, lakes and groundwater.

Welfare should be for items one needs to survive - 05/19/2013
Seeing the recent comments about the welfare controls in Maine leaves me less confident in the legislative body than ever.

Women with underage kids should stay home - 05/19/2013
The prime directive should be, "Thou shalt not abuse or neglect thy children, nor saddle them with hopeless debt."

How can we legislate what some people eat? - 05/18/2013
Isn't it odd how the same politicians who complain that we regulate businesses and corporations too much are not shy about regulating individual citizens' behavior.

It's not worth it to ruin Maine's celebrated vista - 05/18/2013
I just wanted to write to convey my support for L.D. 1059, which will reverse a 2012 Act, L.D. 1085, which put leniency in laws regarding open pit-mining and mountain top removal in Maine.

Health care providers need to justify their charges - 05/18/2013
I read the newspaper article about hospital costs, and I think it should matter a great deal to patients what hospitals charge, because at the end of the day it determines how expensive insurance costs are.

Hospital's energy savings offset by driving distance - 05/18/2013
I learned recently that the new hospital is requesting Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification.

Mass customized learning just latest bad idea - 05/18/2013
When you hear the phrase mass customized learning, think "new math" back in the '70s, "whole language" from the late '80s to '90s, more recently "everyday math" and now "common core." All controversial programs that have already o ...

RSU 18 has worked hard to reduce costs - 05/17/2013
RSU 18 School Board members, parents, teachers and administrators have worked for months on next year's proposed budget, which strikes a balance between the ability to provide quality education and the need to control costs.

We need strict laws to regulate open-pit mining - 05/17/2013
I recently attended a public hearing on a bill before the Environmental and Natural Resources Committee, L.D. 1302, which addresses both environmental and financial concerns relating to open pit mineral mining in Maine, and which ...

Education in RSU 18 communities threatened - 05/17/2013
We all want our children to have a great education. Our family-centered community wants to see every child learn and grow and succeed.

Background checks keep guns out of wrong hands - 05/16/2013
What possessed a father to purchase a rifle for his 5-year-old son? A boy that age doesn't know right from wrong, nor is he responsible enough to even have a gun.

Thanks to man who found, returned envelope - 05/16/2013
I would like to say thank you so much to the man who returned an envelope he found at Bangor Savings Bank in Winslow.

Visit Arizona to learn destruction of pit mining - 05/16/2013
Two weeks ago, I was in Arizona and saw for myself what open pit mining does to the land.

Column overlooks key points of dental care gaps - 05/16/2013
As Dr. Jonathan Shenkin noted in his column (May 8) about dental care, a March report by the Pew Charitable Trusts included an error.

Latest battles in the war on women - 05/14/2013
In Philadelphia Dr. Kermit Gosnell ran an abortion clinic in which, according to testimony at his trial, live-born babies were murdered by having their spines snipped with scissors.

Stricter regulations needed for mining - 05/14/2013
My family operates a MOFGA-certified, organic farm in Whitefield, and I support legislation to place strict regulations on mining (L.D. 1302) because I cherish Maine's abundant-but-threatened supply of clean, fresh water.

Medicaid expansion issue shows AARP's true colors - 05/13/2013
I am curious about why the AARP is paying for radio ads promoting the expansion of Medicaid in our state.

Lewiston visit reaffirms LePage's leadership flaws - 05/13/2013
So, Paul LePage didn't spend much time in Lewiston, not even enough time to meet with residents who were directly affected by the recent fires.

Cigarettes also could pay for child care - 05/13/2013
I believe Buddy Doyle's theory as expressed in his May 5 letter, "Carton of cigarettes could pay for child to play ball."