GORHAM — A fire reported Wednesday night is being blamed on arson, the fifth suspicious fire in the community in two weeks. The fire, involving a house under construction at 54 Dingley Spring Road, was reported about 8:40 p.m., according to Stephen McCausland, spokesman for the Maine Department of Public Safety. McCausland said damage to […]
Maine
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine budget gets approval from key committees
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Maine lawmakers have taken a big step toward winding up the year’s work as the Appropriations Committee agreed on a supplemental state budget for the two years ending in mid-2013. The agreement came just before midnight Monday. The spending plan could go before lawmakers Thursday. Democrats say the budget avoids the […]
advertisement
Posted inOxford Hills
Only 17 states have methadone driving laws
Last year, Maine passed a bill making it a crime to drive a large commercial vehicle of 10,000 pounds or more while on methadone. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Anne Graham, D-North Yarmouth, after a man driving a UPS truck in Naples was killed in December of 2009 when his truck was hit by […]
Posted inBusiness
Market for Maine heritage-brand shoes growing in Asia
A Japanese man with a love of hand-sewn moccasins — ones made using techniques that have been passed down from one generation of shoemakers to the next — traveled halfway across the world to find a Maine cobbler to make him a pair. “A knock came on the door and it was a guy from […]
Posted inOp-Eds
Testiness between the governor and Legisalture growing
The contentious relationship between Executive and Legislative branches has gotten testier, fueled by continuing doubts about the validity of the administration’s budget numbers. Finance Commissioner Sawin Millett revealed that the state collected $14.3 million extra in January — an event he attributed to human, rather than computer error, a refreshing change from the administration’s usual […]
Posted inLocal Sports
A doggone mysterious tale
This is a sad dog story, in more ways than one. But it has a happy ending. Annie is an English Pointer. She is an old dog who has seen her share of upland bird covers. Not a great pointer, but she has a good nose and likes to find birds. Most of her best […]
Posted inOur View
Profiting from pink slime; yay for Maine
Regarding Thursday’s editorial about pink slime, an alert reader pointed out an interesting fact that we missed. The U.S. Department of Agriculture official who approved the use of this slime, or “finely textured lean beef,” commonly added to ground beef over the objection of USDA scientists was then-Undersecretary of Agriculture Joann Smith. Her decision produced […]
Posted inOur View
Bad solution to imaginary land problem
Here’s the way the story goes: A couple buys a beautiful piece of rural real estate in hopes of eventually fulfilling a dream — to have their children build nearby homes. Ten years later, the children are grown and ready to build their homes, but the rules have changed. What they thought was just a […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Bill would flatten state income tax
AUGUSTA — The Maine House has approved a bill to reduce the state’s income tax rate to a flat 4 percent. After a lengthy debate, representatives voted 74-71 Thursday to approve a Senate-amended bill calling for the reduction. It relies on revenue surpluses initially to pay for the reduction. The bill calls for 20 percent […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine House approves bill legalizing gambling for VFWs and fraternal groups
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — A bill to allow nonprofits in Maine to have up to five video gambling machines per club is awaiting further votes following preliminary approval by the House. The bill now awaits Senate action after representatives gave their OK on Wednesday. Veterans and fraternal organizations want to set up video gambling machines […]