AUGUSTA — Auburn Mayor Jonathan LaBonte is joining state government. Republican Gov. Paul LePage announced Wednesday he was appointing LaBonte as director of the Governor’s Office of Policy and Management. The office was created to replace the State Planning Office. LaBonte will take over for former state lawmaker Richard Rosen, who was appointed acting commissioner […]
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New copper top historic for State House
AUGUSTA — On a staging that reaches 200 feet in the air, carpenters, coppersmiths, engineers and other workers are making historic changes to the exterior of the State House dome. The effort, which involves replacing more than 7,000 square feet of copper sheeting that covers the dome, is expected to continue through October and will […]
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State House green copper on dome may become art, souvenirs
David Boulter, executive director of the Legislative Council, told the Kennebec Journal (http://bit.ly/1p8VLNZ ) a number of people have asked about how to get the copper, ranging from artists and jewelers to ordinary citizens who want a souvenir. Most of the 7,000 square feet of copper will be sold to offset the project’s cost, but […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Lawmakers plow through bills on busy last day of session
AUGUSTA (AP) — Maine lawmakers preserved more than a dozen bills on Thursday as they plowed through a slew of measures vetoed by Gov. Paul LePage, but several others died after they failed to muster enough support to overturn the governor’s rejection. One of the biggest victories for the Democratic-controlled Legislature was overriding the Republican […]
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LePage signs $13 million bond proposals to fund medical research
AUGUSTA — Maine Gov. Paul LePage has signed two bond proposals for medical research, sending the measures to voters this November. The $13 million in bonds approved by the governor is part of a $50 million borrowing package lawmakers passed as they wrapped up the session earlier this month. On Monday, LePage signed a $10 […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Work on Maine State House copper dome begins
AUGUSTA (AP) — The $1.3 million project to replace the copper atop the Maine State House dome is underway. Crews began erecting scaffolding in late March. By mid-May, they should be finished erecting the staging. Removal of the old copper will begin by early June, and the whole project is supposed to be done in […]
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Feds ask Maine to hold off on photo EBT card plan
LEWISTON — The federal government has asked Maine to delay its plan to put photos on EBT cards until it can fully review and approve the state’s plan. Maine Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Mary Mayhew said late Friday that the plan is critical to the prosecution of welfare fraud, and her office […]
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Maine House passes Medicaid expansion without the votes to survive veto
AUGUSTA — Maine’s Democratic-led House gave initial approval Tuesday to a bill to expand Medicaid coverage to low-income residents under the federal health care law, but the bill crafted by two moderate Republican senators will need to garner more support in both chambers to survive a future veto from Republican Gov. Paul LePage. The proposal, […]
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State employees could be using texts to subvert Maine’s open records law
AUGUSTA — It’s not unusual for state employees in Maine to carry two mobile phones with them these days. The governor’s press secretary and communications director do it, so does the legislative liaison for the state’s Department of Health and Human Services, as does the DHHS commissioner. Often one of the phones is state-issued and […]