AUGUSTA — Labor union representatives, advocates and Maine state workers changes need to be made to the state’s unemployment compensation system to make it more efficient and fair. A special commission established last spring took public testimony Thursday. Republican Gov. Paul LePage set up the commission in April to examine the system of paying benefits […]
Paul LePage
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Governor’s mansion illuminated for childhood cancer
AUGUSTA (AP) — Gold lights will shine on the Blaine House this month in honor of childhood cancer awareness. Gov. Paul LePage and First Lady Ann LePage’s residence will be illuminated with gold lights on Friday night. Gold is the color of childhood cancer awareness. The Republican governor has also proclaimed September as Childhood Cancer […]
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Posted inMaine, sj-web
LePage thanks first responders and military in Freeport 9/11 ceremony
FREEPORT — The morning after President Barack Obama told the nation that the United States must intervene militarily if Syria does not not relinquish its chemical weapons, Gov. Paul LePage said Americans do not want another war. Speaking at a remembrance ceremony in Freeport marking the 12th anniversary of terrorist attacks on the World Trade […]
Posted inBusiness, sj-web
LePage: Three out-of-state companies to visit Maine
AUGUSTA (AP) — Gov. Paul LePage said three out-of-state companies are visiting Maine this month because they’re interested in doing business here. The Republican governor said on Tuesday that the visits came out of meetings he had with companies at the U.S. Manufacturing Summit last month hosted by Walmart and the National Retail Federation in […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
LePage brags that welfare fraud prosecutions are up
AUGUSTA — Maine Gov. Paul LePage says the state is prosecuting more cases of welfare fraud and abuse. The Republican governor said Tuesday that 45 cases of fraud were referred to the Fraud Investigation and Recovery Unit in 2012, compared with 32 in 2011. His office says there were only 10 cases referred to the […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
LePage signs executive order requiring suicide prevention policies in state departments
AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage has signed an executive order designed to boost suicide prevention efforts in Maine. The order signed by the Republican governor on Tuesday requires the state departments to develop suicide prevention and awareness policies. Each state agency will educate employees about the resources available to themselves or co-workers who they feel […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Educators, state officials debate impact of LePage’s executive order on student privacy
AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage’s pre-emptive strike on sharing data on Maine students with the federal government left his political opponents saying his executive order issued Sept. 4 amounts to nothing more than “words on paper” at best and at worst, could interfere with millions of dollars of federal funding that flows to Maine. LePage […]
Posted inLetters
S. Moore-Leamon: Can’t whitewash his mouth
When the Washington Post quotes Gov. Paul LePage’s characterization of himself as “straight-shooting, telling it like it is,” it should have inserted an editorial comment explaining what many of us believe — the governor wants people to believe being honest and straight-shooting requires vulgar and degrading language. As person, parent, grandparent and teacher, I strongly […]
Posted inOur View
In January, we start giving up millions
Suppose, just suppose, other states were receiving millions of dollars in federal aid to help support their doctors and hospitals, money that was unavailable to us in Maine. We’d be sore about that. Outraged would be more like it. But that is exactly what will begin happening on Jan. 1, 2014, when the federal government […]
Posted inMaine
LePage signs executive order to keep federal educational standards out of Maine schools
AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage signed an executive order Wednesday that prevents Maine schools from adopting federally mandated educational standards. The executive order is designed to ensure that Maine schools maintain local control in light of concerns about new educational benchmarks in reading, writing and math. “Higher standards play an important role in that, but […]