Maine News for Monday, February 4, 2008

Portland Press Herald:
Maine's superdelegates awash in pitches from Clinton, Obama
Democratic party rules let superdelegates support whomever they want.

Mainers reach out to needy Kenyans
Friends of Kakamega and Childs Hope International raise money for the violence-torn country.

Piscataqua River to get anti-terror system
The plan includes the placement of sonar detectors that could spot threats to local bridges.

Maine Democrats anticipate big turnout
Party rules say delegates must back the candidates they were elected to back.

Romney's big Maine win surprises GOP
More results need to be counted, but the outcome isn't expected to change.

EDITORIAL: Super Tuesday contests won't end races
The 22-state mega-primary does come at the right time in a long and confusing process.

COLUMN: Do poorer college students pay more and get less?
If we limit access to our best schools only to the rich and the well-connected, we will fail.

MAINE VOICES: Agency aids in halting juvenile fire-setting
The Maine Juvenile Fire Safety Collaborative is ready to help communities address this problem.

LTE: Palestinians deserve hope for future
In the Jan. 17 Cal Thomas column ("Bush peace plan another false hope"), Mr. Thomas puts forth the argument that there is not, never has been and never will be any hope for peace between the Palestinians and the Israelis, so why bother?

LTE: Condi's background means she should know better
Responding to Kathleen Parker's Jan. 22 column ("Condi for Veep"), I find her lighthearted tone regarding Condoleezza Rice and the Republican Party disturbing.


Bangor Daily News:
Collins, Allen pledge cooperation
AUGUSTA, Maine — In a small state, every member of the congressional delegation is important in representing the residents, and any lack of cooperation hurts that state in Washington. This year, one member is seeking to oust another.

Rural caucus to meet on consolidation plan
AUGUSTA, Maine — Members of local regional planning committees working to implement the school consolidation law will talk about the process to legislators from rural areas this week.

Maine Dems expect high turnout at caucuses
AUGUSTA, Maine — Looking past the Super Tuesday voting elsewhere toward their own caucuses next Sunday, Maine Democratic Party officials said over the weekend they had already processed 4,100 absentee ballot requests.

GOP hopefuls announce runs for state House, Senate
BANGOR, Maine — Several Republicans including some incumbents from the Penobscot County area announced their bids for seats in the Maine Senate and House of Representatives during Saturday's "Super Caucus" at Husson College.

Deferred sentencing in jeopardy
ELLSWORTH, Maine — A spokesman for the Hancock County Deferred Sentencing Project said he's concerned that if the state doesn't keep a recent promise, the project's future could be in jeopardy.

EDITORIAL: Parental notification
To meddle between parents and teens on matters of sexuality is to tread on dangerous ground. The proof is the outrage many expressed last fall on learning that the health clinic at the King Middle School in Portland may have been prescribing birth control pills to girls as young as 14.

Editorial: America's future in Iraq
With the Iraq war in its fifth year and no end in sight, the Bush administration is putting the final touches on an agreement for a "long-term relationship" there. Its work must be closely watched by Congress.

Jane Weil: Needy lack inclusive health care
The Jan. 28 editorial about preventing special education made several good points that deserve further examination and amplification.

Margo Lukens: 1Other Maine' needs plan for economy now, not later
I work with young people, mostly from Maine, who are learning about the innovation process and principles. Although I have primarily taught liberal arts, three years ago I decided that young people, particularly students like mine, needed to learn innovative ways of shaping their work and their world, and that giving them these skills would help develop the state economy.

LTE: Stimulus – who pays?; Change caucuses; Cure for spending


Morning Sentinel:
Birth-control bill seeks parental OK
AUGUSTA -- A Dover-Foxcroft Republican isn't giving up just yet on a bill that would put the issue of contraception in schools before lawmakers.

Taxpayers may be asked to kick in $115K more this year
PALERMO -- Local taxpayers may have to raise $115,692 more than last year to educate their children, depending on what the state contributes.

Editorial: Resource agency merger protests a bit premature
We're beginning to think that the degree of protest greeting each of Gov. John Baldacci's proposals to consolidate government is directly proportional to the need for that consolidation.

LTE: Jail consolidation equals no savings for counties
I am extremely disappointed with the governor's proposal for jail consolidation.

LTE: Merging of resource agencies a good idea
In my opinion, George Smith's opposition (Jan. 16) to the merging of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife with one or more other state natural resource agencies is based less on his concern for "Maine's economy and heritage" than it is on his concern for his own power and privilege.

LTE: Report misleads on Maine Heritage Policy Center
Susan Cover's report on Maine Heritage Policy Center (Think Tank Names Chief, Jan. 8) does not present an accurate picture of MHPC's origins and activities. The facts show it to have little Maine "heritage." Instead, it is a local repackaging of anti-tax, anti-government pabulum.


Kennebec Journal:
Local churches boost fuel oil funds
GARDINER -- Local churches have been adding their efforts to provide funds for fuel oil assistance.

GARDINER: Waterfront funding approved
GARDINER -- Gardiner's waterfront redevelopment project received a major boost last month with the support of Maine's congressional delegation.


Lewiston Sun Journal:
What hath Brookings wrought?
Only a remarkable government report can be invoked to support and oppose a major policy initiative, at the same time. Such is the power of the Brookings Institution and its magnum opus, "Charting Maine's Future."

LTE: Budget cuts threaten services
In 2007, the Abused Women's Advocacy Project received more than 10,000 calls through its 24-hour Helpline. AWAP serves Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford counties. Victims of domestic violence needed various services, including emergency shelter, court advocacy, support groups, and/or training and education.

Column: World forum delegates enthusiastic about Obama
PARIS - The duel between Hillary Clinton and Barrack Obama commanded almost as much attention at the Davos World Economic Forum as it does in America.


Portsmouth Herald:
Kittery, York back the winner
KITTERY, Maine — In a repeat performance of Saturday's Republican caucus victories, Mitt Romney finished first during presidential preference voting in Kittery and York on Sunday. The former Massachusetts governor received 72 percent of the vote during Kittery's caucus and 52 percent during York's.

Temporary Visas Wanted
The York Chamber president said she recently heard that Maine's 1st District Congressman, Democrat Tom Allen, who is running against incumbent Republican Susan Collins for U.S. Senate this year, has a bill pending that will split the existing visa program to offer half to winter businesses and half to those that operate during the summer.


keepMEcurrent:
Romney backed by more than half of Maine Republicans
Maine Republicans backed former governor Mitt Romney by a wide margin in caucuses on Friday and Saturday.

Educators support Cote
SANFORD: Democratic Congressional Candidate Adam Cote announced on Jan. 31 that "Educators for Cote," a group of York County teachers, administrators and other educators who are committed to helping elect Cote to Maine's First Congressional District has formed.



Politicker ME:
Collins criticizes Allen for MoveOn money
Sen. Susan Collins is criticizing Rep. Tom Allen for accepting more money from MoveOn.org then any other candidate in the country.

O Magazine: Collins could be president
A mention in O Magazine came up a couple times in Susan Collins' travels through the Maine caucuses Saturday.

McCain takes Washington County
While most of the state pulled for Mitt Romney yesterday, John McCain won in Washington County.

Snowe: 'We don't want to go back to the future'
After losing control of Congress in 2006, U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe said it is paramount that the Republicans retain control of the presidency.


Blogs:
Turn Maine Blue: Questions for Senator Snowe on telecom immunity
There is an interesting story in the Bangor Daily News this weekend titled "Snowe: Keep telecom immunity in updated bill." Because it does not look like this posted online anywhere, I went ahead and reproduced it at Maine Owl.

Turn Maine Blue: Allen & Michaud Spend 2 Days in Washington County
Let's take a nice break from the candidate wars and come travel with me as I take you inside a Congressional tour. A little background. Washington County is one of Maine's 16 counties. Washington is way up on the coast, a good 6-7 hour drive from Boston. It's the real deal. I helped organize an eco-devo tour (a better term is community sustainable enterprises) for both of Maine's Congressmen: Tom Allen & Mike Michaud. It was quite a trip, come on along.

Turn Maine Blue: Maine Democratic Caucus: Absentee Ballots
The Maine Democratic Caucus will be held this Sunday, 10 February, in cities and towns across the state. The list of times and places of the 372 caucuses can be found here, organized by county.

Senate Guru: Sunday Items
Maine: Not only did John McCain overwhelmingly lose the Maine caucuses to Mitt Romney, but he barely edged out Ron Paul. Given that Susan Collins is McCain's state co-Chair, it certainly doesn't bode well for her ability to get out the vote.

Collins Watch: On the Ground
Here's an account from a Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) supporter of his GOP caucus experience yesterday:

Collins Watch; The Collins Bump?
Gerald beat me to this post--about Mitt Romney's triumph in the Maine Republican caucus, and the rejection of Collins endorsee Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) by the vast majority of Maine Republicans.