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Maine News

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Maine News for Thursday, April 24, 2008

Portland Press Herald
Four Maine superdelegates remain uncommitted in Democratic race
Election 2008: They are among 200 around the country waiting to endorse either Clinton or Obama.

House opposition to Medicaid cuts could benefit Maine
Rules changes proposed by the Bush administration would cost the state $186 million over two years.

Drive to repeal drink tax being weighed
A citizen veto effort would target levies on beer, wine and soda.

Community colleges to raise tuition rates
A $1.2 million shortfall prompts a 2.5 percent rate hike next fall in Maine.

City's 'free yard sale' will end
Residents believe that abolishing heavy-item pickup will hurt people without trucks. Portland says that other services are more vital.

Poland Spring seeking OK to treat own wastewater
The company says a proposed irrigation system would lessen its environmental impact.

Editorials:
Close Democratic race good for party and country
Hand-wringing about making things easier for the GOP is overdone and unrealistic.

Plastic or paper? It's time to start saying, 'I brought my own'
Reusable bags cost money, of course, but the hidden costs of disposable bags are far higher.

York lawmaker's good idea now unfairly haunts her
An incomplete account led to a slew of hostile comments that Rep. Dawn Hill didn't deserve.

Bangor Daily News
State says workers needed

Maine businesses may have trouble filling positions in the future, according to a study from the state's labor department. Poll: Do you consider yourself underemployed?

Community college fees to rise

AUGUSTA, Maine - The Maine Community College System board of trustees on Wednesday approved a 2.5 percent tuition increase at the state's seven two-year college campuses next fall.

UMS to stay competitive via Internet 2

ELLSWORTH, Maine - The University of Maine System has hired a Maine company to help provide the state's universities and The Jackson Laboratory with the broadband Internet capacity they say they need to stay competitive with research and education institutions worldwide.

Cianbro kicks off refinery assembly

BREWER, Maine - Cianbro crews began erecting Wednesday at the Eastern Manufacturing Facility the first of 52 construction modules that will become part of an expanding Texas oil refinery.

New law allows midwives to buy some medications

AUGUSTA, Maine - Gv. John Baldacci on Wednesday signed into law a measure that authorizes Maine pharmacists to provide certain medications to certified professional midwives for administration to mothers and newborns during home births.

Sugarloaf to run vehicles off restaurant grease

CARRABASSETT VALLEY, Maine - Sugarloaf ski resort is expanding a program to run its off-road vehicles on a fuel that includes cooking grease.

Bangor area seeks ideas on open space

A dozen Penobscot Valley communities are partnering with a national organization to develop a regional approach to expanding the amount of open space and conservation land in the area.

Editorial:
Baghdad's Burden

Members of Congress and the Bush administration have long talked about the Iraqi government taking more responsibility for the security, economy and governing of their country.

Unelected Economy Czars

Polls show the top issue among voters this election year is their fears about the fate of the economy. Voters can grill congressional candidates, but the fate of the economy may be most influenced by a body that does not answer to the American voter.

Don't blame NAFTA: Consumers and workers gain
Has NAFTA - the North American Free Trade Agreement - been a disaster for working Americans?

Kennebec Journal
NEW TAX BATTLE POSSIBLE Business groups considering people's veto to overturn taxes on beer, wine and soda
AUGUSTA -- Leaders from various business groups may launch a people's veto effort to overturn recently enacted taxes on beer, wine and soda.

Power play: CMP negotiates with China to site new power lines for aging system
CHINA -- Planners got an update Tuesday on plans to widen the power line right-of-way through China, and a request to seek a change in local ordinances to accommodate new utility poles.

VASSALBORO 'Pushing' incident prompts charge Code enforcement officer accused following alleged altercation over violations
VASSALBORO -- Richard Proctor was sitting in a chair in front of his garage Tuesday morning when he said he happened to look down the road and see a pickup truck "pushing" Leo Barnett with the front bumper.

Editorial:

911 consolidation naysayers' fear being borne out Emergency calls must be handled quickly
That's the amount of time an emergency dispatcher in Somerset County spent on hold one afternoon in late February. The dispatcher had called the Central Maine Regional Commune-ications Center in Augusta to request that a warden be sent to a snowmobile accident in The Forks.

KAY RAND : What's 'Christian' about Christian Civic League?
As a Christian, I am enormously grateful that I will be judged by a forgiving God and not by officials at the Christian Civic League of Maine.

JIM BRUNELLE : Legislative session could have been better ... or worse
On the whole, however, lawmakers ended up making the right decisions on the most contentious issues.

Sun Journal
Community college tuition rising 2.5%
AUGUSTA (AP) - The Maine Community College System board of trustees on Wednesday approved a 2.5 percent tuition increase at the state's seven two-year college campuses next fall.

Maine real estate sales, prices down
SOUTH PORTLAND (AP) - The Maine real estate market remained cool in March, with home sales down 28 percent and prices down more than 3 percent.

Editorial:
A victory for government transparency
Gov. John Baldacci's pocket veto of legislation that would have infringed public access to important legislative and municipal information, LD 1878, is a victory for clear, open transparent government in Maine.

MPBN
Maine Lawmakers Grant New Powers To Midwives
Certified professional midwives in Maine will soon be able to obtain certain medications from pharmacies to use in their practices. The new law, passed this session, is drawing criticism from nursing quarters. Barbara Cariddi reports.

Coaltion: Rid Public House Of Tobacco By 2009
Health care advocates and the State Fire Marshal's office have teamed up to urge local public housing authorities to adopt smoke-free policies by Jan. 1st of next year. Health officials say smoking continues to be the number one cause of fire-related deaths in the state. The Smoke-free Housing Coalition says the effects of second-hand smoke on non-smokers also contribute to a variety of illnesses or diseases that could be prevented by a smoke-free policy. A.J. Higgins reports.

Maine Ranks High For "Legal Climate"
Businesses in Maine may be unhappy with the tax burden imposed on them by the state legislature. But according to a survey released today, there does appear to be at least some good news for those seeking to make a buck in Vacationland. Tom Porter reports.

Nod Given To Rail Expansion Plan
Downeaster passenger trains will be going to Brunswick. Just before adjourning last Friday night, the legislature enacted a bill to pay for the 31-and-a-half million dollar track improvement project. As Irwin Gratz reports, it will mean more than just two more stops on the Boston-to-Portland run.

PolitickerME

Wally Edge: DC Pundits keep Maine’s two House seats in the D column.
Stu Rothenberg a well known DC politico has just released his latest predictions
on the 2008 US House races. In his opening paragraph Rothenberg