Voted Maine’s top 2007 news stories in a year-end poll of Associated Press member newspapers, broadcasters and staff in Maine:

1. School consolidation plan

2. Deadly Patriot’s Day nor’easter

3. FairPoint’ attempt to buy Verizon’s land lines in three states

4. Christian Nielsen’s life sentence for the 2006 murders of four

5. The soaring price of home heating oil

6. (tie) U.S. Senate race in 2008 and Portland School Committee vote to provide birth control prescriptions for middle schoolers

8. Rejection of a bid by the Passamaquoddy Tribe to develop a harness racetrack with slot machines in Washington County

9. Russian President Vladimir Putin meeting with President Bush in Kennebunkport

10. Death of two boaters on Long Lake in Harrison