http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/me-news/ en-us Sun, 5 Jul 2009 07:33:04 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2285800/posts Washington -- President Barack Obama's landmark bill on energy and global warming squeaked through the House this week only after the White House made dozens of concessions to coal, manufacturing and other interests. As the battle moves to the Senate, Obama faces demands for more concessions, including to open the coastline to offshore oil and gas drilling. The Senate will take up issues that were glossed over or omitted from the House bill. Among them is giving the government sweeping new powers to overcome local objections and approve thousands of miles of new transmission lines to carry electricity to coastal... The Baltimore Sun http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2285800/posts#comment Sun, 5 Jul 2009 07:33:04 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2284292/posts AUGUSTA, Maine — The Maine Human Rights Commission ruled Monday that the Orono School Department discriminated against a transgender child by denying her access to the girls bathroom. While the school department’s lawyer warned that schools around the state may not be ready to manage the practical fallout from the decision, civil liberties advocates hailed the ruling as an advancement of human rights. Bangor Daily News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2284292/posts#comment Thu, 2 Jul 2009 18:38:42 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2282333/posts 1. Alaska 2. Maine 3. New Mexico 4. Arkansas 5. Texas 6. Missouri 7. Oregon 8. Idaho 9. Virginia 10. Wyoming human events http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2282333/posts#comment Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:33:41 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2278034/posts At last, there's a place in America where tax cutting to promote growth and attract jobs is back in fashion. Who would have thought it would be Maine? ... One question is how Democrats in Augusta were able to withstand the cries by interest groups of "tax cuts for the rich?" Mr. Baldacci's snappy reply: "Without employers, you don't have employees." He adds: "The best social services program is a job." Wise and timely advice for both Democrats and Republicans as the recession rolls on and budgets get squeezed. Printed in The Wall Street Journal, page A13 WSJ online http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2278034/posts#comment Wed, 24 Jun 2009 02:28:38 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2275967/posts AUGUSTA -- Maine has the highest rate of obesity in New England, a statistic lawmakers and health advocates say they want to address with a three-pronged approach. "It's estimated that 30 percent of our youth are overweight or obese," said Gov. John Baldacci. "This is a critical public health issue, especially when it comes to our children's health." Baldacci, House Speaker Hannah Pingree, D-North Haven, and public health advocates met Wednesday to highlight three new state laws aimed at curbing obesity. Pingree sponsored the most controversial measure, which requires chain restaurants to post calorie information on their menus and menu... Kennebec Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2275967/posts#comment Sat, 20 Jun 2009 20:52:12 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2275820/posts Out of Deference to Tribes, State Outlaws It in Names of Public Places, Prompting a Squall STOCKTON SPRINGS, Maine -- For nearly a decade, locals here have been fighting American Indians over the name of a dead-end dirt road.The lane in question, on a woodsy bluff overlooking the ocean, was once called Squaw Point Road. Maine banned the word "squaw" from place names in 2000, in deference to Indians who consider it racist. Names such as Squaw's Bosom Mountain and Little Squaw Brook quietly receded into history. But residents here played Scrabble with the spelling instead. They renamed the road... The Wall Street Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2275820/posts#comment Sat, 20 Jun 2009 14:09:12 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2274099/posts MACHIAS, Maine — A 77-year-old Princeton woman faced down a man armed with a sawed-off shotgun and sent him running after she pointed her own gun at him, according to court documents. Doris Gatchell’s daughter, Eileen Newman, said Monday that family members had since nicknamed their mother “Annie Oakley.” Suspect Dean T. Moore, who was arrested shortly after the Friday, June 12, incident, made his first appearance Monday in Washington County Superior Court. He faces up to 30 years in jail and fines of up to $50,000 on each of the two most serious charges of burglary with a firearm... Bangor Daily News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2274099/posts#comment Thu, 18 Jun 2009 02:15:30 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2274091/posts MACHIAS, Maine (June 16) - After being told by her daughter that a man in their home was an armed intruder, a 77-year-old woman pulled a gun on him and sent him running, according to court documents. The Bangor Daily News reported that family members have been referring to Doris Gatchell of Princeton as "Annie Oakley" after she confronted the man Friday. AP http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2274091/posts#comment Thu, 18 Jun 2009 02:05:47 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2274029/posts STANDISH, Maine -- Justin Denney's family watched as he ascended the Cumberland County Civic Center stage during graduation Friday night to accept his diploma, but the superintendent told him to return to his seat. The Bonny Eagle High School senior's mother said she can't believe her son's taking a bow and blowing a kiss on stage led was grounds for the superintendent to withhold his diploma. Mary Denney wants an apology, and her son wants his diploma, reported WMTW-TV in Portland, Maine. "I'm like, 'Did she not hand him his diploma?' I'm like, 'What's going on?'" Mary Denney said. Fox 5 News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2274029/posts#comment Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:27:44 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2273255/posts For teens, there is no greater joy than graduating high school. Shaking off the shackles of education and claiming that hard-fought diploma is truly an epic day. Unfortunately, for several students at Bonny Eagle High School in Maine, their natural exuberance has led to some surprisingly serious problems. On Friday night, when the senior class was waiting to graduate, excitement began to grow. Students bounced a large inflatable rubber duck. The noise level rose. And then came "the kiss." When called, one student walked on stage to receive his diploma and blew a kiss to his family. The school administrator,... Yahoo! Buzz http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2273255/posts#comment Wed, 17 Jun 2009 01:26:58 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2268332/posts KENNEBUNKPORT, Maine -- Former President George H.W. Bush plans to celebrate his 85th birthday Friday by making a parachute jump in Maine, where he has his summer home. The Associated Press http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2268332/posts#comment Tue, 9 Jun 2009 23:00:45 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2261214/posts The "Sage of West Minot" talks to Republicans about Obama's first selection. www.asmainegoes.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2261214/posts#comment Sat, 30 May 2009 15:19:14 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2258730/posts A San Diego-based homosexual activist group has filed a formal complaint with the Internal Revenue Service charging the Roman Catholic diocese of Portland, Me., with violating federal tax rules by taking part in a referendum campaign aimed at repealing the state's new same-sex marriage law. Tyler Davis, media director for the Empowering Spirits Foundation, told CNSNews.com that the complaint was filed at the IRS office in Dallas last Wednesday. The group wants the Church's nonprofit tax status revoked. “The problem is, Marc Mutty, who is the public affairs director for the Catholic diocese of Portland, Me., went onto public television... CNS News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2258730/posts#comment Wed, 27 May 2009 01:05:07 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2257890/posts AUGUSTA, Maine, May 25, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A homosexualist group is seeking to strip the Catholic Diocese of Portland of its tax-exempt status, after the diocese announced it would gather support for a voter's referendum on the new same-sex "marriage" law.The California-based Empowering Spirits Foundation filed the challenge Wednesday claiming that the Church's signature-gathering violates IRS rules forbidding partisan political activity by non-profit organizations.  "By their individuals going on television, stating what they were doing, they're engaging in lobbying activities which is prohibited by the IRS for tax exempt purposes," objected Tyler Davis, a spokesperson for the Empowering Sprits... LifeSiteNews http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2257890/posts#comment Mon, 25 May 2009 18:18:08 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2257575/posts AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine election officials on Tuesday approved the question that would appear on the ballot if opponents of the recently enacted same-sex marriage law collect enough signatures. Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap announced that the question that will appear on petitions is “Do you want to reject the new law that lets same-sex couples marry and allows individuals and religious groups to refuse to perform these marriages?” Groups seeking to overturn the law, including the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland; the Maine Family Policy Council of Maine, formerly the Christian Civic League of Maine; and Maine Marriage Initiative... http://www.bangordailynews.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2257575/posts#comment Mon, 25 May 2009 02:17:05 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2257225/posts A touch of home At Bangor's airport, the gateway back for many troops, greeters make sure they get the warmest of welcomes By David Filipov Globe Staff / May 24, 2009 BANGOR - As a chaplain in the US Army's First Cavalry Division, Captain Edward Tolliver just spent nearly a year in Iraq as the guy to whom soldiers came for advice, comfort, or just a welcome face. But on a recent May evening in Bangor International Airport, Tolliver was the one receiving the comforting embrace. The Boston Globe http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2257225/posts#comment Sun, 24 May 2009 05:20:02 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2257077/posts AUGUSTA, ME - A California-based homosexual-rights group has filed a complaint with the Internal Revenue Service challenging the tax-exempt status of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Maine. The Empowering Spirits Foundation says that by engaging in political activity aimed at overturning Maine's new same-sex "marriage" law, the diocese is violating IRS rules for nonprofits.  A diocese spokesman says IRS policy allows the diocese to participate in the campaign to collect the more than 55,000 voter signatures needed to suspend the law and have voters decide its fate. After Maine's Legislature passed the bill legalizing same-sex marriage and the governor signed... One News Now http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2257077/posts#comment Sat, 23 May 2009 22:19:07 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2255762/posts BANGOR, Maine – A British woman has pleaded guilty in Maine to assault after being accused of downing prescription drugs, wine and lavatory soap, then scuffling with flight attendants. Galina Rusanova pleaded guilty Thursday to three counts in U.S. District Court in Bangor. The Bangor Daily News says she was sentenced to the 21 days she had already spent in jail. A charge of interference with a flight crew was dropped. Prosecutors say the 54-year-old woman punched and kicked attendants on a United Airlines flight April 29. They say she tried to bite one while snapping "like a dog." AP on Yahoo http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2255762/posts#comment Thu, 21 May 2009 20:36:06 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2255731/posts Augusta, Maine (AP) -- A gay rights advocacy group complained to the IRS that the Roman Catholic Diocese of Maine is violating tax rules by helping a referendum campaign that would repeal the state's new same-sex marriage law. The Empowering Spirits Foundation said its challenge was filed Wednesday at an Internal Revenue Service office in Dallas. The San Diego-based group said the diocese is engaging in political activity by collecting signatures for the referendum, violating IRS rules applying to nonprofits. The ballot question would overturn Maine's gay marriage law. Gay marriage foes need the signatures of at least 55,087 registered... AP via SFGate http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2255731/posts#comment Thu, 21 May 2009 19:56:18 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2254845/posts AUGUSTA, Maine — The Maine Human Rights Commission says a restaurant discriminated against a transgender woman by asking her to use the men’s room until she had sex reassignment surgery. The manager of a Denny’s restaurant in Auburn made the request of Brianna Freeman of Lewiston after a female customer complained of having to share a restroom with "a man." Chad Cloutier, a lawyer representing the restaurant, says the woman threatened to call police. AP http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2254845/posts#comment Wed, 20 May 2009 17:58:16 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2252674/posts I live in a small town in Southern Maine. Last week I encountered the local police in the process of setting up a roadblock/checkppoint on one of the more heavily-travelled county roads. It was mid-afternoon - not your usual midnight sobriety checkpoint. Apparently the reason for the checkpoint was to screen motorists/vehicles/drivers/passengers for any and all possible violations. My son later drove past the checkpoint from the other direction and saw one of his friends standing outside his vehicle while police searched it. Unknown whether that was a "probable cause" or "consent" search. Several days before that I went to... http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2252674/posts#comment Sun, 17 May 2009 15:43:30 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2249219/posts Several juveniles and adults face charges following a melee ...that began when police stopped and arrested a shoplifting suspect and an unruly crowd gathered. Police responded to a report that a man had stolen two bottles of vodka ... Workers at the store provided a description of the suspect and the car he left in, and police pulled the car over at Franklin Arterial and Fox Street a couple of minutes later. As police were arresting Jimmy Odong, 19, of Portland and recovering the stolen merchandise, a group of about 15 to 30 people gathered, with about 10 of them... The Portland Press Herald http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2249219/posts#comment Tue, 12 May 2009 14:07:59 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2248449/posts WHITINSVILLE, Mass. — Twenty years after he met the love of his life, nearly five years after their wedding helped make history, it took a nasty bout of pneumonia for Gary Chalmers to fully appreciate the blessings of marriage. “I was out of work for eight weeks, spent a week in the hospital,” Chalmers said. “That was the first time I really felt thankful for the sense of the security we had, with Rich there, talking with the physicians, helping make decisions...it really made a difference.” At stake was the most basic recognition of marital bonds — something most spouses... Wisconsin State Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2248449/posts#comment Mon, 11 May 2009 13:24:59 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2247884/posts AUGUSTA, Maine — A formal challenge to the state’s new gay marriage law has been filed, setting into motion plans for a possible public vote that could be months or more than a year away. Activists on both sides Thursday started working up strategies for campaigns leading up to a possible November referendum under a state constitutional provision known as the people’s veto. “The wheels are turning,” Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap, Maine’s chief election official, said after opponents filed an application that sets the stage for the challenge process ahead. Marc Mutty of the Roman Catholic Diocese said challengers... bangordailynews.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2247884/posts#comment Sun, 10 May 2009 04:56:52 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2246408/posts The May 6 passage of marriage equality legislation in Maine brings to five the number of states in America that allow gay and lesbian families to wed. The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which adds sexual orientation, sexual identity, and disability, to the list of federally protected demographics (which already provide enhanced penalties for hate crime targeting victims on the basis of race, religion, and nationality among other factors) seems well on its way to becoming law. States are dealing with issues of family equality, and Congress and the Senate are poised to extend protections to a class... The Fort Lauderdale Edge http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2246408/posts#comment Thu, 7 May 2009 21:30:37 GMT