Christopher Cousins
State House Bureau Chief
- 207.443.5310
- ccousins@bangordailynews.com
Democrats approve LePage’s rainy day proposal but caveats anger Republicans
AUGUSTA, Maine — Gov. Paul LePage’s call for quick action on his bill to restore $21 million to the state’s rainy day fund was granted Friday afternoon by the Legislature’s budget committee, but only after Democrats added an amendment that calls for more than $17 million in additional spending. The …
Anti-PAC Cutler to benefit from PAC set up solely for his campaign
AUGUSTA, Maine — Independent candidate for governor Eliot Cutler, who in December announced that he will campaign “unbought” and without help from political action committees, said Friday that he has no control over a PAC set up recently for his campaign’s benefit. The Campaign for Maine PAC, which supported Cutler …
LePage details support of Keystone tar sands pipeline project in letter to John Kerry
AUGUSTA, Maine — Gov. Paul LePage’s endorsement of the controversial Keystone pipeline project, which he detailed in a March 3 letter to Secretary of State John Kerry, added new fuel to a long-term debate about bringing tar sands oil through Maine. At issue is a nearly year-old application from the …
LePage, Democrats blame each other for hold-up of voter-approved bonds
AUGUSTA, Maine — Democratic lawmakers and Gov. Paul LePage traded barbs Thursday about who’s to blame for the hold-up of voter-approved bonds. LePage has refused to issue the bonds until the Legislature replenishes the state’s budget stabilization fund, which lawmakers from both parties agreed to use $21 million from last …
DHHS names interim director for Riverview Psychiatric Center
AUGUSTA, Maine — Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Mary Mayhew has appointed Robert “Jay” Harper, a veteran of state government, as the acting superintendent at Riverview Psychiatric Center in Augusta. The appointment comes on the heels of Mayhew terminating former Riverview Superintendent Mary Louise McEwen earlier this month …
Senate upholds LePage vetoes of hearing aid, fireworks bills
AUGUSTA, Maine — The Senate followed Gov. Paul LePage’s lead Wednesday when it voted to sustain two vetoes he issued earlier this week. One of the bills would have restricted the use of fireworks and the other would have required private insurance companies to cover hearing aids for people up …
POLL QUESTION
Mill to add 2 tissue machines, 80 jobs in Washington County
AUGUSTA, Maine — Woodland Pulp will expand its pulp mill in Baileyville into paper manufacturing, an investment that will add 80 new jobs in one of Maine’s poorest counties, Gov. Paul LePage announced Wednesday. The company will install two tissue machines at the plant, a capital investment of about $120 …
STATE & CAPITOL (blog)
LePage vetoes new restrictions on fireworks, bill to provide insurance coverage for hearing aids
on March 11, 2014, at 5:52 p.m.
Gov. Paul LePage has used a veto message to call the contents of a bill to restrict the use of fireworks, which passed in the House and Senate last month, “heavy-handed regulations that are far from reasonable.” LePage also vetoed a bill that as of January 2015 would require private …
ANALYSIS
Was LePage’s jobs proposal sincere or a union-busting ‘election stunt’?
AUGUSTA, Maine — Gov. Paul LePage’s proposal to create Open for Business zones to attract economic development and jobs to Maine likely would breeze through the Legislature if it weren’t for the fact that it includes a “right-to-work” provision that there is little appetite for in the State House. Right-to-work …
STATE & CAPITOL (blog)
Michaud-funded poll shows Michaud maintaining his lead in the race for governor
on March 11, 2014, at 11:42 a.m.
A new poll released Tuesday by Mike Michaud’s campaign for governor shows the Democrat with a 4-point lead over incumbent Republican Gov. Paul LePage, with independent Eliot Cutler in a distant third place. The poll, conducted March 3-6 by Normington, Petts & Associates, a firm with a long history of …
STATE & CAPITOL (blog)
LePage unveils promised initiatives on drug prevention, education accountability and $100 million in budget cuts
on March 11, 2014, at 9:47 a.m.
The details of three what are sure to be controversial initiatives proposed by Gov. Paul LePage during his State of the State address last month became public Tuesday when they were presented to the Legislature for formal consideration. Upgrades to the enforcement side of Maine’s war on drugs, a bill …
Education funding bill seeks to use federal education dollars as the feds intended
AUGUSTA, Maine — A bill introduced Monday in the Legislature would ensure that federal funding intended for the poorest students in Maine actually would benefit those students directly. Maine is the only state in the country where schools that receive Title 1 federal school poverty funding see their state subsidies …
STATE & CAPITOL (blog)
How does your school district fare under new state funding estimates? Probably not well
on March 10, 2014, at 10:31 a.m.
New estimates of how much school districts can expect to receive in state funding next year were released Monday by the Department of Education, which has posted the district-by-district figures on its website. In some ways the numbers are significant because many Maine towns and cities are in the midst …
University of Maine System eliminating 165 positions, maybe more under state budget proposal
AUGUSTA, Maine — The University of Maine System will cut up to 165 full-time positions in the budget year that begins in July and would be forced to cut another 95 positions on top of that under across-the-board cuts under consideration in the Legislature. University of Maine System Chancellor James …
Legislative committee endorses do-over of large-scale mining rules in Maine
AUGUSTA, Maine — The Legislature’s Environment and Natural Resources committee on Thursday rejected metallic mineral mining rules that have been under development for more than a year. The committee endorsed a resolve, LD 1772, that essentially sends the rules back to the Department of Environmental Protection and citizen-led Board of …
LePage vetoes virtual school moratorium on same day Senate approves it
AUGUSTA, Maine — A bill to put the brakes on the creation of virtual charter schools in Maine was approved by the Senate on Thursday and quickly vetoed by Gov. Paul LePage. The bill aimed to stop the creation of virtual schools while the Department of Education develops its own …
Virtual school moratorium receives final legislative approval, goes to LePage
AUGUSTA, Maine — A bill to put the brakes on the creation of virtual charter schools in Maine was approved by the Senate on Thursday and now goes to Gov. Paul LePage. The bill aims to stop virtual schools while the Department of Education develops its own online offerings, an …
LePage says Maine could lead the nation — and maybe Quebec — in syrup production
AUGUSTA, Maine — Gov. Paul LePage said Wednesday that Maine’s maple syrup industry could become a national leader if more people understood that there is substantial money to be made from one of Maine’s most abundant natural resources. “This is an industry that Maine could be leading America in,” said …
DHHS fires chief of troubled Riverview Psychiatric Center
AUGUSTA, Maine — Riverview Psychiatric Center Superintendent Mary Louise McEwen has been terminated after five years on the job, according to Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Mary Mayhew. “In evaluating where Riverview Psychiatric Center is today and our vision for the hospital moving forward, I felt that a …
VIDEO
LePage says Legislature’s use of rainy day fund ‘irresponsible,’ announces plan to reverse it
AUGUSTA, Maine — Gov. Paul LePage announced Tuesday that he has a plan to reverse what he called an “irresponsible and incompetent” $21 million raid of the state’s rainy day fund by the Legislature, which he said would make him willing to release more than $100 million in voter-approved bonds …
The Holy Grail in Maine? History Channel researcher’s theory touches off fresh debate about Phippsburg artifacts
Mining metals from Maine landfills? Burgeoning effort is already worth millions
USM president proposes cutting four programs, 20-30 faculty positions
Can LePage’s ‘right-to-work’ plan grow Maine’s economy?
Maine’s lobster industry might not last forever. Then what?
Hunger pangs: When groceries are a luxury, and aid groups can’t keep up
Invasion of the oystermen on the Bagaduce River
UMaine officials defend school’s handling of 2012 incident involving football player now accused of murder
Prosecutor explains plea bargain for UMaine football player accused of 2012 domestic violence assault
Former major leaguer, Bangor resident Matt Stairs enjoying new broadcasting gig with Phillies
Maine ties provide added incentive for Providence hockey players
UMaine baseball team working to align pitching staff in Florida
Actor Patrick Dempsey, Jackson Laboratory to receive Maine awards
LePage’s plan to get tough on drug abuse needs to be more than a campaign speech
Forty to one — the symbolism of maple sugaring, finding the richness of life
The rescue: when things go wrong out on the ice.
Maine Restaurant Week 2014: A 207 Foodie Recap