Maine utility to trim 4,600 miles of trees to reduce outages
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — A Maine power company says it plans to trim thousands of miles of trees this year to try make the state’s energy grid more reliable. Central Maine Power said Wednesday the $27 million trimming program will target 4,600 miles in 2022. Maine is the most heavily forested state in the country, and falling trees and limbs are the leading cause of power outages.The power company says it uses five-year cycles of tree work to reduce outages. That makes certain that about a fifth of the system is trimmed every year.
Trooper hurt in construction zone crash on Maine, NH border
KITTERY, Maine (AP) — A Maine State Police trooper was injured near the border of Maine and New Hampshire when a vehicle hit his cruiser in a construction zone. The crash happened on the Piscataqua Bridge on Interstate 95 on Wednesday morning. Police did not name the trooper. WMTW-TV reports police say the trooper was taken to a New Hampshire hospital for injuries that were not life threatening. Police from Maine and New Hampshire were reconstructing the crash and investigating on Wednesday.
LOBSTER FISHING FUND
Lawmakers unsure about lobster industry defense fund bill
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A key legislative committee in Maine has put off a potential vote on a proposal to create a legal defense fund to fight new fishing restrictions. The Maine Legislature’s Committee on Marine Resources on Tuesday voted to table the proposal to a future meeting. The plan would launch the defense fund to help the lobster industry navigate the new rules, laws and regulations that are designed to protect a declining species of whale. Some members of the committee and the lobster industry balked at the idea, in part because it would redirect fees and surcharges the state currently uses to manage the lobster fishing industry.
MAINE GOVERNOR-BUDGET
Mills’ supplemental budget includes $500 checks for Mainers
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Maine Gov. Janet Mills has formally unveiled a supplemental budget that would return half of an $822 million budget surplus to residents. Mills, a Democrat, said Tuesday she drew on good ideas from both political parties in addressing pressing concerns like the impact of inflation on Mainers’ pocketbooks through $500 checks to 800,000 taxpayers. Other highlights include an extra $100 million for highways and bridges, $50 million for hospitals and nursing homes, and $20 million for high school graduates from 2020 to 2023 to attend a community college.
STATUE REMOVED
Statue of segregationist justice removed from court grounds
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — A statue of a former U.S. Supreme Court chief justice who supported segregation laws has been removed outside the Kennebec County Courthouse. The Kennebec Journal reports the statue of Melville Fuller usually was apparently removed from its granite base in Augusta on Sunday. Kennebec County administrator Scott Ferguson says neither the statue’s private owner nor anybody else told the county that the monument was slated to be moved. Robert Fuller Jr., a relative of the chief justice, owns the statue.
SENATE CANDIDATE-DONATION
Dem who lost to Collins donates more war chest to nonprofits
FREEPORT, Maine (AP) — A former speaker of the Maine House of Representatives and U.S. senate candidate has announced another $400,000 in donations from her campaign fund. Democrat Sara Gideon lost to Republican Sen. Susan Collins in 2020. Her race against Collins broke state fundraising records, and she ended the election cycle with more than $10 million in campaign cash. A spokesperson says on Tuesday that Gideon has converted the campaign money into $5.1 million in donations to Maine nonprofits so far. The latest round of donations is to a range of groups that support refugees, children, family services and others in Maine.
HALIBUT FISHING
Maine eyes new license for commercial halibut fishers
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine lawmakers are close to creating a new class of license for the state’s commercial halibut fishermen. Atlantic halibut are large flatfish that are prized by seafood markets and restaurants. They’re often sold as steaks. The Maine Department of Marine Resources has said creating a license for halibut fishermen would help better manage the fishery. The Maine Legislature’s Committee on Marine Resources unanimously voted in favor of the creation of the license category on Tuesday.
SCHOOLS-LEAD
Testing reveals high levels of lead in Lewiston schools
LEWISTON, Maine (AP) — A first round of testing of water in Lewiston schools yielded high levels of lead in about a third of water sources. School officials restricted some water sources and made bottled water available Tuesday. All Maine schools are required by law to regularly test their water for lead, according to a 2019 bill. The remainder of Lewiston schools will be tested next week.