AUGUSTA— Gov. Paul LePage has vetoed a funding fix that the Maine Legislature approved for the Maine Clean Election Fund. The fund makes public money available to qualifying candidates. The legislature approved an act earlier this month that advances $500,000 to the fund in August. Supporters of the act say it would provide the minimal […]
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Posted inMaine, sj-web
Gov. Paul LePage won’t apologize for ‘bad joke’ about Indian workers
BANGOR — Maine’s governor says he won’t apologize for commenting on hard-to-understand workers from Bulgaria or India. Republican Gov. Paul LePage said his comment at the state party convention was “meant as a joke” but he acknowledged that “maybe it was a bad joke.” He told WVOM-FM on Tuesday that he’s not politically correct and […]
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Maine Speaker Mark Eves calls for sanctions after secret meeting
AUGUSTA — House Speaker Mark Eves, D-North Berwick, on Tuesday called on the state’s attorney general to take action over a closed-door meeting of a newly formed blue ribbon commission on public education. At least four lawmakers in leadership roles in the Republican and Democratic caucuses at the State House participated in the breakfast meeting […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Gov. Paul LePage says he’s out of the education commission
said Tuesday that he will withdraw the executive branch completely from participating in a commission aimed at reforming Maine’s public schools funding formula because he is “fed up” with media coverage of his statements and actions as governor. “As of yesterday afternoon I have withdrawn the executive branch from that group,” LePage said Tuesday morning during his weekly […]
Posted inNew England, sj-web
Could marijuana be prescribed for heroin addiction?
CONCORD, N.H. — The growing number of patients who claim marijuana helped them drop their painkiller habit has intrigued lawmakers and emboldened advocates, who are pushing for cannabis as a treatment for the abuse of opioids and illegal narcotics like heroin, as well as an alternative to painkillers. It’s a tempting sell in New England, […]
Posted inBusiness, sj-web
Freeport to vote on disposable bag ban
FREEPORT — Activists in Freeport want the town to become the second in Maine to ban disposable plastic grocery bags. The town is already offering a June 14 ballot question that asks whether residents will support a minimal fee on paper and plastic bags. But some residents feel that measure doesn’t go far enough. The […]
Posted inNation / World, sj-web
Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton aim to sweep Tuesday’s primaries
Presidential Primaries to Date and Upcoming Contests | InsideGov PHILADELPHIA — Donald Trump is aiming for a sweep of all five Northeastern states holding primaries Tuesday, including Pennsylvania, with his rivals pinning their hopes of stopping the Republican front-runner on a fragile coordination strategy in the next rounds of voting. For Democratic leader Hillary Clinton, […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
What the education panel discussed at Monday’s closed meeting
AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage and his education chief want every student in Maine to reach grade-level proficiency in reading by third grade, according to an attendee of a new task force that met behind closed doors Monday morning at the Blaine House. Democratic Sen. Justin Alfond of Portland, a former Education Committee member and […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Milo police chief criticizes LePage for Narcan veto
AUGUSTA — A small town police chief is criticizing Maine Gov. Paul LePage for vetoing a bill that would allow access to an opioid overdose antidote. Chief Damien Pickel of Milo, which has fewer than 2,000 residents, takes issue with the Republican governor’s contention that the antidote Narcan does not save lives. In a Facebook […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine DOT investigates bridge safety after accident
BATH — State officials are reviewing dozens of bridges around Maine after a Bath traffic accident in which a mother and child crashed through a guardrail and fell 40 feet to the street. Melissa and Matthew Medina of Windham were injured in the crash. The Portland Press Herald reported the bridge guardrail had several missing […]