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Those who receive food stamps in Maine will begin to see their monthly benefits to help pay for groceries as soon as three days from now.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in the Pine Tree State distributes benefits to eligible residents from Aug. 10 through Aug. 14 this month, with the payments being distributed by date of birth during that period.
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Maine residents born on days ending in 0 or 9 will get their benefits on Aug. 10, while those born on days ending in 1 or 8 will see their benefits on Aug. 11, those born on days ending in 2 or 3 getting their benefits on Aug. 12, those born on days ending in 4 or 7 receiving their benefits on Aug. 13, and those born on days ending in 5 or 6 seeing their monthly benefits on Aug. 14.
The benefit amount for residents on the food stamp program is dependent on several factors, but the average monthly benefit per household in Maine is $168, with the state recording that approximately 161,800 people, or 12% of the population, receive assistance paying for food via SNAP.
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In order to qualify for food stamps benefits in Pine Tree State, a person may make a maximum annual income of $26,973 for a household of one or $65,009 for a household of five. The maximum income requirements for other household sizes vary and are available on the state’s website.
Mainer residents in the program may use their benefits via their EBT card to buy groceries along with seeds, but they may not be used for prepared meals. Further information on eligible items for the food stamp program can be found on the state’s website.
An off-duty reserve police officer was undergoing surgery after an incident Tuesday in which he was hit by a vehicle, Maine State Police said.
Many details around the incident in Norway, Maine, involving the reserve officer for Oxford police and another man, who was arrested, weren’t immediately available. There was no danger to the public.
The off-duty officer, Joe Correia, a 31-year-old from Norway, was outside of his vehicle on Crocket Ridge Road and hit by a vehicle being driven by Michael Carleton, of Paris, Maine, about 6 p.m., police said.
That led to a fight between the two, according to police. Carleton was arrested on charges of aggravated assault and reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon; it wasn’t immediately clear if he had an attorney who could speak to the charges.
Correia is expected to survive his injuries, according to police, who continued to investigate what happened as of Tuesday night.
(WABI) – The unemployment situation in Maine continues to see little change as the year progresses.
According to a report from the Maine Department of Labor, the unemployment rate across the state remains well below long-term averages.
The preliminary 3% unemployment rate changed from 3.1% in April.
Unemployment has been below 4% for 30 months which is the second longest such period and below the U.S. average.
The full report is listed here.
Copyright 2024 WABI. All rights reserved.
Travel
Travelers in Portland, Maine, a city bursting with culture, restaurants, and outdoor adventures, just received a helping hand from The New York Times.
The publication recently focused on Portland for its popular “36 Hours” series, and recommended things to do and places to eat in the coastal city over a 36-hour time period.
“From the fishing piers and wharves lined up like piano keys along Commercial Street to the ocean views and historic Queen Anne-style homes atop Munjoy Hill, Portland offers a lot for visitors to take in,” wrote the Times. “And then there is the food. Maine’s largest city has long been nationally known as a top food destination, and just this year two Portland bakers won James Beard Awards.”
When hunger strikes, travelers should check out places like Hot Suppa! or Ugly Duckling for breakfast, wrote the Times. Other spots worth dining at are Terlingua for Texas-style barbecue; Izakaya Minato for sake and shared plates; Công Tử Bột for Vietnamese food; and Luke’s Lobster for fresh lobster on Portland Pier. For drinks, head over to Oxbow, one of many local breweries, or Anoche, a Basque-inspired cider house and bistro.
For culture, visitors can wander the Portland Museum of Art and check out “Jeremy Frey: Woven” through Sept. 15, wrote the publication. Meanwhile, music lovers will love the sounds at Blue Portland Maine, One Longfellow Square, or Thompson’s Point, an outdoor stage and “Portland’s go-to venue for summer concerts by nationally touring artists.”
Outdoor activities abound in Portland, and visitors can rent bikes at places like Brad & Wyatt’s Island Bike Rental, go on kayak tours with Portland Paddle, and more. It’s also worth grabbing a ferry to Peaks Island with Casco Bay Lines, noted the Times.
“Leave time for the 15-minute drive out to Fort Williams Park, a 90-acre park owned by the nearby town of Cape Elizabeth that has a cliff walk, a children’s garden and a panoramic view of Casco Bay,” wrote The New York Times. “It’s also home to Portland Head Light, a historic and much-photographed lighthouse.”
Read the full New York Times article for more recommendations.
Portland just made CNN’s inaugural list of best places to visit in America.
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