Bangor Daily News

Police Kill Two Men in 2 Incidents Waldoboro, Rumford Sites of Fatal Shootings

WALDOBORO - Two fatal shootings by Maine police in separate incidents in Waldoboro and Rumford during the weekend are being investigated by the state Attorney General's Office and Maine State Police. A Waldoboro police officer shot and killed a Whitefield man early Sunday after the man twice engaged the officer in a fight after a routine traffic stop, Brian MacMaster, director of investigations for the Maine Attorney General's Office, said Sunday afternoon.

Apple Harvest Makes Growers Happy Excellent '07 Crop Reported for Maine

DIXMONT - On the heels of one of Maine's best apple seasons last year, Maine's orchardists are saying this year's crop is equal in excellence. "It looks very, very good," Elaine Olson of Maine-ly Apples on Route 7 in Dixmont said Sunday. "We had no hail to damage the crop, and we had plenty of bees from strong hives [for pollination]."

Buying a New Television Online a Growing Trend

As our beloved Boston Red Sox limp toward the playoffs, many diehards are considering upgrading their old television sets with larger ones that have much better resolution so they can watch Manny park one in the upper decks in style. Shopping in large retail stores for these items seems to be an experience only a step or two behind having a tooth extracted. Store sales staff tend to be young, pushy and far from as trained or knowledgeable as the average consumer would prefer. What are the tre...

Vassalboro Native Takes Position with the Mccs

AUGUSTA - Charlie Mitchell, director of the American Civil Liberties Union's state legislative office in Washington, has been named director of business and legislative relations for the Maine Community College System. Mitchell is a native of Vassalboro and served two terms in the Maine House of Representatives. In his new post, Mitchell will serve as the community college system's liaison to the Maine business community and the Legislature.

Questioning Mukasey

With about 16 months left in his presidency, George Bush may have dodged an unnecessary fight by nominating Michael Mukasey to head the Justice Department. Unlike Alberto Gonzales, who left the department last week, Mr. Mukasey has bucked the administration and is known more for his judicial smarts than for loyalty. Although his federal court decisions reined in some aspects of the administration's "enemy combatant" strategy, Mr. Mukasey did rule that the president could hold U.S. citizens wi...

Schip's Presidential Help

President Bush helped advance the debate over a children's health insurance bill this summer by refusing to engage in support of either the House or Senate versions, thereby driving Congress to a solid compromise on expanding the State Children's Health Insurance Program. Now he has helped out again by so badly characterizing what the bill would do that wavering members of Congress can be assured that the compromise expansion is the right move. SCHIP, as the program is known, provides federal...

Why Honor Al Brady?

Al Brady (BDN, Sept. 13) was a big city mobster who got into bank holdups, police killing and, who knows, perhaps buying off a few Chicago officials. Local officials will lay aside Oct. 8 as Al Brady hero day. He should have been left in the original plot where he was buried in the first place. If we want to honor public enemies, think of President Bush paying one more visit to Walker's Point and having as a guest, Osama Bin Laden, feasting on a lobster dinner on his yacht.

Essex Street Improved

Thanks to the city of Bangor for taking a proactive stance on making Bangor a healthier and safer place to live. Over the past two years, a group called Essex Street Edge has proposed that a 5-foot shoulder be added along Essex Street for pedestrian and biking safety. The benefits for our community are numerous and include safety for the children who use the street regularly, healthier living for all who choose to bike or walk this community connector, and decreased financial obligation to th...

Never-Ending Support

We have an all-volunteer military at the moment. "Support our troops" has been indelibly burned into our thinking. I ask, "When does that support end?" Does it end when they are discharged? Does it extend beyond discharge and to what extent and for how long? A young person volunteers to serve and the commander-in-chief sends him or her into harm's way. That person is injured, physically and mentally, to the point they can no longer serve. Many have become disabled due to the loss of limbs or ...

Time for Impeachment

It's time to put impeachment "on the table." On every kitchen table in our country! We, the citizens of this U.S. democracy, are losing the inalienable rights granted by the Constitution. We can no longer afford to be silent. President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and their administration are desecrating the foundations of our country: the rule of law and the checks and balances of the three branches of government. By declaring an endless and ill-defined "war on terrorism," they have assu...

America's Disorders

Every mental health professional is aware of a personality disorder characterized by a grandiose sense of self-importance, the necessity to be special and unique, and to associate only with those one considers worthy, the expectation that one always will be in charge in any group, the need always to win and to be recognized as the best regardless of evidence to the contrary, to be entitled to privileges and ways of behaving not available to others, a willingness to turn against even long-time...

Old Government Is Gone

American people are dying and suffering while protecting a Shiite government, which is allied with Iran. A large majority (61 percent) of the people have told our president and congressional delegates that they want the American troops out of Iraq by April 2008. Yet, President Bush vows to "hang in there" with his vague and unending policy.