News
Pushing for information and accountability, Lewiston families and survivors go to Washington
Families of victims and one survivor of the October 25 mass shooting in Lewiston met with members of Maine’s congressional delegation on Thursday to ask the lawmakers to do more to stem the epidemic of gun violence and push for information regarding what the U.S. Army knew or what actions were taken regarding the mental […]
U.S. House Democrats and advocates push for additional federal child care funding
WASHINGTON — U.S. House Democratic leaders on Wednesday called on Congress to pass President Joe Biden’s $16 billion supplemental child care funding request. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York and Whip Katherine Clark of Massachusetts gathered with child care activists and other House Democrats at a press conference outside the U.S. Capitol. Child […]
Child development workers report unwieldy caseloads, toxic culture as they push to oust director
When Colleen Brown writes Individualized Education Programs for children who need special education, she said it is as if she is writing a check she knows is going to bounce. Brown began working at Child Development Services (CDS) seven years ago. Currently, she is an IEP administrator but also has a small caseload because her […]
Divided over immigration, U.S. Senate blocks advancing aid for Ukraine, Israel
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate failed to move forward Wednesday with a $111 billion spending package that would have bolstered aid to Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan and the Southern border amid deep disagreement about immigration policy. The 49-51 procedural vote, which needed at least 60 senators to advance the bill toward final passage, represents a significant […]
Biden meets with leaders of tribal nations, signs order easing access to federal funds
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden signed an executive order Wednesday that would make it easier for tribal nations to access and invest federal funding on their own terms. “It’s hard work to heal the wrongs of the past and change the course and move forward,” Biden said. “But the actions we are taking today are […]
Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy to exit Congress, along with a flock of other lawmakers
WASHINGTON — Former U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy Wednesday joined the growing list of Congress members heading for the U.S. Capitol exits. McCarthy’s planned departure by year’s end, following the expulsion of disgraced New York Republican Congressman George Santos, will leave the House GOP with a razor-thin majority in 2024. The California Republican’s announcement also […]
Maine death certificates don’t track housing status, but other states are starting to
Jim Fernald is a fifth-generation funeral director. His great-great grandfather started the family profession near Mount Desert Island, and now, Fernald has been working for more than 30 years in Bangor. Each case is different, Fernald said, but in the past few years, he’s seen an increase in the number of people who were homeless […]
Florida congressman proposes federal funding to help schools fight book bans
WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost unveiled legislation Tuesday to combat a nationwide surge in book bans. Frost, a Florida Democrat, is pushing the “Fight Book Bans Act,” which he discussed at a press conference outside the U.S. Capitol alongside fellow House Democrats and advocacy groups. Frost’s bill would provide funding for school districts so […]
Border talks stuck as Senate nears vote on package for Israel, Ukraine aid
WASHINGTON — The success of the U.S. Senate in passing a $106 billion global security supplemental aid package hinges on a bipartisan agreement about U.S. border security, but any deal was at an impasse Tuesday. “There will not be a national security bill unless and until there is serious and significant changes in security at […]
Millions in debt, low-barrier shelters warn committee they are at risk of closing
Hope House Health and Living Center, a low-barrier homeless shelter in Bangor is searching for a new financial partner. Without it, the shelter will need to close come next October. Currently, the shelter has an $800,000 budget gap, according to remarks made by Lori Dwyer, president and CEO of Penobscot Community Healthcare, which runs the […]
Mills administration awards $1.3 million to support green energy and tech businesses in Maine
The administration of Governor Janet Mills on Tuesday announced that three organizations have been selected to receive a total of $1.3 million in funding to help advance the green energy economy in Maine. In a statement, Mills said the investments will “further establish our state’s leadership in developing forward-looking technologies to reduce our reliance on […]
After Clean Water Act ruling, states that want to protect affected wetlands need millions
Earlier this year, the U.S. Supreme Court stripped federal oversight from millions of acres of wetlands long protected under the Clean Water Act. Now, any safeguards to ensure those waters are not polluted, drained or filled in by development fall to the states. They’re finding that it’s not easy. “States and tribes already didn’t have […]