BOSTON GLOBE/AP:
PUC approves Verizon-FairPoint land line deal
After a long day of deliberations, Maine utility regulators Thursday night approved a negotiated agreement allowing FairPoint Communications' $2.7 billion buyout of Verizon's land lines in the three northern New England states. (AP, 1/3/08)
Special panel sketches outline for promoting prosperity
Legislative leaders and rank-and-file negotiators hailed a bipartisan agreement by a special legislative panel Thursday that they said was designed to foster economic well-being for Maine in the years ahead.
PRESS HERALD:
Repeal supporters: '15,000 to go' The group trying to repeal the school consolidation law faces a deadline for legislative review.
No deadlines in Iraq, says Collins (Published in the Morning Sentinel as well)
Sen. Susan Collins of Maine sharpened the distinction with her opponent in this year's election, Rep. Tom Allen, noting on Thursday that she remains opposed to any deadlines for withdrawing troops from Iraq.
Verizon sale to FairPoint approved PUC
Vermont and New Hampshire regulators and the FCC must give their approvals for the sale to become final.
Authority to set up at BNAS
The group overseeing reuse plans for the Brunswick air station is moving to the base.
Web site lets you keep tabs on lobbyists
AUGUSTA — Do you want to keep tabs on how Maine's more than 300 lobbyists earn a living but don't have the time to hang out at the State House?
Large wind farm proposal wins approval
AUGUSTA — Maine's wilderness zoning board has given final approval to a 57-megawatt wind farm in northern Washington County, which would be the largest such project in New England.
Bill would crack down on metal theft
A lawmaker from Bowdoinham wants to crack down on thefts of copper and other metals by requiring scrap dealers to verify where the metal comes from and who is selling it to them.
Preliminary agreement on fiscal reform draws praise
An efficiency panel seeking $75 million in savings is a key part of the plan for the state.
EDITORIAL: A little shift in Medicaid can bring big trouble
A dispute with the federal government over its share of the program could add up fast.
State court records belong where public can see them Maine is long overdue in its efforts to make court records available online.
Oil touches $100 a barrel, and the impact shows up everywhere While gas prices are expected to rise by summer, the cost of heat is going up now.
MAINE VOICES: Rail expansion tied to Downeaster funding
Future freight and passenger traffic could be lost if the state passes up its present opportunity.
LTE: Baldacci's budget cuts harmful to those in need
With regards to Gov. Baldacci's recent budget cuts, a $95 million shortfall was not brought about by the Department of Education or teachers' salaries.
LTE: Mainers can act to save Moosehead from developers
Shame, shame, we have all been asleep at the switch, for years, while land speculators assessed our beautiful Moosehead, Lily Bay, Long Pond and Greenville area.
LTE: Somalis should protest in their own country
Why is it that I get really upset when I see Somalis protesting in the streets?
BANGOR DAILY NEWS:
Inspector: Iraq rebuilding has mixed success
BANGOR - The U.S. government's top auditor of reconstruction efforts in Iraq described his staff's job Thursday as providing "oversight under fire" in a high-stakes arena replete with successes and failures.
FairPoint deal gets green light from state PUC
AUGUSTA - Almost a year after it was first announced, FairPoint Communications' proposal to buy Verizon's northern New England telephone and Internet land lines was approved unanimously by Maine regulators late Thursday night.
Obama, Huckabee victors in Iowa
EDITORIAL: New villages needed
Thousands of Mainers work within sight or smell of salt water, but when it's time to go home, they have to drive miles away from that water. The shortage of affordable housing, particularly along the coast and in southern Maine, could become a geographical class divide if planners do not act to counter this trend.
EDITORIAL: Budget balancing act
As lawmakers begin a new session in Augusta this week, the state's growing budget shortfall will demand much of their time and attention.
Op-Ed: Bhutto's democracy false
Of all the understandings of the democratic idea, none could be more wrong than this one. Democracy at its very core is an antidote to the kind of dynastic revenge young Bhutto was suggesting.
LTEs: Don't tax airplanes; School Consolidation; Repeal Consolidation
KENNEBEC JOURNAL:
CONSOLIDATIONWindsor votes Chelsea into unit WINDSOR -- The Windsor School Committee voted unanimously Wednesday to include Chelsea in a new seven-town regional school unit.
FAME asked to issue bond for newspaper The new owners of The Times Record, a daily newspaper in Brunswick, are asking the Finance Authority of Maine to issue a $7 million revenue bond to finance the purchase of the newspaper's publishing facility in Brunswick.
MORNING SENTINEL:
Mainer to receive medals for Bay of Pigs mission
Jack Hegarty of Dennistown Plantation, in northern Somerset County, was a 21-year-old sailor in the U.S. Navy when he and his mates shipped out for Cuba in April 1961.
COLUMN: Candidates should think more about governing than winning
More than 2,500 journalists were accredited to cover the Iowa caucuses. More than one reporter for every 100 caucus attendees, a ludicrous amount of attention for a state and a process that, were it not for the concentrated output of these men and women, would say little about how we will be governed after the next election.
LTE: Radical Muslims' actions justify U.S. policy
It is about time some of you people out there realize that this is exactly what these radical Muslims want anyone who is not a Muslim want to do -- die.
KENNEBEC JOURNAL:
LTE: Plum Creek's plan may inspire others
SUN JOURNAL:
Smokers fired up over 'safe' butts
Months after slower-burning cigarettes began appearing on store shelves, the impact they have on the smoker depends largely on who you ask.
Posters harass Muslims
Several copies of a harassing, anti-Muslim poster appeared Thursday outside a downtown Somali-owned store.
EDITORIAL: Maybe judges should be elected to the bench
COLUMN: Without U.S. involvement, peace efforts are doomed
When President Bush arrives in Jerusalem next week, he will step into a fledgling peace process already set up to fail. His brief, photo-op visit will likely do little but sustain the illusion of progress for the few days he is there.
MPBN:
Lawmakers Applaud Plan To Jumpstart Economy
After a lengthy deliberation, the Legislature's Committee on Future Maine Prosperity has voted unanimously to endorse a plan to jumpstart the state's economy. Although details of the proposal are still being assembled, a key component is a $75 million reduction in state spending and the creation of a tax relief fund. Democratic and Republican leaders in the Legislature are applauding the recommendations, but as A.J. Higgins reports, bipartisanship could quickly dissolve over budget cuts and taxes.
Same-Sex Couples Surprised By New Law's Loophole
In New Hampshire, civil unions became legal as the clock struck midnight New Years Eve. As many same-sex couples held ceremonies and celebrated, others were shocked to discover they won't get the same benefits afforded to married couples. New Hampshire Public Radio's Amy Quinton reports.
TIMES RECORD:
COLUMN: Can tax reform provide relief?
If there has been a defining issue to Maine politics over the past decade, it is our tax system and the desire to change it. Both in referendums and at the Legislature, it is hard to find any terms used more frequently than "tax reform" and "tax relief."
Bath pursues biz park growth
BATH — The city of Bath is closing in on the early stages of a Wing Farm Parkway expansion, where City Manager William Giroux hopes Phase 2 of the business park development can at least equal the 150 jobs created by Phase 1.
Lawmakers to review Legislature's budget for savings to reduce deficit
The Legislature plans to do its part to reduce the state's budget deficit, but doesn't want to be told by the governor how much to give.
keepMEcurrent
Senate president: State must consider tax increase
Senate President Beth Edmonds said a tax or fee increase or some other revenue source should at least be considered to fill the state's budget hole because further cuts in social services will harm Maine citizens – a posture the Senate minority leader says is a non-starter with
PolitickerME.com
A Unanimous Report for the Prosperity Committee?!
Two points for Senator Jon Courtney, the Republican from Sanford. Apparently Senator Courtney was instrumental in pulling off the impossible
Michaud supports Cheney impeachment
U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud has announced his support for the impeachment hearings of Vice President Dick Cheney.
Raye family to lead Giuliani campaign
Republican BLOGS:
Perspectives on Iraq and the Maine Senate race
The Portland Press Herald ran an op-ed by Edward Erickson, a graduate student from Bowdoinham, that lays out an interesting perspective on the relationship of the Iraq War to the upcoming Maine Senate contest:
Collins Watch: Hmm
Why is Sen. Collins accompanying the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction--an executive branch employee--to meetings with the editorial boards of the Portland Press Herald and Bangor Daily News?
As Maine Goes: Sen. Courtney's Proposal to Cut $75M from State Budget
Augusta – Late last night the Prosperity Committee unanimously approved Senator Jon Courtney's (R-York) proposal to cut $75 million from the state budget. Senator Courtney's plan meets the goals put forth in the Brookings Report which called for an independent commission to find savings. The plan also offers tax relief by investing the budget savings in the Maine Tax Relief Fund.
As Maine Goes: How Does This School Consolidation Save Money?
AUBURN - The Auburn School Committee voted unanimously to make interim Superintendent Tom Morrill the superintendent for the rest of his contract, or until June 2010. Morrill's annual salary of $103,000 will not change.
As Maine Goes: Giuliani Announces Maine Leadership Team
As Maine Goes: Romney Announces Maine Statewide Steering Committee
Maine News: Senate Poll (Updated Results)
Tom Allen: 57%Laurie Dobson: 34%Susan Collins: 8%
WHITE NOISE INSANITY: Will gas reach $4/gallon this winter? Oh probably. George Bush, The Decider, has decided that he won't tap into our nation's oil reserves to bring the price of oil down. Why? Because he hates Americans as we witnessed shortly after the levees broke down in New Orleans after Katrina had devastated the whole Gulf Coast.
NEW HAMPSHIRE BUSINESS REVIEW:
High diesel prices have a troubling ripple effect Congress is working to address the issue on several fronts. U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe and U.S. Rep. Tom Allen of Maine, along with New Hampshire's two representatives in Congress, Paul Hodes and Carol Shea-Porter, have co-sponsored several bills, either passed or pending.
AVIATION WEEK:
Bush Defense Authorization Veto CoBush Defense Authorization Veto Could Hamper Contracting ReformsSusan Collins, a Maine Republican on the panel, called Bush's decision "extremely disappointing," noting the legislation includes "a pay raise for our .
Maine News Headline Animator
Friday, January 4, 2008
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Maine News for Thursday, January 3, 2008
PRESS HERALD:
As session convenes, big issues hold sway
Short ceremonies are followed by a committee meetingoncuts aimed at balancing the budget.
Cross country case at standstill, police say
Officers investigating a claim that a man threw something in the eyes of a runner at a high school cross country meet have no leads, even after reviewing 3,500 videos and photos from the competition.
Maine joins suit over auto emissions
Maine joined California and 15 other states and sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday for preventing the states from setting greenhouse gas limits for vehicles.
Audit alleges Medicaid mistakes
A federal audit says that Maine overcharged the Medicaid program, which is funded jointly by the state and federal governments, by $44.2 million in 2002 and 2003 and that the state should reimburse the federal government $29.7 million for its share.
Push made to post court data on Web
Maine's judicial branch aims to make documents available while protecting privacy.
Unisys picked to handle MaineCare computers
The move will displace about 100 state jobs, but many people may be hired by the contractor.
EDITORIAL: NASA air-safety report should be fully available
The agency's actions reek of institutional arrogance and disregard for the public good.
EDITORIAL: Scant support for recall doesn't mean approval
Undoing the voters' choices for Portland School Committee would have been a big step.
MAINE VOICES: Moosehead's past outdoes Plum Creek
One hundred years ago, a trip from Greenville to Seboomook by boat would reveal a level of economic development that would boggle the mind of today's conservationist, preservationist or protectionist.
New Hampshire takes the right path with same-sex unions
This matter belongs in a state legislature, and soon it may be Maine's time to debate it.
LTE: Don't waste funding on Downeaster
LTE: Readers dispute wall separating church, state
BANGOR DAILY:
Prayers, taps herald 2008 legislative sessionThursday, January 03, 2008AUGUSTA, Maine - The sounds of prayers, the national anthem and taps ceremonially opened Maine's 2008 legislative session on Wednesday. But behind the pageantry was a sobering assessment of state finances facing lawmakers as they get down to work.
Bangor: Chamber plans annual events
Susan Collins will receive the Public Service Award, sponsored by Husson College.
Maine Senate '08 session opens with warning
Maine Senate President Beth Edmonds, welcoming colleagues back to the State House as the 2008 legislative session opened Wednesday, warned lawmakers "there is a very hard winter ahead" and that in rebalancing the budget they must recognize "we have cut all the fat" already.
School group's deadline nears
The group seeking to repeal the state's school consolidation law will make a final push this month to collect the required number of signatures on petitions that would bring the repeal issue to legislators or to a referendum vote.
EDITORIAL: Budget balancing act
As lawmakers begin a new session in Augusta this week, the state's growing budget shortfall will demand much of their time and attention. Gov. John Baldacci, through an executive order last month, has already outlined much of his blueprint for cost cutting with more to come when he unveils his supplemental budget next week.
Ralph Chapman: Schools' day of reckoning
Then, last spring with warmer weather coming, school years' end within sight, and several months of acclimating to the reality that our newly re-elected Democratic governor was trying to implement his secret before-the-election school consolidation plan, only the Legislature stood ready to inject some reason into the political processes that seemed to have gone so astray.
LTEs: Silence is Complicity; In defence of Israel; Cut-off from troops
Recovering soldiers and marines at Walter Reed Hospital are definitely more secure, thanks to Homeland Security. They won't be threatened by Christmas and holiday cards sent from supportive and appreciative Americans. This will hearten and reassure those wounded men and women now fighting to regain a sense of well-being.
KENNEBEC JOURNAL
Lawmakers expecting 'tough year'
AUGUSTA -- Liam Knowles came to the Statehouse Wednesday to watch his granddad, Ralph W. Sarty Jr. of Denmark, take the oath of office.
School, budget, insurance issues await
AUGUSTA -- The budget, school consolidation, energy costs and health insurance all made the list of major topics lawmakers plan to tackle this session.
State disputing claimof Medicaid overcharges
AUGUSTA -- A new federal audit says Maine overcharged the Medicaid program, which is funded jointly by the state and federal governments, by $44.2 million in 2002 and 2003 and the state should reimburse the federal government $29.7 million for its share. But state officials insist that Maine's Bureau of Child and Family Services calculated the costs correctly so the state does not owe the federal government a refund.
Jail readyto staff up
AUGUSTA -- Uncooperative inmates and double shifts are part of the job for Kennebec County sheriff's deputies, but relief is in sight now that the hiring of 16 new corrections officers has been approved.
Maine courtsstumble online
If you want to see a document from a case in Maine's court system, you have to visit the appropriate county courthouse, wait in line and review the hard copy. In some instances, you need a docket number or other information to find the file.
Editorials:
Historic sitesbill is investmentin Maine's future
The sight of empty brick mills and other old industrial buildings -- windows broken, pigeons perched on the roof -- is all too commonplace in Maine. Across the state, these symbols of our state's vibrant past have been abandoned and deemed too expensive for developers to rehabilitate. And when they lie unused and deteriorating, they can suck the life from their towns and cities.
JIM BRUNELLE : Lawmakers need spirit ofJanuary to conquer problems
This is my time of year, the season of optimism and cycle of the fresh start.
MORNING SENTINTEL:
Maine courts moving to put records online
If you want to see a document from a case in Maine's court system, you have to visit the appropriate county courthouse, wait in line and review the hard copy. In some instances, you need a docket number or other information to find the file.
EDITORIAL: Historic sites bill is investment in Maine's future
Veteran: Care received at Togus is 'excellent'
SUN JOURNAL:
Firefighters get grants from feds
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced Wednesday it has awarded $869,626 in grants to nine Maine fire departments. The money is provided through the "Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program," a news release from U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, D-Maine, stated.
LTE: Crisis centers need funding
Gov. Baldacci recently curtailed $38 million to balance the state budget, including money earmarked by the Legislature for the prevention of sexual and domestic violence initiatives.
MPBN:
Snowfall Strains Municipal Budgets Statewide
It's been snowing in Maine--more than usual for this time of year. According to the National Weather Service, Portland residents shoveled and plowed nearly 40 inches of snow in December, making it the city's 3rd snowiest December on record. Barbara Cariddi reports.
Feds To Cut Drug Enforcement Funding To Maine
At a time when Maine is seeing more drug-related homicides - five in 2007- and more drug related violence than ever before, the federal government is slashing funds used to support the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and drug prosecutors in district attorneys' offices around the state. The cuts are not unique to Maine, but as Susan Sharon reports, a state budget shortfall and other fiscal contraints are likely to make it even more challenging to fund Maine's war on drugs.
Maine Legislature Opens Its Doors For Business
Maine lawmakers returned to the State House today vowing to make finances their top priority as they weigh a budget deficit totalling 95 million dollars over the next two years. A little more than a third of that have will have to be closed prior to the end of the fiscal year in June, and lawmakers are gearing up for some intense debate over how to achieve those savings. A.J. Higgins reports.
THE TIMES RECORD:
'Big box' study law scrutinized A law passed in 2007 designed to make it tougher for big-box stores to come into town and take business away from local retailers will be up for discussion again in 2008, with an amendment proposed to allow communities to opt out of the new rule.
Clipped wingsMaine's tax policy reads more like political satire every day, but it's no laughing matter. It's embarrassing.
COURIER-GAZETTE:
'Kiddie' tax grows up
If you had a plan to shift some of your tax burden to your youngster, it's time to consider devising a Plan B. Due to Congressional action last year that officially extended childhood from age 14 to age 18 for purposes of calculating tax on invested income, the so-called "kiddie tax" is growing up.
THE ELLSWORTH AMERICAN:
Local Control Battle Looms In Augusta
AUGUSTA — With legislators returning this week to continue their debate on the new school consolidation law, expect a battle over allowing local school committees to maintain control over their kindergarten through grade 8 schools in newly formed "super unions."
EDITORIAL: The Consolidation Debacle
BLOGS:
As Maine Goes: Dem Consensus on Redistribution of Income"There's a real Democratic consensus now," said Rep. Barney Frank. The "reality of stagnant income for most Americans" is shaping Democratic priorities. "What you've got, essentially, is a movement on the Democratic side [toward] the view that growth alone is not enough, and concern about the distribution of income has to be part of the equation."
As Maine Goes: Bye Bye, Light Bulb Just like that--like flipping a switch--Congress and the president banned incandescent light bulbs last month. OK, they did not exactly ban them. But the energy bill passed by Congress and signed by President Bush sets energy-efficiency standards for light bulbs that traditional incandescent bulbs cannot meet.
Maine Web Report: Phase 2 of the Baldacci Tourism Marketing PlanGovernor Baldacci's efforts to accelerate a small-business diaspora continue. This time, Baldacci's economic stormtroopers are trying to stamp out the last vestiges of potential tourism revenue from airfield hangers across the state. Here's the AP report:
Turn Maine Blue: Portland ME Schools and Birth Control--UpdateThe right wing made two attempts to challenge this, and both have failed.
Turn Maine Blue: Open ThreadMaine Today is reporting that Maine has joined California in suing the EPA over its recent ruling to not grant a waiver that would set a higher NOx standard than that of the Fed.
Maine News: "Poll: If the election were held today, who would you vote for in the Maine Senate Race? (Alphabetical)" As of Wednesday, January 2 at 11:30 pm, the results of the poll were as follows:Laurie Dobson 70%Tom Allen 25%Susan Collins 3%
EarthNews: EPA approves Northeast states' mercury plan Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.), have called for stronger federal regulation of mercury.
2 Jan 08 January, USA National Stalking Awareness Month Washington, DC U.S. Senators Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE) and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced a resolution designating January as National Stalking Awareness Month.
As session convenes, big issues hold sway
Short ceremonies are followed by a committee meetingoncuts aimed at balancing the budget.
Cross country case at standstill, police say
Officers investigating a claim that a man threw something in the eyes of a runner at a high school cross country meet have no leads, even after reviewing 3,500 videos and photos from the competition.
Maine joins suit over auto emissions
Maine joined California and 15 other states and sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday for preventing the states from setting greenhouse gas limits for vehicles.
Audit alleges Medicaid mistakes
A federal audit says that Maine overcharged the Medicaid program, which is funded jointly by the state and federal governments, by $44.2 million in 2002 and 2003 and that the state should reimburse the federal government $29.7 million for its share.
Push made to post court data on Web
Maine's judicial branch aims to make documents available while protecting privacy.
Unisys picked to handle MaineCare computers
The move will displace about 100 state jobs, but many people may be hired by the contractor.
EDITORIAL: NASA air-safety report should be fully available
The agency's actions reek of institutional arrogance and disregard for the public good.
EDITORIAL: Scant support for recall doesn't mean approval
Undoing the voters' choices for Portland School Committee would have been a big step.
MAINE VOICES: Moosehead's past outdoes Plum Creek
One hundred years ago, a trip from Greenville to Seboomook by boat would reveal a level of economic development that would boggle the mind of today's conservationist, preservationist or protectionist.
New Hampshire takes the right path with same-sex unions
This matter belongs in a state legislature, and soon it may be Maine's time to debate it.
LTE: Don't waste funding on Downeaster
LTE: Readers dispute wall separating church, state
BANGOR DAILY:
Prayers, taps herald 2008 legislative sessionThursday, January 03, 2008AUGUSTA, Maine - The sounds of prayers, the national anthem and taps ceremonially opened Maine's 2008 legislative session on Wednesday. But behind the pageantry was a sobering assessment of state finances facing lawmakers as they get down to work.
Bangor: Chamber plans annual events
Susan Collins will receive the Public Service Award, sponsored by Husson College.
Maine Senate '08 session opens with warning
Maine Senate President Beth Edmonds, welcoming colleagues back to the State House as the 2008 legislative session opened Wednesday, warned lawmakers "there is a very hard winter ahead" and that in rebalancing the budget they must recognize "we have cut all the fat" already.
School group's deadline nears
The group seeking to repeal the state's school consolidation law will make a final push this month to collect the required number of signatures on petitions that would bring the repeal issue to legislators or to a referendum vote.
EDITORIAL: Budget balancing act
As lawmakers begin a new session in Augusta this week, the state's growing budget shortfall will demand much of their time and attention. Gov. John Baldacci, through an executive order last month, has already outlined much of his blueprint for cost cutting with more to come when he unveils his supplemental budget next week.
Ralph Chapman: Schools' day of reckoning
Then, last spring with warmer weather coming, school years' end within sight, and several months of acclimating to the reality that our newly re-elected Democratic governor was trying to implement his secret before-the-election school consolidation plan, only the Legislature stood ready to inject some reason into the political processes that seemed to have gone so astray.
LTEs: Silence is Complicity; In defence of Israel; Cut-off from troops
Recovering soldiers and marines at Walter Reed Hospital are definitely more secure, thanks to Homeland Security. They won't be threatened by Christmas and holiday cards sent from supportive and appreciative Americans. This will hearten and reassure those wounded men and women now fighting to regain a sense of well-being.
KENNEBEC JOURNAL
Lawmakers expecting 'tough year'
AUGUSTA -- Liam Knowles came to the Statehouse Wednesday to watch his granddad, Ralph W. Sarty Jr. of Denmark, take the oath of office.
School, budget, insurance issues await
AUGUSTA -- The budget, school consolidation, energy costs and health insurance all made the list of major topics lawmakers plan to tackle this session.
State disputing claimof Medicaid overcharges
AUGUSTA -- A new federal audit says Maine overcharged the Medicaid program, which is funded jointly by the state and federal governments, by $44.2 million in 2002 and 2003 and the state should reimburse the federal government $29.7 million for its share. But state officials insist that Maine's Bureau of Child and Family Services calculated the costs correctly so the state does not owe the federal government a refund.
Jail readyto staff up
AUGUSTA -- Uncooperative inmates and double shifts are part of the job for Kennebec County sheriff's deputies, but relief is in sight now that the hiring of 16 new corrections officers has been approved.
Maine courtsstumble online
If you want to see a document from a case in Maine's court system, you have to visit the appropriate county courthouse, wait in line and review the hard copy. In some instances, you need a docket number or other information to find the file.
Editorials:
Historic sitesbill is investmentin Maine's future
The sight of empty brick mills and other old industrial buildings -- windows broken, pigeons perched on the roof -- is all too commonplace in Maine. Across the state, these symbols of our state's vibrant past have been abandoned and deemed too expensive for developers to rehabilitate. And when they lie unused and deteriorating, they can suck the life from their towns and cities.
JIM BRUNELLE : Lawmakers need spirit ofJanuary to conquer problems
This is my time of year, the season of optimism and cycle of the fresh start.
MORNING SENTINTEL:
Maine courts moving to put records online
If you want to see a document from a case in Maine's court system, you have to visit the appropriate county courthouse, wait in line and review the hard copy. In some instances, you need a docket number or other information to find the file.
EDITORIAL: Historic sites bill is investment in Maine's future
Veteran: Care received at Togus is 'excellent'
SUN JOURNAL:
Firefighters get grants from feds
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced Wednesday it has awarded $869,626 in grants to nine Maine fire departments. The money is provided through the "Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program," a news release from U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, D-Maine, stated.
LTE: Crisis centers need funding
Gov. Baldacci recently curtailed $38 million to balance the state budget, including money earmarked by the Legislature for the prevention of sexual and domestic violence initiatives.
MPBN:
Snowfall Strains Municipal Budgets Statewide
It's been snowing in Maine--more than usual for this time of year. According to the National Weather Service, Portland residents shoveled and plowed nearly 40 inches of snow in December, making it the city's 3rd snowiest December on record. Barbara Cariddi reports.
Feds To Cut Drug Enforcement Funding To Maine
At a time when Maine is seeing more drug-related homicides - five in 2007- and more drug related violence than ever before, the federal government is slashing funds used to support the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and drug prosecutors in district attorneys' offices around the state. The cuts are not unique to Maine, but as Susan Sharon reports, a state budget shortfall and other fiscal contraints are likely to make it even more challenging to fund Maine's war on drugs.
Maine Legislature Opens Its Doors For Business
Maine lawmakers returned to the State House today vowing to make finances their top priority as they weigh a budget deficit totalling 95 million dollars over the next two years. A little more than a third of that have will have to be closed prior to the end of the fiscal year in June, and lawmakers are gearing up for some intense debate over how to achieve those savings. A.J. Higgins reports.
THE TIMES RECORD:
'Big box' study law scrutinized A law passed in 2007 designed to make it tougher for big-box stores to come into town and take business away from local retailers will be up for discussion again in 2008, with an amendment proposed to allow communities to opt out of the new rule.
Clipped wingsMaine's tax policy reads more like political satire every day, but it's no laughing matter. It's embarrassing.
COURIER-GAZETTE:
'Kiddie' tax grows up
If you had a plan to shift some of your tax burden to your youngster, it's time to consider devising a Plan B. Due to Congressional action last year that officially extended childhood from age 14 to age 18 for purposes of calculating tax on invested income, the so-called "kiddie tax" is growing up.
THE ELLSWORTH AMERICAN:
Local Control Battle Looms In Augusta
AUGUSTA — With legislators returning this week to continue their debate on the new school consolidation law, expect a battle over allowing local school committees to maintain control over their kindergarten through grade 8 schools in newly formed "super unions."
EDITORIAL: The Consolidation Debacle
BLOGS:
As Maine Goes: Dem Consensus on Redistribution of Income"There's a real Democratic consensus now," said Rep. Barney Frank. The "reality of stagnant income for most Americans" is shaping Democratic priorities. "What you've got, essentially, is a movement on the Democratic side [toward] the view that growth alone is not enough, and concern about the distribution of income has to be part of the equation."
As Maine Goes: Bye Bye, Light Bulb Just like that--like flipping a switch--Congress and the president banned incandescent light bulbs last month. OK, they did not exactly ban them. But the energy bill passed by Congress and signed by President Bush sets energy-efficiency standards for light bulbs that traditional incandescent bulbs cannot meet.
Maine Web Report: Phase 2 of the Baldacci Tourism Marketing PlanGovernor Baldacci's efforts to accelerate a small-business diaspora continue. This time, Baldacci's economic stormtroopers are trying to stamp out the last vestiges of potential tourism revenue from airfield hangers across the state. Here's the AP report:
Turn Maine Blue: Portland ME Schools and Birth Control--UpdateThe right wing made two attempts to challenge this, and both have failed.
Turn Maine Blue: Open ThreadMaine Today is reporting that Maine has joined California in suing the EPA over its recent ruling to not grant a waiver that would set a higher NOx standard than that of the Fed.
Maine News: "Poll: If the election were held today, who would you vote for in the Maine Senate Race? (Alphabetical)" As of Wednesday, January 2 at 11:30 pm, the results of the poll were as follows:Laurie Dobson 70%Tom Allen 25%Susan Collins 3%
EarthNews: EPA approves Northeast states' mercury plan Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.), have called for stronger federal regulation of mercury.
2 Jan 08 January, USA National Stalking Awareness Month Washington, DC U.S. Senators Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE) and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced a resolution designating January as National Stalking Awareness Month.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Maine News for Wednesday, January 2, 2008
PRESS HERALD:
From Today:
MAINE VOICES: Allen may be misreading discontent over warIraq doesn't seem to have been the driving issue for Maine voters in 2006, and likely won't be this year.
Petitions for recall election fall shortThree Portland School Committee members appear likely to withstand an effort to remove them from office for their support of a controversial birth-control measure.
Rise in number of Maine drug killings worries policeA shootout in which a man was gunned down over a drug debt in a Saco parking lot underscores an alarming trend: drug killings increased in Maine in 2007.
EDITORIAL: Situation in Somalia calls for humanitarian aid -- and caution — Competing rallies by Somali refugees in Portland recently carried a message to policy-makers: There's no easy solution to the current fighting in Somalia, and not every Somali thinks the return of Islamist rule is the best guarantee of progress.
EDITORIAL: Towns should pay for seawall upgrades themselves Federal disaster funds should be used to repair damage, not make improvements.
LTE: Plum Creek plan a quality investmentI am writing on behalf of Raft Maine, an association of professional white-water rafting outfitters, in support of the Plum Creek concept plan.
LTE: Feed-in tariff law would help cut cost of electricity Maine can produce clean, green electricity and take a step toward energy independence.
From January 1, 2008:
EDITORIAL: U.N. force may be too small to stop violence in DarfurThe Sudanese government's limits could hamper a peacekeeping mission.
EDITORIAL: Time for new starts and old businessMaine's elected officials will be busy finishing the work left over from 2007.
MAINE VOICES: State needs to rebuild transportation bureaucraciesWidening roads is an outdated solution to this century's problems, and doesn't serve Mainers.
BANGOR DAILY:
New federal budget slashes MDEA fundsPolice across the state are reeling from a huge cut in federal funds used to pay for the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, a cut that some believe threatens the ability of law enforcement to wage any sort of significant war on drugs.
Bucksport seeks new sources of energy In an effort to counter rising energy costs, the town of Bucksport is set to look at ways to produce and distribute its own lower-cost power using wind, natural gas, tidal power or a combination of those sources.
EDITORIAL: Disrespecting Ron PaulRon Paul is the Rodney Dangerfield of Republican presidential candidates: He can't get no respect, especially from the media.
Steve Cartwright: The train solutionThe haunting, wistful whistle of the Maine Eastern Railroad drifts three miles from the crossing to my house. It's a pleasant sound, and a reminder that midcoast Mainers are missing a good bet.
LTEs: Shortsighted cuts; Lay off sick leave
KENNEBEC JOURNAL:
Lawmakers back to work today AUGUSTA -- Five new lawmakers, including Pat Jones of Mount Vernon, will be sworn in today as the Legislature begins the 2008 session.
System angers soldierVisit to Togus failsto provide pain help RANDOLPH -- U.S. Army Cpl. Travis Berry was in pain and needed to refill his prescription.
First Alfond grant goes to Waterville baby WATERVILLE -- Gabriella May Frain entered the world just two hours into the new year and already she has $500 saved for her college education.
New parents facedaunting costs Congratulations! The child has arrived. But did you plan for the cost of raising that kid?
MORNING SENTINEL:
COLUMN: Consolidation turns out to be enemy of freedom Local control is the casualty of consolidation. Your voice is being muted; your influence is waning. Bigger is better. Small is no longer beautiful.
COLUMN: Another way to solve consolidation problems LTE: Foreign policy decisions by U.S. shameful
SUN JOURNAL:
In N.H., same-sex couples' wait ends Dozens of gay and lesbian couples celebrated the arrival of civil unions in New Hampshire in the early moments of New Year's Day, bundling up against below-freezing temperatures for a group ceremony as soon as the unions became legal after midnight.
Primary system has U.S. fed upCONCORD, N.H. - All eyes may be on Iowa and New Hampshire, but many of them are rolling.
COLUMNIST: Bhutto's death a warning; will anyone heed it? On Friday, the day of Benazir Bhutto's burial in her ancestral village, Pakistanis were still struggling to grasp that she was dead.
LTE: We don't need border wallPeople may not realize that the U.S. government wants to build a wall from California to Texas, along the border with Mexico, to keep out illegal aliens. History has shown that high walls have not kept the intended people out.
LTE: We must get involved in DarfurWhen it became clear that the Nazis were responsible for the deaths of millions of Jewish people, the world was horrified. Everyone wished there could have been intervention before this tragedy occurred. Yet today, something reminiscent of the Holocaust is unfolding before our very eyes.
keepMEcurrent
Will merged districts keep local school boards? Stay tunedThere will be a battle over allowing some local school committees to maintain control over their kindergarten-Grade 8 schools in newly formed regional school units when legislators return this week to continue their debate on the new school consolidation law.
Laws governing big-box development could be tweaked A law passed in 2007 designed to make it tougher for big-box stores to come into town and take business away from local retailers will be up for discussion again in 2008, with an amendment proposed to allow communities to opt out of the new rule.
PORTSMOUTH HERALD:
Low fuel assistance funds may leave some Mainers in coldFor 26 years, The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) has helped low-income residents curb high energy bills for 26 years, but this year may be different.
KENNEBEC JOURNAL:
SYSTEM ANGERS SOLDIER: Visit to Togus fails to provide pain help U.S. Army Cpl. Travis Berry was in pain and needed to refill his prescription. So his grandfather, Charles Berry of West Gardiner, drove him to the nearby veterans hospital at Togus. But officials there last week refused to refill his grandson's medication because he is an active-duty soldier, the elder Berry said. They also declined to help him find another way to get more medicine.
BLOGS:
As Maine Goes: ME's Subprime Foreclosure Rate Forecast at 22.8 PercentA Senate committee recently estimated that Maine has 24,460 outstanding subprime loans and expects 5,583 to end up in foreclosure between July of this year and the end of 2009. While the raw number of expected foreclosures here is tiny compared to California (191,144 foreclosures expected) and Florida (157,341), Maine's foreclosure rate on subprime loans is forecast to be 22.8 percent, above a national average of 18 percent.
Turn Maine Blue: How not to announce a candidacyFrom my e-mail today. This was sent to every county officer an e-mail could be found for across the state, it looks like.
White Noise Insanity: Ralph Nader throws his support to John Edwards?
LAWRENCE JOURNAL WORLD AND NEWS
Bill a threat to civil libertiesAs the media daily reports government abuses of individual civil and constitutional rights in the name of the "war against terrorism," and as the now Democratic-controlled Congress continues to hold public hearings on the worst of these abuses, a new threat to the civil liberties of Americans quietly wends its way through the halls of Congress.
From Today:
MAINE VOICES: Allen may be misreading discontent over warIraq doesn't seem to have been the driving issue for Maine voters in 2006, and likely won't be this year.
Petitions for recall election fall shortThree Portland School Committee members appear likely to withstand an effort to remove them from office for their support of a controversial birth-control measure.
Rise in number of Maine drug killings worries policeA shootout in which a man was gunned down over a drug debt in a Saco parking lot underscores an alarming trend: drug killings increased in Maine in 2007.
EDITORIAL: Situation in Somalia calls for humanitarian aid -- and caution — Competing rallies by Somali refugees in Portland recently carried a message to policy-makers: There's no easy solution to the current fighting in Somalia, and not every Somali thinks the return of Islamist rule is the best guarantee of progress.
EDITORIAL: Towns should pay for seawall upgrades themselves Federal disaster funds should be used to repair damage, not make improvements.
LTE: Plum Creek plan a quality investmentI am writing on behalf of Raft Maine, an association of professional white-water rafting outfitters, in support of the Plum Creek concept plan.
LTE: Feed-in tariff law would help cut cost of electricity Maine can produce clean, green electricity and take a step toward energy independence.
From January 1, 2008:
EDITORIAL: U.N. force may be too small to stop violence in DarfurThe Sudanese government's limits could hamper a peacekeeping mission.
EDITORIAL: Time for new starts and old businessMaine's elected officials will be busy finishing the work left over from 2007.
MAINE VOICES: State needs to rebuild transportation bureaucraciesWidening roads is an outdated solution to this century's problems, and doesn't serve Mainers.
BANGOR DAILY:
New federal budget slashes MDEA fundsPolice across the state are reeling from a huge cut in federal funds used to pay for the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, a cut that some believe threatens the ability of law enforcement to wage any sort of significant war on drugs.
Bucksport seeks new sources of energy In an effort to counter rising energy costs, the town of Bucksport is set to look at ways to produce and distribute its own lower-cost power using wind, natural gas, tidal power or a combination of those sources.
EDITORIAL: Disrespecting Ron PaulRon Paul is the Rodney Dangerfield of Republican presidential candidates: He can't get no respect, especially from the media.
Steve Cartwright: The train solutionThe haunting, wistful whistle of the Maine Eastern Railroad drifts three miles from the crossing to my house. It's a pleasant sound, and a reminder that midcoast Mainers are missing a good bet.
LTEs: Shortsighted cuts; Lay off sick leave
KENNEBEC JOURNAL:
Lawmakers back to work today AUGUSTA -- Five new lawmakers, including Pat Jones of Mount Vernon, will be sworn in today as the Legislature begins the 2008 session.
System angers soldierVisit to Togus failsto provide pain help RANDOLPH -- U.S. Army Cpl. Travis Berry was in pain and needed to refill his prescription.
First Alfond grant goes to Waterville baby WATERVILLE -- Gabriella May Frain entered the world just two hours into the new year and already she has $500 saved for her college education.
New parents facedaunting costs Congratulations! The child has arrived. But did you plan for the cost of raising that kid?
MORNING SENTINEL:
COLUMN: Consolidation turns out to be enemy of freedom Local control is the casualty of consolidation. Your voice is being muted; your influence is waning. Bigger is better. Small is no longer beautiful.
COLUMN: Another way to solve consolidation problems LTE: Foreign policy decisions by U.S. shameful
SUN JOURNAL:
In N.H., same-sex couples' wait ends Dozens of gay and lesbian couples celebrated the arrival of civil unions in New Hampshire in the early moments of New Year's Day, bundling up against below-freezing temperatures for a group ceremony as soon as the unions became legal after midnight.
Primary system has U.S. fed upCONCORD, N.H. - All eyes may be on Iowa and New Hampshire, but many of them are rolling.
COLUMNIST: Bhutto's death a warning; will anyone heed it? On Friday, the day of Benazir Bhutto's burial in her ancestral village, Pakistanis were still struggling to grasp that she was dead.
LTE: We don't need border wallPeople may not realize that the U.S. government wants to build a wall from California to Texas, along the border with Mexico, to keep out illegal aliens. History has shown that high walls have not kept the intended people out.
LTE: We must get involved in DarfurWhen it became clear that the Nazis were responsible for the deaths of millions of Jewish people, the world was horrified. Everyone wished there could have been intervention before this tragedy occurred. Yet today, something reminiscent of the Holocaust is unfolding before our very eyes.
keepMEcurrent
Will merged districts keep local school boards? Stay tunedThere will be a battle over allowing some local school committees to maintain control over their kindergarten-Grade 8 schools in newly formed regional school units when legislators return this week to continue their debate on the new school consolidation law.
Laws governing big-box development could be tweaked A law passed in 2007 designed to make it tougher for big-box stores to come into town and take business away from local retailers will be up for discussion again in 2008, with an amendment proposed to allow communities to opt out of the new rule.
PORTSMOUTH HERALD:
Low fuel assistance funds may leave some Mainers in coldFor 26 years, The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) has helped low-income residents curb high energy bills for 26 years, but this year may be different.
KENNEBEC JOURNAL:
SYSTEM ANGERS SOLDIER: Visit to Togus fails to provide pain help U.S. Army Cpl. Travis Berry was in pain and needed to refill his prescription. So his grandfather, Charles Berry of West Gardiner, drove him to the nearby veterans hospital at Togus. But officials there last week refused to refill his grandson's medication because he is an active-duty soldier, the elder Berry said. They also declined to help him find another way to get more medicine.
BLOGS:
As Maine Goes: ME's Subprime Foreclosure Rate Forecast at 22.8 PercentA Senate committee recently estimated that Maine has 24,460 outstanding subprime loans and expects 5,583 to end up in foreclosure between July of this year and the end of 2009. While the raw number of expected foreclosures here is tiny compared to California (191,144 foreclosures expected) and Florida (157,341), Maine's foreclosure rate on subprime loans is forecast to be 22.8 percent, above a national average of 18 percent.
Turn Maine Blue: How not to announce a candidacyFrom my e-mail today. This was sent to every county officer an e-mail could be found for across the state, it looks like.
White Noise Insanity: Ralph Nader throws his support to John Edwards?
LAWRENCE JOURNAL WORLD AND NEWS
Bill a threat to civil libertiesAs the media daily reports government abuses of individual civil and constitutional rights in the name of the "war against terrorism," and as the now Democratic-controlled Congress continues to hold public hearings on the worst of these abuses, a new threat to the civil liberties of Americans quietly wends its way through the halls of Congress.
Monday, December 31, 2007
Maine News for Monday, December 31, 2007
Happy New Years Everyone!
PRESS HERALD:Elite Guardsmen to train Afghan troopsThe 16 Maine soldiers draw lessons from Lawrence of Arabia as they prepare to guide and fight beside their hosts.
Somali rallies give voice to division over homelandLocal gatherings present different views of the role of Ethiopia in Somalia.
Federal funds to repair towns' seawalls may fall shortBut FEMA's aid estimates aren't final, and Wells and Kennebunk have options to appeal for more money.
Steady hands needed at the helms The precarious financial nature of most Maine nonprofits makes strong leadership vital to their survival.
EDITORIAL: With toll roads, not all miles created equalA completely fair toll system is hard to conceive, and might not be the best policy.
EDITORIAL: If emitting less mercury here is good, what about the Midwest?Federal approval of regional targets is fine, but they can't solve all of the problem.
MAINE VOICES: Kids learn when time is rightWe have turned our schools into assembly-line factories, but our children aren't widgets.
LTE: FDA was right to advise limiting Mevacore useLTE: Rail service would bring better roads, cleaner airLTE: Mainers don't need added taxes to fund illegal aliens
BANGOR DAILY:
Baldacci: More efficiency needed in '08Gov. John Baldacci says 2008 will be the year state and local governments reorganize to be more efficient and save money or it will be the year when many programs at all levels of government will be cut or eliminated.
Long-term funding needed for Maine's aging bridgesTwo state-funded reports and one privately financed study this year point out Maine's need to replace its aging bridges before time runs out.
EDITORIAL: Energy efficient schoolsIt's a typical below-freezing Maine winter day, and as you drive by the neighborhood school, you notice a door propped open, or windows in the second floor raised to let in the fresh air. Balancing heat and humidity in a building — especially an older one — with a couple hundred children in it, who at times are running around a gym, or eating plates of steaming spaghetti, isn't easy. But as a taxpayer, knowing what it costs to heat that building each winter, the scene can drive you to distraction.
Editorial: Honesty in health carePolls show that health care is a major issue — rivaled only by the Iraq war — in the current presidential campaign. Complaints about the present system include the mounting cost, the many left out, poor service and too much paperwork.
Paul Averill Liebow: Knowledge of chemicals in products is lackingLegislators will soon consider a bill to protect our children from dangerous toys and other products (such as phthalates in IV bags in hospitals) from every country, a problem far more prevalent than Chinese lead paint poisoning.
LTEs: Another school option; Plum Creek support; Ethanol enthusiasm
MORNING SENTINEL:
Longley 'took it serious' leading the stateJim Longley was running a successful Lewiston insurance agency in 1972 when Gov. Ken Curtis asked him to lead a state government cost-cutting commission.
LTE: Prohibition is not the answer for alcohol issuesLTE: The answer for Maine's economy: Stop spending
KENNEBEC JOURNAL:
SAD 9 SAVES MONEY BY REMOTE CONTROL Hit the switch from home
Slates' fire, new cancer center, rail trail rated by readers as top stories Readers selected the fire at Slates' restaurant, the opening of the Harold Alfond Center for Cancer Care and the completion of the Kennebec River Rail Trail as the top three local news stories for 2007.
2007 took toll on prominent residents of Augusta area People in the capital area mourned a number of prominent individuals who died in 2007.
LTE: Baldacci cuts aid for sex-abuse victimsSpeaking as a woman, mother, sister, daughter, friend and long-time advocate for survivors of sexual abuse, I am appalled and disgusted at the decision made by the governor to cut essential funding to services and prevention efforts for survivors of sexual assault and abuse.
PORTSMOUTH HERALD:
In Maine, school 'leadership drain' begins The Maine school consolidation law certainly played a part when Edward McDonough, superintendent of the Wells-Ogunquit Community School District, decided to apply for an opening in Exeter, N.H.The Republican Journal & The Waldo Independent
Energy-saving challenge proposed Local advocate takes aim at causes of global warming
MPBN:
Closed Furniture Maker Back In Business
Over the past year, there's been no shortage of mill closings and downsizings in Maine. In February, it was Moosehead Manufacturing that closed its plants in Monson and Dover-Foxcroft, putting more than 100 people out of work. But this story is different than most, the mill is reopening, with a pared-down product line, more focus, and new owners. Murray Carpenter reports.
http://www.mpbn.net/asx/071228moosehead.asx
Food Bank Reports Sharp Increase In Demand
Maine's largest food bank is reporting a 25 percent increase in the demand for food over last year. And the director of the Good Shepherd Food Bank expects that demand from more than 600 soup kitchens, shelters, group homes and food pantries will only intensify as Mainers are pinched by higher prices for heat, gas and food. As Susan Sharon reports, feeding the hungry is becoming a greater economic challenge than ever before.
http://www.mpbn.net/asx/071228foodbank.asx
BLOGS:
PolitickerME: New Year's Resolutions We all make them.....and break them. Here are a few suggestions for a number of Maine Politicians and other public officials.
AS MAINE GOES: Democrats: Redeploy troops from Iraq "Congress is challenging the administration's strategy in Iraq in favor of a better one that will effectively combat terrorism and create stability in the Middle East," she said. "Time and time again, we voted for a strategy to redeploy troops out of Iraq...to focus our mission on anti-terrorism, and we won't give up."
WHITE NOISE INSANITY: Osama bin Laden is STILL safe as we go into 2008 and we need to be grateful for the White House's effortsAs we head into 2008, which is a very important election year for our country, we should be thankful that George Bush & Dick Cheney continue to protect, harbor, and fuel Osama bin Laden's good name. Oh yes! We should be proud of our leaders for NOT going after Osama for the past six years and as we head into 2008, we'll be entering another year where this man is allowed to remain free. Freedom is for Osama, people! Don't you forget it either.
PRESS HERALD:Elite Guardsmen to train Afghan troopsThe 16 Maine soldiers draw lessons from Lawrence of Arabia as they prepare to guide and fight beside their hosts.
Somali rallies give voice to division over homelandLocal gatherings present different views of the role of Ethiopia in Somalia.
Federal funds to repair towns' seawalls may fall shortBut FEMA's aid estimates aren't final, and Wells and Kennebunk have options to appeal for more money.
Steady hands needed at the helms The precarious financial nature of most Maine nonprofits makes strong leadership vital to their survival.
EDITORIAL: With toll roads, not all miles created equalA completely fair toll system is hard to conceive, and might not be the best policy.
EDITORIAL: If emitting less mercury here is good, what about the Midwest?Federal approval of regional targets is fine, but they can't solve all of the problem.
MAINE VOICES: Kids learn when time is rightWe have turned our schools into assembly-line factories, but our children aren't widgets.
LTE: FDA was right to advise limiting Mevacore useLTE: Rail service would bring better roads, cleaner airLTE: Mainers don't need added taxes to fund illegal aliens
BANGOR DAILY:
Baldacci: More efficiency needed in '08Gov. John Baldacci says 2008 will be the year state and local governments reorganize to be more efficient and save money or it will be the year when many programs at all levels of government will be cut or eliminated.
Long-term funding needed for Maine's aging bridgesTwo state-funded reports and one privately financed study this year point out Maine's need to replace its aging bridges before time runs out.
EDITORIAL: Energy efficient schoolsIt's a typical below-freezing Maine winter day, and as you drive by the neighborhood school, you notice a door propped open, or windows in the second floor raised to let in the fresh air. Balancing heat and humidity in a building — especially an older one — with a couple hundred children in it, who at times are running around a gym, or eating plates of steaming spaghetti, isn't easy. But as a taxpayer, knowing what it costs to heat that building each winter, the scene can drive you to distraction.
Editorial: Honesty in health carePolls show that health care is a major issue — rivaled only by the Iraq war — in the current presidential campaign. Complaints about the present system include the mounting cost, the many left out, poor service and too much paperwork.
Paul Averill Liebow: Knowledge of chemicals in products is lackingLegislators will soon consider a bill to protect our children from dangerous toys and other products (such as phthalates in IV bags in hospitals) from every country, a problem far more prevalent than Chinese lead paint poisoning.
LTEs: Another school option; Plum Creek support; Ethanol enthusiasm
MORNING SENTINEL:
Longley 'took it serious' leading the stateJim Longley was running a successful Lewiston insurance agency in 1972 when Gov. Ken Curtis asked him to lead a state government cost-cutting commission.
LTE: Prohibition is not the answer for alcohol issuesLTE: The answer for Maine's economy: Stop spending
KENNEBEC JOURNAL:
SAD 9 SAVES MONEY BY REMOTE CONTROL Hit the switch from home
Slates' fire, new cancer center, rail trail rated by readers as top stories Readers selected the fire at Slates' restaurant, the opening of the Harold Alfond Center for Cancer Care and the completion of the Kennebec River Rail Trail as the top three local news stories for 2007.
2007 took toll on prominent residents of Augusta area People in the capital area mourned a number of prominent individuals who died in 2007.
LTE: Baldacci cuts aid for sex-abuse victimsSpeaking as a woman, mother, sister, daughter, friend and long-time advocate for survivors of sexual abuse, I am appalled and disgusted at the decision made by the governor to cut essential funding to services and prevention efforts for survivors of sexual assault and abuse.
PORTSMOUTH HERALD:
In Maine, school 'leadership drain' begins The Maine school consolidation law certainly played a part when Edward McDonough, superintendent of the Wells-Ogunquit Community School District, decided to apply for an opening in Exeter, N.H.The Republican Journal & The Waldo Independent
Energy-saving challenge proposed Local advocate takes aim at causes of global warming
MPBN:
Closed Furniture Maker Back In Business
Over the past year, there's been no shortage of mill closings and downsizings in Maine. In February, it was Moosehead Manufacturing that closed its plants in Monson and Dover-Foxcroft, putting more than 100 people out of work. But this story is different than most, the mill is reopening, with a pared-down product line, more focus, and new owners. Murray Carpenter reports.
http://www.mpbn.net/asx/071228moosehead.asx
Food Bank Reports Sharp Increase In Demand
Maine's largest food bank is reporting a 25 percent increase in the demand for food over last year. And the director of the Good Shepherd Food Bank expects that demand from more than 600 soup kitchens, shelters, group homes and food pantries will only intensify as Mainers are pinched by higher prices for heat, gas and food. As Susan Sharon reports, feeding the hungry is becoming a greater economic challenge than ever before.
http://www.mpbn.net/asx/071228foodbank.asx
BLOGS:
PolitickerME: New Year's Resolutions We all make them.....and break them. Here are a few suggestions for a number of Maine Politicians and other public officials.
AS MAINE GOES: Democrats: Redeploy troops from Iraq "Congress is challenging the administration's strategy in Iraq in favor of a better one that will effectively combat terrorism and create stability in the Middle East," she said. "Time and time again, we voted for a strategy to redeploy troops out of Iraq...to focus our mission on anti-terrorism, and we won't give up."
WHITE NOISE INSANITY: Osama bin Laden is STILL safe as we go into 2008 and we need to be grateful for the White House's effortsAs we head into 2008, which is a very important election year for our country, we should be thankful that George Bush & Dick Cheney continue to protect, harbor, and fuel Osama bin Laden's good name. Oh yes! We should be proud of our leaders for NOT going after Osama for the past six years and as we head into 2008, we'll be entering another year where this man is allowed to remain free. Freedom is for Osama, people! Don't you forget it either.
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