AUGUSTA — Democrats in the Maine House of Representatives on Thursday dealt a crucial blow to business groups looking to undercut a ballot initiative from progressive groups to raise the state’s hourly minimum wage to $12. The House voted 78-69 — with only one Republican, Rep. Kevin Battle of South Portland, joining majority Democrats except […]
politics
Posted inLewiston-Auburn, sj-web
LePage appoints Joshua Klein-Golden as Androscoggin’s Register of Probate
AUBURN — Joshua Klein-Golden is the closer of Androscoggin County. For the third time in seven years, Klein-Golden has been called upon by a Maine governor to complete the term of an elected official in the county’s probate office. The latest example came Wednesday when Gov. Paul LePage appointed Klein-Golden as Register of Probate. He […]
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Posted inMaine
Lawmakers celebrate Maine’s Franco heritage
AUGUSTA — Maine lawmakers celebrated the state’s Franco-American residents and heritage during an annual celebration at the State House on Wednesday. For 15 years now, the Legislature has taken time from its work to acknowledge and celebrate the state’s strong French roots and to induct residents into the state’s Franco-American Hall of Fame. Raymond John […]
Posted inNation / World
Obama nominates Merrick Garland to Supreme Court
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama said Wednesday that he will nominate appeals court judge Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court, urging Republicans to approve a longtime jurist and former prosecutor known as “one of America’s sharpest legal minds.” Maine’s two U.S. senators say the U.S. Senate should schedule confirmation hearings on the nomination. Angus […]
Posted inNation / World, sj-web
Clinton and Trump win big; Kasich has Ohio; Rubio gets out
CLEVELAND — Hillary Clinton triumphed Tuesday in the Florida, Ohio, North Carolina and Illinois presidential primaries, putting her in a commanding position to become the first woman in U.S. history to win a major-party nomination. Donald Trump strengthened his hand in the Republican race with a big win in Florida but fell in Ohio to […]
Posted inMaine
Former Lewiston Police Chief Welch seeks state Senate seat
LEWISTON — Former Lewiston Police Chief Bill Welch has announced his candidacy for Maine Senate District 21, which covers the city of Lewiston. Welch, who will run as a Republican against incumbent Sen. Nate Libby, D-Lewiston, made the announcement in a news release on Tuesday. Welch joined the Lewiston Police Department following his four years […]
Posted inMaine
Maine Maritime asks Legislature for $1 million to restore the schooner Bowdoin
AUGUSTA — The state’s official sailing vessel, the schooner Bowdoin, is in need of about $2.6 million in renovations, according to the ship’s keepers at Maine Maritime Academy in Castine. Capt. Andy Chase, a professor at the academy and former captain of the ship, has helped raise $1.1 million in private funds for the renovation. […]
Posted inMaine
LePage asks Legislature when it is going to ‘wake up’ on paper industry woes
AUGUSTA — In a pair of blistering missives to State House leaders Tuesday, Republican Gov. Paul LePage charged lawmakers with doing little to help the state’s sagging pulp and paper industry and asked when the Legislature is going to “wake up.” He also labeled Democratic lawmakers as “job killers” and accused them of misleading the […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Bill restricting video of voters goes to Gov. Paul LePage
AUGUSTA — A bill that aims to make it harder to use video cameras to intimidate voters is on its way to the desk of Gov. Paul LePage. The Maine Senate on Tuesday voted unanimously to enact the bill, which the House approved last week. The bill would establish a 15-foot minimum distance between video […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine jails full of inmates awaiting trial
AUGUSTA — State lawmakers are considering a proposal to stem a growing trend of county jails being filled with people who have yet to be convicted of any crime. “Maine faces a serious problem with the rate of pretrial incarceration populations in its county jails,” according to a report issued in December by the Intergovernmental Pretrial Justice […]