I was on a train where this happened once... you would hope none of the passengers would actually witness what happened (I didn't), but it's still tremendously sad and it sticks with you for a long time. Sadly pretty common for train engineers to have this happen, I hope they get all the resources they need after events like this.

Been a steady stream of shrinking and very small towns doing this the last several years. Some of the things these very small towns are asked to do for themselves really, really don't make sense given their populations.

Details on the absences from the BDN: article

"Also on blast from Jackson were four of the five Republicans who were “excused” from Wednesday night’s vote. Only Sen. Bradlee Farrin, R-Norridgewock, had sought the “necessary permission” for that excused absence, along with Democratic Sen. Ben Chipman, D-Portland, Jackson spokesperson Christine Kirby said.

Republican Sens. Stacey Guerin of Glenburn, Peter Lyford of Eddington, Matthew Pouliot of Augusta and Jeff Timberlake of Turner had not, Kirby said.

Guerin said she had to leave the Senate early Wednesday to attend a funeral"

Worth noting that everyone who wasn't there for the vote is marked with an E in the roll call, which means they had an excused absence. When lawmakers miss a vote unexecused it's marked with an A.

Or vote in person at your town/city hall up through November 3rd! Good way to beat election day lines.

Love going there when I'm on the island, always makes me sad in a way a human cemetery doesn't. Baxter sure loved his pets.