Public Health
Pushing for information and accountability, Lewiston families and survivors go to Washington
Families of victims and one survivor of the October 25 mass shooting in Lewiston met with members of Maine’s congressional delegation on Thursday to ask the lawmakers to do more to stem the epidemic of gun violence and push for information regarding what the U.S. Army knew or what actions were taken regarding the mental […]
Maine death certificates don’t track housing status, but other states are starting to
Jim Fernald is a fifth-generation funeral director. His great-great grandfather started the family profession near Mount Desert Island, and now, Fernald has been working for more than 30 years in Bangor. Each case is different, Fernald said, but in the past few years, he’s seen an increase in the number of people who were homeless […]
‘Forever Chemicals’ in Thousands of Private Wells Near Military Sites, Study Finds
Water tests show nearly 3,000 private wells located near 63 active and former U.S. military bases are contaminated with “forever chemicals” at levels higher than what federal regulators consider safe for drinking. According to the Environmental Working Group, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that analyzed Department of Defense testing data, 2,805 wells spread across 29 states […]
Faith leaders call for Cabela’s to stop selling assault rifles, high capacity magazines
About 40 faith leaders and citizens demonstrated outside Cabela’s in Scarborough on Saturday to call for the retail chain to stop selling high-capacity assault rifles. The participants, who collectively call themselves Thoughts and Prayers in Action, focused their campaign on the nationwide chain in hopes of spurring change in Maine and across the country in […]
Sen. King introduces gun legislation to limit high-capacity ammunition devices
U.S. Sen. Angus King of Maine, an independent, introduced legislation Thursday that is designed to curb mass shootings while protecting the Second Amendment rights of those who own a firearm for self-defense or sport, such as hunting. According to a press release from King’s office, the Gas-Operated Semi-Automatic Firearms Exclusion, or GOSAFE, Act establishes a […]
Gun violence as a public health crisis explored by U.S. Senate Democrats
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats on Tuesday discussed how to treat gun violence as a public health crisis, in hopes of building upon last year’s federal gun safety legislation. “Across the country, gun violence is a public health epidemic,” Illinois Democrat Dick Durbin, the chairman of the committee, said in his opening remarks. […]
Maine Bureau of Insurance warns about scams when searching online for health coverage
The Maine Bureau of Insurance on Monday warned customers to be careful when searching online for health insurance, warning that they could end unintentionally up with a policy with limited benefits. Open enrollment in Maine began Nov. 1 and runs through Jan. 16, during which time many Mainers will purchase insurance plans. In a news […]
Grief for Lewiston shooting victims ripples in New Hampshire’s deaf community
Over the past few weeks, our local deaf community has been planning and attending the wakes, funerals and celebrations of the lives of four deaf men killed in the October 25th Lewiston tragedy: Billy Brackett, Bryan MacFarlane, Joshua Seal, and Steve Vozzella. As announcements of the plans unfolded, I’ve been struck with a mental image […]
Author explores gratitude’s dark side — and how being grateful might still rescue us
For the author of a book on gratitude Diana Butler Bass has what might be a surprising admission: Gratitude didn’t come naturally to her. Bass published “Grateful,” her 12th book, five years ago. But before writing it, “I would not have considered myself a naturally grateful person,” she says. “I always struggled with cultivating gratitude, […]
What moving to Maine and tragedy taught me about gratitude
This year, I’m thankful for new beginnings. I’m grateful for the way starting over has challenged me, humbled me and shown me that community isn’t confined to a ZIP code. In pursuing my career, I gave up the place I’ve called home for my whole life and moved to Maine. I traded the land that […]
Proposal to expand MaineCare to immigrants voted down by legislative council
An emergency bill proposal to restore Medicaid coverage to low-income Mainers, regardless of their immigration status, was shot down earlier this month by legislative leaders — a setback for a long-running campaign for health care equity. The second session of the 131st Legislature will begin in earnest in January, and unlike the first session, any […]
Lewiston shooting commission pursuing subpoena power from state legislature
At its first meeting, the Independent Commission to Investigate the Facts of the Tragedy in Lewiston decided to move forward with obtaining subpoena power to ensure it can gather all the necessary information to understand the state’s deadliest mass shooting. The commission unanimously agreed Monday to ask Gov. Janet Mills and Attorney General Aaron Frey […]