AUGUSTA (AP) — Maine wildlife managers are almost finished taking comments from the public about a plan to again trim the number of moose hunting permits. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife wants to cut the number of moose permits to 2,080, which is 60 less than last year. The state gave out […]
Maine
FairPoint, Consolidated shareholders approve merger
Consolidated Communications and FairPoint Communications say their shareholders have approved of a proposed merger of the two companies. Consolidated announced in December it was buying FairPoint for $1.5 billion, assuming its debt and offering dividends to stockholders. Shareholder voting took place Tuesday at Consolidated in Illinois and FairPoint in North Carolina. FairPoint is a Charlotte-based telephone and […]
Portland officials set limits on short-term rentals
PORTLAND (AP) — Officials in Portland have passed rules that are aimed at preventing the city’s limited housing stock from being converted to short-term rentals. The City Council on Monday night voted to cap short-term rentals in non-owner-occupied homes, excluding the islands, at 300 units. The rules also require all hosts to pay fees to […]
Youth corrections head resigns after being placed on leave
SOUTH PORTLAND (AP) — Maine’s corrections commissioner says the administrator of the state’s youth correctional facility resigned over the weekend, after he was placed on administrative leave pending an investigation. Jeffrey Merrill, who headed the day-to-day operations at Long Creek Youth Development Center in South Portland, had been placed on leave last Wednesday. Merrill says […]
Speed limit along Interstate 295 lowered to 65 mph
FALMOUTH (AP) — Motorists traveling along a 22-mile stretch of Interstate 295 between Falmouth and Topsham will need to do so at a slower pace, effective immediately. The posted speed limit for that portion of the highway was officially lowered to 65 mph on Monday morning. The change comes on the heels of the Maine […]
Initiative to build southern Maine casino to get a hearing
AUGUSTA (AP) — The public has a chance to weigh in on a well-funded proposal to build a new casino in southern Maine. A public hearing is set for Wednesday morning in Augusta. The proposal is set to appear on November’s ballot. Gov. Paul LePage has said greed is behind the proposal. The No More […]
Good riddance
Gov. Paul Lepage said on a radio interview that the tax surcharge on the wealthy would force him to move out of the state. I say, good riddance! He has been nothing but an embarrassment to this state and has accomplished nothing. Gail Beaucage, Lewiston
Maine ID bill gets key committee support
AUGUSTA (AP) — A bill to make Maine comply with federal identification standards is gaining key committee support. Two state senators want Republican President Donald Trump to issue an executive order repealing the standards, which they say jeopardize privacy. The Legislature’s Transportation Committee on Friday voted 12-1 in favor of an amended version of the […]
Maine's cod fishermen have worst year in history
ROCKPORT (AP) — The cod isn’t so sacred in New England anymore. The fish-and-chips staple was once a critical piece of New England’s fishing industry, but catch is plummeting to all-time lows in the region. The decline of the fishery has made the U.S. reliant on foreign cod, and cod fish fillets and steaks purchased […]
Leather maker, Lyme tester among tech grants in Maine
BRUNSWICK (AP) — A company that makes leather products and a startup that wants to design a new Lyme disease test are among the recipients of more than $1 million in grants from the Maine Technology Institute. The institute says it has approved 25 awards that will support innovation all around the state. The grants […]