04/21/2021  Augusta – Attorney General Aaron M. Frey and Securities Administrator Judith Shaw are warning the public of a new phone scam from a caller claiming to be from the Internal Revenue Service. In this scam, the caller tells the recipient that because he had previously invested in binary options, he is now an accessory to an international drug smuggling ring and having an offshore bank account. The caller said he would need to notify the local District Attorney and the Maine Attorney General and then played what sounded like a police scanner, claiming to be having communication with the law enforcement officials via two-way radio. The caller said they could settle the matter by either having “agents” go to […]

On April 20,2021, Governor Janet Mills announced that she is seeking applications for Maine’s Aides-de-camp positions, an advisory council of military veterans who advise the governor on policies impacting Maine veterans. “As someone who comes from a military family myself, I deeply appreciate the service and sacrifice of Maine veterans and their loved ones,” said Governor Janet Mills. “Maine has the largest percentage of veterans per capita in the nation, and these Aides-camp-positions will create an important line of communication between them and state government and will support our shared efforts to improve services and opportunities for veterans across Maine. I encourage all interested veterans to apply.” Established by Maine State Statute, the governor may select not more than 11 honorary […]

By Ramona du Houx Maine State Rep. Lynn Copeland, D-Saco, introduced a bill that, if passed into law, would sign Maine onto the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ shore damage mitigation project. The measure had its public hearing before the Legislature’s Environment and Natural Resources Committee on Monday. “We have lost 38 homes. At a total value, the value of the homes has been over $5 million, the taxable valuation for the city of Saco has been over $3.2 million,” said Saco Mayor William Doyle during the public hearing. “That’s the amount of money we have lost in valuation from those 38 homes. In addition, the total infrastructure costs, up to 2020, was over $9 million that we spent in infrastructure and repair costs.” In […]

04/14/2021 Maine has already seen over 100 wildfires in 2021, and 2020 was a record-breaking year. Maine averages over 550 wildfires annually. At a Blaine House Ceremony today, Maine Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Commissioner Amanda Beal presented Maine Forest Service Ranger Specialist Kent Nelson with the Silver Smokey Bear Award, the highest national honor one can receive for outstanding work and significant program impact in wildfire prevention. Ranger Nelson is one of two people to earn this national recognition in 2021. “Maine is the most heavily forested state in the country, which means that wildfire prevention is something that we must take very seriously,” said Governor Mills. “It is why Maine Forest Service Rangers, like Ranger Specialist Kent Nelson, are so important. […]

By Ramona du Houx Rep. Seth Berry, D-Bowdoinham, House chair of the Legislature’s Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, introduced two measures to deter electric utilities from leaving power lines at unsafe heights and to ban misleading winter disconnection threats as part of the collections process. At a public hearing, Berry said both bills would help reduce CMP’s “shameless neglect and abuse of workers, small businesses and customers.” “They say ‘no line is safe to touch,’ but then they dangle high voltages dangerously and illegally low, close to workers and businesses,” said Rep. Berry. LD 840 would undo an exemption from liability that CMP and other electricity utilities have, but most other businesses do not. The bill stems from a 2002 […]

April auction brings in over $4 million for clean energy and energy saving measures By Ramona du Houx  Maine received $4.19 million dollars from the 51st auction of carbon dioxide (CO2) emission allowances traded the first quarter of 2021. The results of the auction were announced by the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a cap and trade program that reduces CO2 emissions from power plants generating more than 25 megawatts. Eleven states participate in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), the nation’s first market-based regulatory program to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution. Participating states limit, or “cap,” CO2 emissions from power plants in order to reduce air pollution. Companies then purchase allowances at auction that permit them to emit only […]

Maine Secretary of State, voting rights advocates back proposal to modernize process AUGUSTA – Rep. Teresa S. Pierce, D-Falmouth, introduced a measure that would allow eligible Mainers to register to vote using a secure online portal during a public hearing before a legislative committee on April 5. Maine is one out of 10 states that does not offer online voter registration. “I am grateful to everyone who voiced their support for this bill during today’s public hearing,” said Rep. Pierce. “So many members of our communities would benefit from this, from aging Mainers to working parents to service members. To strengthen our democracy, we need to look at ways to improve voting access, not limit it.” LD 1126 would implement online voter registration […]

 On April 9, 2021, the Maine Children’s Alliance released the latest edition of the Maine KIDS COUNT® Data Book, the most comprehensive data on the status and well-being of children in Maine. The Maine Children’s Alliance is the KIDS COUNT® partner for Maine, a project of the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The coronavirus pandemic and resulting economic downturn have created serious concerns about the immediate and long-term impacts on children and families. It has also reminded us that our health and well-being are interconnected. Now more than ever, the Maine Children’s Alliance is committed to providing data to inform policy and advocacy to support the health and well-being of children and families. In this year’s Data Book, where possible, 2020 data is […]

AUGUSTA – Rep. Victoria Morales, D-South Portland, introduced a bill on April 9, 2021, that would shed light on how many Maine workers employed by large companies rely on public benefits like MaineCare and SNAP. LD 1233 would require the state Departments of Labor and Health and Human Services to gather data regarding the number of Maine workers employed by businesses that have 50 or more employees and who receive public benefits. The departments would report their findings to the Legislature each year. “We know from the data we have that the majority of people relying on certain types of assistance are working, and that most of them are working for large corporations. But even though they are working for large, profitable […]

Maine Human Rights Commission Found Sex Discrimination and Retaliation by CSS By Ramona du Houx On April 8, 2021, Siera L. Boucher filed a civil rights lawsuit in federal district court, in Portland, Maine, against CSS for sex discrimination and unlawful retaliation because she asked about a possible accommodation to breastfeed her infant during a one-week training. CSS has about 650 employees and is headquartered in New Jersey. It provides patients with home-care equipment and services and has 17 offices in ten states, including two offices in Maine. After two rounds of interviews and a thorough vetting process, CSS offered Boucher a job as a respiratory therapist at its Portland location. With her offer in hand, Boucher made a few […]

AUGUSTA – A proposal introduced by Rep. Lori Gramlich, D-Old Orchard Beach, on  April 7,2021 aims to bring children who are receiving behavioral health care services out of state home to Maine. “As a parent, I cannot begin to imagine the anguish of having my child, who is not only in need of therapeutic behavioral health care but also in need of her parents, be placed so far from our home state and the people she loves,” said Gramlich. “What is even more difficult to fathom is what it must be like for that child to be so far away from her parent or guardian – her support system.” LD 1173 would require the Maine Department of Health and Human Services to develop a […]

The new state legislature has been hard at work in Augusta, when votes are critical and personal appearances needed and at home, working within COVID-19 protocols. Many bills have gone through committee, and then were voted on. These are the following prices of legislation that passed the legislature and that Governor Janet Mills signed into law: LD 30 Resolve, Authorizing the Director of the Bureau of Parks and Lands to Convey a Parcel of Land in Augusts a to the Maine Veterans’ Home LD 36 An Act to Amend the Definition of “Timber Harvesting” (Emergency) LD 44 An Act to Require the Department of Education to Report Annually on Summer Educational Programs LD 65 An Act to Invest in the Stewardship and Management of Properties […]

Maine to host New England’s second mobile vaccination unit capable of delivering at least 250 shots per day By Ramona du Houx April 6, 2021 The Mills Administration and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced a partnership to launch a mobile vaccination unit that will provide COVID-19 vaccinations to people in rural and under-served communities across Maine. “This mobile vaccination clinic is another important tool for our state as we work to get shots into arms as fast as we can,” said Maine Governor Janet Mills. “The clinic will complement our existing vaccination efforts well and allow people in rural communities to more easily get the vaccine, protecting their health and that of their loved ones and helping us to […]

April 6, 2021 By Ramona du Houx  The Maine Department of Economic & Community Development (DECD) announced a one-year pilot Early Adopter Program as part of the implementation of Maine’s ten year economic development strategy. The Early Adopter Program is designed to help Maine companies launch their innovative solutions and to determine their product-market fit, while aiding the State of Maine find innovative approaches to its work. In this pilot year, Maine DECD will host quarterly opportunities for up to three selected Maine companies to pitch an idea for a time-limited project in which a State agency or office would be an early adopter, beta-tester, or pilot customer for that company’s newly developed product and/or service. Companies whose pitch is […]

Maine is a great place for budding nature photographers. With an abundance of wildlife, plants, and natural landscapes, almost any shot you take can be effortlessly stunning. In Maine, you can find local deer running around Moosehead Lake, nesting puffins at Eastern Egg Rock, and glorious landscapes at Acadia National Park. So if you want to improve your craft and learn how to photograph the breathtaking wonders Maine has to offer, then keep reading. Bring the Right Gear and Equipment Your own camera is an obvious choice, but you should also pack with you other useful items that can make it easier to traverse Maine’s great outdoors. For one, you should bring a sturdy and reliable camera bag that’s packed with extra […]

April 3, 2021 By Ramona du Houx While work at the state house is limited within COVID-19 health restrictions there is still a lot that is going on in the climate sector. The following are bills being decided upon in the Maine Legislature. LD 226 (link): An Act To Limit the Use of Hydrofluorocarbons To Fight Climate Change, was tabled on March 24 and will be scheduled for a future work session by the Committee On Environment and Natural Resources. Read GOPIF’s factsheet on hydrofluorocarbons here (link). LD 340 (link): An Act To Allow for the Establishment of Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy Programs, is currently under consideration by the Legislature’s Committee On Energy, Utilities and Technology. This bill would implement one of the funding recommendations of Maine […]