We respect our teachers and love our cats but don’t trust our state government

In a society that treasures lists, there are thousands of “best this” and “worst that” lists that, once released, become indelible in the public eye. And those lists can ultimately paint a company, an industry, a person and even a state like Maine in warm, welcoming colors or in bleak tones.

And the survey says …

People per household, 2011

Sales tax burden, 1 ranked as lowest

Quality of life ranking

Cat lovers

Infrastructure ranking

Most peaceful states

Home ownership

High school graduates

8th grade reading scores

Fewest police officers per capita

Lowest crime rate

Low birth weight

Worst state to be a taxpayer, 2014

Return on taxes paid to federal government

Least trusting of state government

Risk for corruption

Best high schools, 2014

Most respect for teachers

Healthy eating

People with disabilities, ages 21-64

Least job creation

Able-body employed, ages 21-64

Where not to die in 2014

Residents without insurance, 2010-2012

Share of road spending paid by tolls, fees and taxes, 2010

State cigarette tax, 2013

State and local cell phone tax rate, 2012

Average temperature 1981-2010

Doctors per 1,000 population

: Shannon Bennett, with her son Carter, 2, and one of her dogs, Boone, a seven year old golden retriever, didn’t think much about putting a wrapped gift from a family member under the Christmas tree in her Wilton home a couple years ago until the family heard Boone unwrapping the gift. Unbeknownst to the veterinarian, the gift was a box of chocolate covered cherries and Boone was not the intended recipient. Luckily, he had only gotten a few bites and was unharmed by the toxic to dogs treat.

: The Legislature’s Appropriations Committee recommends a budget that would increase the sales tax by a half a percent and the meals and lodging tax by 1 percent.

: Roarke Beaudet, 3, of Otisfield, right, plays in the water at Lake Pennesseewassee Park in Norway Thursday morning. He was with a group from 3-H Daycare of Otisfield where employee Heidi Bullock was thrilled to have a chance to let the children play outside. “It’s been miserable with the kids couped up inside every day. Today they can get outside and run, swim and get rid of some of that built up energy.” At left is Jensen Kennison of South Paris, also with the 3-H kids, looking for fish swimming around..

: Jose Leiva/Sun Journal Allyson Collins operations manager at the Greater Androscoggin Humane Society in Lewiston holds a cat given the name Dunn on Wednesday. The cat had been abandoned in a closed caged with a second cat. Lewiston animal control officer estimated the cats had been in their abandoned cage for about 4 days.

: A cyclist uses the sidewalk during the Martin’s Point Bridge construction on Route 1 between Falmouth and Portland on Wednesday. An altercation between a motorist and a cyclist has raised awareness of the hazardous conditions of using the popular commuter route.

: A loon with a chick on its back makes its way across Pierce Pond near North New Portland in 2007.

: Jose Leiva/Sun Journal Lisbon Falls residents Jill Denniston left and Curtis Lunt right tour the new senior citizen housing complex during an open house of the Campus Commons on Wednesday. The former Lisbon Falls High School historical building constructed in 1904 designed by Maine Architect William R. Miller was restored and will be occupied starting October 1. The Campus Commons is a 12 apartment complex made possible with funding from federal program Neighborhood Stabilization Program and federal and state tax credits

: Hillary Cayer’s mortarboard is a bright spot in a sea of blue as she and the 2011 graduating class of Mountain Valley High School get final instructions before commencement Thursday night in Rumford.

: Jason Willis, 13, reads about the Zyclone toy to third-grade students at Auburn Middle School on Friday. Willis read a page from the “ABC Book of Family Games and Toys,” written by eighth-grader Nathan Couillard, third from right. Sixteen middle school students read history books they authored to 80 third-graders from Fairview Elementary School in Auburn.

: Lewiston police follow a trail of blood up Ash Street in Lewiston on Thursday night. A man was taken to the hospital by ambulance from the corner of Walnut and Shawmut streets. Police had the corner of Ash and Howard streets blocked off with crime-scene tape.

: A man sits in a Lewiston police cruiser Monday morning near 214 Blake St. Police chased Keith Daviau, 23, of 109 Birch St. after he bolted from a building hallway as police attempted to arrest him on a warrant for failing to appear in court on an unpaid fine.

: Jose Leiva/Sun Journal Nurse Kate Merrow works in the Neonatal Intermediate Care Unit at the Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston.

: FILE – In this Tuesday, July 23, 2013 file photo, Britain’s Prince William carries his new born son, the Prince of Cambridge, who was born on Monday. into public view for the first time. outside the Lindo Wing of St. Mary’s Hospital, in London. Royal officials say Britain’s new prince has been named George Alexander Louis. Palace officials said Wednesday, July 24, 2013, that the 2-day-old baby and third-in-line to the throne will be known as His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge. (AP Photo/John Stillwell, Pool, File)

: In this Friday, April 27, 2012 photo, Gov. Paul LePage takes a sip out of a coffee mug displaying a “no new taxes” message on the bottom during an interview with the Associated Press at his office at the State House in Augusta, Maine. Critics are putting pressure on LePage to apologize for referring to the Internal Revenue Service as “the new Gestapo” during his radio address Saturday, July 7, 2012.

: FILE -This April 13, 2014 file photo shows the headquarters of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in Washington. Tuesday, April 15, is the federal tax filing deadline for most Americans. (AP Photo/J. David Ake, File)

: Jose Leiva/Sun Journal Lewiston High School students exit the school at the end of the school day on Wednesday.

: Bob O’Brien, 60, a student teacher at Telstar High School, explains paperwork for an electricity lab during Honor Physics Monday. O’Brien is going through University of Maine at Machias to gain his teaching certificate, despite having taught chemistry, biology, and physics at a private school in Cambridge, Mass., for 35 years before moving to Maine. “You don’t need a certificate to teach at a private school in Massachusetts,” explained O’Brien.

: Tofu Chili from Taste of Eden Vegan Cafe in Norway

: Portland will begin handing out $200 fines for people who tamper with or alter their handicap parking passes.

: Pete Waterman, of Waterman Farms in Sabattus, posted a help wanted sign along Rt. 126 in front of his family’s farm recently because he is looking for a skilled farm hand. He received 14 applicants, but was concerned few knew simple farm tasks such as driving a tractor or moving cows. “I am optimistic, though, that it will turn up good help,” said Waterman.

: Jonica Winn of Durham trims excess flashing from the one-piece, injection-molded bottom of the Bean boot at the Lewiston manufacturing site. L.L.Bean recently added a third shift in order to meet production goals of 1,600 boot bottoms per day.

: “It looked like a tornado came through here,” Erica Poland said of the vandalism at Pleasant View Cemetery in Livermore Falls on Monday evening as she again checked the grave of her infant son buried there. Vandals swept through the area, breaking solar lights, flags, statues and knocking over the stones.

: Jose Leiva/Sun Journal Mae Audibert a medic at Central Maine Medical Center looks over the equipment in the trauma treatment room of the new Emergency Department during it’s open house on Wednesday.

: Maine Turnpike entrance at Gray on June 1, 2011. (file)

: FILE – In this Wednesday, July 17, 2013 file photo, Marlboro cigarettes are on display in a CVS store in Pittsburgh. The nation’s second-largest drugstore chain says it will phase out cigarettes, cigars and chewing tobacco by Oct. 1 as it continues to focus more on health care. The move will cost the Woonsocket, R.I., company about $2 billion in annual revenue. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

: Jose Leiva/Sun Journal Barbara Bouchard a parishioner at St Patrick’s Church in Lewiston for over 50 years takes a photo with her cell phone as a remembrance; St Patrick’s will be closing it’s doors after the Mass on Tuesday.

: Oxford Elementary School special education technician Peggy Dorf took a break from classes Friday to take the temperature outside of the school. It was a balmy 19 degrees at 2 p.m.