Columnists
06/14/2026 · Lewiston
Stop Waiting for Motivation to Feel Like Something
Motivation isn't a feeling that arrives and tells you what to do. It's a decision you make when you're tired, skeptical, and honestly kind of annoyed.
Why Poets Keep Stealing from Other Poets—and Why That's the Whole Point
Literary theft isn't plagiarism; it's how poets have always learned their craft. Here's what happens when you read closely enough to steal well.
06/13/2026
The Tyranny of the Unfinished Book (And Why Completing Bad Ones Matters)
We've been told to "abandon books that don't serve you," but there's a case to be made for finishing the mediocre ones—and it has everything to do with how we think.
06/13/2026
The Fed Just Signaled a Recession Nobody's Watching
Jerome Powell dropped breadcrumbs yesterday that markets completely missed. The rate cuts aren't coming to rescue your portfolio — they're coming because the economy's already breaking.
06/13/2026
My Wife Won't Stop Talking About My Ex—and Now I Can't Stop Thinking About Her
A reader's wife has turned his past relationship into dinner table conversation, and he's wondering if she's sabotaging their marriage or just trying to understand him.
06/13/2026
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Announcements
View allMaineDOT, Women in Transportation, and Accessibility Partners Hold ADA Training in Augusta
MaineDOT, Women in Transportation, and Accessibility Partners Hold ADA Training in Augusta AUGUSTA – October 7, 2026 — On October 6, the Maine Department of Transportation partnered with Women in Transportation (WTS), the Maine Department of Labor (MDOL), Iris Network, and Alpha One (Maine’s Center for Independent Living), to host a hands-on Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and accessibility training event in Augusta. The event brought together transportation planners, engineers, and other professionals from MaineDOT and WTS for experiential learning activities designed to deepen participants’ understanding of how people with disabilities and people using mobility devices experience streets, sidewalks, crossings, and other elements of the transportation system. Participants worked in small groups at two locations: downtown Augusta and the area surrounding the State House along Capitol and State streets. At each location, groups rotated through outdoor sessions led by accessibility experts and people with firsthand knowledge of the barriers that can arise in the built environment. “Safe, accessible transportation depends on understanding the experience of every person who uses it,” said Dakota Hewlett, Active Transportation Planner with MaineDOT. “This partnership gave those who participated an opportunity to see our transportation network from different perspectives and to carry those lessons into planning, design, construction, and maintenance decisions across Maine.” One set of sessions focused on the experiences of people with low vision or blindness. Mobility Specialists from the Maine Department of Labor’s Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired as well as an Orientation and Mobility Specialist from the Iris Network guided participants through pedestrian environments using white canes and goggles that simulated different types of vision impairments. The activities highlighted challenges that people may encounter when navigating sidewalks, curb ramps, crossings, signals, surface conditions, and other pedestrian features. “As transportation professionals, it’s our responsibility to understand that accessibility is about much more than meeting design standards it’s about creating a transportation system that people of all abilities can safely and independently navigate,” said Emily Becker, Vice President, WTS Maine. “This hands on experience gave participants an opportunity to better understand the real world barriers that people with disabilities encounter every day. WTS Maine is proud to partner with MaineDOT to create opportunities like this that build empathy, strengthen our profession, and inspire us to think differently about how we plan, design, and deliver transportation projects across Maine.” Other sessions were hosted by representatives from Alpha One and the Maine Department of Labor’s Bureau of Rehabilitation Services. Participants used wheelchairs, knee scooters, rollator walkers, crutches, and umbrella strollers to experience how physical features of the transportation system can affect mobility, safety, and independence. The use of a range of devices also underscored that accessible transportation benefits a broad range of users, including people with disabilities, older adults, people recovering from injuries, caregivers, and families traveling with young children. “This training reflected the value of bringing transportation professionals together with disability advocates, mobility specialists, and people with lived experience,” said Theresa Savoy, MaineDOT ADA Transportation Coordinator. “By learning directly from accessibility experts and experiencing real-world conditions, participants can better recognize barriers and help create transportation systems that work for everyone.” The event reinforced MaineDOT’s commitment to integrating accessibility throughout its work and to building strong partnerships with organizations that serve and represent people with disabilities. Lessons from the training will help inform ongoing efforts to improve pedestrian infrastructure and ensure that Maine’s transportation system is safe, connected, and accessible for all users.
Maxwell Bridge Project Detour in Litchfield
Maxwell Bridge Project Detour in Litchfield | Maine Department of Transportation Home Skip to top navigation Skip to side navigation Skip to content Skip to footer Maxwell Bridge Project Detour in Litchfield 10/08/2025 LITCHFIELD – The Maine Department of Transportation will be performing work on the Maxwell Bridge over Maggoty Meadow Brook for up to thirty days to replace the precast concrete box culvert starting on October 8. The work is expected to be completed by November 4. Richmond Road (Route 197) will be open to local traffic. Upper Pond Road will be closed to through traffic. Message boards will be used to alert drivers of the detour and closure. Drivers should follow posted detour signs. The contractor on this project is Shaw Brothers Construction, Inc. of Gorham, Maine. The contract amount is $826,611.
Overnight Ramp Closures in Brunswick
Overnight Ramp Closures in Brunswick | Maine Department of Transportation Home Skip to top navigation Skip to side navigation Skip to content Skip to footer Overnight Ramp Closures in Brunswick 10/08/2025 BRUNSWICK – The Maine Department of Transportation will be closing three ramps in Brunswick overnight on October 8, 2025, from 9:00 PM to 6:00 AM. The southbound off ramp to Cooks Corner, the southbound off ramp to Route 196 West, and the northbound on ramp to Route 1 North from Cooks Corner will be closed for maintenance. Closures will be clearly marked with signs and cones. The closure will last for one night. Drivers traveling southbound on Route 1 from Bath to Cooks Corner will use the New Meadow Road Exit and connect to Bath Road to reach Cooks Corner or remain on Route 1 and exit on Ramp B (Main Street) and use Main Street to Mason St, to the Route 1 North on ramp and use the Cooks Corner exit. Drivers traveling southbound to Route 196 West will continue South on Route 1 to Ramp B (Main St). From there, drivers should take Maine Street to Mason St, To the Route 1 North on ramp and use Ramp C to Route 196 West. Drivers traveling from Cooks Corner to Route 1 North should use Bath Road to New Meadows Road to Route 1 North. These closures are part of an ongoing highway rehabilitation project. The project covers an area that begins 0.17 miles east of Cushing Street and extends east for 3.02 miles, as well as 0.70 miles west of Old Bath Road and extending west for 3.39 miles. All local approaches and ramps are included in this work, which consists of pavement milling, hot mix asphalt overlay, and safety improvements. The contractor on this project is Coastal Road Repair of Westbrook, Maine. The contract amount is $15,544,396.25.
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