A red pickup truck pulls away from the Downeast Correctional Facility in Machiasport in February. The Department of Corrections says it plans to lay off all guards, relocate prisoners, and close the facility by June 10. MACHIASPORT — Layoff notices will be issued to all 46 employees at Downeast Correctional Facility in Machias, which will […]
Maine Legislature
Posted inLocal & State
Maine Senate advances death with dignity bill; LePage likely to veto it
Maine State House is the state capitol of the State of Maine in Augusta, Maine, USA. AUGUSTA (AP) — A death with dignity bill is advancing through the Maine Legislature, but will face a likely veto from the Republican governor. The Senate narrowly voted 16-15 Thursday to support Republican Sen. Roger Katz’s bill. Gov. Paul […]
advertisement
Posted inLocal & State
Paul LePage cites drinking and driving concern for opposition to ‘nips’
AUGUSTA — Two days after issuing a statement detailing his concerns about a proposal to require a deposit on tiny liquor bottles, Gov. Paul LePage raised an entirely new rationale for his position Thursday. LePage said the problem with the measure is that it doesn’t address the key problem involved with the fast-growing market for […]
Posted inLocal & State
Maine Medicaid recipients say they need health care to work
Judy Newell of Portland speaks against the proposed changes to the state’s Medicaid program during a hearing, Wednesday, May 17, 2017, in Portland, Maine. Maine and Wisconsin are finalizing waivers to make significant changes to Medicaid that would make the program more like welfare programs, with restrictions to eligibility and enrollment, premiums and cost-sharing. (AP […]
Posted inLocal & State
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., […]
Posted inLocal & State
Lawmakers debate bill to allow wrongful-death suits for fetuses
AUGUSTA — A proposal to allow families to file wrongful-death lawsuits after a fetus dies is sparking disagreement in Maine, where some say the measure is an attack on reproductive rights. Backers of the bill say it’s a way for families to seek financial damages when a fetus dies due to neglect or default by […]
Posted inLocal & State
State Senate endorses measure to keep teens out of tanning salons
AUGUSTA — For Sen. Amy Volk, one of the hazards of prom season is that teenage girls become so determined to look their best that they often turn to tanning salons to help give their skin a seemingly healthy glow. “I have known girls who have tanned just to go dress shopping,” the Scarborough Republican […]
Posted inLocal & State
DHHS fired a public records coordinator — for releasing a public record
Maine’s top disease control office fired the person responsible for coordinating the release of public information after she permitted a public report to be sent to the Bangor Daily News in August. The move by Maine’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention to terminate Judy Gopaul, a six-year employee, highlights how Maine Department of Health […]
Posted inLocal & State
Maine bill to release bonds for senior citizen housing advances
AUGUSTA (AP) — Maine lawmakers have advanced a bill to force the release of $15 million in bonds for senior citizen housing that voters approved two years ago, but an initial House vote fell short of the two-thirds majority needed to override the governor’s expected veto. The Democratic-controlled House on Tuesday voted 85-57 supporting the […]
Posted inLocal & State
Gov. Paul LePage threatens to ban nips if 5-cent deposit passes
AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage said he’d work to ban the sale of 50-milliliter alcohol containers if the Legislature passes a widely supported bill to extend the state’s bottle deposit law to include the so-called “nips.” The Republican governor’s threat came the same day that the Maine Senate voted 32-3 to approve the bill. It […]