Maine
Political Brew: Budget approval, tribal sovereignty and congressional campaign cash
Our analysts this week are Ray Richardson of WLOB Radio, and lawyer and longtime co-host of the WGAN Morning Information Ken Altshuler.
MAINE, USA — The Legislature’s Appropriations Committee has unanimously accredited a supplemental funds that features the governor’s proposal to ship checks for $850 to greater than 850,000 Mainers.
This course of within the waning days of a session will be very contentious, however this time it has been unusually quiet and collaborative.
Ken Altshuler thinks a part of that’s that the pandemic could have made lawmakers extra prepared to work collectively and that there was a variety of laws each events might embrace. He additionally thinks that legislative management “has inspired collaboration fairly than battle.”
Ray Richardson says Republicans acknowledged that their energy is restricted by being “within the excessive minority up in Augusta.” However he additionally believes there is a political consideration.
“It is an election 12 months, and proper now isn’t a time to be wrangling. Now’s the time to get issues executed and get the Legislature out of city and get on with the campaigns, as a result of that is going to be a really contentious marketing campaign,” Richardson mentioned.
In a historic vote on Thursday, the Maine Home superior a invoice to provide Maine’s Native American tribes much more management over their future.
The invoice would restore sovereignty to the Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, Micmac, and Maliseet tribes.
It covers the tribes’ proper to manage most of what occurs on tribal land, from taxes and environmental controls to many legal and civil legal guidelines.
Opponents mentioned there are too many uncertainties about presumably creating legal guidelines on tribal lands that battle with neighboring communities.
Gov. Janet Mills has indicated she disagrees with components of the invoice and can probably veto it.
Richardson mentioned she should not try this as a result of “there is no motive for the Maine tribes which are federally acknowledged to be handled in another way than tribes across the nation.”
Altshuler identified that because the Maine Land Claims Settlement of 1980, an act that the tribes say stripped away a lot of their sovereignty, there have been greater than 100 federal legal guidelines handed addressing tribal points that the Maine tribes can not profit from, “in order that they misplaced out on a variety of federal support.”
However most significantly, he mentioned, “We owe them the proper to advance their tribes in the best way they see match.”
The newest marketing campaign finance reviews launched this previous week present former Republican Congressman Bruce Poliquin has raised almost $2 million for his marketing campaign to win again the 2nd Congressional District seat, and the marketing campaign has virtually $1.9 million money available.
However he trails the incumbent, Democratic Rep. Jared Golden, who has taken in virtually $3 million, together with over $635,000 within the first quarter of this 12 months. However Golden has much less money available, greater than $1.7 million.
The analysts say that is an indication of what most have recognized all alongside. This can be a aggressive and costly race.
However Richardson is shocked Golden has already spent a lot. However in the end, he mentioned, “I feel the cash chase is not going to be the large situation. I feel the large situation can be whose message finest connects with the second district.”
And Altshuler mentioned whereas Golden is a well-liked consultant, an anticipated “pink wave” for Republicans means “Jared Golden is gonna want that cash. Essentially the most susceptible time for a congressman is often the primary reelection, and he gained that, but it surely was in opposition to a weak candidate. So he must be ready.”
The analysts additionally mentioned the battle over how you can enable sports activities betting in Maine, an effort by many Republicans and a few Democrats to cease the Biden administration from rescinding the order often known as Title 42, which allows the speedy expulsion of immigrants who illegally cross the southern border, and whether or not President Joe Biden is doing sufficient to assist Ukraine in its conflict with Russia.
Political Brew airs Sundays on NEWS CENTER Maine’s Morning Report.
Extra NEWS CENTER Maine tales
Maine
Three New Bedford men charged in drug-related Maine shooting, authorities say – The Boston Globe
Three New Bedford men have been arrested in connection to a drug-related drive-by shooting in Saco, Maine, in February that led to an hours-long lockdown of the downtown and area schools, Maine law enforcement officials said Thursday.
Joshua “Mac” Estrada, 19, Yancarlos “Glizzy” Abrante, 20, and Jason “Ouda” Johnson-Rivera, 18, are each charged with conspiracy to distribute and posses with intent to distribute cocaine and perpetrating a drive-by shooting, according to a statement issued by the US Attorney for the District of Maine.
According to a federal indictment handed up Wednesday, the three men allegedly had been trafficking cocaine in and around Saco and Biddeford since at least January 2024, the statement said.
During a drug dispute on Feb. 9, they fired at least five rounds from a 9 mm handgun into another vehicle, according to Darcie N. McElwee, Maine’s US attorney.
“This joint federal and local investigation reflects that if you come to Maine and engage in violence, particularly firearm violence, there will be a swift and coordinated response from every level of law enforcement,” McElwee’s statement said.
The daytime shooting, just before noon in the intersection of North and Elm streets, prompted authorities to issue a shelter-in-place warning and order at least six schools to go on lockdown.
Police said gunshots were exchanged between a red Dodge Charger and a gray Honda HRV before they collided at the intersection. A school bus was involved in the crash but no students were injured.
Four people ran from the scene causing an extensive search by law enforcement, police said. One of the people appeared to have been shot in the arm.
“Brazen violent crime of this magnitude is not something the City of Saco is accustomed to, but when it happens, Maine law enforcement responds,” Chief Jack Clements, of the Saco Police Department, said in the statement.
In the immediate aftermath of the “brazen” shooting and during the “ensuing chaos,” FBI agents with the Southern Maine Gang Task Force hit the ground running, Jodi Cohen, the FBI’s special agent in charge of the Boston division (which includes all of Maine), said in the statement.
“We believe the three Massachusetts men we have in custody conspired with each other to traffic cocaine and were the instigators of this drive-by shooting,” Cohen said. “Violent drug traffickers have a corrosive effect on our communities, and we want everyone to know that the FBI is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to help make Maine safer for the folks who live, work, and visit here.”
Before the indictment, Estrada was arrested May 6 in New Bedford via a criminal complaint. He was arraigned Thursday in federal court in Maine, McElwee said.
Abrante and Johnson-Rivera currently are in custody in Massachusetts on unrelated charges, McElwee said. They will be brought to Maine next week to be arraigned on the new charges, McElwee said.
If convicted as charged, each of the men faces a maximum of 20 years in prison on the drug charge and up to 25 years imprisonment on the shooting charge, McElwee said.
McElwee announced the arrests Thursday at a press briefing outside the Edward T. Gignoux US Courthouse in Portland. She was joined by Clements, fellow prosecutors, FBI and ATF agents, and acting US Marshal Kevin Neal.
Tonya Alanez can be reached at tonya.alanez@globe.com. Follow her @talanez.
“I’ve taken (a class from) her every single semester since I’ve been an environmental science major,” he said, “and she’s given me some great career advice as well as … a lot of knowledge.”
Woodworth took full advantage of UNE’s field courses to gain the skills needed to succeed in environmental science, said Morgan, adding that she saw him applying what he learned to an internship in urban forestry as well as research in vernal pools and coastal erosion.
“It was great to see Alex’s confidence grow with each class and the hands-on projects he worked on,” she said, “All his hard work has prepared him well for life after graduation.”
Woodworth said his new job with SWCA Environmental Consulting aligns perfectly with his passion for outdoor work and restoration projects.
“I’m really excited to be outside and on the marsh,” he said, explaining that he will be situated in Brooksville, just 40 minutes from Acadia National Park, working on a marsh restoration project aimed at rebuilding and replanting the area that was previously an old mining site.
“I really didn’t want to be inside at a desk job,” he laughs, recalling his childhood summers spent volunteering at an urban farm — which he credits for sparking his interest in natural ecosystems.
“(It was) getting my hands dirty, even if it was just cleaning or pulling weeds or harvesting vegetables, (that) just made me feel a certain way,” he explained. “And I’ve always been chasing that feeling and wanting to keep doing that.”
As Woodworth embarks on this new chapter, he said being at UNE has provided him with invaluable learning experiences that will help shape the work he will do with the environment moving forward.
“UNE has prepared me for my future career by giving me the knowledge I think that I need going into (restoration), as well as giving me a lot of critical thinking skills and teamwork skills to be successful,” he said.
Here are the High School Baseball and Softball Scores for games played and reported throughout the State of Maine on Wednesday, May 15th.
Baseball
- Belfast 8 Nokomis 6
- Berwick Academy 14 Concord Academy 2
- Brunswick 9 Camden Hills 1
- Bucksport 17 Sumner 2
- Cape Elizabeth 11 Poland 1
- Caribou 10 Fort Kent 9
- Cony 14 Waterville 0
- Edward Little 8 Brewer 4
- Erskine Academy 5 Lincoln Academy 2
- Fort Fairfield 12 Central Aroostook 1
- Fryeburg Academy 6 Freeport 2
- Houlton 4 Calais 0
- Jonesport-Beals 3 Shead 0
- Katahdin 7 Wisdom 5
- Katahdin 10 Wisdom 0
- Lawrence 4 Oceanside 2
- Lewiston 3 Mount Blue 1
- Maranacook 10 Boothbay 7
- Messalonskee 11 Bangor 0
- Monmouth Academy 15 Dirigo 4
- Morse 7 Gardiner 6
- Mount Ararat 6 Oxford Hills 3
- Narraguagus 11 Machias 3
- Orono 6 Deer Isle-Stonington 5
- Richmond 12 Buckfield 2
- Sacopee Valley 10 Lisbon 1
- Saint.Dominic 7 Traip 6
- Skowhegan 6 Hampden Academy 0
- Telstar 11 Spruce Mountain 3
- Washburn 13 Madawaska 6
- Washington Academy 9 Mount View 7
- Wells 6 Lake Region 5
- Yarmouth 2 Greely 1
- York 15 Gray-New Gloucester 9
Softball
- Biddeford 11 Thornton Academy 10
- Brewer 3 Edward Little 1
- Buckfield 16 Richmond 5
- Bucksport 10 Sumner 1
- Camden Hills 11 Brunswick 0
- Cony 23 Waterville 6
- Dirigo 6 Monmouth Academy 5
- Freeport 14 Fryeburg Academy 5
- Gorham 23 Bonny Eagle 12
- Hall-Dale 6 Madison 1
- Hodgdon 6 Ashland 2
- Houlton 19 Calais 8
- Lewiston 11 Mt. Blue 3
- Lincoln Academy 8 Erskine Academy 5
- Madawaska 24 Washburn 22
- Marshwood 12 Massabesic 11
- Messalonskee 5 Bangor 2
- Morse 8 Gardiner 6
- Narraguagus 17 Machias 2
- Nokomis 3 Belfast 0
- North Yarmouth Academy 13 Old Orchard Beach 0
- Oak Hill 13 Mountain Valley 12
- Oceanside 7 Lawrence 0
- Oxford Hills 13 Mt. Ararat 0
- Orono 17 GSA 0
- Poland 10 Cape Elizabeth 0
- Sacopee Valley 16 Lisbon 6
- Scarborough 7 South Portland 5
- Skowhegan 8 Hampden Academy 0
- Spruce Mountain 13 Telstar 2
- Washington Academy 12 Mount View 2
- Washington Academy 11 Mount View 5
- Wells 20 Lake Region 0
- Westbrook 20 Sanford 5
- Windham 9 Kennebunk 1
You can vote for the Week 4 High School Athlete of the Week once every 3 hours HERE, now through Thursday, May 16th at 11:59 p.m.
It’s time to nominate someone for the Week 5 High School Athlete of the Week, for performances May 13-18 . Please email your nomination to chris.popper@townsquaremedia.com, letting us know why the individual should be the Athlete of the Week. Please include stats, and make sure you indicate what school this individual attends, and what sport they’re playing! All nominations should be received by Sunday, May 19th. Voting for Week 5 will take place May 19th-23rd with the winner being announced on Friday, May 24th.
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