Some might call it a simple piece of paper, but it’s often needed to even be considered for employment at many places of business. Yes, a college degree. The path to earn one, though, is paved with financial turbulence with the cost ranging anywhere from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

We hear all the time about student loan debt and being able to afford college; together we can do something about it. It might seem like a drop in the bucket, but scholarships can be a great way to help alleviate some of the pressures put on students and families in the pursuit of educational excellence and job preparedness.

The number of unsolved murders or cold cases in Maine is as high as 120 or more. On average, 20 to 25 homicides occur annually, with about 90 percent resulting in arrests. That other 10 percent of homicides that go without arrests, without a trial, without an opportunity to hold someone accountable, without details of what exactly happened, is inexcusable, and I, for one, am embarrassed as a state elected official that it’s been allowed to happen under our watch.

That’s why Sen. Linda Valentino, Rep. Barry Hobbins and I introduced, LD 1121, An Act To Fund the Cold Case Homicide Unit in the Department of the Attorney General.