PORTLAND — The Maine Supreme Judicial Court has found that a set of 65 bills that Republican Gov. Paul LePage was contesting have become law. The opinion came just six days after the court heard lawyers for LePage and the Legislature’s caucus leaders make their case, with one side arguing LePage had missed his veto […]
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Posted inMaine, sj-web
Paul LePage plans drug abuse summit while addiction clinics seek funds
Federal money set aside to help uninsured Mainers recover from substance abuse is sitting unused, with many addiction centers unaware of its existence. Gov. Paul LePage referenced the funding in his July 29 radio address, saying the Maine Department of Health and Human Services “has money available for drug treatment, even for those who don’t […]
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Posted inNation / World, sj-web
Obama says Iran nuclear deal builds upon diplomacy
“The choice we face is ultimately between diplomacy and some form of war,” Obama said in an address at American University. “Maybe not tomorrow, maybe not three months from now, but soon.” Seeking to isolate his critics, Obama said the rest of the world supports the Iran accord, with the notable exception of Israel. He […]
Posted inBusiness
Maine DECD says it will consider starting state-run EB-5 program
LEWISTON — The state of Maine may start its own visa program to help bring more direct foreign investment here, according to Maine Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner George Gervais. The state is looking at establishing a state-run EB-5 regional center, Gervais said. EB-5 visas provide foreign nationals with a way of obtaining green […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Analysis: Democrats twist Sen. Susan Collins’ Planned Parenthood stand
Republican Sen. Susan Collins is mired in a bit of a storm regarding a procedural vote she took Monday on a bill that sought to defund Planned Parenthood and its affiliates. If you haven’t heard, the organization is at the center of a controversy around the release of a video by anti-abortion activists that shows […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine Democrats look to rename Jefferson-Jackson Dinner
AUGUSTA — The Maine Democratic Party is in the process of choosing a new name for its annual Jefferson-Jackson Dinner in an effort to distance itself from two prominent historical figures whose legacies recently became tarnished by intolerance. Jeremy Kennedy, the party’s executive director, said the change has been discussed informally since last year but […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn, Maine
Regulators rarely enforce law that protects homeowners from lead
Thousands of Maine children and hundreds of thousands across the country are being exposed to poisonous lead paint because a federal law designed to protect them is barely being enforced. The 2010 law, the “Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule,” requires that contractors must be trained in and follow lead-safe practices that prevent the spread […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine high court rules anti-gay marriage group must report donors
AUGUSTA (AP) — Maine’s highest court on Tuesday rejected a national anti-gay marriage group’s latest bid to shield the identities of the donors who contributed to its effort to defeat the state’s gay marriage law in 2009. The National Organization for Marriage had sought permission to delay submitting a campaign finance report that the Maine […]
Posted inMaine
Maine reserve tops $111 million; Gov. LePage says it’s still not enough
AUGUSTA — The state concluded the 2015 fiscal year in June with a $59 million surplus and more than $111 million in its rainy-day fund. But in a news release Tuesday, Republican Gov. Paul LePage said the state’s Budget Stabilization Fund, known as the rainy-day fund, was still too little for his liking and may […]
Posted inMaine
Collins and King take issue with bill to defund Planned Parenthood
WASHINGTON — Maine’s U.S. senators took similar positions Monday in a controversial debate over federal funding for Planned Parenthood following the release of a series of undercover videos by an anti-abortion group. U.S. Sens. Susan Collins, a Republican, and Angus King, an independent, made speeches in the Senate urging their colleagues to oppose completely defunding […]