Same-Sex Marriage

By Melanie Brooks

From television and radio commercials to stories in local and national media outlets, the topic of same-sex marriage in Maine has been everywhere. In case you've been hiding out under a rock lately, here's what's going on...

On November 3rd Maine voters will get the chance to sound off on whether they support or oppose same-sex marriages. It will be the first time in any state that the voters will have the chance to repeal or uphold a same-sex marriage law passed by the Legislature and signed by the governor.

In Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, and Iowa, same-sex marriages are legal and are currently being performed. Ceremonies for same-sex marriages will begin in New Hampshire in January, 2010.

Two Maine groups have been behind the ads and public service announcements that we see and hear about daily. The Vote NO on 1/Protect Maine Equality campaign who support same-sex marriages and Stand for Marriage Maine who oppose same-sex marriage believing that marriage should consist of one man and one woman.

With the race being too close to call, the debate rages on with both sides competing for votes. In our June/July summer guide issue our Soapbox Boys, Sean Faircloth and Scott K Fish shared their viewpoints on the topic. Click here to see what they said.


And how about you? Where do you stand on the issue? Vote anonymously below:

Yes = I support same-sex marriage.
No = I do not support same-sex marriage.

poll by twiigs.com

Pink Tulip Project

By Melanie Brooks

I love tulips. And pink ones just happen to be my very favorite. If you feel the same way why not get involved with the Maine Cancer Foundation’s Pink Tulip Project? They’re currently seeking volunteers to organize gardens and get digging.

The Pink Tulip Project will be singing up new gardens until October 1st. Over 300,000 bulbs are waiting to be planted during the week of October 19. Help raise cancer awareness in your community by organizing a pink tulip garden. There are hundreds of volunteers from Portland to Millinocket who are ready to help plant, but the project always needs more. “This can be a terrific community building event and wonderful for schools, community service organizations, and cancer support groups, too,” says Robin Whitten, founder of the Pink Tulip Project.

Want to get involved? All the tools new gardeners need to set up an official Pink Tulip Project garden is available at www.pinktulipproject.org. Last year the project raised over $50,000 for cancer research grants given through the Women’s Cancer Fund of the Maine Cancer Foundation.

Photo of the Belfast Garden Club

Commuting Challenges

By: Ashley Pearson

Some may find it easier to participate in the 15th Annual Commuter Challenge than others, depending on the distance from home to the workspace.

The challenge, sponsored by GO MAINE, is a program of the Maine Department of Transportation and the Maine Turnpike Authority. It encourages people to find alternative modes of transportation to work for a week. For example, why not walk to work if the office is nearby? Or how about biking to work?



The BAT bus system can help with a web of routes that covers Bangor, Brewer, Old Town, and Orono. True, riding the BAT can be...interesting at times, but it’s relatively harmless, especially at 7 am in the morning.


However, walking, biking, or taking a bus might be difficult for employees that live far away from their jobs. Enter carpooling. Hopefully, your neighbor is friendly enough to want to share a ride into work, and has a job in the same general area. And, if the ride is on the lengthy side, pop in a good CD and catch up on the latest events or movies.

It might be fun to be creative during commuter week too. This Thursday is Try Anything Day. Try taking a different route to work. Do something different. Get your morning cup of coffee from somewhere new.



Either way, whether it’s carpooling or biking to work, the environment will suffer less pollution, and everyone who participates in the commuter challenge will have a smaller carbon footprint. An individual carbon footprint is determined by various factors, like household size, car, travel time, heating costs, etc.

Curious? Calculate your own carbon footprint here:
http://www.nature.org/initiatives/climatechange/calculator/

Tax Day Tea Party

By: Melanie Brooks


As my friend was driving me back to Bangor Metro's global headquarters on Cumberland Street from a successful Lunch MOB at the Antiques Marketplace, we drove right through the Maine Tea Party protest going on across from the Federal Building on Harlow Street. Leslie Bowman, our intrepid photographer, and Scott K Fish, one of our "Soapbox Boys" were there to record the action.



Tax Day Tea Parties were held nationwide including in Bangor, Augusta, and Portland. The Tea Parties were out in full force to specifically protest the stimulus bill and pork filled budget.

The Maine Tax Day Tea Party in Bangor hosts it's own Facebook page with the slogan, "Eliminate the pork, cut the taxes." The large group met outside of the Federal Building and shook their fists from 1-3 pm. Over 100 people came out with homemade signs in Bangor. Over 500 groups participated in the event across the country.