Category: NEWSLETTER

NEWSLETTER | Moving in stereo

~ Randy Seaver ~ Leave a comment

One thing became especially clear for the Biddeford Gazette last week:

Its editor – me – needs better time management skills.

When you’re running a small operation on a shoe-string budget with an all-volunteer staff, it becomes quickly obvious that there’s just not enough time in the day.

For example, our weekly newsletters are supposed to go out on Saturdays. Our EVENTS calendar had not been updated since last week, same for our PET OF THE WEEK updates.

I suppose it’s okay to put those things off for a bit in order to address more pressing issues such as our current backlog of news and feature stories. The interviews are done. The research is completed. It’s just a matter of getting it pushed out.

Beyond ferreting and scrounging for local news, I also have behind-the-scenes business responsibilities that include tracking expenses, donations and other administrative tasks, not to mention professional development and community meetings.

That’s exactly why I am so happy that Craig Pendleton decided to step it up a notch and join our board of directors as our CFO and financial manager. Craig has tons of business, management and financial experience. READ MORE ABOUT CRAIG

Back to the news. We have some great stories that we’re planning to release this week, including finally publishing a fascinating in-depth profile of Biddeford’s Chuck Cote, a man who has made it his mission to preserve some of the city’s historical artifacts.

We’re also going to be taking a deep dive into this year’s municipal and school budget proposals. I encourage you to get involved and stay informed for that process.

At the Gazette, our focus remains on quality versus quantity or worrying about getting the story out first.

Too often, haste makes waste. You might have noticed that we had three stories last week that required corrections.

We’re going to rely much more on the volunteer services of our copy editor, Gail Toussaint of Biddeford.

I need to stop rushing to get things done and out the door without first running the stories past Gail’s careful eyes.

Another big change. I will no longer be able to publish op-eds or editorials without prior approval from our board of directors. If they say ‘NO,” the potential editorial is scrapped or perhaps revised to meet their concerns.

It’s all part of commitment to you and a reflection of our core values. Checks and balances.

We embrace transparency and accountability in everything we publish, but we also have to be accountable and transparent in how we publish it!

A lot of people ask me why I work so hard on this endeavor. I assure you, it’s not for the money or the glory. This is the Biddeford Gazette, not the New York Times.

Unlike other media outlets, we are focused on just one community, a community that I love, a community that is part of my DNA and connected to every other aspect of my life, including my family, my home and my friends.

Beyond my love for Biddeford, I really love telling the stories that are so often left ignored, forgotten or overlooked by news outlets that are busy scrambling for ad revenue and trying to cover several communities at once.

I get to tell Biddeford stories. I get to give a voice to you and your neighbors, whether it’s our free OBITUARIES or LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

A few weeks ago, I thought the coach of Biddeford’s Unified Basketball Team was going to fall over when she saw me approaching the player bench. “You’re going to cover this?”

“You bet your bootie,” I replied. “These kids put their hearts and souls into the game. They deserve their own opportunity to “be in the paper.”

This week, I had the honor of telling some other great stories including a feature story about my good friend Jessica Johnson who will once again be running in the Boston Marathon to honor her mother and raise money for cancer.

I also had a blast talking with Doug Sanford, a fascinating and howling-fun story about a man who risked so much to help put Biddeford on a new trajectory.

That’s more than enough. Once again, my apologies for being long-winded.

Stay tuned! The best is yet to come!

__________________

THE BIDDEFORD GAZETTE | Biddeford’s Trusted, Professional News Source

Our editorial standards and policies: Biddeford Gazette | Standards & Policies

© 2026 Biddeford Gazette, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Never miss another update | Subscribe today!

NEWSLETTER | Amateur hour is over

~ Randy Seaver ~ Leave a comment

It’s been another busy week at the Biddeford Gazette, capped off by last weekend’s annual spring conference of the New England Newspaper & Press Association (NENPA).

NENPA is a professional organization supporting the work of more than 450 media outlets throughout New England, including daily and weekly print publications; radio and television stations and digital media outlets like the Gazette.

A NEW DAY FOR THE GAZETTE (Contributed photo by Barbara Pelletier of Biddeford)

_____________

I have attended this annual conference many times in the past, but always while working for someone else or representing a different publication.

This year was much different. This was the first year I attended the conference as the co-owner of a non-profit media outlet dedicated to covering just one community.

I was warmly embraced and welcomed by many of my colleagues, and I learned a ton of stuff. It was a watershed moment of my professional career, and I will do my best to pass on the lessons I learned to benefit the Gazette’s readers, subscribers and supporters.

The Biddeford Gazette started more than a year ago as a snarky blog, fueled by frustration about what is happening in Biddeford.

Amateur hour is now over

You’ll be seeing some big and not so big changes in the days and weeks ahead.

No matter what, we are dedicated to the Biddeford community. We serve you. That is our responsibility, and we must –and will — take that responsibility seriously.

I’ll be discussing what I learned this weekend on my blog | Lessons in Mediocrity | Outlaw Journalist

_________________

UPCOMING STORIES

CITY BUDGET | We will continue our ongoing coverage of the city’s annual budget process. The council is facing a daunting task. While a proposed increase of more than 12 percent seems frightening, it’s important to note that it is only a preliminary number subject to lots of debate and adjustment. We urge you to get involved. Go to meetings. Call your councilors.

MEMORY LANE | We had a blast last week meeting with Chuck Cote, the youngest child of legendary football coach and player Bob Cote. Today, Chuck is working to preserve and archive tons of the city’s political and sports memorabilia including an extensive collection of historical records from the former St. Louis High School in Biddeford.

RUNNING ON EMPTY | Gazette readers will be able to learn more this week about Biddeford’s Jessica Johnson, a deeply passionate community volunteer who will once again be running in the Boston Marathon to raise money for the Dana-Farber Cancer Research Institute.

____________

DID YOU MISS IT?

TIGER PRIDE SHINES IN SANFORD | The Biddeford Gazette was proud to offer our exclusive coverage of the thrilling, end-of-season UNIFIED basketball game between the Biddeford Tigers and Sanford Spartans last week.

You can find pictures, game highlights and even video clips here | Biddeford Tigers bring home another win

CITY CLERK PATTERSON caught many people off guard last week, announcing her upcoming resignation, April 10.

UNE PRESIDENT Dr. James Herbert ended his silence and publicly expressed his frustration regarding the controversy that now surrounds the university’s proposed research pier.

CITY HIRES CONSULTANT | The Biddeford City Council unanimously voted last week to approve hiring a temporary municipal consultant to help the city address several big issues that have been plaguing the community for several years, including overdue financial audits and the city’s comprehensive plan.

_____________

NEVER MISS AN UPDATE | Subscribe to the Biddeford Gazette today!

_____________________

THE BIDDEFORD GAZETTE | A Legacy of Trusted, Independent Journalism

Our editorial standards and policies: Biddeford Gazette | Standards & Policies

© 2026 Biddeford Gazette, Inc. All Rights Reserved

NEWSLETTER | Oh, the Places You’ll Go

~ Randy Seaver ~ 2 Comments

What a week!

Considering it was the first birthday I was dreading; it turned to be the best birthday week I can remember.

As we age, we are all reminded to focus on friends, family and doing what we love.

Because I love writing news about Biddeford, I was able to accomplish all three of those goals this week.

The Gazette featured some pretty interesting and exclusive content this week, including our in-depth examination about a so-called buffer zone that has found the city of Biddeford and the University of New England battling in York County Superior Court.

UNE President Dr, James Herbert and City Councilor Pat Boston listen to several angry residents who expressed frustration during Monday’s public hearing about development at UNE;s Biddeford campus (Seaver photo)

Our contributing writer Jim Krause also offered Gazette readers a carefully researched story that explains what you need to know when a door-to-door solicitor comes knocking on your door.

We were also very pleased to share the great news that the York/Biddeford/OOB boys’ hockey team won the state championship Saturday, edging Hampden Academy, 3-2 in a thrilling game at the Cross Arena in Portland. Way to go, guys!

Celebration photo by Eric Parent

As an added treat, we had a blast providing video and print reporting of the first Coffee With A Cop event that was held Wednesday at the Community Center in Biddeford. Nice work by the Biddeford Recreation Department in organizing the event!

Joy to sorrow

The very best part of my week was being invited back to the Biddeford Primary School to read to some second-grade students in Jillian Palladino’s class on Monday. The kids surprised me with a special rendition of Happy Birthday to celebrate both my birthday and that of Dr. Seuss (also Jon Bon Jovi and writer John Irving).

For obvious reasons, I chose to read Oh The Places You’ll Go to the kids.

But this week ended on a bittersweet note when I learned of Curtis Robinson’s passing while working on this week’s local obituaries.

I did not know Curtis. He was only a few years older than me, but he was a notable, old-school journalist who got to hang around with my idol Hunter S. Thompson.

‘One of the last great newspapermen” | Curtis Robinson (Aspen Daily News photo)

According to a recent feature story in the Aspen Daily News, Robinson was a journalist’s journalist: “dogged and irreverent kind of journalist — the type who wouldn’t take BS if it was served on a silver platter and knew a government meeting was good material if you could write about it with verve.”

Robinson’s sister lives in South Portland. Our condolences to his family and friends

And that’s a wrap for this week! Some good stuff on the horizon, so keep reading and checking back for the latest updates.

Better yet, subscribe to the Biddeford Gazette today! It’s free and certainly worth it.

CORRECTION | In the first photo caption above, one of our readers alerted us that we mistakenly identified Biddeford City Councilor Pat Boston as “Bat’ Boston. It was a typographical error, and we apologize for the mistake.

THE BIDDEFORD GAZETTE | A Legacy of Trusted, Independent Journalism

Our editorial standards and policies: Biddeford Gazette | Standards & Policies

© 2026 Biddeford Gazette, Inc. All Rights Reserved

NEWSLETTER | Paradise City

~ Randy Seaver ~ 2 Comments

It’s been an interesting, busy and somewhat exhausting week here at the Biddeford Gazette.

In fact, I was moving in some many directions that I forgot to send out this newsletter on Saturday.

My former boss David Flood always used to say there’s a lot more to running a newspaper than just writing and publishing news stories. I never appreciated that fact until I decided to launch my own publication.

Spreadsheets, meeting with our attorney, tracking expenses, insurance, content distribution, reviewing analytics and coordinating other people’s work.

It’s a lot. And I’m not getting any younger. More about that in a moment.

Running a news organization involves a lot more than writing news,

Beyond all the tedious business stuff (all of which is well outside of my comfort zone), our news and editorial content is growing by leaps and bounds.

Consider this: In February 2025 – about three months after the Gazette was created – we published 14 items on our website, not including our weekly obituaries.

Flash forward one year, and we have seen an increase of more than 300 percent! During the month of February 2026, we published 49 items on the Gazette’s site.

The good news is that nearly 40 percent of that material was generated by the community, not by us.

These community contributions include several letters to the editor, guest columns and high-quality news and feature pieces, such as last week’s story from Tammy Wells about a new partnership between the Catholic Church and the York County Jail, allowing inmates to celebrate weekly Mass.

When Rep. Ryan Fecteau – Speaker of the Maine House — wanted to share his thoughts about recent ICE enforcement efforts in Maine, he asked the Gazette to publish his column.

State Rep. Marc Malon and State Sen. Henry Ingweresen also publish their regular monthly columns in the Gazette. Former mayor Marty Grohman submitted his own op-ed last month in the Gazette.

We are honored that so many people in the community regard the Gazette as a reliable and trusted source for community news and information.

Getting older; Biddeford Primary School Fun

On a personal note, this is my last day of being 61, and tomorrow (March 2) will be the first birthday that I wanted to avoid.

Every Sunday morning for the past 14 months, I spend a few hours editing, formatting and publishing local obituary notifications.

With increasing frequency, I am posting the obituaries of people who were younger than me at the time of their passing.

Statistically speaking, the average life expectancy of an American man is 76 years.

That means I likely have only 14 years or fewer remaining — for the rest of my life.

I remember clearly where I was 14 years ago today. It goes by really fast. Really fast.

All the advice from my friends, family and the expert gurus suggests that you should live each day to its fullest and focus on the things that make you happy.

So, I am pleased to announce that I have once again been invited to read to students in Ms. Jillian Palladino’s second-grade class at Biddeford Primary School. It’s the one part of my upcoming birthday that I am actually excited about.

Coincidentally, March 2 is also the birthday of Theodore Geisel, more commonly known as Dr. Seuss . . . what a wonderful confluence of events!

Quick recap and preview

Ward Five City Councilor David Kurtz (Seaver photo)

My favorite story this week comes from my thoroughly enjoyable interview with City Councilor David Kurtz. I will be doing similar interviews with each member of the city council over the next few weeks. (Chatting with City Councilors)

Our goal is to peel back the perfunctory layers to give our readers some deeper context about the men and women running our city.

Our most popular story this week – by far –was our exclusive coverage and tour of the Adams Point Family Housing project that is scheduled to open in April. That story blew up our email and social media accounts, underscoring Biddeford’s pressing need for more affordable housing.

What’s coming up?

I will cap off my birthday celebration tomorrow (March 2) by attending the first public hearing for the Institutional Zone Review Committee, which will be making recommendations about ongoing development at the University of New England’s Biddeford campus.

That meeting begins at 6 p.m. in the Council Chamber at Biddeford City Hall.

Hope to see you there! Have a great week!

_________________

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Randy Seaver is the editor and founder of the Biddeford Gazette. He has been covering Biddeford news and politics for nearly three decades. He may be reached by email: randy@randyseaver.com

Never miss an update! Subscribe for free today!

THE BIDDEFORD GAZETTE | A Legacy of Trusted, Independent Journalism

Our editorial standards and policies: Biddeford Gazette | Standards & Policies

© 2026 Biddeford Gazette, Inc. All Rights Reserved

NEWSLETTER: ‘Looking for a place to happen’

~ Randy Seaver ~ 1 Comment

New partnerships, expanding technology will help the Gazette stay connected to you

I don’t believe this could have been a better week for the Biddeford Gazette.

I am especially excited about several new partnerships that will allow us to give you more news and information about your community.

Earlier this week, I was invited to a meeting at the University of New England, where I enjoyed a really nice lunch with Michael Cripps, a professor and director of UNE’s School of Arts and Humanities and the College of Arts and Sciences.

Dr. Cripps and I had a fascinating and free-wheeling conversation about the state of today’s media landscape and some of the challenges he faces in working to provide his students with real life experiences to support their education outside of the traditional classroom.

Bottom line: Dr. Cripps and I began laying the groundwork of a partnership that will allow his students who are pursuing careers in journalism and communications to work as interns with the Biddeford Gazette.

It has the potential to be a dynamic relationship, one that will allow us an opportunity to expand our coverage and learn the valuable perspective of students attending classes in Biddeford.

But wait, that’s not all . . .

Cy Cyr of Biddeford (Courtesy photo)

If you don’t know Cy Cyr of Biddeford, you’re really missing out. A Biddeford native, Cy recently launched Brick + Tides, a digital magazine that features his photography and some very compelling document-style storytelling about the people shaping southern Maine today.

I am a huge fan of Cy’s work, and I am ecstatic that he and I will be working together to promote and share his work on the Biddeford Gazette’s site.

We’ll be posting our first story from Brick + Tides on Monday in which Cy does an in-depth interview with Heather Paquette, another Biddeford native who is the president of Good Shepherd Food Bank of Maine.

But wait, there’s more . . .

As you can see from a story we posted yesterday, the Biddeford Gazette is continuing its ongoing media partnership with The Maine Monitor, a nonpartisan, independent publication of the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting.

The Maine Monitor – another digital only publication — has earned an outstanding reputation across the state, providing readers with in-depth, comprehensive reporting on the issues that affect Maine people on a daily basis.

Our partnership with The Maine Monitor is especially valuable as we approach the upcoming election season in which Maine voters will choose a new governor, a U.S. senator, Congressional representatives, not to mention numerous state legislative and county races.

The party primaries are now less than 90 days away. We look forward to sharing more stories from The Maine Monitor in the days and weeks ahead,

A busy week in our own newsroom.

Neva and Samanntha Lance speak in favor of funding for the city’s skatepark during Tuesday’s Biddeford City Council meeting (Seaver photo)

As a reporter, I had a new experience this week.

A local politician voluntarily told me that he was partly to blame for some financial issues that are now plaguing the city of Biddeford.

I don’t recall ever hearing a politician accept responsibility for a problem. Gotta say, it was refreshing to hear City Councilor Marc Lessard talk about his own role in a mess the city is still working through. “You can spread the blame like peanut butter,” Lessard told me. We thought that quote made a perfect headline.

On Thursday, I was the only reporter in attendance during the first meeting of the revised Institutional Zone Review Committee.

Hopefully, other reporters were watching the meeting remotely on-line. It’s convenient for me to be the only reporter in the room, but it’s bad for you, as I explain in this week’s upcoming editorial: Life During Wartime.

We covered several other stories this week. UNE is considering extending a natural gas line from downtown to its Biddeford campus; and several residents spoke in favor of reopening the city’s skatepark during Tuesday’s council meeting.

Video killed the radio star

On a final note, we began experimenting this week with using video and other technology to expand our news and commentary. It’s in a very rudimentary, early stage and well-beyond my experience as a print journalist, but it is fun and somewhat exciting.

The move was inspired by my conversation with Dr. Cripps this week. For younger news consumers, it’s all about video. You can find that video in our new section: Video Commentary & Reporting.

A close friend of mine – a media expert – tried to be as supportive as possible.

“You know,” he said. “You could always do a second take.”

And that, my friends, is the beauty of being a digital publication.

________________

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Randy Seaver is the editor and founder of the Biddeford Gazette. He is a Biddeford native who has been covering Biddeford news and politics for nearly three decades. He may be reached by email: randy@randyseaver.com

____________

THE BIDDEFORD GAZETTE | A Legacy of Trusted, Independent Journalism

Our editorial standards and policies: Biddeford Gazette | Standards & Policies

© 2026 Biddeford Gazette, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Never miss an update! Subscribe for free today!

NEWSLETTER: Can’t touch this

~ Randy Seaver ~ Leave a comment

Wow! What a week it’s been.

Let’s get right to it. Things have been pretty much non-stop here at the Gazette since the beginning of February.

We set some new records, broke some big stories and had some fun along the way. More about all that in just a moment.

Our promise to you:

A lot of media outlets – large and small – often brag about their commitment to local, community journalism.

At the Gazette, community journalism is much more than just a slogan. It’s a proven track record of being embedded in the community; a promise to always be accessible to everyone on both our website and on the Biddeford Gazette’s social media pages, including our Facebook page.

Never a charge or fee for subscriptions.

We are the only news outlet in southern Maine that actively shares and promotes news about Biddeford from other professional media outlets, including Saco Bay News, the Portland Press Herald, MaineBiz, WGME-TV or WMTW-TV.

Why do we do that? Because we care more about you than about silly competition with other news outlets. That philosophy is embedded in our mission statement.

We want to make it as easy as possible for you to find news and information that impacts Biddeford, no matter where that news is generated.

And when we do share items from our news partners, we make sure those stories are clearly labeled and linked to their originating source.

Speaking of slogans:

A couple of weeks ago we asked our readers for suggestions regarding a potential tagline for the Gazette. We were looking for something unique, something that defines our mission and principles – what sets us apart.

We received dozens of suggestions from our readers: some funny, some serious. But each one of them showed that readers were willing to take time to connect with us for nothing more than the possibility of scoring a dozen donuts from Reilly’s Bakery.

I am pleased to announce that we have a winner. It was me.

Don’t worry, we’re still going through the suggestions to determine who was the runner-up, and who will get to enjoy the tasty treats we promised from Reilly’s.

In fact, it was thoughts about Reilly’s Bakery that inspired what will be our tagline going forward.

Reilly’s is a Biddeford institution built on a legacy that stretches over decades. It is a small, independent bakery focused on quality and customer service.

What sets the Gazette apart from all the others? Simply this: Experience and the community’s trust that has been developed over decades of covering Biddeford news and politics.

I have been covering Biddeford longer than any other journalist actively working today. Nearly 30 years of climbing those wooden creaky stairs at City Hall. No one else even comes close.

Hence, our new tagline:

THE BIDDEFORD GAZETTE | A Legacy of Trusted, Independent Journalism

A media partnership with . . . you

Between Feb. 1 and Feb. 12, we published a total of 22 items on our website, including news and feature stories, guest columns and two weekly obituary updates. That’s more than a 250 percent increase over the same time period last year, and does not include things such as our EVENTS page and BUSINESS listings

But here’s the really exciting part: 40 percent of that recent news and feature material was generated by people in the community, not us.

The community is engaging with the Gazette, and that’s the way we want it. I am excited about this, very excited. All indicators show that we’re on a good trajectory, including our growing list of subscribers and increased traffic on our website.

Some irony, a political shakeup and what’s next

Most journalists go through their whole life without ever being able to write a headline like the one I wrote yesterday: Firefighters fight fire at fire department

Fortunately, no one was hurt but the smoke damage was extensive.

We were honored that the Speaker of the House, State Rep. Ryan Fecteau of Biddeford asked the Gazette if he could submit his column about recent ICE activity in Maine for publication on our site.

On a similar note, former mayor Marty Grohman asked us to publish his recent op-ed about artificial intelligence and its potential benefit for Maine communities. Both State Sen. Henry Ingwersen and State Rep. Marc Malon publish their monthly columns in the Gazette.

We sincerely appreciate their trust and confidence.

And in this corner . . .

Speaking of Marc Malon, it looks like he may face a challenge in his reelection bid for a third term as Biddeford’s District 133 representative. Veteran City Councilor Marc Lessard told us he is giving serious consideration to running for the seat as an unenrolled candidate. This could be the first time that Malon is challenged for his seat.

I think that’s good news. I like Marc Malon. I think he does a decent job and truly cares about the people he represents, but it’s always better for voters if they have options. And we care more about the voters than the politicians.

Two good guys going toe-to-toe. Could be interesting.

I’m outta room. Good stuff coming down the pike! Kiss someone today and celebrate Valentine’s Day!  

P.S. I talked a lot about journalism in this week’s newsletter. If you’d like to see a list of my 12 all-time favorite journalists, hop over to my personal blog Lessons in Mediocrity and check out The List. You will probably recognize some of the names and faces.

___________________________

Randy Seaver is the editor and founder of the Biddeford Gazette. He has been covering Biddeford news and politics for nearly three decades. He may be reached by email: randy@randyseaver.com

________________________

THE BIDDEFORD GAZETTE |A Legacy of Trusted, Independent Journalism

Our editorial standards and policies: Biddeford Gazette | Standards & Policies

© 2026 Biddeford Gazette, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Never miss an update! Subscribe for free today!

NEWSLETTER: Warm thoughts on a cold day

~ Randy Seaver ~ 1 Comment

Feedback from our readers reinforces the Gazette’s mission statement

Wow! What a busy week it’s been.

In a few moments, I’ll be headed out the door and on my way to this year’s WinterFest activities in downtown Biddeford.

WinterFest is so much than just a giant man-made sledding hill on Adams Street. It is now three-days of various activities and fun for people of all ages. Over the last 14 years, WinterFest has grown and become one of Biddeford’s most notable community events.

But none of it would be possible without dozens of volunteers and community sponsors. Go here: to learn more about this year’s WinterFest celebration.

Good times return to Biddeford for annual WinterFest celebration. File photo: Devin Wright

A peek behind the scenes at the Gazette

Speaking of celebrations, Laura and I — and some of our closest friends and supporters –celebrated a few milestones achieved this week by the Biddeford Gazette.

It’s mostly some little, housekeeping things — but they all reinforce the idea that the Gazette has grown from just a simple concept to a full-fledged media outlet.

This week, we received our registration papers as a non-profit media company and secured a PO Box for the Gazette. We also opened a business bank account at PeoplesChoice Credit Union.  Things are getting real!

We also updated our website with a few new static pages, most notably a section that details our Standards and Policies and a page that describes our history, but there is another new page that leaves me almost speechless and close to tears each time I look at it.

Support from the community

If you get a chance, please check out our READER FEEDBACK page. We have archived some of the comments we have received from the community over the last few months.

If you want to know why I do this, what motivates me and keeps me going — check out some of the feedback we have received from our readers. From my perspective, these comments are more valuable than gold. Thank you so much!

Speaking of gratitude, last week we asked readers for their suggestions about a possible tagline for the Gazette. The suggestions are still coming in, and we will ask our advisory board to help us select the winning entry.

If we pick your suggestion, you will score a $20 gift certificate to Reilly’s Bakery on Main Street. Talk about motivation.

What’s ahead?

It’s election time again, and the Biddeford Gazette will soon begin our coverage of local legislative and York County races with the comprehensive approach that our readers have come to expect.

We also plan to do a deeper dive on several issues now brewing just beneath the surface in Biddeford. Stay tuned! We have some good stuff in the pipeline!

The Biddeford City Council discusses a controversial downtown parking plan that has been discontinued.

A quick review

During the past week, the Gazette has published several items, including news about Monday’s fire near the Hannaford grocery store and the former Sleepy Hollow motel.

We also updated our coverage regarding a controversial downtown parking plan; and provided our readers with a deeper look at how Biddeford is using its Opioid Settlement Funds. We also had some fun with City Manager Truc Dever – a transplant from the Seattle area – about who she is rooting for in this year’s Superbowl contest.

We were also honored to receive an op-ed this week from former Biddeford Mayor Marty Grohman about the benefits of using artificial intelligence and a thought-provoking column about U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner.

From the “Very Good News” department: we posted an update this week, letting people know that the IRS has opted to waive more than $700,000 in penalties and fees dues to some missing health insurance forms on the city’s 2021 tax return.

The Gazette first broke that story last year, and it’s nice to see that it was resolved with a positive outcome.

Okay, now it’s off to WinterFest! We’ll be posting some photos of this year’s celebration later today.

Be safe! Stay Warm! Have fun and . . . Go, Patriots!

______________________

Randy Seaver is the editor and founder of the Biddeford Gazette. He may be reached by email: randy@randyseaver.com

You may view and learn more about our editorial standards and policies here:

Biddeford Gazette | Standards & Policies

c.) 2026 All Rights Reserved; Biddeford Gazette, Inc.

Never miss an update! Subscribe for free today!

NEWSLETTER: Help us with a tagline, score some goodies from Reilly’s Bakery

~ Randy Seaver ~ 10 Comments

According to blogger Mat Zucker, it is becoming more and more important for news outlets to have a pithy, clever tagline that differentiates them from an overflowing pot of news sources and media sites.

“The motto of a news organization is more than just marketing,” Zucker writes. “It’s a declaration of journalistic purpose. These short phrases encapsulate an outlet’s mission, values, and unique approach to reporting.”

Help the Gazette create a tagline, get a gift certificate to Reilly’s Bakery File photo

As the Biddeford Gazette begins its second year, I’m asking our readers for suggestions and ideas about a possible tagline for our humble, hyper-local organization.

To get your creative juices flowing, here are a couple of ideas that have been rattling around in my mind.

We could co-opt the New York Times famous tagline: “All the news that’s fit to print,” how about this? 

The Biddeford Gazette — All the Biddeford news that’s fit to publish on the internet.

Or maybe we could bend this oft-mentioned piece of writing advice:

Biddeford Gazette — An economy of words; a wealth of Biddeford information

One of my favorite potential taglines came to me last year while talking with former mayor Marty Grohman:

The Biddeford Gazette — We’re free, and we’re worth it!

Of course, we could always take the serious and boring route:

The Biddeford Gazette — Your trusted source for Biddeford news and information;

According to the experts, your tagline should really describe your brand and reputation. So, how about:

The Biddeford Gazette — There’s no such thing as a day off in our newsroom?

But my all-time favorite has to be this one from a former colleague who wished to remain anonymous:

The Biddeford Gazette — Where cranky, old-school journalists go to die in southern Maine.

What do you think should be our motto? Send your suggestions to biddefordgazette@gmail.com

If we pick your original suggestion, you get a $20 gift certificate to Reilly’s Bakery. Yum!

A busy week!

It’s been a busy week here in the Biddeford Gazette’s newsroom.

We started off the week with a rather interesting story featuring local author Susan Graham’s new book about the “Great Fires of 1947” and how that disaster impacted several Biddeford neighborhoods.

That story was one of the most popular pieces we have published. Dozens of people emailed me their own recollections and the stories that were passed down from generation to generation.

Speaking of fires, we also published an exclusive interview with Biddeford Fire Chief Lawrence Best about the city’s ongoing discussions about a potential substation that would be located in the eastern part of the city.

Of course, we updated a story we first published last year about more than $500,00 of fines the city of Biddeford is facing in IRS penalties for failing to submit employee health insurance records in 2021.

Our original story about the city’s financial problems – including the city’s IRS exposure — was first published in the Biddeford Gazette on March 10, 2025.

All I can say is that I am happy that we now have a new city manager, a new finance director, a new mayor and a relatively new city council.

Our exclusive reporting continued this week on an updated story about a complaint the city filed against the University of New England in York County Superior Court.

Finally, we received a press release a couple of weeks ago from State Rep. Marc Malon of Biddeford about a new bill he introduced.

We could have just copied and pasted Malon’s press release, but we decided to dig a little deeper about his proposal to prohibit the use of credit cards for online sports gambling.

At first blush, I considered Malon’s proposal to be yet another example of government overreach into private affairs, but he convinced me otherwise.

In closing, a funny story about the power and benefit of local news, the flexibility of the internet and accessible reporters. Malon really liked the story, but he was a bit uncomfortable with our original headline: “Online gambling addiction troubles Biddeford lawmaker.”

When Malon texted me to ask if we could change the headline, I was more than happy to oblige. Some people were inferring that Malon was having personal problems with a gambling addiction.

One of my old editors – Harry Foote – was likely rolling in his grave. I had forgotten the most basic fundamentals of headline writing: Short, clear in subject-verb-object order.

And that’s a wrap! Stay warm and be safe!

P.S. Oh, yeah. . . . almost forgot to mention: The Biddeford Gazette is now a registered and incorporated as a non-profit entity in the state of Maine!

____________

Randy Seaver is the editor and founder of the Biddeford Gazette. He may be reached by email: randy@randyseaver.com

c.) 2026 All Rights Reserved, Biddeford Gazette, Inc.

Never miss another update! Subscribe for free today!

NEWSLETTER: Baby, it’s cold outside

~ Randy Seaver ~ 3 Comments

Just as I was getting used to the lull of the holidays and a slower news pace during the early days of January, the local news cycle basically exploded and caught me a bit off guard.

For the first time I can remember, I have seven stories in development and stacked up for publication. I like it this way.

Keeping busy keeps me out of trouble; well, sort of.

Some cool stuff is happening on the sidelines.

Even polar bears think it’s too cold outside Photo: Wikipedia commons

Our sister city and an introduction to journalism

I more or less stumbled onto an opportunity to interview the mayor of Bideford, our sister city in England.

According to some of the town’s residents, Bideford and Biddeford seem to have many things in common. Bideford was once England’s third largest port and its history is steeped in manufacturing, including shipbuilding.

You can start to learn more about our sister city here: Bideford | Wikipedia

In other news (no pun intended), I am excited about an upcoming class I will be teaching through Biddeford Adult Education.

The tentative name of the class, scheduled to begin in April, is Introduction to Journalism: Inside the Craft.

The course is being described as follows: “Students will learn about the rapidly changing world of journalism from a veteran reporter and editor. This course will prepare students to pursue a career in journalism and will offer discussions regarding AP-Style writing (Associated Press); journalism ethics; and in-depth discussions about the impacts of advancing technology in the field of journalism. 

The class will also feature lecture-and-answer discussion about the history of journalism in the United States; the rising trend of “citizen journalism” and a review of how media has changed over the last 50 years.”

Pretty cool stuff, eh?

Speaking of cool stuff, I had the pleasure this week of meeting up with one of Maine’s most prolific and respected reporters.

Chris Williams spent time as a reporter working at the Portland Press Herald, the Nashua Telegraph, the Portland Evening Express, the Lewiston Sun Journal and several other publications.

Turns out that we both worked for Harry Foote, one of Maine’s most beloved newspaper editors at the American Journal in Westbrook.

Chris reached out to me and said he really likes what we’re doing with the Gazette. He offered me some very valuable insights and suggestions and said we should stay in touch. It was the highlight of my week.

Baby, it’s cold outside

Of course, the news that is dominating media outlets all across Maine is centered upon this week’s ramped up enforcement efforts by the U.S. Immigrational & Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) here in southern Maine.

This is an emotionally and politically-charged story that is extraordinarily fluid and rapidly changing. Journalists all across the state are struggling to keep up with this story, which includes activity happening here in Biddeford.

As a service to our readers, the Biddeford Gazette has created a special section on our website to give our readers updates and links to community resources and ongoing media coverage. You can find that resource page here: ICE | Biddeford.

Over the last few days, we have also published a wide range of stories, including our exclusive coverage of how a controversial downtown parking plan was funded; and a heart-felt story about a beloved McArthur Library security guard who has been sidelined by a serious spinal injury.

After suffering a serious spinal injury, Don Creighton is not sure how he is going to survive. The community — in including his co-workers, downtown merchants and library patrons — is rallying around him.

The best part of being a journalist is being able to help people in need. Within just a few hours of publishing our story, financial donations soared by more than $4,000.

This truly is a great community. Go here to read Don Creighton’s story and learn how you can help.

Looking ahead

We have some awesome stories in production, including an in-depth interview with State Rep. Marc Malon about his bill to prohibit the use of credit cards for mobile gambling sites; and another exclusive story about a book written by a local author that details how the notorious 1947 wildfires engulfed the Fortune’s Rocks neighborhood and even threatened downtown Biddeford.

We also sat down this week with Biddeford Fire Chief Larry Best to talk about the plans to build a new substation closer to the eastern portion of the city.

There’s a lot more, but I should probably focus on getting caught up with our news coverage.

It looks like we’ll be starting off the week with a big winter storm and some especially frigid temperatures.

Be safe, stay warm and have fun!

RECENT STORIES:

Questions raised about how a parking program was funded

Council unanimously approves UNE moratorium

Council rejects freeze on rising mobile home park fees

Community rallies around beloved security guard

Lessard blasts downtown parking program

___________

Randy Seaver is the editor and founder of the Biddeford Gazette. He may be reached by email: randy@randyseaver.com

c.) 2026 All Rights Reserved

Never miss another update! Subscribe for free today!

NEWSLETTER: From concept to reality

~ Randy Seaver ~ 1 Comment

Welcome to the new year!

How are you doing with your resolutions?

One of my primary resolutions for the new year included taking the Biddeford Gazette from a simple concept to a structured, non-profit organization.

The Gazette was formally launched on January 14, 2025. Our first story was about a proposed affordable housing project that would be built near Rotary Park.

A new year beckons from the horizon of Biddeford’s coastline (Seaver photo)

Over the next several months, the Gazette became a trusted, reliable and professional news outlet.

We published more than 130 original and often exclusive news stories. We also published – at no charge — local obituaries and listings of community events.

During the last year, the Gazette also took on several enterprise stories, including our three-part series on affordable housing and our in-depth reporting of the candidates and issues connected to Biddeford’s biennial election, including organizing the only mayoral debate in October.

The Gazette also grew internally, several people stepped up to volunteer their time and expertise to support our mission statement. We also were able to establish a diverse, nine-member advisory board that includes some heavy hitters in the community.

And we provided a resource to share and promote community-generated news and feature stories from our readers.

It’s been an amazing year that exceeded all my expectations.

Going forward

Over the next few weeks, the Gazette will become an incorporated entity. We are currently working with an attorney to determine the best path forward. We are also in the process of taking care of some household chores, including insurance, opening a business banking account, professional dues and memberships, etc.

It’s exciting to watch the Gazette grow and to see it being embraced so warmly by the community, but our mission statement remains at the core of everything we do.

Between the holidays and all the internal, behind-the-scenes activity, you have probably noticed that our news coverage has slowed a bit.

Have no fear, we have some good (and exclusive) stories in development.

In case you missed it, we had a lot of fun learning about and writing about the West Brook skating rink on Pool Street. That outdoor rink has been part of Biddeford’s history for more than 100 years.

We also took a deep dive into what may have seemed to be an innocuous story regarding new appointments to the Biddeford Planning Board.

As for my other resolutions? Why do French Fries have to taste so good?

As always, thanks for reading!

________________

Randy Seaver is the editor and founder of the Biddeford Gazette. He may be reached by email: randy@randyseaver.com

c.) 2026 All Rights Reserved

Never miss another update! Subscribe for free today!

NEWSLETTER: It’s A Wonderful Life

~ Randy Seaver ~ Leave a comment

Here we are smack dab in the middle of the holiday season. The excitement and joy are palpable, but a lot of the news – at the national level – has been anything but joyous since our last newsletter.

During this time of year, we are reminded that we are all connected, part of a larger community, celebrating various traditions that are steeped in generosity, compassion and love.

Still, this can be a difficult time for many people: financial stress, overwhelming expectations and estranged family dilemmas.

Earlier this week, we again published State Rep. Marc Malon’s monthly column. Marc touched upon some difficult realities regarding the holidays, but he also provided a list of resources that are available for those who are struggling this time of year.

We also shared some uplifting stories that demonstrate the kindness and generosity of our community.

Students from the University of New England once again partnered with Biddeford Primary School to make the holiday a bit brighter via the Holiday Giving Tree Toy Drive. The students collected 300 toys, double their goal of 150.

Students from the University of New England collected toys for 300 children

The Biddeford-Saco Rotary Club — through its annual Adopt-A-Family Program – made sure that 200 local children experienced the joy of Christmas morning.

The St. Louis Alumni Association donated $50K to three local charities: Biddeford Food Pantry, the My Place Teen Center and Apex Youth Connection.

Hannaford supermarkets donated $10k and 20,000 pounds of food to Youth Full Maine, a Biddeford-based non-profit.

Taking care of business:

Earlier this week, the newly elected Biddeford City Council held its first regular meeting and wasted no time in tackling a long list of pending issues. I have to admit; I smiled during rollcall when a majority of the councilors answered “present” instead of “here.” A nice legacy left behind from a former councilor.

The new city council hit the ground running at its first regular meeting on Tuesday

Mayor Liam LaFountain unveiled his plan to create an ad-hoc committee to make recommendations of potential changes in the city’s Institutional Zone, which is comprised of UNE’s growing Biddeford campus. The new mayor’s proposal was warmly received by the public, members of the council and even the university.

A private developer has been able to secure federal funding for environmental remediation at the site of the former MERC waste-to-energy incinerator, which was shuttered in 2012.

We took an exclusive look this week at the campaign finance reports filed by the three mayoral candidates, and we broke a story about the possibility of hiring a full-time, in-house attorney.

We also spoke with State Sen. Henry Ingwersen about his bill to create more mental health resources for workers in Maine’s outdoor heritage industries: logging, fishing and farming.

With the help of our advisory board, we published a Top-10 list of Biddeford news stories for 2025.

We have several news and feature stories still in development, not to mention our exclusive, one-on-one interview with Santa Claus, which will be published on Dec. 23. It’s a story appropriate for both children and adults.

As always, thank you for reading. Please stay safe and enjoy all that this season offers.

______________

Randy Seaver is the editor and founder of the Biddeford Gazette. He may be reached by email: randy@randyseaver.com

c.) 2025 All Rights Reserved

Never miss another update! Subscribe for free today!

NEWSLETTER: ‘Tis the season!

~ Randy Seaver ~ Leave a comment

Technically speaking, it’s still autumn but it sure feels like winter here in southern Maine.

We’re now deep into the holiday season, and you probably have a growing laundry list of chores and preparations for the season.

But there is also lots of fun and joy to be had in Biddeford. Check our EVENTS page for the latest updates, including Santa’s planned visit on Sunday, Dec. 14 at Biddeford’s Central Fire Station on Alfred Street.

Santa is expected to visit the Biddeford Fire Department on Sunday, Dec. 14 at 5 p.m.

We experienced the first significant snowstorm of the season and the Biddeford Public Works Department once again stepped up to the plate to make sure the roads were cleared as soon as possible.

I learned a lot this week about our city’s public works department from our exclusive interview with Jeff Demers, the city’s public works director.

Public works director Jeff Demers says his department is ready for whatever Mother Nature brings

For example, did you know that Jeff and his crew plow 292 miles of roadways in Biddeford? That’s the equivalent of driving from City Hall in Biddeford to Albany, New York. Also, the city is expecting to use as much as 250 tons of salt on roadways this winter season.

Tuesday’s storm also impacted local politics. For the first time, the city’s biennial inauguration ceremonies were not held in City Theater. The event was online only because of slippery driving conditions and an active snow parking ban.

The University of New England’s controversial pier project is back in the news. The city has filed a formal complaint against the Saco River Corridor Commission (SRCC) in York County Superior Court.

Our in-depth story revealed that even SRCC commissioners did not know about the court action, almost two weeks after the city filed its complaint.

After reading several complaints on social media, Contributing Writer Jim Krause did some investigating about the frequency and volume of train warning whistles and horns.

And even single-digit temperatures didn’t stop this year’s ‘Merry & Bright’ night in downtown Biddeford, complete with a tree lighting ceremony and a visit by Santa Claus.

Speaking of holiday celebrations, consider yourself invited to the Biddeford Gazette’s first holiday party!

Actually, the party is an open-house, community event that Laura and I have held for eight years on Christmas Day.

We provide a fully-stocked bar, my famous Bloody Mary cocktails garnished with shrimp and bacon and lots of yummy food throughout the day.

Learn more about the Seaver Christmas Chaos party here. BIDDEFORD GAZETTE/SEAVER CHAOS HOLIDAY PARTY

We have more exclusive news stories on deck. We’re also working on a retrospective of the news and events that shaped 2025 in Biddeford, including our list of the year’s Top-Ten local stories.

Also, we are going to keep tradition alive, and publish our exclusive interview with Santa Claus on Christmas eve.

Stay warm and be safe!

NEWSLETTER: Catch you on the flip side

~ Randy Seaver ~ 2 Comments

Although it may be hard to believe, we are now pushing up against the edge of the 2025 holiday season. Wow! Where did this year go?

Over the next 30 days, people in our community will celebrate Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, the Winter Solstice and Christmas.

For many people, this can be a stressful and lonely time of the year. So please try to be extra kind during these shortest days of the year.

The world could always use a bit more kindness.

Winter will soon knock upon our door

On the local news front, I am pleased to announce that the Biddeford Gazette will actually take a four-day break between today and Sunday.

We have been moving at a break-neck speed for a while now, so it will likely feel good to walk away from the keyboard for just a few days.

When I think about all the many ways I am blessed, I also think about all those who have helped the Biddeford Gazette get its sea-legs over the past year.

I am grateful for the hundreds of subscribers who want the latest updates and news (You can subscribe here)

But I also thankful for all the people who stop me at the grocery store, downtown or in one of my favorite haunts just to simply express appreciation for what we are doing. It means a lot to me and keeps me motivated.

A look back

My friend Craig Pendleton and I decided to attend a campaign rally for U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner at the Biddeford Middle School. I decided to go as an observer, not a reporter. I did not bring a notebook or pen.

Five minutes into the event and I was scribbling notes with a borrowed pencil and scraps of paper. It was a big crowd of more than 1,000 people. The energy in the room was unmistakable.

U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner brough his campaign to Biddeford last week (Seaver photo)

Bounce Pickle & Play held its grand opening and offered the Gazette a tour of its facility throughout the former Smitty’s Cinema at the Five Points Shopping Center.

We were honored to share news from the Biddeford School Department about a prestigious, national grant received by the Biddeford Adult-Ed program.

State Sen. Henry Ingwersen again shared with Gazette readers his perspective about some of the things happening in Augusta, including a good break down and list of various resources available to those facing food insecurity.

We also learned that Brian Phinney, the city’s chief operating officer, submitted his notice of resignation. Phinney served as acting city manager for several months after the city council opted to give Jim Bennett the boot in February.

We wrapped up the week with a story about the St. Joseph’s Convent on Pool Road and the plan to transform it into housing for University of New England students.

Monday night’s review of UNE’s plan before the Saco River Corridor Commission required sitting through more than three hours of mind-numbing discussion about 12 other items on the agenda.

If you think the seats in the Biddeford City Council chamber are uncomfortable, try sitting three hours on a metal, folding chair under the glare of fluorescent lights.

What’s on deck?  

Of course, we will continue our Sunday tradition of showcasing local obituaries.

We are also planning to publish an in-depth story about the Age-Friendly programs in Biddeford and Saco.

The Age Friendly program is a national initiative focused on helping seniors live independently in their own homes.

And, one week from tonight (Dec. 2), the city of Biddeford will celebrate the inauguration of Liam LaFountain as the city’s next mayor.

On Tuesday, December2, the city of Biddeford will celebrate the inauguration of Liam LaFountain as the city’s next mayor

On a final note, in terms of gratitude. Words cannot express my gratitude for all the people helping the Gazette from behind the scenes.

Gail Toussaint of Biddeford serves as a copy-editor on many (not all) of our stories. She always responds within an hour. News does not happen on a 9-5 schedule, and Gail is always ready to help.

She takes the time to meticulously scan each story, sending her edits back within minutes. She does this – always on call – because she “loves the Gazette and what we’re doing.” She does not get paid.

On a similar note, Contributing Writer Jim Krause is always ready to help cover a story or an event. He is a gifted writer and a news junkie. Again, all of his work is done without pay.

And let’s not forget the nine members of our advisory board who stand ready with input, ideas, suggestions and constructive feedback. They are a power-house team (Check their profiles here)

And we simply cannot overlook or take for granted our publisher, Laura Seaver. Laura is our biggest champion and staunchest defender. We literally could not exist without her support and guidance.

My apologies for being long-winded. Enjoy the holiday and the comfort of family or friends. Drive carefully and be nice to one another.

____________________

Randy Seaver is the editor and founder of the Biddeford Gazette. He may be reached by email: randy@randyseaver.com

c.) 2025 All Rights Reserved

Never miss another update! Subscribe for free today!

NEWSLETTER: Not Your Father’s Biddeford

~ Randy Seaver ~ 1 Comment

New mayor; changing business hours at City Hall and approaching holidays

The days are getting shorter and the temperatures are dropping, but it feels good to approach the holiday season with some enthusiasm and contentment.

This week, we are asking our readers to tell us what they believe were the Top-Ten news stories in Biddeford for 2025.

We are also soliciting ideas about holiday coverage and feature stories that you may enjoy learning about.

Of course, we expect to once again offer an exclusive, sit-down interview with Santa Claus, but we also want to highlight and celebrate the diversity of Biddeford’s holiday season.

This is a great opportunity for you or your organization to share news and events about the holidays and community celebrations. CONTACT US

Now that the local elections are over, we are returning to a much more manageable schedule, focused on original, in-depth reporting.

For the time period between Oct. 1 and Nov. 12, we published an average of more than one story per day. Now, we anticipate two-to-three stories per week, not including obituaries, public events or business profiles.

Former Biddeford Mayor Gen. Wallace Nutting

Our annual Veterans’ Day parade this year highlighted the strength of what can be accomplished by collaboration between the cities of Biddeford and Saco. The bridge at the bottom of York Hill was dedicated in honor of Gen. Wallace Nutting, a native of Saco and former mayor of Biddeford.

Nutting was always very bullish about both cities, and he was perpetually on the hunt for partnership opportunities. It seems only fitting that a bridge connecting the two cities would be named in his honor.

This week’s news highlights:

Despite a recommendation by City Attorney Harry Center to send the issue back to the planning board, the city’s Zoning Board of Appeals voted 3-0 to deny a citizen-based appeal of the controversial pier being proposed by the University of New England.

The council’s chamber was packed for Thursday’s ZBA meeting

Biddeford’s Policy Committee tackled both next steps for an updated Comprehensive Plan and a review of the council’s Code of Ethics.

From our friends at Saco Bay News, we learned this week that three former York County corrections officers were indicted on charges that they facilitated the delivery of contraband items to prisoners.

What’s on deck:

On Saturday, we sat down with Biddeford Mayor-Elect Liam LaFountain for an exclusive, free-ranging interview about a number of issues facing the city.

Biddeford Mayor-Elect Liam LaFountain

We also met with folks from the Age Friendly Saco program to highlight the many services they provide to seniors and how they hope to work closely with the Age Friendly Biddeford program.

On Tuesday, the Biddeford City Council will tackle the issue of business hours at City Hall.

Currently, City Hall is open on Mondays and Tuesdays from 7 a.m. to 5 pm; and on Wednesdays and Thursdays, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

In an effort to minimize public confusion, the council will consider streamlining business hours at City Hall to 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday.

Changing hours at City Hall?

And that’s a wrap for this week.

Remember: What do you think were the Top-Ten news stories in Biddeford this year? Drop us a line at BiddefordGazette@gmail.com

___________________

Randy Seaver is the editor and founder of the Biddeford Gazette. He may be reached by email: randy@randyseaver.com

c.) 2025 All Rights Reserved

Never miss another update! Subscribe for free today!

NEWSLETTER: Glad it’s over; I need a nap

~ Randy Seaver ~ Leave a comment

Wow! What a wild ride it’s been.

Although I am a junkie when it comes to local politics, I must confess I am quite relieved that Biddeford’s municipal elections are now over.

This year’s election had a certain energy. There was a sense of enthusiasm among those waiting in line to cast their votes.

Mayor-elect Liam LaFountain (left) talks with his supporters on Election Night at Pizza by Alex (Seaver photo)

Unlike the 2023 election, this year’s contest saw seven council seats being contested. People were ready for a change.

There was also a big uptick in voter participation this year. In fact, a record was broken for municipal turnout. Typically, 29 to 33 percent of registered voters make the effort to cast a ballot in Biddeford’s off-year elections.

This year, roughly 43 percent of registered voters cast a ballot.

Speaking of numbers, I am proud of our in-depth and comprehensive reporting.

The Biddeford Gazette began its political coverage on Oct. 1. During the month of October, we published a total of 51 stories. Forty-three of those stories were connected to the election. We also created a special section on our website that provided easy-to-find news and information about the election.

Additionally, we organized and coordinated a public debate between the three mayoral candidates and encouraged letters to the editor.

Phew! It is time for a nap.

Next steps?

As many of you know, in late August I broke my right arm in two places and shattered my elbow. I am pleased to say that it’s getting better with each passing day, but it certainly impacted the Biddeford Gazette.

An X-Ray of my shattered elbow

Between my broken arm and my somewhat manic approach to covering the elections, I let a lot of other things slide.

So, I think it’s time for me to get back to basics and remind myself that the Gazette is supposed to be fun. It does not (as of today) generate any income or revenue.

We’re going to focus
on quality, not quantity

I don’t need to chase down every wailing siren. I have the luxury of deciding what stories I will cover.

When I formally launched the Gazette in January, I wrote that this project was designed to “fill gaps in local media coverage by developing and publishing original news and opinion pieces about the city of Biddeford.”

What does that mean? Basically, we’re going to focus on quality, not quantity. We’re going to be more selective and put more emphasis on publishing contributed stories from the community.

Thank you so much for reading the Biddeford Gazette! Please feel free to drop us a line to offer your thoughts about our coverage or to suggest story ideas and news tips.

This Week’s Top Stories:

Biddeford chooses new mayor, city councilors

City seeks guidance from AG’s office regarding UNE pier

State Senator working to help stabilize childcare costs

Brisk turnout for Biddeford’s election

______________

Randy Seaver is the editor and founder of the Biddeford Gazette. He may be reached by email: randy@randyseaver.com

c.) 2025 All Rights Reserved

Never miss another update! Subscribe for free today!

NEWSLETTER: An expanding team and more coverage

~ Randy Seaver ~ Leave a comment

Welcome to October!

The days are getting shorter. The leaves are dropping, and Halloween is right around the corner.

It’s also almost time to choose a new mayor, city councilors and school committee members in Biddeford. My favorite time of the year!

Autumn at Chez Seaver

Biddeford Mayoral Debate

Last night, I served as one of the panelists at the 2025 Biddeford Mayoral Debate. We had a really good turnout, especially when considering it was the Friday night of long, holiday weekend.

I’ll pat myself on the back here and say I put several hours and lots of effort into organizing and coordinating the event. I think it went well, and I really appreciated the kind comments from members of the public.

The candidates were candid and addressed a wide range of issues with civility and respect. More than 130 people attended the event. READ MORE

Many people asked me if there will be another debate before the election. I don’t know, but I do know that I won’t be organizing another one this year.

Upcoming Election Information

Absentee ballots are now available from the City Clerk’s office, and voting day is November 4. The Biddeford Gazette has dedicated an entire section of our website for Biddeford election information.

Here you can find comprehensive information about the candidates, the referendum issues, political events and general information about voting and this year’s election.

The profiles of the three mayoral candidates will be published over the next week. In alphabetical order, we will begin with Norman Belanger on Tuesday; Marty Grohman on Wednesday and Liam LaFountain on Thursday.

A team effort

It’s hard to believe that the Biddeford Gazette is quickly approaching its one-year anniversary, and I am very pleased with our trajectory. The Gazette is melding into its mission statement of being a community-driven media outlet.

When looking over just the past week, you may have noticed that we posted 14 original news and opinion stories. Of those, 12 were exclusive and seven of them were written by other people.

What does that mean? It means that 50 percent of what we published this week came from community voices. That’s exciting! Tom McPheeters offered a deeper look at coastal erosion issues. Jim Krause offered us a profile of David Kurtz who is unopposed on the ballot; and Rep. Marc Malon did a deep dive regarding the importance of vaccines.

We are also leveraging our media partnership with The Maine Monitor. And Gail Toussaint is still volunteering her services as the copy-editor for several of our stories.

“50 percent of what we published
this week came from community voices“

Send us your stuff and event notices

We want more community voices! And we are now accepting Letters to the Editor and Guest columns from our readers! We are also expanding our Local Events page

On a final note, you can learn more about our expanding and talented team in the OUR TEAM section of our website

Furthermore, our volunteer Advisory Board will have its very first meeting on Thursday, and I am feeling so grateful that the idea Laura and I concocted 11 months ago is really beginning to take shape.

Enjoy your pumpkin-spice coffee and the clean, brisk air of autumn!

___________

Randy Seaver is the editor and founder of the Biddeford Gazette. He may be reached by email: randy@randyseaver.com

c.) 2025 All Rights Reserved

Never miss another update! Subscribe for free today!

NEWSLETTER: Surgery & Local Politics

~ Randy Seaver ~ Leave a comment

Greetings!

I know this newsletter is long overdue, but I feel as if I have a decent excuse.

As most of you know, I broke my right arm in two places while on vacation a few weeks ago. Since then, I have had surgery and am making good progress toward full recovery.

The accident, however, did impact the Biddeford Gazette in a big way, especially because I was not able to use a keyboard, but we’re getting back on track.

And yes, Laura and I got a new puppy two weeks ago — as if we didn’t already have enough pets. To introduce Moose, I offer her as the featured photo for this newsletter installment.

We have a lot to get to, so let’s get started.

Campaign Coverage:

The local election season is upon us. Every two years, Biddeford voters choose a mayor, city councilors and school committee members. This year, voters will also be asked to decide two significant bond questions and a referendum regarding whether Biddeford needs a fresh look at the city’s charter.

For your convenience, the Gazette has created an entire section of our website to be a landing page for detailed information about the upcoming election. Here, you can find Frequently Asked Questions about the election and profiles about the candidates and issues, as well as a list of related public events.

Parts of this section are still under construction, and we plan to officially launch our comprehensive campaign coverage on Oct. 1 (We sure do love alliteration!)

Advisory Board:

I am happy to report that we are now in the process of scheduling and coordinating the very first meeting of our Advisory Board. I am so honored that these nine community members are willing to help the Gazette achieve its mission of being a trusted, community-driven news source.

Continued Growth/New Faces:

Our subscriber list continues to increase by leaps and bounds, but we are also experiencing some internal growth.  I would like to introduce you to Jim Krause, a Pennsylvania native who lives in Biddeford. Jim has written a few pieces for us including our recent profile of Biddeford’s new city manager.

Jim Krause, contributing writer for the Biddeford Gazette

The thing that amazes me is that Jim is willing to work without financial compensation. Look for more stories from him in the very near future.

We have also forged a relationship with the Maine Monitor, a statewide, non-profit digital media source that is dedicated to in-depth reporting and media collaboration with independent journalists across the state.

Recent/Exclusive News Stories:

Despite my broken arm, I am proud of the fact that the Gazette has still been able to bring you several exclusive and important news stories over the last few weeks, including:

Biddeford’s former city manager and questions about his own property tax assessments

A grassroots group of citizens collected enough signatures to force a special citizens’ meeting before the city council.

A roundtable public forum that included several of the candidates hoping to be elected in November.

A deeper look at Biddeford’s revised ordinances regarding engine braking.

A story about ongoing thefts of bottles and cans collected by local veterans.

On a final note, I want to offer a really big shout out to the Gazette’s publisher, my wife Laura. Laura is the reason we were able to keep publishing over the last few weeks. She has been a typist, a therapist and something else beginning with the letter ‘t,” that I can’t think of now. (Yes, we really do love alliteration)

Take care and be good to each other!

_____________

Randy Seaver is the editor and founder of the Biddeford Gazette. He may be reached by email at randy@randyseaver.com

Never miss another update! Subscribe for free today!

NEWSLETTER: The power of the press

~ Randy Seaver ~ 3 Comments

Edmund Burke, a member of British Parliament, once described the press and news media as the “fourth estate” of government during a 1771 speech.

Burke reasoned that the press had broad and significant power to influence government and public policy.

At that time, the other three estates of the realm were assigned to the clergy, the nobility and the commoners.

Last year’s selfie at our campsite on Moosehead Lake

From time to time, people ask me why I put so much time and effort into running the Biddeford Gazette. After all, this project does not generate any revenue.

No paywalls, no ads and free subscriptions.

I do it because I really love doing it. I love telling the stories of people in our community. I love holding elected officials accountable, and I especially love being able to champion the needs of those without a voice.

Being a journalist is the most fulfilling career I can imagine, but it also comes with a very big responsibility. I do my best to live up to that responsibility with every keystroke on my computer.

This week, I was able to leverage the Biddeford Gazette as a resource to help a local non-profit agency finally get the restitution they were owed by a large, national corporation that had been ignoring the situation.

I have been doing this for more than 30 years. I don’t recall a more satisfying story than the one I wrote this week about Roxi Suger and her struggle to collect funds her charity was owed.

On the other end of the spectrum, I had an absolute blast interviewing Cash and Nick Cassidy about their indie film, Childish Things, which will kick off this year’s Vacationland Film Festival at Biddeford’s City Theater.

Hearing the brothers talk about their cross-country adventure sparked my own memories of a cross-country trip that my friend Dale and I took in 1986, carrying a black velvet painting of Abraham Lincoln along Route 66 in an attempt to get on the David Letterman show. You can read about the Lincoln Tour here.

We were also able to spark a conversation this week about age and whether it should be a factor in local elections; and we dug a bit further into the discussion about the term “Biddo.”

This week, the Biddeford Gazette was also able to raise awareness about the struggles facing Dupuis Hardware, a beloved downtown business; and we reported on the progress of a grassroots community effort to help the victims of a terrible fire earlier this month.

Finally, I was honored to share the story of Ryan Paige, a Biddeford native who overcame a drug addiction and is now leading an effort that is helping hundreds of Mainers achieve sobriety from Kittery to Caribou.

With any luck, 24 hours from now, Laura and I will be sitting on the shore of Moosehead Lake for a much-needed break over the next few days.

We’ll catch you on the rebound. In the meantime, stay safe and be good to each other.

NEWSLETTER: Big news, big changes

~ Randy Seaver ~ Leave a comment

Looking back over the last few days, I have to tell you, I am really looking forward to spending some relaxation time with Laura during our annual vacation on Moosehead Lake.

Spending time at Moosehead is always good for the head, heart and soul. Henry David Thoreau thought the same thing.

Mount Kineo sits in the distance of Maine’s largest lake

But back to Biddeford.

We’ll talk more about some big developments here at the Gazette, including our newly formed advisory board and our new media partners, but let’s start with some of our recent headlines.

LOTS OF NEWS: Click here to see my 30-second video update

Biddeford police arrested a transient who is now facing multiple charges in connection with two shootings near the Pearl Street parking garage.

Sadly, a significant fire on Brackett Street displaced two families who are now faced with the daunting task of putting their lives back together.

Biddeford’s former city manager was back in the news, asking the city to reimburse him for expenses he incurred while performing as a Shriner clown in other communities – roughly five months after he was shown the door at City Hall.

A two-year saga regarding a controversial pier proposed by the University of New England appears to be coming to an end. The planning board voted 3-2 to grant final approval of the project.

After a rather sleepy 2023 municipal election, this year’s races are really heating up, and we now have a three-way race for the mayor’s seat and several contested city council seats.

The Gazette is keeping a close eye on the city’s political landscape. You can always get the latest updates here.

There is a lot more, including reports and opinion pieces submitted to us by people like you. (Keep ‘em coming, folks!)

EXCITING DEVELOPMENTS:

I recently attended an event at the McArthur Library that was co-hosted by The Maine Monitor and Saco Bay News, both online publications.

The meeting was part of a statewide listening tour being conducted by The Maine Monitor, intended to explore how people are accessing local news and what they expect from local media outlets.

Josh Keefe of the Maine Monitor, shares highlights of a break-out group discussion about local journalism.

As the digital age of journalism continues, the new media landscape offers both opportunities and challenges for local journalists and news consumers.

Bottom line? Local newsrooms are fighting for survival. Reporters are expected to do more with fewer resources. Corporate media consolidation is shrinking news rooms and local coverage.

How do we do more with fewer resources?

Collaboration is the name of the game. Local media can break down traditional walls of competition and look for opportunities to work together and share resources.

That concept, I am proud to say, has been one of our core values. We are always looking for Biddeford news produced by other outlets. We use our social media pages to share those stories and direct readers to those media sources.

I was so pleased to be able to share a story about great white sharks that was originally published in The Maine Monitor. That’s how we leverage the internet to benefit our readers.

Thursday’s fire was a difficult story to cover. Of course, I went to the scene. It’s my job, but I was really tired and felt emotionally drained. Then I received a call from a news producer at WGME-TV (Channel 13). They asked permission to use my photos and video.

I breathed a sigh of relief. I could go home and not have another story to write. I could simply share WGME’s story on the Gazette’s website. That’s collaboration.

Another big step forward

Finally, most importantly, I am so proud and honored to announce that our advisory board is now a reality. We have seven members on the volunteer board and are actively seeking nominations from the community about possible candidates to fill the remaining two positions. Please contact us with your suggestions.

Check out the profiles of the individual members. It’s an impressive list and represents a diversity of backgrounds, perspectives and experience that will be invaluable as we move forward in our mission of providing community-driven news.

Our first meeting will likely take place sometime in September.

That’s it for now. Let the vacation count-down clock begin!

_________________

Randy Seaver is the editor and founder of the Biddeford Gazette. He may be contacted by email: randy@randyseaver.com

NEVER MISS ANOTHER UPDATE! Subscribe for free today!