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    Odd bedfellows: Craig Crosby, a staff writer for the Morning Sentinel in Waterville and the Kennebec Journal in Augusta, deserves positive notice for his July 8 story on the questionable relationship between Republican state Rep. Ken Fletcher of Winslow and Anthony Buxton, a prominent Democrat, lawyer and lobbyist on utility issues.

    Both men have been fighting to save the Fort Halifax dam on the Sebasticook River in Winslow, which is slated for demolition because its owner, FPL Energy, says installing a required fish ladder would be too expensive. Fletcher is one of the leaders of Save Our Sebasticook, a pro-dam group. Buxton represents S.O.S. in legal proceedings. What Crosby points out in his well-researched article is that S.O.S. owes Buxton a lot of money for his work (nobody will say exactly how much), money it appears the group will be unable to pay any time soon. Meanwhile, Buxton often appears before the Legislature’s Utilities and Energy Committee, where Fletcher is the ranking minority member. That’s raised questions about whether Buxton can depend on Fletcher’s vote as payback for all that legal work for S.O.S. While Crosby didn’t uncover any conclusive evidence of unethical collusion, his clear and concise piece is valuable for bringing to light a relationship that voters ought to know about. There’s far too little of this type of investigative reporting in the Maine media these days.

    Odd claim: On July 1, the Kennebec Journal ran what appeared to be a routine story by staff writer Mechele Cooper about the cancellation of a series of concerts by the American Wind Symphony Orchestra in Augusta, Gardiner and other Maine municipalities. According to the article, the shows were called off because the special 195-foot barge the group performs on was stuck in Connecticut for repairs.

    The piece didn’t quote anybody from the symphony, but did include assurances from local officials that money wasn’t an issue in the collapsed deal. But a July 3 story in the Forecaster weekly by reporter Randy Billings says the orchestra’s decision to pull out was all about cash.

    According to Billings – who interviewed a different set of local organizers, as well as the head of the musical group – the symphony was supposed to receive $130,000 in advance backing and in-kind services for the Maine concerts, but never saw any money. In addition, one show in Skowhegan was cancelled. There’s nothing at all about the group’s barge needing repairs. But there is this quote from Robert Boudreau, the orchestra’s founder and conductor: “When I fill the [barge’s] tank, it costs me $80,000. If we don’t have funds to cover that, I would go out of business really fast.” Could it be that somebody isn’t telling somebody the whole story?

    Odd alignment: Those readers wondering about how the Portland Press Herald is faring in its much-reduced state after the recent layoffs are directed to the pseudonymous T. Cushing Munjoy’s wonderful blog.

    In a July 7 posting called “Grasping at straws … and failing,” Munjoy details the new assignments of Press Herald reporters. From now on, the business section is in the hands of novices, while the paper’s often-excellent former business reporters are exiled to covering public safety stories. The Portland City Hall beat is being covered by a rookie. And the Washington and Augusta scenes will be carefully observed from a couple of desks in Portland. As Munjoy points out, the rearrangement has everyone playing to their weaknesses.

    Al Diamon can be e-mailed at aldiamon@herniahill.net.
 

Posted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 in Permalink