Maine News for Friday, August 8, 2008

Portland Press Herald
Maine gets a break on tax-happy reputation
Using improved data, a foundation ranks the state's burden at 15th in the nation, instead of among the worst.

Social service agencies brace for heat-aid requests
Churches, towns and other assistance providers are already getting requests for winter help.

City to give pier project 75-year lease
That may spark a battle with the state. The city also wants the deep-water berth built first.

No lull at luxury inns
Despite the slow economy, business seems strong at Maine resorts that cater to tourists who want plenty of amenities.

China spares no expense for opening of Olympics
Communist country spends $40 billion for a spectacular start to the Summer Games being held in Beijing.

Developer is betting on slots at race track
Gene Beaudoin will begin a petition drive this fall to put the question to voters to help fund work for new town center.

Jobless claims hit highest point in 6 years
The most recent snapshot of layoff filings turns out to be worse than economists expected.

Firewood heat has its hazards
It's getting pricier and more difficult to find, can pose a danger if burned unsafely and creates a risk of being shorted on a delivery.

Editorial

Games give view of more than sports in China
Human rights abuses should also be part of the story when the Olympics open tonight.

Nation deserves to know anthrax case details
If the Justice Department's conclusion is correct, then the story can be told.

MARGO CLARK and ANNIE FISCHERObama best for women's rights
John McCain's 'pro-life' credentials prove that he doesn't respect the choices women make.

This summer's days are bittersweet
A vacation on a Maine island carries reminders that our accomplishments can be fleeting.

Letters

Why pick an oppressor for Olympics?

Newspaper far too vital to be allowed to disappear

Give taxpayers, not teachers, some badly needed tax relief

Obama's energy plan would save money and produce jobs

Protests vital elements of a democratic society

Bangor Daily News

Parties gear up for fall campaign
Friday, August 8, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - With the general election three months away, Democratic and Republican party leaders say they have the teams in place to carry their candidates to victory.

State group fears 'death by hypothermia'
Friday, August 8, 2008
BANGOR, Maine - The two words Maine Community Action Association President Matthew Smith hears most when he asks those at the forefront of helping Maine families get heating fuel assistance are 'fear' and 'desperation.'

Bangor: Sunny Corner fuel program raising funds
Friday, August 8, 2008
BANGOR, Maine - An emergency heating assistance program that captured international attention last winter is back.

Bar Harbor: NPR chief says affiliates aid program authenticity
Friday, August 8, 2008
BAR HARBOR, Maine - The president and CEO of National Public Radio, speaking Wednesday evening at Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory, told a crowd of about 160 people why he thought NPR’s audience has grown significantly in the past decade while those of other major media outlets have declined.

Pair chasing a world record in copter flight fuels up at BIA
Friday, August 8, 2008
BANGOR, Maine - At 5:23 a.m. Thursday, pilot Scott Kasprowicz's Agusta Grand helicopter appeared as just a pinprick of light coming from the southeast, above the city.

Kings offer festival $40,000 matching grant
Friday, August 8, 2008
BANGOR, Maine - With a recent substantial donation from the Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation and gifts from other individuals and companies, the fundraising goal for the American Folk Festival has reached 77 percent.

Hermon: Maine McCain team mocks Obama plans
Friday, August 8, 2008
HERMON, Maine - Maine supporters of Sen. John McCain touted the Arizona senator's all-of-the-above approach to energy policy at an event Thursday and couldn't resist poking fun at his opponent’s plan by handing out individual tire pressure gauges.

Baldacci gets B-minus from conservation league
Friday, August 8, 2008
The Maine League of Conservation Voters gave Gov. John Baldacci a grade of B-minus for his administration’s environmental policies during the past two years.

Maine man held on Obama assassination threat
Friday, August 8, 2008
MIAMI - A former Hampden man who authorities said was keeping weapons and military-style gear in his hotel room and car appeared in court Thursday on charges he threatened to assassinate Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

Editorial

Food and Fuel
Friday, August 8, 2008
A recent report from the World Bank concluding that biofuels are a major contributor to rapidly rising food prices adds urgency to the need for a thorough analysis of alternative energy sources to ensure they don't have unintended negative consequences.

Olympic Expectations
Friday, August 8, 2008
In an era when reality shows are more popular than, well, reality, the Olympic games beginning today in Beijing are likely to offer more complaints about judging than 'American Idol,' more unfettered emotion than 'Big Brother' and the rivalry of 'Survivor.'

Jerald Terwilliger: Cold War veterans deserve recognition
We answered the call to serve our country. We volunteered or were drafted. We spent our tour of duty in the military with pride and honor. While we were in faraway places our friends, loved ones and family were left behind.

Gabriel Schoenfeld: Anthrax was not the FBI at its best
The FBI’s investigation of the deadly 2001 anthrax attacks was the most complex and important in the bureau's history.

August 8 Letters to the Editor

Kennebec Journal
WORST TAX RANKINGS? NOT TRUE
The idea that Maine has one of the nation's highest tax burdens -- if not the highest -- has burned state officials for years.

Wood: Maine's winter weapon
FARMINGDALE -- With heating oil prices still hovering at $4.40 per gallon and with fears rising of a severe winter, Gov. John Baldacci is starting to encourage Mainers to use wood heat this winter rather than oil.

State seeks volunteers in latest milfoil invasion
BELGRADE -- Biologists and lake-association members want volunteers to join their campaign to eradicate an aggressive invasive plant species from Salmon Lake.

LETTERS TO A SEX OFFENDER
AUGUSTA -- A judge has refused to ban a former teacher from receiving letters and other items from the student with whom he had an illicit sexual relationship.

BRIEFS
AUGUSTA -- More than two dozen Maine veterans who were wounded during Korean, Vietnam, Afghanistan or Iraq wars have been honored at the Statehouse with special state-issued medals.

Crackdown on drunken driving coming to capital
AUGUSTA -- Augusta police plan to step up patrols in the coming weeks as part of a campaign to nab drunken drivers.

Senator strolls shops, streets of Skowhegan
SKOWHEGAN -- In a bit of a departure from a standard downtown stroll by U.S. Sen. Olympia J. Snowe Thursday, the senator was stopped by a fan on the street.

Brunswick land trust deal scrutinized
A controversial proposal to sell seven acres of conservation land on Crystal Spring Farm to a developer will go before members of the Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust this fall.

Editorial

More data will resolve need for special session
Meanwhile, Gov. John Baldacci's office is try to weigh all of the pros and cons -- and there are many -- before deciding whether to call a special session.

JOSEPH R. REISERT : Solzhenitsyn's clear vision saw through Soviet Union, also U.S.
One of the 20th century's most courageous defenders of human rights, and one of its greatest writers, died last Sunday. Honored in his native Russia with a magnificent public memorial service and celebrated in front-page obituaries, Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn has been remembered primarily for his struggle for freedom against the totalitarian despotism of the Soviet Union.

Letters

U.S. may be the poorest country in the world
I read a while back that our national debt and unfunded liability (Medicare, Social Security, FDIC, Mortgage Guarantees, etc.) was $47 trillion ($47,000,000,000,000) and our population about 320 million people (320,000,000).

We need American solutions to energy woes
It's time for America to go after the tremendous energy resources we have right here at home.

Will you miss drama of Manny being Manny?
The time had come for Manny Ramirez to go. The Red Sox brass and Red Sox nation had been putting up with him for a long time. It was time to cut the apron strings. He had played (if you want to call it that) his way out of Boston.

Potholes in the road of driving expenses
Two recent items about the cost of driving caught my eye.

Sun Journal
Soaring heating oil prices ignite firewood demand
DURHAM (AP) - On a recent scorching-hot summer day, workers at Reed's Firewood used heavy equipment to cut and split logs into firewood until it was too dark to see.

Group renews call for health care in Maine
AUGUSTA (AP) - A coalition called Health Care for America Now says insurance company profits and executive salaries are too high.

31,000 stimulus checks unclaimed in Maine
AUGUSTA (AP) - Gov. John Baldacci says government tax agencies and private service groups will help thousands of Mainers who have not claimed their economic stimulus checks to get their money.

Wounded Maine veterans honored
AUGUSTA (AP) - More than two dozen Maine veterans who were wounded during Korean, Vietnam, Afghanistan or Iraq wars have been honored at the State House with special state-issued medals.

DEP: Androscoggin not improved
LEWISTON - A group created to protect and preserve the mid-coast rivers delta is calling for the southern part of the Androscoggin River to be given a better water-quality classification.

Editorial
The gold medal in posturing
If gold medals were awarded for politicking, competition between the United States and China would be too close to call. Not since the sunset of the Soviet Union have testy global affairs so overshadowed an Olympiad.

Blond ambition
What does it say when perhaps the most bipartisan energy proposal belongs to Paris Hilton?

MPBN repeating news, not covering it
When was the last time Maine Public Broadcasting covered a selectmen's meeting in Woodstock? Or a car accident in Rangeley? Or the flooded animal shelter in Norway? Or a high school baseball game in Lewiston? Or a new hotel in Auburn?

MPBN
Claims Of Excessive Private Health Insurance Industry Profits

An association of progressive groups released a study today detailing what they claim are excessive profits in the nation's private health insurance industry. Maine’s Health Care for America Now Coalition is part of a national effort that is promoting affordable, quality healthcare for all. Singling out companies like Anthem Health Plans of Maine, the coalition says it's time that private health insurers place people before profits. But an Anthem spokesman says the coalition's findings do not reflect the broader implications of doing business in Maine. A.J. Higgins reports.

PolitickerME

Opinion: Looking forward to a cold home this winter

Maine’s third party: A look at the influence of the state’s Green Independent Party

Collins camp to tracker: You’re not fooling us

Maine News for Thursday, August 7, 2008

Portland Press Herald
Baldacci weighs special session to heating aid
State House: Some lawmakers oppose spending $40,000 a day and advise waiting until December.

Newspaper suitor meets with workers
Richard L. Connor tours Blethen properties; union says contract talks would happen before a sale.

Downs owner makes new pitch for slots
The proposal includes office and retail space, a town center

Hoffman requests stay, seeks U.S. high court review of ruling
The Senate hopeful wants to delay the removal of his name from the ballot.

Contractors face questions in carbon monoxide poisonings
A Brewer official says the technicians who installed the propane heating system lacked a permit.

Newspaper cuts jobs, changes sections
The number of layoffs is less than expected since some employees will take time off unpaid.

Gas prices bring carts to the fore
Street-legal golf carts are being allowed on more public roads and saving drivers money, but safety remains an issue.

Editorial
Disposing of nuclear waste will combat global warming
Though the cost of a waste repository is growing, so is the need for nuclear power.

Another View: Priorities leave the needy needing much more
Mainers are pessimistic because there's a sense that our government isn't helping.

CHICHUN TSOUOlympics allow the Chinese to showcase their might and prowess
After a long history of subordination to the West, China is determined to advance as a world power.

PETER HAMILTONReturn to local energy solutions
Maine was once far more self-sufficient in power production and trade, and it needs to be again.

Letters

Energy, aid provide reasons to support Allen for Senate

Profit's why oil companies -- and families -- stay afloat

Four things we could do to make life more bearable

Portland-to-Fryeburg train great way to visit the fair

Bangor Daily News

Fires leave Red Cross in 'critical' condition
Thursday, August 07, 2008
ELLSWORTH, Maine - Fires have swept homes in Ellsworth, Blue Hill, Northeast Harbor and in many other towns so far this summer, leaving many homeless and thousands of dollars in damage behind.

PUC eyes aid to low-income ratepayers
Thursday, August 07, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - The Public Utilities Commission has started proceedings to determine whether to increase the aid going to low-income Mainers under the Low Income Assistance Program to help them pay their electric bills.

Energy task force seeks public comment
Thursday, August 07, 2008
State officials are asking for public comment on a recent report that explores the possibility of more Maine homes and businesses converting to wood heat to help solve the current energy crisis.

Snowe vows to wage battle for fuel funds
Thursday, August 07, 2008
BANGOR, Maine - Though the first snowflakes for the coming heating season are months away, Mainers already are jittery, if not frantic, about how they are going to pay for home heating fuel.

Veterans step up for Obama, McCain
Thursday, August 07, 2008
BANGOR, Maine - Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama hasn't been shy about courting war veterans, a group of voters that historically has aligned strongly with his opponent, Sen. John McCain, a longtime veteran and former prisoner of war.

Groups press Collins on chemical security
Thursday, August 07, 2008
Several health and environmental groups are urging U.S. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine to support federal legislation that the organizations claim will help close a dangerous hole in U.S. anti-terrorism policies.

Editorial

Wasted Political Energy
Thursday, August 07, 2008
It is understandable that the public and some lawmakers want action on energy policy, at both the state and federal levels. Calls for special sessions of the Maine Legislature and Congress must be tempered by the realization that there are no quick fixes to the long-building problem of global oil and gas supplies not meeting global demands.

North Korea Update
Thursday, August 07, 2008
As the Bush administration winds up its eighth year, the talks with North Korea about its nuclear weapons program stand as a piece of unfinished business and a challenge for the next administration.

Eliot R. Cutler: The next power shift in China, from provinces to Beijing
As the world's attention turns to Beijing and the Olympic Games, the conventional wisdom abroad is that the government of the People's Republic of China is an all-powerful, centralized state.

August 7 Letters to the Editor

Kennebec Journal
STATEHOUSE Baldacci considering special session for heating aid
Gov. John Baldacci is considering whether to call the Legislature into special session to add state funds to a federal program that provides heating oil assistance for low-income Maine households, a spokesman said Wednesday.

SALMON LAKE NEW TYPE OF MILFOIL FOUND IN LAKE
BELGRADE -- Biologists and lake association members tonight will discuss the best way to eradicate a new invasive-plant species that has sprouted in Salmon Lake.

3 from KJ recognized
Writers and artists for the Kennebec Journal were among those recognized by the New England Associated Press News Executives Association.

BRIEFS
AUGUSTA -- Hallowell lawyer Walter McKee was nominated to a state ethics panel Tuesday by Gov. John Baldacci.

Editorials:

Fundraising for library needs to hit a fast track
For 10 years, supporters of Augusta's Lithgow Public Library worked on plans to expand and renovate the library.

ROGER KATZ : Augusta residents should 'stop fighting old battles'
An old college friend recently came to visit my wife and me for the first time in 10 years. We proudly showed him around town -- the new Cony High School, the Rail Trail, Arsenal and riverfront, YMCA, Alfond Cancer Center, expanded University of Maine at Augusta and the Holocaust and Human Rights Center.

DAN BILLINGS : Both sides misleading public on beverage tax-Dirigo Health issue
In November, Maine voters will decide whether to veto a package of taxes passed to fund Dirigo Health, Maine's subsidized health insurance program.

Letters

Veterans deserve military honors at their burials
I participated in a funeral at the old Maine Veterans Cemetery recently as a member of the Kennebec County Veterans Honor Guard.

Collins puts our needs ahead of other countries'
I read with interest the letter by Brian Pulling in the July 31 newspaper, "Collins has supported Bush policy of torture."

Allen key in House vote to leave for vacation
I wholeheartedly agree with your editorial in Monday's KJ, chastising Congress for going on vacation when the country is facing a crisis. However, I was surprised that you didn't mention Rep. Tom Allen's position. He voted with the majority to shut down the House and go home. In fact, with the vote at 213-212, Allen cast the deciding vote rather than stay in Washington and work to fix these problems.

Collins voted to stay in session, work on energy
In the Tuesday, Aug. 5 newspaper, there was an editorial about why the U.S. Congress should not have gone on vacation at this time but should have continued working on such important issues as the energy crisis.

Sun Journal

Maine court will hear sex-abuse liability case AUGUSTA (AP) - Maine's highest court is being asked to decide whether supervisors can be held liable for an unlimited time for acts of sexual abuse committed by people who work for them.
The case stems from damage claims filed by two men who were allegedly abused by Roman Catholic priests during the 1980s.

Androscoggin County Jail gets top marks in state inspection
Facility needs to change inmate totes and get accessibility certification, state says

Jay veteran nears end of AT
JAY - A veteran hiking the Appalachian Trail to raise awareness of the plight of homeless veterans was expected to reach Caratunk on Wednesday evening, according to VFW District 9 Commander Palmer Hebert.

Editorial
One day could make a difference
A deadlocked Congress has headed home, sans energy progress. Republicans blame Democrats for skedaddling, Democrats blame Republicans for trying to stick around to give more goodies to oil companies.

Campaigns held promise but it's politics as usual
At the beginning of this long political season - if there ever was a beginning, since campaigns are now nonstop with only the players changing - it appeared this one might, just might, be different.

Letters
Not right for turbines
The wind turbine project for the mountains between Roxbury Pond and the Swift River in Roxbury is not suitable for the area. Environmental, health and quality of life impacts will be with area residents long after the wind turbines have been replaced with more reliable and efficient sources of power. People must always consider the environmental impact of any industry in the precious Maine woods and waters.

MPBN
Hoffman Seeks Stay of Signature Ruling

An attorney for a retired Ogunquit psychologist who wants to be an independent candidate for the U.S. Senate is asking the state's highest court to stay a ruling that effectively took his client off the ballot last month. On July 28, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court concluded that Herbert Hoffman had not obtained enough signatures to appear on the fall ballot along with Democratic nominee Congressman Tom Allen and Republican incumbent Susan Collins. But John Branson, Hoffman's attorney, says the law court should set aside its ruling until his client can petition the United States Supreme Court for a review of the decision. A.J. Higgins reports.

PolitickerME

After losing case, Hoffman turns to U.S. Supreme Court

AFL-CIO: Anti-EFCA ad with Sopranos star a smokescreen

Michaud takes five-day tour of overseas military hospitals

Vets in Maine for Obama, too

Times Record

Buying votes with fuel aid?

Ellsworth American
As Heating Emergency Looms, Maine Searches for Energy Options
ELLSWORTH — As the grim realities of runaway energy costs sweep across America, Maine may wind up being the proverbial canary in the coal mine.

Prof. Richard Hill: Social Readjustment Only Fix For Energy Dilemma
ORONO — As Angus King Jr. frequently points out, every American president since Richard Nixon has stressed the importance of ending America’s addiction to foreign oil.

Nuclear Power for Maine? Not Likely, Say Politicians
As Maine ponders the economic abyss of the state’s growing addiction to fossil fuels, little mention is ever made of the “n” word of energy.

Maine Yankee Delivered Electricity at Low Cost
ELLSWORTH — There hasn’t been a nuclear power plant in Maine since 1997.

Flooding in Blue Hill
Torrent Forces Temporary Evacuation of Hospital
BLUE HILL — Blue Hill Memorial Hospital was closed to all but emergency care Monday as crews cleaned up a flooded basement that forced the hospital to evacuate its patients Sunday.

Utilities, Energy Committee OKs Cashman for PUC Post
AUGUSTA — The Utilities and Energy Committee voted 11-2 to support the Governor’s nomination of Jack Cashman to the Public Utilities Commission after listening to two hours of effusive praise during which he was called everything from a “Renaissance man” to a hard-nosed negotiator who would be fair to business and working people alike.

Editorial
Restructuring Must Go
We’ll say it one more time. The Maine Legislature should get off its collective duff and repeal or revise legislation enacted more than a decade ago that “restructured” the state’s electricity industry. Since March 1, 2000, when the restructuring took effect, the cost of electricity purchased by residents of Downeast Maine has more than doubled. Last week, medium- and large-sized businesses in the region learned the so-called standard-offer rates will be increasing by as much as 32 percent. Higher prices for fuel — especially natural gas, used to generate 45 percent of the electricity in Maine — clearly have played a role in recent electricity rate increases. But it becomes more abundantly clear every day that restructuring has never delivered on the promise of lower electricity rates for Maine consumers.

WCSH6
Senator Snowe Talks Heating Assistance In Bangor

Maine Senate Hopeful Eyes Federal Review

Penobscot County Moving Ahead With Plans To Switch From Oil To Natural Gas

Augusta Hosts Energy Conservation Workshop

WMTW

Mainers Meet Over Home-Heating Options

Maine News for Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Portland Press Herald
Fallout follows Internet postings
The Deering incident is the latest in which young people provide online evidence of unwise behavior.

Publisher: closing of newspaper not likely
The Press Herald's Charles Cochrane says statements in a court filing have been taken out of context.

11 indicted in record hacking, identity theft case
The breaches involve stolen debit and credit card numbers, and include the TJX data theft and retailers with stores in Maine.

Some tourism drying up
If a business lacks a roof, it's probably hurting, as summer shapes up to be one of the wettest ever.

Bowdoin to ban parking for freshmen
The college says that the new policy will help it be a better environmental steward.

Sex-abuse liability case sent to state's top court
The issue: whether there's a time limit on suing the supervisors of the abuser.

Oil price settles at $119.17
Demand lessens as Americans cut back on driving to save money.

Consumers sell scrap for food, fuel
High metal prices spur a booming business for scrap dealers, who are seeing more recyclers.

Whole Foods sees net income plunge
The company lowers its 2009 outlook and says it will open fewer stores.

Letters

Give bicyclists the room that the law provides them

Karl Rove's hand on controls derails Straight Talk Express

True story about Israel not getting any play

Why did electric bill double in just one month?

People sinking as national debt soars

Bangor Daily News
Newport police say gas pump drive-offs 'a real problem'
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
The fueling equivalent of 'dine and dash' is becoming more and more frequent in central Maine, particularly at gas stations along Interstate 95 or busy tourist routes.

Most flooded rivers receding
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
FORT KENT, Maine - Maine residents got a break Tuesday from the heavy rainstorms that pounded parts of the state over the weekend - but the water lingered.

Blue Hill man must register as sex offender
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
ELLSWORTH, Maine - A Blue Hill man and former child mentor whose sexual misconduct spurred an active community support group in western Hancock County pleaded guilty last Friday to misdemeanor charges and will spend a month in jail.

N.E. rivers dangerously high after heavy rains
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
Normally a good place to cool off in the summer, northern New England rivers are anything but these days — raging and dangerously swollen from heavy rains.

Editorial

Public Transit Revival
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
For decades, the words 'public transit' and 'Maine' rarely would be found in the same sentence. Other than in Portland, Lewiston-Auburn and Greater Bangor, most of Maine's 1.3 million residents have settled sparsely across its many towns and villages or 'sprawled' in the regions between them.

Yvon Labbé and Tony Brinkley: Obstruction on Plum Creek proposal was a blunder
As Maine's Land Use Regulation Commission moves toward a decision on the Plum Creek proposal for the Greenville region, opposition to the plan seems to have become increasingly desperate and out of touch with the needs of rural Maine.

John Buell: Obama's task: Define McCain
My mentor, William Connolly, professor of political science at Johns Hopkins University, recently e-mailed some friends and colleagues a provocative quotation from his latest book, "Christianity and Capitalism, American Style."

August 6 Letters to the Editor

Kennebec Journal
AUGUSTA LITHGOW FUNDING NEEDED Library study group leader tells council scaled-back addition doesn't make sense
AUGUSTA -- A shrunken Lithgow Library renovation and expansion would be a bad investment, provide little new usable space for programming, and wouldn't cost much less than the more ambitious construction plan previously rejected by Augusta voters.

County fills disaster post
AUGUSTA -- Kennebec County commissioners Tuesday appointed a new Emergency Management Agency director less than two months after the former director resigned.

Consolidation conundrum for 7 communities
Winslow's rejection of a proposed consolidation between School Union 52 and School Administrative District 47 communities has left the other prospective towns scrambling, School Union 52 Superintendent Hugh Riordan said Tuesday.

Energy Expo offers tips on saving energy today
WATERVILLE -- People worried about how they're going to pay for heat this winter might want to visit the Energy Expo today at the Taste of Greater Waterville.

Editorials

Maine can reel in benefits from film incentives
In 2005, a new state study reports, out-of-state film, video and commercial photography projects spent about $7.3 million in Maine, with an additional $16.4 million in related economic activity supporting the annual equivalent of 221 jobs. For each million dollars spent, state and local government got $150,000 in taxes.

Foggy Bottom has given 'cronies' a place to gather
We're sad to see that Lew Gipson and Dan Alexander will close down Foggy Bottom Marine in Farmingdale soon. Not just because we love driving along and seeing the boats displayed by the side of the road, in winter wearing blazing white shrink wrap and in summer looking ready to be launched in the water. And not just because we love looking at their hodgepodge of dock line and anchors.

GORDON L. WEIL WAS MAINE'S FIRST PUBLIC ADVOCATE. : Olympics not political? That's a long jump
Chances are good that, during the August Olympics, we will see a television advertisement called "Go World," provided by the credit card sponsor of the Summer Games. It claims that, while countries have differences, "for a few short weeks, we set it all aside. We come together ... as one."

GEORGE SMITH : We all have our own lists of Maine's 7 wonders
DownEast Magazine asked its online readers to name Maine's seven wonders. They came up with Acadia National Park, Mount Katahdin, Portland Head Light, Penobscot Bay, Monhegan Island, the Allagash Waterway and Pemaquid Point Light.

Sun Journal
Bowdoin banning cars for freshmen
BRUNSWICK (AP) -Bowdoin College is banning cars for first-year students starting in 2009.

Officials say port offers fuel savings
PORTLAND (AP) - A shipment of wind turbines headed for New Hampshire has brought some good news to officials in Portland, Maine.

Talks resume on school merger
LIVERMORE FALLS - A new strategy was unveiled Tuesday that could mean the regional school planning committee will develop a plan to transition to a regional school unit in three years.

Editorial
A certain nastiness in celebrating misfortune
I haven't read Robert Novak's column in 10 years.

Letters
It's us, people
Who is responsible for high gasoline prices?

MPBN
Wet Summer Weather Taking Its Toll On Crops and Tourism In Maine

Weatherwise, today is one of the the driest and quietest Maine has experienced in a week. It follows a rare series of violent thunderstorms over the past month. Rain, accompanied by dangerous lightning, has taken lives, ruined vacations and damaged crops throughout the state. And as Keith Mckeen reports, more foul weather is on the way.

PolitickerME
Baldacci taps McKee for Ethics Commission

Maine News for Tuesday, August 5, 2007

Portland Press Herald
Another 911 glitch, but calls answered
FairPoint's backup system works as planned after the Cumberland County center's phones go out July 18.

Police chief leaves for Texas job in 12 days
Deputy Chief Joseph Loughlin, a 27-year department veteran, will serve as interim chief.

Fairs keep prices low
During tough economic times, Maine organizers are marketing their affordability to families.

Ruling on petitions likely sign of big changes
Election 2008: Signature gatherers might be used to looking the other way, but 'those days are over.'

Saco pans CMP's new plans for power lines
Jenkins Road homeowners didn't want the tall lines, and neither does the Hillview neighborhood.

Developer drops his plans to build condos in Bayside
A lawsuit that delayed construction of Waterview cost Jeffrey Cohen his financing.

Redone part of I-295 due to reopen on time

Utilities nominee now faces approval vote in state Senate
Jack Cashman wins a committee's approval after touting his business perspective for the PUC.

Nine named to oversee jail savings
The new panel will implement the governor's proposal to increase efficiency in corrections.

TURBINES PUT TERMINAL BACK IN BUSINESS

Editorial

Cars can't be banished, but planning can change
While an investment in light rail might be a stretch, it's time for new approaches.

Protesters can't admit it, but they will miss Bush years
Was there ever a nicer spot than Walker's Point to give voice to outrage?

Letters
Obama confident, not 'arrogant'

Want to find a new friend? Visit the nearest shelter

Newspaper's treatment of stories caused its problems

Price of gas will fall when we stop fighting wars

Power lines will harm neighborhood's value

Bangor Daily News
BDN not loading

Kennebec Journal

AUGUSTA Cony Circle project gets more funds from city
AUGUSTA -- Councilors voted unanimously to appropriate $62,000 more in city funds for planned Cony Circle improvements, despite some residents' objections that improvements in the area should be funded entirely by developers of a Hannaford supermarket just off the circle.

Century later, Maine's Hamlin offers history lesson for today's nominees
AUGUSTA -- Abraham Lincoln didn't meet his running mate -- Hannibal Hamlin of Maine -- until after the 1860 Republican convention.

BANKING ON CASHMAN
AUGUSTA -- Casting his background in insurance and commercial real estate as an asset, Jack Cashman cleared his first major hurdle Monday toward earning a seat on the three-member state body responsible for regulating Maine's utilities.

I-295 project still on schedule
Despite inclement weather, Maine Department of Transportation officials say the 18-mile stretch of Interstate 295 south that closed June 16 will open to the public on schedule.

Local fair fees aim to entice crowds
TOPSHAM -- Tad Hunter likes to say the $6 admission at the Topsham Fair provides a lot of entertainment -- from music to pulling events to harness racing to an exhibit hall filled with baked items, crafts and other goodies.

New program aims to help to sex-assault victims
WATERVILLE -- Health-care professionals at four hospitals in the region aim to improve services for victims of sexual assault by putting a network of nurses on-call around the clock.

Signature gathering faces change after Hoffman ruling
A ruling by the state's highest court that knocked independent Herbert Hoffman's name off the November ballot will affect more than just Maine's U.S. Senate race.

Editorials:

Congress' reply to energy crisis? Go on vacation
We can understand why some people are cynical about government.

REP. PATSY GARSIDE CROCKETT : Crockett hopes renaming bridge will let all move on
As the state representative for District 57, which is part of Augusta, I have been reading the editorials and stories in the Kennebec Journal concerning the renaming of the Father Curran Bridge in Augusta.

DAVID B. OFFER : Object to Bush if you want, but respect office of president
It's not unusual to name schools or monuments in honor of former presidents.

Letters

KJ let down city about principal nominee meeting
As a representative of the Ward 1 residents of Augusta (as well as the city as a whole), I will state my opinion with regards to the lack of action of the Kennebec Journal.

Kennebec Land Trust series much appreciated
I write on behalf of the entire board of directors of the Kennebec Land Trust and our Advisory Board to thank Travis Barrett (series, July 6-12) for his very well-planned and executed series of articles on the land trust.

Gardiner valuation based on 2006 property sales
If Gardiner Mayor Andrew MacLean and the Gardiner City Council want to understand the reasons for such a huge jump in city evaluations ("Taxing Matters on Tap," July 29, Kennebec Journal), they need go no further than Vision Appraisal.

Media can't be trusted in new digital age
If the recent media incident, where CBS left a huge gaffe of McCain's on the cutting room floor, is any indication of where we're heading in this new digital age, I wonder if we should ever be able to trust anything the mainstream media tells us again. McCain blundered into a historically false statement about the surge in Iraq in his interview with Katie Couric, but, instead of showing us that, CBS substituted part of another answer.

Governors could help ease home heating fuel crunch
Of all the governors of Maine, Gov. Percival Baxter gave the most. He purchased the land that became Baxter State Park with his own money. I was surprised to learn he also donated a parcel of land in Portland called Baxter Woods, a bird sanctuary listed in the Maine Atlas and Gazetteer.

Sun Journal
Maine names jail-spending board
AUGUSTA (AP) - Nearly a year ago, Gov. John Baldacci announced a proposal for the state to take over Maine's network of county jails, explaining that the current system had grown too costly and inefficient.

Flooded basement closes hospital
BLUE HILL (AP) - Blue Hill Memorial Hospital has been closed because of a flood in the basement, forcing the evacuation of nine patients.

State foreclosure rates not a threat
AUGUSTA (AP) - A study by the Maine Bureau of Financial Institutions indicates the number of homes in foreclosure in the state has grown but not enough to threaten the health and stability of state-chartered banks and credit unions.

Utility commission backs Cashman
AUGUSTA (AP) - A key aide to Gov. John Baldacci is a step closer to his appointment to the Maine Public Utilities Commission.

Editorial
Cashman's cachet will change PUC
Jack Cashman's a baseball fan, so he'll appreciate this analogy: Like a mid-season acquisition, his nomination to the Public Utilities Commission changes the status of the regulator from also-ran into front-runner.

Letters
Keep it civil
I am tired of hearing attacks on Barack Obama all day long on conservative talk radio. A better approach would be for these hosts to discuss the benefits of voting for John McCain instead.

A repeat of the days
There are some people who evidentally believe history began when they were born. There are others who think that Barack Obama, as president, would make great changes. Of course, nobody knows what those changes would be, but I suspect there wouldn't be anything new if he should become president.

MPBN
Questions Raised About Qualifications of Baldacci PUC Nominee

A legislative panel has voted to recommend the confirmation of a long-time associate of Governor John Baldacci to the three-member state Public Utilities Commission. Jack Cashman, a former Old Town legislator who served as head of the state Department of Economic and Community Development, was praised by some for his tenacity and business experience. But the 11-2 vote also reflected the concerns of two lawmakers who questioned Cashman's experience in the complicated realm of utility regulation. A.J. Higgins reports.

PolitickerME
Jarody drops House run at behest of Republican Party leaders

Maine Republicans call for special session

CQ Politics rates Maine contests

CQ Politics is an insider's publication for political junkies, and is generally very reliable for straight forward analysis of federal races.

Maine News for Monday, August 4, 2008

Portland Press Herald
School officials brace for fuel budget deficits
Cost overruns for heating oil and diesel may result in significant program cuts in some Maine districts.

Mainers go solar, snap up systems that make heat as the sun shines
The state rebate program for thermal energy has already run out of money.

Hydrogen car show aims to fuel interest
A fleet of vehicles, which actually run on electricity, will kick off a national tour next weekend in Maine.

How would oil drilling affect fish?
The Census of Marine Life counts 3,317 species in the Gulf of Maine but doesn't take a stand on the issue.

Persistent rains drench hay, keep farmers waiting
Yields will be down and so will the quality of the first crop, as much hay sits uncut until dry weather.

New attitudes gaining toward transit, land use
The rising cost of energy enhances ideas such as clustered housing and the revival of a trolley line.

When wealthy pinch pennies, everybody feels the squeeze
The 10 percent of households that account for one-quarter of spending have an impact.

Editorial
Budget projections demand new thinking
A short-term surplus hides a long-term problem that won't be easily solved.

'Gender gap' in some fields doesn't signal an ability gap
From engineering to politics, cultural factors, not physical ones, are what hold women back.

Ban on fast-food joints not the way to fight obesity problems
Consumer education is what will make a difference in this public health crisis.

LEIGH DONALDSONStop complaining about gas prices, start seeking solutions
Trashing the planet to extract more gasoline isn't the answer to the crisis – let's look outside the box.

Letters
Homelessness policy leads to problems

Perusal reveals nothing outlandish about insert

Petition ruling undermines faith in Maine's principles

Magazine's satire attempt feeds baseless prejudices

Dealings with Stevens show poor judgment by Collins

Bangor Daily News

State may act on weatherization
Monday, August 04, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - Gov. John Baldacci says the failure of Congress to pass emergency weatherization aid before taking five weeks off could trigger a special session of the Maine Legislature. But legislative leaders say any measure will have to be very limited in scope to gain broad support.

Severe storms spawn floods, cut power
Monday, August 04, 2008
Thunderstorms, some severe, moved over parts of eastern, central and northern Maine on Sunday causing power outages and some flooding.

CMP, MPS eye upgrades across Maine
Monday, August 04, 2008
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - Two of Maine's largest power-distribution companies, Central Maine Power and Maine Public Service, are proposing major upgrades aimed at preventing blackouts, bringing as a side benefit thousands of construction jobs.

Rain, economy plague state fair
Monday, August 04, 2008
BANGOR, Maine - The Bangor State Fair closed with a bang Sunday as heavy thunderstorms and rain chased away crowds for the last day of the annual summer event. In fact, the rain that plagued the fair during stretches of its 10-day run may have helped cause a drop in attendance this summer.

Special Report: Housing help on local, regional, state levels
Monday, August 04, 2008
BANGOR, Maine - Shawn Yardley is bracing for a busy winter. The director of Bangor Health and Community Services expects an influx of people needing help with housing at the top of their list.

Special Report: LIHEAP
Monday, August 04, 2008
BANGOR, Maine - The federally funded Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, known as LIHEAP, traditionally has helped needy residents pay 60 percent of their winter heating bills.

Editorial

Editorial: Green fatigue
Monday, August 04, 2008
As worry spreads through the nation about how global warming threatens the planet, some committed environmentalists find themselves afflicted by two new annoyances: "green noise" and "greenwashing." Together, they are causing a certain green fatigue that could endanger the growing national determination to do something about climate change.

Editorial: Snowe and the veepstakes
Monday, August 04, 2008
As both John McCain and Barack Obama close in on their choice for a running mate, one name keeps popping up — Olympia Snowe. Her name isn't bandied about by professional political pundits, but by bloggers and would-be wonks.

Bohdan Slabyj: Survey reveals tension between Russia, Ukraine
A survey in Russia, for naming the greatest person of its history (BDN, July 16, 2008), has three individuals in a tight race: Czar Nicholas II, Joseph Stalin and Vladimir Lenin. This fact is as fascinating as it is revealing.

Stacey Allen Fitts: McCain's energy know-how will help America
With skyrocketing energy costs taking more and more out of Mainers' paychecks, the need for a comprehensive plan to eliminate America's dependence on foreign oil is magnified. Our nation’s security and prosperity depend on it.

August 4 Letters to the Editor

Kennebec Journal

Due to demand, solar rebates disappear
Skyrocketing oil prices are sending more Mainers in search of solar-powered heat and hot water systems.

Old tissue mill site on agenda
AUGUSTA -- A proposal to start the process of taking over the abandoned American Tissue Mill to make way for private redevelopment of the riverside site is up for a City Council vote Monday.

How long can this last?
Anyone else notice paying at the pump is starting to hurt less?

Rainy weather leaves hay wet, remaining in the fields

Hard times for convenience stores
As more of his fellow local convenience-store owners shutter their shops for good, it's difficult for Walter Longfellow to stay upbeat. But he tries.

Editorial

Campaign trail: Stinky tactics and venial sin
That's right, the soon-to-be Republican nominee for president -- the one who says he doesn't want to sling mud in this campaign. He has authorized and said he is proud of a TV ad in which photos of Obama, Spears and Hilton appear sequentially while the narrator suggests they are all celebrities and that makes Obama unfit to serve.

Letters

Keep lilies away from our feline friends
Ah, summer in Maine, the time of warm days, cool nights and beautiful flowers.

Pellet stove company needs drive to fulfill orders
Concerning the recent pellet stove shortage -- I have worked for Rocky's for seven years and never have seen a calendar year seem so busy. We crew have worked mostly six days a week, 10-12 hours per day since last August, due to increased demand in alternative heating. I have received many calls and visits from customers with justified concern about the sudden change in availability with the Harman pellet stoves.

U.S.-Colombia trade pact an affront to justice
I am a member of Colombia Vive, a grassroots solidarity group based in Boston, as well as the Colombia Solidarity Network at Brown University.

Sebasticook dam removal defies environmental logic
I watched with sadness and confusion today, as workers continued to destroy the dam on the Sebasticook. I consider myself a dedicated environmentalist, but I can't reconcile eliminating a "zero carbon" hydropower generating facility so fish can swim a little farther to breed.

Maine should be proud of VA Medical Center
Recently, I had the privilege of visiting a very dear friend of mine who is a patient at the Veterans Administration Medical Center, on Patriots Place (Unit 73, Alzheimers) at Togus.

Sun Journal

Cord wood gets premium price
LEBANON, N.H. (AP) - Rising energy prices are driving up demand for cord wood and creating a shortage in some areas of northern New England.

Proposed 'green' resort has some seeing red
WINTER HARBOR - On paper, the development here in eastern Maine sounds like a dream for people looking to get away from it all.

Draining business
AUBURN - Allen Theriault doesn't charge for the water he hauls to fill swimming pools all around Central Maine, and neither does anyone else.

Editorial

A green leader, in our backyard
To butcher a phrase: If lesser institutions borrow but great institutions steal, may we encourage institutions around Lewiston-Auburn to pilfer liberally from the "green" model that is Bates College.

Some laws restrict freedoms but save lives
We live in a great country. As U.S. citizens, we enjoy freedoms and independence envied by most nations of the world.

PolitickerME

August recess: Allen says go, Collins says stay

Cote nominated to development board