The department’s food security report covering the period between 2005 and 2007 indicates there were statistically significant increases in Delaware, Maine, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Nevada and West Virginia. The largest increases were observed in Maine and Minnesota.
Recent increases in the number of people receiving food stamps is another indicator that Mainers are having difficulty making ends meet. More than 12,000 Maine people have started to receive Food Supplement Benefits in the last year, an increase of 8 percent.
Sara Gagne-Holmes, executive director of Maine Equal Justice Partners, said many families are having to make a difficult decision, whether to buy heating oil or food.
N.H. deer, bear kill is down
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) – New Hampshire biologists say the deer and bear kill is below peak marks this hunting season so far, but is still within expected ranges.
The deer kill is 15 percent below last year’s near record kill and up slightly from 2006. Through Nov. 16, hunters have killed nearly 7,900 deer compared to 9,300 at the same time a year ago.
The number of bear killed is 33 percent below the five-year average and 37 percent below last year’s tally at this time. So far, 372 bear have been taken. The firearms season for deer runs through Dec. 7. The bear season varies by area of the state.
Iowa first lady says she violated ban
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Her husband just signed a smoking ban into law in April. Now Iowa first lady Mari Culver admits she already broke it.
The wife of Gov. Chet Culver released a statement Thursday saying she quit smoking last year but started again a few months ago and smoked in a state vehicle.
The ban outlaws smoking in most workplaces, including cars of employers.
The first lady’s admission followed a report in The Des Moines Register that she was seen smoking in a sport-utility vehicle the state provides to her family.
A trooper was driving, with Mari Culver in the passenger seat with the window down.
A spokesman for the first lady did not comment about whether she would be fined.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.