AUGUSTA (AP) — Hearings on Gov. Paul LePage’s $6.1 billion budget package opened Monday with a focus on taxes, and advocates were quick to weigh in with support for a package they said will either stimulate business or foist unfair burdens on those who can afford it least. During a joint session before the committees […]
Maine
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine gas prices jump 16 cents in one week
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A price-watching website says average retail gasoline prices in Maine have risen 16.1 cents per gallon in the past week to $3.38 per gallon. MaineGasPrices.com says its survey of Sunday’s prices also shows consumers were paying 67.4 cents per gallon more than they were on the same day one year ago, […]
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Posted inOur View
Maine lags in observing gun safety laws
Sadly, what we could have done to prevent a tragedy only becomes apparent after a tragedy has occurred. That’s exactly what happened in 2007 when Seung Hui Cho used several newly purchased guns to kill 32 people at Virginia Tech. He had been declared mentally ill by a judge, which should have barred him from […]
Posted inOur View
Maine Heritage Policy Center’s report on state government workforce didn’t adjust for size difference
If anyone thought the Maine Heritage Policy Center and Gov. Paul LePage were joined at the hip, there was definitive proof Wednesday that they are not. In its latest report, “Right-sizing Maine’s State Government Workforce,” the conservative think tank chided the governor for not eliminating enough state workers to put Maine on the “path to […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Libraries to expand broadband, computer services
PORTLAND — Internet access will be improved at more than 100 Maine public libraries, and rural populations will get training in computer literacy to help them find jobs and get access to legal information and forms. The project will also establish 11 video conferencing regional hubs that will be used to train librarians and patrons. […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
New tourism director named
AUGUSTA — Maine has a new director of the state Office of Tourism. Carolann Ouellette most recently served as deputy director at the Office of Tourism. Commissioner Philip Congdon of the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development announced Ouellette’s appointment Wednesday. Congdon says her proven track record and knowledge of destination marketing makes her […]
Posted inOur View
Cut red tape, but do so with due diligence
Peter Mills earned a reputation as a thoughtful, knowledgeable Republican legislator who spent 16 years in the Maine House and Senate. But he finished a distant third in last year’s gubernatorial primary when Paul LePage’s campaign caught fire as part of the tea party movement. Voters were in no mood for experience and moderation. Last […]
Posted inBusiness
Adventure Expo set for April
BANGOR – Planning is under way for the inaugural Maine’s Travel & Adventure Expo, April 1-3, at the Bangor Civic Center. The show will feature vendors from around Maine, New England and the Canadian Maritimes, and will highlight regional attractions, destinations and outdoor adventures. “We have some great businesses already on board,” show producer Bret […]
Posted inOur View
Wrong venue for beer photo
Wrong venue for beer photo There was something wrong with the photo, and it wasn’t hard to see what. Andrea Henkel of Germany had just won the women’s sprint race at the biathlon World Cup in Fort Kent. She was photographed smiling, holding her skis (brand name up, of course) and a very large glass […]
Posted inEncore
Maine Festival of the Book Authors and readers will come together in April to discuss mystery, memoirs and much more
PORTLAND — The fifth annual Maine Festival of the Book, designed to encourage a dialogue between authors and readers, will take place on April 1-3 at the University of Southern Maine’s Abromson Center. “Usually, each program features more than one author, creating a different dynamic than your typical reading. The variety of authors and subject […]