Maine

Lewiston, Maine shootings survivors have

Published

1 year ago

October 27, 2023

Lewiston, Maine shootings survivors have

LEWISTON, Maine – Eighteen people were killed in the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine Wednesday and 13 others were wounded. Many of the survivors were rushed to the Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston.

The hospital’s chief of trauma, Dr. Richard King, spoke to CBS Mornings Friday.

How many patients and what are their injuries?

“We had quite a few critical patients arrive initially, some not so critical. I would say we’ve took to the operating room maybe about six patients. And you know, we, most of those patients are still in our hospital and receiving ongoing treatment,” Dr. King said.

“They’re all gunshot wound victims, many with multiple gunshots. We have at least one person who is of pediatric age – a child.”

Difference between handgun and assault weapon wounds?

“We do see many gunshot wounds as trauma surgeons. But for me, this was the first time that I’d actually taken care of someone with high-velocity gunshot wounds and I’d read about them and seen them, but to actually see them in person and see the destructive ability of those rounds was really quite, quite sobering,” Dr. King said.

“And most of our, if not all, of our patients had, you know, at least one of those really severe wounds. Absolutely destructive, complete destruction of the surrounding tissue. It was really, really quite something.”

Destruction beyond the bullet?

“Well, what you often will see is maybe a small, what we would call an entrance wound. Although usually we don’t distinguish between the two. But with these high-velocity rounds you can actually see the exit wounds, and they cause a massive amount of destruction, gaping holes. But what’s more problematic is that within the body itself, the force, what we call the cavitation force, the energy that that round has, just produces destruction beyond the actual bullet itself. So often we have to look around beyond where the bullet track would be to see whether or not there are any other injuries. Often these rounds will hit bone, shatter bone, and the bone itself becomes a missile or projectile. So lots of destruction. Absolutely devastating injuries,” Dr. King said.

How is medical staff holding up?

“Staff is holding up very well. When this all happened, everybody responded, came in. It was just amazing to see. Everybody did as they were trained to do and got on with the task at hand. I really can’t say enough for those who were working with me. My program manager, Tammy Lachance, and everyone who worked. I think, you know, we’re coming down off that adrenaline rush, and it’s starting to sink in,” Dr. King said.

“You know, talking to the families, talking to the patients about what happened, it’s really, really very moving. And I think everybody is going to take some time to process that.”

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Maine

Maine photographer offers discounts, free services to same-sex couples who want to get married before inauguration

Published

2 hours ago

November 14, 2024

Press Room

Maine photographer offers discounts, free services to same-sex couples who want to get married before inauguration

PORTLAND, Maine (WMTW) – Many people in the LGBTQ+ community are concerned about last week’s election results, as they fear marriage equality protections may change under the new Trump administration.

As a result, a growing number of professional photographers are coming together to offer discounted or free same-sex wedding ceremony coverage.

That list includes Cassandra Fontaine of Koa & Kai Photography, who is based in Maine.

“Personally, in my family, my sister is in the LGBTQ community. My mom is,” Fontaine said. “It was more out of love and just knowing that I know how afraid they are, and I want to support them in whatever way that they can.”

The discounts and free services are being offered to those who are considering moving their wedding timelines up to between now and January.

It is important to note the Trump administration has not announced any plans to challenge marriage equality.

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Maine since 2012, which is three years before the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case that legalized same-sex marriage across the country.

In its Obergefell v. Hodges decision, the Supreme Court ruled that all 50 states must allow and recognize same-sex marriages under the due process and equal protection clauses of the 14th Amendment.

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Maine

11 Maine legislative races headed to recounts, including one tie

Published

9 hours ago

November 14, 2024

Press Room

11 Maine legislative races headed to recounts, including one tie

Eleven races in the Maine Legislature that were contested on Nov. 5 are headed to recounts, the Maine secretary of state’s office announced Wednesday.

Ballots will be recounted in nine House races and two Senate races. Recounts will start on Friday and continue through Nov. 25.

Preliminary counts included a dead-even tie in House District 141, and three races where the margin between the apparent winner and loser was fewer than 20 votes.

The results below are unofficial preliminary counts provided by the secretary of state’s office.

House District 44

William Pluecker – 2,731

Ray Thombs – 2,369

House District 52

Sally Cluchey – 2,748

David Guilmette – 2,732

House District 58

Sharon Frost – 3,158

Daniel Newman – 3,114

House District 75

Stephan Bunker – 2,318

Randall Gauvin – 2,308

House District 81

Peter Wood – 2,835

Joan Beal – 2,816

House District 96

Michel Lajoie – 2,550

Kerryl Clement – 2,514

House District 98

Kilton Webb – 2,995

Guy Lebida – 2,941

House District 141

Patricia Kidder – 2,476

Lucas Lanigan – 2,476

House District 142

Anne-Marie Mastraccio – 1,938

Amy Bell – 1,874

Senate District 8

Leo Kenney – 10,112

Michael Tipping – 10,229

Senate District 15

Richard Bradstreet – 10,820

Raegan LaRochelle – 10,621

Maine law does not have mandatory recounts, but when the apparent margin of victory is 1 percent or less in statewide or multi-county races, or 1.5 percent or less in legislative or single county races, a candidate can request a recount free of charge.

When the margin is larger, the candidate must pay a deposit. That money is refunded if the result is overturned by the recount.

Wednesday was the last day that a candidate could request a recount in a non-ranked-choice race, according to the secretary of state’s office.

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Maine

Transgender support groups in Maine see spike in contacts after election

Published

17 hours ago

November 13, 2024

Press Room

Transgender support groups in Maine see spike in contacts after election

Transgender support groups in Maine said they are seeing a spike in contacts similar to those reported by national LGBTQ+ groups since Donald Trump’s election last week.

Bre Danvers-Kidman with the Maine Trans Net said about 100 people came to the group’s post-election support event and that many others have reached out through various platforms in the week since.

Some have expressed fears about losing their gender affirming care, the potential roll back of Title IV protections and a rise in harmful rhetoric.

Danvers-Kidman said that though there is valid concern about federal funding for care being rolled back, Maine has its own protections in place.

“We have the good laws here, we have the infrastructure to fight those battles with. And so to the extent that those battles rear their heads, Maine is going to be a place where I feel like we can fight them and we can win,” Danvers-Kidman said.

They expressed confidence that the “good laws” in Maine would remain, even if policy changed at a federal level.

“If the state offers greater protection to citizens than the federal government, the state wins. And so those greater protections that Maine offers to trans people, those will hold. I expect those to hold,” Danvers-Kidman said.

The Trevor Project, a national suicide prevention organization for LGBTQ+ youth, reported a 700% increase in crisis contacts the day after the election.

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