Twenty-one years ago, I was working in the woods, out of cell phone range and miles away from the closest television. It seems like a lifetime ago — I had just graduated from the University of Maine at Fort Kent, celebrated my 29th birthday and had never stepped foot in the Statehouse as an elected official.
Summer is well underway, as is potato season in Aroostook County. Farming is a critical part of Maine’s character and economy.
When the Legislature established the Maine Veterans’ Homes back in 1977, the state made a commitment to the men and women serving in our nation’s armed forces — a commitment to repay their service by making sure they would be cared for in their later years.
All Mainers deserve the same access to justice and legal representation, regardless of where they live. But in Aroostook County and other rural parts of the state, access to legal representation has reached a breaking point.
As 2021 officially comes to a close, it’s hard not to look back and reflect upon this past year — all the ups, the downs and everything in between.
To truly honor Maine veterans, we must match our words of profound gratitude with action. It’s why my colleagues and I in the Maine Legislature continue to prioritize legislation that supports our veterans, servicemen and women and their families, and Gold Star Families.
Maine people should be the ones who set the political agenda in Augusta and D.C., not well-paid lobbyists, special interests or political hacks. But we know that this isn’t always the case.
Most parents want their children to work hard, pay attention in school, graduate and create a life for themselves not too far from home. However, it’s becoming more difficult to make that dream a reality in Aroostook County.
About 9,000 Mainers get the horrible news that they have some form of cancer every year. In 2016, one of those Mainers was a young woman in Limestone, who learned that she had breast cancer.
Now that the dust has settled on the election, I want to say that it’s truly an honor to represent the good people of northern Aroostook County in the Maine Senate. I know I say this often but it’s because election after election I’m just blown away by your support.