Gov. Paul LePage is a proponent of zero-based budgeting, a process by which all expenses must be justified each time a state budget is created. His idea is great, but Maine also needs a zero-based system to examine tax breaks to ensure they are fulfilling their intended purpose. If you think this is a small […]
Maine
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Line-item vetoes by LePage stand as lawmakers remain in recess
AUGUSTA — Faced for the first time with the various rules on the Maine governor’s line-item veto, legislative Republicans decided Tuesday not to break up their recess in order to decide whether to let the vetoes stand. A phone survey by legislative officials showed that more than two-thirds of the GOP members of the House […]
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Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Teacher enters plea to ‘threatening remark’
WEST BATH — A Freeport Middle School teacher who made an offhanded remark in class about shooting students has entered a plea of not guilty to misdemeanor terrorizing. David Mason waived a court appearance Tuesday by entering his plea through a letter submitted by his attorney. Mason is accused of talking about using a gun […]
Posted inLocal & State, Oxford Hills, sj-web
Maine regulators approve Oxford casino license
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — The Maine Gambling Control Board has approved a license for western Maine’s Oxford Casino, which is due to open in two months. The board’s 4-0 vote on Tuesday removed one of the final obstacles to the casino. Spokesman Scott Smith says casino operators are now putting their focus on ensuring 350-plus […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Maine Gov. LePage signs 2 domestic violence bills
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Gov. Paul LePage has signed two more bills to prevent domestic violence, calling the bipartisan legislation “a very good step forward” for the state. Surrounded by elected and top enforcement officials and an advocate for victims, the governor on Tuesday signed one bill to ensure that bail is administered by a […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Republicans leave mark on legislative session
AUGUSTA — From cutting back MaineCare benefits to rolling back collective bargaining rights, Gov. Paul LePage and Maine’s Republican-majority Legislature have left their mark on the 2012 election-year session. Lawmakers made eligibility changes to MaineCare that will remove thousands from a social service system the governor says the state can’t afford, passed portions of his […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn, Local & State, sj-web
Ormsby found guilty in Amity triple homicide
HOULTON, Maine — A jury found Thayne Ormsby guilty on all counts Friday afternoon in the gruesome slayings of two men and a 10-year-old boy nearly two years ago in Amity. Ormsby, 21, was convicted of three counts of murder and one count of arson. The jury’s verdicts were announced shortly before 3:30 p.m. After […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Maine Indians urge Sanford High School to change mascot nickname
SANFORD, Maine (AP) — A group of American Indians is urging officials in Sanford to change the local high school’s nickname, which they call offensive. The Maine Indian Tribal State Commission and representatives of Maine tribes met with residents Wednesday to tell them the name “Redskins” has negative connotations. They say it was used as […]
Posted inAdvertiser Democrat, River Valley, The Franklin Journal
State agencies alert drivers to roadside moose dangers; May and June peak months
RUMFORD — May and June are the peak months for moose-vehicle collisions, which is why two state agencies began alerting drivers on Thursday to the approaching danger. As the weather warms, roadsides are one of the first places to turn green throughout Maine. After their winter diet, moose are hungry for salt, which can be […]