Maine News for Friday, February 29, 2008

Portland Press Herald

Maine bucks national prison trends
The national incarceration rate has hit 1 percent of all adults, but Maine's rate is lowest of the 50 states.

Legislators told of need to track toxic chemicals
State House: Lawmakers are urged to protect kids by adopting new rules for household products.

Domestic violence programs may face budget cutbacks
The $1.2 million annual state subsidy is part of $34 million in cuts proposed by DHHS.

Report shows many Maine kids live in poverty
Poverty rates range from 12 percent in Cumberland County to 28 percent in Washington County.

Mitchell, Curtis to sit with N.Y., Fla.
Maine is now down to eight superdelegates at the Democratic National Convention this summer.

Column: M.D. Harmon If liberals have been offended, this agency could help
They need an office like this to offer relief when a conservative who doesn't know his place speaks out.

Column: John Coyne Straw poll on new school important
Portlanders will have a chance to register their opinions Monday night on a $19 million project.

LTE: Bush increased U.S. vulnerability

LTE: Close borders to protect our country's civilization

LTE: Senators' telecom votes damage our civil liberties Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe voted to provide retroactive immunity to telecom companies who were engaged in domestic surveillance of…

Bangor Daily News

Maine law may expand license requirements
Friday, February 29, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - Lawmakers may expand proposed legislation that would require proof of Maine residency to get a driver's license to include a requirement that applicants also prove they are in the country legally.

Group backs bill against chemicals in toys
Friday, February 29, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - Concerned parents joined health and environmental organizations Thursday in urging state lawmakers to approve legislation aimed at removing potentially toxic chemicals from children's toys and other household products.

Proposal designates land for lynx habitat
Friday, February 29, 2008
More than 10,000 square miles of timberland in northern Maine again is included in a revised federal proposal designating areas in six states as critical habitat for the threatened Canada lynx.

Opinion: Matthew Dunlap: Feds complicate state residency rules
In his opinion piece "Maine license proposal inadequate" (BDN, Feb. 26), Robert Casimiro vents his frustration that it has been six long years since the Sept. 11 attacks and here we are still issuing driver's licenses to illegal immigrants.

Opinion: Sharon Tisher: Give Obama 'super' support
Gov. John Baldacci and Maine's other Democratic superdelegates should respect the popular Maine vote and cast their support to Barack Obama.

Kennebec Journal

Survey: 1 in 5 Mainers under 5 in poverty
AUGUSTA -- A report released Thursday shows one in five Maine children under the age of five live in poverty, a problem made worse by a lack of federal money, child advocates said.

UMF to cut $1M from its budget
FARMINGTON -- The University of Maine at Farmington announced Thursday that it will cut $1 million from its $28 million annual budget by laying off support staff, shifting faculty assignments and reducing adjunct teaching staff.

BEYOND HIGHWAYS: Officials look for ideas for Augusta-Lewiston corridor
Regional planners want travelers between Augusta and Lewiston to think beyond U.S. Route 202.

Opinion: Collins should be accountable for fiery video
That was amply demonstrated this past month when Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins' campaign produced a particularly pungent video for use in fund raising against her Democratic challenger, Rep. Tom Allen.

Sun Journal

Baldacci supports effort targeting poisons in toys
AUGUSTA (AP) - The Baldacci administration Thursday joined others in support of legislation to more closely regulate toxic chemicals used in toys and other children's products, saying the federal government has fallen short on the job.

Lawmakers turn attention to energy
AUGUSTA - Maine legislators focused on energy conservation and regulation during several public hearings Thursday.

Our View: Homegrown economic stimulus
Maine's economy is slowing, ala the national economy, and revenue forecasters this week again predicted doom. The state budget deficit is now estimated at $200 million, because economic uncertainty will reduce tax collections.

LTE: Taxed to death
My wife and I are retired teachers, living on a fixed income. We work two days a week so that we can pay our property tax (which doubled), subsidize oil companies while paying for heat and gasoline, health insurance, home insurance, car insurance, plus the basic necessities.

MPBN

"Kids Count" Survey: Poverty A Problem In Maine

The annual report on quality of life indicators for Maine children finds good news and bad news. Based on census data from 2005, the Maine Children's Alliance survey released today shows that one out of every five preschool children in Maine lives in poverty, along with 17 percent of those under age 18. But the report also finds declines in substance abuse among Maine's high school students. A.J. Higgins reports.

Regulators Warn Of Phone Scam

The impending merger of Verizon and Fairpoint has led Maine's telecoms watchdog to issue a warning: beware of phone scams. As Tom Porter explains, unscrupulous telemarketers are tapping into the confusion surrounding the sale of Verizon's land lines in Northern New England.

Portsmouth Herald

Report: Many Maine kids living in poverty - 2/29/2008 AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Twenty percent of Maine's preschool children and 17 percent of those under 18 were living in poverty in 2005, a report released Thursday said. Elected officials said the nation's souring economy has likely kept the...

As Maine Goes

Feds Want 42,753 Square Miles Canada Lynx Critical Habitat That's over 20 times the 1,841 square miles in three states the agency designated in late 2006.

LURC: March 14 Deadline for Plum Creek Comments

Geo. Mitchell/Ken Curtis Ineligible as Super Delegates The DNC defines legal residency through voter registration. Neither Mitchell/Curtis is registered to vote in Maine.

Strimling: First Dem to Collect Signatures to Get on Ballot

Collins Watch

Better Late

After three weeks of near-silence, credit Jonathan Kaplan for being the first member of the Maine press corps to delve into the Collins fundraising smear story.

Turn Maine Blue

Clinton loses a Maine superdelegate

Yesterday the Ellsworth American reported that Maine was going to lose two of their superdelegates because they were no longer registered to vote in Maine.

Open Thread

Tom Allen was the author of the provision to ban the construction of permanent bases in Iraq. The Portland Press Herald has finally thought the despicable web-based smear ad was worthy of coverage; Jonathan Kaplan wrote the article, ...

Chellie's Story

I have always admired my mother. She's smart, thoughtful, funny, and completely dedicated to her community and family. I want people to hear her voice, meet her friends and neighbors, and learn a little more about where she came from, and what motivates her to serve in Congress…

Maine Voice

Tom Allen - Pawn of MoveOn.Org Congressman Tom Allen (D-ME), who is challenging Republican Senator Susan Collins this fall, is in the pockets of the MoveOn.org crowd. He’s reaching deep too - to the tune of $250000. According to the National Republican Senatorial ...

Politicker Maine

Curtis, Mitchell moved from Maine delegation: In Florida, Curtis’ vote in question

Two Democratic super delegates from Maine have been moved to other state delegations. The Democratic National Committee was notified this week that Former U.S. Sen. George J. Mitchell and former Maine Governor Kenneth Curtis are no longer registered to vote in the state. Therefore Curtis has been moved to the Florida delegation and Mitchell has been moved to the New York delegation, the states where they respectively reside, said Damien LaVera, a spokesman for the Democratic National Committee.

Michaud picks up NADO award Today, Congressman Mike Michaud picked up the National Association of Development Organization’s (NADO) Leadership Award.

Stump Lane

Comment on Dear Representative, by Tom Allen ... in Maine. Please be assured that I will keep your thoughts in mind as Congress continues to consider these measures. Again, thank you for contacting me. Please continue to do so on issues important to you. Sincerely,. Tom Allen