AUGUSTA (AP) — A Senate vote is pending on Gov. Paul LePage’s bill that would allow state vouchers to be used in religious schools. Senators could vote as early as today on the bill, which was rejected Thursday in the House 84-59. The bill seeks to repeal a law that says only nonsectarian private schools […]

ROCKLAND ( AP) — A judge has thrown out the confession made to police by a 35-year-old Rockland man charged with killing his exgirlfriend in 2010. Justice Jeffrey Hjelm ruled Thursday that the confession can’t be used at trial because investigators didn’t stop questioning Arnold Diana when he asked them to do so. The judge […]

PORTLAND ( AP) — A Somalia native who lied about living in refugee camps to enter the U.S. and made false claims to obtain MaineCare benefits has pleaded guilty to federal charges. Mohdi M. Ali of Lewiston entered his guilty pleas Thursday in federal court in Portland. Ali faces up to 10 years of imprisonment […]

DOVER-FOXCROFT (AP) — The Piscataquis County Sheriff ’s Department says an Austrian tourist missing for a week while on a motorcycle trip in Maine has been found. Officials say 25-year-old Johannes Stummer was found walking on a logging road Thursday. He was last seen on March 22 in Big Moose Township, north of Moosehead Lake. […]

AUGUSTA (AP) — Gov. Paul LePage has signed emergency legislation that increases fines for elver fishing violations. The new law carries $2,000 fines for fishing without a license, tampering with elver fishing gear or using untagged gear, and it includes license suspensions for second offenses. With fishermen receiving up to $2,000 a pound for baby […]

AUGUSTA ( AP) — A day ahead of President Barack Obama’s visit to Maine, the Republican-led state Senate has passed a resolution urging the president to support the completion of the Keystone Xl pipeline. The nonbinding resolution passed 17-15 following a long, partisan debate, and still faces a House vote.