Maine News for Friday, September 26, 2008

Portland Press Herald
Locally, Wall Street stalls funds for Maine's streets
State hits surprising obstacles in trying to sell road bond: high rates, no buyers

Maine's lawmakers want taxpayer protection
A financial bailout should also boost accountability, Sen. Olympia Snowe says.

Republicans not sold on financial rescue plan
Leaders remain split after a 'contentious' high-level White House meeting ends with no agreement.

Debate in doubt: McCain may not show, Obama wants to go
In the midst of a financial crisis, the two candidates are sparring over their roles and priorities.

Palin defends her earlier Alaska-Russia remark
She cites trade missions and national security issues as factors that have enhanced her experience.

Seizure completes downfall of largest savings and loan
Washington Mutual, crippled by mortgage and credit card losses, is sold off to JP Morgan Chase.

Editorial

Local-option tax debate a big undertaking
Cumberland County might want to narrow the discussion to a new civic center for now.

U.S. should back Afghan plea for Pakistani joint border effort
If the two nations could join forces against terrorism, that would be a major advance.

M.D. HARMONQuick, what does PCCC stand for? No, it's not a golf course
The Portland Conservative Candidates Caucus is semi-boldly going where few in the city have gone before.

Bangor Daily News

House votes to double LIHEAP aid

WASHINGTON — The U.S. House has voted to double the amount of money available in the new fiscal year for energy assistance to low-income households.

Health care issues on menu for candidates

BREWER, Maine — MaineCare's unmet obligations to hospitals, the state's contentious certificate of need program, mandatory nurse-to-patient ratios and other indigestibles were on the menu Thursday morning at a breakfast meeting for aspiring lawmakers and the incumbents they hope to unseat.

Senator wants MMA board post for Castine resident

AUGUSTA, Maine — State Sen. Richard Rosen, R-Bucksport, has submitted a bill that would create an additional seat on the Maine Maritime Academy board of trustees, a post to be held specifically by a resident of Castine.

Poll: Collins has strong lead; Allen camp says race much closer

A new poll suggests Republican Susan Collins is a strong favorite over Democrat Tom Allen in the race to retain her U.S. Senate seat.

Local experts say crisis ‘not a cause for panic’

The headlines coming from Wall Street and Washington are reliably gloomy these days, but Maine’s economists, bankers and investment advisers say there’s no need for people to panic — or start stuffing their money under their mattresses.

Bangor trail system plan moving forward slowly

BANGOR, Maine — Lucy Quimby and other members of the Bangor Land Trust have been working for years to identify both existing and potential multiuse trails throughout the Queen City.

Editorial

Selling a bailout

With dire warnings about the fragility of the U.S. economy, President Bush Wednesday pushed Congress to act quickly to pass legislation to rescue the financial sector.

Counting the dead war

Military deaths are a regrettable cost of waging war and can turn a nation against a war. Civilian deaths can turn an invaded nation against the invaders.

Kennebec Journal

Market chaos thwarts Maine's attempt to float $50M bond
The state of Maine could not float a $50 million transportation bond this week because traders told officials there was "no market" at all for large financial transactions such as this one. The state hopes the national financial crisis will resolve itself by next week, when it again tries to access capital, likely at a higher interest rate than had been expected.

STATEHOUSE REPORT: REWARD WOOD BURNERS
AUGUSTA -- A report due out today recommends tax incentives and a state buyback program designed to help Maine people reduce their dependence on home heating oil.

WATERVILLE 'Educare Center' in focus
WATERVILLE -- An $8 million to $10 million center providing child care and education to as many as 200 children from newborns to age 5 could be coming to the city.

Columns:

L. SANDY MAISEL : Debate moderators' task to compel worthy answers from candidates
In my dream, I am sitting between John McCain and Barack Obama ready to ask the first question in a presidential debate.

GORDON L. WEIL, CONSULTANT, WRITER AND PUBLISHER, : Quality of appointments indicates candidate's ability
This is not a column about Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin or Illinois Sen. Barack Obama.

Sun Journal
Viral e-mail spurs donations for Maine Planned Parenthood
A viral e-mail encouraging people to tweak Sarah Palin by sending donations to Planned Parenthood in her honor - triggering a thank-you note to the anti-abortion Republican candidate - is working in Maine.

Teachers could face losses
AUBURN - Saying it needs to harness costs to taxpayers, the Auburn School Department is asking teachers to give up health care for spouses unless teachers pay for it.

Panel endorses Plum Creek plan
BANGOR (AP) - Maine's Land Use Regulation Commission has given its blessing to a large-scale development plan for the Moosehead Lake region that calls for nearly 1,000 house lots, two large resorts and more than 400,000 acres of land conservation.

Market meltdown 'It's business as usual'
"Economic crisis."

Grant to fund 6 buses at Acadia
PORTLAND (AP) - Maine will be getting a $1.1 million grant to replace six of the 17 propane buses that serve Acadia National Park and surrounding communities.

Ruling will be setback for Dirigo
AUGUSTA - It looks like financing for Maine's program to promote affordable health care will remain limited, perhaps just enough to keep it steady - and stuck.

Editorial
Bailout plan an example of kleptocratic socialism
When I worked for then-Rep. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., in the late 1990s, Washington was in the panting throes of a deregulatory orgy. Many lampooned my boss's opposition to the grotesquerie, and his notoriety as the only self-described socialist in Congress. Nobody guessed that a few years later, our country would become the globe's newest U.S.S.R.: The United States' Socialist Republic.

MPBN
State Budget Writers Brace for Wall Street Aftershocks

State budget writers in Augusta are bracing for the likely aftershocks from this month's implosion on Wall Street. As Congress crafts an economic rescue plan, members of the Legislature's Appropriations Committee were informed today that Maine's revenue picture will not escape the negative impacts of a prolonged recession. General fund revenues were down last month, as income tax collections fell about 38 percent short of projections.

Summers Takes New Approach in Second Bid for Congress

He's one of about two dozen veterans running for Congress this year, and much of his campaign in Maine was conducted while he was out of the country, serving a one-year assignment in the Navy Reserves in Iraq. This is Republican candidate Charlie Summers' second bid for a U.S. House seat in Maine's First District. But his resume and life experiences have been re-written since his 2004 campaign. And as Susan Sharon reports, in the latest installment of our Your Vote 2008 candidate profiles, Summers says he's running for one basic reason: he wants to help people.

Former MBNA Employees Allege Predatory Practices

Two former MBNA employees from Maine have been blowing the whistle on what they called 'predatory credit card company practices.' Their testaments helped launch a national campaign by the consumer group AFFIL - which stands for Americans For Fairness in Lending. It's calling for an end to "abusive lending practices that trap millions of Americans in unending cycles of debt".

PolitickerME
Maine lobster earmark an issue in PA Congressional tv ad

Survey USA: Obama leads by 5 percent in state

Maine News for Thursday, September 25, 2008

Portland Press Herald
Plum Creek proposal gets go-ahead from state panel
No substantial changes were made to the unprecedented plan for Moosehead Lake development.

225 workers brace for plant's closure
Town and state officials will make one try to keep Whatman operating in Sanford beyond 2009.

BILL NEMITZSixth-graders campaign for new voters

Baldacci wants budget requests cut
Department heads, who seek $600 million more than Maine can afford, must trim 10 percent.

Community colleges in line for budget increase
If approved, the seven community colleges would add $2.2 million each of the next two years.

Pingree, Summers critical of bailout
The 1st District candidates say quick action is essential, but protecting taxpayers is a top priority.

Now, you can get there from here by air
Flights between southern and northern Maine return on Tuesday on New England Air Transport.

McCain seeking to delay debate to deal with financial bailout
Barack Obama challenges his Republican opponent's position, insisting that Friday's debate proceed.

Penny tax proposed for new civic center
One cent on every sale would generate some $40 million a year, Cumberland County's manager says.

Dirigo Health claimed savings off by 66 percent
Maine’s insurance chief says savings were actually $48.7 million, enough to keep it steady.

Home sales drop 19 percent in Northeast
But experts predict that the region will recover from the housing slump faster than other areas.

Editorial

Tough questions abound with Wall Street crisis
Americans understand why a bailout is needed, but that doesn't make it right.

When does Election Day arrive? It could be today
A powerful early-voting trend will see some states cast half their ballots prior to Nov. 4.

Bangor Daily News

Poll: Women giving Obama edge in Maine

Women voters give Democrat Barack Obama the edge over Republican John McCain in the presidential race in Maine, according to a SurveyUSA poll conducted this week exclusively for WLBZ 2, WCSH 6 and the Bangor Daily News.

Agencies line up to request $655M in next state budget

AUGUSTA, Maine — State departments and agencies are requesting some $655 million in spending above current levels for the next two-year budget, with some requests based on higher energy costs and others for new or expanded services.

LURC endorses Plum Creek plan

State regulators on Wednesday endorsed Plum Creek’s historic development plan for nearly 1,000 house lots, two large resorts and hundreds of thousands of acres of land conservation in the Moosehead Lake region. Despite pleas and strong words from plan opponents, the Maine Land Use Regulation Commission did not make any substantial changes to Plum Creek’s unprecedented proposal during 17 hours of deliberations on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Lawmakers act to protect Healthy Maine fund

AUGUSTA, Maine — The Fund for a Healthy Maine will come under closer legislative scrutiny if recommendations approved Wednesday by a panel of Maine lawmakers are adopted.

Market for pellets tightens

BANGOR, Maine — Within the past couple of years, wood pellet stoves have emerged as a cheaper alternative to No. 2 heating oil and a less labor-intensive option than regular firewood.

Editorial

Petroleum Politics

House passage of a bill to allow more oil drilling off the U.S. coast is being hailed by some as a responsible way to address the country’s energy problems. The legislation has many drawbacks, … more

Cruise Maine

The fastest-growing group of Maine tourists may be entering the state by a dock, not a highway. The cruise ship business, over the last 10 years, has given coastal communities a substantial influx of

Helping middle class in crisis

Wherever I travel across Maine, families, small businesses and other hardworking people share with me their anxiety that the growing financial crisis threatens their economic security, their savings

Kennebec Journal
BALDACCI TO STAFF: CUT BUDGET REQUESTS
AUGUSTA -- Gov. John Baldacci told state department heads Wednesday to look for ways to cut their budgets by 10 percent in light of budget requests that are $654 million more than the state can afford.

State OKs plan for Plum Creek
State regulators on Wednesday endorsed Plum Creek's historic development plan for nearly 1,000 house lots, two large resorts and hundreds of thousands of acres of land conservation in the Moosehead Lake region.

2 more towers slated for Manchester
MANCHESTER -- Look up. The landscape downtown and at the eastern border of Manchester will be different next year.

GARDINER: City taking new look at energy costs
GARDINER -- A new committee will look at ways to cut energy costs in all city departments.

FARMINGDALE: Town stalls tax penalty
FARMINGDALE -- Tardy taxpayers in Farmingdale won't see interest build up on their unpaid taxes until Nov. 17, the Board of Selectmen decided Wednesday night.

Editorials:

Woman worthy of early release from life of abuse
Douglas Graves of Ellsworth was a cruel man. Three of his four daughters say that he abused them and their mother. His youngest daughter, Carol, says she was severely physically, sexually and emotionally abused by him for 31 years, beginning when she was 5 years old.

Augusta should elect new representative: Blodgett
The upcoming election is giving the voters many opportunities to vote for new people in the various races.

Sun Journal
Police: Maine teens tried to go to Canada
HOULTON (AP) - Two Maine teenagers who tried to flee to Canada in a stolen Jeep Cherokee are in hot water.

Maine official lowers Dirigo's savings estimate
AUGUSTA (AP) - It looks like financing for Maine's program to promote affordable health care will remain limited, perhaps just enough to keep it steady - and stuck.

Web site estimates taxes under McCain, Obama
PORTLAND (AP) - Voters whose bottom line is taxes can use a new online tool to calculate what their own bottom line would be with the IRS under a Barack Obama or John McCain administration.

Lottery sales facing shortfall
LEWISTON (AP) - Maine lottery officials are blaming the soft economy for a $90,000 shortfall over the last two months.

Plum Creek deliberation near end
BANGOR (AP) - Maine's Land Use Regulation Commission gave its approval to one of the most contentious elements of Plum Creek Timber Co.'s proposed development plan for the Moosehead Lake region as it neared the end of final deliberations.

Facing charges, ranger on leave
AUGUSTA (AP) - An Allagash Wilderness Waterway ranger accused of hunting moose at night and out of season has been placed on paid administrative leave.

Woman admits stealing $43,700 from elderly
BANGOR - The prosecutor called it elder abuse. The defense attorney said it was the result of an illness. Members of Gamblers Anonymous warned the judge to expect more cases just like it.

Editorial
Debate would feature substance vs. eloquence
If Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain meet Friday in Oxford, Miss., for the first of their three scheduled debates, the TV and radio audience is likely to set a record for such an event. Nearly 40 million Americans watched some, or all, of each political convention and there is no reason for diminished interest in these debates. In fact, the Oct. 2 exchange between vice presidential nominees Sarah Palin and Joe Biden might outdraw McCain and Obama.

MPBN
Dirigo Funding to Increase

The state's Dirigo Health program is poised to get the most funding it has from private insurers in the last four years of its existence.

Conservative Website Raises Ire of State Employees

A new website funded by the conservative Maine Heritage Policy Center is causing an uproar from legislative employees, state workers and others who woke up today to find their salaries posted on the Internet. As A.J. Higgins reports, critics of the plan believe the website amounts to an invasion of privacy, but its supporters say that the information brings greater transparency to state government.

Former MBNA Employees Allege Predatory Practices

Two former MBNA employees from Maine have been blowing the whistle on what they called 'predatory credit card company practices.' Their testaments helped launch a national campaign by the consumer group AFFIL - which stands for Americans For Fairness in Lending. It's calling for an end to "abusive lending practices that trap millions of Americans in unending cycles of debt".

PolitickerME
MSEA quick to point out inaccuracies in MHPC data

Maine's very own Wall Street money scheme

Ellsworth American
Statehouse, Government Coverage Will Continue with New Reporter
ELLSWORTH — A consortium of weekly and daily newspapers in Maine has announced that in-depth coverage of the Maine Statehouse and state government will continue under an agreement reached with Christopher Cousins, who has been a Maine journalist for the past 10 years.

Timing Issues Contribute To Drop in State Tax Revenues
AUGUSTA — State tax revenue was down $6 million for the first two months of the fiscal year that began July 1.

$50M-$100M for Mainers
Pingree Supports Bond to Help Weatherize Homes
AUGUSTA — House Majority Leader Hannah Pingree would like to see a bond of between $50 million to $100 million floated next year to help weatherize Maine homes and stimulate the development of alternative energy.

Maine News for Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Portland Press Herald
Maine delegation: Bailout needs work
Lawmakers agree action is needed, but they want accountability and aid for distressed homeowners.

State expects a big presence of absentee voters
In the last presidential election, almost one-quarter of Maine voters received a ballot in advance.

Plan for school site raises questions
Housing and public space would replace Portland's closed Adams school

Congress balks at bailout plan
Leaders expect eventual passage, but call for aid for the middle class and limits on executive pay.

Editorial
Poland Spring faces a skeptical public
While its business is not very different from many others, it is finding expansion difficult.

GREG KESICHUndecideds, the rest of us need you to make up your minds
Now that most people know who they are going to vote for, the real campaign can begin.

Bangor Daily News

Study urges state to help working poor survive

Policy changes on the state level could relieve some of the pressure on the people who are in the most dire straits, according to a study released Tuesday by the Maine Center for Economic Policy. more

Report details problems with health Down East

With a total population of about 33,300, Washington County accounts for only 2.5 percent of the population of Maine. Yet that population is the oldest and poorest in the state with the highest rates of teen and adult smoking, obesity, cardiovascular disease and cancer. more

Web site tracks state spending

If you’ve ever wondered where your tax dollars are going, the brand new MaineOpenGov.org Web site is for you.

Fans, foes of Moosehead plan air arguments

BANGOR, Maine — Critics and supporters of Plum Creek’s housing and resort plan for the Moosehead Lake region made closing arguments Tuesday to state regulators winding down their review of the largest development proposal in Maine history.

Editorial

Thinking big on health

Maine’s former Sen. George Mitchell, who led a recent conference in Portland, is one of many who are pressing for a bipartisan solution to the nation’s mounting health care crisis. The time for action should come under a new Congress and a new president.

Children: Invest Early

Maine Attorney General Steven Rowe says 20 percent of the lawyers who work in his office effectively spend their days working on child protection matters — trying to remove children from abusive, neglectful homes, or working to get parents back on track so they can keep their kids.

Kennebec Journal
PLEA: 'NOT GUILTY'
AUGUSTA -- Almost four months after a predawn machete attack left a father and daughter seriously injured, a suspect pleaded not guilty to eight charges related to that home invasion, including several punishable by up to life in prison.

STUCK IN THE MIDDLE
As Congress considers a $700 billion package to shore up a shaken Wall Street, an Augusta think tank is recommending a series of government actions to help the state's working, low-income families.

Ill cop wins ruling on bias
AUGUSTA -- The Maine Human Rights Commission sided with a fired police officer on Monday, finding reasonable grounds to believe the town of Oakland unlawfully discriminated against him.

Gifford's sweetens up on new national clients
SKOWHEGAN -- Gifford's Ice Cream is scooping up more distribution outlets, winning awards and reporting what its owners say are sales gains of 7 percent to 10 percent for the year, said Lindsay Gifford, vice president of sales.

Editorial

Lawmakers should review our Lemon Law
Fran Fontanez and his wife bought their dream car at a Skowhegan dealer in 2006. A 2003 Saab 9-3 with 23,000 miles on the odometer, it had heated leather seats and was a $17,000 "extravagance" that Fontanez and his wife could finally afford.

GEORGE SMITH : Salmon listing portends failure; livelihoods likely to be damaged
The restoration of Atlantic salmon in Maine's magnificent rivers would be a wonderful achievement. But after 50 years and millions of dollars, it might be time to recognize the futility of the salmon restoration effort.

Sun Journal
Man pleads not guilty in machete attack
AUGUSTA (AP) - A 20-year-old Augusta man has pleaded not guilty to eight charges linked to a home invasion in Pittston that seriously injured a former legislator and his young daughter.

Snowmobilers go for McCain
AUGUSTA (AP) - Maine snowmobilers are endorsing the McCain-Palin ticket and two ranking state senators are leading an effort to mobilize women voters for Obama-Biden.

Widening delayed
SOUTH PORTLAND (AP) - The Maine Turnpike is delaying plans to widen a nine-mile stretch of the toll highway from Scarborough to Falmouth for at least two years, an official for the toll highway said.

Man dies cutting wood
HOULTON - A Monticello man died Monday after injuring himself while splitting wood, according to police.

'Embarrassing to USA'
WASHINGTON - Refusing to be pushed, Republicans and Democrats alike rebuffed dire warnings Tuesday from the government's top economic officials of recession, layoffs and foreclosed homes if Congress doesn't quickly approve the administration's emergency $700 billion financial bailout plan.

Palin look-alike gets share of grief
BANGOR - The audacity of Cindy Michaels. The news anchor at WVII in Bangor, she sometimes wears her hair pinned at the top of her head. She has a nice gleaming smile, and neat eyeglasses, too.

Michael J. Fox campaigns with N.H. Senate candidate
DURHAM, N.H. (AP) - Actor Michael J. Fox said Tuesday he believes both presidential candidates back expanded funding for embryonic stem cell research, but with Democrat Barack Obama "there's no mystery about it."

Editorial
It's improv time, up on Capitol Hill
In this country's fiscal meltdown, there's no room for ideologues, for the action required by Congress necessitates throwing pure ideology - both political and financial - out the nearest window.

What does black mean, and why is it so scary?
Last year, Sen. Joe Biden made a comment some people considered racially insensitive toward Sen. Barack Obama. Obama's response was a mild one - he called Biden's remark "historically inaccurate." This earned him a harsh rebuke from one of my readers. Obama, this gentleman told me via e-mail, had just lost his vote by acting like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, i.e., an angry black man. "Up to now," the reader wrote, "I did not see him as an Afro American."

MPBN
LURC Begins Delibrations on Plum Creek

LURC Begins Delibrations on Plum Creek##After three years of application drafts and filings, public comment and hearings, the highly debated Plum Creek development and conservation plan for the Moosehead Lake region is awaiting a response from the state's Land Use Regulation Commission. As Anne Ravana reports, the commission begins deliberations this week on the Seattle-based timber company’s proposal to construct 975 house lots and two large resorts and conserve several hundred thousand acres near Greenville.

Senator Collins Prepares for Third Term

Since arriving on the Maine political scene as a virtual unknown 14 years ago, Susan Collins has established herself among many voters as an independent-minded Republican senator with a conservative bent on fiscal matters and a more moderate stance on social issues. Born and Raised in Aroostook County, Collins started out as a staffer for former Sen. Bill Cohen, and as she prepares to seek a third term in office, Collins is confident, but cautious. A.J. Higgins has this profile in the first of a series as part of MPBN's "Your Vote 2008" campaign coverage.

UFO "Experts" Land in Rangely

They're here - or rather they were here. This weekend in Rangely, UFO experts and specialists in the paranormal gathered at a conference organized by the Mindshift Institute, a New York-based organization dedicated to expanding our worldview through new discoveries in frontier science. Tom Porter reports.

Mainers Song Pokes Fun at Vice-Presidential Choice

Phil Hoose and his compatriots have performed songs about the Iraq War, the collapse of Enron, and love and pollsters, so it's not really a big step to today's contribution, "South to Virginia," about a certain presidential candidate and his new running mate.

Times Record
State's taxation revenue is down...(full story)

Mitchell recounts years spent in Brunswick area...(full story)

Editorial
Confusing themselves?...(full story)

Village Soup
MaineOpenGov.org lists salaries of state, school employees

PolitickerME
Collins, Gang of 20 meets with T. Boone Pickens

Rothenberg: Little risk for Dems in House races

Pro casino folks come out swinging

Associated Builders and Contractors endorse Summers

Maine News for Friday, September 19, 2008

Portland Press Herald
Economist: Housing recovery just ahead, Portland market in relatively good shape
The area didn't see the extremes of the real estate bubble, Lawrence Yun says.

U.S. News: Portland a top retirement destination
The magazine praises the city for its public trails and proximity to outdoor opportunities.

MaineGeneral planning consolidated hospital
The new facility would be built in Augusta, leading to the closure of several care units elsewhere.

State withholds school subsidies
Required paperwork is not filed, causing a delay in funds and frustration for numerous school officials.

Maine scientist defends work on federal panel
An informed opinion is not bias, says Deborah Rice, who was removed after an industry group complained.

Officials probe intrusion into Palin's e-mail

Weather conditions help produce red and juicy harvest
But increased growing costs mean customers might pay a little more.

Editorial

Why pass 'fix me later' casino in the first place?
Facing a referendum with serious flaws from top to bottom, the best option is a simple 'no.'

Without proof, PETA's concerns too easily dismissed
The animal rights group has positioned itself on the fringe, and that affects its credibility.

M.D. HARMONWho's contesting rules to protect rights of conscience on abortion?
Those rights are well-established in federal law, so why shouldn't agencies enforce them?

Bangor Daily News

‘Hard freeze’ to bite Maine

CARIBOU, Maine - For those who live in Aroostook County, frosty windshields and stiff, frostbitten lawns are not strange experiences during early mornings in September.

Campaigns reaching out to youth vote

BANGOR, Maine — The Maine Democratic and Republican parties are making concerted efforts to involve young people in the 2008 general election campaign.

Red Shield auction set for October

The attorney for Red Shield Environmental LLC said Thursday the company would be up for auction at the end of October with a starting bid of $11.5 million.

Bomb threat stalls Cat ferry trip

BAR HARBOR — The Cat ferry was delayed by four hours Thursday morning in leaving for Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, because police received a threat that a bomb was on board.

Clerks told to prepare for big voter turnout

BANGOR, Maine — Nearly 75 percent of registered voters in Maine went to the polls for the 2004 presidential election, the highest participation rate ever recorded. Maine Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap on Thursday told a group of more than 300 clerks, registrars and other municipal staff members to be prepared for an even greater turnout come Nov. 4.

Oil-to-gas switch heats up dispute

GARDINER, Maine — Bangor Gas representatives report that hundreds of customers are looking into switching their home or business heating system from oil to gas.

Taxes, Iraq, price of gas key issues in 1st District

AUGUSTA, Maine — The vacuum left by six-term Rep. Tom Allen’s departure to run for Senate in Maine’s 1st Congressional District has triggered a race between two experienced politicians, Democrat Chellie Pingree and Republican Charlie Summers.

$1 million grant targets drunken driving

WASHINGTON — Maine agencies this week received federal grants that are designed to help prevent drunken driving, improve highway safety and reduce the number of DNA samples awaiting analysis at the state police crime laboratory.

Editorial
Caring for Rural Vets Members of Congress typically try to carve out a niche or two, choosing issues

The Debt Debacle The fundamental reason for the turmoil on Wall Street is simple: American

September 20 Letters to the Editor

Wendell Rafford: Where is Sen. Collins on free trade with Colombia? I was told while growing up that this is a nation of opportunity. Today, in

Kennebec Journal

New hospital planned
AUGUSTA -- Refining its vision for the future, MaineGeneral Health revealed Thursday its plans to build a consolidated hospital in Augusta that would lead to the closure of its inpatient Thayer and Seton units in Waterville as well as its downtown Augusta location.

MaineGeneral plan shifts city's sights to Inland
WATERVILLE -- Maine-General's proposed move of inpatient care to Augusta isn't the end of the world, Mayor Paul R. LePage said Thursday.

Subsidy checks held for some
AUGUSTA -- Maine has withheld subsidy checks this month from nearly a third of the state's school districts, delaying a monthly infusion of funds for 91 school systems.

Maine's college fund should be able to weather financial storm
AUGUSTA -- No immediate changes to the state's college-investing fund are expected since Merrill Lynch was sold to Bank of America, the head of the Finance Authority of Maine said Thursday.

The warmth of kids who care for others
Last week, Katelyn and Molly McGrail decorated a box, wrapping it in pink paper and writing on it in colorful letters: Project Sweaters.

River doing better in class
WATERVILLE -- The fact the Kennebec River is getting cleaner is as clear as the once-brown water now flowing within its banks.

Winthrop to hold meeting on heating
WINTHROP -- The Town Council is hosting a community meeting 6-8 p.m. Monday to discuss ways to keep warm this winter in the face of rising energy costs. The forum will be at the Town Office.

Editorials:

COMMON GROUND FAIR It's all local, all organic
Here's a partial list of what you can find at the Common Ground Fair, which begins today in Unity and continues through Sunday:

Grace period for some school plans is justified
School consolidation is the Rubik's Cube of Maine's education world. The challenge of finding suitable partners is proving frustrating for many school units. They've engaged in endless discussion, endless number-crunching and endless wooing. They've tried it this way and that way, with one set of partners and then another -- only to find that the numbers don't always work, and the voters don't always want it.

BUDDY DOYLE OF GARDINER : Done right, advertising informs, enlightens, even entertains
As one who has practiced and toiled in the advertising industry for more years than I care to divulge, I should be roaring into a wise and witty dissertation on political advertising. I've done my fair share of it over the years back in California and here in Maine, but I'm hardly a devotee of this genre.

PAUL R. LEPAGE : Political expediency has replaced honesty, integrity and credibility
I am an avowed member of the "clicker club." When any advertisement, political or otherwise, comes on, with rapid ease I click my trusty remote to another station. It drives my wife and mother-in-law crazy -- to the point that they are heading south until after the election cycle.

JOSEPH R. REISERT : Ruled by elitist political system, Brits confused by our populist one
LONDON -- The British media have offered a lot of advice to America in the short time I've been here.

Collins voted with GOP, not against it, 67.4%
In a letter dated Sept. 11, Robert G. Fuller Jr. claims that, "Susan Collins has disagreed with her party 67.4 percent of the time since 1991."

We need Crockett back in Legislature
Rep. Patsy Crockett has been an incredibly effective legislator.

Sun Journal
Acadia visitors increase in 2007
ACADIA NATIONAL PARK (AP) - Acadia National Park had 2.2 million visitors last year - an increase from 2006 but still below the highs set in the mid-1990s.

Ferry evacuates after bomb threat
BAR HARBOR (AP) - More than 300 passengers were evacuated from a high-speed ferry in Bar Harbor after a bomb threat was phoned in.

State officials: Brace for winter
LEWISTON - If you thought heating your home last winter was bad, you might want to head to Florida now.

Congress works on solution to crisis
WASHINGTON (AP) - The stock market finally found reason to rally Thursday, and Congress promised quick action as the Bush administration prepared a plan to rescue banks from the bad debt at the heart of the worst crisis on Wall Street since the Great Depression.

L-A joint services chair: It's time to act
LEWISTON - Combining services in the Twin Cities would lead to "real savings" - but recommendations need to be made soon, says the co-chairman of a group formed to find those savings.

Editorial
'Too big to freeze'
A sure sign of winter? The first frost advisory from the National Weather Service.

Obama losing ground with 'minimalist' stance
Old Milwaukee beer's slogan - "It just doesn't get any better than this" - should be Barack Obama's after-hours toast these days.

MPBN
Trouble Brews Between Shipyard Unions

There's trouble brewing at Bath Iron Works, between the current union leadership and supporters of the local labor leaders who were ousted earlier this year. About 200 workers from the shipyard which is owned by General Dynamics, gathered outside the factory gates this morning in support of a petition calling for the re-instatement of elected leaders of the S6 Union.

Congressional Candidate Says "Legalize Marijuana"

The federal government should legalize marijuana, says the self-described conservative Republican candidate for Maine's Second Congressional District. John Frary made his comments today on a state-wide radio call-in program.

Energy Auditors in High Demand

As oil prices have risen in the past year, and as winter appproaches, Mainers are continuing to seek ways to heat their homes more efficiently. The state's Home Performance Program reports that energy auditors around the state are at high demand. So today an oil company in Hampden announced it has expanded its services to include home energy efficiency evaluations. While helping customers save on their oil bill may seem contrary to RH Foster's bottom line, Anne Ravana reports the company says it wants to help its customers burn oil more efficiently.

PolitickerME
Is the Oxford County Casino a good bet?

ME-1: Energy, health care policies differentiate two candidates

A closer look at Maine's Senate District 22

Maine’s Second CD race lights up
Finally, we have a little action in the sleepy race for Congress in Maine's Second Congressional District!

Maine News for Thursday, September 18, 2008

Portland Press Herald
Casino referendum’s provisions add spice to fight
Foes say things such as a lower gambling age should doom the plan; backers say problems can be fixed.

Gambling on heating oil cost: Buy now, or wait a bit?
The average price has fallen 89 cents over two months and signs point to further decreases.

Defense bill includes $20.7 million for Kittery shipyard

McCain, Obama see different causes for nation's economic problems
McCain blames financial turmoil on Wall Street; Obama blames GOP, McCain

Governor lauds spirit of town that suffered fire
John Baldacci vows to work with Milo officials to revives its business district.

Maine getting $7 million to help poor pay heating costs
The Bush administration has announced that it will release $121 million in emergency funds.

Group works at lowering energy rates
Consumer advocates from around New England look for ways to increase ratepayers' leverage.

Incumbent ends bid for re-election
Republican Gary Moore of Standish cites frustration with state fiscal problems.

Activists call attention to children's issues
Politicians must see kids as something other than a group of people too young to vote, one says.

L.L. Bean gets a foot in China's open door
The new store in Beijing will be the Freeport retailer's second foreign location; it has 15 stores in Japan.

Editorial
Formalizing financial bailouts worth a look
The next Congress should consider creating an agency to oversee Wall Street's makeover.

ERICA SCHMITZ and MALORY SHAUGHNESSYYou have to ask, what are these college presidents thinking?
Lowering the legal drinking age to 18 would cause problems on campus, not solve them.

KEREM DURDAGWhat is the faith of a Muslim in Maine? Like others, tied to the whirlwind of existence
It is impossible to discuss without delving deeply into the language of poetry instead of prose.

Bangor Daily News

9,351 stimulus checks seized

AUGUSTA, Maine — Nearly all of the approximately 600,000 Mainers who qualified for a federal stimulus check have received their money — except the thousands who were unpleasantly surprised with a notice their payment had been seized by the state.

Maine to get $7M in heat aid

WASHINGTON — Maine will receive more than $7 million in additional home heating assistance for low-income families as part of an emergency contingency fund.

Milo begins picking up pieces after fire

MILO, Maine — Milo is doing what a small community does after a disaster: It picks up the pieces and moves forward.

Gendron: Consolidation on track

AUGUSTA, Maine — School consolidation is on track to meet state expectations, and the upset over last year’s eighth-grade writing test is unlikely to happen again.

2.2M visited Acadia National Park in 2007

ACADIA NATIONAL PARK, Maine — The number of visitors to the park increased in 2007 from the previous year, but the annual count still lags behind historical highs set in the mid-1990s, according to park officials.

Girls group tackles eating disorders

Mary Orear, the director of the Rockport-based nonprofit Mainely Girls, knows more about eating disorders than most people do. She sees it often in her work with girls and young women from across the state.

Committee reviews proposals to boost value of agriculture

AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine has been a leader in agriculture policy and legislation, setting the national pace on dairy legislation, environmental regulations, animal welfare and proactive farming management practices.

BDN offers heating cost comparison

The cost of heating a home this winter is expected to be higher than at any time in recent memory.

Editorial
McCain, Obama on Taxes Presdential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama have very different

A Growth Field Remember the now-classic career advice offered to the Dustin Hoffman character

Leadership should top list of candidates’ qualifications As usual, the national political conventions pulsed with harsh rhetoric and

Kennebec Journal

Candidates have 60 seconds to give snapshot at forum
AUGUSTA — Fifteen candidates for local legislative seats each had one minute Wednesday morning to talk about why they are best suited to serve in the Legislature. In 60 seconds, record time for any politician, they managed to get their points across. Cards that said “15 seconds,” “5 seconds” and “Done” helped keep them on track.

School district faces penalties If consolidation mandate Isn't met
AUGUSTA — It would seem the towns of School Administrative District 53 did everything in their power to comply with the state’s school-district consolidation mandate.

Statehouse event aims to promote children's issues during campaign
AUGUSTA — Gardiner Area High School ninth-grader Amy Princiotta said she’s lucky to have good parents and fortunate to live in a supportive community. But she worries about 3 million abused or neglected children across the country who, by her count, aren’t so fortunate.

Editorials:

Central Mainers reach out their helping hands
The bad news is that it seems like the economy is going to hell in a handbasket. The good news is that even in such difficult times — perhaps we should say especially in such difficult times — the people of central Maine want to help out those who need a hand up.

Sun Journal
Jet evacuated at Portland airport
PORTLAND (AP) - A plane at the Portland International Jetport had to be evacuated because of reported smoke in the cockpit - before the plane left the ground.

Senate hopeful's appeal rejected
BANGOR (AP) - A federal judge has rejected a Kennebunkport woman's lawsuit seeking to get onto the Nov. 4 ballot as a Senate candidate.

Baldacci visits fire site
MILO (AP) - Gov. John Baldacci said Wednesday he was heartsick to see the damage caused by a weekend fire that left much of the small downtown area in ruins, and promised to work with local officials to bring the rural town's business district back to life.

Group steps up attacks on bottled water
PORTLAND (AP) - A coalition of activists and citizens has kicked off an initiative they say will protect Maine's groundwater supplies from what they call "corporate exploitation."

Polls: Obama gains, but race still volatile in battleground states
The much-anticipated Time/CNN battleground polls were released Wednesday, with Barack Obama showing surprising strength in three states, including North Carolina, that many were beginning to write off.

Bethel taxes rise 10.4 percent

State rep seeks veterans to honor

Editorial
It's a brand-new casino campaign
Olympia Gaming's emergence behind an Oxford County casino addresses one question plaguing this campaign: "Who else beside Seth Carey is Evergreen Mountain Enterprises?"

Generation gap won't hinder McCain-Palin
One question ABC's Charles Gibson neglected to ask Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin during his interview with her last week was this: You are young enough to be John McCain's daughter. Twenty-eight years separate you. Will you be able to walk into the Oval Office and say, "Mr. President, you are wrong about this and here is what you should do instead"?

MPBN
Coalition Calls for Protection of Maine Water Sources

On the heels of "Take Back The Tap" a campaign aimed at convincing the public to drink more tap water and less from plastic bottles, comes a statewide initiative to protect Maine's groundwater. State Representative Rick Burns today announced plans to have a bill prepared for the next session of the legislature that would spell out proposed regulations for controlling and sustaining the state's water resource.

Home Construction Hits Lowest Level Since Mid-90s

Government figures out today indicate that August construction of new homes and apartments dropped to the lowest level in 17 years - yet another reminder of the severe housing downturn that has Wall Street, and Main Street, in its grips. But is all this fallout traceable, at least in part, to what a few economists warned was a housing bubble that could not sustain itself? Keith Shortall takes a look back to what analysts were saying about Maine's real estate outlook nearly three years ago.

Wall Street Crisis Expected to Lower Housing Prices

The growing crisis on Wall Street is likely to push US house prices down, say investors, which at street level means continuing hardship for millions of Americans trying to sell their property.

University of Maine System Requests Funding Increase

The University of Maine System board of trustees has announced it will request a 4.5% increase in funding from the state so that it can keep the next two annual tuition increases below six percent. This, after a ten percent tuition increase went into effect this fall. As Anne Ravana reports, the trustees say the system has reduced operating costs by more than 19 million dollars, but some students are concerned about paying more for their education.

Village Soup
Out-of-state waste being dumped at landfill

Maine News for Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Portland Press Herald
Public charged up over CMP project
The plan for a major power line expansion has neighbors ready to defend their interests.

Vegas company takes lead on Maine casino
The battle heats up seven weeks before vote

Court told bishop is liable in abuse case
The state Supreme Court must decide whether to hold him liable for a priest's molestation of William Picher.

These special deliveries go smoothly
With attention to critical details, Maine Medical Center moves residents of its birth center and neonatal ICU into the new East Tower.

Goals transcend borders for region's leaders Governors, premiers get power talk
Power grid, transportation issues top list as New England governors meet with Canadian premiers.

House bill would spare Georges Bank from drilling
Details of the Democratic-backed legislation please conservationists, but draw Republicans' criticism.

U.S. to loan AIG $85 billion loan The emergency package wins broad federal support
In return for the loan, the government gets an equity stake of 79.9 percent in AIG.

Editorial

Scarborough should reaffirm former slots vote
The reasons for turning down a casino then remain just as valid today.

Franklin Arterial can be made to serve the city better
It's likely to remain primarily a route for cars, but there's room for pedestrians and bikes.

Bangor Daily News

Leaders tackle emissions, energy

BAR HARBOR, Maine — Governors from six New England states and provincial leaders from eastern Canada discussed Tuesday how they might work together to improve regional transportation, energy generation and transmission, and economies.

cal group opts for objective Rx plan

ROCKPORT, Maine — Citing concerns over patient safety and escalating costs, the Maine Medical Association recently endorsed a plan to establish a new medication information program that will provide objective prescribing guidance to thousands of doctors and other health care providers through-out the state.

State eyes supervision of tobacco fund boost

AUGUSTA, Maine — With tobacco settlement payments on the rise and the state budget in tatters, lawmakers are looking to strengthen oversight of spending in the so-called Fund for a Healthy Maine.

Las Vegas developer has plan for casino

PORTLAND, Maine — Hoping to re-invigorate a stalled campaign, a Las Vegas developer announced Tuesday it will lead the referendum drive for a casino in Oxford County and spend $100 million to make it a reality if state voters give their approval in November.

Federal judge: Dobson to stay off ballot

BANGOR, Maine — A federal judge ruled Tuesday that Laurie Dobson’s name will not be on the Nov. 4 ballot as a candidate for U.S. Senate.

Proposal aims to extend status to 3 largest rivers

In fall 2000, state officials and some of Maine’s business leaders were up in arms about a federal decision to list Atlantic salmon in eight Maine rivers as endangered species.

Editorial
Financial Free Fall Two of the nation’s biggest financial banks have collapsed. Others are in

Contracting Improvements With the current focus on presidential politics — or personalities — and

Direct democracy and crafting town school budgets I live in Lamoine. This budget season, we learned again the value of direct

Kennebec Journal

Lining up to fight the power
YARMOUTH -- Handsome homes, mature trees and nearby schools make Oakwoods one of this town's more desirable family neighborhoods.

Katz plies mayoral trade in Israel visit
Over lunch in Jerusalem, Augusta Mayor Roger Katz talked shop with mayors from faraway countries including Sierra Leone, Kenya and the Fiji Islands.

AUGUSTA Proposed charter revisions headed for referendum on November ballot
AUGUSTA -- Proposed revisions to the Augusta City Charter are headed for a referendum vote in November.

UMA convocation is Oct. 19
AUGUSTA -- The University of Maine at Augusta plans to usher in a new school year at a campus convocation Oct. 19.

GARDINER City targeting grants for walks, waterfront
GARDINER -- Councilors will hold public hearings to discuss two community grants and a couple of liquor license renewals before tonight's meeting.

County to get new radio links for responders
AUGUSTA -- The Kennebec County Emergency Management Agency will soon be able to communicate via radio with all county municipalities, regardless of radio frequency, thanks to a $15,000 grant.

Columns:

GEORGE SMITH : Maine's economy so bad it's knocked Iraq war from No. 1 spot
His dour expression fit his depressing prediction that economic disaster looms within the year. "It will be as bad as it was just before World War Two," he lamented.

GORDON L. WEIL, CONSULTANT, AUTHOR AND PUBLISHER, : We should not trust numbers more than words
We all doubt words, but trust numbers. If a candidate promises national health insurance or millions of new jobs, we are skeptical. But if some pollster tells us that one candidate leads another by 48 percent to 41 percent, we think we know who would win the election -- at least if it were held today.

Sun Journal
$100M pledged for casino
PORTLAND - Hoping to reinvigorate a stalled campaign, a Las Vegas developer announced Tuesday it will lead the referendum drive for a casino in Oxford County and spend $100 million to make it a reality if state voters give their approval in November.

'Person of interest' questioned in fire
MILO (AP) - Fire investigators say they have questioned a "person of interest" in a weekend arson fire in Milo that burned a large portion of the town's downtown.

Baby formula scandal spreads in China
BEIJING (AP) - A third baby has died in connection with China's spreading scandal over tainted milk formula and more than 6,200 infants have become sick, Health Minister Chen Zhu said Wednesday.

School consolidation plan going to voters
STRONG - A revised plan that would consolidate 16 communities into one school system has been approved by the state commissioner of education and will go to voters on Tuesday, Nov. 4.

Costs may doom dispatch sharing

Discount retail store coming to Jay

Town office closing Sept. 18, 19

Editorial
Trying to hide what's in plain sight
Gov. John Baldacci has asked Androscoggin County Commissioner Helen Poulin to "verify" her residence, as part of his inquiry into her move from her elected district. She is stonewalling.

MPBN
Vegas Gaming Firm To Take Over Oxford County Casino Campaign

The troubled campaign to develop a casino in Oxford County has been given a boost from the gambling capital of the US. Today in Portland, the Las Vegas-based Olympia Group announced that it has acquired control of Evergreen Mountain Enterprises LLC, pending approval of Question 2 by Maine voters in November.

Governors and Premiers Discuss Common Issues

Residents of New England and Canada's eastern provinces face an increasingly common economic future that hinges on the region's ability to move goods and people quickly from the Atlantic coast to the American heartland. At the 32nd meeting of the states' governors and provincial Canadian leaders in Bar Harbor today, it became clear that regional infrastructure improvements must be made to increase the flow of of traffic from east to west.

PolitickerME
Bailey: Voters were deceived in casino petition process

Legislators: Backer was necessary for casino project to move forward

HD-48: Schools, taxes hot topics in race for open seat

Casino project sold to Vegas company

Maine News for Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Portland Press Herald
Mainers may feel credit tightening, spend less
But the state may be cushioned because institutions here didn't engage in much subprime lending.

Investors in Maine stay calm
Some brokers say they've been preparing clients for bad news for months.

LaPointe violated safety rules, expert testifies
The boater, approaching from behind, was obligated to avoid a collision that killed two, a witness says.

FairPoint pushes back takeover timetable
The two-month extension has nothing to do with glitches involving 911 calls, the company says.

Search ruled valid in animal cruelty case
The judge's decision means a Somerville dog breeder's trial on five felony counts can proceed later this year.

Trustees approve funding request
The proposed UMaine System budget aims to keep tuition increases at less than 6 percent.

Candidates trade jabs on tax cuts
Susan Collins and Tom Allen campaign around the state before returning to Congress today.

State does 'adequate' job awarding contracts
A report recommends more explanation when agencies don't use competitive bidding.

Mainers may feel credit tightening, spend less
But the state may be cushioned because institutions here didn't engage in much subprime lending.

Editorial
After stability should come new finance rules
Regulators must first tend to the immediate crisis, but an overhaul should follow.

RON BANCROFTProspect of vast load of debt discourages college applicants
Maine's average student debt is seventh-highest in the nation, at 71 percent of per capita income.

Bangor Daily News

State official: Arson cause of Milo blaze

MILO, Maine — A fire that consumed an entire block of the downtown district Sunday morning was set intentionally and

Governors, premiers in state for economic forum

BAR HARBOR, Maine — The number of tourists in Bar Harbor always declines after Labor Day, but a small group of

UMaine Fort Kent plans test of warning siren today

FORT KENT, Maine — More than a year ago, a student at Virginia Tech went on a

Winds topple trees, cut electricity

Winds gusting up to 45 mph knocked out power to more than 12,000 utility

UMS to seek funding, tuition hikes

ORONO, Maine — University of Maine System board of trustees will seek a 4½

Restaurant skinny-dippers plead not guilty

GREENVILLE, Maine —Three friends who were charged with indecent conduct in

Editorial
Iraq Illusions In announcing a small withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq early next year,

Palin choice inspires raft of opinions What to make of Sarah Palin? Even some of my lifelong Republican neighbors are

Kennebec Journal

Local financial advisers urging clients to stay calm
AUGUSTA -- Local financial advisers fielding calls Monday from investors concerned by a financial meltdown on Wall Street have advice that could just as easily come from your mom.

Project for east side rotary is in preparation for new Hannaford supermarket
AUGUSTA -- Construction work on the east side rotary known as Cony Circle began Monday morning, state transportation officials said.

UMAINE SEEKS BIGGER BUDGET
ORONO -- The University of Maine System trustees approved a two-year budget package Tuesday that will seek an additional $17 million in state funding in 2010 and 2011.

AUGUSTA Council votes to raise speed limit at bridge
AUGUSTA -- Motorists crossing Memorial Bridge have spoken with their gas pedals, and the City Council voted unanimously to forward their message to the state Department of Transportation.

Audit backs state's results in contracting
AUGUSTA -- A report released Monday by the state's watchdog agency concluded the state does an "adequate" job awarding contracts while noting a few areas for improvement.

Animal-welfare license plate advances
Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap was presented a check for $50,000 from Mainers across the state after the state's Animal Welfare Program collected the minimum 2,000 petitions from vehicle owners who want an animal adoption awareness plate.

Gas prices blow around in Ike's wake
Post-hurricane gasoline prices rose above $5 per gallon in some parts of the country Sunday and Monday, but a gallon of regular unleaded was widely available for under $4 in central Maine on Monday afternoon.

Animal seizure warrant upheld Judge determines raid on animal breeder's home was carried out 'in good faith'
WISCASSET -- A judge has ruled that a search warrant in connection with a raid on a Somerville dog breeder's home was valid.

Editorials:

We need voting system for 21st century
City and state voting officials are girding for a big turnout on Nov. 4, Election Day.

DAVID B. OFFER : Truth is a victim in campaign advertising from both sides
Charge: A Barack Obama television ad tells Michigan voters that John McCain opposes loan guarantees for the auto industry.

Sun Journal
Maine candidates respond to AP questions
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) - In Maine's 2nd Congressional District, retired history professor John Frary of Farmington is in an uphill battle to unseat Democratic Rep. Mike Michaud, who's seeking a fourth term.

Maine firewood thefts increase
AUGUSTA (AP) - With heating season approaching and temperatures going down, firewood thefts are going up.

New England governors gather
BAR HARBOR (AP) - New England's governors and premiers from eastern Canada began arriving in this coastal resort town Monday for their two-day meeting, but with no formal events scheduled the initial day they polished their golf swings and reconnected with their fellow chief executives.

Investigators: Milo fire was arson
MILO (AP) - The state fire marshal's office has ruled that an early-morning fire that destroyed a large part of downtown Milo was intentionally set.

Animal license plate clears hurdle
AUGUSTA (AP) - Animal welfare advocates are one step closer to getting a new specialty license plate in Maine that would benefit the state's Animal Welfare Program.

Sex offender registry law challenged
AUGUSTA (AP) - A Superior Court judge will consider a challenge to Maine's sex-offender registry law by more than two dozen plaintiffs who are known in their suit as John Doe.

UM System eyes 6 percent tuition hike
ORONO - A hike in tuition for University of Maine System students would be around 6 percent next year, if state lawmakers give more money to higher education.

Vegas in local casino effort
The company created to own and operate an Oxford County casino if one is approved by voters in November has been sold to a Las Vegas-based company.

Dems open office in Farmington

Editorial
Failing firms had too much 'fiscal literacy'
"Fiscal literacy" is a modern banking buzzword, which means, more or less, learning how to manage one's money wisely. Some local banks are proffering "fiscal literacy" courses as a courtesy to their clients.

Palin's choices scrutinized by mainstream media
The notabilities of the mainstream media are suffering acute PMS. That's Palin Motherhood Syndrome.

MPBN
Governors and Premiers Focus On Regional Policy

Today marks the opening of the 32nd annual Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers, held this year in Bar Harbor. The governors of the six states join premiers from six provinces to discuss regional policy programs in the areas of economic development, transportation, environment, energy, and health, among others. But as Anne Ravana reports, this year a group of protesters is demonstrating their concerns about the involvement of corporate sponsors in those discussions.

Wall Street Takes a Big Hit

It's been a bleak day on wallstreet for millions of investors. Stocks tumbled on word that the huge investment bank Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy protection under the weight of 60 billion dollars in housing market holdings that went sour. As Keith McKeen reports, news and the announcement that investment giant Merrill Lynch is being acquired by Bank of America is creating jittery investors in Maine, as elsewhere.

Heating Oil Woes Increase

Reports over the weekend that a Lewiston-based oil delivery service has gone out of business has led to renewed concerns that businesses as well as customers are going to be facing a tough time this winter.

Hypodermic Needles Turning Up Near Popular Walking Trail

home > radio > maine news > news story Maine News Hypodermic Needles Turning Up Near Popular Walking Trail It's no surprise to see rubbish washing up at your local beach. Cigarette butts and plastic bags are typical sights. But Back Cove in Portland has the added burden of dealing with a most worrisome type of trash: hypodermic needles. Josie Huang has more.

Economic Statistics Reviewed

Morning Edition host Irwin Gratz speaks with Kurt Wise one of the authors of the Maine Center for Economic Policy's report, "The State of Working Maine."

PolitickerME
Bank of America, Merrill Lynch both gave to Maine candidates

Another State House reporter moves on

Ellis: Maine is competitive in presidential race

DSCC ad hits Collins on war record

Stateline: Maine not a battleground state