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.

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

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