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Mainers Join Call To Close Guantánamo rallies streetside in Augusta

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Mainers Join Call To Close Guantánamo rallies streetside in Augusta


AUGUSTA, Maine (WABI) – Augusta State Armory was the backdrop for the Mainers Be a part of Name to Shut Guantánamo rally and vigil Saturday, the place a number of Maine progressive teams congregated to protest the navy detention middle Guantánamo Bay, positioned on a U.S. naval base in Cuba.

Offered by Peace Motion Maine, the occasion was sponsored by native organizations together with Pax Christi Maine, Maine Veterans For Peace, PeaceWorks of Brunswick Maine, and extra.

The gang stood on the sidewalk in entrance of the Armory, holding indicators and banners for oncoming site visitors that communicated their message merely: Shut Guantánamo Bay.

The rally’s foundation for protesting the jail is because of authorities secrecy surrounding Guantánamo and the maltreatment of and lack of assets for prisoners.

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Since being opened in 2002, Guantánamo Bay has held 779 prisoners. At present, 35 detainees are housed there. In response to Peace Motion Maine’s press launch, out of the 35 prisoners, “23 [are being] held indefinitely with out cost in violation of worldwide legal guidelines.” Whereas 20 out of those 23 folks have been authorised for launch, they’re nonetheless being held.

Frank Panopolous is a pro-Bono lawyer who has represented his consumer for 5 years, a detainee at the moment in Guantánamo Bay. Regardless of being cleared a 12 months in the past, after 14 years of imprisonment, he’s but to be launched.

“We’re right here to proceed to convey to mild that persons are nonetheless held there,” explains Panopolous. “It’s in opposition to the legislation to carry someone with out cost indefinitely. These folks haven’t seen their households, their wives, their kids for greater than a decade.”

Panopolous was one of many audio system featured on the rally, alongside spokespeople from Pax Christi Maine, ME Veterans For Peace, Smilin’ Bushes Disarmament Farm, and Peace Motion Maine. There was additionally an open mic obtainable for these with associated or comparable lived expertise to share their tales.

For extra info on Peace Motion Maine and their efforts in elevating consciousness for detainees in Guantánamo, discover them on their web site or Fb web page.

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Maine

Calling All Artists; Get Paid $1,500 To Paint the Desert of Maine's Camel

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Calling All Artists; Get Paid $1,500 To Paint the Desert of Maine's Camel


Now this.. this is what we need more of to keep us less bored in the colder months in Maine. Camel painting contests. Absolutely hilarious. Especially Portland, that city is full of self-made artists. Alright, here we go.

The Mailchi.com contest page explains the camel contest best.

“Calling all local artists! Ever dreamed of painting a giant camel statue in the middle of a desert in Maine? Now is your chance! With thousands of visitors coming each season to explore the Desert, we want to use our iconic camel statue as an opportunity to showcase the local creative community”.

There’s gotta be somebody out there that has had a life long dream of winning a contest by painting an animal that has no business being in Maine, right? I’ll be honest with you, I had no idea that Maine even had a desert, but after researching that part I was pleasantly surprised with a new adventure for my bucket list this summer.

It’s called the Desert of Maine located at 95 Desert Rd in Freeport, Maine. According to desertmaine.com, the 20 acres of sand dunes has been a popular destination for tourists for many many years. Where the hell have I been? For more info on Maine’s own desert, click here to go to their website.

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Overall, I hope you choose to paint their iconic camel and I hope you win so you can call my show and tell me about it. Absolutely amazing.

25 Endangered Animals in Maine

You’re Breaking The Law In Maine If You Have Any Of These Animals As Pets

Stick to the cats and dogs that you know because if you’re keeping any of these animals (or animals like them) as pets in Maine, you’re breaking the law and could face stiff penalties.

Gallery Credit: Getty Images





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Maine Compass: Maine’s long-term care crisis isn’t imminent — it has arrived

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Maine Compass: Maine’s long-term care crisis isn’t imminent — it has arrived


As a former member of the Maine Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee, I am deeply troubled by the escalating rate of closures and conversions of long-term care facilities in our state. Over the past decade, approximately 50 facilities, including 23 nursing homes, have shuttered their doors or downsized their services. Although this problem is worsening, it’s been a long time coming; when I served in the legislature from 1998 to 2006, we worked to address this concern. Urgent action by Gov. Mills and Maine’s Legislature is needed now.

Maine, as the oldest state in the nation, isn’t just on the brink of a crisis; the crisis is here. With nearly 70% of older adults likely to require long-term care services at some point in their lives, the declining access to these services is deeply concerning. Counties like Washington and Hancock are now left without a single nursing home, leaving some residents and families distressed and forcing others to travel long distances for care.

The root cause of these closures is clear: inadequate reimbursement rates, soaring inflation levels, and rising costs. Maine’s long-term care facilities are struggling to stay afloat financially, unable to cover the costs of providing quality care to our loved ones and fair wages to the skilled workers who support them.

The ripple effects of these closures extend far and wide into every part of the state. Mainers are left languishing in hospitals for months, awaiting increasingly scarce long-term care placements. This strains our healthcare system and undermines the well-being of individuals needing specialized care.

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While the legislature has allocated one-time supplemental funding, the persistent rate of closures indicates that this approach needs to be revised. Maine’s long-term care sector faces a staggering shortfall of over $120 million, a deficit that cannot be ignored. Chronic underfunding and staffing shortages are crippling our ability to provide essential care to our aging population.

L.D. 451, aimed at collecting data on temporary nurse agency staffing costs, is a step in the right direction.

However, it is merely a band-aid solution to a much larger problem. The solution to this crisis is clear: we must increase MaineCare reimbursement rates to reflect the cost of providing quality long-term care. With federal matching funds available, the state can leverage additional resources to address the funding shortfall and ensure the sustainability of our long-term care system.

Moreover, we must invest in strategies to recruit and retain qualified direct care workers. By offering competitive wages and benefits, we can attract skilled professionals to the field and mitigate the reliance on costly agency labor.

Inaction is not an option. The time to act is now before more long-term care facilities close their doors and more Mainers are left without access to essential services.

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As a former policymaker, I implore our legislators and Gov. Mills to prioritize long-term care funding and enact meaningful reforms to safeguard the health and dignity of our aging population. Our loved ones deserve nothing less.


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Portraits of Maine women in politics displayed at the State House

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Portraits of Maine women in politics displayed at the State House


AUGUSTA, Maine (WABI) – Portraits of Maine women in politics were on display at the State House Monday.

Local painter Jerri Whitman displayed her paintings of 25 women in the Hall of Flags.

The project started when she was visiting the State House and noticed the lack of female representation on the walls.

The exhibit coincides with Women’s History Month.

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Women have been serving in the state house since 1922.

Whitman says Margaret Chase Smith is the only woman whose portrait hangs on the walls.

”All the men had been done just about it that were elected the first 100 years, so why not the women? These are not official portraits. These are to bring attention to why there are not more women represented on the walls is to tell a story and detail the history of our state through the women who have served” Whitman says.

The paintings are set to be exhibited at the Margaret Chase Smith library in Skowhegan from May through November

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