President Barack Obama outlined his Veterans Jobs Corps today. The proposed Corps will hire Veterans to work in our National Parks rebuilding roads. Police and fire stations will also prioirtize Veterans as workers. And a network will match skill sets with jobs. Here are highlighted segments of his speech:

“The war in Iraq is over. The war in Afghanistan is moving to a new phase — we’re transitioning to Afghan lead. Over the past decade, nearly 3 million service members have transitioned back to civilian life, and more are joining them every day. . .

“Our veterans are some of the most highly trained, highly educated, highly skilled workers that we’ve got. These are Americans that every business should be competing to attract. These are the Americans we want to keep serving here at home as we rebuild this country. So we’re going to do everything we can to make sure that when our troops come home, they come home to new jobs and new opportunities and new ways to serve their country.

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Small business owners say their main concern is weak customer demand, not regulations, according to independent opinion polling released today. In fact, when asked what would do the most to create jobs, small business owners’ top response was eliminating incentives to move jobs overseas. Reducing regulation came in fifth place.

• 86 percent see regulations as necessary part of a modern economy
• 78 percent of small businesses say regulations needed to protect small businesses from unfair competition, level playing field with big business

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Maine Citizens for Clean Energy, a diverse coalition of businesses, workers, environmental and public health groups, announced today that they will continue gathering signatures to send a ballot initiative to voters in 2013. The Coalition made the decision to continue its efforts today when it became clear that it could not meet today’s deadline to file signatures with the Secretary of State for the November 2012 election.

“Going for the 2012 ballot was always a race against the clock. Despite the incredible enthusiasm from the public and from hundreds of campaign volunteers, the clock was just a little too fast for us to hit the deadline for the 2012 ballot,” said David Farmer, spokesperson for Maine Citizens for Clean Energy.

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“On April 1st, the state of Maine will default, it will not have money to pay the fourth quarter of 2012 Medicaid payments,” Gov. LePage said after he interrupted the work of the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee.

The state’s fiscal year begins in July giving lawmakers three months to work out the issue. LePage went on to tell legislators that their failure to cut $221 million from the budget will force him seek cuts to state education to close the gap.

“I will be calling you back and asking you to give the GPA money so that I don’t have to close nursing homes and we will probably close schools, ” he said. “Or by Feb. 1st, you give me curtailment orders so I can start saving money. This is not normal politics, this not rhetoric.”

But this issue would not be able to be classified under a curtailment order.

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President Obama in Maine in 2010 photo by duhoux

THE PRESIDENT: Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, members of Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow Americans:

Last month, I went to Andrews Air Force Base and welcomed home some of our last troops to serve in Iraq. Together, we offered a final, proud salute to the colors under which more than a million of our fellow citizens fought — and several thousand gave their lives.

We gather tonight knowing that this generation of heroes has made the United States safer and more respected around the world. (Applause.) For the first time in nine years, there are no Americans fighting in Iraq. (Applause.) For the first time in two decades, Osama bin Laden is not a threat to this country. (Applause.) Most of al Qaeda’s top lieutenants have been defeated. The Taliban’s momentum has been broken, and some troops in Afghanistan have begun to come home.

President Obama delivers his third State of the Union. courtesy photo

Maine Can Do Better, a broad coalition of more than 150 partner organizations, held a vigil tonight before Gov. Paul LePage’s State of the State Address to draw attention to his irresponsible and dangerous budget proposals.

“We are here representing the people who cannot be here to speak for themselves. We are here because we believe Maine can do better,” said Betsey Sweet, a founding member of the Maine Can Do Better coalition. “We believe the budget proposal is irresponsible. And while some politicians only think as far as the next election, we are Mainers for the long haul. When we look at the numbers, it is clear that we don’t have a fiscal crisis, we have a priorities crisis.”

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ORPC's barge with the company tidal turbine docked in Portland. photo by Ramona du Houx

“Maine’s wave and tidal current resources offer real opportunities to generate renewable energy using water power technologies in the future,” said Energy Secretary Chu. “Together with new advances and innovations in water power technologies, these resource assessments can help to further develop the country’s significant ocean energy resources, create new industries and new jobs in America, and secure U.S. leadership in an emerging global market.”

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) released two nationwide resource assessments showing that waves and tidal currents off the nation’s coasts could contribute significantly to the United States’ total annual electricity production, further diversify the nation’s energy portfolio, and provide clean, renewable energy to coastal cities and communities. These new wave and tidal resource assessments, combined with ongoing analyses of the technologies and other resource assessments, show that water power, including conventional hydropower and wave, tidal, and other water power resources, can potentially provide 15 percent of our nation’s electricity by 2030. The reports represent the most rigorous analysis undertaken to date to accurately define the magnitude and location of America’s ocean energy resources.

These resource assessments can help to further develop Maine’s ongoing efforts in tidal technologies, create new jobs and secure Maine’s leadership with Ocean Renewable Power Company, and the University of Maine, in an emerging global market.

Maine was one of the top states for tidal-current power potential, preceded only by Washington state and Alaska. The coast south of Eastport and south of Cross Island were highlighted as spots with larger power potential, according to the report on tidal power. Though the figures are based on some theoretical data, Maine’s tides could generate up to 675 megawatts of total tidal power.

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The Harold Alfond Foundation announced a $10.85 million gift to the Maine Community College System (MCCS) and to the Good Will-Hinckley (GWH) school in Hinckley, Maine.

“Today begins a new era at our historic institution, one that will transform the lives of a new generation of Maine’s young people. I have no doubt that George Walter Hinckley would be proud of the stewardship of his legacy, which we are securing today,” said Glenn Cummings, Ed.D., President of Good Will-Hinckley. “We are so grateful to the Harold Alfond Foundation, Maine Community College System, Governor Paul LePage, and the State Legislature for recognizing the asset this campus is to the state of Maine and what it can mean for Maine’s future.”

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Kestrel CEO Alan Klapmeier and his partner Alan Galley with their turboprop

“We’re getting an important segment of the company and that should not be dismissed,” Levesque told the MRRA board last Tuesday.

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Federal grants totaling $8.73 million have been awarded to the Maine Department of Conservation (MDOC) and will be used to conserve two unique forest properties in Franklin County, according to Maine’s congressional delegation. In addition to the federal funds, project partners are securing $1 million in matching funds from other sources, including the Land for Maine’s Future program.

“Maine continues to be a leader in land conservation while maintaining working, sustainable forest landscapes through the Forest Legacy Program” said U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud. “These two projects represent a significant opportunity to protect important ecological resources, preserve critical jobs in Maine’s forest products industry and promote a variety of outdoor recreation activities for Franklin County.”

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