AUGUSTA — In the past year, Capitol Police have been called to the state’s Riverview Psychiatric Center 242 times — 83 times for assault complaints, Chief Russell Gauvin said. He said Wednesday that police calls to Riverview increased from the prior year, when his officers responded to 186 calls at the facility, including 25 assault […]
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Posted inMaine, sj-web
Democrat Vitelli bests Republican to claim Bath-area Senate 19 seat
BATH — Democrat Eloise Vitelli of Arrowsic claimed the Senate District 19 seat on Tuesday, garnering 4,621 votes to Republican Paula Benoit’s 4,339, with just 3 percent of ballots separating the candidates. Green Independent candidate Daniel Stromgren of Topsham received 357 votes — 4 percent of the total votes cast. The win maintains a 19-15-1 […]
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Posted inMaine
Maine Legislature ad-hoc committee mulls Riverview funding crisis
AUGUSTA — Whether the state chooses to expand a mental health unit at the state prison in Warren may have little bearing on whether the federal government cuts off $20 million in funding from Maine’s Riverview Psychiatric Center. An ad-hoc committee of lawmakers, hastily formed last week in light of the looming funding crisis, contemplated the […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine lobstermen’s union endorse Democrat in state Senate race
JONESPORT — The members of Maine’s largest union representing lobstermen endorsed Democratic state Senate candidate Eloise Vitelli in the upcoming special election for Senate District 19. Vitelli, of Arrowsic, is in a three-way race with Republican Paula Benoit, of Phippsburg and Green Independent Daniel Stromgren of Topsham. The International Association of Machinist—Maine Lobstering Union, Local […]
Posted inLetters
In rebuttal, George Mathews: Man-made warming a political hoax
I write this in response to Hubert Kauffman’s guest column, “How can people deny climate change?” (Aug. 18). I believe that man-made global warming is a political hoax. Earth’s climate is always changing, otherwise, Maine would still be under half a mile of ice, or there would still be tropical jungles in Alaska. The question […]
Posted inMaine
In light of Riverview issues, Maine lawmakers contemplate plan to expand psych ward at state prison
AUGUSTA — Key lawmakers on the Legislature’s budget-writing Appropriations Committee said Thursday they could support a $3.3 million bill that would expand the mental health ward at the Maine State Prison in Warren but weren’t quite ready to sign off on the measure. Still in question is whether the legislation, offered by Gov. Paul LePage, […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine hospitals to get owed Medicaid payments by Sept. 30
AUGUSTA — The state is about one week away from selling a liquor revenue bond that will fund payment of $183.5 million in Medicaid debt to Maine’s hospitals, Gov. Paul LePage’s office announced Thursday morning. The announcement comes on the heels of healthy, stable bond ratings from Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s Investors Service, according […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Petition drive begins to pull Maine out of 45-state Common Core education collaborative
AUGUSTA — The Maine Equal Rights Center announced Wednesday that it will launch a citizens’ petition campaign to repeal Maine’s reliance on a set of education standards used in 45 states. The ballot question, which would go to a November 2014 referendum if petitioners gather enough valid signatures, is the first of its kind in […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
LePage heads to Florida for manufacturing summit
AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage is headed to Orlando, Fla., on Thursday for the U.S. Manufacturing Summit, an event hosted by the National Retail Federation and Wal-Mart. The event is focused on increasing domestic manufacturing, something Bill Simon, president of Wal-Mart’s U.S. division, has emphasized. Simon announced this year that Wal-Mart’s U.S. division would buy […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine Heritage Policy Center has plan to eliminate income tax
AUGUSTA — A conservative think tank in Maine is rolling out a new proposal to gradually phase out the state’s income tax, one of the top priorities for Gov. Paul LePage’s administration. The Portland-based Maine Heritage Policy Center is touting it as a bipartisan idea that will spur growth in economically hard-hit areas. The center says […]