Backyard Naturalist: Year-end thoughts on climate change

This month’s highly irregular weather is a symptom of the fact that global warming is real and spelling trouble, Dana Wilde writes.

J.P. Devine Podcast: What is Christmas all about?

On the Edge: What it’s all about

Searching local neighborhoods for crèches, J.P. Devine ponders the reason for the season as his search leads him to look at the faces human beings suffering and in need of mercy.

Rich Abrahamson: One man’s push to downsize helps Hartland woman expand her Christmas spirit

The Morning Sentinel's Rich Abrahamson needed to unload his collection of Christmas blow molds, and Danielle Gould was happy to take them since it meant she could grow her own collection and continue to spread Christmas cheer.

‘The Tender Bar’ coming-of-age drama with street comedy relief

‘The Bishop’s Wife’ a forbidden love story

Backyard Naturalist: Earliest sunset before shortest day

Understanding the Earth's orbit and spinning around the sun can be tricky, illustrating how appearances may well not be reality, Dana Wilde writes.

J.P. Devine Podcast: A Christmas story

On the Edge: The one about the shoes

When you live long enough, J.P. Devine writes, your pockets are full of Christmas stories like the shoe fund for actors who only have sneakers.

Reporting Aside: Woman’s plight an example of psychiatric health care crisis in Maine

A clinical psychologist who's treating a psychotic, suicidal woman with leukemia stuck for weeks in a hospital emergency department says the state must expand existing psychiatric resources or build new, Amy Calder writes.