"It is a newspaper's duty to print the news and raise hell"  – The Chicago Times, 1861.

Here at my favorite newspapers, The Boothbay Register and the Wiscasset Newspaper, we try our best to print real, not fake news.

Like other community papers, our stock in trade is business events, entertainment previews, local government action, waterfront goings on, school activities, sports, and other local events.

We are blessed to live in communities that have little crime, so, thankfully, we write few vivid crime stories. Our police agencies cover the occasional traffic accident, domestic squabbles and alcohol-fueled incidents.

We also always look for stories about our community volunteers, especially the brave ordinary citizens, men and women, who make up our volunteer fire departments and ambulance crews.

We almost never take a political stand on this candidate over that one. But, we make it a practice to open our letters page to let our readers voice their opinions whether they be Republicans, Democrats, conservatives, liberal, pro this or anti that.

We also open the pages to just plain folks who believe there really is a headless ghost prowling the shores of Damariscove Island and mermaids frolicking in the chilly waters off Ocean Point.

We will also gladly sell you an ad or two — just call Sarah and Kathy and they will fix you up.

But a newspaper is supposed to do more than print the news and sell ads. We are tasked to raise hell.

And for that, I call your attention to the front page series presented by our friends at the Portland Press Herald. It is a chilling series called “Lost. Heroin’s killer grip on Maine’s people.”

They spent considerable time and money and shoe leather to find the surviving relatives of our fellow Mainers who die from overdoses of heroin, fentanyl and other opioids. and they convinced them to share their stories to let you know what is going on in the Great State of Maine.

This is not a story that was copied from a website and pasted onto their pages.This is real newspaper work at its best.

And, the Press Herald is telling us more than a story — they are raising hell.

Day after day, they tell of an epidemic that is killing our friends, neighbors. From the potato fields of “The County” to the lobster coast. It is a story of more than statistics from official records showing that last year, homicides took the lives of 16 souls, auto crashes killed 157, and 378 died from drug overdoses. If we had 378 traffic fatalities last year, the business community, the churches and the schools would be up in arms storming the statehouse for answers.

But, statistics do not tell the whole story of the opioid epidemic.You have to listen to the real words of the victims and survivors of this awful epidemic.

And those words bring tears to your eyes, like the story of the mother who lost her 25-year-old son. For years, she watched the news wondering if her son’s name was going to be included in the evening broadcast.

Or the poor woman who held her son who coughed up blood as he died from an overdose. The poor woman covered the blood spots with a chair because she couldn’t afford to replace the rug. The stories go on and on. Real stories from real people.

Our law enforcement officials have a front row seat in this epidemic. Many now carry Narcan, a drug that can help revive an overdose victim. Better than that, many urge addicted community members to come in and ask for help. If they do, some police pledge to point them towards recovery programs. Lincoln County Sheriff Todd Brackett and Boothbay Harbor Police Chief Bob Hasch deserve a special pat on the back for their efforts to help addicts, as do those in the recovery agencies.

Those of us who have gray hair, or what is left of hair, can remember political leaders in Washington and Augusta declaring war on drugs. They spent millions of our tax dollars trying to lock up kids and poor folks.

Our friends at the Press Herald tell us the stories of the casualties and refugees of this “war.” They recite the real truth of how lots of the folks looking for a “high” ended up alone and dead, leaving their families to grieve.

The P-H series “Lost” may trigger some action from state and local officials. I hope so. I hope the folks in Augusta read it too. In “Lost,” the P-H is carrying on the highest traditions of our industry. I recommend you read every word.