Twenty years ago, Jet Li was offered a part in “The Matrix Reloaded.” It was sure to be a hit. But the martial artist said no. In his words, the producers wanted to “record and copy all of my moves into a digital library.” To Li, this would do more than copy his body; it […]
Ben Bragdon
Staff Writer
Ben Bragdon is managing editor of the Sun Journal. Prior to that, he was deputy managing editor for news at the Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel. Ben was previously editorial page editor for those newspapers and Central Maine Sunday for more than 10 years. Before that, he was managing editor for weekly newspapers at Current Publishing in Westbrook. He began his career as a reporter at the Piscataquis Observer in Dover-Foxcroft and editor at the Moosehead Messenger in Greenville. He has a bachelor’s degree in history from Boston University.
Posted inOp-Eds, Opinion
Commentary: One overlooked way to fight opioid deaths? Give people something to do
Across the country, communities are struggling to respond to the opioid crisis, some with broader access to medical strategies and more treatment programs. Yet the national overdose death rate continues to rise, with opioid deaths in 2022 remaining at an all-time high. There are, of course, many causes of addiction, and community approaches must be […]
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Posted inEditorials, Opinion
Our View: Low pay for state employees is hurting everyone
Compensation for state workers undervalues their work. As a result, both the workers and the work are suffering.
Posted inOp-Eds, Opinion
Commentary: Nearly every battleground state is at risk of election denialism interfering in 2024
Former President Donald Trump is campaigning for re-election. Disinformation continues to run rampant on social media. Large portions of the country still doubt valid election results. Sound familiar? Signs point to 2024 being a redux of 2020. In addition, the recent indictments charging former President Trump and others with a conspiracy to overturn the legitimate […]
Posted inEditorials, Opinion
Our View: UMaine System once again fails to be transparent
The state university system is withholding public information related to the bungled hiring of a new president last year at the University of Maine at Augusta.
Posted inOp-Eds, Opinion
Commentary: School bus drivers keep our kids safe. Showing them respect could help improve the shortage
How many of us have seen a school bus come to a stop and activate its warning lights and stop arm, and yet a driver proceeds to pass the bus anyway? Imagine the fear that the bus driver must feel, as he or she is tasked with the responsibility of transporting children to and from […]
Posted inOp-Eds, Opinion
Commentary: Nuclear power could save our air quality. At what cost to the water?
You know it was a remarkable week when dumping tons of radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean wasn’t even the lead story. That’s right: While much of the globe’s attention was on the former American president’s legal battles and the mug shot seen around the world, Japan started its 30-year plan to release the diluted […]
Posted inOp-Eds, Opinion
Commentary: Labor Day’s forgotten older workers
When we think of workers on Labor Day, who comes to mind? Chances are, it’s not the millions of older workers still toiling in our nation’s home care and nursing facilities, cleaning our office buildings, hustling around carrying boxes in big corporate warehouses, driving long-haul trucks or sweating in the fields to produce our food. […]
Posted inEditorials, Opinion
Our View: Back to school, back to making education more of a priority
We’re doing a good amount for Maine schools. To solve the most pernicious problems, however, we have to do more.
Posted inEditorials, Opinion
View from Away: Biden’s EPA is needlessly delaying smog standards until after the election
On his first day in office, President Joe Biden ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to reconsider dozens of actions taken by the Trump administration. One of the most important on that list was the last-minute decision in December 2020 to keep in place outdated health standards for smog. But now, instead of moving to strengthen […]