Maine News for Thursday, July 10, 2008

Portland Press Herald
Region's governors predict heating crisis
They call on federal authorities to fully fund the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

School merger plan hits snag
Freeport's school board balks at a plan to merge with Pownal and Durham, citing the tight deadline.

City sets cruise control
Portland merchants use free refreshments and special offers to lure passengers.

Transit proposals get mixed reviews
A draft of ideas to curb traffic congestion in Portland meets with a measure of skepticism.

High ozone levels prompt call for tougher limits
An air-quality alert is issued after the state exceeds the standard for healthy air again.

State funding boosts efforts to preserve land
New grants from Land for Maine's Future will help to protect 36,000 acres.

Editorials
Political realities shape climate change challenge
Dramatic reductions in fossil-fuel use seem unlikely, and planning should reflect that.

There's plenty of data to suggest replacing York toll plaza a waste

Moosehead's 'natural character' ignored
Regulators listen to hired planners and pay little heed to citizen critics of Plum Creek's sprawling project.

Letters

Time to end discussions, limit Plum Creek's impact

Paper's news pages present political views, not facts

Recent events make case for going to war in Iraq

Marketplace takes big toll on U.S. health care system

Call for discussions of race example of fixation on topic

Bangor Daily News

Governors urge expansion of home heating aid
Thursday, July 10, 2008
BOSTON - Governors from across New England, warning that some families may have to choose between food or warmth this winter, called for a sharp boost in federal home heating aid.

New timeline to privatization raises concerns
Thursday, July 10, 2008
BANGOR, Maine - The privatization of the Elizabeth Levinson Center for children with multiple handicaps has been put off until the beginning of next year due to a lack of qualified bids for the contract.

$18M awarded for conservation
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Roughly 50 projects have been awarded $18 million in funding from the Land for Maine's Future program to conserve forests, farms and working waterfronts throughout the state.

Catholic diocese closes case of suspended priest’s suicide
Thursday, July 10, 2008
PORTLAND, Maine - Allegations of sexual abuse against a Maine priest who committed suicide late last month will not be pursued further by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland.

Renowned forensics expert reviewing McLain homicide
Thursday, July 10, 2008
EAST MILLINOCKET, Maine - He's interested, but internationally renowned forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden doesn't know yet whether he will examine the body of homicide victim Joyce McLain, he said Wednesday.

Poll ranks employment as Mainers' No. 1 concern
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Jobs and employment top the list of concerns for Mainers in 2008, but gasoline prices, energy-related issues and the cost of living also rank high.

DOT presses case for truck weight exemption
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Maine Department of Transportation Commissioner David Cole testified Wednesday before a House committee in Washington about the need for an exemption on federal truck weight limits, a provision that would help keep heavy trucks off Maine’s secondary roads.

State approves Kibby wind farm project
Thursday, July 10, 2008
State regulators gave final approval Wednesday to a $270 million wind farm and transmission line proposed for the mountains of rural Franklin County.

Editorial

The Road Not Taken
Thursday, July 10, 2008
There's a pleasing symmetry to the synopsis of a documentary film that will be shown at the Maine International Film Festival, July 11-20, in Waterville. "A Road Not Taken" chronicles the fate of a clunky piece of hardware that once sat atop the West Wing of the White House.

Red Tide Caution
Thursday, July 10, 2008
With this year’s red tide outbreak predicted to be worse than 2005’s historic levels, shellfish consumers should be reassured that the state’s testing system keeps tainted mussels and clams off the market.

Ken Fredette: History shows fate of senate race
The "dog days" of summer are here, and polls abound with projections about the November U.S. Senate race between Tom Allen and Susan Collins.

W. Tom Sawyer: Beverage tax shows career politicians are out of touch
Senate Democratic leader Libby Mitchell’s June 27 column, "Benefit of beverage tax? Health coverage," defending a $70 million tax increase to fund Dirigo Health demonstrates how out-of-touch career politicians truly are.

July 10 Letters to the Editor

Kennebec Journal

On Maine Politics
Sidney/Oakland Dems to meet

Cony High School schedule approved
AUGUSTA -- The Board of Education approved a controversial new class schedule for Cony High School, despite parents' concerns there are too many unanswered questions about how their sons and daughters will fit in all the classes they need.

Conservation education remains constant challenge
VASSALBORO -- How more than 3,000 acres of land were conserved in central Maine really isn't a mystery.

Board approves $17M for conservation projects
A 550-acre chunk of Windham's rural character and a 76-acre swath of forest along the Saco River in Hollis are both closer to being forever protected this week, after the latest round of state conservation grants.

Bringing cruise ship passengers downtown
A team of yellow-shirted greeters was ready with promotional booklets and friendly advice as passengers disembarked from the Explorer of the Seas on Wednesday, the opening day of the city's cruise ship season.

Winslow resident links property sinking, drawdown of lake
WINSLOW -- Dallaire Street resident Donald "Scott" Hermey is convinced his property is beginning to sink.

Editorial
State energy effort good, but needs feds' help
For many -- if not most -- Mainers, the only subject these days is the cost of energy.

JIM BRUNELLE : Political consultant, author helped Maine GOP stay afloat
Being a political consultant, according to Alex Ray, a longtime Republican operative who once spent time honing his craft in Maine, is a thankless job.

DAN BILLINGS : Democrats don't want some votes to be cast
During the controversy after the 2000 presidential election, Democrats cried "count every vote." Unsuc-cessful with that strategy, the Maine Democratic Party is now trying to limit the choices Maine voters see on their ballots.

LINDA CADES : Gun ownership grave subject needing serious thought
I read with something approaching disbelief J.P. Devine's column, "Love of Guns is Here to Stay" concerning the recent Supreme Court decision about the Second Amendment (Kennebec Journal, July 6).

Letters

Gardiner revaluation has 'significant inaccuracy'
Is Gardiner planning to secede from Maine and rejoin Massachusetts?

Augusta put on great Independence Day
Thank you, Augusta, for a more than great 4th of July.

Sun Journal
Demand on rise for heating assistance
The state's looking at a winter with more demand and less money.

Maine parish marks bicentennial Saturday
NEWCASTLE (AP) - Maine's oldest Roman Catholic parish will hold its bicentennial celebration this weekend.

State trumps ordinance in public interest
AUGUSTA (AP) - Augusta's city manager says residents have complained about increased truck traffic to and from Pike Industries' large pit and asphalt plant, but the state is brushing aside local ordinances to advance the Interstate 295 reconstruction.

Maine diocese offers new details on priest suicide
PORTLAND (AP) - Maine's Roman Catholic diocese said Wednesday it received word six months ago about a sexual abuse claim against a priest who committed suicide last month after being notified that he was temporarily suspended.

Editorial
A balanced approach to squatters
In turn-of-the-century Auburn, differentiating between transients and vagrants was easy: spend one night in the barn, you're a transient. But three nights in the barn? Sorry pal, you're a vagrant.

England sows the seeds of its own destruction
So this is how it ends: not with a bang, but a whimper.

Letters
Blame the Democrats
This is in response to Mark Tardif's letter, printed July 3.

Gasoline realities
The whole world operates on oil, and will for years to come.

'Banned completely'
I could not believe my eyes when I read a letter to the editor by Elise Giasson, printed July 1. There was one sentence I hope everyone read twice, as I had to, to be sure that I had read it right..

MPBN
Activists Prepare for Affordable Healthcare Campaign

A coalition of healthcare activists brought the so-called "Health Care for America Now" campaign to the State House today. It was an effort to make affordable healthcare for all a major issue in this year's congressional elections. The campaign is encouraging lawmakers to come up with some new options for consumers. They include private coverage, government-administered health insurance or some different approach for guaranteeing access to health care for all Americans. A.J. Higgins reports.

State Task Force Calls for Massive Winterization Effort

Citing the need for a dramatic change in energy consumption patterns, a state task force is calling for a massive effort to winterize all of Maine's single-family homes in ten years. As Barbara Cariddi reports, the so-called "Pre-Emergency Energy Task Force" is also recommending that each community in Maine create "warming shelters" for emergencies, rebuild the state's passenger rail infrastructure and speed the development of alternative sources of energy. State energy director John Kerry heads the task force.

PolitickerME

New England governors attend energy summit

Maine GOP: MoveOn should protest Obama

Another short lived career for Ms. Dobson

Times Record
Tapping our inner power

Ellsworth American
“Huge” CMP Power Line Could Spur Economy and Controversy
AUGUSTA — The $1.4-billion transmission line project officially announced last week by Central Maine Power Co. could give the state’s economy a significant boost, creating jobs and encouraging consumer spending at a time when both are in short supply.

Veteran Senator Questions Use of Clean Election Funds
AUGUSTA — Long-time legislator Sen. Joe Brannigan of Portland, who spent more than $20,000 in public funds in his run for Senate two years ago, is running a privately funded campaign this year because he thinks the Clean Election system caused him and his opponent to overspend in 2006.

Editorial
DirigoChoice: A Costly Failure
For some time, there have been those in state politics who take great delight in the notion that Maine can lead the country in attempting to find solutions to particular issues. From the time he was inaugurated as Governor, John Baldacci identified his Dirigo Health program — and the DirigoChoice insurance program in particular — as a cornerstone of his administration. Unfortunately, the Governor and his supporters ignored the reality that national issues — and the ever-increasing cost of health care is one such issue — demand national solutions. DirigoChoice has been an expensive and eminently unsuccessful boondoggle since it was created five years ago.

Wishful Thinking?
Congress went back into session this week after the Fourth of July recess, and members of Maine’s delegation were unanimous in their calls for more cooperation and less partisanship in the weeks ahead.

Be Wary of Politicians’ Recommendations
Regarding the June 19 article reporting on Angus King’s recent energy speech (“Catastrophe” Awaits Maine: Angus King), I believe that readers should be wary of politicians’, including ex-politicians’, recommendations concerning how to solve Maine’s energy problems. These are the same folks that, in the past 30-plus years, have implemented laws and regulations that have driven up the cost and price of electricity in Maine nearly 75 percent relative to U.S. averages (by itself adding nearly $1 billion per year to electric costs) while having the effect of increasing Maine’s use of oil and natural gas to the highest per capita in the United States.

Following the Peterborough Principle
A Green Revolution has hit the USA. Green is popular and chic; it’s politically correct, and it’s good business. Reducing, reusing and recycling are imperative to keeping our planet healthy, as well as ourselves, our homes and our towns. I am astounded by the amount of trash my family and I generate every week. We do what we can to limit waste: we bring our own bags to the grocery store, we buy in bulk, we compost kitchen waste, we recycle. Still, the trash piles up in the garage, and off to the transfer station we go. When I learned that the Blue Hill/Surry Transfer Station would no longer accept glass for recycling my intellectual reaction was one of surprise. Soon after, when I threw a glass jar in the trash for the first time, my reaction was more visceral. “What the @#$! am I doing!”

Letters
Oil Prices Must Be Dealt With Now

Time for New Representation

Come On, Governor and State Politicians: Take Action

Power and Money Concerns Trump People

Village Soup
Midcoast destinations lure cruise ships

Maine News for Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Portland Press Herald
Group seeks to hold off winter heating crisis
An energy panel presents ideas -- including insulating every Maine home -- to Gov. Baldacci.

Poll finds solid vote for Collins in Maine
Voters show a preference for the Republican over her Democratic rival, U.S. Rep. Tom Allen.

Cars in the cross hairs
A panel wants to raise meter fees, charge residents for street parking, and alter roads and routes on the peninsula.

Groups join in campaign for affordable health care
Advocates line the steps of the State House to call on politicians to pass health-care legislation.

State overrides local law for I-295 project trucks
The rumbling traffic begins as early as 4:30 a.m., sparking complaints.

Fed to revamp lending rules
The changes would help protect homebuyers from shady practices by banks and brokers.

Godsend or gimmick?
The government says it has tested the products, but the savings were not enough to justify the cost.

Explorer of the Seas visits Portland

Editorial
River and mill both benefit from certainty
The collapse of a dam-removal pact with Sappi is an economic and environmental setback.

ANOTHER VIEW: 'Adopt' specialty license plate would meet a crying need
An editorial saying an animal welfare license plate is one too many misses the mark.

SHENNA BELLOWSSpying bill would choke privacy rights
If Sens. Snowe and Collins back a FISA expansion, citizens would lose their freedom from surveillance.

Letters

Gun ruling's foes overlook Constitution

Passamaquoddy joined forces with colonists against British

Congress hasn't learned anything from Iraq debacle

Sen. Collins did not deny protesters right to speak up

Bangor Daily News

Economic boost seen as key to reversing trend
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - A new study showing declining life expectancy among Washington County women provoked a call to action by several state officials at a meeting last month at the Department of Health and Human Services building.

Maine's oldest Catholic parish to celebrate its bicentennial
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
NEWCASTLE, Maine - The oldest continuing parish north of St. Augustine, Fla., and the first in the nation to be named for Saint Patrick will hold its bicentennial celebration this weekend in Newcastle.

Study: DHHS lax with payouts
Wednesday, July 9. 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - The Legislature's nonpartisan Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability has found that the Department of Health and Human Services has not been providing adequate oversight of many contracted services.

Veazie man jailed in N.Y. for marijuana
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
BANGOR, Maine - A Veazie man was arrested last week on Interstate 95 in Mamaroneck, N.Y., after a police dog sniffed out more than 20 pounds of marijuana in his car estimated to be worth more than $50,000, according to a report published a Westchester County, N.Y., newspaper.

Editorial

Hold the Line on Spying
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
A bill to expand the government's ability to eavesdrop on Americans appears to be headed for passage in the Senate this week. This is a mistake. There is a better way.

Misdirected Energy
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
A special legislative session on energy is not a bad idea - if lawmakers have some concrete steps they plan to quickly take. But Maine, with its lack of excess funds and few indigenous energy resources can do little to lower fuel costs for the upcoming winter.

Dick Dyer: Facts against DOT's taking of Sail Inn
In the recent Maine Supreme Judicial Court decision regarding whether to allow further court examination of alleged wrongful taking of the Sail Inn Restaurant by the Maine Department of Transportation, Justicee Donald Alexander concluded that my brothers provided 'their own bald assertions' instead of evidence in accusing the DOT of wrongful taking.

July 9 Letters to the Editor

Kennebec Journal
AUGUSTA: I-295 project trucks breaking city rules
AUGUSTA -- Dump trucks steadily rumbling between the ongoing Interstate 295 reconstruction and Pike Industries' pit in the Summerhaven area are running beyond the hours of operation allowed by city ordinance.

Board to take up schedule plan for Cony
AUGUSTA -- A controversial schedule change for Cony High School some officials believe could help reverse a trend of failing students goes back to the Board of Education tonight.

Public properties with private feel
An approaching car pulls off the side of the road. The woman inside frantically rolls down the window and flashes a wide smile.

Rally seeks better health care, cheaper
AUGUSTA -- Calling it the first order of business for a new president and Congress, speakers from a collective of advocacy groups launched a campaign on the Statehouse steps Tuesday morning urging politicians in Augusta and Washington, D.C., to take action on health care.

Consolidation dance renews
OAKLAND -- The deadline for forming new regional school units is July 1 -- less than a year from today.

On Maine Politics

Petition dispute in court Thursday

Editorial

Blasting logjam blown up with new ordinance
After the years of rancor, lawsuits, rumbling and anger and finger-pointing, it's a miracle that the city of Augusta has a new blasting ordinance that satisfies both pit owners and residents of a neighborhood long affected by gravel mining.

GEORGE SMITH : Goodbye, manufacturing; hello, health care
A wool blanket has been thrown over Maine's manufacturing industries.

Letters

America needs to act fast on alternative fuels
Just a few thoughts on Iran, U.S.A., European Union, et al. But mostly about the world's dilemma concerning the oil shortages, gas prices and what, if anything, the major world powers are doing about it.

Maine politicians skirt the First Amendment
Sen. John Martin and Sen. Elizabeth Mitchell's 11th hour attempt to disband the state Office of Program Evaluation & Government Accounta-bility and their political maneuver to pass Dirigo funding without proper debate is a clear indication of their imperious attitude gained by their many years, too many years, serving in the Legislature.

Editorial on Pew Forum study raises concerns
The editorial reaction to the Pew Forum study on religious diversity in our country was strange. The editorial quoting of the Pew Religion study was perhaps as narrow as the interpretation.

Remove plaque now from Curran bridge
They say the name of the downtown bridge can't be changed until the Legislature convenes in December or January. Forget the name change. Why can't they physically remove the plaque which is a constant reminder of Father Curran's unforgivable past to everyone who crosses the bridge?

Sun Journal
Sappi pulls out of dam agreement
PORTLAND (AP) - Sappi Fine Paper North America has pulled out of a historic deal to remove a dam on the Presumpscot River to allow sea-run fish to swim upstream.

Court weighs sides of primary outcome
PORTLAND (AP) - The Supreme Judicial Court has heard arguments about disputed ballots in a legislative primary race in Yarmouth and is expected to issue a written decision within a few days.

SMCC offers heavy equipment degree
SOUTH PORTLAND (AP) - Southern Maine Community College will become the only college to offer a degree in heavy equipment operations in southern Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.

Plum Creek plan deadline looms
GREENVILLE (AP) - If you want to weigh in on Plum Creek Timber Co.'s Moose-head Lake development plan, it's time to put pencil to paper.

Prison hostage case to be reviewed
PORTLAND (AP) - The Maine Legislature's Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee is poised to review circumstances surrounding a prison hostage situation last week.

Mainers oppose casino, drive less
LEWISTON - High gas prices are prompting Melanie Herrick of Auburn to spend less time behind the wheel. She's given up driving to work.

Editorial

The state's sharp, short, energy session
Let's be clear: If a politician can deliver affordable heating oil, he or she shouldn't just be re-elected, but made potentate-for-life. In today's petroleum peril, however, there's little sense in praying for miracles.

Election outcome could affect court's balance
John McCain calls the future shape of the federal judiciary "one of the defining issues of this presidential election," a point underscored by the recent spate of 5-4 Supreme Court decisions.

Fudafest: Smoke pot, dance naked
I know how it is. Every once in a while, you just want to go crazy, get naked, and hang out in downtown Norway. And I'd encourage it, friend, except you have that awful habit of wearing tube socks even when you are otherwise nude.

MPBN
Activists Prepare for Affordable Healthcare Campaign

A coalition of healthcare activists brought the so-called "Health Care for America Now" campaign to the State House today. It was an effort to make affordable healthcare for all a major issue in this year's congressional elections. The campaign is encouraging lawmakers to come up with some new options for consumers. They include private coverage, government-administered health insurance or some different approach for guaranteeing access to health care for all Americans. A.J. Higgins reports.

Adult Adoption Case Returns to State Supreme Court

A legal battle involving an adult woman's adoption by her lesbian partner and a share of the IBM fortune is headed back to Maine's highest court. Patricia Spado was adopted seventeen years ago by her then-lover Olive Watson, the granddaughter of the founder of IBM and the daughter of the company's long-time president Thomas Watson Junior. The adoption, which took place in Maine, theoretically put Spado in line to inherit a share of the Watson family fortune. But earlier this year, after a three-year legal battle, the adoption was annulled by a Knox County probate judge. Spado is now appealing that decision to the Maine Supreme Court.

PolitickerME
Pan Atlantic Group Poll: Obama, Collins lead in Maine

Howard Dean rally, Hoffman hearing on Thursday

Times Record
New signs show cyclists the way

Maine News for Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Portland Press Herald
Company quits deal to remove mill dam
State officials believe costs were a factor in Sappi's decision. A formal hearing is expected later this year.

Supreme court considers tied vote
A decision is likely in a few days on the winner of the Democratic nomination in House District 107.

Business coalition endorses McCain
About 30 Maine small businesses join a national campaign to support McCain's economic plan.

Tourism comes and goes
Many businesses are thankful for a strong holiday showing, but questions linger about the season's overall prospects.

RV travelers stop short
Fuel costs mean fewer trips and staying closer to home

Car dealers feel impact of changes
They can't sell the vehicles that they have in stock and can't get enough of the high-mileage cars that buyers want.

Hearing to review hostage case
Lawmakers have questions about last week's incident at the Maine State Prison.

Editorials
New community college offerings will boost state
In an era when money is tight, these new programs reflect good resource prioritization.

Public art does its job when it starts a conversation
Portland's art committee should make sure that the whole community feels included.

Obama's embrace of faith-based programs patently un-American
Either the Democratic presidential candidate is pandering, or he doesn't understand our system.

School improvement efforts under the radar
Learning Results is a work in progress, but we can cheer teachers for striving to better themselves.

Translating youthful idealism into action
The U.S. Public Service Academy would train bright undergraduates to serve the American people.

Letters

Kucinich steps up to hold administration accountable

Democrats fail to deliver on pledge to provide care

Beverage, insurance tax hike will add to Mainers' burden

Bangor Daily News

Lincoln mill boss calls for energy plan
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
LINCOLN, Maine - Provided by the government of New Brunswick, the nearly $60 million in low-interest, long-term loans issued this spring will help the Canadian province's largest employers upgrade technology, dump traditional energy sources and eventually crush their American forest products industry competitors, Keith Van Scotter said Monday.

Red tide hospitalizes 3 in Calais
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
MACHIAS, Maine - Three people were admitted to a Machias hospital over the weekend with symptoms of red tide or paralytic shellfish poisoning, marking the second time in less than a year that people in Maine have been sickened after a nearly 30-year absence of any cases.

Less bucks means less bang for Fourth
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
BANGOR, Maine - People who traveled to the city's waterfront to watch the sky during this year's Fourth of July fireworks display say the pyrotechnics didn't compare to years past.

Medicare gridlock looms
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - Because the U.S. Senate has failed to block a decrease of more than 10 percent in Medicare payments to doctors, Maine senior citizens on the federal program could have difficulty finding a physician and doctors face the loss of $50 million over the next 18 months.

Prisoner assaults jail guard with own badge
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
BELFAST, Maine - A prisoner who told officers he had nothing to lose by his actions ripped the badge from the shirt of a Waldo County Jail corrections officer and assaulted him with it.

Gas costs sap volunteer drivers
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
The high price of gasoline is affecting everybody, including agencies dedicated to providing transportation to medical appointments and other health-related destinations. Three area agencies said Monday that they are still managing to transport the poor, the elderly and others who can't drive themselves, but they anticipate harder times ahead.

Editorials

Maine Party Platforms
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Which political party's platform supports "the preservation of the Maine Woods and open spaces through public and private initiatives" and which asserts "Democracy is the belief that the best repository of wisdom lies in the hands of an informed and educated electorate"?

Flip-Flop Findings
Monday, July 7, 2008
Universities and colleges do research every day that leads to improvements in our lives. But occasionally there are studies that result in nothing more than a collective shrug, often because their results are so obvious.

John Buell: Mural shows off Maine's social history
Labor Day once marked the last big weekend of the tourist season. That season now extends well into the fall, to the relief of many Maine businesses. The success of the season is often viewed as a commentary on how well businesses and state government have marketed its rustic and rock-bound image. Yet Maine's achievements, even its success as a tourist destination, depend as much on its social history as on the natural qualities it possesses.

Steve Butterfield: Offshore drilling the wrong way to go
In a June 26 OpEd piece, Rep. Josh Tardy of Newport claimed that Democratic opposition to drilling offshore was the main obstacle standing between hardworking Mainers and affordable heating oil and gas this winter. Among other claims, he commented that he thought it was ridiculous that China can drill 60 miles off our coast "thanks to their agreements with Cuba" while the U.S. is prohibited from doing so because of our own laws.

July 8 Letters to the editor

Kennebec Journal
Vernal pools fuel Maine woods
WAYNE -- In an instant we are all five years old again, tromping our way through ankle-deep muck and sloshing along in the water in rubber boots.

Council OKs funds for downtown projects
AUGUSTA City councilors unanimously approved $218,000 worth of projects meant to help revitalize downtown, including a radio broadcasting system, signs and maps to help visitors find and learn what's happening downtown.

Lawyer, state rep defend connection
WINSLOW Anthony Buxton and Ken Fletcher have a shared passion for creating and preserving hydroelectric power that has brought them together inside and out of the state capitol.

AUGUSTA: Accord seen on blasting
AUGUSTA A proposed new blasting ordinance seems to have silenced controversy that erupted between pit owners and local residents over the last several years.

AUGUSTA: More parking for church, bigger sign at club
AUGUSTA -- The Planning Board meets tonight to hold public hearings on proposals for a new office building on Town and Country Road, more parking at St. Augustine Church, an addition
onto a Riverside Drive apartment building, and a proposed change to the city's sign ordinance.

On Maine Politics

McCain's jobs plan draws support

Editorials
DAVID B. OFFER : What's the right kind of medical care later in life?
It's awkward to talk to old people about dying.

PATRICK CUNNINGHAM AND SUSAN FARNSWORTH : New pay-per-bag trash system cheaper, better for Hallowell residents
On behalf of the members of Hallowell's Solid Waste Committee, we appreciate this chance to explain why we believe the proposed city-run waste hauling system will not increase taxes as reported by the Kennebec Journal on July 24, 2008, and will financially benefit Hallowell residents.

Letters

Subprime mortgage article was informative
The commentary, "Plenty of culprits in U.S. mortgage mess" (June 30) was a great autopsy of past and future fiascoes!

LURC should listen to citizens on Plum Creek
When the Land Use Regulation Commission (LURC) renders its decision about the Plum Creek plan to develop Maine's Moosehead Lake region, I wonder whether its members will be able to look their children and their grandchildren in the eye and explain themselves.

Morning Sentinel

Consolidation dance begins anew
OAKLAND -- The deadline for forming new regional school units is July 1 -- less than a year from today.

Planners OK Colby Street building
WATERVILLE The Planning Board on Monday unanimously approved construction of a 7,000-square-foot office building on Colby Street, despite repeated and unsuccessful attempts to find out who will occupy the building.

Sun Journal
Lesbian partner adoption annulled
PORTLAND - An adult adoption involving lesbian partners and a claim to a share of one of America's premier business fortunes has been annulled, bouncing their high-profile case back to Maine's highest court.

Film festival kicks off Friday
WATERVILLE (AP) -About 4,000 movie fans are headed to Waterville this week and next for the 11th annual Maine International Film Festival.

Editorials
Another registry? Not so fast
If there's one thing Maine knows about online criminal registries, it's that they carry unforeseen consequences.

A Republican's plan to take on the big stuff
Shhh. Listen. Hear that? It's a pulse. Faint, but there. An actual sign of life, one that could allay the fears of many about the state of Republicans in Congress.

Letters
CFTA is a bad deal for U.S.
John McCain was in Colombia and Mexico recently, promoting free trade agreements. Specifically, he wants to see the U.S. Congress pass the Colombia Free Trade Agreement, an expansion of the North American Free Trade Agreement.

America needs real energy plan
As a cashier at a gas station, I've met many people ... good, hard-working folks, struggling to break even. Unless oil prices fall sharply, I fear this nation is headed for a major recession. The middle class and the working poor will be decimated. Our community, which has seen an economic rebound in recent years, will fall into a steep decline.

MPBN
Canada Fears Poor Summer for Tourism

Maine's tourism industry depends heavily on visitors from Canada, so it's perhaps no suprise that Canada's industry also depends on tourists from Maine. But fewer Mainers are making the trip north across the border this summer, and the nation's tourism industry is on the brink of what some Canadian officials say is a crisis. Keith Shortall reports.

Medical Professionals Engage in Literature Discussions

Doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers are busy people -- too busy, you would imagine, to sit around talking about books.But a literature discussion program for medical professionals, started in Maine 11 years ago, is enjoying huge success. The Literature in Medicine program was established by the Maine Humanities Council and now receives major funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities. It has spread to 20 states as well as overseas, and inspired a recently-published anthology of selected poetry and prose, called "Imagine What It's Like." Interviewed by Tom Porter, Liz Sinclair of the Maine Humanities Council says the program is a way for healthcare professionals of all different disciplines to get together and reflect on their work.

Electronic Medical Demonstration Project Delayed

Members of the Dirigo Health board of directors learned today that Maine will have wait a year to take part in a federally funded demonstration project aimed at encouraging doctors to convert to electronic medical records systems. The state was approved for inclusion in the $29 million incentive grant last April. As A.J. Higgins reports, Maine doctors hope to learn from the handful of other states chosen to launch the project.

Aroostook County Economic Outlook - Part 1

Morning Edition host Irwin Gratz hears, in an interview, that nothern-most Maine is escaping some of the worst of the economic downdrafts.

PolitickerME

Bringing a gun to a knife fight

Yarmouth recount: A tale of three ballots

Maine News for Monday, July 7, 2008

Portland Press Herald
Lakes Region bus may fall victim to high fuel prices
Towns want the service, but it's hard for them to come up with the money.

Race is on to keep bulbs with mercury out of waste stream
Ecomaine will monitor recycling efforts closely as Mainers begin discarding millions of the bulbs.

Lobsterman battled fire before boat sank
Greg Lawson emptied two extinguishers before putting on a survival suit and jumping overboard.

Still planning a trip, even in hunker-down economy
A gathering of about 150 people in Portland shows the well-off put a priority on vacation spending.

Saddled with high costs
Hay and grain prices have officials worried that Mainers won't be able to properly care for their horses.

From Sunday
The Knock on Wood
It's only July, but if you haven't bought your stove and fuel for the winter, you may be too late.

Editorial
EditorialsSenate candidates get energy policy right
Help for those struggling with high fuel costs and a good long-term plan is the correct path.

Cell-phone laws should prove if bans are worth it
California and Washington are the latest states to outlaw hand-held phones by drivers.

Medicare information card puts patients at risk for ID theft
This is a classic case of the government's left hand not knowing what the right hand does.

LEIGH DONALDSONWhat's really behind America's attachment to 'things'

Bonnie Titcomb Lewis Special to the Press HeraldPolitics shouldn't make us enemies
It's one thing to debate issues with vigor, but it's something else to assassinate character.

Letters
Overzealous zoning has drawbacks

There are no grounds to impeach President Bush

Attorney general has work to do yet in his own office

John Frary for Congress? Why not for president?

Upgrading the toll plaza is a cheaper alternative

Bangor Daily News

Experts: Renewable energy crucial for Maine
Monday, July 7, 2008
Former Gov. Angus King is calling it a 'catastrophe' and perhaps 'the most serious crisis ever to face the state of Maine.

Maine lawmakers worry about pre-convention politics
Monday, July 7, 2008
Congress is back in Washington this week after the Fourth of July recess, but members of Maine’s congressional delegation say they are concerned about how much will be accomplished before the monthlong recess for the national party conventions in August and September.

LURC deadline to comment on Plum Creek plan looms
Monday, July 7, 2008
Time is running out for the public to comment on proposed changes to Plum Creek Timber Co.'s historic development plan for the Moosehead Lake region.

Officials look out for fuel fraud
Monday, July 7, 2008
LEWISTON, Maine - Homeowners Paul and Linda Martin thought that $300 for two cords of green firewood seemed too good to be true. And the stack that was delivered seemed small.

Shellfish processors brace for red tide
Monday, July 7, 2008
ELLSWORTH, Maine - The 2005 season is generally considered among the worst for red tide closures, but officials with the Maine Department of Marine Resources fear this season could be even worse.

Red tide persists Down East, improves in southern Maine
Monday, July 7, 2008
BANGOR, Maine - The areas of the Down East coast open to shellfish harvesting are continuing to shrink because of the presence of toxic red tide.

Former business owner sued over oil cleanup
Monday, July 7, 2008
PITTSFIELD, Maine — J. Kenton Wright, former owner of J.K. Wright Inc., a Chevrolet dealership and repair business on Somerset Avenue, is being sued by the state for his share of cleanup costs at a Plymouth Superfund site.

From Saturday
Credits available for energy upgrades
Saturday, July 5, 2008
People who make energy efficiency improvements to their homes are eligible for a number of tax credits but not nearly as many as are available to small businesses.

Tighten homes now for winter
Saturday, July 5, 2008
With new record fuel prices arriving daily and another New England winter looming, many Maine homeowners are exploring every possible avenue to make their abodes more energy-efficient.

Editorial
Flip-Flop Findings
Monday, July 7, 2008
Universities and colleges do research every day that leads to improvements in our lives. But occasionally there are studies that result in nothing more than a collective shrug, often because their results are so obvious.

Work This Way … Or Else
Monday, July 7, 2008
When unemployment creeps up and finding another job is made more difficult by the high cost of gas, the balance of power in the worker-employer relationship tips toward the employer. Don't like the dozen new tasks heaped onto your workday? There’s the door, the boss may say.

Anne L. Head: Addressing abuse, exploitation of seniors
Responding to Gov. John Baldacci's call for state government to actively address the needs of Maine's expanding older population, the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation is stepping up its consumer protection efforts aimed at seniors.

July 7 Letters to the Editor

Kennebec Journal
CHARACTER BUILDING Gov. Curtis Homestead a landmark land trust property
LEEDS -- A spindly asparagus stalk stretches its limbs into the breeze. The tough old relic is a tender reminder of what this hard-knock little stretch of central Maine farming land once produced.

High costs pinch owners of horses
AUGUSTA -- The skyrocketing cost of fuel has boosted the price of hay and grain, forcing people to dig deeper into their pockets to feed their horses.

Beware bites of ticks
The annual number of Lyme disease cases has more than doubled since 1991. With last winter especially wet with snow, the conditions are ripe for the deer-tick tally to soar, warns the Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Editorial

Online state corrections list needs review
The state's elected officials are right to ask the Department of Corrections to slow down on its plan to publish an online list of all state prison inmates and probationers.

Letters

Kim Davis a worthy candidate for Senate
Maine has been led, for as long as I can remember, by the liberal left and has spiraled out of control in the process. The liberal majority, along with a select few of those conservatives in sheep clothing, have raised our taxes, created ridiculous laws and regulations and continue to hinder our state's forward progression. Now is the time for Mainers to regain control of our government.

Sun Journal

Wealthy Americans ignore high gas prices, hit the road
PORTLAND - High gas prices may mean fewer families will be headed to the beach or the mountains this summer, but rising prices likely won't be keeping wealthy people from missing out on vacation.

Indoor fireworks cause blazing fire
SANFORD (AP) - The state fire marshal's office says a fire that damaged a 10-apartment building in Sanford was caused by a man setting off fireworks indoors.

Cruelty charges not first for suspect
SOMERVILLE (AP) - A Somerville dog breeder accused of aggravated animal cruelty faced similar criminal charges 14 years ago, at a time when she was not licensed to breed or kennel animals.

Candidates' Internet savvy: good or bad?
AUSTIN, Texas - A popular campaign theme among the perpetually plugged-in is just how Internet savvy the two presidential candidates are.

Candidates shape campaigns for Internet age
AUSTIN, Texas - John McCain is looking a little wired these days.

Editorial
Senate must take action to fund Medicare
As the nation recovers from the long holiday weekend, seniors and their physicians have little to celebrate. Procedural tactics in the Senate thwarted efforts to halt a harsh 10.6 percent cut in Medicare payments for physician services that began July 1, which will surely affect access to health care.

PolitickerME
State House and Senate candidates still not finalized

Times Record

High cost of oil turns focus back to wood...(full story)

Maine News for Thursday, July 3, 2008

Portland Press Herald
Allen touts heating oil relief, goal of energy independence
Election 2008: His far-reaching plan includes tax credits, drilling mandates and more R&D funding.
Attack affects paper's Web sites
A 'simplistic hack' overloads the servers that manage the sites, making them only intermittently available.

Forecasting the Fourth a ticklish job
Record gas prices and an unsettled atmosphere make tourist traffic difficult to predict.

River flows pose risk to holiday swimmers
Heavy rains are making for faster currents, a likely factor in a man's death Tuesday on the Saco River.

Maine plans to stake out N.H. fireworks stores
People trying to bring fireworks into Maine may be arrested at the border, the state fire marshal says.

GrowSmart taking a look at the future
The Yarmouth nonprofit is studying how Maine can remake government and deal with climate change.

Religious school subsidy struck down
Two parents argued that Swans Island's policy used no state money and thus did not violate state law.

Winslow gets ready for grand parade
Every year, early birds who want a good spot set up their lawn chairs before the sun rises.

Forecasting the weekend a ticklish job
Record gas prices and an unsettled atmosphere make tourist traffic difficult to predict.

Juliana L'HeureuxFrench Mass honors Franco-American veterans

Editorial

Zimbabwe does not have an elected president
Mugabe's claim on power has nothing to do with votes, and he shouldn't be treated as such.

Backyard fireworks fans should follow China's lead
The same risk that limits fireworks exports should also scare off pyrotechnic amateurs.

Growing demand for water gives trustees something to consider
The Kennebunk, Kennebunkport and Wells Water District should turn down Nestle's offer.

We can make two mistakes about food: Value it too highly, or not enough
Among the parts of life in which balance is a virtue, what (and how much) we eat ranks near the top.

Competition will fix health care
Imagine a grocery store giving food away to the poor and charging you triple. That's our hospitals.

Letters
Still waiting on a check to stimulate the economy

Bangor Daily News

Support builds for energy session
Thursday, July 03, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - Gov. John Baldacci and legislative leaders say support is building for an energy special session this summer to address what the state can do to help Mainers weather the energy crisis next winter.

More drilling part of Allen's energy strategy
Thursday, July 03, 2008
BANGOR, Maine — Standing only a few blocks away from where he announced his health care plan in May, U.S. Rep Tom Allen made another local appearance Wednesday to tout his strategy for addressing the country’s energy needs.

Fourth of July events
Thursday, July 03, 2008
Concerts and fireworks are key events for the Fourth of July.

UM student competing today in Las Vegas poker tourney
Thursday, July 03, 2008
Sometimes gambling pays off. Rarely does gambling pay off college tuition. But Max Ludwig, a fourth-year new media major at the University of Maine, has done just that by winning more than $170,000 in the past three years playing online poker.

Economy forcing people to make the toughest cut: family pets
Thursday, July 03, 2008
BANGOR, Maine - As household expenses - food, fuel, heating costs - rise at an unprecedented rate, more and more pet owners are finding themselves making the difficult choice to give up their pets.

SkillsUSA announces winners from Maine
Thursday, July 03, 2008
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Students from Maine high schools and college technical education programs won the nation’s highest awards Wednesday evening at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference.

Jet fuel supplier cites state taxes for BIA pull out
Thursday, July 03, 2008
BANGOR, Maine - The corporation that supplies jet fuel to Bangor International Airport has notified the city that it plans to end its agreement with the facility because of the state's high tax burden.

Editorial

Editorial: Progress with Pyongyang
Thursday, July 03, 2008
North Korea’s handing over a required declaration of its nuclear activities and the accompanying relaxing of U.S. restrictions are important steps toward a resolution of a decades-long standoff over the secretive regime’s weapons work. Many more steps must be taken before the process can be called a success.

George Will: When was America's originative moment?
The impatient patriots in Mecklenburg County, N.C., had splendidly short fuses in 1775. Those who tilled the startlingly red clay or who lived in the town named for George III’s wife, Charlotte, might have been bemused had they foreseen the annual hoopla that commemorates July 4, 1776.

Karen Johnson: Guns in parks would do more harm than good
I take issue with Brad Macdonald’s position in his column "Guns in parks a national right" (BDN, June 25). The right to bear arms does not mean the right to carry guns in schools, hospitals and government buildings, or on playgrounds, and, in my opinion, other public places funded by my tax dollars.

July 3 Letters to the Editor

Kennebec Journal
Democrats challenge party rival to Allen

HOW TO FIX IT
AUGUSTA -- Alan Caron wants to ask a simple question that will undoubtedly spark a lot of debate.

Media group puts 4 in Hall
Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel columnist Jim Brunelle is among those being honored by the Maine Press Association.

BRIEFS
LIVERMORE FALLS -- Democrats in House District 81 will meet at 6 p.m. July 9 at Treat Memorial Library on Main Street to choose a candidate to run for the seat.

Sun Journal
Maine's peak tourism season begins with holiday weekend
PORTLAND (AP) - Fair weather is expected for much of the Independence Day weekend as the peak tourist season gets under way in Maine.

Court rejects school funding appeal
PORTLAND (AP) - Maine's highest court has rejected an appeal by a Swans Island couple who wanted the town to pay for their children's education at a Christian school.

Democrats call caucus

Residents look to new vote

Editorial
Maine regulations do not protect motorcycle racers
There is a law in Maine that requires any person or organization who wants to operate a motor vehicle racing event or track to obtain an annual license from the commissioner of public safety.

What should we believe? What they said, or say now?
In keeping with his "messiah" image, Barack Obama might have been more at home in Bethlehem, Pa., than in Unity, N.H., when he and his "former" nemesis, Hillary Clinton, opened their new act on the road to mixed reviews.

Letters
Two current wars are enough
Now that President Bush's divisive administration is drawing to a close by issuing frequent threats against Iran, the truth is striking.

MPBN

Commissioner Says Hostage-Taking Situation was "Extremely Volatile"

It was business as usual today at the Maine State Prison after yesterday's seven hour standoff off between an inmate holding two hostages and a police tactical squad. That's the word from Corrections Commissioner Martin Magnusson. The Commisioner applauded the armed officers for freeing the hostages and subduing the inmate without serious injury or loss of life. Keith Mckeen reports.

Allen Unveils Energy Plan While Campaigning in Bangor

Democratic Congressman and U.S. Senate nominee Tom Allen made several appearances in Bangor today to discuss local healthcare concerns as well as to present his strategy to decrease the countries reliance on foreign fuels and help Mainers pay for oil this winter. Anne Ravana reports.

Katahdin Paper Reduces Dependence on Oil

Katahdin Paper Company officials, scrambling to stave off this month's scheduled shutdown of the Millinocket Mill, are hoping that a switch to bio-mass could play a role in keeping it open. Soaring oil prices have taken their toll on the paper industry, but Katahdin is expressing optimistim after taking steps to reduce the company's dependence on oil. Keith McKeen reports.

PolitickerME

CQ tackles Collins-Allen race in profile

Allen calls on oil companies to get drilling

Times Record

CMP eyes major line upgrades in Maine (full story)

Maine delegation fights for future BIW contracts (full story)

Biz park feasibility moves on (full story)

Editorial

Recommit to justice (full story)

Ellsworth American
Garden Gathering In Deer Isle

CMP to Build New Transmission Line
AUGUSTA — Central Maine Power Tuesday officially launched its plans to build a new transmission line that will pass through 80 Maine towns on its way from Orrington to Newington, N.H.

State Archives Has Run Out of Room for Documents
AUGUSTA — The State Archives are full with no room for any more documents.

Slots and Gas Prices Whittle Downeast Towns’ Bingo Take
SULLIVAN — Bingo attendance and revenue are dwindling and organizers are blaming the lure of slot machines in Bangor, and, in part, gas prices.

Zapped Again
ELLSWORTH — The price of electricity just went up for Bangor Hydro-Electric’s 115,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in Hancock, Penobscot and Washington counties.

Unions 92, 96 and Ellsworth to Meet
SULLIVAN — The school consolidation process has often been compared to a marriage without the possibility of divorce.

Editorial
The DHHS Strikes Again

Abolish the Death Penalty

Growth in Gambling

Village Soup

Fire consumes Rockport lobsterboat

Keep Me Current

Site walk next step for Poland Spring in Hollis

Losing money, Cape seeks to privatize fitness center

Bigger school budget goes back to Cape voters

They've got the power

Small gas station owners paying the price for old pumps

Back to the future for heating Maine?

Maine News for Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Portland Press Herald
A contribution to evolution
Maine people and places played important roles int he heroic beginnings our our nation.

Assault by police led inmate to give up
Maine's corrections chief gives an account of the first hostage situation at the Warren prison since it opened in 2002.

Mainers won't see fireworks shortage
Professional producers say they had plenty in stock or traveled to China to ensure an ample supply.

Amid flashy fanfare, expanded Hollywood Slots opens
The $132 million gaming complex in Bangor has 1,000 slot machines.

Flippers inspire windmill innovation
Blades for fans and wind turbines are modeled after the anatomy of a humpback's appendages.

Editorial
Electric power policy interconnected, complex
A $1.9 billion proposal to build new transmission lines isn't the only pressing issue.

Bangor Daily News

Court rejects Christian school tuition subsidy
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
SWANS ISLAND, Maine - An appeal filed by a local couple hoping to get the town to pay for their children’s education at a Christian school in Trenton has been rejected by the state supreme court.

Maine's rank in technology index drops
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - Maine has dropped six places in the national State Technology and Science Index compiled by the Milliken Institute, a complex report dubbed 'the gold standard' of such studies by Gov. John Baldacci four years ago.

State prison hostage details aired
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - Monday evening’s tense hostage situation inside the Maine State Prison nearly came to a violent end, the state's corrections commissioner said Tuesday.

Katahdin mill switches to biomass
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
EAST MILLINOCKET, Maine - The Katahdin Paper Co. LLC's Main Street mill 'took a major step toward profitability' by shutting down its oil burner and answering all steam needs with its biomass boiler, company officials said Tuesday.

New Bangor slots facility welcomes public on opening day
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
BANGOR, Maine - The long-awaited opening of Hollywood Slots Hotel and Raceway Tuesday got off to a brisk start with patrons beginning to arrive about 7:30 a.m., hours before the facility's 10 a.m. official opening.

Power line plan unveiled
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - Two utility companies unveiled plans Tuesday for a $1.9 billion overhaul of Maine's electricity transmission lines aimed at bolstering reliability and encouraging large-scale wind power development in Aroostook County.

State can't afford antiviral medicine
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Maine is one of just two states that have not participated in a federal program which helps states purchase and store doses of the potent antiviral drugs Tamiflu and Relenza. The prescription medications are widely seen as important pharmaceutical weapons against a predicted global outbreak of a deadly strain of influenza, but Maine's chief public health officer says there’s no money to purchase the drugs.

LNG settlement talks perhaps on horizon
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
BANGOR, Maine - A federal judge appeared Tuesday to be steering a federal lawsuit filed more than 2½ years ago against the Bureau of Indian Affairs by Passamaquoddys who oppose construction of a liquefied natural gas terminal on tribal land through its final stages toward a possible settlement.

Rail rehabilitation project meeting resistance
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
ELLSWORTH, Maine - The Calais Branch Corridor Rehabilitation project has been up and running for more than a week but not everyone is giving two thumbs up in support.

Editorial

School smarts
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
A regional high school with students from Orono and Old Town and the involvement of the University of Maine has been talked about for at least 60 years. A group of mostly retired school officials and businesspeople has revived the idea. It is past time for this idea to get a much closer look.

Logic and short lobsters
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Everyone loves a good conspiracy. Consider the industry that has grown up around doubt over the official explanation of JFK's assassination or the 'evidence,' mostly on the Internet, that the United States destroyed the World Trade Center. But, when it comes to the state's former head warden caught with short lobsters, Occam's razor provides the most likely explanation.

Bob Meyers: Flimsy policies a threat to Maine woods
In the June 14 BDN, four authors penned an opinion piece titled 'Preserving Maine's North Woods.' The authors claimed that it is the 'new generation of large landowners' who are fighting hard against the Land Use Regulation Commission and its Comprehensive Land Use Plan review process. Much to the contrary, landowners in Maine's Unorganized Territory are fighting hard to protect the current land-use plan, one that is already working well for the majority of owners and users of the jurisdiction.

Santaguida claims he was "set up." Does something smell fishy here?
This week, the BDN's interactive feature, ClickBack, seeks comment from editorial page readers on the resignation of former Maine Warden Service head Tom Santaguida, the rise of wood pellets as a fuel, and the Maine economy.

July 2 Letters to the Editor

Kennebec Journal

Web Site not working properly

Sun Journal
Firewood elusive as people stock up
BRUNSWICK (AP) - Mainers who buy firewood are paying more as they stock up this summer and many are finding short supplies, as well.

License plate would aid animals
PORTLAND (AP) - There's an effort afoot to create vanity license plates to benefit Maine's cash-strapped Animal Welfare Program.

Maine utilities look to beef up power grid
PORTLAND - Two utilities on Tuesday proposed $1.9 billion worth of electric infrastructure improvements to ensure reliability of the existing power grid as well as to connect northern Maine to the New England power grid for the first time.

Priest who committed suicide laid to rest
AUGUSTA (AP) - A Roman Catholic priest who took his life after being informed that he would be suspended pending an investigation of his alleged sexual abuse of a minor 29 years ago has been laid to rest.

After police smashed glass, prison standoff quickly ended
PORTLAND - A state police tactical squad smashed through a plate-glass window with guns ready to fire to bring an end to a tense seven-hour standoff with a Maine State Prison inmate who was holding two hostages, officials said Tuesday.

Democrats to caucus at Naples Town Office
Democrats are expected to caucus at Naples Town Office next week to appoint a replacement nominee for the race for House District 101, which includes Casco, Naples and part of Poland.

Five unenrolled candidates seek Maine House seats
Democrats and Republicans won't be the only candidates vying to be state representatives on November election ballots.

Editorial
Snowe's right: Energy crisis demands plan
In his 2006 State of the Union address, George W. Bush formally acknowledged what many have said: We are addicted to oil. Two years later, we are going through the shudders and heaves of an addict in withdrawal.

Shocking lack of civility evident in U.S. politics
I have no idea when reverence fled these shores. That it did, however, seems obvious.

Letters
Nation needs oil, now
I am really confused how we get all those government officials, from the top down, who have no common sense. It must be the money that gets them in.

Don't trade safety for savings
With the rising price of gasoline, and no end in sight, many people are thinking of trading in their SUV or truck. I question if it is worth it.

MPBN
Protestors Criticize Proposed Bottled Water Deal

At a rally in Kennebunk, customers of the local water district today called for the district's board of trustees to reject a 30 year deal to sell water to Poland Spring. Dozens of people gathered outside the main street office of the district which serves Kennebunk, Kennebunkport and Wells. Inside the building, water district board members were deciding whether to delay a vote on signing the agreement with Poland Spring's parent company, Nestle Waters North America. Keith McKeen reports.

Commissioner Says Hostage-Taking Situation was "Extremely Volatile"

It was business as usual today at the Maine State Prison after yesterday's seven hour standoff off between an inmate holding two hostages and a police tactical squad. That's the word from Corrections Commissioner Martin Magnusson. The Commisioner applauded the armed officers for freeing the hostages and subduing the inmate without serious injury or loss of life. Keith Mckeen reports.

PolitickerME
Progressive group backs Allen, Pingree

The pain in Maine falls mainly at the pump