Kathe Jewett, 68, a waitress at Howard Johnson’s in Bangor since it opened in 1966, speaks to patrons, works in the restaurant shortly before it closed in 2016. AUGUSTA — Eight Democrats in the Legislature are supporting proposals to restore the tipped minimum wage for servers phased out by a 2016 minimum wage referendum, drawing […]
politics
Posted inNation / World, sj-web
New Trump travel ban removes Iraq from list
President Donald Trump leaves after speech to a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017. (Jim Lo Scalzo/Pool Image via AP) WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s new immigration order will remove Iraq from the list of countries whose citizens face a temporary U.S. travel ban, U.S. officials say, […]
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Donald Trump gives GOP leaders rallying cry, roadmap for change
President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017. Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis. listen. WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump gave Republican congressional leaders a rallying cry and even a roadmap as they try to push through a sweeping […]
Posted inNation / World, sj-web
President Donald Trump declares it's 'time to join forces' to fix US problems
President Donald Trump, flanked by Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis., arrives on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017, for his address to a joint session of Congress. WASHINGTON (AP) — Heralding a “new chapter of American greatness,” President Donald Trump stood before Congress for the first time […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Sen. Eric Brakey developing plan to end corporate income tax
Sen. Eric Brakey, R-Auburn, laid out a plan to bulldoze many of Maine’s convoluted set of business tax exemptions. The plan from Brakey is just a concept at this stage, but he told the Legislature’s Taxation Committee that it targets 47 tax programs that he termed “corporate welfare,” costing the state between $425 million and […]
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Pentagon presenting plan to 'rapidly defeat' Islamic State
Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford greets Defense Secretary Jimn Mattis Jan. 21, 2107, at the Pentagon. A new military strategy to meet President Donald Trump’s demand “to obliterate” the Islamic State group is likely to deepen U.S. military involvement in Syria, possibly with more ground troops, even as the current U.S. approach in Iraq […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine scrambles to fix driver's licenses to comply with federal law
AUGUSTA — Mainers will be grounded next year if legislators don’t update driver’s licenses to comply with federal requirements. State and federal representatives are scrambling to fix the situation, which stemmed from fears over a 12-year-old federal act that critics say would create a national database of personal information. But states are starting to comply […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Analysis: How Maine maintains $1 billion balance in the bank
Gov. Paul LePage swears in state Treasurer Terry Hayes in January 2017. AUGUSTA — An improving economy and rigid fiscal discipline under Republican Gov. Paul LePage have contributed to an all-time record for Maine state government: more than $1 billion in its cash pool. The amount of money in the cash pool varies from day […]
Posted inNation / World, sj-web
Trump's nominee to be Navy secretary withdraws
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s choice to be secretary of the Navy, businessman Philip Bilden, said Sunday he was withdrawing from consideration for the post, citing concerns about privacy and separating himself from his business interests. Bilden’s withdrawal raises similar issues to that of Vincent Viola, Trump’s nominee for Army secretary who stepped aside […]
Posted inNation / World, sj-web
White House to propose boosting defense spending
Updated 11:30 a.m.: WASHINGTON — The White House says President Donald Trump’s upcoming budget will propose a whopping $54 billion increase in defense spending and impose corresponding cuts to domestic programs and foreign aid. The result is that Trump’s initial budget wouldn’t dent budget deficits projected to run about $500 billion. White House budget officials outlined […]