AUGUSTA — The court master overseeing the Riverview Psychiatric Center in Augusta has suggested reopening group homes on state grounds to relieve a space crunch. Daniel Wathen, a former Maine Supreme Judicial Court chief justice, told a legislative committee Tuesday that even though not every bed is occupied, some of the 53 patients at the […]
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Posted inMaine
Governor’s blue ribbon commission reports no bias in unemployment claims process
LEWISTON — A panel created this past spring by Gov. Paul LePage made public its recommendations Tuesday, reporting that it found “no direct or intentional bias” against employees nor employers who participate in the unemployment claims and appeals process. LePage said the report confirmed his concerns; critics called it a rebuke. LePage tasked the Unemployment […]
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Maine health committee reviews $1 million no-bid contract
AUGUSTA — Lawmakers on the Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee on Tuesday reviewed a $925,000 contract awarded to a Rhode Island-based consulting firm to study the state’s welfare system. The no-bid contract, awarded to the Alexander Group by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, has come under fire by Democratic leaders in […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Former King spokeswoman joins Cutler campaign
AUGUSTA — The former spokeswoman for U.S. Sen. Angus King will head communications operations for independent candidate Eliot Cutler’s bid for Maine governor. Crystal Canney, a former broadcast journalist and producer, stepped down as spokeswoman for the independent senator this fall after having also run communications for his 2012 campaign. Cutler is challenging Republican Gov. […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Few commuters parking in Yarmouth park-and-ride lot
YARMOUTH — A new 300-spot park-and-ride lot along Interstate 295 in Yarmouth is getting just a handful of cars per day, prompting some people to call it a waste of taxpayer money and an environmental mistake. The Portland Press Herald (http://bit.ly/19yQAOb) reports that the lot that opened three weeks ago had an average of six […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
LePage praises Hermon manufacturer for expansion plans
AUGUSTA — Maine Gov. Paul LePage says a manufacturing company in the state is planning to expand its operations. The Republican governor said that the Ntension Corporation of Hermon, a wholesale tension-fabric structures manufacturer, will expand this spring into a new 40,000 square-foot facility. He says that growth will allow the company to create 21 […]
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Lawmakers to review Maine Medicaid study contract
AUGUSTA — The Auditor General for the State of Pennsylvania said Monday that he has his doubts about how well the Maine Department of Health and Human Services vetted a company that it awarded a nearly $1 million no-bid contract to in September. Meanwhile, two committees of the Maine Legislature are expected to discuss the […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Lewiston councilors-elect to meet Tuesday
LEWISTON — Councilors-to-be will get a look at potential committee assignments and other responsibilities they can expect at a special meeting Tuesday. “Basically, we want to find out which councilors are interested in what council appointment,” City Administrator Ed Barrett. The public meeting is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. in a Lewiston City Hall […]
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Dirigo Health to end Dec. 31 without extensions
AUGUSTA — Maine’s Dirigo Health insurance program will end Dec. 31 as planned, after its trustees opted against extending the program to help enrollees transition to new coverage. At a Monday morning meeting, members of Dirigo’s board of trustees decided to forego a one-month extension, a move that was under discussion given the troubled rollout […]
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Advisory committee looks at ways to boost health insurance participation
AUGUSTA — Steering more people toward health insurance coverage in one way or another was at the core of recommendations finalized Monday by a committee tasked with overseeing the implementation of the federal Affordable Care Act in Maine. Among the Maine Health Exchange Advisory Committee’s unanimous recommendations were applying for federal funds to help individuals […]