New school superintendent:Dr. Levett a solid choice

Board members had gone to great lengths to hide the identities of the four people who were vying for the position being vacated by 12-year Superintendent Thomas Lockamy, who is retiring next month. State law allows the board to legally withhold identities in such matters until only three names are on the short list.

House Republicans voted to weaken health care, hurt the poor and cut taxes for the wealthy

President Donald Trump speaks in the Rose Garden at the White House after the House pushed through a health-care bill on Thursday. How bad is the health care plan approved Thursday by the U.S. House of Representatives? Doctors , hospitals , the March of Dimes , Gov. Paul LePage and Republican senators are among the long list of groups who criticized the House vote because it will strip millions of Americans of health insurance and make it more expensive, and less comprehensive, for millions more.

Toomey: Trump tax plan sets stage for growth

The Trump administration's tax plan includes reforms that are just what we need to jump-start our economy, generate growth and income gains, and fulfill a major campaign promise. Second, the Democrats' lack of interest in the project means Republicans will almost certainly have to use budget rules allowing us to pass tax legislation with just 51 votes in the Senate instead of the usual 60-vote requirement.

Business tax break mainly caused a tax avoidancea

As Kansas lawmakers look at repealing the pass-through income tax exemption for business, Gov. Sam Brownback and others doggedly stick to their assertion that it has created new business entities. They are correct, but those new businesses overwhelmingly were created to avoid taxes and resulted in little real economic growth.

Anxiety over GOP health plan for those with severe illnesses

As Republicans move closer to dismantling Democrat Barack Obama's health care law, Americans with serious illnesses are feeling uneasy. The GOP health care bill pushed through the House on Thursday leaves those with pre-existing conditions fearful of higher premiums and losing coverage altogether if the Affordable Care Act is replaced.

Editorial: Dems stuck in time warp

Hillary Clinton continues to re-litigate her 2016 presidential election loss and congressional Democrats continue to pillory FBI Director James Comey. In a nation fraught with current-day problems isn't it time to move on? Clinton during an interview Tuesday insisted, "I was on my way to winning until the combination of Jim Comey's letter on Oct. 28 and Russia Wiki- Leaks [of her campaign emails] raised doubts in the minds of people who were inclined to vote for me but got scared off."

Hillary Clinton cites FBI, Russia, WikiLeaks in election loss

Hillary Clinton's return to the national stage yesterday with a high-profile interview - declaring she is "now back to being an activist citizen and part of the resistance" - was welcomed by Democratic strategists eyeing ways to energize voters in the upcoming midterms and 2020 elections. But when it comes to Clinton repeatedly blaming Russians, FBI Director James Comey and WikiLeaks for her election loss, Democrats say she needs to change the broken record.

Ex-prosecutor helping Donald Trump with pick

A former top Bay State federal prosecutor has been making recommendations to the White House on who the next Massachusetts U.S. Attorney should be, but another with ties to the Trump administration says a decision isn't likely until late summer. "I've made recommendations.

Spending bill win claimed by both sides

President Trump tried to portray his White House as the true winner of the spending bill debate despite Democrats' declaring victory, even as Republicans' Obamacare replacement plan barely clung to life yesterday. "This is what winning looks like," said Trump from the Rose Garden, rattling off the increased military and border security funding and other highlights of the spending bill he advocated for.