Maine News for Friday, January 25, 2008

PRESS HERALD:
Families welcome Guard members
Thirteen communications specialists with the Maine Air National Guard have returned home after a nearly five-month deployment in Iraq.

Bus, rail expansion? Study starts
A $1 million project is looking at the merits of public transit to relieve highway traffic north and west of Portland.

N.H.'s PUC staff favors FairPoint deal
The land-line sales agreement is basically the same as those approved in Maine and considered in Vermont.

Proposals on state job cuts reviewed
State House: Lawmakers take a look at their options in the ongoing attempt to close a big budget gap.

EDITORIAL: Basketball franchise proposal has ingredients for success
Minor-league sports teams with a strong brand and good management do well in Portland.

EDITORIAL: Time to start citywide redistricting talks now
The Portland School Committee should redraw the school map to use scarce resources wisely.

COLUMN: Wow, the government wants to send us a check
There are ways this plan would make sense. Sadly, the way it's going down isn't one of them.

MAINE VOICES: Food pantries need help now -- and later
While winter makes people think of those in need more often, the need exists all year.

LTE: Take steps to abolish nuclear weapons

LTE: Keep Dirigo healthy, add Massachusetts mandate


BANGOR DAILY NEWS:
Oregon man subdued with Taser
An Oregon man with a long and violent criminal history, including a conviction for a 1984 murder in Louisiana, remained in custody Thursday after police officers used a Taser gun to subdue him at a local motel.

Firm's new Calais office welcome in a region hungry for fresh jobs
CALAIS - City officials were all smiles Thursday as a Canadian market research firm officially opened its first U.S.-based office on North Street.

Maine Dems reject parental consent bill
Legislative leaders, voting along party lines on Thursday, rejected proposed legislation that would require parental consent for schools to give children 14 and under prescription drugs, including birth control pills.

EDITORIAL: Stimulus and Housing
The plan to stimulate the sagging national economy, crafted by Congress and the president this week, focuses largely on giving checks to middle- and low-income people. The hope is that they will spend the money, and quickly, which in turn will stimulate the economy, which is heavily tied to consumer spending.

EDITORIAL: Offender Registry, Remade
As the Legislature's Criminal Justice Committee begins the difficult and emotionally charged task of remaking the state's sex offender registry in the wake of a Maine supreme court ruling and changes to federal law, lawmakers must ensure that the public is protected without excessive punishment or shaming.

Edward F. Snyder: Corrections system needs fundamental changes
The Friends Committee on Maine Public Policy, which represents Quaker meetings around the state, understands and appreciates Gov. John Baldacci's need to reduce state government spending in order to meet the constitutional requirement to balance the budget.

Joshua Foster : A fresh look at the plan for schools
While I've been educated in what I'm proud to say is one of the greatest public education states in the country, I now go to college in the nearby state of Massachusetts. Upon my convivial migration for winter break, I unwittingly drove straight into the great chaos that is school consolidation.

LTEs: Wiretapping outrage


MORNING SENTINEL:
$95 MILLION SHORTFALL: Lawmakers brace to pare state budget
AUGUSTA -- State lawmakers on Thursday reviewed state-issued contracts and proposed job cuts in hopes of finding more ways to save money to close a $95 million budget gap.

Southern Maine expected to see real estate stability
Southern Maine home prices will bottom out later this year, demand for Portland office space will remain strong and a large inventory of industrial space will flatten lease rates, experts predicted Thursday at the Maine Real Estate & Development Association's annual forecast conference.

Green groups target toxic toys
AUGUSTA -- Sandra Armington of Hallowell is worried about children who play with rubber duckies.

Somerset County to beef up emergency system
SKOWHEGAN -- Bob Higgins envisions a system of emergency shelters in Somerset County where even pets will have a place to go if the lights go out.

Colby now grants only
WATERVILLE -- Colby College made headlines last fall when it announced a plan to replace loans with grants for students from Maine who receive financial aid from the college.

Winter needs drain assistance funds
The Rev. Mark Tanner says money is being drained from the Ecumenical Ministerial Fund in Skowhegan like water through a sieve, as more and more calls come in for economic assistance.

CARLA DICKSTEIN LIVES IN WISCASSET AND : Maine faces tide of foreclosures: Rate of subprime mortgage loans in default highest in New England; federal action needed
Last June, the Maine Legislature unanimously passed legislation to protect Mainers from predatory mortgage lending practices that have contributed to a record number of foreclosures.

LTE: Inspections of vehicles every 2 years a bad idea

LTE: Lobby Congress to stop horse slaughter


KENNEBEC JOURNAL:
AUGUSTA TISSUE: New uses urged for old paper mill
AUGUSTA -- City officials are not ready to seize the former Augusta Tissue paper mill, but about a dozen neighbors Thursday shared their hopes for the nearly mile-long site with city officials Thursday.

LTE: Look at the facts regarding Citizens Energy
I would like to take this opportunity to address Mona Charen's Jan. 8 commentary concerning Joseph Kennedy II and his low-cost energy programs.


MPBN:
Legislature Asked to Crack Down on Metal Thieves
Skyrocketing prices for certain metals is fueling a bonanza in Maine for many recyclers. But it's also creating an alarming influx of stolen metal on the resale market. State lawmakers are now being asked to consider emergency legislation to help discourage metal thieves by imposing new requirements for scrap metal dealers. A.J. Higgins reports.

Maine Real Estate Officials Undaunted By National Trend
A national real estate trade group issued bleak news this morning, saying the nation's home sales saw their biggest decline in 25 years. But in Maine, the annual meeting of a real estate and development association was more upbeat. As Murray Carpenter reports, members say the real estate market is faring better in Maine than elsewhere in the country.

Harsh Prison Sentence Draws Mixed Reaction
A prison sentence meted out to an Aroostook County man this week by a federal judge in Bangor is likely among the harshest ever in Maine. It's life in prison for 56-year-old Michael Pelletier, sentenced for over a dozen felony convictions including drug trafficking, money laundering and social security fraud. But U.S. District Judge John Woodcock had no sentencing leeway, even though the defendent was confined to a wheelchair. Keith McKeen reports.


SUN JOURNAL:
EDITORIAL: Tax holiday would give us quickest relief
"If," said Rudyard Kipling," you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs... If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster and treat those two impostors just the same... If you can wait and not be tired by waiting..."

LTE: Money or their life?
I cannot imagine why the governor wants to privatize the Elizabeth Levinson Center in Bangor. He is taking Maine's most vulnerable population, the children with the severe to profound range of mental retardation, and handing them off to the private sector.


PORTSMOUTH HERALD:
Study: Cut Maine taxes
PORTLAND, Maine — A study released Thursday by a conservative Portland think tank estimates that Maine loses $36.4 million in tax revenues annually from Maine residents who shop in nearby New Hampshire.

Local shipyard maintenance crew to have work in San Diego
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Olympia J. Snowe, Susan Collins (R-ME), Judd Gregg and John Sununu (R-NH) announced today that the Navy will establish a detachment of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNS) in Southern California


BLOGS:
MPBN: Time for Tom Allen to change strategy
MPBN's Maine Things Considered aired a report last night that was pretty blunt about the direction of the Tom Allen for Senate Campaign so far. Here's how it started:

Collins Watch: Creeping Fascism?
I am disgusted by Sen. Olympia Snowe's stated position on the inclusion of immunity for telecoms in the FISA bill and justifications for it.

Senate Guru: Thursday Quick Hits
Maine: The New York Times eviscerates Susan Collins:

News of Maine: Tom Allen, Susan Collins, Olympia Snowe and Telecommunications Immunity
Tom Allen, Susan Collins, Olympia Snowe and Telecommunications Immunity

Turn Maine Blue: The Stimulus Package - Another Perspective
As the PPH and other sources are reporting, talk about the possibility of a recessoin has turned into how to hold one off. To that end, Bush and Congressional leaders (and Maine's delegation) have formulated a plan to provide a shot in the arm for the economy, a stimulus.

White Noise Insanity: Dennis Kucinich has dropped out of the presidential race
That's okay. I'm still caucusing for him in February and will cast my 2nd vote as 'uncommitted'. So the

Offthegridgirl: New FEMA blueprint seeks to clarify emergency response roles
Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Mary Landrieu, D-La., praised the new framework, but emphasized that it is only the beginning of reforming the nation's disaster response capability. "We still have a lot of work left . . .

Maine News for Thursday, January 24, 2008

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD:
Portland could get pro hoops franchise
A group is trying to land an expansion team, with possible Celtics ties, in the NBA Development League.

Maine Guard soldiers depart on mission
Gov. Baldacci and a contingent of family and friends give the senior team of 18 a fitting farewell.

Maine's delegation backs stimulus effort
The four lawmakers likely would support legislation that quickly gets cash into the hands of citizens.

Tourism still No. 1, but ...
A new way of calculating travelers' spending leaves Mainers out of the equation.

MAINE VOICES: End war, support domestic needs (By Chellie Pingree)
Congress should get busy on universal health care, energy reforms and a host of other issues.

ANOTHER VIEW: Unlike the editorial, LURC got it right on wind- power project
The denial of one wind power project and approval of two others show the process works.

LTE: Senators make wrong call on telecoms immunity


BANGOR DAILY NEWS:
Funds to MCCS to provide grants to rural students
The Maine Community College System board of trustees at its Wednesday meeting accepted a handful of significant gifts to the system.

National Guard unit deploys for Afghanistan
Families and friends said goodbye on Wednesday morning to 18 Maine Army National Guard soldiers before the group departed for Afghanistan.

Judge's nomination questioned
Gov. John Baldacci's chief legal counsel said Wednesday the nomination of veteran Assistant Attorney General Susan Sparaco for a District Court judgeship had "absolutely nothing" to do with her close personal relationship with Baldacci's chief of staff.

Bill targets thieves caught 'blue-handed'
As the value of Maine's blueberry crop continues to grow, so does blueberry theft, a seasonal crime that robs legitimate Washington County growers of more than $200,000 worth of fruit each year.

EDITORIAL: Don't forget the poor
As the economic crisis deepens, it's an open question whether new spending money will be put into the pockets of the poor and lower-middle economic classes.

EDITORIAL: Kids, smoke and vehicles
A bill that would ban smoking inside motor vehicles if a child under the age of 18 is in the vehicle is being considered by the Legislature's Health and Human Services Committee.

Cheryl Timberlake: Maine's tax burden out of control
"Is alcohol undertaxed?" was the question posed in a Jan. 14 editorial. Quite frankly, there is nothing undertaxed in Maine.

LTEs: Wind farms; Another view of Fallujah; Stop Consolidation


MORNING SENTINEL:
Wind power a possibility for Oakland municipal buildings
OAKLAND -- Wind turbines may eventually generate power for several or all municipal buildings here, if voters authorize the town to go forward with the idea.

Shipyard union endorses Lawrence
Tom Allen, who is running for the US Senate. The other Democratic candidates are Michael Brennan of Portland, Adam Cote of Portland, Steve Meister of ...

SOMERSET COMMISSIONERS: A county without a jail?
SKOWHEGAN -- Facing a state proposal to merge county jails into a consolidated corrections system, Commissioner Philip Roy floated a "scenario" to close the Somerset jail and lay off most corrections officers.

T.J. Maxx coming to Waterville
A 25,000-square-foot T.J. Maxx clothing and home fashions store will open in the JFK Mall off Kennedy Memorial Drive in late April or early May, a company spokeswoman said Wednesday.

EDITORIAL: No immunity in domestic spying
The Senate is currently debating controversial national security legislation that would, among many other things, grant immunity to companies that cooperated with the U.S. government's warrantless wiretap operations.

COLUMN: Prosperity Committee's report overrated
With partisan gridlock appearing to hold up action on our biggest problems, bipartisan compromise is often cheered by the media and the public.

LTE: Well-planned growth better than unregulated
While we all would probably like to turn back the clocks 30 or 40 years to a simpler time, development and growth are natural and inevitable in our state.

LTE: Michaud impeachment letter is 'drivel'


KENNEBEC JOURNAL:
ELECTRONIC TRACKING: Inmate bill axed
A proposal to track low-risk inmates and probationers electronically was killed Wednesday in a legislative work session.

Hospital cost cuts still light on detail
Plans to cut costs at MaineGeneral Health, which provides the bulk of the health care in Kennebec County, are still in flux, a hospital spokeswoman said Wednesday.

Maine power grid in fix-up
The Central Maine Power Co. is giving towns a heads-up about a major initiative meant to ensure the reliability of its power system.

CMP sold for $4.6B
Maine regulators on Wednesday signed off on the $4.6 billion sale of Maine-based Energy East to Spanish utility Iberdrola SA in a deal that affects 3 million customers from New York to Maine.

LTE: Attend your local caucus and raise your voice
The nation, and the world, is looking at the upcoming presidential caucuses and primaries. Americans of all parties will come together in their various cities and towns and choose a candidate to take this nation into the future.


MPBN:
Landlords Leaving Tenants in the Cold
In Maine the cost of home heating oil is up a dollar and nine cents a gallon over last year. The higher prices are putting a strain on everyone. But in Auburn, it's been especially difficult for landlords and tenants who live in apartment buildings. As Susan Sharon reports, some landlords are simply giving up and leaving their tenants in the cold.

Studies Find Teacher Absenteesim Detrimental to Students
It's no secret that student learning can suffer when regular teachers are absent from the classroom. But new research is verifying that most substitute teachers cannot maintain the same quality of instruction. Teacher absenteeism, found to be on the increase nationwide, may be more costly than previously thought for both students and school districts. The President of the Maine Principals Association says there's ample evidence that the scarcity of adequate substitutes is a growing problem in Maine. Keith McKeen reports.

Pollsters Say Strategy Change Needed in Allen Senate Campaign
As Senator Susan Collins and 1st District Congressman Tom Allen inch closer to a center stage showdown in Maine's political arena, two pollsters from opposing political parties agree that Allen must change his strategy for defeating the Republican incumbent. They say that means relying less on Iraq policy as the cornerstone of his campaign. Now that apparent gains from the troop surge in Iraq may have made the war less objectionable for many Maine voters. But as A.J. Higgins reports, Allen remains confident that Iraq is the flashpoint issue that distinguishes him from his opponent.

Celtics Development Team Proposed for Portland
The owners of Oxford Hills Speedway have joined forces with several former coaches of the Boston Celtics in an effort to bring a minor league basketball team to southern Maine. As Keith Shortall reports, the goal is to establish a franchise of the NBA development league, that takes a page out of the play book of the city's highly succesful minor league baseball operation, the Portland Sea Dogs.


LEWISTON SUN JOURNAL:
Lansley bill would ensure no state tax on federal rebate
Mainers won't have to pay state income tax on any money they might receive from President George W. Bush's proposed economic stimulus plan.


TIMES RECORD:
Recession, rhetoric vs. reality
Careful to avoid mention of the word "recession" in announcing conceptual plans for a $145 billion "economic stimulus package," the president tried to diagnose a fast-moving and widespread infection of the U.S. economy as a case of the hiccups — one that could be cured by his favorite "shot in the arm," tax cuts.

Shenna Bellows: Don't let Congress set telecom rats free
Anyone who thought our civil liberties problems would disappear when control of Congress switched from Republican to Democrat has experienced a rude awakening.

Opinion: Better than 'average'
As a battered economy's impact on state finances elevates desperation levels under the capitol dome, Medicaid has become a prime target for cuts.

State budget takes another hit
November tax receipts lag $11.7 million behind projections; more cuts anticipated

School merger debate focuses on local control
The majority leaders in the House and Senate are supporting an amendment to the school consolidation law that would give more control to local school committees by keeping the union form of governance — a move that likely will lead to a legislative floor fight with no clear winner in sight.

LTE: Bush's Mideast visit
Last week the Feckless Leader visited Israel for the first time since he was governor of Texas, when he was helicoptered by Ariel Sharon to look at and approve its grabbing more land from Arabs to move in Jews.


YORK WEEKLY:
Region officials discuss York Toll Plaza in Ogunquit
Turnpike and regional public officials will meet today to discuss studies that looked at how many cars avoid the York Toll Plaza by taking Route 1.

How the Maine caucuses work
YORK — Unlike New Hampshire, Maine residents cannot vote in the opposite party's caucus.


MAINE COAST NOW:
Sen. Collins says make healthcare the focus
CAMDEN — If U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, were in charge of the Senate, she would spend the next several months tackling the healthcare crisis.

Rights are being eroded
The subject for this column is the pending vote in the U.S. Senate to provide retroactive immunity to telephone companies from lawsuits brought by states or citizens who believe their legal privacy rights were violated.

Consolidation repeal petition fails
The petition effort to repeal Maine's school district consolidation law appears to have missed the mark. We are glad. While the law on the books is imperfect, various amendments are being worked upon. We all need this process to move ahead, not fall back.


ELLSWORTH AMERICAN:
State's Money Woes Worsen
With December revenues coming in $11.7 million below an already pared-down forecast, the only question now is how deep the budget hole will be.

Tax Hike a Possibility in Bucksport
At a Jan. 17 meeting, the Town Council set a 2.5 percent local share tax increase as the budget target for the upcoming fiscal year.

Amendment to Consolidation Law Occasions a Likely Floor Fight
AUGUSTA — The majority leaders in the House and Senate are supporting an amendment to the school consolidation law that would give more control to local school committees by keeping the union form of governance.

EDITORIAL: Whacking Hospitals Again
All Maine citizens are sympathetic to the plight facing Governor John Baldacci and other authority figures in Augusta as they search for ways to address the state's budget shortfall. Everyone understands that, to a great extent, they are between the proverbial rock and a hard place. But the reality is that some of the proposals emanating from the Statehouse may result in more, rather than less, harm to Maine citizens. The $20-million cut in Medicaid reimbursement to hospital-based doctors, a component of the Governor's supplemental budget, is a case in point.

EDITORIAL: Free Trade, Immigration Are Connected
Immigration promises to be a major issue of debate in this election year. Across the nation, many voices in favor of restrictive immigration are calling for building a 300-mile border fence, or criminalizing the estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants living in the U.S.

LTE: We Need Paper Ballots in 2008


Baltimore Sun Journal:
Maine senator runs afoul of PFAW
On the 35th anniversary of Roe v. Wade , People for the American Way, the liberal interest group, is going after Sen. Susan Collins, the moderate Maine Republican, for siding with the Bush administration on judicial nominees.

New York Times:
Kathleen Turner: Hold Susan Collins Accountable for the Supreme Court
The Supreme Court has lurched far to the right in recent years, as President Bush has nominated Justices favored by the most conservative elements of the Republican Party. This shift has occurred in large part because moderate Republicans have voted in virtual lockstep with the administration on judicial nominations.

BLOGS:
Wednesday Briefs: MAINE
While Congressman Tom Allen opposes warrantless wiretapping and retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies complicit in such activities, Susan Collins supports letting the telecomm companies off the hook for their role in illegal wiretapping, like a good Bushie.

Collins Watch: NYT: Collins Huge Disappointment
The New York Times weighs in with a web editorial blasting Sen. Collins:

Collins Watch: Telco Immunity
Back in October, I wondered about the junior senator's position on granting retroactive immunity to telco companies who illegally disclosed customer records.

Politicker ME: For Senate candidates, campaign logistics coming together
Tom Allen's campaign has been in full swing for months. Susan Collins' campaign, however, is just starting to move into their Portland office.

Politicker ME: ALLEN CAMPAIGN ANNOUNCES CAMPAIGN LEADERSHIP TEAM
PORTLAND - The campaign of Tom Allen for U.S. Senate today announced its team of senior leadership and consultants. Allen's team is led by people with vast experience and records of success in political campaigns, deep roots and extensive work in Maine.

Turn Maine Blue: Why Grant Retroactive Immunity to the Telecoms?
Today's Portland Press Herald has piece by Jonathan Kaplan regarding a bill that obsteneibly would update the FISA law (first enacted in 1978) to reflect advances in communications technology. Because of the nature of surviellence, a special court was created to hear the Fed's case in secret, a court that could grant warrants allowing the government to intercept certain communications.


FOSTER'S DAILY DEMOCRAT:
Sen. Collins tells Noble Middle School students to aspire to achieve dreams
Sen. Susan Collins visited Noble Middle School last week and spoke with eighth-graders who recently completed their study of the United States government.

Maine News for Friday, January 18, 2008

PRESS HERALD:
Border checks tighten Jan. 31
A driver's license will no longer be enough for those entering the United States from Canada.

Truckers may back bill to limit idling time
State House: The measure would hold diesel trucks and some gas trucks to five minutes per hour.

Burned by high oil prices, Mainers warm to wood
Wood stoves carry an air-pollution risk, but if properly operated they compare favorably to oil burners, experts say.

EDITORIAL: Medicine gets better with electronic records
A pilot program in Maine could reduce errors and improve patient outcomes.

ANOTHER VIEW: Struggling Maine families could use a break on inspection stickers
An editorial opposing a bill to do less-frequent vehicle checks missed the practical argument.

COLUMN: Abortions down, births up -- what could be wrong with that?
Some people will find those trends depressing, but they're not going with the flow.

LTE: Turn focus to soldiers, not steroids

LTE: Sen. Joseph Biden was our best presidential candidate


BANGOR DAILY NEWS:
Low-rate loan saves family from the cold
OLD TOWN, Maine — Seated in the warmth of their living room, the O'Clair family praised the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development staff for helping them to keep the heat on this winter.

Shock, awe: Army son returns home
BANGOR, Maine — Joanne Parisien sat quietly at her corner desk Thursday, dutifully designing artwork for an advertising plan. Only when a man walked up and stood behind her chair did her concentration break.

Democrat teacher joins race for Senate
ORONO, Maine — It seems there will be a primary race in the campaign for U.S. Senate after all.

Plum Creek 'loopholes' weaken plan
With nearly 1,000 house lots and an even larger number of resort accommodations, Plum Creek's Moosehead Lake proposal stands as the largest development plan ever submitted to Maine regulators.

Reforming our jails
AUGUSTA, Maine — If the current county and state jail system is left in place, taxpayers will face funding $60 million to $100 million to build new facilities that aren't really needed, according to a state corrections official.

Trucker weight restrictions bill clears key hurdle
The state Legislature's Transportation Committee voted unanimously on Thursday to OK emergency legislation that will give state logging truckers some temporary relief from high diesel prices by increasing the amount of wood they can haul.

EDITORIAL: Economic boost
As news about the U.S. economy gets worse, expect to hear more about a stimulus package. What should such a package include? Economists agree any stimulus measures — usually tax rebates or reductions and increased government spending — must produce quick results and be temporary.

LTE: Penny-wise, pound-foolish
For shame, Gov. John Baldacci, you sound like an old-time Republican, promising no increased taxes while cutting services to our most needy and vulnerable citizens.


MORNING SENTINEL:
Towns search for more funding as heating assistance requests rise
It's been a tough winter. And with the high cost of fuel oil, communities are struggling to find ways to help people heat their homes.

Plum Creek foes decry easements
Supporters of Plum Creek Timber Co.'s proposal to develop 20,000 acres in the Moosehead Lake region tout the company's plan to permanently conserve roughly 430,000 acres.

COLUMN: Tsunami Tuesday will make election picture clearer
If you have not been paying attention to the presidential primaries until now, start before it is too late. We have witnessed a caucus in Iowa, a widely publicized primary in New Hampshire and a Republican primary in Michigan.

LTE: Plum Creek plan promotes conservation
Plum Creek's proposal is a positive step in the right direction toward securing conservation, access and employment opportunities in the Moosehead Lake Region and also the surrounding areas of Jackman, West Forks, Bingham, Abbot, Guilford, Monson and a host of other satellite towns and plantations.

LTE: State workers have given up much over the years
Potshots are again being taken at state employees as a way to balance the state budget.


KENNEBEC JOURNAL:
Officials: Added heat aid falls short
AUGUSTA -- Although Maine will receive an additional $8.8 million from the federal government to support heating assistance for low-income families, some state leaders say it's far short of what's needed.

LTE: Peru Free Trade pact no better than NAFTA
Despite the failures of the North American Free Trade Agreement, Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe voted to expand it to Peru.

LTE: It's time to clean house in Augusta
It appears our fellow countrymen want some changes to take place in Washington. The elected officials just can't seem to get anything done except spend our money on useless pork-barrel projects.

LTE: Look at federally funded agencies to save money
The state budget is up for discussion again, with more cuts needed. Why not start with federally funded state agencies?


SUN JOURNAL:
EDITORIAL: Immigration policy that has worked
A debate in Mexico about quashing benefits for illegal immigrants would likely draw worldwide attention, if taking place inside the government halls of Mexico City, not among selectmen in Western Maine.


MPBN:
Bill Would Require Vehicle Inspections Once Every Two Years
Since 1982, Mainers have become accustomed to driving their cars and trucks to the local garages each year with the hope that their vehicles will pass the annual state safety inspection. But improvements in automotive technology and high-mileage brakes and tires are producing safer vehicles and one Maine lawmaker says it's time to extend the inspection cycle to every two years. But as A.J. Higgins reports, the proposal is not without its critics.

New Federal Rule Could Reduce Cruise Ship Visits
It's hard to imagine that a dispute over cruise ship competition in Hawaii could harm the cruise ship business in Maine. But that's exactly what could happen, according to advocates for the fast-growing industry that brought more than 100,000 visitors to Maine last year. Murray Carpenter reports.

Study Suggests College Level Courses for High School Students
Educators in Maine have tried lots of things to boost the state's college enrollment rate. Nonetheless, it continues to lag behind that of other states in the region. Now a new study by the Portland-based Mitchell Institute suggests that there's a relatively simple way to turn that statistic around: signing students up for college level courses before they graduate from high school. Barbara Cariddi reports.


BOSTON GLOBE:
Border lawmakers reject Chertoff's rhetoric on border security
Maine Democratic U.S. Rep. Tom Allen says he's heard from Mainers concerned about the cost of passports or about carrying important documents like birth certificates just to cross the border.


THE WALDO INDEPENDENT:
County officials offer unified jail plan
AUGUSTA — County officials have proposed a unified jail system that would put all county lockups under a Maine Jail and Community Corrections Authority.


BLOGS:
As Maine Goes: Angus King Considered Run Against Sen. Collins
King: I considered it and rejected it out of hand. Our differences aren't so great, so running against her would be an ego thing. I think she's a pretty good senator. Besides, I'm 63 and I'd have to serve in the Senate until I was 80 to have any seniority.

As Maine Goes: House Passes New Defense Budget, Allen/Michaud 'YEA'
WASHINGTON - The House on Wednesday passed a new defense policy bill that includes a pay raise for troops.

As Maine Goes: Deregulation Caused Maine's High Electric Rates?
The cost of generating electricity delivered to households served by Bangor Hydro-Electric Co. increase from 4.5 cents pkw hour to 9 cents between 2000-2007.

As Maine Goes: Abortions at 30-Year Low?
The US abortion rate has fallen to its lowest level since 1974, the first full year after the U.S. Supreme Court legalized abortion nationwide, new data show.

As Maine Goes: Should We Call This an Economic Stimulus Plan?
Republican leaders no longer demanding the stimulus package extend 2001/2003 Bush tax cuts set to expire in 2010.

Down with Tyranny: THERE ARE MANY REASONS WHY MAINERS SHOULD RETIRE SUSAN COLLINS-- PEOPLE FOR THE AMERICAN WAY WANTS TO CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO ONE REALLY BIG ONE

Turn Maine Blue: Open Thread
Kathleen Turner has recorded this radio spot now playing in Maine (clicking the link launches the ad automatically) for People for the American Way, as a reminder how of fragile a woman's right to make decisions regarding her own body is.

Collins Watch: KJ Letters Again
Elizabeth St.Laurent of Augusta has had two pro-Collins letters published in the Kennebec Journal in the last month.

PolitickerME: Actress Kathleen Turner Takes Swipe at Susan Collins
People for America Way, (www.pfaw.org) has launched an independent expenditure, timed to the 35th anniversary of Roe v Wade, that tells listeners Senator Susan Collins doesn't really support the right for woman to be able to have an abortion, because she votes for George Bush's Supreme Court nominees almost all of the time.

Maine News for Thursday, January 17. 2008

PRESS HERALD:
Dispatch consolidation proceeds without glitch
Portland, South Portland and Cape Elizabeth are in the process of combining their 911 communications.

Maine home prices defy national slump
There are many reasons why Maine has dodged the national slide in values, but can it last?

Some lobstermen not happy sharing data
Ten percent of Maine's lobstermen must now report information about their catch to the state.

Campaign to repeal school law lacks support
State House 2008: More signatures are needed to fight school-district consolidation.

Tax-reform efforts see new bid, face new hurdles
State House: Proponents say a bill taking shape is similar to last year's, but includes stronger caps on government spending.

Counties: Jails can be local, efficient
AUGUSTA — County officials believe they could save taxpayers money without giving up local control if lawmakers adopt their plan to make county jails more efficient.

Toll group looks for guiding principles
A committee formed by the Maine Turnpike Authority to figure out how to make turnpike tolls more equitable may end up recommending general guiding principles rather than specific changes.

Democrat seeks seat in House at age 21
Henry Beck serves as a Waterville councilor and attends Colby College.

EDITORIAL: Economy not ready for a gas-tax hike
A higher federal levy on gasoline can achieve some useful goals, but this isn't the time.

LTE: Maine's murder rate doesn't suggest crime wave
It's been a decade since I was a Portland police officer, and my opinions were a little out of the mainstream then, plus Portland is the farthest north I have ever lived, so weigh my opinion as you will.

Maine Voices: Parents need help in helping kids
A third of our kids are carrying around extra weight. That weight carries with it health risks -- risk of early heart attack, diabetes, depression, early death -- and the list goes on.


BANGOR DAILY NEWS:
Wellness council to offer health programs statewide
BANGOR, Maine - Employers across Maine will soon have the opportunity to develop initiatives to improve their employees' health with help from the Bangor Region Wellness Council.

Fuel funds headed for Maine
Maine is slated to receive an additional $8.8 million in federal assistance for low-income individuals struggling to heat their homes amid record-high energy prices.

A digital route to speedy diagnosis
BANGOR, Maine - Maine health care providers unveiled a new information-sharing system on Wednesday that will eventually give doctors instant access to patients' medical histories no matter where they are located around the state.

Lawmakers wary of jail proposal
AUGUSTA, Maine - County officials outlined their proposal Wednesday for a Maine Jail and Community Corrections Authority, but members of the Legislature's Criminal Justice Committee are concerned about its cost and the plan as written faces a likely veto should it be approved.

Fed ruling could sink cruise visits
State and municipal officials and Maine port businesses have banded together to oppose a proposed federal ruling that they say could put a dent in the number of large cruise ships making stops in Bar Harbor and Portland, cutting their time in port and forcing changes in itineraries.


MORNING SENTINEL:
Lawmakers weigh tax overhaul plan
AUGUSTA -- Lawmakers are gearing up for another attempt to overhaul the state's tax system, a year after the Legislature narrowly rejected changes that would have broadened the sales tax to pay for income-tax and property-tax breaks.

Consolidation repeal effort still short of signatures
AUGUSTA -- With less than two weeks to go, the organizer of a campaign to repeal the state's school-district consolidation law does not yet have enough support to force a referendum on the issue.

Money released for heating aid
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Bush administration on Wednesday released $450 million in emergency relief funds to help needy residents pay soaring heating bills.

Delegation talks up boosting economy
WASHINGTON -- Members of Maine's congressional delegation were among the lawmakers who proposed tax and spending measures Wednesday to boost a weakening economy as Congress scrambles to put together an economic stimulus package.

EDITORIAL: Caucuses not good substitute for primaries
We want a presidential primary in Maine. And we want it early enough to be a small factor in the final outcome.

LTE: Huckabee, Romney's religious talk 'scary'


KENNEBEC JOURNAL:
UMF to offer MS degrees
FARMINGTON -- Central and western Maine schoolteachers enrolled in master's degree programs have been sending a steady stream of tuition revenue to Portland and Orono campuses and to online programs out of state.

Counties offer plan rivaling state on jails
AUGUSTA -- County officials believe they can save taxpayer money without giving up local control if lawmakers implement their plan to revamp jail operations.

When is helping the disadvantaged wrong?
Mona Charen writes Jan. 8 sounding as if she was jilted by Joe Kennedy back in high school, teeing off on his questionable relationship with Hugo Chavez. Apparently they're in cahoots in an attempt to alleviate high fuel costs for the disadvantaged.

LTE: Waste and fraud in Iraq should be watched
Thank you for running David Offer's opinion piece where he discussed the waste and fraud that is going on in Iraq.


SUN JOURNAL:
Paper mill to cut 60 jobs
RUMFORD - NewPage's oldest paper-making machine will be shut down permanently next month, taking with it 60 jobs.

Ledue begins bid for SenateLedue begins bid for Senate
PORTLAND (AP) - U.S. Rep. Tom Allen faces opposition from an educator from Sanford in his bid to become the Democratic nominee challenging Republican incumbent Susan Collins in the U.S. Senate election.

State changes lobstering rules
BANGOR (AP) - Many Maine lobstermen routinely keep track of how many lobsters they catch and where they catch them. Now, hundreds of lobstermen will have to share that information with the state - and some aren't happy.

Remove this 'informed' obstruction
Perhaps spurred by fear in certain parts of Maine of Wal-Mart and its big-box ilk, a piece of flawed - yet "bipartisan" - legislation called the "Informed Growth Act" cleared the Maine Legislature last year.

COLUMN: Democrats' proposals won't jump-start economy
The housing market is caught in a downward spiral that might last the rest of this year, and banks are struggling under a staggering burden of bad loans that has created a severe credit crunch. Don't fear, though, a $250 check might be making its way toward your mailbox.

LTE: Hold the chips
Rep. Scott Lansley, R-Sabattus, was on a Portland radio station recently, asserting that the REAL ID act, the law dealing with driver's license security, would require the imbedding of a radio frequency ID chip in our driver's licenses.


TIMES RECORD:
Electronic health record network launched statewide
BRUNSWICK — Beginning today, Martin's Point Health Care and health-care providers statewide will participate in a pilot project to create an electronic health record network that will allow health-care providers to share patient information statewide.

State proposes rate cuts to hospital docs
AUGUSTA — The Department of Health and Human Services wants to cut the Medicaid rate paid to doctors in hospital-based practices and has included the $20 million proposal in the governor's supplemental budget.

Third parties cloud fate of base housing
FREEPORT — There was good news and perhaps bad news Tuesday morning as base redevelopment leaders discussed the complicated state of housing at Brunswick Naval Air Station.

Boater safety bill churns waters
AUGUSTA — Proposals to mandate boater safety education and impose horsepower restrictions on Long Lake — prompted by an accident that killed two people there in August 2007 — drew a standing-room only crowd at a hearing Tuesday in Augusta, with opponents saying the state cannot legislate common sense.


MPBN:
Alternate Jail Consolidation Plan Considered
Maine's county goverments today presented an alternative plan for consolidating the state's jail system. The plan, unveiled before a legislative committee, comes in response to the Baldacci administration's controversial proposal for a state takeover of all 15 county jails, for a projected annual savings of up to 38 million dollars by the year 2025. The counties have proposed instead the creation of a state authority that would help streamline the system, but without giving up all county control.

Uncollected Fines Prompt Consideration of Option
Maine's Court System collects $40 million each year from offenders who commit a wide range of infractions, violations and crimes. But nearly ten million more dollars goes uncollected when violators can't --or won't--pay their fines. State Rep. Richard Cleary wants to give judges another option for restitution - community service. As A.J. Higgins reports, the Houlton Democrat believes his bill will help alleviate jail overcrowding.

Maine's Largest Hospitals Unveil New Communications System
It's happened with bank records...so why not medical ones? Maine's four largest health care providers today unveiled a new statewide electronic system for sharing medical information. As Susan Sharon reports, Health InfoNet is intended to improve patient health and safety and save healthcare costs in a few crucial ways.

Malpractice Screening Process Scrutinized
Twenty years ago, the state of Maine adopted a new law in response to the number of complaints, sometimes "frivolous" complaints, that were driving up insurance rates of physicians and hospitals. The law established screening panels, charged with weeding out questionable cases and speeding up others in order to lower expenses. But the system has come under scrutiny in recent years and Maine Supreme Court Justice Leigh Saufley has called on the state legislature to re-evaluate the process. Keith McKeen reports.


PORTSMOUTH HERALD:
Bill helps truckers cope with prices
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Maine lawmakers are moving quickly on a bill to make it easier for truckers and loggers to cope with high fuel costs by suspending gross weight limits.


COURIER-GAZETTE:
COLUMN: What do you want for your money?
The disconnect between taxes and the demand for services is astonishing.

Oil firm faces EPA fines
UNION — A company that stores and distributes oil from an unattended bulk storage facility faces fines of up to $157,500 for failing to adequately plan for and guard against oil spills at its facility and for failing to respond to a request for information by the federal Environmental Protection Agency, according to an EPA news release.

THE REPUBLICAN JOURNAL AND WALDO INDEPENDENT:
Master plan OK'd for big box zone
BELFAST — The City Council took the first step Tuesday toward requiring a master plan for development of the new big box retail zone.

LINCOLN COUNTY NEWS:
Naval Prototype Launch Holds Economic Promise
A history making launch of a naval patrol craft prototype Friday signals the likelihood of an economic boon to the Midcoast and a bright future for Hodgdon Yachts and the composites industries.


THE ELLSWORTH AMERICAN:
Lower Electric Rates for Maine Is Panel's Goal
AUGUSTA — The Legislature's Utilities and Energy Committee was presented Tuesday with a map of the minefield as it begins the formidable task of charting Maine's energy future.

Heating Oil Spike Fans Interest In Alternative Fuels and Stoves
ELLSWORTH — Steadily rising oil prices have brought about a surge of interest in alternative fuels.

Up 4.2 Percent in Washington County
ELLSWORTH — With an estimated jackpot of $95 million on Monday, the Powerball game offers instant riches. Before dipping into the household budget for tickets, however, you might consider that the odds of winning a Powerball jackpot are 146,107,962 to 1.

Hospitals Face Medicaid Cut
AUGUSTA — The Department of Health and Human Services wants to cut the Medicaid rate paid to doctors in hospital-based practices and has included the $20-million proposal in the Governor's supplemental budget.

Battle Looming Over Agency Merger Plan
AUGUSTA — Governor John Baldacci's proposal to merge the departments of Agriculture, Conservation, Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and Marine Resources is in for a long battle, with the head of the influential Sportsman's Alliance of Maine (SAM) already mustering forces to block the plan. (Related story, Section II, Page 8.)

EDITORIAL: State of the State
Governor John Baldacci's pledge, in his annual State of the State address, that "we will not increase taxes" is welcome — as far as it goes. But as the Governor and members of the Legislature look for ways to cope with a revenue shortfall requiring budget cutbacks of nearly $100 million, that pledge may prove to be more illusory than real.

COMMENTARY: The Sheep Are in Charge
There is not a real leader among our local, state or national politicians. They are milling around like a flock of sheep, bleating in unison, "Lii…hheap, lii…heap, lii…heap, lii…heap."

COMMENTARY: Hold the Line Against Plum Creek
LURC should stand firm and hold the line here and now against any further encroachment on the North woods. If not, more will be given away to flunky corporations every generation in worship of the Big Lie: "We need balanced growth in the North Woods."

COMMENTARY: Sound Bites or Sound Policy?

LTE: We Need a Single-payer System
It has been shown over and over, including in The Ellsworth American, that the United States pays more for health care than any other industrialized country while getting the least for what we spend.


keepMEcurrent
New system will read water meters from afar
(Jan 17, 2008): The Portland Water District is going high-tech by installing remote-read water meters that are scanned instantly by computers as a technician drives through neighborhoods.


WMTW:
Feds To Release $450 Million From LIHEAP Contingency Fund
U.S. Sen. Susan Collins announced that the Office of Management and Budget agreed Wednesday to release $450 million from its Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program contingency fund. Of that total, Maine is in line to receive $8.8 million.


BLOGS:
As Maine Goes: Dem Tom Ledue Gives Tom Allen Competition
Sanford Educator To Kick Off U.S. Senate Campaign

As Maine Goes: Charlie Summers: New Video, Campaign Chairman

As Maine Goes: Forest Fire Jihad Threatened on Terrorist Websites

As Maine Goes: New Page Buys Ultra-modern Paper Mill

Turn Maine Blue: Was the Hormuz Incident Fabricated to Heighten Tensions?
There has been a lot of speculation that the recent "incident" in the Straights of Hormuz was being a "Gulf of Tomkin" type incident, and now it seems that that might be more true than people first thought:

White Noise Insanity: Sen. Susan Collins (Bush's Commander Girl!) is a fierce fighter in the waronterra!

PolitickerME: Statements from Maine politicians on the New Page job cuts
Statements from Maine politicians on the New Page layoffs:

Politicker ME: Job cuts to hurt River Valley economy