Report shows climate change threat to Acadia

ACADIA NATIONAL PARK, Maine (AP) — Environmental advocacy groups have released a report saying Acadia National Park is one of 25 in the country most threatened by climate change.

The report says among issues Acadia faces are rising sea levels, possible shifts in the distribution and numbers of tree and animal species, more severe storms, and increasing visits as people flee rising temperatures farther south.

Maine marriage campaign probe gets OK

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Maine's campaign oversight board overruled a staff recommendation Thursday and authorized an investigation into fundraising by groups supporting the campaign to repeal the state's gay marriage law in a Nov. 3 referendum.

The Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices voted 3-2 after some members said there was sufficient evidence to warrant a closer look at finance reporting by the National Organization for Marriage, a major contributor to Stand for Marriage Maine.

FEC asks candidate for report clarification

LEWISTON — Congressional candidate Jason Levesque of Auburn has received a letter from the Federal Election Commission asking for clarification of contributions listed in a campaign finance report.

Levesque, a Republican, is challenging U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud, D-Maine, for Maine's 2nd District seat in 2010.

Maine delegation supports funding bill

With the federal fiscal year ending at midnight Wednesday, members of Congress voted to continue current funding for most federal programs through Oct. 31 but raised their own administrative budget by about 3.5 percent.

The U.S. Senate voted late Wednesday afternoon in support of the legislation, which was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives last week.

House Democrats Chellie Pingree and Mike Michaud of Maine voted in favor of the bill, as did Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, both Maine Republicans. In the Senate, the vote passed 62-38.

Maine lobsterman pleads not guilty in shooting

ROCKLAND (AP) — A Maine lobsterman has pleaded not guilty to charges he shot a fellow Matinicus Island lobsterman in the neck over the summer.

Vance Bunker pleaded not guilty Wednesday in Knox County Superior Court to two counts of elevated aggravated assault for allegedly shooting Chris Young in a dispute on July 20.

He also pleaded not guilty to two lesser charges.
Police say the shooting stemmed from a dispute over whether Bunker's son-in-law should be allowed to put his lobster traps around the remote island, located about 20 miles off Rockland.

Maine governor picks tomatoes to celebrate new greenhouse harvest

MADISON, Maine (AP) — New England's largest greenhouse is growing more than tomatoes - it's growing jobs.

Maine Gov. John Baldacci picked several tomatoes off the vine on Tuesday at a celebration of the first harvest at a huge new greenhouse in Madison.

Backyard Farms this summer completed construction of an 18-acre glass-covered greenhouse, giving it two greenhouses covering a total of 42 acres with 450,000 tomato plants.

For its new greenhouse, the company hired about 75 workers over the summer, expanding its work force to about 200 employees.

Maine food stamp rate nation's 2nd highest

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — New data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows Maine had the nation's second-highest percentage of households receiving food stamp benefits in 2008.

According to the 2008 American Community Survey, 13.8 percent of Maine households received benefits last year. That's nearly 21/2 percentage points behind Louisiana, which took first place.

In New England, no other state came close to Maine. Neighboring New Hampshire had the region's lowest rate at 5.2 percent. Nationally, the figure was 8.6 percent, up nearly 1 percent from the previous year.

FairPoint in talks with lenders as stock price slips

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Troubled phone company FairPoint Communications Inc. said Monday that it's in talks with some of its lenders in hopes of restructuring its debt, but still may be forced to file for bankruptcy protection.

FairPoint said that as part of those talks it has entered into a forbearance agreement with lenders that together hold more than 50 percent of the loans and commitments outstanding under its credit facility.

FairPoint has payments under the credit facility and its interest rate swap agreements totaling about $42 million due on Wednesday.

Heating oil prices cool down as winter approaches

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - Homeowners who heat with oil were feeling sticker shock just over a year ago as prices soared close to $5 a gallon, but they're breathing easier now.

Heating oil prices are barely half what they were in summer 2008 - and while prices might go up and even exceed last winter's, nothing indicates any severe spike this winter.

Those who heat with natural gas and propane can expect dramatic drops, while electric heat is projected to cost slightly less.

Ethics panel to decide three election issues

LEWISTON — The Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices is scheduled to address three separate allegations of possible campaign finance reporting violations during its meeting Thursday.

Snowe presses for cost estimates before vote on health bill

AUGUSTA — It's more important to be right than to be quick when it comes to crafting health care legislation, U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, said Thursday.

Especially when one-sixth of the country's economy is at stake.

"We can't afford to get this wrong," she said. "We should have the final (cost) before we take the final vote. I don't even understand how you can resist that notion and dismiss it because it would take two weeks more."

Police: Killing details suggest ritual

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - Police in Maine's largest city say items at the scene of the death of a woman who was strangled, decapitated and set afire in June are suggestive of a ritual.

Newly unsealed court affidavits indicate defendant Chad Gurney placed a crucifix and other items on and around the victim's body before setting a fire in his Portland apartment.

The Portland Press Herald says Gurney admitted during a 10-hour interview to buying $2.50 worth of gasoline and using it ignite the victim's body.

State revenues improve, but still lag projections

AUGUSTA — Legislative budget-writers who continue to see lower-than-predicted monthly state revenues voted Thursday to accept more than $9 million in savings offered by State Treasurer David Lemoine.

The savings were achieved through negotiating lower interest rates on 10-year state bonds, Lemoine told lawmakers Wednesday.

They are looking to fill a $30 million hole from the previous budget by finding ongoing or "structural" savings, rather than one-time gimmicks.

Maine fish auction to lease out space

PORTLAND (AP) — The public fish auction on the Portland waterfront is renting out a third of its space to a local seafood processor as it aims to downsize and generate more revenue.

The city-owned Portland Fish Exchange announced Tuesday that it has entered into 10-year lease with Cozy Harbor Seafood. Cozy Harbor will occupy 11,000 square feet of the exchange's building and pay $1.1 million over the course of the rental agreement.

Bail denied for man charged with slaying former fiancee

ALFRED, Maine (AP) — A judge has denied bail for a New Hampshire man accused of killing his former fiancee in 2007.

Justice G. Arthur Brennan also ruled that Maine had probable cause to show Jason Twardus killed Kelly Gorham of Alfred, a nursing student who disappeared in August 2007.

Her body was found a month later in a shallow grave on property owned by Twardus' father in Stewartstown, N.H.
Gorham and Twardus, of Rochester, N.H., lived together before she broke off their engagement about two months before her death.

Family of reunited Waldoboro brothers grows

WALDOBORO, Maine (AP) — Two Maine men and a woman who reunited after discovering they were separated as youngsters have found another long-lost sibling.

Kathleen Cooper showed up on the "Today" show Wednesday for a surprise reunion.

Randy Joubert and Gary Nisbet discovered they are brothers this summer while working together as furniture movers in Waldoboro.

They had been given up for adoption as babies about 35 years ago.

Moosehead plan gets OK

BANGOR (AP) — A sprawling resort and residential development at the gateway to Maine's North Woods that would be the largest of its kind in the state won a state planning board's unanimous approval Wednesday.

Plum Creek Timber Co.'s proposal was approved nearly five years after the Seattle-based company announced plans to build two resorts and more than 2,000 housing units near Moosehead Lake.

No fast job rise seen in Maine

PORTLAND (AP) — Experts say an easing of the national recession won't bring a quick reversal of job losses in Maine, but some information points to a possible economic recovery.

Charles Colgan, a public policy and management professor at the University of Southern Maine's Muskie School of Public Service, says job losses are expected to continue at the national level and will certainly continue at the state level.

Maine mayor files to run in 2010 governor's race

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) - Waterville Mayor Paul LePage is the latest to join a crowded field of candidates who have filed to run in next year's race for governor.

LePage, a Republican who is general manager of the Marden's Surplus and Salvage store chain, filed the necessary paperwork on Tuesday. He told the Bangor Daily News that his campaign will focus on smaller government, lower taxes, less regulation and improving the state's business climate.

Beverly Cooper-Pete of Portland also filed Tuesday as an unenrolled candidate.

Waterville mayor files to run in 2010 governor's race

AUGUSTA (AP) — Waterville Mayor Paul LePage is the latest to join a crowded field of candidates who have filed to run in next year's race for governor.

LePage, a Republican who is general manager of the Marden's Surplus and Salvage store chain, filed the necessary paperwork on Tuesday. He told the Bangor Daily News that his campaign will focus on smaller government, lower taxes, less regulation and improving the state's business climate.

Beverly Cooper-Pete of Portland also filed Tuesday as an unenrolled candidate.

Maine man faces federal charge over 19 pipe bombs

PORTLAND (AP) — A Maine man arrested during a drug raid has been charged in federal court wiht having 19 pipe bombs at his apartment.

Twenty-nine-year-old Michael Pressey of Portland faces a single count of possession of unregistered destructive devices.

Pressey was one of three men arrested Aug. 17 after a three-month drug trafficking investigation by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency. Apartment raids netted an ounce of crack cocaine, three handguns, an assault-style rifle and a shotgun.

Ad says gay marriage will be taught in schools; Maine officials disagree

LEWISTON — An advertisement alleging that gay marriage will be taught in schools unless the new law allowing same-sex marriages is repealed this fall is being refuted by education officials.

Snowe comments on health care proposal

LEWISTON — U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, told colleagues they were all "far from the finish line" as her committee began work Tuesday on its bill to overhaul the health care system.

"There are many miles in this journey, with more than 500 amendments that have enormous implications on policy and financing," she said in her opening statement to the Senate Finance Committee.

Murder suspect charged with drug offense

WISCASSET (AP) — The Maine Drug Enforcement Agency says it has charged a 45-year-old woman with attempting to smuggle drugs into a county jail for two inmates, one of whom is being held on a murder charge.

Police say Faylene Bronn of Litchfield had four oxycodone pills in a deflated balloon in her possession when she arrived Saturday at the Two Bridges Regional Jail in Wiscasset.

Maine family council chief steps down

 

 

AUGUSTA (AP) — Michael Heath, who for more than 15 years headed the conservative Christian Civic League of Maine and its successor organization, the Maine Family Policy Council, has resigned to become a private consultant.

Known statewide for his outspokenness on such issues as gay rights, abortion and casino gambling, Heath said there was no single factor that led to his resignation from the 112-year-old organization. The policy council has long been active in State House politics and referendum campaigns.