At the Thomaston Town Meeting, Wednesday, June 12, the first article for consideration, Article 3, was whether the…
Opinion
Opinion: Frequently Asked Questions about Megunticook River
The Megunticook River Citizens Advisory Committee has been continuously researching the Megunticook River and the community issues surrounding the dams, and its work…
opinion
For two years now, Thomaston had huge turnouts at the polls and at last year’s town meeting. Why? Because the former…
opinion
After numerous intense storm events, it is evident that Camden needs to move forward now with a plan of action to address climate changes as they affect our town,…
opinion
On June 11, Warren and Union residents will be able to vote on ordinance changes that regulate and control metallic…
opinion
Nothing heralds summer in our community like homecoming of snowbirds. Or the flurry of activity at Plants Unlimited. Or…
We the undersigned former officers and members of P.A.W.S. Animal Adoption Center were dismayed and troubled by the removal of Shelly…
opinion
Why we support the St. George Community Development Corporation’s (StG CDC’s) …
opinion
Readers may recall a previous column describing a proposal to include an article endorsing a national climate policy on the warrant for Camden’s June town election (formerly annual town…
opinion
In my work at a local nautical publishing house, I had the chance to produce a book called Bridge Resource Management for Small Ships, by Dan Parrot, an instructor at Maine Maritime Academy…
Letter to the editor
Dear Rockport Voter,
…
opinion
Much has been written in the past several months about challenges faced by Knox County government. From the issue related to the Knox Regional Communications Center (KRCC) to the sudden departure…
opinion
Tax season is underway, with Maine Revenue Services and the IRS processing 2023 Individual Income Tax Returns. In Maine, the deadline is Wednesday, April 17. If you live in a…
opinion
When student journalists at Amherst Regional High School in Massachusetts heard last spring that middle schoolers in their town were experiencing transphobic and homophobic bullying, they…
opinion
In the last three weeks the following events have reinforced for us the importance of citizen action in creating cultural and educational…
opinion
The storms of January 10-11 and January 13 of this year, as well as the storm of December 23, 2022, have certainly brought home the cold…
opinion
Nearly two decades ago, the Frederick Hutchinson Center (FHC) in Belfast was generously gifted to the University of Maine by the Bank of America following its purchase of the building from MBNA…
opinion
Everyone loves a surprise, well at least most surprises. Twenty-three years ago, a welcome surprise to the Belfast and Waldo County…
opinion
It took me a while to figure it out. Was I angry? mad? sad? Wednesday night and all day Thursday I was just out of sorts. I finally figured out my unease. As much as I knew it was coming—we all…
opinion
I’ve been driving an all-electric VW ID4 now for the last two-plus years and I want to report on what the experience has been owning and…
opinion
Many believe that substance use is an underlying cause of domestic abuse, but this is a misconception.
…
opinion
I have a pretty good roof over my head, money in the bank, a physical body that suffers no ills. So on a basic level I have no problems.…
It is a choice, not an accident.
During the upcoming Holiday Season, Maine law enforcement agencies will be working hard to reduce impaired driving and keep everyone on the roadways safe. The National Highway Traffic Safety…
opinion
The Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and staff of the Board of Environmental Protection (BEP or “Board”) are…
opinion
Before moving to Camden, I spent 40-some years of reporting and editing about international energy issues. One thing I didn’t hear much about over those decades was the “…
opinion
School Administrative District 28 submitted the following press release concerning a ballot item that will appear on the Camden and…
opinion
Happy Indigenous Peoples Day, October 9. I'm proud that Maine abolished the old name, Columbus Day. I'm dismayed that Maine's Governor won't support more sovereignty for…
opinion
I'm not one to write about medical stuff and while this was medical, it's really about customer/patient care.
I recently had to have a procedure. That's what they call it. It involved…
opinion
Recently, while visiting a local park, a woman with her dog asked if I was going across the bridge. I said I wasn’t sure. She said that…
opinion
Many in Thomaston are bemoaning the September 6 announcement by Giant Holding Companies that Dragon Products, Inc., on Route 1 in…
opinion
What is deeply flawed with the recent announcement by the University of Maine? Just 23 years after a visionary gift to Belfast, Maine, and the University of Maine the primary beneficiary of the…
opinion
Imagine that your loved one in an ambulance is forced to pass by the closest hospital Emergency Department because your local hospital is on “diversion,” sending ambulances and patients out of…
opinion
My name is Abden Simmons, and I’m a lifelong fisherman. In…
opinion
Domestic violence advocates talk a lot about safety planning. It is something we engage in on a daily basis on…
opinion
In discussions surrounding the recent mining issue in Warren and Union, a common theme is what a beautiful place we live in, and we must preserve the clean air and water and out way of life.…
opinion
The economy is in a confusing place right now. There are conflicting narratives about whether we are headed for a recession and mixed signals from different economic indicators. As inflation is…
opinion: Alexis de Tocqueville famously singled out town meeting/direct democracy as purest form of democracy ever put into practice
You may not remember, but back in December The Camden Herald offered readers "A look back at 2022" summarizing significant events…
Opinion
There are many ways for a town to communicate today, but a gentle reminder as you drive by in your car is one of the most effective. The Union Fire Department and Union Ambulance knew this when…
opinion
I didn’t know how exceptional it was. I’d passed the lot hundreds of times, on foot, in car, by bicycle. It’s in Camden, on the corner of…
Bill Packard Commentary
The lobster gig was good, but I wanted to haul trailers. My license would only let me drive a straight truck and there were no truck driving schools…
Opinion: ‘We did it ourselves’
Most people in our rural area favor competition as the best method of ensuring fair prices and high levels of service, so it took some time for many of us to come around…
“we are small, but we continue to do good things”
The COVID-19 pandemic, along with retirements, took a toll in many areas of our society. One of those was membership in service clubs that had volunteerism as its foundation. Our number of members…
OPINION
In light of past and present rumors and statements that the Thomaston Select Board is considering building a new fire station on the…
opinion
I am hoisted high above the snowy ground moving beneath me: 25 feet aloft in some places; 50 to 75 in others. My ride is quiet and smooth, barely faster than I could walk. White swaths of snowy…
New Hope Midcoast
Central to New Hope Midcoast’s work with survivors of domestic abuse, dating violence, and stalking is a lens of empowerment. The Oxford English Dictionary defines empowerment as the process of…
opinion
Seems like you see CBD everywhere these days: oil, balm, tincture, gummies, prerolls, pet treats, bath bombs. There's even a CBD-infused sports bra! What’s up with all the CBD? Is there really…
Opinion
Recently, Rockland Main Street – a partnership of residents, business and organizational leaders and local government – polled its stakeholders about our region’s housing crisis. The survey asked…
Letter to the Community
As another busy season concludes at Camden harbor, we have time to take a deep breath, celebrate our hard work, and appreciate the supportive community we are part of.…
opinion
I will stand as a candidate for Rockland's Mayor for the upcoming year when the new councilors are sworn in November 21.
…
