Steve Meyers Cartoons

01/23/2025

November 24, 2024, Maine Sunday Telegram.

There are government warnings about eating game from certain Maine areas contaminated with PFAS (Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances.) They are also known as "forever chemicals."

"Multiple health effects associated with PFAS exposure have been identified and are supported by different scientific studies. Concerns about the public health impact of PFAS have arisen...

Because there are many types of PFAS chemicals, which often occur in complex mixtures and in various everyday products, researchers face challenges in studying them. More research is needed to fully understand all sources of exposure, and if and how they may cause health problems." - National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences website. They are part of the United States' Department of Health and Human Services

The European Environment Agency states, "(PFAS) are extremely persistent in our environment and bodies. They can lead to health problems such as liver damage, thyroid disease, obesity, fertility issues and cancer."

Some Maine hunters interviewed by the Portland Press Herald were unconcerned. They're gonna eat the s**t anyways.

01/16/2025

November 17, 2024, Maine Sunday Telegram.

"An investigation by a Portland-based law firm has found a culture of hazing and roughhousing on the Lisbon High School football team. School officials ordered the investigation after they heard allegations that teammates assaulted a player with a broomstick.

The investigation identified several types of hazing, including stuffing a freshman headfirst into a garbage can, trapping players — usually underclassmen — in a cage door in the locker room and poking them with a broom handle, and leather 'belt battles' that in at least one instance left a visible mark on a freshman player.

Attorneys at Drummond Woodsum said they interviewed 40 students as part of their investigation, many who resisted volunteering details and some who were visibly nervous. School staff informed attorneys that they heard football players tell teammates not to tell the truth or cooperate with the investigation.

The report found that similar hazing incidents may have occurred in the past. It concluded that the problem is rooted in the culture of the program, and found it was troubling that players brushed off hazing as "messing around" and "horseplay."

The Superintendent of Lisbon Schools did not immediately return a request for comment. Seven players were suspended from the football team earlier this month following a separate investigation. Lisbon police are also investigating." - by Patty Wight, Maine Public Radio, October 29, 2024, "Investigation finds culture of hazing on Lisbon High football team"

"Lisbon High School will not renew the contract for football coach Chris Kates, Superintendent of Lisbon Schools Richard Green..." - Portland Press Herald, January 14, 2025

Hazing is not unique to Lisbon High School.

"Allegations of bullying by members of the Mt. Ararat High School boys hockey team include a hazing incident last month in which two senior players held down a freshman player in the locker room and “hit him with pickles,” according to a witness.

The senior players also allegedly tried to remove the younger boy’s pants as he screamed in protest." - Portland Press Herald, January 10, 2025

01/09/2025

November 10, 2024, Maine Sunday Telegram.

Portland has a needle-exchange problem with some addicts throwing them aside after use instead of turning them in to the program's workers. Mayor Mark Dion had purposed a one-to-one exchange format but received pushback by some. On October 21, 2024, the Portland City Council rejected a one-to-one needle exchange. The vote was 7-1 with Mayor Dion in the minority. Instead the council voted for a pilot buy-back program which will be paid by opioid settlement funds.

"The program will pay people 5 cents per used syringe they return to the city, with a cap of $10 per person per day, in an effort to address needle litter in the city by incentivizing people to return dirty needles.

In addition to the buyback program, the money will be used to establish a methadone clinic and a day space where homeless people who aren’t staying in a shelter can stay warm and access laundry, showers, food and other services.

The combined cost of implementing all three programs for one year will be $1.38 million, all of which will come from opioid resettlement money, meaning it will not cost taxpayers anything." -Portland Press Herald, October 21, 2024, 'Portland council rejects return to 1-to-1 needle exchange program, opts for buyback plan' by Grace Benninghoff

The dog in the cartoon is TJ (1993-2006). Now and then, I like to include one of our family's four dogs. TJ was our first dog and had big goofy ears that could never decide if they were Lab or Husky/wolf. He was one-half Husky, one-quarter yellow Lab, and one-quarter wolf. I still very much miss the three dogs that are deceased.

01/02/2025

November 3, 2024, Maine Sunday Telegram.

12/26/2024

October 27, 2024, Maine Sunday Telegram.

12/19/2024

October 20, 2024, Maine Sunday Telegram.

12/16/2024

12/12/2024

October 13, 2024, Maine Sunday Telegram.

12/05/2024

October 6, 2024, Maine Sunday Telegram.

"A Windham car wash is facing thousands of dollars in fines for dumping contaminated wastewater, and the state is considering consent agreements with other businesses, including a garage that caused an oil spill that closed Willard Beach for 4 days.

A Windham car wash that was owned by a former Westbrook police detective is facing a $239,000 fine for illegally dumping about 2 million gallons of wastewater containing hazardous chemicals such as lead, thallium and chromium down the drain and trying to hide it.

It is one of several proposed Maine Department of Environmental Protection consent agreements that would resolve violations of environmental laws – some dating back five years – pending before the state Board of Environmental Protection, the agency’s enforcement arm...
.. Other pending violations include a tanning salon chain that dumped spent or broken lamps containing mercury in an Augusta basement, an oil spill that closed Willard Beach in South Portland for four days in August 2021, and improperly stored hazardous waste at Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington.

Auto Shine Car Wash was supposed to haul its wastewater off site for disposal, but a state inspector suspected that wasn’t happening after spotting suds in the storm drain during a 2019 inspection of the then 2-year-old Roosevelt Trail location, according to state records.

Upon investigation, the inspector discovered an unapproved underground pipe connecting the company’s wastewater storage tanks to the stormwater drain. The ground where the pipe was located had been paved over. When the inspector returned, the pipe had been removed." - Portland Press Herald, September 5, 2024, 'Maine cracks down on multiple businesses for contaminating the environment' by Penelope Overton

11/27/2024

I do not read because I create editorial cartoons. I create editorial cartoons because I read.
📖✏️

11/27/2024

September 29, 2024, Maine Sunday Telegram.

While the Republican faithful still may be supporters of former-governor Paul LePage and former-second-district-representative Bruce Poliquin, liberals and many independents are not fans of the now political Lilliputians. The political climate may eventually change where LePage and Poliquin are viewed with higher regard by the majority of Mainers but that time has not come yet if ever.

During the last election, the not-so-dynamic duo made a pitch for Republican Demi Kouzounas, a former GOP state chair, dentist and U.S. Army veteran who was running against incumbent Senator Angus King who is an independent but is much more aligned with the Democrats than the Republicans. David Costello was the Democrats' offering to replace Senator King. Another independent named Jason Cherry was the Don Quixote of the race.

The election results were as follows: Angus King 51.8%, Demi Kouzounas 34.6% (basically Republican stalwarts who would vote for a ham sandwich if it were the GOP candidate), David Costello 10.5% (he couldn't even get most of the Democrat base to support him), and Jason Cherry 2.5% (you can find his picture in the dictionary under the word 'irrelevant.')

11/21/2024

September 22, 2024, Maine Sunday Telegram.

11/14/2024

September 15, 2024, Maine Sunday Telegram.

11/07/2024

September 8, 2024, Maine Sunday Telegram.

"On August 19, 2024, a fire suppression system malfunction at Brunswick Landing in Maine accidentally released 51,450 gallons of firefighting foam. The foam, known as aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF), contained perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as "forever chemicals". The spill was the largest in Maine's history and the sixth-largest in the U.S. in the past 30 years.

The foam poses a serious threat to soil and groundwater, and drinking water is a particular concern. The Maine CDC advised residents to avoid swimming, boating, and other recreational activities that could involve contact with the foam or affected waters. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is overseeing the cleanup." AI Overview

Finger-pointing quickly followed.

There was a mistake on my part when inking the cartoon. I wrote 1450 gallons. The correct amount was 51,450. Don't bother chastising me. I'll lead myself to the gallows.

10/31/2024

September 1, 2024, Maine Sunday Telegram. Democrat incumbent Representative Jared Golden of Maine's Second District has been walking a high wire in not alienating too many of the district's Republican supporters. After the mass shooting by 40-year-old Robert Card in Lewiston last October, Golden had a come-to-Jesus moment and altered his stance on gun control. Representative Golden said more safeguards were needed.

Lewiston is his hometown. His opponent, Austin Theriault of Fort Kent, and the Republican Party have been hitting Golden hard for his change of heart on gun rights. Representative Golden has been doing everything but have a tattoo of Trump etched on his chest in an effort to distance himself from Kamala Harris. He is not supporting either candidate for the presidency. Polls say it is a tight race.

UPDATE DECEMBER 5, 2024: "U.S. Rep. Jared Golden was confirmed as the winner in the closely contested race to represent Maine’s 2nd District in the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday after his opponent, Austin Theriault, ended the recount that was underway.

Theriault, a former Republican state lawmaker from Fort Kent, had asked for a recount following a ranked-choice runoff that resulted in Golden winning 50.4% to 49.7%, a margin of 2,706 votes in a roughly 400,000-vote race. Golden also led by a slim margin going into the runoff.

Theriault’s campaign said Wednesday that it was ending the recount because all outstanding questions in certain towns were answered in the first few days of the recount that started Monday." - Portland Press Herald

10/24/2024

August 25, 2024, Maine Sunday Telegram.