Maine News for Friday, April 18, 2008

Portland Press Herald
Real ID license changes passed
The bill will make licenses more secure and give Maine time to meet federal identification demands.

Law provides $160 million for Maine bridge repairs
Combined with existing resources, the new money will allow the state to upgrade 246 spans.

BILL NEMITZTell Michael Heath the war on homosexuality is over

Bowdoin will use interviews to profile Mitchell
Recordings will be added to the former Maine senator's papers at his alma mater.

No free passes, just free E-Z devices
Motorists taking the Maine Turnpike this summer to avoid work on Interstate 295 are going to catch a $26.25 break.

Editorials:

Heath's referendum idea could easily backfire
Framing the debate as primarily about same-sex marriage could bolster that cause.

Finding health-care consensus difficult even for Mitchell
Creating workable reforms will be a challenge; bridging the political divide will be harder.

U.S. Senate should act to make it easier to feed the poor
Lifting liability risk for federal agencies and contractors could help set a lot of tables.

M.D. HARMONDemocrats take party's smackdown to yet another round
The bleeding continues because leaders still don't know which presidential contender will be the real survivor.

WILLIAM C. SHUTTLEWORTH, Special to the Press HeraldConsolidated schools good for students
The work of creating new districts in the Bath area and elsewhere will pay off in our children's learning.

Bangor Daily News

Maine Senate OKs revised license bill
Friday, April 18, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - The state Senate on Thursday night gave final approval to a bill to tighten standards for getting a Maine driver's license and sent it to Gov. John Baldacci, who supports it.

Old Town Canoe gets airtime
Friday, April 18, 2008
OLD TOWN, Maine - Old Town Canoe and its parent company, Johnson Outdoors, received national attention this week from Outside magazine and the Discovery Channel program 'Some Assembly Required.'

Collins, Michaud join thousands at D.C. Mass
Friday, April 18, 2008
WASHINGTON - Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Rep. Mike Michaud, D-Maine, were among the 46,000 to crowd the new Nationals Park on Thursday for a Mass with Pope Benedict XVI.

Stewart, Collins advocate for elderly care
Friday, April 18, 2008
WASHINGTON - Martha Stewart told a Senate panel Wednesday that as the first of the nation's 78 million baby boomers reach their 60s, their health needs will grow but not the number of trained professionals needed to care for them.

Legislature honors former BDN publisher
Friday, April 18, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - The Maine Legislature this week passed a joint resolution honoring the memory of former Bangor Daily News publisher Richard K. Warren, who died Feb. 15 in Bangor at the age of 87.

BIA eyes fallout from air merger
Friday, April 18, 2008
BANGOR, Maine - A merger between Delta Air Lines Inc. and Northwest Airlines Corp. not only would create the world’s largest airline, it also would place more than 50 percent of the passenger market share at Bangor International Airport into the hands of one company.

Editorials:

Civic League Strikes First
Friday, April 18, 2008
The Christian Civic League of Maine has launched what amounts to a pre-emptive strike in the war it has declared over the relative rights of homosexuals in this state.

Tom Allen: Oversight needed for war spending
People in Maine work hard for the money they pay in federal taxes, and they have a right to expect Congress to make sure that greedy, inept and sometimes corrupt contractors do not waste or pilfer the taxpayers' money.

Jonathan Shenkin : Lack of dental insurance creates familiar pressures
The call for increased access to dental care in the United States and Maine has escalated over the last 10 years. The underlying premise has been that a tremendous number of children and adults do not have access to dental care, and the primary solution has been to increase the number of providers.

Kennebec Journal
Fee hikes fund bridge work
AUGUSTA -- Bridges in Augusta, Gardiner, Skowhegan and Waterville will be improved as part of a new four-year plan adopted by the state Department of Transportation.

Lawmakers OK final version of Real ID bill
AUGUSTA -- The Legislature gave final approval Thursday to a bill that will tighten the state's procedures for issuing driver's licenses.

Buckled roof at state-leased building is OK
AUGUSTA -- Engineers say a leased Department of Health and Human Services building on Civic Center Drive is structurally sound despite buckling in the ceiling and walls caused by accumulated snow.

On Maine Politics

Michaud shares his thoughts on the Pope 04/17/08

Editorials:
HELEN RANKIN SPENT ALMOST HALF A CENTURY FEEDING M : Feeding schoolchildren a labor of love
The recent passage of a bill to expand Maine children's access to school breakfast prompted me to share a bit of information regarding my profession.

Letters:

Let motorcyclists decide whether to wear helmets
In response to letters by Janet Ladd from Mount Vernon (April 3) and Elaine Wyman from Wiscasset (April 11): They are not very well informed.

Grammar not so good on KJ's front page
Is the Kennebec Journal trying to drive Earl Smith (Maine Compass, "Swimming against the tide of poor grammar," April 14) over the edge?

GOP policies caused current economic crisis
What a shameless chutzpah Jay Ambrose has advising us to embrace "conservative caution." So-called conservatives led the country to the brink of ruin. Follow the trail from Reagan to Bush.

Sun Journal
Michaud comes under fire in Iraq
PORTLAND (AP) - Rep. Michael Michaud has returned from Iraq, where the Green Zone in Baghdad came under fire during his visit there.

Lawmakers renew discussions on consolidation
AUGUSTA (AP) - Maine lawmakers considered a new school system consolidation bill Thursday, 10 days after Gov. John Baldacci successfully vetoed another one.

Senate approves new license standards
AUGUSTA (AP) - The state Senate on Thursday night gave final approval to a bill to tighten standards for getting a Maine driver's license and sent it to Gov. John Baldacci, who supports it.

Editorial
State puts beer-makers over a barrel
Hey Budweiser - this tax's for you.

MPBN
Casino Promoter Drops Out of Campaign

The driving force behind a referendum campaign for a casino in Oxford County has resigned. In a statement issued this afternoon, Seth Carey, a Rumford lawyer, said he was stepping down as president of Evergreen Mountain Enterprises because of "certain legal matters" that he said could become a distraction to the referendum campaign.Barbara Cariddi reports.

Jail Consolidation Plan Revised and Approved

The Legislature is poised to enact a compromise jail consolidation bill after the Maine Senate gave the measure all-but-final approval on a vote of 28 to 5. The revised plan backs away from the state takeover first envisioned by the Baldacci administration and calls instead for the creation of a state Board of Corrections that would develop and oversee a unified correctional system. AJ Higgins reports.

Allagash Waterway On Most Endangered Rivers List

Maine's only nationally designated "Wild and Scenic" river, the Allagash Wilderness Wateway, has been named to the annual list of America's 10 Most Endangered Rivers. Many of the other rivers on the list this year are threatened by development and water withdrawls. But wilderness advocates say the Allagash deserves a place on the list because of threats to its legal protections. And as Susan Sharon reports this is not the first time the Allagash has received the designation.

Mark Lawrence Counts on Legislative Experience and Southern Maine Roots

With less than two months before the Maine primary, MPBN radio is undertaking a series of profiles on the eight candidates vying for the First District Congressional seat being vacated by Tom Allen. We begin tonight with Mark Lawrence, who served two terms as President of the State Senate and is currently the York County District Attorney. Campaign staff and political supporters of Lawrence say the pace is fast and the mood upbeat. Lawrence may be lagging behind in the fund raising derby, but a political analyst says his strategy is solid and on the mark. Keith McKeen reports.

Driver License Changes Pass Maine House

Real I-D prompted a real-long debate Wednesday night in the Maine House. In the end, State Representatives voted narrowly to agree to new security steps demanded by the federal government. But, as A.J. Higgins reports -- a compromise amendment approved last night may resolve the competing voices raised in Augusta and Washington D.C.

PolitickerME
Martin criticizes KJ’s attack on Dirigo plan

Cianchette commits to free trade, reducing narcotic supply and re-learning Spanish in confirmation hearing for ambassador post

Beer tax rebellion in the making?

Maine News for Thursday, April 17, 2008

Portland Press Herald
Governor signs beverage tax into law to help pay for Dirigo
State House: Critics say increased beer, wine and soda costs will hit hard.

Environmental coalition celebrates new laws
State House: Members of 25 organizations tout the passage of many bills.

House passes driver's license changes
State House: Lawmakers kill a fee increase, and the bill to tighten security now goes to the Senate.

Cianchette makes his case to be ambassador to Costa Rica
The Maine Republican says he has been studying Spanish and the politics of the Latin American nation.

Pingree's funding tops $1 million
Election 2008: She's the top Democratic fundraiser. Dean Scontras leads GOP hopefuls in raising cash.

Ed Suslovic: 'Who is this guy?'
Seen as both visionary and enigmatic, Portland's mayor has shown he's willing to sit on the hot seat.

Navy lays out rules for reuse of old prison at shipyard
Developers are told at a forum that access to the site will remain restricted.

Bush sets target date for emissions cut
He calls for stopping the growth of climate-changing pollution by 2025, but offers no new ways to do it.

Editorial:

Gulf of Maine wind farm more than just hot air
There are lots of reasons to be skeptical of this idea, but plenty of benefits to consider as well.

Report offers no quick fix for Maine's economy
There are promising clusters of activity in Maine, but taking advantage won't be easy.

Bangor Daily News

Baldacci signs off on Dirigo
Thursday, April 17, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - Democrats including Gov. John Baldacci celebrated passage of a bill to bolster Maine’s static Dirigo Health insurance program Wednesday, but Republicans - some raising the possibility of a people’s veto - blasted the tax increases contained in it.

Minimum wage hike bill sent
Thursday, April 17, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - Maine lawmakers have sent to Gov. John Baldacci a bill to increase the state’s minimum wage from the current $7 per hour to $7.50 over a two-year period.

Tribe looks to sever ties with state after slots veto
Thursday, April 17, 2008
The governor's veto of the bill to allow the Penobscot Nation to operate slot machines at its Indian Island high-stakes beano facility and the Legislature's failure to overturn that decision was 'the last nail in the coffin' for tribal officials.

Feds probe state conservation head
Thursday, April 17, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is investigating an allegation that Maine Department of Conservation Commissioner Patrick McGowan, a licensed pilot, violated a federal hunting law while flying his aircraft last fall near a remote lake in Piscataquis County.

1st District candidates reveal finances in report
Thursday, April 17, 2008
PORTLAND, Maine - With the primary election just seven weeks away, money is pouring in at record pace into the coffers of the six Democrats and two Republicans vying for their party's 1st District nomination.

EMMC saves $1M in energy costs
Thursday, April 17, 2008
BANGOR, Maine - In the 18 months since Eastern Maine Medical Center installed its cogeneration heat and electricity plant, the hospital's energy costs have dropped by more than $1 million.

St. John River ice on the move
Thursday, April 17, 2008
FORT KENT, Maine - River watchers, professionals at the National Weather Service at Caribou and those who live along the St. John River with years of experience watching the water are keeping an eye on the mighty river that has a history of wreaking havoc along its shores in the spring.

Collins greets pope in visit to White House
Thursday, April 17, 2008
WASHINGTON - Pope Benedict XVI was greeted Wednesday morning at the White House by President Bush, first lady Laura Bush and thousands of invited guests, including a child holding a 'Welcome Pope Hope' sign.

Editorial:
God, Guns and Obama
Thursday, April 17, 2008
After a long, arduous march on the campaign circuit, including visits to small cities such as Bangor, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama stopped in San Francisco earlier this month to raise more money.

Plugging in The County
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Building a high-capacity electricity line linking northern and central Maine would seem to be a win for both regions and the state as a whole.

Anne Jordan and Patrick Fleming: Fighting child abuse
Child abuse and neglect are serious and growing problems in Maine. In the past two years, the number of shaken-baby cases at Maine Medical Center alone has tripled.

Kennebec Journal
Baldacci signs bill for funding Dirigo New taxes on beer, wine, soft drinks are hailed by some, criticized by others
AUGUSTA -- Gov. John Baldacci said Wednesday he was proud to sign a new law that will provide a stable source of funding for Dirigo Health, which will now be partly supported by taxes on beer, wine and soda.

Green coalition exults in new laws
AUGUSTA -- A coalition of groups came to the Statehouse on Wednesday to celebrate new laws that they believe will help protect the environment.

Petitioners lose fight with city hall over Cony use
AUGUSTA -- Five petitioners in Augusta lost their claims against the city Wednesday when a Kennebec County Superior Court judge ruled against them.

GARDINER: Expectations great for link to Rail Trail
GARDINER -- City Manager Jeff Kobrock rides his bicycle to work every day and is looking forward to the completion of a city pathway, its route still to be determined, that will link it to the Kennebec River Rail Trail.

AUGUSTA: Cony sale a done deal
AUGUSTA -- The sale of part of the former Cony High School site to be developed as a Hannaford supermarket is now a done deal.

Augusta school service proposal at issue
AUGUSTA -- City councilors Wednesday night struggled to understand a proposed year-long agreement under which Augusta schools would provide superintendent, business-office and special education services to the Georgetown school system.

Editorial

Democrats slip in tax increases with night vote
If lawmakers had held public hearings about raising taxes on beer, wine, soda, flavored water and even health insurance transactions in order to help pay for the Dirigo Health insurance program, they would have gotten a mouthful from Maine consumers tired of being taxed too much.

DAN BILLINGS : Local control might be in form, not substance
As a political science major at the University of Southern Maine in the late 1980s, I took a course in intergovernmental relations. I don't remember much from the course, except its focus on block grants, categorical grants and various forms of "New Federalism" aimed at reshaping the financial relations between the federal government and the states.

Letters:

An examination of Heath's critical thinking skills
A quick analysis and subsequent dismissal of the inane logic of Michael Heath is needed.

Those least able to pay asked for more sacrifice
I cannot imagine a more obvious index of this country's abandonment of society's necessary commitment to the common good, a commitment we learned so painfully in the Great Depression, than Gov. John Baldacci's determination, at the outset of the effort to address a $200 million shortfall, that he would approve no tax increase: there would be no demands on society to secure the common good.

Sun Journal
Baldacci backs Dirigo proposal
AUGUSTA (AP) - Democrats including Gov. John Baldacci celebrated passage of a bill to bolster Maine's static Dirigo Health insurance program Wednesday, but Republicans - some raising the possibility of a people's veto - blasted the tax increases contained in it.

House OKs new license rules
AUGUSTA (AP) - Following a debate that rang with themes of states' rights, individual liberties and security of state credentials, the Maine House approved a bill Wednesday to tighten the rules for getting a Maine driver's license.

Panel appears wary of hurting store owners
AUGUSTA - The state Liquor and Lottery Commission on Wednesday postponed a vote that would have authorized a cut in lottery sales commissions to ticket vendors.

MBPN
Real ID Remains Contentious Issue Among Lawmakers

With a federal deadline for Real ID Act hanging in the balance, members of the Maine House immersed themselves in a divisive debate over whether the state should tighten up its policies for issuing driver's licenses. Failure to pass LD 2309 in the current legislative session would trigger extra security screenings at airports for Mainers without passports. A majority of lawmakers reluctantly capitulated to what they see as the federal government's heavy-handed threats, but -- as A.J. Higgins reports -- others responded defiantly.

Congressional Candidates Breaking Finance Record

The eight candidates vying for Maine's First District Congressional seat have raised a total of more than 3 and a quarter million dollars so far, according to campaign finance reports filed yesterday with the Federal Elections Commission. That's nearly two and a half times the total spent on the 2006 campaign for the same seat--and the primary in this race is still two months away. Barbara Carridi reports.

PolitickerME
Beer tax rebellion in the making?

Maine News for Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Portland Press Herald
Legislators turn to other taxes to pay for Dirigo
State House: A cigarette-tax hike is abandoned, but proposals would tap the tobacco-settlement fund.

Revised jail consolidation proposal wins House backing
State House: The popular plan backs away from the original idea of a state takeover.

House upholds veto on Indian Island slots
State House: Gov. Baldacci again says all gambling expansions should go before voters.

Report: Grow economy in clusters
Maine is encouraged to focus its resources on key areas and help develop networks of collaboration.

King pushes for offshore wind turbines
The former governor sees them as a solution to huge future energy problems.

Collins-Allen Senate race hits money milestone
They have raised a combined $9.2 million through March, making it the richest contest in Maine history.

Editorials:

Tax on drinking doesn't raise appeal of Dirigo funding idea
Lawmakers should find a way to pay for the health-care initiative from within the system.

Legislators should stick with tougher ethics bill
Opponents of reform should be ready to explain why they can't live under strict guidelines.

Best idea for Augusta: No new taxes on beer and wine – or anything else
Why do their promises to reduce our high taxes always get transformed into more tax hikes?

Kennebec Journal
In effort to pay for health program, Maine lawmakers are considering increased taxes on beer, wine and soda
AUGUSTA -- The House and Senate Tuesday turned to tax and fee increases on beer, wine and soda manufacturers in an effort to fund the Dirigo Health program.

AUGUSTA Head Start employees face layoffs
AUGUSTA -- Kayla Briggs wouldn't still be in high school or enrolled in a certified nurse-assistant program at the Capital Area Technical Center if it hadn't been for her Head Start family advocate.

MaineGeneral combining switchboards
Augusta area callers can contact the hospital at 626-1000, and Waterville area residents can reach the hospital at 872-1000.

Bill would allow PUC to review utility rates
The Maine Public Utilities Commission will have to review utility rates for towns in Kennebec County that contract their 911 services through the Central Maine Regional Communications Center, if a bill passed by the Legislature is approved by Gov. John Baldacci.

On Maine Politics

GOP touts Collins lead, Allen turns 63 04/15/08

Editorials:
Deadline looms for passage of farm bill
Congress has spent almost three years bickering over a new farm bill. Now, it's down to the wire, with a Friday deadline to come to agreement on the details of the $300 billion bill.

Columns:
GEORGE SMITH : Hopes, dreams for Kennebec beginning to take shape
All eyes are on the Kennebec River, watching how high the waters will rise in this spring's flood.

Letters:

Bigotry in name of God rearing ugly head again
Reading my paper this morning, I was appalled that bigotry in the name of God is rearing its ugly head again in the form of Michael Heath and his Christian Civic League.

Referendum question restricts liberties of all
The Christian Civic League is trying to restrict our liberties, targeting gays and lesbians in Maine, and attempting to pass a referendum on the ballot that would outlaw civil unions, define marriage as being between a man and woman only, prohibit unmarried couples from adopting, and eliminate the designation "sexual orientation" from the Maine Human Rights Act.

Christian Civic League represents thousands
Your editorial, "We should ignore Heath, League, dogma of bigotry" (April 11) was full of choice words (regarding the League's proposed initiative); hateful, anti-homosexual agenda, cohorts, grab-bag of obsessions, flea, deadly disease, etc. And you top it off with a "sociological theory": how much better can you get?

Bangor Daily News

Jail bill gets initial approval
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - Legislation overhauling corrections in Maine got initial approval in the House by a wide margin Tuesday despite the reservations of some lawmakers. The Senate later gave its initial approval without debate.

Tribe's slots bid killed
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - After being vetoed Tuesday afternoon by Gov. John Baldacci, a bill to allow the Penobscot Nation to operate slot machines at its Indian Island high-stakes beano facility was effectively killed when lawmakers upheld the governor's decision.

Mother of man killed after being listed on state online sex offender registry seeks changes
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Two years ago today, when a young Canadian man named Stephen Marshall stalked and killed two Maine sex offenders in a horrific, random spree, Shirley Turner lost more than just her son.

Physical therapists sue Anthem
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
BANGOR, Maine - At least a hundred Maine physical therapists have joined forces in a class-action lawsuit against the state's largest health insurance company, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Maine, according to the plaintiffs' attorney.

Senate race fundraising breaks state records
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
The U.S. Senate campaigns for Susan Collins and Tom Allen filed federal fundraising reports Tuesday that showed Collins outpacing her rival in the amount of money raised since Jan. 1.

Report touts technology clusters for Maine
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Maine's effort to grow a more technology-intensive economy is well under way, according to a report released Tuesday by the Maine Technology Institute and the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development.

Editorial:
Raise a glass to Dirigo?
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
In addition to extending health insurance to many of those unable to afford it, Dirigo Health aimed to find savings in the state's health care system and use those savings to pay for the program.

Editorial: Raising Maine's wages
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Last week, the Legislature approved a 50-cent increase in the state minimum wage from $7 to $7.50. This is a positive step, but more needs to be done to boost Maine's incomes and, therefore, reduce its tax burden.

Opinion:

Scott Solman and Pat Wheeler: Maine cannot further burden its taxpayers
Benjamin Franklin once said, "No man's life, liberty or fortune is safe while our legislature is in session." Although those words predated the creation of the Maine Legislature, they clearly apply to lawmakers in Augusta.

MPBN:
House Snuffs Out Plan to Hike Cigarette Tax

A bill crafted to provide a less controversial and more reliable funding source for the financially embattled Dirigo Health program has made its way out of the House, but not before lawmakers there stripped off a proposed increased in the cigarette tax and replaced it with a variety of new taxes on an assortment of commodities -- including beer. The last-minute change to LD 2247 has received all-but-final approval in the House and contains elements that are expected to be supported by majority Democrats in the Senate. A.J. Higgins reports.

Anti Gay Initiative Stirs Anger at Sponsor

Three civil rights organizations are challenging the wording of a proposed citizens' initiative that seeks to repeal a range of gay rights laws in Maine. The proposed referendum would also ban gay marriage, even though Maine already has a law that prohibits it. And as Susan Sharon reports, it's already creating hard feelings against the chief sponsor of the measure, Michael Heath of the Christian Civic League of Maine.

Power Line Projects Would Impact Electric Bills

Last week, the two companies that keep the lights on at opposite ends of Maine announced that they're studying the possibility of building a 200 mile long high-capacity power line to deliver power from north to south. More specifically, from wind farms and other power generators in northern Maine to energy-hungry markets in southern New England. The cost of the new line: 4 to 5 hundred million dollars. And as Keith Shortall reports, the final plan could affect how much your monthly electric bills will be down the road.

Sun Journal
Maine House, Senate OK jail consolidation package
AUGUSTA - The Legislature gave preliminary approval of the jail consolidation bill Tuesday evening. The bill passed overwhelmingly in the House despite lengthy debate and was passed in the Senate without comment.

House sustains veto of slots bill
AUGUSTA (AP) - Gov. John Baldacci vetoed a bill Tuesday to allow slot machines on Indian Island, saying it has not gone before voters, and lawmakers upheld the governor's action on a proposal that's been around since last year.

Substitute tax plan approved in Augusta
AUGUSTA (AP) - Democratic lawmakers, moving swiftly through a long legislative day, mustered votes of final approval in the House and Senate late Tuesday night for a bill to broaden beer and wine taxes as part of a change in the funding mechanism for Maine's Dirigo Health program.

Campaign fundraising record in Maine
PORTLAND (AP) - Fundraising in Maine's U.S. Senate race has set a new record.

Maine News for Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Portland Press Herald
Battle looms on license security
State House: The measure has divided lawmakers to the point that no one can predict the outcome.

Lawmakers approve child care union bill
State House: The measure recognizes the family child care providers' union and authorizes negotiations.

Jail plan ready for floor action
State House: The compromise is a major departure from Gov. John Baldacci's proposal.

Filmmakers ask state for $800,000
State House: A bill would reimburse some of the cost of shooting a movie in Maine.

More Mainers beat tax rush
Many file earlier knowing economic stimulus checks are waiting, but others face a last-minute scramble.

Can lawmakers agree on relief for homeowners?
Maine GOP Sen. Olympia Snowe urges the House to pass the Senate's version.

BIW hearing probes porn allegations
The suspended president of Local S6 says the national union took over operations 'to shut us up.'

Editorials:
Being behind in power bills shouldn't be life-threatening
While CMP will work with such customers, the state may offer more safeguards soon.

Letters: Legislators not dealing well with state's fiscal problems
They haven't been responsive to the governor's attempts to find long-term savings.

Bangor Daily News
Gay rights groups oppose language in referendum
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
BANGOR, Maine - Groups that support gay rights have sent a 12-page letter to Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap outlining what they say is wrong with a proposed referendum question submitted last week by Michael Heath, executive director of the Christian Civic League of Maine.

Jail compromise ready for debate
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - A compromise jail consolidation plan, reached after hundreds of hours of negotiations involving the Baldacci administration, county officials and lawmakers, was up for legislative debate as the 2008 session ground toward a hoped-for midweek adjournment.

Senate OKs child care workers' measure
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - The Legislature moved closer Monday toward recognizing a newly formed union representing nearly 2,200 people in Maine who care for children in their homes.

Dog breeder measure enacted
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - A bill to encourage ethical dog breeding and discourage puppy mills through a special task force has been passed by the Legislature.

Bill gives truckers a break on weight
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - The Legislature has given all-but-final approval to a measure that would give a break to some truckers by allowing them to operate with greater truck weights but not be subject to a fine. Opponents warned that Mainers will be paying for that break well into the future.

Panel backs school harassment complaint
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - The Maine Human Rights Commission on Monday found reasonable grounds to a complaint that a private school in Edgecomb subjected one of its pupils, a 9-year-old girl, to unlawful peer sexual harassment in education.

House, Senate kill popular vote measure
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - A bill to have Maine join other states in a national popular vote to elect future presidents of the United States is dead.

Editorial:
ClickBack on taxes, moose
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
This week, ClickBack - the BDN's interactive commentary feature - takes up proposals to increase fees for outdoor recreation; the moose hunt; taxes (appropriate for today, April 15); and this summer's Olympics in China.

John Buell: Real worry is Medicare, not Social Security
Recent conversations with friends sound a familiar theme. A college administrator asks me if he can count on Social Security upon his retirement. An electrician told me he has no realistic hope of retiring and that he worked as much overtime as he could.

Steve Cartwright: A place to voice our fears, our faith
The family-owned Times Record newspaper in Brunswick has been sold into chain ownership.

Kennebec Journal

Legislators' differences surface during debate on Real ID
AUGUSTA -- A plan to make Maine driver's licenses and identification cards more secure is proving to be so controversial in the Legislature that the bill's fate is impossible to predict as lawmakers prepare to take it up this week.

Movie makers want state's financial help
AUGUSTA -- Filmmakers hoping to shoot an independent movie in western Maine this fall are asking lawmakers for up to $800,000 in reimbursements for film-related expenses.

AUGUSTA Controversial council order reborn as proposed ordinance
AUGUSTA -- A council order that became a key part of the legal battle over the city's now-pending sale of a portion of the former Cony High School site is back before the council, this time as a proposed ordinance.

Hunger series captures national journalism award
"For I Was Hungry," the Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel editorial series about Maine's growing problem with hunger and poor nutrition, won first place for editorial writing in the Society of Professional Journalists' Sigma Delta Chi national award contest for 2007.

On Maine Politics

New book gives insider details

Editorials:
Senators' ethics vote should be on record
One of the last remaining issues left for lawmakers to deal with in this session is ethics reform.

State woes don't necessarily need law to 'fix' them
That's our request to the members of the 123rd Legislature, as they frantically dash their way to the finish line. Faced with a Wednesday deadline to conclude their consideration of bills, they're tearing through the more than 100 pieces of legislation still to be debated, amended, killed or passed. Last Friday saw a blizzard of legislation passed in the House; most of those bills now await Senate action.

Columns:
DAVID B. OFFER : Just when we thought we were safe, League launches new attack
The Christian Civic League of Maine is like the Energizer bunny -- except that it's not amusing.

Sun Journal
Legislative session winds down
AUGUSTA - With two days left before the Legislature is scheduled to end its session, some of the most anticipated bills have yet to see final action. The fate of the controversial school and jail consolidation bills, toxic chemicals in toys and Dirigo health care bills remain in the balance.

State says it will take deadbeats' tax refunds
What the tax man gives, the state can now take away.

Winter disconnect rules end Tuesday
AUGUSTA (AP) - The Maine Public Utilities Commission's winter restrictions on electricity disconnections come to an end on Tuesday.

Senate OKs measure recognizing child-care workers' union
AUGUSTA (AP) - The Legislature moved closer Monday toward recognizing a newly formed union representing nearly 2,200 people in Maine who care for children in their homes.

Editorial:
On this tax day, check that box
In the fury of today's tax filing, the little check-box might be easy to miss.

MPBN
Newspaper's Employees Consider Buying the Company

The Blethen Maine Newspapers have a new potential buyer: the company's employees. At a Portland news conference this afternoon, members of the Portland Newspaper Guild announced that the union is exploring the idea of bidding for the chain, which includes the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram, The Kennebec Journal, the Waterville Sentinal, and the chain's online service, Maine Today.com. Barbara Cariddi reports.

State Senate Advances Construction Standards Bill

The Legislature moved closer toward imposing a statewide building and energy code today when the Maine Senate approved a bill to adopt universal construction standards. But not all lawmakers think universal standards are a good idea and some accused the bill's supporters of imposing a mandate on Maine communities with populations of 2,000 or more. A.J. Higgins reports.

Labor, Human Rights Activists Urge Collins To Oppose Columbia Free Trade Agreement

A Maine-based coalition of labor and human rights groups is calling on Republican Senator Susan Collins to join the rest of Maine's Congressional delegation in opposing the so-called Columbia Free Trade Agreement. The Bush administration has been seeking what's known as "fast track" approval from Congress for the agreement, which would permanently reduce duties on American exports to the South American nation. But critics say it will hurt Maine workers. Barbara Cariddi reports.

PolitickerME
‘None of us like this delegate stuff’

Party prepares for delegate challenges from Clinton, Obama camps

NPV initiative dead

Memo to Cianchette: No need for LL Bean duds in the rainforest

Maine News for Monday, April 14, 2008

Portland Press Herald
Municipalities plugging budget holes
Officials around Maine are using a variety of methods to deal with tight budgets.

Collins chief of staff to manage Senate re-election campaign
Steve Abbott, Collins' most trusted adviser, has managed her campaigns since 1994.

Law bars coal gasification in Maine, for now
State environmental officials now have three years to adopt emission standards for any plants.

State House Notes: It's not over until

BIW workers hope for calm in union storm
A decision on who runs the local will follow today's hearing on allegations against its leadership.

OLD PRISON MAY GET REPRIEVE
Organizations that have expressed interest in leasing the former Portsmouth Naval Prison will attend a forum this week in Durham, N.H.

Commentary:

LEIGH DONALDSONIs 'No Child Left Behind' really helping students learn?
Students are all different, and they all (especially inner-city minorities) need individual help and goals.

RAFAEL GALVEZWelcome immigrants, or criminalize them?
Americans shouldn't make harsh judgments about people who only want to live good lives.

ANOTHER VIEW: Stop pretending that state has money of its own to spend
It's time for taxpayers to realize that there are no 'free' transfers from Augusta to anywhere.

Bangor Daily News

Lincoln truckers may join D.C. rally
Monday, April 14, 2008
LINCOLN, Maine - At least 50 Maine trucks will roll on Washington, D.C., April 28 as part of a national rally to protest record diesel prices that many Mainers say are crushing the state’s forest products and hauling industries.

Mount Desert woman cherry blossom queen
Monday, April 14, 2008
WASHINGTON - A student from Maine is the new queen of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, which wound down over the weekend in the nation's capital.

Papal visit attracts Mainers
Monday, April 14, 2008
BANGOR, Maine - There's only one reason Susan Moore would ever set foot in Yankee Stadium - to see the pope.

Collins, Sister Norberta to dine in D.C. with pope
Monday, April 14, 2008
BANGOR, Maine - Sen. Susan Collins wasn't invited to a White House dinner with Pope Benedict XVI during his first visit to the United States this week even though she'll be there earlier in the day to welcome him.

Former Maine Gov. Reed the model of moderation
Monday, April 14, 2008
WASHINGTON - Tucked into the southwest corner of the nation's capital near the Potomac River is the home of Maine's oldest living former governor, John Hathaway Reed, who served in the early 1960s.

Editorial:

Debt-Free College
Monday, April 14, 2008
A program that promises great things for Maine's economic future kicked off with the start of the spring college semester. Thanks to a legislative initiative approved last year, college students who incur education loan debt dating from January 2008 will be able to claim a tax credit for loan repayments.

Hunting for Dollars
Monday, April 14, 2008
Finding new ways to pay the bills at the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, especially if some of the costs may be passed on to those who don’t hunt, fish or trap, is a perennial issue.

Kennebec Journal

Utility bills coming due Tuesday
AUGUSTA -- Cash-strapped Maine residents who have delayed paying their utility bills through the winter might find themselves without electricity beginning Tuesday when their no-payment grace period expires.

Legislature's last day? It's anyone's guess
AUGUSTA -- The last day of the legislative session is supposed to be Wednesday.

Many questions still remain within troubled largest union at BIW
BATH --About 25 shipyard workers -- some swearing and grumbling in anger -- stood around the union representative, asking about the allegations and investigation that have thrown Bath Iron Works' largest labor organization into turmoil.

Editorials:
Leaving region power grid gives Maine options
It may not be about sex, but a bill just signed by Gov. John Baldacci is certainly all about power and money.

Bridge repair must be priority
Maine's roads and bridges are in rough shape. Some are even in dangerous shape. Anyone who drives across the state, slaloming around potholes and rumbling over the rusty spans that cross streams and rivers knows that.

Sun Journal

Editorial
Unheard over the screaming
Zealotry negates credibility. See Heath, Mike.

Letters:
State House shift change
As a class, the workers of this state don't often get the opportunity to speak to their leaders. They have been too busy keeping the power on and bills paid. They have been working in factories to produce goods the public cannot afford. They have been dissatisfied for some time now, but unable to tell their representatives in government in person because there was no time.

An historic mistake
Most people would agree that restoring historic buildings is a worthy goal. But to finance that effort through tax credits to wealthy developers, using money from the state's Housing Opportunities for Maine fund, is short-sighted.

MPBN
Labor, Human Rights Activists Urge Collins To Oppose Columbia Free Trade Agreement
A Maine-based coalition of labor and human rights groups is calling on Republican Senator Susan Collins to join the rest of Maine's Congressional delegation in opposing the so-called Columbia Free Trade Agreement. The Bush administration has been seeking what's known as "fast track" approval from Congress for the agreement, which would permanently reduce duties on American exports to the South American nation. But critics say it will hurt Maine workers. Barbara Cariddi reports.

Maine Environmental Activists Woo Young Supporters
What do a group of 300 young professionals at a cocktail party have in common? Aside from their interest in jump-starting their careers, raising families and meeting like-minded people, many share a passion for protecting the environment. At least that's the premise behind "TNC Next," the next and younger generation of supporters of The Nature Conservancy. This week the Maine chapter of the conservation organization invited prospective members to a kickoff party at the Ocean Gateway in Portland. As Susan Sharon reports, environmental groups are finding that it's not too hard to engage young people even without the free food and drinks.

Car-pooling Popularity Grows With Gas Prices
With the price of gasoline hitting record highs, Mainers with long commutes are feeling the pinch, and more and more are taking a new look at an old established style of commuting--the car pool. As Murray Carpenter reports, car-pooling and van-pooling are quickly growing in popularity.

Maine Lobster Researcher Leaves No Stone Unturned
While lobstering is so much a part of Maine's identity, and economy, there is much to learned about what the animals need to thrive in their environment. One Maine researcher has been on the case for years, and continues to track the lives of young lobsters as they grow. Barbara Cariddi headed out one recent morning with scientist Diane Cowan, and brought back this report.

PolitickerME
Romney to headline GOP convention; Democrats contemplate hosting two keynotes

Mitchell: One of the world’s most influential people?

Opinion: Rowe2010.com and more