Proposal to replace Maine power companies moves ahead
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — A proposal to replace power companies in Maine with a consumer-owned utility has passed a test in the Maine Legislature. Critics of the two biggest power companies in the state, Versant and Central Maine Power, want to replace the companies with a new utility called Pine Tree Power Company. The Maine House of Representatives passed the proposal by a count of 76-64 on Tuesday. The proposal would ultimately allow residents of the state to vote on whether they want to create the new nonprofit utility. Supporters of the move have said they were motivated to propose it by high power costs and frequent outages.
MacKenzie Scott donates $4M to Maine arts programs
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has included the Maine Community Foundation’s Maine Expansion Arts Fund and Yarmouth’s 317 Main Community Center in her latest round of donations. The Maine Expansion Arts Fund received $2.5 million and 317 Main Community Center in Yarmouth received $1.5 million. In a post on her Medium account, Scott highlighted the impact that arts organizations have on their local communities. She wrote that arts and cultural institutions can strengthen communities fostering empathy, improving academic outcomes, lowering crime rates and improving mental health, among other things. The Maine Community Foundation said the Expansion Arts Fund gift was from Scott and Dan Jewett.
Colorado couple donates $25M to Maine Medical Center
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A Colorado couple is donating $25 million to a capital campaign for Maine Medical Center. The largest single donation to the state’s largest hospital comes from John and Leslie Malone, who spend summers in Boothbay Harbor. Leslie Malone recently received cardiac care at the hospital, and John Malone said they want to ensure all Mainers “have access to world-class care.” Officials say a new tower for cardiac and vascular service, which will be named for them, will consolidate most of the hospital’s cardiac and vascular care into one building.
Applications available for $1,500 bonus for taking job
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Mainers can begin filing for a $1,500 cash incentive for taking jobs during the summer. The governor announced the Back to Work program a day before to provide an incentive for people to get to work this summer. Workers who begin a job this month are eligible for a $1,500 payment while those who begin in July are eligible for $1,000. Applications became available Tuesday. Meanwhile, the number of COVID-19 infections remained low but there were three deaths reported Tuesday. That latest figures brought the death total to 848 and the number of infections to more than 68,300 in Maine.
CAPITOL BREACH-LAWMAKER
Former lawmaker Rohrabacher confirms he was at Capitol riot
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Former California Rep. Dana Rohrabacher confirmed he attended the riot at the U.S. Capitol on January 6 after anonymous investigators online identified him in footage. Rohrabacher told the Portland Press Herald on Monday that he did not go into the Capitol building. The Republican served 15 terms in Congress representing parts of Orange County before losing a reelection bid in 2018. He said he went to protest what he called a fraudulent election. On Saturday, an account on Twitter posted screenshots from footage showing Rohrabacher in the crowd who had violently pushed through the police line outside the Capitol on January 6. Rohrabacher now lives in York, Maine.
LEGISLATURE-CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS
House rejects popular elections for constitutional officers
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — A proposed constitutional amendment to require popular elections for Maine’s attorney general, secretary of state and treasurer has fallen short in the House. A two-thirds majority is required in both chambers to send the proposed amendment to the voters for approval. The bill won 27-7 support in the Senate on Monday with an amendment for use of ranked-choice voting. The House previously approved the measure but rejected the amended version 81-62 on Tuesday.
POLICE-DATA-MAINE
Bill to close state police ‘fusion center’ fails in Senate
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — The Maine Senate has effectively ended an attempt to eliminate the state’s secretive state police “fusion center” that came under under scrutiny after a whistleblower lawsuit. The bill to close the fusion center was rejected 29-6 in the Senate on Monday, just hours after the House voted to eliminate the center. So-called fusion centers were created after the 9/11 attacks to share information among law enforcement agencies. Maine’s center faced scrutiny after being accused of gathering and storing intelligence on gun buyers, power line protesters and employees of a camp for Israeli and Arab teens.
MAINE LEGISLATURE-YOUTH CENTER
Bill to close youth detention center is on governor’s desk
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — The Maine Legislature has voted to close the state’s only youth detention center, but the governor hasn’t said whether she’ll sign the bill. The proposal would direct the Maine Department of Corrections to make a plan to close the Long Creek Youth Development Center in South Portland by 2023. The Maine Department of Corrections is opposed to the bill, saying it doesn’t take a “balanced approach to ensuring rehabilitation and public safety.” The bill was sent to the desk of Democratic Gov. Janet Mills on Monday after final approval by the Maine Senate.
TROPICAL WEATHER
Tropical Storm Bill strengthens some, far off Atlantic coast
MIAMI (AP) — The second named storm of this year’s hurricane season, Tropical Storm Bill, has strengthened slightly far off the U.S. Eastern seaboard. But it’s not expected to last for long. Bill was expected to dissipate Wednesday as it moves over colder waters approaching the coast of Nova Scotia. The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Bill became a tropical storm late Monday. By Tuesday afternoon, it was swirling about 290 miles southeast of Halifax, Nova Scotia and had top sustained winds of 60 mph. It is taking a path that doesn’t pose any immediate threat to land. Bill’s expected to become an extratropical cyclone before weakening Wednesday.