WASHINGTON — Officials say Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is proposing the elimination of 2,300 jobs as part of a large cut to the State Department’s budget for the next fiscal year. Officials briefed on the proposal say the staff cuts would be accompanied by a reduction in hiring new diplomats and the possible consolidation […]
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Maine House supports time zone switch, dumping daylight saving
AUGUSTA — A bill that received preliminary approval Thursday in the Maine House of Representatives could put Maine an hour ahead of East Coast states for part of the year, though there is a growing movement among neighboring New England states to do the same. Under provisions of the bill that advanced as a result […]
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Maine lawmakers want to expand, evaluate opioid abuse treatment
AUGUSTA (AP) — Maine lawmakers are set to consider bills to protect babies exposed to drugs and support peer recovery. More than one person a day died from drug overdoses in Maine last year, and lawmakers this year have taken steps to increase access to medication-assisted treatment. About a dozen bills are set for public […]
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Casino campaign reveals offshore financing in documents
AUGUSTA — In an apparent violation of Maine law, a web of domestic and offshore companies linked to a controversial developer has funded a $4.2 million bid fronted by his sister since 2015 to get Maine voters to approve a York County casino. That revelation was buried in several documents filed with the Maine Ethics […]
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Paul LePage considers review of Maine’s special education standards
AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage said Thursday he may seek a review of Maine’s special education programs in a bid to standardize the way students are treated across the state. “I’m considering putting out an executive order to have that reviewed,” LePage told WGAN radio in Portland during his regular weekly appearance. “Maine does not […]
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Two U.S. soldiers die battling Islamic State militants in Afghanistan
Two U.S. service members died during operations against the Islamic State in eastern Afghanistan, the Pentagon said on Thursday. A Pentagon spokesman, Capt. Jeff Davis, said the deaths occurred overnight in Afghanistan’s Nangahar province, where a small but virulent Islamic State cell poses a threat for Afghan and U.S. coalition forces. It was the third […]
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Analysis: Why Trump tax cut may not deliver the boost White House promises
Specialists on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange watch Gary Cohn, director of the White House National Economic Council on Wednesday, April 26, 2017. President Donald Trump proposed dramatic cuts in the taxes paid by corporations big and small Wednesday in an overhaul his administration says will spur economic growth and bring jobs […]
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Analysis: Why Gov. Paul LePage went to Washington
President Donald Trump, joined by Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, left, and Vice President Mike Pence right speaks at the Interior Department in Washington, Wednesday, April 26, 2017, before signing an Antiquities Executive Order. The president is asking for a review of the designation of tens of millions of acres of land as “national monuments.” To […]
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White House backs off as lawmakers work to avert shutdown
House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis. speaks during a news conference after a GOP caucus meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, April 26, 2017. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers are nearing agreement on sweeping spending legislation to keep the lights on in government, after the White House backed off a threat to […]
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GOP leaders refuse to back any budget with income tax surcharge
AUGUSTA — Months ago, Gov. Paul LePage called on Republicans to “fix bayonets” as he prepared for battle against legislative Democrats over his proposed two-year $6.8 billion budget proposal. On Thursday, they did just that. The GOP leaders in the Senate and House issued a joint statement declaring that no spending plan that included the […]