WASHINGTON — Between now and the November elections, President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney will heartily promise that under their stewardship, the economy will get much better. Don’t bet on it, economists warn. Rather than a breakout surge in economic growth, mainstream forecasters say, Americans should expect the U.S. economy to slog forward for another […]
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Obama gets made-in-Maine New Balance sneakers
SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud used President Barack Obama’s visit to the state on Friday to try to give a boost to what’s left of its shoe industry, urging the commander-in-chief to insist that the Department of Defense provide U.S.-made sneakers to new recruits. Michaud, D-Maine, had a special pair of […]
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Maine jobless rate at 7.1 percent in February
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — The Maine Labor Department says the state’s unemployment rate was 7.1 percent in February, up slightly from January and down from 7.9 percent a year ago. Labor Commissioner Robert Winglass said 50,100 people were without jobs during the month, down 5,200 from February 2011. Maine’s jobless rate remains below the national […]
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Maine’s average heating oil price stays at $3.86
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — The average price of home heating oil in Maine remains at $3.86 a gallon for a third week in a row. The weekly survey of the Governor’s Office of Energy Independence and Security found a low of $3.62 per gallon in southwestern Maine and the highest price of $4.17 in central […]
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1,200 collected pension, salary in Maine last year
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — There were more than 1,200 public employees in Maine who collected a salary and a state pension at the same time last year. Ten of those so-called double dippers earned an average of $168,000 each last year according to data from the Maine Public Employees Retirement System shows. Seven were school […]
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Maine gas prices actually drop slightly
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Gas prices in Maine are bucking the national trend and falling, but market analysts say don’t expect it to continue. Price-monitoring website MaineGasPrices.com said Monday the average retail cost of a gallon of gas in Maine has fallen nearly two cents in the past week to an average of $3.81. The […]
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Maine gov leading trade delegation to China
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Maine Gov. Paul LePage will lead a trade mission to Hong Kong and China this fall, marking his first overseas mission as governor as well as the first time a sitting Maine governor has visited China, officials said Monday. The delegation is going to a region where there are growth opportunities […]
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Governor: Maine leads in helping entrepreneurs
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Gov. Paul LePage says Maine is a leader in helping businesses to succeed. During a National Governors Association conference last weekend in Washington, LePage says he connected with other governors to see how they’re tackling issues. A major focus was entrepreneurs and how their success can drive the economy. In his […]
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Acadia National Park visitors spent $186M in 2010
BAR HARROR — A new study from the National Park Service shows visitors to eastern Maine’s Acadia National Park spent nearly $200 million in the park and surrounding towns in 2010. The new report examined the economic benefits that the nation’s 395 national parks brought to their communities during the year. For Acadia National Park, […]
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New England shrimp fishing season to end Friday
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Over the objections of fishermen and shrimp processors, regulators on Wednesday voted to shut down the New England shrimp fishery after Friday because fishermen have reached their catch limit for the season. Fishermen this year were allowed to harvest 4.9 million pounds of the small, sweet shrimp that live in the […]