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 […]
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Lawmakers table lobster as official crustacean
AUGUSTA — Legislation that would take an iconic symbol of Maine’s coastal heritage and tourism economy and give it official status was put on hold by state lawmakers Thursday. Not to worry, lobster lovers. The bill to make the lobster the official state crustacean hasn’t hit a boiling point, but it is on the back […]
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Dispute roils Land for Maine’s Future program; no end in sight
AUGUSTA — A dispute between Gov. Paul LePage and a coalition of land conservation groups and lawmakers over funding for the state’s Land for Maine’s Future program is unlikely to end anytime soon. LePage has refused to issue voter-approved funds for the program until the Legislature allows some of the revenue from timber harvested on […]
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Wilton police respond to shots fired
WILTON — Police responded to an incident at the end of Pond Road where it connects with Route 2 shortly after 7 a.m. Wednesday. A 30-year-old Wilton resident took his own life, police Chief Heidi Wilcox said. The resident called police about 7:20 a.m. and acted confused, she said. He said shots were fired, and […]
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Maine Democrats fill legislative leadership posts
AUGUSTA — Despite seeing their majority shrink by 10 seats after last week’s election, Maine House Democrats on Wednesday re-elected the two returning members of the past session’s leadership team to key posts for the next two years. Rep. Mark Eves of North Berwick won two more years as House speaker, and former assistant majority […]
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Bill aimed at protecting water quality for Maine lakes moves forward
AUGUSTA — A legislative committee approved a bill Thursday that aims to further protect water quality for 3,000 of the state’s largest lakes. Among other things, LD 1744, authored by Rep. Jeff McCabe, D-Skowhegan, tightens regulations around the application of lawn fertilizers and pesticides. The measure also directs the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to […]
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Maine conservation group issues environmental scorecard for Legislature
AUGUSTA — A bipartisan group of Maine lawmakers shared the limelight Thursday as Maine Conservation Voters released its annual scorecard on legislative voting records Thursday. Maureen Drouin, MCV’s executive director, said the last lawmaking session produced “mixed results” for Maine’s environment. MCV is a nonpartisan organization that works to make the protection of Maine’s environment […]