BATH — Some Bath residents object to a proposed tax rebate for a major expansion of Bath Iron Works, saying the subsidy is corporate welfare and BIW will expand whether or not it gets a tax break. BIW officials say if the proposed tax break is denied, they might not be able to expand, putting […]
politics
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Rep. Mike Michaud: Yes, I am gay. ‘But why should it matter?’
When I entered the race for governor, I did so because I love the state of Maine and am tired of seeing it dragged in the wrong direction. There was never any question that it would be a tough race, but I know I have the vision, the experience and the commitment to lead Maine […]
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Posted inMaine
Correction: Maine minimum wage $7.50 per hour
LEWISTON — A story about call center employment in Maine published on Page A1 Sunday should have said Maine’s minimum wage is $7.50 per hour. It was a reporting error.
Posted inNation / World, sj-web
Gay rights legislation gains bipartisan support
WASHINGTON (AP) — Gay rights advocates from both parties are newly upbeat about the prospects for Senate passage of legislation that would bar employers from discriminating against workers on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. The outlook for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act reflects the nation’s growing tolerance of homosexuality and the GOP’s political […]
Posted inFranklin, Lewiston-Auburn, Maine, Oxford Hills, River Valley
Election Day 2013: Early voting low
Turner Deputy Town Clerk Joyce Moulin didn’t have to think twice when asked how many voters requested absentee ballots in her town. “Not very many,” she said Friday. That’s 23. Last year, during the presidential election, 500 voters in Turner asked for ballots ahead of time. The statewide deadline for regular absentee requests closed Thursday […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine expects low voter turnout on Tuesday
PORTLAND — Maine’s top election official says voter turnout next week will likely be on the low side, as expected in an election with no candidates on the statewide ballot. Instead, state voters will have their say on five bonds. The borrowing projects totaling about $150 million would fund maintenance and improvements for the state’s […]
Posted inMaine
Republican lawmaker to get another chance to introduce human-trafficking bill
AUGUSTA — A bill that would allow Maine courts to vacate prostitution convictions from the records of those who are victims of human trafficking is likely to get another chance. Lawmakers on Maine’s Legislative Council rejected the bill in a 6-4 vote earlier this week as they attempted to sort more than 400 bills that […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Lawmakers want DEP to meet dam deadlines
AUGUSTA — Lawmakers want more scrutiny of the Department of Environmental Protection after the agency missed deadlines several deadlines for the relicensing of dams in Maine. The Portland Press-Herald reports a bill unanimously approved by the Legislative Council would require the agency to report to the Legislature on upcoming relicensing deadlines and make sure there […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Three legislators support Portland pot referendum
PORTLAND — At least three Maine legislators from Portland are endorsing a citizen’s initiative seeking to legalize recreational possession of marijuana in the city. Reps. Benjamin Chipman, Matthew Moonen and Diane Russell are holding a news conference Friday expressing their support for the ballot question in next Tuesday’s election. The owner of a cupcake company […]
Posted inBusiness, sj-web
LePage leads Maine trade delegation to Colombia after Mexico
AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage’s five-day trade mission aimed at expanding opportunities for Maine businesses is moving on to Colombia. The Republican governor and the Maine delegation are resuming meetings on Thursday after arriving in Bogota, Colombia, on Wednesday. They finished up their trip in Mexico on Tuesday night with a reception in Mexico City. […]