WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration will resurrect a Reagan-era rule that would ban federally funded family planning clinics from referring women for abortions, or sharing space with abortion providers. The Department of Health and Human Services will announce its proposal Friday, a senior White House official said Thursday, speaking on condition of anonymity because […]
funding
Maine lawmakers adjourn session, leaving stack of legislative work undone
AUGUSTA — The Maine Legislature adjourned Wednesday as State House leaders were unable – and in some cases unwilling – to compromise on several key issues they are now hoping will be resolved in a special lawmaking session. But it remains uncertain how lawmakers will return to work or if they will be able to […]
Memorial Day Parade group requests funding, participants in Jay, Livermore Falls
LIVERMORE FALLS — A planning committee for the Memorial Day Parade in the Jay and Livermore Falls area is seeking members, parade participants and money to cover liability insurance. “We are really having a struggle because we are in dire need of funding to cover the parade,” member Gail Kerns-Dube said. Liability insurance has cost […]
Lawmakers didn’t fund Maine schools before adjournment last week
AUGUSTA — Before the most recent legislative session expired last week, lawmakers neglected to pass a bill that would have appropriated more than $1 billion in funds for public schools. The Maine School Management Association, which represents superintendents, sent out a notice Tuesday urging members to contact lawmakers and ask them to find a way […]
Paul LePage wins battle in fight over workforce development funding
Gov. Paul LePage won a longstanding battle Friday when the Maine State Workforce Board supported his plan requiring regional workforce agencies to devote 70 percent of federal funds to job training or lose a portion of their funding. The vote supersedes a compromise the board reached in December that set a goal of spending 45 […]
Franklin County Commissioners clarify position on agency funding
FARMINGTON — Commissioners confirmed Tuesday that they would not fund social service agencies that were not funded through the Franklin County budget last year. If requests from an agency or organization were funded through the county in the 2017-18 budget commissioners will accept requests, Chairman Charles Webster of Farmington said. Those agencies were put on […]
RSU 9 residents discuss healing, compromise on budget
FARMINGTON — In the midst of a contentious school budget season, a Chesterville man is calling for compromise. “It is time for all this name-calling to stop,” Bob Millay of Chesterville said Thursday during a Regional School Unit 9 board meeting. “It is not appropriate.” Millay is a member of Citizens for Common Sense Education, a group […]
Officials make cases for jail services
Please erase whichever of the Andersen/Westrum photos you do not want. I prefer the version where Andersen, left, is looking at Westrum, but the focus on Westrum is softer than in the other shot. PARIS — Officials representing jails in Wiscasset and Portland made their cases Tuesday before Oxford County commissioners, who were set to […]
State Senate approves county jail funding
AUGUSTA — The Senate on Tuesday unanimously approved legislation providing nearly $2.5 million in new funding to the state’s county jails. The bill, LD 1614, was amended to cover the costs using part of an anticipated increase in federal Medicaid matching funds the state expects to receive for 2016. It does not, however, offer a […]
Maine Senate votes to kill estate tax
AUGUSTA — A bill that would eliminate the state’s tax on inheritances worth more than $5 million gained approval in the Republican-controlled Maine Senate on Wednesday on an 18-13 party-line vote. But the GOP victory against what they call the “death tax” is likely to be short-lived, as the Democratic-controlled House voted Tuesday to reject […]