Maine News for Thursday, March 27, 2008

Portland Press Herald

Biologists seek clues as bats die off
The cause and effect of thousands of deaths this winter raise concerns throughout the Northeast.

Reduction in federal grant hits state drug agency hard
Maine's force in the fight against trafficking will lose officers and prosecutors to a federal funding cut. More >

Maine appears in line to get Real ID reprieve
Gov. Baldacci's letter to Homeland Security could stave off travel restrictions for the state's residents.

1st District candidates take aim at each other
Election 2008: The U.S. House race gets more heated as seven would-be representatives question their foes -- regardless of affiliation.

Joining MaineHealth could benefit SMMC
The medical center looks to maintain a community feel while gaining access to valuable resources.

Region lags on warming goals
Despite some progress, environmental groups warn of big changes if states don't do more.

Gloom and ... boon?
From first-time home buyers to tourism businesses, downturn has an upside.

State museum to close Sundays if budget is cut
State House: Lawmakers continue deliberating the supplemental plan today.

Many Mainers in hurry to acquire passports
With travel requirements becoming stricter and the state in a possible Real ID fight, the rush is on.

Ex-Portland mayor tapped to be N.H. transportation chief
George Campbell, who moved to Portsmouth in 2006, held the same post in Maine in the early '80s.

Editorial: Real ID waiver's not the only thing feds owe Maine
Privacy matters aren't the major issue, which revolves around who antes up $200 million.

Column: Susan A. GendronSpecial ed students need consistency
The standards shouldn't include or exclude them depending on where they happen to live.

Bangor Daily News
Committee OKs tribes' exclusion from access law
Thursday, March 27, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - The state Judiciary Committee Tuesday voted to exempt Maine's Indian tribes from the state law that requires government agencies to give members of the public access to documents.

Got 'Maine Fresh Milk'?
Thursday, March 27, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - In an effort to persuade members of the Legislature's Agriculture Committee to pass a bill that would put a 'Maine Fresh Milk' label on milk produced and sold in Maine, a former panel member went restaurant-hopping Wednesday.

Government reviews Baldacci Real ID letter
Thursday, March 27, 2008
WASHINGTON - The Department of Homeland Security said Wednesday it is working with Maine and is encouraged by the efforts of the state’s leaders to move forward with procedures called for within the Real ID Act, which establishes national standards for state-issued driver's licenses.

Tests show high level of E. coli in St. Croix River
Thursday, March 27, 2008
ST. STEPHEN, New Brunswick - The river that serves as the international boundary between New Brunswick and Maine has high levels of E. coli, according to a local watchdog environmental agency.

Speakers at UCB focus on energy
Thursday, March 27, 2008
BANGOR, Maine - Two area academics upset some widespread beliefs about energy at a talk Tuesday morning at University College.

Editorial:Playing with Toxins

Thursday, March 27, 2008
Few would dispute that Americans now live in a toxic soup, with synthetic chemicals falling from the sky, leaching into drinking water, injected or absorbed in food, and emanating from materials in our homes and offices.

Kennebec Journal
Economic woes cutting into history
AUGUSTA -- The Maine State Museum would have to close on Sundays if budget cuts under consideration are approved by lawmakers.

AUGUSTA School Board approves smaller budget 18 positions cut, including some filled by teachers
AUGUSTA -- School board members unanimously approved a $28.1 million school budget Wednesday that cuts 18 positions, including elementary school teachers, custodians, an assistant principal and special-education teachers.

MAINE DELAY ON REAL ID
Maine travelers may dodge the threat of being unable to use their driver's licenses for security identification at airports this spring.

MAINE Slump not always bad news
About a 45-minute drive from Portland, on a quiet tree-lined road in Limington, sits one of the hidden bright spots in this gloomy economy.

Feds trip Mainers' travel plans
WATERVILLE -- The clash between the state and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security over identification requirements is fueling a rush on passport applications as Mainers seek to avoid hitches in their travel plans.

Tax break eyed for wind farm
FARMINGTON -- Franklin County commissioners are considering a tax break for a $220 million wind farm project near the Canadian border.

State Budget blog

UPDATE: House passes budget 82-63 03/26/08

Statehouse Reporter Susan Cover will follow House and Senate budget debates all week, so check back for frequent updates on what's going on at the Statehouse.

Columns: KAY RAND : King's laptop legacy still reaps student benefits
Every governor who has ever served the state of Maine -- probably those who've served other states, too -- would confirm that at least one initiative becomes so associated with you that it is used against you as a bargaining chip amid repeated claims that "the governor is just concerned about his legacy."

JIM BRUNELLE : Legislature should honor state's anti-gambling vote
Imagine this scenario: Two items appear on a statewide referendum ballot, one to allow a big casino operation sponsored by Indian tribes to be established in, say, southern Maine, and the second to allow slot machines into one of the state's commercial horse racing tracks (Bangor Raceway, as it turns out). The first item is decisively rejected by voters and the second is narrowly approved.

Letters:
State workers paid less than same in public sector
Tarren Bragdon (Maine Compass, March 25) repackages his familiar call to cut state workers' pay and benefits. The problem: his numbers lie.

4th-grader weighs in on smoking in car with child
I agree with you about passing this decree of no smoking in a child-accompanied automobile. Smoking is very unfavorable to not only the person who tries one but also to everyone around. The sacrifice and cost of tobacco is extremely high.

Sun Journal
Maine Senate OKs bill for interlocks
AUGUSTA (AP) - More of Maine's convicted drunken drivers may be installing devices that measure the alcohol on their breath before they drive again.

Getting lead out 'a noble thought'
AUGUSTA - New legislation that would establish renovation standards for older homes and create a voluntary lead-safe housing registry has drawn skepticism from landlords and Lewiston code enforcement officials.

Effort to reduce inspections rejected
AUGUSTA (AP) - It appears that a bill that would have doubled the time between required safety inspections for Maine cars and noncommercial trucks will not pass.

Letters: Talk of secession in Roxbury
Few people are aware of the massive construction project necessary to erect wind turbines.

MPBN
Home Energy Audits Recommended for Saving Heat

As oil prices skyrocket, many Mainers are trying to find ways to stretch their seasonal heating budgets. While some homeowners are looking at alternative energy sources, there are those who believe that the first priority should be to conserve heat. And the best way to find out where heat may be getting waisted, they say, is through a home energy audit. Murray Carpenter tagged along on such an audit recently in Damariscotta, and prepared this report.

Municipal Officals Facing Stressed Budgets

The economic downturn that's wreaking havoc on Mainers' household budgets is also having a serious ripple effect on local government coffers. Lean budgets are forcing municipalities to delay vital projects. But as Keith McKeen reports, some towns and cities are facing greater obstacles than others.

PolitickerME
CD1 candidates debate in Portland

OPEGA cuts cause divisiveness in budget debate

MHPC back on Ethics Commission’s agenda

State Senate approves bill for in-car alcohol testing

Maine News for Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Portland Press Herald

Democrats motivated to vote on budget
State House: If they pass a budget quickly and adjourn, cuts could take effect in late June.

Plan to gut watchdog agency draws GOP fire
The state Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability is in line for a $1.2 million cut.

Truckers plan State House protest against cost of diesel

The mortgage squeeze: Adjustable rates are creating a crisis for subprime borrowers
As their mortgage costs rise along with prices for daily necessities, more Mainers struggle to keep their homes.

Pine Tree Legal gets funds to fight foreclosures
Lawyers say homeowners facing foreclosure need to act quickly.

Tax hikes likely even with cuts in spending
Projects such as road repairs will have to wait as communities struggle to balance budgets.

Editorial:

Special ed law should define education broadly
Not all disabilities that prevent a child from succeeding show up on reading or math tests.

State building standards should be enforced locally
All but the smallest cities and towns should work to make a uniform building code the law.

Column: Tarren BragdonMaine Medicaid program far more generous than almost all others
If the state merely conformed to national averages, we would save $146 million.

Bangor Daily News

Groups opposing LNG pipeline
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Several government agencies and Washington County residents have responded critically to Downeast LNG's intended pipeline route to connect its proposed liquefied natural gas facility in Robbinston to an existing pipeline in Baileyville.

Maine Arts Commission seeks design for UM plaza
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
ORONO, Maine - The Maine Arts Commission is calling on professional artists to submit proposals to design, execute and install artwork at the University of Maine's Cloke Plaza.

Maine leads nation in novelty-lighter ban
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - While in a small southern Maine grocery store with his mother last June 12 to buy sandwiches, Shane St. Pierre picked up a miniature baseball bat and flicked the switch to see what would happen.

Bethel soldier killed in Iraq
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
BETHEL, Maine - A 22-year-old soldier from Bethel has become the latest Maine service member killed in Iraq. Army Pvt. Tyler J. Smith died Friday of wounds received when his forward base near Baghdad received indirect fire.

Decline of bees stings growers
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
ORONO, Maine - As beekeepers across the country continue to lose beehives at unprecedented rates and as Maine's blueberry, strawberry and other crop farmers pay higher prices for migratory bee services, key research is taking place at the University of Maine.

Editorials:ClickBack on Lottery

Tuesday, March 25, 2008
This week, the Bangor Daily News' interactive commentary feature ClickBack seeks readers' thoughts on the Iraq War, new lottery tickets and summer vacation.

Kennebec Journal:
Funds for private high schools on chopping block
A tight budget forcing public school districts to cut back could spell trouble for a handful of private high schools in Maine that serve students whose tuition is funded by public money.

Watchdog office faces downsizing
AUGUSTA -- A proposal to significantly cut funding to the state's independent government watchdog office is drawing sharp criticism.

Heating-oil aid group to raise money year-round
AUGUSTA -- An informal group of social-service agencies and charities working together to help people with heating costs has decided to work year-round to raise money and enhance their effectiveness.

AUGUSTA: Job cuts set
AUGUSTA -- A proposed $28.1 million school budget, which cuts 18 staff positions, goes to the Board of Education for a vote Wednesday.

Colby to install new siren
WATERVILLE -- Colby College, in a move to bolster its ability to alert students and faculty to emergencies, has purchased a siren system once part of the Maine Yankee nuclear power plant early warning system.

Editorials:
4,000 deaths in 5 years, but no end in sight
Last week marked the fifth anniversary of America's invasion of Iraq. Sunday, the full human cost of that conflict was demonstrated when the day's death toll brought the total American service members and Defense Department employee deaths in Iraq to 4,000.

Columns:
TARREN BRAGDON : Without layoffs, fewer state employees would save $200M
In many ways, the Kennebec Journal's March 21st editorial was right on the money. Maine does indeed need a "steadfast commitment to fiscal conservatism and a new approach" if it is ever to turn around its economy and create a brighter future.

DAVID B. OFFER : We must not be numb to Iraq war news
Soldiers die; the news is reported in small articles inside the newspaper.

Sun Journal:
Hearing next week on plan for casino in Oxford County
AUGUSTA - Mainers will have the opportunity to tell lawmakers how they feel about a proposed casino in Oxford County at 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 2. That's when a public hearing is scheduled before the Legal and Veterans Affairs Committee addressing the latest bid to build a casino in the state.

Editorial: Trusting your gut on ethics
If lawmakers gave the same amount of scrutiny to all legislation, as they have to ethics reform, Maine would boast the most informed, enlightened - but not necessarily efficient - representative government in all the land.

Columnist: Democrats promise hike in government spending
We've all seen or heard about them. Perhaps they are friends or family members who have demonstrated financial irresponsibility: a college student who has a budget and quickly exceeds it on wild partying; a cousin or best friend who asks for a "loan" and then never pays it back; people whose credit cards are maxed out and they can't afford the finance charges.

Letters: Taxing tobacco
There is a proposal to add 50 cents to the cigarette tax to help fund the DirigoChoice program. I realize that it will affect people with low incomes the most, as people, like myself, with low incomes will spend a higher percentage of their income on increases in taxes like that one. However, I support that tax increase because it will provide health care to many who can't afford it on their own.

Regulate oil prices
With the price of a sweet crude oil barrel climbing to more than $110, with no end in sight, some predict gasoline will cost $3.50 per gallon by July 4. That would be economic travesty.

MPBN:
Casinos Prosper While Lotteries Suffer
A weakening economy didn't prevent New England gamblers from attending casinos in record breaking numbers during the fourth quarter of last year. That's the finding of research in Massachusetts. But while gamblers flock to casinos, state lotteries, on the other hand, are reporting a shortage of players and a decline in revenue. Keith McKeen reports.

Bowdoin to Offset Carbon Emissions with Wind Power
Bowdoin College has announced a three-year agreement to buy so-called renewable energy certificates, or REC's, from the owner of the Mars Hill Wind farm in Aroostook County. Barbara Carridi reports.

PolitickerME:
Whither OPEGA?

Maine News for Monday, March 24, 2008

Portland Press Herald
State building code finally has industry backing
State House: Lack of a statewide code has been cited as an obstacle to contractor licensing.

Senate race rivals kept busy raising money during recess
Susan Collins and Tom Allen are likely to spend a record-setting amount.

JUSTIN ELLISWhere have all the young readers gone?
NXT: THE NEXT GENERATION

Deeper in debt: As expenses outstrip income, more bills are left unpaid
The number of short-term loans, bankruptcies and delinquent accounts is growing steadily.

STATE HOUSE NOTES: Mission: Save the schools

Editorial: Legislature should work for a bipartisan budget
Lawmakers are close to filling a $190 million revenue shortfall without raising taxes.

OP-Ed: Former Rep. David Trahan and Rep. Peggy PendletonDon't turn lights out on state accountability Government watchdog agency is imperiled by some who would delete it by stealthy means.

Bangor Daily News
Diesel cost forces man to consider bankruptcy
Monday, March 24, 2008
HARMONY, Maine - A logging truck operator with a fleet of 10 registered trucks is losing his 35-year-old business as a consequence of skyrocketing diesel fuel prices.

Maine seeking to expand state's lottery options
Monday, March 24, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - State lottery director Dan Gwadosky says the lottery is seeking to increase revenue and change its mix of games and is using studies and focus groups to figure out what games Mainers would play and why.

Slated cuts hit private schools
Monday, March 24, 2008
Proposed cuts in the state education budget would reduce funds to private high schools in the state, although a compromise in committee would lessen the blow somewhat.

Suit against ex-lawmaker dismissed
Monday, March 24, 2008
PORTLAND, Maine - The Maine Supreme Judicial Court has ruled in favor of a Frankfort man who sought the dismissal of a lawsuit that was filed against him when he served in the state Legislature in 2006.

Kennebec Journal
Support grows for statewide building code Current system is called a 'crazy quilt of code regimes' by Brookings think tank

AUGUSTA -- Groups that have traditionally blocked passage of a statewide building code are working together to make it happen this time around.

Plum Creek awaits more scrutiny Land Use Regulation Commission will weigh in on Moosehead region project
AUGUSTA -- After listening to hundreds of hours of testimony on the Plum Creek development concepts, the state's Land Use Regulation Commission plans to make some suggestions of its own.

Consolidation foes set to descend on Statehouse
AUGUSTA -- Opponents of the school-district consolidation law will be at the Statehouse on Wednesday to try to convince lawmakers to repeal the measure.

Editorials: Anti-hunger movement just too nice
Imagine that the nation's food banks all closed their doors.

Columns: LET IT BE SAID THAT IT ALL BEGAN RIGHT HERE, IN : We're losing fight to end hunger in U.S. Our job is not going well. Those whose nutritional well-being we care about, the children and adults for whom we advocate, are not getting our best efforts -- and certainly not what they deserve. I believe that as the nation prepares to elect a new president, perhaps one who truly cares about social justice and meaningful opportunity, we need to raise the bar substantially.

Sun Journal
Of all the agencies to cut... why this one?
In a maneuver assailed as "Midnight Madness" by Republicans, legislative budget-writers last week put the fiscal punctuation on a valuable government agency: the Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability.

MPBN
Consensus-Driven Budget Solution Abandoned

After days of negotiations, Democrats and Republicans on the legislature's Appropriations Committee have abandoned their quest for a consensus-driven solution to balance Maine's two-year budget. That means competing budgets are likely to surface sometime next week. It also means that the majority Democratic version will likely prevail. Gov. John Baldacci has thrown his support behind the Democrats' plan because it doesn't rely on new taxes or drawing down state reserves. A.J. Higgins reports.

Real ID Showdown Brewing Between Maine and Feds

Late this afternoon, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff rejected a request by several senators, including Maine's, to grant a blanket exemption to states struggling over compliance with the controversial Real ID law. That sets the stage for a showdown between Maine and the Federal government as a March 31st deadline approaches for states to seek a extension for complying with the law. Barbara Cariddi reports.

Public Transit Boosted by High Gas Prices

The bad news is that gas prices are approaching four dollars a gallon. The good news is that it's been a banner year for Maine buses and trains. With gas at record high prices, many Mainers seem to be parking their cars, and as Murray Carpenter reports, it's part of a nationwide trend.

Maine News for Friday, March 21, 2008

Bangor Daily News

Baldacci signs bills on records, prisons
Friday, March 21, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - Gov. John Baldacci is getting busier signing bills sent to him from the Legislature, including one to clarify Maine's public records law and one dealing with the state's prison industries.

Vehicle inspection bill changed in House
Friday, March 21, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - A bill that would have doubled the time between required safety inspections for Maine cars and noncommercial trucks is being weakened in the Legislature.

Damon presses for rail tax break
Friday, March 21, 2008
WASHINGTON - Advocating for legislation to increase freight rail infrastructure, state Sen. Dennis Damon, D-Trenton, co-chairman of the Maine Legislature's Transportation Committee, traveled to Washington last week to meet with Maine's congressional delegation.

School days requirement waived - just for seniors
Friday, March 21, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - Education Commissioner Susan Gendron has decided to waive the minimum school days requirement for high school seniors because of school time lost to snow this winter.

Lawmakers cite differences over budget cuts
Friday, March 21, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - Legislative Democrats and Republicans prepared to permanently part ways Thursday over how to cover a $190 million revenue shortfall in Maine's two-year budget.

Former tribal governor indicted
Friday, March 21, 2008
INDIAN TOWNSHIP, Maine - After years of murmurs and outright accusations of financial improprieties against him, former Passamaquoddy tribal Gov. Robert L. Newell was indicted Wednesday by federal prosecutors.

Kennebec Journal

STOPLIGHT-CAMERA PLAN REJECTED

AUGUSTA Efforts to eradicate hunger called lacking
AUGUSTA -- The director of the National Center on Hunger and Poverty says that charity and advocacy for the poor are failing to meet the nation's hunger crisis, and that it'll take a major federal effort to end hunger.

Reny's recognized for energy efficiency effort
GARDINER -- Reny's Department Stores, a longtime favorite of Maine bargain-hunters, has received an award for becoming more energy-efficient.

Maine tribal leader indicted
The investigation that led to Thursday's indictment of former Indian Township Gov. Robert L. Newell began more than three years ago, when members of the Passamaquoddy tribe complained to the federal government about his administration's financial practices.

Editorials:
Maine ill-served by play-it-safe budget rhetoric
Republican members of the Health and Human Services Committee promised they would offer ideas for state spending cuts in light of the state's projected, $190 million -- and growing -- budget deficit. After all, spending on education and health and human services accounts for 80 percent of the state budget. This was the right place to go.

Columns:
JOSEPH R. REISERT : Obama's speech on religion, church covertly partisan
On Tuesday, Sen. Barack Obama became the second candidate in this election season to deliver a speech explaining to the American people why his membership in a controversial church should not disqualify him from becoming president of the United States.

Portland Press Herald

Ex-tribal governor faces 30 charges
The charges against Robert L. Newell stem from a probe sparked by worker complaints.

Panel calls for investment in USM
An advocacy group says that more funding is essential to getting the university back on track.

Budget fix goes to Legislature next week

Editorials:

Case for USM funding not easy or clear-cut
The University of Southern Maine is undergoing change, but it still competes with other needs.

Sun Journal
Health care changes divide lawmakers
AUGUSTA (AP) - Legislative Democrats and Republicans prepared to permanently part ways Thursday over how to cover a $190 million revenue shortfall in Maine's two-year budget.

MPBN
Tribal Officials Indicted on Multiple Charges
Two former tribal officials with the Passamaquoddy Tribe's Indian Township Reservation have been indicted by a federal grand jury on multiple charges, including conspiracy to defraud and to commit offenses against the United States. Former tribal Governor Robert Newell of Princeton and former Finance Director James Parisi of Portland are also accused of misapplying tribal and federal government funds. And as Susan Sharon reports, both are facing extended jail time.

Maine News for Tuesday, March 18, 2008

MAINE SECRETARY OF STATE
List of Candidates for Upcoming Elections

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD

Democrats differ on raising state taxes
State House: Despite opposition to social service cuts, the governor holds firm against it.

Races take shape as filing deadline passes
Election 2008: Every legislative district has a Democratic candidate for November's election.

Seattle Times Co. puts Maine newspapers up for sale
The Blethen family makes the 'painful decision' after a decade of ownership.

Editorials:
Bear Stearns bailout necessary, but no fix
Overreaction from the Fed and deficit spending have contributed to this mess.

Use focus on Olympics to pressure China on ill-treatment of Tibet
Unrest over 'cultural genocide' points out Bejing's repressive policies in a tiny neighbor.

Ron BancroftWhy do moderate Mainers keep picking liberal leaders?
Unlike most of the nation, our parties don't have to bend to their extremes, and yet our legislators do.

Jim Batey and Thomas KittredgePlum Creek deal good one for Maine
If the company keeps having to alter and adjust its plan, how long before we lose its benefits?

BANGOR DAILY NEWS

Governor orders $27M in spending cuts; lawmakers surprised
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - Gov. John Baldacci surprised legislative leaders and members of the Legislature's budget panel Monday evening when he ordered $27 million in spending cuts be developed by his administration before April 1.

Compromise would allow alewives up to Grand Falls
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - A legislative committee has reached a tentative compromise that would allow alewives in the St. Croix River up to the Grand Falls dam this year.

Bangor: Pharmacy tech indicted in drug case
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
BANGOR, Maine - A pharmacy technician from Fort Kent has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly attempting to import oxycodone into the country.

Bangor: Grand jury indicts man on porn charge
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
BANGOR, Maine - An Islesford man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly using hidden bathroom cameras, including one in a toilet, to take pictures of his former girlfriend's daughter between 2001 and 2004 when the girl was a juvenile.

Editorials

Dirigo's Future
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
The idea of using savings to increase access to health insurance was a cornerstone of the state's Dirigo Health program, so it is unfortunate to see this linkage abandoned. But, for the sake of increasing and improving health insurance coverage, a new way to fund Dirigo appears necessary.

ClickBack on Iraq, teachers
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
This week's ClickBack questions focus on national and local issues. Should the U.S. withdraw from Iraq? Why are no northern Maine teachers up for Teacher of the Year?

Op-Ed

Closing Maine's budget shortfall
Legislators in Augusta face a daunting challenge in closing a nearly $200 million budget shortfall. Like the governor, most seem inalterably committed to resolving this problem without tax increases.

J. Gordon Williamson: Local spending is out of control
There has been a plethora of recent letters, columns and editorials bemoaning the condition of local and state budgets. Expenses are up, revenue is down. Sounds like someone looked at my checkbook.

KENNEBEC JOURNAL

AUGUSTA Deadline passes for party-affiliated candidates for state Legislature
AUGUSTA -- Former Gardiner Mayor Brian Rines and former state legislator Sharon Benoit, both Democrats, will face each other in a June primary for the right to run in the November election.

AUGUSTA Threat to Maine banks minimized
AUGUSTA -- Experts say Maine's financial institutions will remain relatively unscathed by the subprime lending fallout that has rocked Wall Street for months and resulted over the weekend in the collapse of investment bank Bear Stearns.

Blethen Maine Newspapers put up for sale Declining revenues cited by owner, Seattle Times Co.
The Seattle Times Co., owner of the Kennebec Journal, Morning Sentinel and other Blethen Maine Newspaper properties, is offering the Maine newspapers for sale. The company made the announcement Monday, citing declining revenues company-wide.

Casco Bay Lines planning to add 50-cent surcharge Officials cite record-level prices for diesel fuel
After months of slowing down its boats to save energy, Casco Bay Lines now is planning to add a 50-cent surcharge on all tickets to cover diesel fuel prices that have spiked to record level.

Opinion
BY MARK ISHKANIAN AND ED MILLER : Raising tobacco tax makes sense
The growing budget deficit, coupled with a need to find a more secure funding source for the Dirigo Health Initiative and the drive to keep Maine youth from taking up smoking, present the Maine Legislature with a unique opportunity at a time of tough choices. We are talking about increasing the state tobacco tax.

SUN JOURNAL

Another rate cut expected
WASHINGTON - All eyes are on the Federal Reserve Tuesday as its policy-making committee tries to spark the sick U.S. economy back to health, slashing short-term interest rates by what Wall Street believes may be a full percentage point.

EDITORIAL
Boulevard of broken budgets
Maine, you're not alone. The Associated Press examined the budgets of all 50 states and found the same revenue shortfall, sky-is-falling scenario is occurring coast-to-coast.

Letters
Partisan pathways
This is in response to a letter from Sen. Bruce Bryant, D-District 14, that was printed Jan. 19.

MPBN
Blethen Maine Newspapers For Sale

Just days after the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram announced a round of 27 layoffs, the daily newspaper's parent company said today that it's exploring the sale of all three of its newspapers in Maine. Citing challenges in the industry, CEO and Publisher Frank Blethen said his company needs to focus on its newspapers in Washington State, including the Seattle Times. As Susan Sharon reports, industry watchers are optimistic the three Maine dailies can be sold as a package.

Legislature Considers Ethics Law Changes

A year ago the Maine legislature deferred action on a blue ribbon panel's recommendations to impose stricter ethical standards on state lawmakers. At the time, some perceived the move as a lack of resolve at the State House to confront potentially thorny issues involving legislators. But members of the Legislature's Legal and Veterans Affairs Committee are spending much of this week reviewing ways to provide increased disclosure on lawmakers' financial dealings and conduct. A.J. Higgins reports.

Looking at Oil Prices

Local Host Irwin Gratz talks with Charles Colgan, an economic expert and professor at the Muskie School of Public Service at the University of Southern Maine.

Maine News for Monday, March 17, 2008

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD
Panel rejects some DHHS cuts
Lawmakers disapprove of the severity and long-term costs of the proposed cuts to the social safety net.

Pingree joins push for ending Iraq war
One of six Democratic candidates for the U.S. House, she hopes to set herself apart.

STATE HOUSE NOTES: House begins cost-cutting test with computers

Saco wind turbine off to a slow start
Though power output is below expectations so far, the windmill is attracting plenty of attention.

EDITORIALS:
Earmark competition is one Maine can't win
Opposition to outside-the-budget spending is not just principled, but also practical.

Long lease makes sense for Maine State Pier project
The public benefit of a successful project justifies a 75-year commitment by the state.

Ed Pontius and Carol CaruthersMental health spending cuts senseless
The state's most vulnerable citizens need protection, not more exposure to harm.

ANOTHER VIEW: Development can become a monster devouring a beautiful city
If tax revenue is the only objective, people will just get in the way -- so remove them.


BANGOR DAILY NEWS
Legislators seek budget solutions
Monday, March 17, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - Members of the Legislature's appropriations committee are going far beyond the budget proposals of Gov. John Baldacci to set their own spending priorities.

Gold prices have Mainers looking to sell
Monday, March 17, 2008
BANGOR, Maine - As the price of gold topped $1,002 an ounce on the world market, Mainers looking for a quick infusion of cash are rummaging around in their jewelry cases and safety deposit boxes.

Mainers rally for peace
Monday, March 17, 2008
Shayla Goss and Karen Ellis were still in high school when the Iraq war began five years ago. 'Nobody knew what to think about it then,' Ellis, now 20, of Winterport said Saturday.

MCI ethics class focuses on Iraq war issues
Monday, March 17, 2008
PITTSFIELD, Maine - The radiators in the library at Maine Central Institute didn't even have to click on for the heat to rise on a discussion Friday in Winn Price's class.

KENNEBEC JOURNAL

Tourism industry crossing fingers
Rising gasoline prices across the country might cool off the vacation plans of many Americans this year.

State's social services chief caught between her heart and frugal place
AUGUSTA -- Brenda Harvey spent much of her career working with people who are disabled, poor or mentally ill.

Project envisions a House without paper
AUGUSTA -- Ten members of the House will have computers on their desks this morning as part of a pilot project to use less paper in the Legislature.

Editorials:

Poisons in plain sight putting our kids at risk
Inhalants can seem like the perfect drug to a kid: free or cheap, often readily available in their refrigerator, garage or bathroom. And they are legal, so how can they be dangerous?

SUN JOURNAL

High oil prices fuel house fires
AUGUSTA (AP) - As heating oil prices soar to record levels, fire officials worry that Maine households may be forced to resort to dangerous alternatives in order to keep warm.

EDITORIAL:
A smoke- screen for DirigoChoice
By proposing to balance DirigoChoice, in part, upon a 50-cent per-pack tax increase on tobacco makes us wonder what is being smoked in Augusta.

MPBN
Democratic Leaders Part Company With Baldacci Budget Approach

Democratic leaders in Augusta say they will find their own solution to the state's $190 million budget shortfall, in an attempt to soften the impact of Gov. John Baldacci's proposed cuts in education and health and human services programs. Although ranking Democrats have agreed not to include any new broad-based taxes to balance the budget, they have left open the option of other revenue raisers that could be perceived as a tax. A.J. Higgins reports.

Chief Justice Announces Reprieve On Trial Suspensions

Civil rights advocates and some lawyers in Maine breathed a sigh of relief today, after Chief Justice Leigh Saufley of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court today announced that the state will not suspend criminal trials as a way of meeting budget cuts. Tom Porter reports.

Legislature Approves Loans For Geothermal Heating

As home heating oil prices continue to climb, more Mainers are taking a new look at geothermal heat pumps. These heating systems take advantage of the earth's constant temperature to heat houses. They are not cheap, but a bill that won final legislative approval today would provide low-interest loans to take the sting out of the tab. Murray Carpenter reports.

Maine News for Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Portland Press Herald

Trustees try to fix financial practices
A review that found lax oversight at USM will be used to improve budgeting throughout the system.

Bill seeks to protect phone-card purchasers
State House: Rep. Herb Adams' bill would bar the imposition of post-sale rate increases.

Panel splits on nonprofit gaming bill
State House: Police say the exemptions would hinder investigations and reduce needed revenue.

Driver's license rules uncertain
State House: If Maine wants to delay complying with Real ID, it must seek an extension by March 31.

Time for state leaders to hold the hyperbole
In a tough economy, state employees should focus on making government get by with less.

Column: High-schoolers vs. lawmakers: Teens do better
Legislators, faced with a budget shortfall of just 3 percent, are acting as if the world has ended.

LTE: Collins a 'fair-weather' independent

LTE: Student backs banning energy drinks statewide

LTE: Pass legislation to support cardiac, pulmonary care

LTE: Judicial system should be better guard of our safety

Bangor Daily News

Committee supports requiring residency for driver's licenses
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - A legislative committee is embracing a 30-day residency requirement for driver's license applicants, but exactly how residence would be proved remained elusive as lawmakers complained Monday that the federal government has been silent on the issue.

Bill answers phone card complaints
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - An unwelcome surprise for Maine phone card customers who found that they had less time left than they thought they had paid for has led to legislation that's being touted as the first of its kind in the country.

Bad to worse: Oil price climb continues
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
The state Office of Energy Independence and Security on Monday released its weekly update on energy prices as plans were under way for the first Governor's Energy Efficiency Summit & Expo, which will be held next month in Augusta in an effort to curb rapidly escalating energy costs for businesses.

Senate seeks meeting to iron out school law
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - State senators have asked for a meeting with House representatives in an effort to resolve differences in their respective versions of the bill containing changes to the school consolidation law.

UMS officials: Proposed cuts are harmful
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
PORTLAND, Maine - The governor's proposed cuts to the University of Maine System would have a drastic consequence on the campuses and "would be counterproductive to the state's economic interests and condition," according to UMS board of trustees Chairwoman Margaret Weston.

Editorial: Higher ed math
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
In his first round of budget cutting, Gov. John Baldacci did not reduce funding for the state's higher education systems and asked them to look for cost savings.

Introducing ClickBack
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
ClickBack is a new venue for Bangor Daily News readers to share their opinions on topics of local, statewide and national interest and importance. Have ideas for cutting the state budget? An armchair goalie with tips for the Maine Black Bears? Go to ClickBack to take your shot.

Tuesday's Letters to the Editor Smear and fear tactics, Mike Gravel was no hero, The exact line, Gas prices in Europe, Freeloading addicts, Guns in Acadia

Kennebec Journal

Energy summit set for April 3
AUGUSTA -- Several Maine businesses, agencies and environmental groups have joined forces for the first Governor's Energy Efficiency Summit and Expo, which will be held April 3 at the Augusta Civic Center.

Study finds contaminents in bird eggs across Maine
The eggs of birds across the state, from bald eagles and loons in northern Maine to ospreys on the South Portland waterfront, contain a soup of industrial chemicals, according to a study to be presented in the Legislature today.

Editorial: You've got mail
The federal government is neither frugal nor rational.

LTE: Protect Maine's drinking water from corporations
I have lived in Florida for 18 years, spent one year in Costa Rica before returning to Maine. Water was a critical issue in both, and Monteverde, Costa Rica, residents were on foot on the road stopping trucks to take the water.

Morning Sentinel

Column: Universal health coverage? States will differ
As voters nationwide focus on the 2008 presidential campaign, a basic reality about the American constitutional system is worth keeping in mind: the division of power between Washington and the states means the next president and Congress will not be alone in deciding major domestic policies.

LTE: Allen reaps financial rewards from MoveOn
MoveOn.org has made it very clear that it is financially targeting the race between Sen. Susan Collins and Rep. Tom Allen.

LTE: U.S. dollar barely worth paper it's printed on
Over the past few months, our dollar has became increasingly weak; some may overlook the significance of this impact.

Sun Journal

Proof of residency for license applicants subject to debate
AUGUSTA (AP) - A legislative committee is embracing a 30-day residency requirement for driver's license applicants, but exactly how residence would be proven remained elusive as lawmakers complained Monday that the federal government has been silent on the issue.

Our View: Back again, at the ethics crossroads
If lawmakers are so afraid of the public, why do they choose to serve it?

LTE: Maine, fix thyself
The 1998 ice storm was a great example of just how generous Maine people are, especially in a crisis.

Times Record

Getting a Maine driver's license(full story)

LTE: Revamp electoral system(full story)

Portsmouth Herald

Iraq exodus tops Pingree's list
… the only one who has worked in Washington, DC, as president and chief executive officer of Common Cause, a non-partisan citizen

Panel: No federal guidance on license residency standards AUGUSTA, Maine — A legislative committee is embracing a 30-day residency requirement for driver's license applicants, but exactly how residence would be proven remained elusive as lawmakers complained Monday that the federal

Price of heating oil in Maine jumps 16 cent a gallon in past week AUGUSTA, Maine — The state energy office says the average price of heating oil in Maine jumped 16 cents a gallon in the past week.