AUGUSTA Maine Democratic lawmakers released a counterproposal to Republican Gov. Paul LePage’s budget and tax overhaul plan on Thursday they say would provide more relief to middle- and lowerincome families while boosting funding for schools and municipalities. LePage wants to slash the corporate and income taxes to strengthen the state’s economy and encourage more people […]

PORTLAND The nation’s oldest veterans hospital, in Augusta, Maine, is also among the VA sites where patients are less likely to have to wait a long time for treatment. The Associated Press analyzed six months of appointment data at 940 VA hospitals and clinics nationwide to identify the ones struggling most to deliver prompt care. […]

BANGOR (AP) — A judge has sentenced Maine woman to 37 years in prison for killing her 2-year-old daughter by giving her allergy medicine and then covering her mouth and nose with duct tape and a blanket. Twenty-five-year-old Leanna Norris, of Auburn, sobbed in a Bangor courtroom Thursday as she apologized. Norris admitted to investigators […]

SOUTH PORTLAND (AP) — A fundraising effort on behalf of a kidney donor has delayed surgery for a woman who found the donor by posting a personal plea on her car. The donor, Josh Dall- Leighton of Windham, and his wife tell the Portland Press Herald Maine Medical Center officials informed them this week that […]

AUGUSTA (AP) — Maine Republicans have defeated a measure that sought to prevent establishments from selling beers that are advertised as pints in smaller glasses. The Republican-led Senate voted 20-14 to sustain Gov. Paul LePage’s veto of the bill on Thursday. It would have mandated that when bars and restaurants advertise that a beer is […]

AUGUSTA (AP) — Federal weather forecasters say warming temperatures in the coming week will melt enough snow for river levels to begin rising across Maine. Officials told the River Flow Advisory Commission on Thursday that there’s no forecast in the coming week for a big rainfall to drive a swift snowmelt that could cause flooding. […]

PORTLAND (AP) — A New York City investment group is buying the Portland Square office and retail complex in a sale one of its brokers says is the largest commercial real estate deal in Portland’s history. North River Co. is buying One and Two Portland Square and their parking lots for $66 million. The two […]

GRAY (AP) — Police have arrested a man they say walked into a Gray bar, told patrons he was a federal drug agent conducting an investigation, searched several of them, and assaulted two people while threatening them with arrest. Peter DeSantis of New Gloucester is charged with impersonating a public servant and assault. The Cumberland […]

PORTLAND (AP) — The acting city manager of Portland, Maine, is leaving the city to take a position with Cincinnati in May. City officials say Sheila Hill-Christian’s last day with Maine’s largest city will be May 8. She will become the assistant city manager of Cincinnati. Hill-Christian calls the decision to leave Portland “a difficult […]

FALMOUTH (AP) — Maine Audubon is asking Mainers to volunteer to observe frogs and toads in their neighborhoods. The group says the long, cold winter means Maine residents are just now starting to hear frogs peeping in the Portland area. Audubon anticipates frog activity will increase during the week of April 13. The group says […]