Lucas St. Clair poses on land proposed for a national park in Penobscot County, Maine. Mount Katahdin, the state’s highest peak, can be seen in the background as a rainstorm passes through Baxter State Park. St. Clair is managing a non-profit foundation set up to promote the creation of a park on about 70,000 acres […]
politics
Posted inMaine
Gov. Paul LePage urges public to push back on taxes
Gov. Paul LePage used a Monday press conference to explain his analysis of how taxes affect Maine. AUGUSTA — Maine’s Republican governor says he’ll keep holding events around the state to encourage the public to push lawmakers to lower taxes until his term expires. Gov. Paul LePage said at a Monday press conference that his […]
advertisement
Posted inMaine
Ranked choice voting coming to Maine unless Legislature says no
AUGUSTA — Whatever the state Supreme Court advises about whether ranked choice voting violates Maine’s Constitution, the new voting method would apparently still apply to primaries and congressional elections. “The majority of the elections should be governed by this in 2018,” said Kate Knox of Bernstein Shur, representing the Committee for Ranked Choice Voting that […]
Posted inNation / World
Donald Trump to review national monuments — including Katahdin Woods and Waters
President Donald Trump will order a review of national monument designations, presumably including the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, on Wednesday, according to the Salt Lake Tribune. Maine Gov. Paul LePage will fly to Washington, D.C. to testify Tuesday before a House Committee on Natural Resources subcommittee in opposition to national monument designations created […]
Posted inNation / World
Inside Donald Trump’s obsession with cable TV
WASHINGTON — During a small working lunch at the White House last month, the question of job security in President Donald Trump’s tumultuous White House came up, and one of the attendees wondered whether press secretary Sean Spicer might be the first to go. The president’s response was swift and unequivocal. “I’m not firing Sean […]
Posted inNation / World
Nearing 100 days, Donald Trump says his presidency is ‘different’
WASHINGTON — For nearly 100 days, President Donald Trump has rattled Washington and been chastened by its institutions. He’s startled world leaders with his unpredictability and tough talk, but won their praise for a surprise strike on Syria. He’s endured the steady drip of investigations and a seemingly endless churn of public personnel drama. “It’s […]
Posted inNation / World
Transcript of AP interview with President Donald Trump
A transcript of an Oval Office interview Friday with President Donald Trump by AP White House Correspondent Julie Pace. Where the audio recording of the interview is unclear, ellipses or a notation that the recording was unintelligible are used. AP: I do want to talk to you about the 100 days. TRUMP: Good. AP: I […]
Posted inMaine
Sen. Libby’s bill would give citizens oversight of welfare programs
AUGUSTA (AP) — Citizens would monitor the success and progress of the state-run welfare-to-work program under a democratic lawmaker’s bill. Assistant Senate Democratic Leader Nathan Libby is sponsoring a bill that would create an independent citizens oversight committee. The committee would require the state Department of Health and Human Services to collect data about topics […]
Posted inNation / World
Feds support states that want work requirements for Medicaid
WASHINGTON — A simple question — should adults who are able to work be required to do so to get taxpayer-provided health insurance? — could lead to major changes in the social safety net. The federal-state Medicaid program for low-income and disabled people covers more than 70 million U.S. residents — about 1 in 5 […]
Posted inMaine
Maine gets $2 million to treat opioid addiction
PORTLAND — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is giving the state of Maine more than $2 million to fight its epidemic of heroin and opioid abuse. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, says the money will support programs that help residents of the state who are trying to recover from addiction. Maine had more […]