AUGUSTA — In 1984, an Auburn man put a 4-year-old girl in a hot oven and baked her to death because he thought she was evil. Retired firefighter Richard Wurfel of Windham told legislators that of the 12 first responders, 11 had left their jobs at fire, police and emergency medical service within a year. […]
Jared Golden
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Paul LePage's bills on career programs, veterans now law
AUGUSTA (AP) — A few bills from Maine’s GOP governor are now law following action from Republicans and Democrats. Gov. Paul LePage worked with lawmakers like Democratic Rep. Jared Golden of Lewiston and Republican Sen. Brian Langley on successful bills this year. Now, career and technical education programs can serve sixth to eighth graders. The […]
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Jared Golden’s bill to help returning veterans signed into law
AUGUSTA — A measure to help veterans use their military training to snag civilian jobs that require licenses sailed through the Legislature and was signed into law recently by Gov. Paul LePage. Rep. Jared Golden, D-Lewiston, proposed allowing the director of the Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation “to modify licensing requirements of professional licensing […]
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Legislators eye path for skilled veterans to get better jobs
AUGUSTA — Many of the people who serve in the military wind up learning skills that could easily translate into jobs later, except for professional requirements that typically eye a more traditional educational pathway for those seeking a license. For Rep. Jared Golden, D-Lewiston, it’s a bureaucratic obstacle that could be overcome to give veterans […]
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Lewiston bottler drops support for recycling bill after LePage threat
AUGUSTA — Following a threat by Gov. Paul LePage to end the sales of tiny bottles of liquor in Maine rather than allow lawmakers to require a nickel deposit on them, a bottler that employs 130 people in Lewiston withdrew its support for the compromise measure. Mark Brown, the chief executive officer of Sazerac Co., […]
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Bill to create New Mainers Office would target Lewiston
AUGUSTA — A proposal to create an Office of New Mainers aims to attract and educate immigrants who might make Maine home. Coping with the state’s shrinking workforce and aging population, supporters said, will take a concerted effort to convince immigrants that Maine offers them a good chance for success. “We want people with the […]
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State Democrats eye bond to provide $250 million for student debt relief
AUGUSTA — Hoping to lend a hand to cash-strapped young adults, Democrats are pushing for a student loan forgiveness program that would help lure recent college graduates to Maine. Sen. Nate Libby, D-Lewiston, said the “pretty bold initiative” would offer to pay off half a graduate’s student loan debt and refinance the rest at low […]
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Jared Golden seeks to make voter registration ‘automatic’
AUGUSTA — Hoping to boost voter registration, a Lewiston Democrat wants to add anyone doing business with the Department of Motor Vehicles to the voter rolls automatically. Rep. Jared Golden, the Democratic whip, told colleagues that Maine has one of the highest voter participation rates in the country but could get more people to the […]
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Jared Golden skeptical of VA mental health improvements
AUGUSTA — Shortly after a legislative hearing focused on the failings of mental health care for Maine veterans, the Department of Veterans Affairs’ inspector general issued a report hailing improvements by the VA’s Maine Healthcare System. All four members of the state’s congressional delegation said in a joint statement they were “pleased to see improvement” […]
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Mental health care for Maine veterans falling short
AUGUSTA — Maine veterans plagued with bad dreams and tough memories are falling through the cracks in a mental health care system that too often fails them, officials said Wednesday. Sometimes suicidal veterans wind up sitting for days in hospital emergency rooms as they wait to get help from the federal Veterans Administration that routinely […]