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Tag: Opinion

  • Written in Granite: Homelessness again on Nashua’s agenda Tuesday

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    When enough is enough. Has the city of Nashua reached this point?

    The growing homeless encampments popping up across the Gate City have been dominating headlines. And people seem split on what should be done.

    The latest challenge concerns the largest homeless encampment located on Nashua’s west side in the Millyard by the Pine Street Extension (about 80 people). A man living at the encampment was arraigned on second-degree assault charges for allegedly strangling a woman and threatening her with a knife near busy Pine Street and Veterans Memorial Parkway.

    Homelessness is not going away, but how can the crisis be stemmed?

    Last Tuesday evening, the Government Committee on Infrastructure met at City Hall. Mayor Jim Donchess, several aldermen and other city officials sat down trying to hammer out a thoughtful, proper approach. The room was filled with concerned citizens who took their turn at the podium.

    Cynthia Whitaker, the president and CEO of Greater Nashua Mental Health, asked the committee and the Mayor to use humane and respectful approaches rather than punitive ones. She delivered perhaps the most poignant message of the evening:

    “We’re asking people to be invisible without giving them anywhere to go.”

    “We cannot simply remove camping and parking without providing sustainable options,” Whitaker explained. Police enforcement is costly and without alternatives, “It doesn’t reduce homelessness; it merely moves people from one location to another, often into more dangerous and isolating situations, where it becomes harder for outreach workers to connect them with the services they need.”

    A few months ago, an encampment developed in Ward 1 along Celina Avenue, consisting of individuals sheltering inside a row of campers and trailers parked along the road. Nashua Police had their hands full, towing five to seven unregistered vehicles at any time and then having to find holding space in the city for these large, disabled vehicles.

    The committee voted to recommend imposing a 2-hour parking limit on Celina Avenue to prevent another encampment from developing in an area where multiple companies are trying to operate their businesses.

    As far as prohibiting camping on public property and giving Nashua Police the authority to enforce the ban, Mayor Donchess says the police need the tools to do something now.

    Donchess says the city is in the process of establishing a resource center for the homeless, but in the meantime, Nashua and the rest of Granite State cities and towns don’t get much financial help. “The city of Lowell receives $258 million annually of school aid and $30 million of general aid,” the Mayor explained.

    “Nashua receives about 20% of that amount… It’s different here. The state gives us nothing for the homeless, no general aid, no support, no help. We don’t have the resources to spend $10 to $20 million a year on any new project.”

    Donchess told the crowd he understands the need to treat all individuals with humanity, but “Are we treating the people at the Pine Street Extension with humanity when we let that situation exist?”

    Ward 5 Alderman Ernest Jette is against the ordinance. The longtime attorney says, “These citations are pieces of paper; they don’t have the money. How are they going to pay?” Jette asked. “Not all the homeless are criminals. Let the homeless who are not violating any laws, not a threat to anyone, live peacefully. Don’t remove the homeless people from the only place they have to live.”

    The full aldermanic board will vote on these measures at its next meeting on Oct. 28.

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    Joan T. Stylianos

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  • Scott Bessent is wrong. Tariffs are taxes that hurt Americans.

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    If U.S. tariffs on imports raise prices on American consumers, should we care if the government calls them taxes or fees?

    Throughout his time as Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent has regularly fought against claims that the tariffs adored by his boss, President Donald Trump, are really just taxes on consumers.

    “Tariffs are a surcharge, not a tax,” Bessent told a reporter this week. “They could be paid by the exporter, they could be paid by the country.”

    Bessent likely thinks that’s a great point, but he shouldn’t drop the mic just yet. Regardless of the word games, Americans are suffering from the end result.

    We are paying higher prices as a result of Trump’s tariffs. According to analysis from the Tax Foundation, Trump’s tariffs have raised consumer prices by 4.9 percentage points.

    We’re paying more so the word games matter little, but Bessent does have an interest in calling tariffs fees. Fees are much more politically palatable (though I have no idea why) and the matter is before the U.S. Supreme Court.

    But make no mistake: tariffs are taxes.

    When it is a broad-based sales tax, the tax is levied when the goods are purchased by the consumer. When it is a tax on imports (e.g. a tariff) the tax is levied when the importer takes possession of the goods.

    Just like sales taxes, the ultimate burden of tariffs can theoretically be paid by the consumers or the foreign manufacturer. Previous experience has demonstrated, however, that they’re mostly paid by American consumers, which is why prices on imports keep going up.

    Bessent should know all this and is simply towing the party line.

    “When you go and get your driver license, you pay a fee,” Bessent added. “Is that a tax?”

    Debating the meaning of taxes and fees might be an ok rhetorical strategy, but invoking the DMV is not. Not only does this give listeners PTSD remembering the last painful visit to one of the least popular American government institutions, it also reminds us that the government has its hand in our wallets at every turn.

    Apparently, it’s not enough that our tax dollars fund DMV operations; we need to pay additional charges as well. What is that ID charge for, exactly? To fund something I already funded?

    It makes no sense, and neither do tariffs.

    We’re told regularly that tariffs are essential to stop other countries from ripping off Americans. So the solution is for America to rip off Americans instead?

    Not only are tariffs at least partially passed through to consumers, but, as the Tax Foundation points out, tariffs hurt in indirect ways as well.

    When the cost of imports rise, American firms and consumers might switch to cheaper, domestically-available substitutes. But the makers of these alternatives have an incentive to increase prices to stay competitive with the tariffed imports. That’s assuming that there is a cheaper substitute.

    One recent study of the effect of tariffs on the cost of wine imports published by a team of economists in the National Bureau of Economic Research found that the cost of bottles of wine exceeded the cost of the tariff even when the tariff itself wasn’t entirely passed on to consumers.

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    Matt Fleming

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  • These DPS incumbent candidates don’t support school choice (Opinion)

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    As former members of the Denver Public Schools Board of Education, we have long respected the complexity and responsibility of serving on the board. It is a demanding and often thankless role. Yet, the gravity of our district’s challenges and the content of the Denver Post editorial from September 28, 2025, compel us to speak out.

    The editorial referenced “some candidates running for the Denver Board of Education who would rather see the district’s world-class lottery system go away,” and accused them of wanting to “keep the best schools in Denver a secret.” Let’s be clear: the three incumbents — Scott Esserman, Xóchitl Gaytán, and Michelle Quattlebaum — have led efforts to dismantle school choice in Denver. They have also collaborated with the Superintendent to only publicize the positive results and limit public access to negative school performance data especially among low income students. The public deserves to see the disaggregated achievement by race, ethnicity, and income.

    Despite campaigning on promises of transparency and accountability, the incumbents’ actions have too often produced the opposite. The current board has made critical decisions behind closed doors, minimized authentic community engagement, and failed to deliver measurable improvement for Denver’s students.

    This November, Denver voters have the opportunity to elect four new board members who will restore integrity, transparency, and student-centered decision-making. These candidates–Mariana del Hierro (District 2), Caron Blanke (District 3), Timiya Jackson (District 4), and Alex Magaña (At-Large)—represent the best of Denver’s civic and educational leadership. Two are accomplished educators, and two bring executive management experience
    rooted in community service. Collectively, they are prepared to govern responsibly and help rebuild a system that prioritizes student success above all else.

    The data tell a sobering story. While 75% of white students in DPS are proficient in reading, only 30% or fewer Black, Latino, and low-income students meet grade-level expectations–a gap that continues to widen. In mathematics, the disparities are even starker, with up to 80% of students from these groups performing below grade level.

    Standardized scores are not the only indicator of educational health, but they are an important one. Denver Public Schools has not returned to pre-pandemic levels of achievement and, alarmingly, has no clear plan to get there. The current leadership has failed to set ambitious goals, measure progress transparently, or hold itself accountable for student outcomes.

    It is deeply concerning that a board responsible for $1.5 billion in taxpayer funds, 90,000 students, and 15,000 employees demonstrates so little urgency or accountability. Under this leadership, Denver students have fallen even farther behind academically, socially, and emotionally.

    This election offers a turning point. Denver voters can choose leaders who bring urgency, competence, and a clear sense of responsibility to public education. Blanke, del Hierro, Jackson, and Magaña are ready to collaborate with the Superintendent on an aggressive, student-centered plan to raise achievement and restore public confidence.
    The pandemic presented an opportunity to reimagine a district that works for every child. The current board–and the incumbents seeking reelection—failed that test. Denver cannot afford another generation of lost potential.

    This November, we urge voters to support new leadership committed to transparency, accountability, and the belief that every Denver student deserves the opportunity to learn, thrive, and succeed.

    Elaine Gantz Berman, Theresa Peña and Mary Seawell are all former elected directors of the Denver Public Schools Board of Education.

    Sign up for Sound Off to get a weekly roundup of our columns, editorials and more.

    To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail.

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    Elaine Gantz Berman, Theresa Peña, Mary Seawell

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  • Ballot measure would broaden reform of California’s key environmental law

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    Former Gov. Jerry Brown once referred to overhauling the California Environmental Quality Act as “the Lord’s work” because, he said, it made building much-needed things — housing, transportation improvements, water storage, etc. — too difficult and too expensive.

    In 2018, as he neared the end of his second stint as governor, Brown vetoed a bill that would have prevented developers from circumventing CEQA’s laborious provisions by persuading local voters to directly approve projects.

    It was one of hundreds of legislative measures CEQA’s defenders — environmental groups primarily — and its critics have proposed in the nearly half-century since then-Gov. Ronald Reagan signed CEQA in 1970.

    “Instead of the piecemeal approach taken in this bill, I prefer a more comprehensive CEQA review, which takes into account both the urgent need for more housing and thoughtful environmental analysis,” Brown said in vetoing the bill.

    However during his 16 years in the governorship, Brown did virtually nothing to make the fundamental changes he said were needed. CEQA reform was in a political stalemate and, without that “comprehensive review,” governors and legislators have been dealing with the law’s impacts on a case-by-case basis.

    Projects that had heavyweight backing — professional sports venues in particular — and the Legislature’s own Capitol construction project could get relief from CEQA’s requirements.

    In more recent years, during Gavin Newsom’s governorship, the state’s housing shortage became a frontline political issue. CEQA became a contentious aspect of it as Newsom and legislators enacted numerous bills to remove or reduce procedural barriers to construction.

    Pro-housing groups saw CEQA as a tool development opponents were using to delay or kill projects and that construction unions were misusing to compel developers to employ their members.

    Newsom, whose 2018 campaign promises to jump-start housing construction had not borne much fruit, took up the cause of reforming CEQA. A few months ago, in a bill attached to the state budget, he and legislators enacted a major overhaul of the law’s application to housing, particularly high-density, multi-family projects.

    “Saying ‘no’ to housing in my community will no longer be state sanctioned,” said Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, an Oakland Democrat who is one of state’s the most pro-housing legislators. “This isn’t going to solve all of our housing problems in the state, but it is going to remove the single biggest impediment to building environmentally friendly housing.”

    The law’s passage raises another question: Would it be a one-off, or the beginning of a more sweeping change in CEQA that would make other, non-housing projects easier to build?

    The California Chamber of Commerce hopes it will be the latter and recently unveiled a ballot measure for the 2026 election that would make it happen. In the main the measure would, if approved by voters, tighten up and streamline the processes for environmental reviews for “essential projects.”

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    Dan Walters

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  • Vote “No” on Denver’s bonds to reject irresponsible debt (Letters)

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    Vote “No” on Denver’s bonds to reject irresponsible debt

    After reading my ballot, I researched previous bonds that were passed by voters. The Rise Denver bond in 2021 was $260 million, and the Elevate Denver Bond in 2017 was $937 million. I added up the 2A to 2E bonds this year, and the total is up to $950 million. The total for all of these bonds adds up to more than $2 billion.

    The debt repayment for the current bonds is about $1.9 billion. The ballot states, “without imposing any new tax,” but that is not completely correct. The reason is that all these bonds are paid through commercial and residential property taxes in Denver County. The mill levy could go down if voters say no, and if voters say yes it also could have to increase to pay for these billions of dollars if property values decrease. Denver County is where I live, and expenses have gone significantly higher this year. Why do we keep adding to the bond debts? We should not vote to increase the county’s debt.

    Pete Hackett, Denver

    Denver clerk errs in leaving out information on ballot issues

    Did I hear that correctly?

    Denver’s “Ballot Issue Notice” does not provide any information about three matters: 2F, 2G and 310.  I called Denver’s Clerk and Elections Office to ask why the omissions. I was told two things: 1) Those three ballot issues have no fiscal impact on government, so applicable law does not require their inclusion in the notice. 2) Due to “budget cuts,” it was decided not to address them in the notice.  Then, I was informed that I could garner information about them at denvervotes.org.

    Denver voters expect the notice each year to address all matters on the ballot. The current notice does not highlight that 2F, 2G and 310 are not included and does not highlight denvervotes.org as a source of information about them.

    I have no way of learning how much money was “saved” by excluding these ballot matters. What I do know is that it would have been money well spent.

    Vic Reichman, Denver

    Trump’s cuts to education funding risk America’s future

    Re: “Federal government’s cuts cost state colleges millions,” Oct. 9 news story

    As an educator, I was saddened to read: “Trump administration cuts grants to Colorado colleges serving high percentage of diverse students,” October 9.

    Every American, regardless of race, gender or religious persuasion, should have the opportunity to realize their natural potential via education. Yet, there are wide swaths of America that are not properly educating students and where students are just unable to succeed for economic or other reasons. As a result, America is not producing sufficient STEM graduates to sustain, let alone grow, America’s high level of technology upon which we all heavily depend for our economy, well-being and national defense.

    On top of that, President Donald Trump has made it significantly more challenging for foreign students (who would often pursue STEM careers) to enter American schools.

    Given the fact that the president is seeking to reindustrialize America, I would like to ask him from where will the required scientists, engineers, technicians, doctors and other highly educated specialists come? America is now in crisis as we seek to pay down our $37 trillion debt and stay competitive internationally. One way to do this would be to encourage and help all groups of Americans — particularly those who are underrepresented in STEM (as an untapped talent pool) — to pursue STEM careers. Persecuting and defunding schools that seek to help underrepresented students succeed and contribute to America’s recovery is absolutely the wrong thing to do.

    Education is the only hope for the next generation of Americans to move forward.

    Michael Pravica, Henderson, Nevada

    If the U.S. doesn’t support Ukraine, we are complicit in its destruction

    Recent news articles galvanized my thought that America is sleepwalking while Ukraine is fighting for survival against Russia’s genocidal invasion. We need to take a moment to answer the question: Are we really supporting Ukraine to win? It is in America’s interest that Ukraine is successful. Our future prosperity, and that of our children, depends on what we do right now.

    Either the United States supports Ukraine to win, or we will be complicit in its destruction. Such complicity will damage national security by strengthening enemies, driving away allies, harming international trade, increasing nuclear proliferation, encouraging new wars of territorial conquest, and ending America’s role as leader of the free world. There will be less stability and fewer allies within the West, investments abroad will be less safe, and the entire West will be less prosperous. Therefore, what all of us should strive for in Ukraine is not peace at any price, because that will be bad for all countries, but a future that makes Ukraine, America, and the West stronger by making its enemies weaker.

    Take a moment to consider our future and then do what you feel is best: take up a keyboard and send a note, pick up a pen and write your political leadership, sit down with friends or family and discuss this letter, or pull out your checkbook, but just do something now. History will judge what we do today; which side will you be on?

    Arthur Ives, Highlands Ranch

    Don’t just give away national forest lands

    Should our beloved but flat-broke White River National Forest sell an asset worth more than half its annual budget or just give that asset away?

    Retired White River National Forest Supervisor Scott Fitzwilliams’ 2021 plan to effectively donate 832 acres surrounding Sweetwater Lake to Colorado Parks and Wildlife for the creation of a state park might have made sense prior to DOGE’s cuts to the forest service’s budget. It also might have made sense before the $23,860,000 Derby Fire burned 5,453 acres in the national forest  just one mile east of the lake.

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    DP Opinion

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  • DAVID MARCUS: Trump’s ballroom is no vanity project, it’s about American grandeur

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    NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

    The Democrats, or Socialists, or whatever they are these days, are hopping mad over President Donald Trump’s construction of a ballroom in the East Wing of the White House, and while it may be their silliest freakout of the entire Trump era, it is also quite telling.

    The ladies on ABC’s “The View” were apoplectic when they saw images of demolition, a fairly ordinary way to begin renovations, at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. They echoed one-time resident Hillary Clinton’s complaint that Trump doesn’t own the White House, even taking to song about it.

    A McCrery Architects rendering provided by the White House of the exterior of the new ballroom. (White House)

    What makes this argument so absurd, is that Trump is not building this ballroom for his personal use or glory. It’s not a vanity project. It is a long-considered addition to an executive home that lacked the capacity to hold large indoor events.

    Trump, as has always been his wont, is looking to create grandeur, and that seems to be something to which leftists reflexively object.

    TRUMP BREAKS GROUND ON MASSIVE WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM PROJECT WITH PRIVATE FUNDING FROM ‘PATRIOTS’

    Trump is obviously not the first president to renovate the White House. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt put in a swimming pool. His successor, President Harry Truman, practically gutted the place to add a balcony. President Nixon covered the swimming pool but added a bowling alley. Finally, President Obama transformed the tennis court into a basketball court.

    Note that these are all changes that were made to serve the respective president’s personal taste or enjoyment, like a Roman emperor adding a water feature to his personal dining area.

    What Trump is doing is completely different. The ballroom he is constructing will likely survive as a symbol of American power long after we are all gone. It will be, in a sense, our generation’s contribution to the people’s home.

    TRUMP CELEBRATES WHITE HOUSE DEMOLITION AS NEW BALLROOM RISES: ‘MUSIC TO MY EARS’

    Trump wants this venue, this symbol of America, to be grand and classically inspired, a timeless marble monument to a United States that emerged from the 20th century as the world’s only super power.

    And in a way, this is part of what the left objects to, not just in regard to the White House project, but to Trump’s proposed new arch in Washington, D.C., and great statuaries of American heroes, not to mention the recent massive military parade.

    white house ballroom

    A McCrery Architects rendering provided by the White House of the new ballroom. (The White House)

    In the post-Cold War era, part of America’s international style and sensibility was to be understated. Like the star quarterback who is also a model and a chess prodigy, we learned not to rub it in.

    HILLARY CLINTON FIRES UP VOTERS AGAINST TRUMP’S WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM CONSTRUCTION: ‘NOT HIS HOUSE”

    In that time, very little public art or architecture was done on a grand and classic scale, and in more recent times, our society has been so hellbent on taking statues and monuments down, that we gave little thought to putting them up.

    Trump instinctively understands that in 2025, America may still be the world’s only superpower, but not by so hegemonic a distance as in the recent past. China, among others have been catching up, and the “aw, shucks” attitude of the past needs some adjusting.

    World leaders as well those on public White House tours should have their breath taken away when they walk into the presidential ballroom. Such displays are as old as nations themselves, from the pyramids to the Coliseum, it’s nothing to be ashamed of.

    HILLARY CLINTON MOCKED FOR 2001 FURNITURE SCANDAL AMID TRUMP BALLROOM MELTDOWN: ‘AT LEAST HE DIDN’T STEAL’

    Though this expansion of the White House would be well worth taxpayer money, Trump has found a way to build it with private donations, as well as his own funds. Still the left is throwing a fit. Why?

    White House demolition for new ballroom

    The White House has started tearing down part of the East Wing to build the ballroom President Donald Trump wants added to the building. Demolition started Monday. (The Associated Press)

    Recent polling showed that only 36% of Democrats are very, or even just somewhat, proud of America. This being the case, it’s easy to understand why they object to building testaments to its power and glory.

    What Democrats and socialists are really objecting to here is not that Trump’s ballroom celebrates himself, it’s that his ballroom unabashedly celebrates America.

    Fifty years from now, when King George VII of Great Britain dines at the White House, people will little remember that it was built by Trump, even if all the gold leaf remains. By then, it will simply be a great piece of American architecture we can all be proud of.

    CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

    Americans want and deserve a big, beautiful ballroom for their nation’s executive mansion, and there has never been a president more capable of delivering it than our real estate mogul-in-chief.

    Liberals can stamp their feet in anger all they want. But the ballroom is going to be built, and eventually, most of them will come to appreciate it.

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  • Family Recipe Box: Eating healthy and avoiding plastics

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    Harvest season is underway, and if we’re not eating more healthy food right now, lord knows how we’ll fare in February and its cavalcade of mealy citrus and wilted greens. I’ve written about salads in previous columns, but this week’s Family Recipe Box takes a strategic view towards that collation which can range from iceberg minimal to smorgasbordian.

    The “Salad Bar” was an innovation of the 1970s and an offshoot of the “back to the land” movement. As women entered the workforce during the second wave of feminism, restaurant owners hit upon a dining opportunity to attract them: the bistro featuring a “light lunch.” Whether it was crepes (remember The Magic Pan in Boston?) soups or salads, restaurants for mid-day weekday dining began to expand from the classic steakhouse model (two martinis, french fries and steak flopping over the platter).

    Decades ago, there was a delightful chain called “Souper Salad” in the greater Boston area. I used to go to the restaurant in Harvard Square. The central attraction was a 30-foot long banquet table with dozens of bowls of greens, veggies, fruits and fixings.

    Coming to the big city from little old Lunenburg and beholding this masterpiece was mind-boggling. The centerpiece of salad bars back home was an aluminum platter of chopped up iceberg lettuce, rough cut cucumbers with the skins left on, and fridge-stiff tomatoes alongside beakers of Italian and Roquefort dressing.

    The Souper Salad presentation had many items I’d never seen before such as chickpeas, and varieties of lettuce. So many colors of pepper — diced red cabbage, and tiny florets of broccoli, plus add-ons like hard-boiled eggs and bacon bits. This is the era when “macrobiotic” was an extreme form of vegetarianism, and the health benefits of brown rice versus white rice were starting to be discussed.

    What I loved about Souper Salad (which was not cheap, by the way) was that all the salad components were washed, peeled, chopped, and ready to be combined. It’s very satisfying to contemplate a colorful array of raw vegetables that need only to be scooped into a bowl. But that’s always 20 minutes — or longer — after the time one gets the urge for a salad.

    A little work, a lot of sides

    Thus, Family Recipe Box presents the “Three Day Salad,” where you do all the work, but get at least a couple of meals, or a few days worth of sides. The trick is making the salad for a container of a specific size — and remembering to eat your salad on sequential days, so it doesn’t sulk in the fridge and turn brown.

    We like the 1.5-quart rectangular glass boxes with snap-plastic lids which can be found at Ocean State Job Lot for under $10. These will keep your salad crispy, and reduce the amount of plastic involved in meal preparation.

    Speaking of plastic — are you as anxious about the unseen and deadly world of nano-plastics as I am? For those just tuning in, news about the detrimental effects of nano-plastics has been going on for a few years. In 2024, National Institute of Health reported that “Researchers developed an imaging technique that detected thousands of tiny bits of plastic in common single-use bottles of water.”

    The study continued to explain that “plastics are a part of our everyday lives, and plastic pollution is a growing concern. When plastics break down over time, they can form smaller particles called microplastics, which are 5 mm or less in length — smaller than a sesame seed. Microplastics, in turn, can break down into even smaller pieces called nanoplastics, which are less than 1 μm in size. Unable to be seen with the naked eye, these are small enough to enter the body’s cells and tissues.”

    Now if that isn’t plot fodder for a Stephen King novel, I don’t know what is. What’s more ghastly is that the nanoplastics can apparently migrate throughout the organs, blood, and body, and can cross the blood/brain and placental barriers.

    So last year, I reviewed the worn collection of faux-Tupperware in the larder, and a dinged-up collection of water-bottles and purchased some small thick-walled glass bottles and snap-top glass containers. These may weigh a little more, but not as heavily as nanoplastics weigh on my mind.

    Three-Day Salad for 1.5 quart container

    INGREDIENTS:

    6 leaves Romaine

    2 plum tomatoes

    Half a cucumber

    radishes

    peppers

    hard-boiled egg diced

    toasted walnuts

    1/4 cup Craisins

    diced orange

    ripe avocado

    DIRECTIONS:

    Wash your greens, and slice cucumbers and radishes into half-circles. Put together, and take out 1/3 for the salad you are eating right now.

    Notes: If you are adding avocado, make sure you eat it on the first day. The philosophy of the three-day salad is that you do not need to make a salad on the second and third day because you have a salad. And by the fourth day, you’re probably ready to have cooked vegetables with your meal.

    You don’t need fancy lettuce either — romaine does just fine. (SALLY CRAGIN)
    Having a pre-made salad is literally money in the bank. (SALLY CRAGIN)
    Having a pre-made salad is literally money in the bank. (SALLY CRAGIN)

    One helpful household hint

    When you are making a salad, whether a “Three Day” or other variety, tear, rather than slice your greens. They will not go brown as quickly.

    Sally Cragin would love to read your family recipes and stories. Write to: sallycragin@gmail.com

    Sally Cragin is an award-winning writer/journalist and Fitchburg City Councilor-at-Large. (CHERYL CUDDAHY)
    Sally Cragin is an award-winning writer/journalist and Fitchburg City Councilor-at-Large. (CHERYL CUDDAHY)

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    Sally Cragin

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  • Opinion | A Mamdani Mayoralty Threatens New York’s Jews

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    By propagating lies about ‘occupation,’ ‘apartheid’ and ‘genocide,’ he helps promote antisemitism.

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    Elisha Wiesel

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  • Letters: Trump succeeds in Mideast where diplomats have failed

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    Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.

    Trump succeeds
    where diplomats failed

    Re: “Trump must be a disrupter in the Middle East” (Page A7, Oct. 16):

    The writer seems to think that Donald Trump isn’t up to the task of dealing with the problems in the Middle East because he went to business school, not the School of Foreign Service. Well, all of those people who went to the right schools don’t seem to have done very well in the Middle East.

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  • Editorial: Vote no on Santa Clara County Measure A sales tax increase

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    The Medicaid cuts in President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” will squeeze Santa Clara County health care funding. But raising local taxes is not the solution.

    Instead, county supervisors should stem their rapidly escalating spending, which has doubled in the past eight years and ranks highest per capita by far of the 10 largest California counties.

    And voters should reject Measure A, the five-year sales tax increase on the Nov. 4 special election ballot that has been in the planning stages since long before Trump won reelection.

    The measure would add another five-eighths of a cent to each dollar of taxable goods, pushing the total rate to 10% or more in most of the county.

    State data indicates that the average person in the county currently pays at least $1,700 a year in sales tax, which is distributed between state and local governments. Measure A would increase that by at least $113 annually.

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    Mercury News Editorial

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  • I spent three months in jail because a prosecutor hid evidence of my fiance’s suicide (Opinion)

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    Tragically, in 2019, my fiancée took her own life. What began as one of the most heartbreaking, devastating experiences of my life, turned into an unending nightmare. The police arrested me after I called 911 because they believed we had been arguing. But then, with scant investigation, prosecutors immediately charged me with murder and imprisoned me for 72 days without bail.

    A jury eventually found me not guilty, but only after my attorney learned a prosecutor purposefully withheld evidence exonerating me. That may be unimaginable in America — but it happened to me. And when it did, I learned the hard truth: prosecutors (unlike almost any other lawyer or professional) enjoy absolute immunity, meaning both the wrongly accused and victims of crime have no recourse, and prosecutors cannot be sued for the damage they cause.

    I learned firsthand that when attorneys fail to fulfill their oaths of office, just like a doctor or police officer, the consequences can be dire – even life-ending. This becomes even more egregious when that failure is purposeful, yet not all attorneys are held equal under the law.

    I was wrongly incarcerated and prosecuted, even though the forensic pathologist refused to rule my fiance’s death a homicide. Only weeks after my arrest — while I remained behind bars — Denver’s own chief deputy crime lab director and the lead Denver homicide detective advised the prosecutor of their opinions that the death was not a homicide, but a suicide. Even though the prosecutor knew this critical information that would have exonerated me, the prosecutor purposefully withheld this information from myself and my defense team for nearly 8 months. I was eventually acquitted only after these opinions were forcibly revealed in response to a court order.

    Who was that prosecutor? Chief Deputy Dan Cohen from the Denver District Attorney’s office. The judge, clearly outraged, issued a sanction allowing my lawyer to cross-examine the witnesses about their favorable opinions — but otherwise faced no consequences. His law license remained intact, and his boss excused the behavior.

    Imagine my outrage and disappointment when I read a recent Denver Post article covering judges dismissing other cases in which Chief Deputy Daniel Cohen failed to disclose critical and favorable evidence to the accused. In the most recent case, this was again not a clerical oversight or an isolated misstep. In fact, the judge in the case ruled, “At this point in time, I can’t find that it’s anything other than willful given the number of times this issue has been addressed with this particular counsel.” The Post article pointed out that there have been at least seven other discovery violations committed by the Denver District Attorney’s Office since February of 2025.

    These are real Coloradan’s lives on the line. Yet the wrongly accused, like myself, have no recourse to hold prosecutors accountable.

    This story shows that even when judges grow frustrated with prosecutors’ misconduct, their tools are limited. They can allow broader cross-examination or dismiss a case — but they cannot punish the prosecutor. The repeated violations we see prove that these sanctions, while appropriate, do little to deter misconduct. And with Mr. Cohen still abusing his power five years after egregiously breaking the rules in my case, it’s clear the Denver District Attorney’s office isn’t imposing serious discipline either.

    Prosecutors are the most powerful lawyers in America. They decide who to criminally charge, when and what crimes to allege, whether to offer leniency, what evidence to turn over and what sentence to pursue. As I now personally understand, they have an immense amount of power to impact the lives and families of both the guilty and the innocent.

    Given this power, you’d expect prosecutors to be held to higher standards of accountability. Instead, the opposite is true. Misconduct is brushed off as business as usual, denied and excused at every turn, and much of it never comes to light.  Even when caught red-handed, prosecutors keep their jobs and their law licenses, shielded from any liability for damage they cause. In any other profession, mine included as an architect, such deliberate abuses would end a career.

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    Micah Kimball

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  • Opinion | Russia’s Weakness Is Trump’s Opportunity

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    Having just commemorated two years since Oct. 7, 2023, we’re now approaching another grim anniversary—Feb. 24, four years since Russia invaded Ukraine. For all of President Trump’s shortcomings, he deserves credit for recognizing that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was vulnerable after having overreached by bombing Qatar. The president leveraged Bibi’s weakness to force a cease-fire. Russia is in a similarly vulnerable position after the failure of its third offensive against Ukraine, yet Mr. Trump has failed to exploit this weakness. This raises the question: Why is Mr. Trump reluctant to take advantage of Vladimir Putin’s helplessness?

    In February, Mr. Trump berated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky: “You don’t have the cards.” Yet from nearly every angle and measure, it’s Russia whose hand is weak. Mr. Putin is more vulnerable today than at any point in his three decades on the global stage. Either Mr. Trump’s sixth sense for using leverage is failing him, or some strange fondness for the Russian president’s strongman persona is preventing him from appreciating the strategic opportunity that lies before him.

    Copyright ©2025 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8

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  • Beyond misperception: A renewed Korean democracy and a renewed alliance

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    It has been a turbulent yet inspiring year for Koreans. A declaration of martial law last winter plunged the nation into uncertainty, but what followed was not chaos – it was the reaffirmation of a people’s unshakable faith in democracy. 

    The “Revolution of Light,” culminating in the peaceful election of a new government, reminded the world that the Republic of Korea’s constitutional order rests not on the will of any ruler, but on the collective conscience of its citizens. 

    Some observers abroad have mistaken the intensity of Korea’s political transition for fragility or deviation from democratic norms. In truth, such intensity is the very pulse of democracy itself. Our debates are often fierce, our elections passionately contested, yet our institutions endure. That resilience – born of experience, sacrifice, and civic discipline – is Korea’s greatest democratic asset.

    President Donald Trump greets South Korean President Lee Jae Myung upon his arrival at the White House on Aug. 25, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Chen Mengtong/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images)

    Since taking office, President Lee Jae Myung has acted swiftly to reinforce the foundations of democracy at home and to renew the Republic of Korea’s partnership with the United States. In word and deed, President Lee has recognized the vital importance of the ROK-U.S. alliance and strengthened pragmatic cooperation with President Donald Trump, and put our interlocking security and economic objectives, and shared values at the heart of his agenda. 

    TRUMP DELIVERED PEACE AND A FUTURE WHERE OTHERS ONLY TALKED

    This approach reflects Korea’s confidence as a mature democracy and responsible global partner. President Lee views the alliance not merely as a legacy of the past, but as a living partnership, adapting to new challenges – from regional security and economic cooperation to advanced future technology.

    This vision was clear at their August summit, where the two leaders spoke with candor and mutual respect, underscoring their shared determination to build what they called a “Future-Oriented Comprehensive Strategic Alliance.” President Trump’s remark, “We’ve gotten along very well,” captured the new tone of trust shaping this alliance. 

    President Lee and the whole of the Korean government have meticulously ensured that even as we focus on restoring our democratic system, we not flail for one second in our responsibilities as friend and ally.  This makes certain commentaries – portraying Korea’s new leadership as undemocratic, illegitimate or even hostile to religion – so bewildering and saddening. Such claims, often repeated in online forums and even on opinion pages, bear little resemblance to facts and hinder our joint efforts for real solutions. 

    HOW TRUMP’S RELENTLESS MIDDLE EAST GAMBLE FINALLY FLIPPED THE SCRIPT

    Let’s set the record straight: The government of the Republic of Korea was democratically elected. President Lee prevailed in a fair and transparent vote recognized around the world for meeting the highest election standards. Neither Korea’s independent judiciary nor its opposition parties objected to the result. 

    Since then, the principles of the rule of law have been scrupulously observed. Ongoing legal proceedings concerning the previous administration’s declaration of martial law and other alleged abuses of power are being conducted by independent prosecutors appointed by the National Assembly – not by the Presidential Office. These legal proceedings demonstrate the rule of law, not the erosion of it.

    Equally unfounded are recent claims that the new government is “anti-Christian.” Such narratives appear to arise from ongoing investigations into bribery allegations involving church funds, but for people familiar with Korea, the notion of prejudice is demonstrably absurd.

    Christianity, along with Buddhism and other faiths, has played an integral role in Korea’s social and cultural life. Christian missionaries helped establish many of the nation’s leading educational and medical institutions, countless Christians sacrificed their lives for Korea’s independence from Japanese colonial rule. 

    THATCHER AT 100: LESSONS IN CIVILITY, STRENGTH AND ENDURING ALLIANCES

    Today, a large share of Korean population identifies as Christian, with millions of both Protestants and Catholics contributing to the fabric of Korean society. These individuals, like people of all faiths, continue to play a vital role in civic life, community service and the pursuit of national unity.

    President Lee himself is a man of Christian faith. He and his administration have the deepest respect for freedom of religion and expression, which our Constitution enshrines. They, like all Koreans, are unambiguously proud of the legacy of Christianity and believe freedom of religion in the Republic of Korea rivals that of any place in the world.

    To portray legitimate, lawful efforts to restore democratic order as a campaign against Christianity is not only misleading, but it undermines Christian legacy and respect for religious freedoms that are central to Korea’s democratic values.

    As Koreans committed to democracy, vigorous debate and even disagreement are more than welcomed. It is what the new Korean government strove so vigorously to safeguard these past four months. But mischaracterizing all that has occurred does nothing to advance mutual understanding or produce real solutions for the Koreans and Americans alike.

    CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION

    The Republic of Korea and the United States have sustained our alliance through eight decades of bravery and sacrifice. Today’s challenges require nothing less. Under President Lee’s government, Americans can be assured that they have a friend and partner who shares core values and is committed to the success of both of our nations. 

    Look no further than their summit on Aug. 25 where the two leaders ushered in the era of a “Future-oriented Comprehensive Strategic Alliance” – one that looks confidently toward a more secure, democratic and prosperous future for both nations. Korea’s story is not one of uncertainty but of conviction: that a free people, tested by history, can renew both their democracy and their alliance with courage and grace. 

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    Hak Jo Kim is public affairs minister for the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Washington, D.C.

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  • With Brightline West in doubt, time to pull the plug on High-Desert Corridor

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    Brightline West, the private high-speed rail line planned for the I-15 median, is facing financial challenges which may prevent it from being completed. These developments raise an obvious question: why is a Southern California government agency spending taxpayer money planning a high-speed rail service to connect with a train that may never be built?

    The High-Desert Corridor is a 54-mile high-speed rail line intended to connect Palmdale with Victorville at a cost last estimated to be between $5.8 and $6.6 billion, but likely to be a multiple of that. Connecting car-oriented cities with respective populations of 167,000 and 141,000 only makes sense if the service also connects to other intercity rail lines.

    At Palmdale, the High-Desert Corridor is supposed to connect with the state-run California High-Speed Rail project, which has been a dubious proposition for quite some time. Even with a new infusion of $15 billion of cap-and-trade funds, the California High-Speed Rail Authority barely has enough money to connect Bakersfield to Merced. If the Authority is able to complete that segment, its next objective appears to be Gilroy in Northern California with an aspirational service date in 2038. Only after that might we expect work to begin on an extension from Bakersfield south to Palmdale.

    By contrast, the Victorville connection to Brightline West seemed like more of a sure thing—until recently. In March, Brightline West raised $2.5 billion on the municipal bond market.  With previous bond proceeds and a Biden-era federal grant, the railroad had raised about half of its $12.4 billion estimated construction cost, putting Brightline in a strong financial position to meet its projected December 2028 start date.

    But today, Brightline West’s prospects are much more doubtful. Management disclosed a new, much higher cost estimate of $21.5 billion when it applied to the Trump Administration for a federal loan. It also added nine months to its project timeline.

    Other developments have cast doubt as to whether Brightline West can raise more money from banks or bond investors. Its Florida-based counterpart missed interest payments and was compelled to offer a 15% yield on new bonds, after it failed to meet ridership and revenue projections.

    The $2.5 billion of Brightline West municipal bond suffered a steep decline in value, plunging to about 85 cents on the dollar in mid-July before rebounding into the low 90s by late August. More recently, with the disclosure of the higher construction cost and delayed completion date, the bonds fell further, trading at 75 cents on October 9. At this price, the Brightline West bonds are yielding 12.7% to maturity reflecting grave (and very understandable) investor doubts about the prospects of repayment.

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    Marc Joffe

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  • Opinion | Gaza Deal Is a Big Win for Trump—but Voters Are Fickle

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    He has secured a place in history, but the midterm elections are another matter.

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    Karl Rove

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  • Opinion | Trump’s Message to Maduro

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    Mary Anastasia O’Grady wonders about President Trump’s motivations for sending military assets to the Caribbean (“Trump’s War Drums in Venezuela,” Americas, Oct. 13). Interception of drug smugglers? Unseating Nicolás Maduro from power? Perhaps another, simpler answer: The ships are there to dissuade the Venezuelan regime from invading oil-rich Guyana next door.

    Em. Prof. Bill Casey

    Copyright ©2025 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8

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  • Trump is using the government shutdown to do something no president has ever done

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    The United States government shutdown drags on, marking a pivotal moment in America’s fiscal and constitutional history. President Donald Trump, the negotiator-in-chief, isn’t blinking. He’s swinging the axe at bloated, Democrat-run bureaucracies that have taken trillions from hardworking Americans for decades. 

    While Nancy Pelosi and her party claim “chaos” and Trump is turning crisis into clarity — freezing $26 billion in blue-state pork, halting green-energy pet projects and directing departments to prepare reduction-in-force plans as part of a broader review of spending and accountability. Those plans are now in motion: the Office of Management and Budget confirmed that federal layoffs have begun, with cuts underway in Health, Homeland Security and Commerce. Washington calls it chaos. I call it a cleanup — a reckoning long overdue in the deep-state swamp. For the first time in modern history, a shutdown isn’t about stalling — it’s about a president reshaping Washington for the people.

    Shutdowns of the past stand in stark contrast to today. Under President Bill Clinton in 1995 and 1996, Washington clashed over how to balance the budget and rein in spending. The government shut down twice for 26 days as parks closed, workers were furloughed and each side blamed the other. It ended with both sides blinking. They struck a compromise that preserved the exact bureaucracy they fought over, and Clinton walked away with higher approval ratings while the deep state remained intact. Even during Trump’s 2018–2019 standoff — the longest in history at 35 days — Washington fell back into the same pattern. The fight over border funding and national security ended in another stalemate, yielding $1.375 billion for 55 miles of fencing, barely funding the wall and no reform to the bloated machine.

    WHITE HOUSE ESCALATES SHUTDOWN CONSEQUENCES AS DEMOCRATS SHOW NO SIGNS OF BUDGING: ‘KAMIKAZE ATTACK’

    For decades, Washington’s playbook during shutdowns has been the same: panic, finger-pointing and a “compromise” that keeps the bureaucracy alive. Washington promoted the lie that when the money stops, the people lose. Trump 2.0 flips the script to show when the right programs are protected and waste is halted, we win. From day one, the administration withheld $26 billion in earmarks for blue-state pet projects, windmills in California, green-energy programs and transit boondoggles in New York, while signaling layoffs in what Trump calls “Democrat agencies.” 

    The administration also ordered federal agencies to prepare reduction-in-force plans, signaling that Trump is willing to fire bureaucrats who treat tax dollars as entitlements. No past president has dared to do that. The message is clear: you are neither entitled to nor guaranteed a job if your mission isn’t constitutional. He gave Democrats every opportunity to come to the table and keep the government working for the people. They refused and now those plans are being executed. “The RIFs have begun,” OMB Director Russ Vought confirmed on X that layoffs are officially underway.

    Trump has already shown he isn’t afraid to act. Earlier this year, he dismissed inspectors general, ordered layoffs at ideological agencies like the National Endowment for the Humanities — which has poured taxpayer dollars into DEI vanity programs — and reduced staff at the EPA and NOAA long before the shutdown began.

    Trump is executing a shutdown plan as an unprecedented audit — one no president has ever attempted. Legal scholars now debate the constitutionality of leveraging a funding lapse for structural reform. For the first time, a president is using a shutdown as a tool for permanent restructuring rather than a negotiation tactic, treating it as a wide-scale audit to align Washington’s priorities with taxpayers rather than its own self-interest.

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    The constitutional implications are profound. Under the Impoundment Control Act of 1974, presidents may defer spending when it isn’t necessary for the immediate execution of the law. Trump is using this authority to pause appropriations to ideological programs that are non-essential. 

    Critics argue this is an unconstitutional “end run” around Congress’s power of the purse. Yet the Constitution’s Article II Take Care Clause vests the president with discretion to “faithfully execute” the laws responsibly — not rubber-stamp wasteful spending. Trump is posing the question: can the executive branch use a shutdown to impose fiscal restraint when Congress refuses to?

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    And there is precedent — thin, but real — tilting in his favor. On September 26, 2025, the Supreme Court granted the administration a stay allowing Trump to withhold nearly $4 billion in foreign aid pending appeal in Department of State v. AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition. The 6–3 order, with liberal justices dissenting, signaled a willingness to let the executive branch exercise broad discretion over deferred funds. While not a final ruling, it gives Trump clear constitutional footing — proof that his deferral strategy is grounded in precedent.

    Democrats call this shutdown coercion, but Trump is using Washington’s dysfunction as a weapon for reform. If Republicans stand firm and refuse to blink, this will mark the beginning of a lean, accountable government that serves Americans rather than the swamp. America is ready for a reckoning. Trump is rebuilding government for the people who built this country.

    Mehek Cooke is an attorney, political strategist and former state and U.S. counterterrorism adviser.

     

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  • Letters to the Editor: Vote ‘yes’ for Shaker Lane School replacement

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    Vote ‘yes’ for Shaker Lane School

    I am a Littleton resident who supports the proposed replacement of Shaker Lane School. The current building, constructed in 1959, no longer meets the needs of modern education, accessibility, or safety.

    Delaying this project is not an option. Without action, the town faces millions in code upgrades, modular classrooms, and maintenance — while students are disrupted and construction costs rise. A “no” vote means paying more later while still failing to meet state requirements for our youngest learners.

    A “yes” vote unlocks a $38.2 million state grant through the Massachusetts School Building Authority, significantly reducing costs to taxpayers. The project includes safeguards: a guaranteed maximum price ensures that cost overruns are the responsibility of the construction manager, not the town.

    A new school means a modern, energy-efficient, and accessible facility designed for future growth — with collaborative classrooms, dedicated art and science spaces, improved ventilation, updated technology, and enhanced safety. It’s an investment in our children’s future.

    Even in a tight economy, voting “yes” is the fiscally responsible choice. The estimated first-year impact is about $719 for the average home, or roughly $60 per month — declining over time, and less than the anticipated cost of repairs and upgrades.

    Attend the community forum on Oct. 18 or the school tour on Oct. 21, then vote “yes” at Town Meeting on Oct. 28 and again on Nov. 1. Our youngest residents can’t vote — let’s do it for them!

    Sean Aherne

    Littleton School Committee Member

    Littleton, MA

    Great letter from Rodney Elliott supporting Artie T.

    I would like to commend Rodney Elliott on his opinion letter on Artie T DeMoulas [which asks the Market Basket Board to allow Artie T. to continue leading the business that is his family’s legacy]. Truer words have never been spoken/written.

    Michael Barros

    Lowell, MA

    School Committee candidate promises to  be ‘reliable, responsive’

    As a candidate for Fitchburg School Committee, I’m running because I believe our schools work best when every voice is heard — and when those elected to represent the community show up, listen, and lead with purpose.

    If elected, I promise to bring consistent attendance, engagement, and accountability to the table. Our School Committee cannot effectively serve students or staff if members aren’t present. I will always show up — prepared, collaborative, and ready to work for our district.

    My priorities are clear: Support staff — ensure that our educators and school employees have the encouragement, resources, and respect they deserve to continue making an incredible difference every day. Empower students — strengthen connections among parents, community members, and elected officials to help students reach their fullest potential. Embrace everyone — foster true inclusion, understanding, and belonging for all students and staff. I will also work to increase communication and collaboration among all stakeholders — families, educators, and administrators — so that decisions are transparent and trust is rebuilt.

    Our schools are stronger when we work together. With your support, I’ll be a reliable, responsive, and inclusive representative who truly shows up for our students and staff; every time.

    Deanna Jeanne “DJ” Tardiff

    Candidate for School Committee

    Fitchburg, MA

    Proposed lithium-ion battery storage facility in Tewksbury

    A large lithium battery storage facility is being proposed at 73–75 Hillman St. in Tewksbury, right near homes, assisted living, over 55, schools, daycares, and a hazardous materials rail line. These facilities have a serious risk of toxic smoke, fire, and contamination if something goes wrong and our first responders aren’t equipped to fight battery fires safely.

    We’re asking residents, local leaders, and the media to help spread awareness and tell the Massachusetts Energy Facilities Siting Board this project doesn’t belong in a residential area. The community’s safety must come first.

    William Whittemore

    Tewksbury, MA

    Opposition to the proposed lithium-ion battery storage facility

    I am writing to bring awareness to the proposed lithium-ion battery storage facility at 73-75 Hillman St. in Tewksbury, and my strong opposition against it.

    This site is dangerously close to homes, schools, emergency services, and community resources. In the event of a fire, explosion, or toxic smoke release, residents and first responders would face serious health and safety risks. Evacuation of nearby neighborhoods, including families, seniors, and pets would be difficult and potentially impossible in a fast-moving emergency.

    I am especially concerned about the fire risk to my home, since I only live 2.5 miles away (at 85 James Ave.) from the proposed site, as well as the safety of the schools, the elderly who live in the many assisted living facilities in the area, as well as the many individual homes that are located very close by the proposed site. In addition, I find it concerning that there are no proposed evacuation plans put into place in the case of an emergency, as well as the long term health effects and cancer risks, as a result of the potential toxic chemicals that would be released into the air and in our drinking water supply.

    Overall, lithium battery fires are not ordinary fires, they are extremely difficult to extinguish and release dangerous chemicals. Locating such a facility near neighborhoods and a hazardous materials rail line shows disregard for community safety.

    I sincerely hope that this proposal is rejected, in order to protect the health, safety, and property of Tewksbury residents.

    Angela Dardonis, Lifelong resident

    Tewksbury, MA

    Lowell’s UN Frontrunner city status is wonderful

    It is wonderful and affirming that Lowell has become the first UN Frontrunner city in the U.S. We can all feel the possibility in this new honor. The cornerstone of this UN program is sustainability. This word is worth looking into, because it does not just mean investment money.

    Sustainability is actually a new path for growth, and it implies a variety of strategies, all pointing to a vibrant, green city, thriving and leading all of Massachusetts. Our City has adopted some of these strategies, and there are other possibilities still open.

    Part of sustainable growth is in building codes that require new buildings to be built to save energy — to achieve the Massachusetts net-zero carbon roadmap goal in 2050.

    This strategy points to the Opt-in Specialized Stretch Code. It has been adopted by 55 other communities in Massachusetts, including Salem and Worcester. It envisions new buildings that save 60-70% of their heating and cooling costs. This will be a substantial boon to all the low-income families in Lowell.

    Additional costs for transitioning from the current building code to the new one are practically zero — if not actually made cheaper by state subsidies.

    Now is the time to take steps like this, so that new buildings that come from our Frontrunner status will be built in a way that will be truly sustainable — and welcome us all to the vision of a green and vibrant Lowell.

    Jonathan Grossman

    350 MA of Greater Lowell

    Lowell, MA

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  • Letters: Left-wing billionaires are pushing Proposition 50

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    Left-wing billionaires
    are funding Prop. 50

    Re: “Hedge fund billionaire Steyer gives $12M to back Proposition 50 redistricting vote” (Page B6, Oct. 12).

    If you are wondering how to vote on Proposition 50 gerrymandering, look no further than who is funding the “yes” campaign. Billionaires Tom Steyer and George Soros are pouring millions of dollars into it. These are far-left-wing elites.

    They are not interested in the people or what is good for the state of California. They are only interested in increasing their stranglehold over voters. They are the power-hungry force behind all the terrible policies that are destroying California.

    Gov. Gavin Newsom conjured up this gerrymandering scheme. He has created this costly special election, hoping that turnout will be low and that people won’t care.

    We do care. We need to say no. Vote no on Proposition 50.

    Jay Todesco
    Concord

    Citizens can flex
    their economic might

    Re: “Tech billionaire Marc Benioff says Trump should deploy National Guard to San Francisco” (Oct. 11).

    My first reaction to this news was, “Who the hell cares what this guy thinks?” Do only billionaires’ voices matter? If Donald Trump rigs future elections, is peaceful protesting the only power we have? Not by a long shot.

    Even as Trump tries to sabotage the power of the vote, we have the power of the purse. It worked on Disney during the Jimmy Kimmel fiasco. It will work on any company that sells to consumers. Www.goodsuniteus.com tracks corporate political donations. When, collectively, people stop shopping and subscribing to the brands that do not share their values, companies notice in a hurry. Trump may not listen to us, but he does listen to his billionaire buddies.

    It may be time to start keeping corporate leaders up at night, watching their market shares tank. It may be time to remind billionaires that the money that drives this country comes from us.

    Janice Bleyaert
    El Sobrante

    Cal must do more
    to support students

    UC Berkeley is regarded as the No. 1 public university. However, the students who make Berkeley great are facing hunger at an unacceptable rate. The 2022 UC Basic Needs Report shows that 47% of UC students have faced food insecurity.

    I’m grateful for the opportunities this university has presented to me. However, a reason I and many other students hesitated in committing to Berkeley is due to the city’s basic cost of living. Attending Berkeley for most will be their greatest investment, so it should be on the university to support students contributing to the legacy of such an institution.

    Currently, students can only visit Berkeley’s Basic Needs Center once a week, which is not enough for the students who rely on this resource the most. Working to expand on this resource could make a significant difference in the lives of thousands of the great minds we have at Berkeley.

    Kennedy Jones
    Berkeley

    Medical community must
    loudly denounce RFK Jr.

    After eight months of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. doing his best to unravel decades of advances in medicine and the development and use of tested and proven vaccines and medications that have saved millions of lives, saved millions of people from years of suffering, and prevented epidemics of many deadly and debilitating diseases — culminating in Donald Trump’s unhinged and unsubstantiated medical advice to America’s pregnant mothers not to take Tylenol because it causes autism in their children — I have one question: Where the hell has the medical community been?

    The medical community in this nation has to stand up loudly to condemn and stop this devastation of what has allowed us all to live longer and healthier lives.

    Michael Thomas
    Richmond

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  • Everyday Americans are feeling the pain as the government shutdown drags on

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    Trump blames Democrats over shutdown stalemate

    Fox News senior congressional correspondent Chad Pergram joins ‘America’s Newsroom’ to discuss the ongoing political stalemate keeping the government from re-opening as tensions continue to rise between political parties.

    NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

    Let’s be blunt: when our federal government shuts down, it’s not a chess match the rest of us signed up for. Indeed, it’s a hit to people’s paychecks, to public safety and the fragile systems that keep communities running, safe and thriving.

    No side looks good when they weaponize the budget. What we should expect from our leaders — regardless of party — is competence, not theatrics.

    For most Americans, the first impressions during a shutdown are practical: airports slow down, food-safety inspections are delayed and entire pay cycles for federal employees and contractors are interrupted. Those are not abstractions. They affect real people — including the air-traffic controllers who keep planes in the sky, the nurses and healthcare workers in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals and the inspectors who make sure your groceries aren’t hazardous.

    ‘REAL CONSEQUENCES’: FOOD AID, FLOOD INSURANCE, FEMA FUNDS IN JEOPARDY AMID SHUTDOWN, JOHNSON SAYS

    This reality reached a boiling point during a recent call-in segment on C-SPAN, a military spouse’s voice cracked as she described trying to purchase medication and food for her two medically fragile children, without her husband’s desperately needed paycheck. House Speaker Mike Johnson, sitting on set, was speechless as this Virginian’s story cut through the talking points and reminded us all that behind every political standoff are real families attempting to pay rent, make car payments, purchase medicine and take care of their children. Her story and voice at this moment is a keen reminder that far too many American families can’t afford Washington’s dysfunction.

    Our federal workers didn’t ask for a political fight; they asked for a government that functions.

    Here is another blunt truth: fiscal responsibility matters. Taxpayers want their dollars used wisely. However, fiscal conservatism isn’t served by withholding paychecks from those who keep our communities safe and healthy. Nor is it served by passing massive handouts to the ultra-rich, while shrinking programs that protect children, the poor and low-income amongst us. The math here isn’t ideological — it’s arithmetic. Cutting nearly $900 billion from Medicaid under the guise of “work requirements” may sound fiscally austere on paper, but in practice it leaves children’s hospitals, birthing centers and low-income families facing real cuts to care.

    That’s poor policy and it’s poor politics.

    And let’s be honest about that “One Big Beautiful Bill.” If the intent was to make life easier for working families, it failed. Instead, too much of the bill rewarded the wealthy while everyday Americans get squeezed. The result is a country where rhetoric about protecting the middle class rings hollow while policy outcomes pad balance sheets at the top and cut support at the bottom.

    This shutdown also reveals what many Americans already know: our healthcare system is brittle and bloated with costs, especially for ordinary families. When the safety net gets clipped, the consequences ripple fast — higher emergency-room use, delayed care and a heavier strain on hospitals that have little margin for error. If leaders actually cared about fiscal prudence and public safety, they’d avoid playing brinkmanship and instead focus on stabilizing coverage for vulnerable people while reforming the delivery and funding of care.

    So what should happen now? First: reopen the government with an eye on protecting the healthcare of working Americans. It’s not a victory for anyone to keep vital services shuttered while negotiators posture on cable news. Second: protect the programs that serve children and our most vulnerable. Medicaid cuts that undercut pediatric care or maternal services should be off the table in any short-term deal.

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    Third: our Congress should advance pragmatic reforms that unite rather than divide: targeted job-training programs for those ready to work, streamlined benefits paperwork so help goes to those who need it quickly, and accountability measures that reduce waste without denying care.

    And also, let’s stop with all the misinformation. It helps no one. Despite what Republicans say, there is no proposal to give undocumented immigrants healthcare. They don’t qualify for the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid or Medicare — full stop!

    Americans across the political spectrum want competent government, not political theater. Conservatives who value limited government and lower taxes should be able to demand efficiency and accountability without celebrating disruption that harms the public. Progressives who care about equity and services should demand outcomes that actually help families, not just headlines. The sensible center — where most Americans stand — wants fiscal sanity and a functioning safety net.

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    If leaders want credibility, they should stop making shutdowns a bargaining chip. They should instead roll up their sleeves, prioritize the lives of those who rely on the government for stability, and craft reforms that preserve care while cutting waste. Political points won’t fix a newborn’s access to a nearby NICU, a laid-off contractor’s rent bill, or a commuter’s safety at 30,000 feet.

    Again, this isn’t about scoring on cable. It’s about whether we govern like adults or run our country like a reality show. The people have had enough of the latter.

    Richard Fowler is a contributor to FOX News Media and an adjunct professor of journalism at Georgetown University. Since 2016, he has provided political and cultural analysis across Fox’s daytime and primetime programming as well the network’s Sunday morning public affairs line-up. This includes Fox News Sunday with Shannon Bream and Media Buzz with Howard Kurtz. He also appears as a guest co-host on The Five (weekdays, 5-6 PM ET).

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