Maine News for Friday, April 25, 2008

Portland Press Herald
Baldacci's pocket veto of gaming bill criticized
A Pittsfield lawmaker says the decision shows how out of touch the governor is with Maine's citizens.

Romney to headline state GOP gathering
The presidential nomination is 'sewn up,' but platform discussions could yield good debate, a lawmaker says.

Clerks foresee problems in budget balloting
School referendum rules will make it virtually impossible for many absentee ballots to arrive on time to be counted, they contend.

Gas bargains hard to come by
Mainers find slightly cheaper fuel in New Hampshire and look for decent deals closer to home.

Editorial

'Familial DNA' proves to be vital tool of justice
Identifying criminals using freely given samples from relatives is not a major invasion of privacy.

Hannaford making real effort to protect customers' credit cards
But one chain can't solve this problem all by itself; changes are needed nationwide.

Kennebunkport offers improved deal to protesters
Changes to a proposed mass-gathering ordinance fit the First Amendment better.

M.D. HARMONGlobal warming policies will hit our economy hard
Ever wonder why so few stories relate the cost of these measures? Because the truth hurts – a lot.

Letters:
State's legislative leaders are too quick to raise taxes

Dirigo was noble idea but it hasn't worked

Minimum wage harms the most vulnerable employees

Bangor Daily News
Orono: UM gets $12.9M federal contract
Friday, April 26, 2008
ORONO, Maine - The University of Maine has received a $12.9 million contract from the U.S. Department of Defense to take the secure shipping containers developed in the campus laboratory to the marketplace.

Old pumps not made for new fuel prices
Friday, April 26, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - Consumers are not alone in trying to keep up with the soaring cost of fuel. Older-model gasoline and diesel fuel pumps can't keep up, either, and the state has issued emergency rules to keep the fuel flowing.

LURC gathering public comments on its vision for Maine's North Woods
Friday, April 26, 2008
State regulators will travel throughout the state during the next two weeks to hear resident' views on the top issues facing Maine’s Unorganized Territory and how best to balance competing uses within the region.

Guard members working on border
Friday, April 26, 2008
Forty-five Maine Army National Guard soldiers recently returned from a three-week engineering mission on the Mexican border, and nearly 100 more guardsmen will depart for a similar mission within the next month.

Editorial:
Medicaid and Mirrors
Friday, April 26, 2008
It has long been clear that the Bush administration didn't have logic on its side as it tried to limit states' flexibility in extending health insurance to moderate-income children.

Job security through solidarity
May Day, the international day of labor solidarity, is coming up and it’s a good time for workers in eastern Maine to reflect on their employment.

Kennebec Journal

AUGUSTA Romney to keynote state GOP gathering Columnist Cal Thomas also likely to appear at next weekend's meeting
AUGUSTA -- Former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney will headline the Maine Republican Party State Convention next weekend in Augusta.

On Maine Politics

Check out the GOP platform 04/24/08

Drivers search for cheaper gas
PORTSMOUTH, N.H. -- At 10 a.m. on Wednesday, cars and trucks were lining up at the pumps at BJ's Wholesale Club gas station on Woodbury Avenue.

BRIEFS
GARDINER -- The Maine Technology Institute will hand out $25 million to $30 million in grants by September, institute officials said.

Editorials:
Lay midwives should not give medications New law gives potentially dangerous drugs to minimally trained home-birth helpers
In the old days -- by that, we mean the 1940s and 1950s -- childbirth was a pretty cold, clinical and over-medicated affair.

Columns:
GORDON SMITH : Beverage tax increase for Dirigo targets unhealthy behaviors
As a member of the 2006 Blue Ribbon Commission on Dirigo Health representing Maine's physicians, the Kennebec Journal editorial of April 17, titled, "Democrats slip in tax increases with night vote," was of great interest to me.

L. SANDY MAISEL : Keep 1980 Democratic primary votes in mind as '08 winds down
The Pennsylvania primary was a pivotal event in the Democratic nominating process -- in 1980.

Sun Journal
Lawmaker criticizes veto of bill
AUGUSTA (AP) - A Pittsfield lawmaker criticized Gov. John Baldacci on Thursday for refusing to sign a gaming bill sent to him at the close of this year's legislative sessions.

Resort sees cooking grease as fuel
CARRABASSETT VALLEY (AP) - Sugarloaf ski resort is expanding a program to run its off-road vehicles on a fuel that includes cooking grease.

High court sides with school panel
PORTLAND (AP) - Maine's highest court Thursday struck down a judge's ruling that required the Portland School Committee to allow a local newspaper to examine notes taken during an executive session last summer.

Ellsworth American
Freedom of Access Ruling Overturned
Maine's highest court has dealt a blow to one of the state's biggest newspaper groups. The Supreme Judicial Court has thrown out a ruling made last year which granted Blethen Newspapers access to notes taken during an executive session of the Portland School Committee. The media group says the decision violates the Freedom of Access law, and interferes with the public's right-to-know.

UMaine Receives Another Major Research Grant

The University of Maine has been awarded a 13 million dollar federal grant to continue development of a new type of secure cargo container. It's the second major research and development grant awarded to the school in as many weeks, and as Keith Shortall reports, Senator Susan Collins sees R & D as a niche that Maine cannot afford to let pass by.

Needed! Skilled Workers

As Baby-Boomers begin to retire, Maine employers are having trouble finding skilled workers these days. That's the conclusion of a study by the Maine Department of Labor. But Mainers who tune up their work skills or devleop new ones may find that in the future, the "sky's the limit." Keith McKeen reports.

Ellsworth American
Legislators Approve $210M in Bonds To Close Out Session

Statehouse News Service

AUGUSTA — Timing proved to be everything for those trying to push road and bridge projects through without taxpayer approval, as legislators voted in $210 million in bonds during the final days and even hours of the legislative session that ended on Friday night.

Effort Under Way To Repeal Tax Hike on Beverages

Statehouse News Service

AUGUSTA — Businesses hit by tax hikes on beer, wine and soft drinks, including one that would raise the price of a gallon of syrup used to make soda in restaurants by 40 percent, are considering organizing a people’s veto petition to get the increase repealed.

Consolidation Law Changes Provide Added Flexibility

Statehouse News Service

AUGUSTA — Changes made last week to the school consolidation law will allow some districts to move forward with their regional school units and others to propose unions that allow local school boards to keep some power, but not as much as they now have.

Editorial:
The Magnificent Seven

Editorials

Maine taxpayers owe a vote of thanks to the 123rd Legislature’s Appropriations Committee, and most especially two of its Democratic members. Rep. Jeremy Fischer of Presque Isle and Rep. Linda Valentino of Saco joined with Republicans on the committee last week in a 7-6 vote that stopped dead in its tracks a proposal that would have cost the state of Maine hundreds of millions of dollars over the next 20 years.

Maine News for Thursday, April 24, 2008

Portland Press Herald
Four Maine superdelegates remain uncommitted in Democratic race
Election 2008: They are among 200 around the country waiting to endorse either Clinton or Obama.

House opposition to Medicaid cuts could benefit Maine
Rules changes proposed by the Bush administration would cost the state $186 million over two years.

Drive to repeal drink tax being weighed
A citizen veto effort would target levies on beer, wine and soda.

Community colleges to raise tuition rates
A $1.2 million shortfall prompts a 2.5 percent rate hike next fall in Maine.

City's 'free yard sale' will end
Residents believe that abolishing heavy-item pickup will hurt people without trucks. Portland says that other services are more vital.

Poland Spring seeking OK to treat own wastewater
The company says a proposed irrigation system would lessen its environmental impact.

Editorials:

Close Democratic race good for party and country
Hand-wringing about making things easier for the GOP is overdone and unrealistic.

Plastic or paper? It's time to start saying, 'I brought my own'
Reusable bags cost money, of course, but the hidden costs of disposable bags are far higher.

York lawmaker's good idea now unfairly haunts her
An incomplete account led to a slew of hostile comments that Rep. Dawn Hill didn't deserve.

Bangor Daily News

State says workers needed
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Maine businesses may have trouble filling positions in the future, according to a study from the state's labor department. Poll: Do you consider yourself underemployed?

Community college fees to rise
Thursday, April 24, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - The Maine Community College System board of trustees on Wednesday approved a 2.5 percent tuition increase at the state's seven two-year college campuses next fall.

UMS to stay competitive via Internet 2
Thursday, April 24, 2008
ELLSWORTH, Maine - The University of Maine System has hired a Maine company to help provide the state's universities and The Jackson Laboratory with the broadband Internet capacity they say they need to stay competitive with research and education institutions worldwide.

Cianbro kicks off refinery assembly
Thursday, April 24, 2008
BREWER, Maine - Cianbro crews began erecting Wednesday at the Eastern Manufacturing Facility the first of 52 construction modules that will become part of an expanding Texas oil refinery.

New law allows midwives to buy some medications
Thursday, April 24, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - Gv. John Baldacci on Wednesday signed into law a measure that authorizes Maine pharmacists to provide certain medications to certified professional midwives for administration to mothers and newborns during home births.

Sugarloaf to run vehicles off restaurant grease
Thursday, April 24, 2008
CARRABASSETT VALLEY, Maine - Sugarloaf ski resort is expanding a program to run its off-road vehicles on a fuel that includes cooking grease.

Bangor area seeks ideas on open space
Bangor area seeks ideas on open space
A dozen Penobscot Valley communities are partnering with a national organization to develop a regional approach to expanding the amount of open space and conservation land in the area.

Editorial:

Baghdad's Burden
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Members of Congress and the Bush administration have long talked about the Iraqi government taking more responsibility for the security, economy and governing of their country.

Unelected Economy Czars
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Polls show the top issue among voters this election year is their fears about the fate of the economy. Voters can grill congressional candidates, but the fate of the economy may be most influenced by a body that does not answer to the American voter.

Don't blame NAFTA: Consumers and workers gain
Has NAFTA - the North American Free Trade Agreement - been a disaster for working Americans?

Kennebec Journal
NEW TAX BATTLE POSSIBLE Business groups considering people's veto to overturn taxes on beer, wine and soda
AUGUSTA -- Leaders from various business groups may launch a people's veto effort to overturn recently enacted taxes on beer, wine and soda.

Power play: CMP negotiates with China to site new power lines for aging system
CHINA -- Planners got an update Tuesday on plans to widen the power line right-of-way through China, and a request to seek a change in local ordinances to accommodate new utility poles.

VASSALBORO 'Pushing' incident prompts charge Code enforcement officer accused following alleged altercation over violations
VASSALBORO -- Richard Proctor was sitting in a chair in front of his garage Tuesday morning when he said he happened to look down the road and see a pickup truck "pushing" Leo Barnett with the front bumper.

Editorial:

911 consolidation naysayers' fear being borne out Emergency calls must be handled quickly
That's the amount of time an emergency dispatcher in Somerset County spent on hold one afternoon in late February. The dispatcher had called the Central Maine Regional Commune-ications Center in Augusta to request that a warden be sent to a snowmobile accident in The Forks.

KAY RAND : What's 'Christian' about Christian Civic League?
As a Christian, I am enormously grateful that I will be judged by a forgiving God and not by officials at the Christian Civic League of Maine.

JIM BRUNELLE : Legislative session could have been better ... or worse
On the whole, however, lawmakers ended up making the right decisions on the most contentious issues.

Sun Journal
Community college tuition rising 2.5%
AUGUSTA (AP) - The Maine Community College System board of trustees on Wednesday approved a 2.5 percent tuition increase at the state's seven two-year college campuses next fall.

Maine real estate sales, prices down
SOUTH PORTLAND (AP) - The Maine real estate market remained cool in March, with home sales down 28 percent and prices down more than 3 percent.

Editorial:
A victory for government transparency
Gov. John Baldacci's pocket veto of legislation that would have infringed public access to important legislative and municipal information, LD 1878, is a victory for clear, open transparent government in Maine.

MPBN
Maine Lawmakers Grant New Powers To Midwives

Certified professional midwives in Maine will soon be able to obtain certain medications from pharmacies to use in their practices. The new law, passed this session, is drawing criticism from nursing quarters. Barbara Cariddi reports.

Coaltion: Rid Public House Of Tobacco By 2009

Health care advocates and the State Fire Marshal's office have teamed up to urge local public housing authorities to adopt smoke-free policies by Jan. 1st of next year. Health officials say smoking continues to be the number one cause of fire-related deaths in the state. The Smoke-free Housing Coalition says the effects of second-hand smoke on non-smokers also contribute to a variety of illnesses or diseases that could be prevented by a smoke-free policy. A.J. Higgins reports.

Maine Ranks High For "Legal Climate"

Businesses in Maine may be unhappy with the tax burden imposed on them by the state legislature. But according to a survey released today, there does appear to be at least some good news for those seeking to make a buck in Vacationland. Tom Porter reports.

Nod Given To Rail Expansion Plan

Downeaster passenger trains will be going to Brunswick. Just before adjourning last Friday night, the legislature enacted a bill to pay for the 31-and-a-half million dollar track improvement project. As Irwin Gratz reports, it will mean more than just two more stops on the Boston-to-Portland run.

PolitickerME

Wally Edge: DC Pundits keep Maine’s two House seats in the D column.
Stu Rothenberg a well known DC politico has just released his latest predictions on the 2008 US House races. In his opening paragraph Rothenberg

Maine News for Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Portland Press Herald
Soaring food prices drain schools' lunch budgets
In addition to charging more, they are looking for creative ways to provide healthful meals.

Snowe's bill bars genetic discrimination
The Senate is expected to pass the measure, aimed specifically at insurance companies and employers.

In wake of breach, Hannaford steps up security
Card numbers will be encrypted, an effort one expert praises but describes as 'reactive.'

Gambling measures among bills blocked by Baldacci

Story in Portsmouth, N.H., paper leads to backlash over Maine's Peeping Tom bill
A news article, picked up by Fark, failed to fully explain the measure, leading to angry online comments.

Commentary:
ROBERT A. KENNEDYVoter-backed R&D bonds paying off in private-sector jobs
The funding has helped the University of Maine enable a variety of businesses to grow.

Bangor Daily News
At UM, ecovillage idea gains allies
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
ORONO, Maine - Between the peeling exterior paint and spartan rooms, building 11-16 in the University of Maine's York Village doesn't look like your typical setting for a revolution in college living.

Judge: Sex offender can't live at home
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
BUCKSPORT, Maine - For the victims and family members who still deal with the trauma Travis White caused during several years of misconduct, the decision was a victory.

Internet gives high-schoolers taste of college
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
HOWLAND, Maine — Samantha Hockridge plans to go to college and she’s not wasting time.

Editorial: Close down Gitmo
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
The prison at Guantanamo Bay has long been a national disgrace. The current mess over how to try suspected terrorists in improvised special courts highlights the need to shut down this facility.

Kennebec Journal

AUGUSTA: Out in the open
AUGUSTA -- Councilors endorsed the creation of a group that wants to be among the best friends to the city's plants, trees, wildlife, waters and open spaces.

Hannaford takes steps to prevent data breech
Hannaford Bros. has beefed up computer security since a data breach exposed 4.2 million customer credit and debit card numbers to potential fraud, and plans other changes to make the system even stronger, executives said Tuesday.

Train trip from coast aims to boost future rail service
Jack Sutton believes rail transportation could be the future of Maine.

Hallowell joins regional waterfront effort
HALLOWELL -- City councilors Monday unanimously approved joining in regional efforts with Augusta and Gardiner to seek grants and other assistance for waterfront development.

Augusta woman among EPA awardees
AUGUSTA -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded merit awards to 38 New England entities, including seven from Maine, agency officials said.

Jail isolates inmates with staph infection
SKOWHEGAN -- Two inmates at the Somerset County Jail are in isolation with what may be a Methicillin-resistant bacterial infection.

Editorial:

Lawmakers had session that was largely effective 2 less-than- admirable moves: Dirigo bailout, minor ethics reform
They dealt with jails and school consolidation, ethics and the environment, the state budget and state bridges.

Down East magazine reveals well-kept central Maine secret
"15 Small Town Getaways" was the colorful front-page headline in Down East' s April edition. I ripped the magazine open to page 76 to see the list of getaway towns and nearly fell to the floor. The world went dark. My town of Mount Vernon has been discovered.

MIKI MACDONALD, FNP : Amended midwives' law watered-down, dangerous
LD 2253, An Act To Provide Access to Certain Medications to Certified Midwives, as amended by the Legislature, was just signed by Gov. John Baldacci. The new law allows persons who hold no license to practice a health-care profession to prescribe and administer prescription drugs and other substances.

Sun Journal
Hedge fund contributions to Pingree questioned
PORTLAND (AP) - The two Democratic candidates who've raised the most money in Maine's 1st Congressional District race are trading shots over contributions from a wealthy hedge-fund manager.

Governor blocks four proposals
AUGUSTA (AP) - Gov. John Baldacci says he won't sign four bills enacted by the Legislature before its adjournment late Friday night.

Driver's license rules take effect
PORTLAND (AP) - Mainers seeking a driver's license were required to begin showing proof of residency effective Tuesday, but the change was largely uneventful.

Fort Kent holds snowplow parade
FORT KENT (AP) - After a nasty winter, residents of northern Maine have kept a sense of humor about the mounds of snow that piled up.

Editorial:
Why Maine ought to be in pictures
Knock, knock, it's the creative economy calling.

MPBN
"People's Veto" Discussed by Business Leaders
The term "People's Veto" has surfaced in talks among Maine business leaders. The idea of voters rescinding taxes raised in the waning hours of the legislative session reflects the degree of indignation felt by Maine's business community. Tax increases on beer and wine and a hike in the minimum wage, they say, is evidence the legislature has ignored the financial status of both business and consumers. Keith McKeen reports.

Candidate Ethan Strimling Profiled

We continue our series of profiles of the eight candidates vying for Maine's First District Congressional seat, long held by Tom Allen, who is now running for the Senate. Tonight we take a look at Portland Democrat Ethan Strimling. Strimling, who just turned 40, is serving his third term in the Maine Senate. He was first elected to the legislature in 2002, and for several years he's directed the social service agency Portland West, which provides education, counseling, housing and job training to low income people in the greater Portland area. Barbara Cariddi reports.

Maine News for Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Portland Press Herald
1st District candidates talk money
Election 2008: Portland's Ethan Strimling makes an issue of Chellie Pingree's hedge-fund contributions.

Schools cut back as costs rise, aid drops
Education officials reduce staff and programs and raise lunch prices to make ends meet.

U.S. attorney: Child porn prosecutions remain a priority
Federal cases nearly quadrupled over the past decade nationwide.

City layoffs: Severance costs unclear
Salary cuts may save $2.9 million, but payout expenses will offset that.

License in hand doesn't put alewives in the net
A dam in Winslow and conservation are among reasons Benton can't harvest the fish.

Yarmouth students investing in lives around the world
Using Kiva.org, an online platform, they've jumped wholeheartedly into microlending.

Editorials:

Addressing taxes has to start with cuts
Too often, lawmakers confuse 'tax reform' with the need to tax people less.

Earth Day ideal must translate to problem solving
The threats we know of today – especially global climate change – require new thinking.

RON BANCROFTLawmakers get bogged down in multiple ways
There are too many of them, one profession is too dominant and too many bills get filed.

CHELLIE PINGREE and PAUL EASTON, Special to the Press HeraldDemocrats sign on to plan to end Iraq war
Congressional candidates around the nation seek to repair the damage current policies created.

Bangor Daily News

Dirigo taxes upset business community
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine - While lawmakers are congratulating themselves for a successful legislative session, many in the business community are less enthusiastic about what the lawmakers did - or did not do.

Maine gas buyers tanking
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
BANGOR, Maine - Clark and Deborah Rafford know gas prices are a gamble, so they decided to gamble for gas money on Monday afternoon. POLL: Have high gas prices caused you to alter your vacation plans?

Baldacci tallies accomplishments
Monday, April 21, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine —-Day to day inside the State House bubble, there's a lot of maneuvering, cajoling, browbeating and scheming as a governor presses his speaking-with-one-voice advantage and lawmakers try to promote their party's priorities and their own pet projects.

Cobble beach access gem of Bold Coast buy
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
A major statewide land trust announced Monday that it has conserved nearly two miles of shoreline along Washington County's Bold Coast in a deal that will provide access to a scenic beach previously closed to the public.

Editorials:
ClickBack on taxes, flags
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
For most people, Patriot's Day was just another workday. Is the holiday commemorating the start of the Revolutionary War outdated? Only Maine and Massachusetts celebrate it and to a diminishing extent. Is it time to retire this holiday?

Editorial: Don't waste Earth Day
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Requiring the recycling of computer and television monitors - and having manufacturers cover most of the cost - has diverted tons of lead from Maine landfills while saving residents money.

Kennebec Journal

Inmate labor on the rise
Roadside chain gangs might belong to an era gone by, but inmate work crews cleaning roads and other publicly-owned property around Kennebec County could become commonplace.

Continuing to improve their skills
AUGUSTA -- Firearms instructors by their side, the police cadets cautiously approach a wall of targets that resemble milk bottles.

Observing Earth Day just the beginning for some
While today marks the 39th annual Earth Day, central Maine residents have already begun observing the occasion.

Editorials:

Earth Day '08
If only Maine's attention to environmental issues and love for our most beautiful piece of Mother Earth could have an impact far greater than a rural state with 1.3 million people should expect.

DAVID B. OFFER : Park police failing to protect vulnerable national symbols
Few sights are more inspiring than the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument and the Jefferson Memorial at night.

Don't give opinion until it's time to vote on issue
Regarding the newspaper's opinion article (April 11) about the Christian Civic League -- if you have an opinion on an issue, when it comes time to vote, and you feel we can't think for ourselves well enough to vote without your opinion, then be sure to let us know what we should do.

Oppose non-Christian vote for discrimination
This letter is in response to the recent announcement by the Christian Civic League to attempt to repeal the Maine Human Rights Law through a broadly defined referendum in favor of discriminating against gays and lesbians in the workforce and in housing, as well as in parenting rights.

Sun Journal
Day designated for threatened wildlife
WASHINGTON (AP) - Maine Sen. Susan Collins says she and California Sen. Dianne Feinstein have introduced a resolution to designate May 16 as the third annual Endangered Species Day.

Veterans' health issues heard
SANFORD (AP) - A congressional field hearing on health issues involving female and rural veterans drew dozens of former service members to Sanford.

Editorial
Rebuilding EPA's eroded reputation
This Earth Day, we'd like peace on the planet and goodwill among environmental regulatory agencies.

Democrats jump aboard the God-talk express
Beware when politicians talk about "compassion," especially when they hold a "Compassion Forum" to do it, which is what they did at the appropriately named Messiah College near Harrisburg, Pa. Politicians identify with the messianic because they think they are God's gift to America.

There's only one Earth, please be kind
Today Earth Day is upon us, which should give us cause to pause and wonder what we're doing to the planet we will pass on to the next generation. How often do we think about how we affect the environment?

MPBN
Employment Figures Point to Slowdown in Maine Economy

From Cumberland County, where unemployment was four-point-one percent last month, to Washington County, where nearly eleven percent are jobless, there were signs last month that the Maine economy is slowing. Irwin Gratz spoke with John Dorr, Director of the Center for Workforce Research and Information at the Maine Department of Labor about the subject including who, exactly, is counted as unemployed.

York Residents Rally Against Turnpike Toll Plaza Plan

The slogan for the Maine Turnpike Authority is "Think Ahead," but in York County some residents are demanding that the independent state agency "Think Again." Plans by the MTA to relocate the York Toll Plaza and rebuild a larger 21-lane structure at a cost of more than 30 million dollars have outraged some area residents who say the plan is unnecessary and would be disruptive on several fronts. Yesterday dozens of people turned out for a rally against the plan on Route 1 in York. As Susan Sharon reports, many want to know why the MTA is proceeding full speed ahead.

Veteran's Groups Say Healthcare Lacking in Rural Areas

Dozens of Maine veterans and their advocates spent a good portion of Patriot's Day discussing the healthcare needs of veterans in rural areas. That was the focus of a Congressional field hearing today at Sanford Town Hall, conducted by Second District Congressman Mike Michaud who chairs the House Veterans Affairs subcommittee on Health. Veterans arrived at the session armed with criticism for the Veteran's Administration. Keith McKeen reports.

PolitickerME

Wally Edge: Where my money at?
I hate to be a bother, I really do. But could someone please tell me where my 20 million dollars has gone. I can’t seem to find it anywhere.

Maine News for Friday, April 18, 2008

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

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

BILL NEMITZTell Michael Heath the war on homosexuality is over

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

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

Editorials:

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

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

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

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

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

Bangor Daily News

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

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

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

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

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

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

Editorials:

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

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

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

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

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

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

On Maine Politics

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

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

Letters:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MPBN
Casino Promoter Drops Out of Campaign

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

Jail Consolidation Plan Revised and Approved

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

Allagash Waterway On Most Endangered Rivers List

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

Mark Lawrence Counts on Legislative Experience and Southern Maine Roots

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

Driver License Changes Pass Maine House

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

PolitickerME
Martin criticizes KJ’s attack on Dirigo plan

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

Beer tax rebellion in the making?

Maine News for Thursday, April 17, 2008

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Editorial:

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

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

Bangor Daily News

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Editorial

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

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

Letters:

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

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

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

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

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

MBPN
Real ID Remains Contentious Issue Among Lawmakers

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

Congressional Candidates Breaking Finance Record

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

PolitickerME
Beer tax rebellion in the making?

Maine News for Wednesday, April 16, 2008

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

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

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

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

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

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

Editorials:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

On Maine Politics

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

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

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

Letters:

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

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

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

Bangor Daily News

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Opinion:

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

MPBN:
House Snuffs Out Plan to Hike Cigarette Tax

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

Anti Gay Initiative Stirs Anger at Sponsor

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

Power Line Projects Would Impact Electric Bills

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

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

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

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

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