Poliquin narrows funding gap in key Maine race
BANGOR, Maine (AP) — Former U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin, who is seeking his old job back, has narrowed the funding gap in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District race. The Bangor Daily News reports that Poliquin, who seeks to unseat Democratic Rep. Jared Golden, raised a little less than $600,000 in the final quarter of 2021. The race for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District is likely to get national attention during midterm elections. Golden won the district by 6 percentage points in 2020, but former President Donald Trump won an electoral vote in the district.
Maine considers fund for lobster fishers hurt by whale rules
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine’s state government might set up a $30 million annual fund to aid lobster harvesters and other commercial fishermen who have been economically hurt by new rules designed to protect rare whales. New federal rules make an approximately 950-square-mile area of the Gulf of Maine essentially off limits to lobster fishing from October to January. Federal authorities implemented the rules to try to help save North Atlantic right whales, which are vulnerable to entanglement in fishing gear and number less than 340. The proposal to create the fund is up for a public hearing before a committee of the Maine Legislature on Tuesday.
Multistate compact could help Maine get more therapists
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Maine is considering joining a multi-state compact that allows licensed counselors to practice in other states. Supporters of the proposal say it would improve access to counseling and therapy in Maine. The state would join the Counseling Compact, which allows counselors licensed at the clinical level and residing in member states to practice in other states without needing multiple licenses. The proposal is the subject of a bill before the Maine Legislature presented by Democratic Rep. Jay McCreight of Harpswell. A legislative committee is expected to hold a work session on the proposal in the coming weeks.
ISLANDS-DISPUTE
Mapping error raises question of location of 9 islands
BANGOR, Maine (AP) — The Maine Legislature is getting involved in a dispute over which county can claim a string of coastal islands. Waldo County officials say a 70-year-old mapping error led to nine small islands being considered part of Knox County over the years. They say the islands are part of the Islesboro archipelago and should be part of Waldo County. A legislative committee last week instructed the two counties to try to reach an agreement on the facts. A meeting is tentatively scheduled for early February.
BC-US-WINTER-WEATHER
After the blizzard, the East Coast digs out under sunny sky
BOSTON (AP) — The sun was shining on much of the East Coast on Sunday, a day after a vicious nor’easter brought blizzard conditions to many areas, and left more than 100,000 customers without power. Winds that had gusted to more than 80 mph on Saturday had died down, and temperatures climbed into the upper teens and 20s as people emerged from their homes to dig out. The storm dumped snow from Virginia to Maine, but Massachusetts bore the brunt of the fury. The towns of Sharon and Stoughton got more than 2 1/2 feet of snow before the storm moved out. About 35,000 remained without power in Massachusetts by Sunday afternoon.
UTILITY SHUTOFFS
Maine might stop utility shutoffs for safety facilities
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Maine might start prohibiting utilities from suddenly disconnecting service to public safety facilities. A proposal from Democratic Rep. Seth Berry of Bowdoinham would require public utilities to give 60 days advance written notice to the facilities of their intent to end service. The utilities would also have to get authorization from state authorities first. Berry says the new law is needed to protect vital public safety equipment used on ambulances and fire trucks. The proposal was subject to a public hearing on Jan. 25.
CHILD PORNOGRAPHY SENTENCE
Maine man gets 5 years on child pornography charge
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A Maine man who was once a member of a neo-Nazi group has been sentenced to five years in prison on federal child pornography charges. The Portland Press Herald reports that 28-year-old Andrew Hazelton was sentenced Friday after pleading guilty in July. The Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office found in 2019 that Hazleton had sought explicit photos from a 10-year-old girl on social media. In 2021, a former employer reported Hazelton to the FBI because he feared a workplace shooting. Prosceutors say an investigator cited the explicit messages to the girl in a search warrant for Hazelton’s phone and uncovered videos and images depicting child pornography. Hazelton apologized in court.
MOTORCYCLES-CRASH
Victim of 2019 New Hampshire motorcycle crash sues RMV
PITTSFIELD, Mass. (AP) — A Massachusetts man severely injured in a 2019 crash in New Hampshire that killed seven members of his motorcycle club has filed a lawsuit against the Massachusetts Registrar of Motor Vehicles for allegedly failing to suspend the driver’s license of the man charged in connection with the crash. The Berkshire Eagle reports that Joshua Morin, of Dalton, alleges in his lawsuit filed last week that the agency acted willfully, wantonly or recklessly when it failed to process thousands of license suspensions and revocations reported from out-of-state. That failure allowed Volodymyr Zhukovskyy, whose license had been suspended in Connecticut, to continue driving. Zhukovskyy has pleaded not guilty.