AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage on Wednesday declared a state of “civil emergency” in an effort to minimize the financial impact on state operations of the federal government shutdown. With the proclamation, LePage has taken the authority to circumvent state laws or rules if he determines they “prevent, hinder and delay effective management of the […]
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DHHS lays off 56 employees, closes disability benefits office because of federal government shutdown
AUGUSTA — All employees at a disability services office in Winthrop and four more in the Maine Department of Health and Human Services were laid off Monday as a result of the federal government shutdown, Gov. Paul LePage announced Monday evening. The 52 employees at the DHHS Disability Determination Office in Winthrop make Social Security […]
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Maine’s Ethics Commission to recommend fines for PACs that backed Lewiston casino campaign
AUGUSTA — Two Lewiston men who were behind an effort to open a casino in Lewiston in 2011 are facing allegations that they hid the source of substantial contributions to the campaign in order to mislead voters. The allegations, made by investigators for the state’s Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices, also say Stavros […]
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Freedom Salute for 488th Military Police Company honors families
AUGUSTA — Carolyn Knights of Oxford was outside the Augusta Civic Center on Sunday morning awaiting the start of the Freedom Salute for the 488th Military Police Company, who returned to Maine on June 15 from a year-long deployment. “You don’t want to interview me. I’m just a grandmother,” she said before breaking into tears […]
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Crashes down in Maine, but where are you mostly likely to be in a car accident?
AUGUSTA — Over the past 10 years, the number of crashes on Maine’s roads and highways has decreased, as has the number of accidents that resulted in injuries or death. Still, troublesome intersections persist throughout the state. The Bangor Daily News has compiled information from the Maine Department of Transportation to identify where those intersections […]
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Maine solicits bids for state’s wholesale liquor contract
AUGUSTA — The state’s wholesale liquor business is up for grabs to the lowest bidder. The contract to administer and provide trade marketing for the state’s hard liquor business could be worth more than half a billion dollars over the 10-year contract. The state is looking for a company that will share more of the […]
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Feds cut funding for Riverview Psychiatric Center
AUGUSTA — The federal government notified the Maine Department of Health and Human Services Wednesday that it is terminating Riverview Psychiatric Center’s Medicare Provider Agreement, essentially shutting off some $20 million in annual federal funding at the state-run Augusta hospital. DHHS Commissioner Mary Mayhew vowed to appeal the Center for Medicaid Services’ decision. “The decision […]
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UFO in Augusta turns out to be restaurant light
AUGUSTA (AP) — Several Augusta residents called police and the local newspaper to report a UFO hovering over the capital city this week. But there were no little green men invading. Just chimichangas and fajitas. Deputy Police Chief Jared Mills told the Kennebec Journal (http://bit.ly/1bL5EOh ) the source of the UFO rumor turned out to […]
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Maine state employees kick off charity drive
AUGUSTA (AP) — Maine state employees and retirees are launching their annual campaign to raise money for community organizations. Republican Gov. Paul LePage is helping kick off the 34th annual Maine State Employees’ Combined Charitable Appeal at an event at the State House on Friday. LePage will be joined by Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner […]
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Maine gubernatorial campaigns trade jabs over jobs claim
AUGUSTA — Maine’s top Republican leaders and a top political consultant for Gov. Paul LePage’s re-election campaign launched a salvo of complaints this week regarding a statement U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud made on jobs in a campaign ad issued earlier in September. Michaud, a Democrat, is running for governor and said the state, under LePage, […]