AUGUSTA, Maine, Jan. 25 -- Gov. Janet Mills, D-Maine, issued the following news release on Jan. 24, 2024: Governor Janet Mills today honored four Maine businesses with the 2023 Governor's Award for Business Excellence. Awards were presented during a ceremony at the Blaine House postponed from late December. Since its creation by former Governor McKernan in 1991, the prestigious annual award has recognized and celebrated Maine businesses with a high level of commitment to their community, their more PR

AUGUSTA, Maine, Jan. 25 -- Gov. Janet Mills, D-Maine, issued the following news release on Jan. 24, 2024: Governor Janet Mills and Attorney General Frey announced today that they have introduced bipartisan emergency legislation to grant the power of subpoena to the Independent Commission to Investigate the Facts of the Tragedy in Lewiston. The bipartisan legislation, sponsored by Senate President Troy Jackson, Speaker of the House Rachel Talbot Ross, Senate Minority Leader Trey Stewart, and Ho more PR

AUGUSTA, Maine, Jan. 25 -- The Maine House Democrats issued the following news release on Jan. 23, 2024: On Tuesday, Rep. Cheryl Golek, D-Harpswell, introduced legislation before the Joint Select Committee on Housing that would amend local zoning regulations to allow manufactured houses on single-family lots. A study released by Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies cited that most Americans still view homeownership as a means to build social and economic equity. LD 337 would provide home more PR

AUGUSTA, Maine, Jan. 25 -- The Maine House Democrats issued the following news release on Jan. 24, 2024: Rep. Colleen Madigan, D-Waterville, introduced legislation Tuesday before the Legislature's Housing Committee that would increase the nightly rate that the state pays low-barrier shelters. Currently, Maine only has five low-barrier shelters, which do not require individuals to be in substance use or mental health treatment, or actively participate in other programs, as long as they follow t more PR

AUGUSTA, Maine, Jan. 25 -- The Maine House Democrats issued the following news release on Jan. 23, 2024: Rep. Anne-Marie Mastraccio, D-Sanford, introduced legislation Tuesday before the Joint Select Committee on Housing that would increase the state's annual shelter-operating subsidy from $2.5 million to $12.5 million. "Across the state, we have been working hard to address our acute housing shortage," said Mastraccio. "While progress is being made, it will take time before these projects sign more PR

AUGUSTA, Maine, Jan. 25 -- The Maine House Democrats issued the following news release on Jan. 24, 2024: A bill sponsored by Rep. Melanie Sachs, D-Freeport, that would support municipal franchise agreements, received bipartisan support this week in the House and Senate. A franchise agreement, or contract, outlines the terms of service between a town and any entity that would like to sell their entertainment products over infrastructure located in the public right of way, like poles and wires.  more PR

AUGUSTA, Maine, Jan. 26 -- The Maine Senate Democrats issued the following news on Jan. 25, 2024: On Wednesday, Sen. Peggy Rotundo, D-Lewiston, introduced a bill to expand and improve funding for an existing, popular affordable housing tax credit. LD 2106, "An Act to Accelerate the Production of Affordable Housing and Strengthen the Historic Property Rehabilitation Tax Credit," was the subject of a public hearing in the Legislature's Taxation Committee. "By now, all of us know that Maine is ex more PR

AUGUSTA, Maine, Jan. 26 (TNSres) -- The Maine Department of Education issued the following news release: In the latest episode of her What Holds Us Together podcast, Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin speaks with Keith and Kern Kelley, brothers and computer science teachers at Nokomis Regional Middle and High School, about Maine's efforts to integrate computer science education at all grade levels and with all content areas. They talk about how hands-on, real-world computer science educa more PR

FARMINGTON, Maine, Jan. 25 -- The University of Maine Farmington campus issued the following news: The University of Maine at Farmington's celebrated Visiting Writers Series is excited to present fiction writer Meghan Gillis as the popular program's fourth reader of the 2023/24 season. Gillis will read from her work at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, in The Landing in the UMF Olsen Student Center. The reading is free and open to the public and will be followed by a book signing with the auth more PR