Stories about Stories with polls
POLL QUESTION
Rockland couple begins 30th year of sailing passengers around Penobscot Bay on schooner Heritage
ROCKLAND, Maine — This week, Captains Doug and Linda Lee and their crew were putting a fresh coat of red, white and blue paint on their schooner Heritage, an annual task for the past 30 years. “This is the crunch time, when we worry whether we can get it all ...
POLL QUESTION
Apartment squeeze in Portland: Single renters, immigrants, poor hardest hit
PORTLAND, Maine — Four years ago, when Jessica Fleming searched for an apartment in Portland, the process went by “instantly.” “All you had to do was call a landlord and that same day, you were looking at a place,” said Fleming, 25. “Now, I can’t even count the number of ...
POLL QUESTION
Abortion rights debate reignites at State House with introduction of three bills
AUGUSTA, Maine — The thorny issue of abortion rights came to the forefront Thursday in Augusta with the introduction of three bills that sparked strong words even before they were introduced to lawmakers. Pro-choice and pro-life activists pre-empted the introduction of the bills during competing news conferences only a few ...
POLL QUESTION
Maine House votes against creating food sovereignty act
AUGUSTA, Maine — The Maine House of Representatives dealt a blow to local food sovereignty advocates Wednesday, voting 93-49 against a bill that would have established the Maine Food Sovereignty Act of 2013. Nine Maine towns have passed local ordinances that claim home rule rights that contradict state food licensing ...
POLL QUESTION
Bill requiring food producers to label products containing genetically modified organisms passes state committee test
AUGUSTA, Maine — Despite concerns that any law forcing food producers to label products containing genetically modified organisms could lead to a challenge in the courts, the Legislature’s Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee approved a labeling measure on an 8-3 vote Tuesday. The bill, LD 718, offered by Rep. Lance ...
POLL QUESTION
Elementary school’s ‘blessing of the fleet’ canceled for violating First Amendment
SOUTH BRISTOL, Maine — South Bristol Elementary School eighth-graders will launch their handmade skiffs next month without the traditional “blessing of the fleet” after a letter from Washington, D.C.-based Americans United for Separation of Church and State informed the school that student involvement with the historic maritime ceremony violated the ...
VIDEO AND POLL
Illegal Bangor pool dumping incident spurs reminder about safe water disposal
BANGOR, Maine — Workers who violated a city ordinance by discharging old water from an inground swimming pool on Falvey Street directly into a nearby catch basin that empties into a nearby brook has led the city to issue a reminder about safely draining swimming pools. The pool water contained ...
POLL QUESTION
Should Maine allow teachers to carry guns in school?
The bill would allow school boards to establish procedures for trained school employees to carry concealed handguns on school property.
POLL QUESTION
LePage bill lifts cap on charter schools, lets public money go to religious schools
The bill comes come a day after education commissioner said no major new education proposals were expected from the governor.
POLL QUESTION
Lawmakers vote to ban ethanol in Maine
AUGUSTA, Maine — The Maine House on Wednesday took a decisive stance against blending ethanol into gasoline, giving initial approval to a bill that would ban the corn-based additive from motor fuel if two other New England states pass similar laws. In addition, the House unanimously endorsed a resolution urging ...
POLL QUESTION
Transportation Committee votes to kill east-west highway feasibility study
AUGUSTA, Maine — The Legislature’s Transportation Committee voted unanimously Tuesday to recommend repealing the requirement that the Maine Department of Transportation complete a feasibility study for a proposed private east-west highway from Calais to Coburn Gore. With three pieces of legislation proposing essentially to kill the study, the committee agreed ...
POLL QUESTION
Acadia National Park to open Cadillac Mountain summit road on Saturday, despite federal budget cuts
ACADIA NATIONAL PARK, Maine — Though some sections of the Park Loop Road will continue to be affected by federal budget cuts, park officials have decided to open the summit road to the top of Cadillac Mountain earlier than they had planned. The road and a section of the loop ...
POLL QUESTION
LePage proposal would bar food stamp use on junk food
AUGUSTA, Maine — A proposal by Gov. Paul LePage that would bar food stamp recipients from spending their benefits on soft drinks and certain snack foods made its way to the Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee on Friday with bipartisan support. The LePage bill, LD 1411, is sponsored by ...
POLL QUESTION
Blue Hill farmer faces financial hardship after judges rule against selling unlabeled, unlicensed raw milk
ELLSWORTH, Maine — A Blue Hill farmer has been ordered by Hancock County Superior Court to cease selling unlicensed, unlabeled raw milk from his farm stand in a decision that could set the scene for future challenges to local food rules that circumvent state law. In her April 27 decision, ...
POLL QUESTION
Democrats, GOP continue fight over Medicaid expansion, hospital repayment
AUGUSTA, Maine — Republicans and Democrats on Tuesday continued to spar over linking acceptance of Medicaid expansion funds from the federal government with repayment of the state’s outstanding Medicaid debt to 39 hospitals. Although both sides say there is no disagreement about finally paying off $484 million owed to Maine ...
POLL QUESTION
LePage slams Affordable Care Act at summit of Washington business leaders
By Tracie Mauriello, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on April 30, 2013, at 9:55 a.m.
WASHINGTON — The Affordable Care Act is destined to fail, a trio of Republican governors including Tom Corbett of Pennsylvania told business leaders in Washington Monday. Gov. Paul LePage of Maine said he’s working to help the failure along by discouraging companies in his state from participating in the mandate ...
POLL QUESTION
Maine doctors, grocers battle over selling energy drinks to minors
AUGUSTA, Maine — Representatives from the grocery and beverage industries squared off against three medical groups Monday as the Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee heard testimony on a bill that would bar energy drink sales to minors. The committee was considering a bill sponsored by Rep. Katherine Cassidy, D-Lubec, ...
SARAH SMILEY
Where have all the baseball kids gone?
Each April, my older boys eagerly await the first phone call from their Little League coach. I’m probably biased, but he’s the best one out there. For years he has continued to coach, even after his own son grew out of the league, and he has seen ballplayers go from ...
POLL QUESTION
Maine Democrats say they’ll support hospital payback if Medicaid is expanded
AUGUSTA, Maine — Democratic legislative leaders are proposing a deal that would tie the payback of Maine’s $484 million hospital debt to an expansion of the state’s Medicaid program under the federal Affordable Care Act. The party’s legislative leaders briefed Gov. Paul LePage on the plan in a meeting Thursday, ...
POLL QUESTION
LePage to towns: If you want revenue sharing, find other budget cuts
AUGUSTA, Maine — Gov. Paul LePage reacted to a widespread revolt over elements of his biennial budget proposal that will eliminate funding for towns and cities by challenging local officials to come up with alternatives. Raising taxes, as has been proposed by numerous bills in the Legislature this week, is ...
Police seeking tips about pickup truck possibly connected to Glenburn teen’s disappearance
Since 1971, seven Maine children reported missing have not been found
Authorities ask for volunteers in search for missing Glenburn teen Nichole Cable
A better way to help people escape welfare
A letter to Michelle Obama in light of military sex assault epidemic
Revising the terms of war against al-Qaida
Manchester 15-year-old off to impressive start for Earnhardt Jr.’s JR Motorsports
Houlton council, community still concerned about costly Millar Civic Center
Bangor’s Marcus Davis hopes to counter opponent’s height, reach advantage in Lewiston MMA main event
For those who are too fat for Abercrombie and Fitch
Kitchen Nightmares meltdown or: How to lose an argument online
Market Basket in Biddeford starts hiring 300 workers
Arguments over gun control and abortion will never be settled
A spot of tea, a spread of treats, at Camden’s Fromviandoux