WASHINGTON Federal regulators are failing to refer serious safety violations involving freight rail shipments of crude oil and other hazardous cargo for criminal prosecution, and are going lightly on civil fines, according to a report released Friday by a government watchdog. The Federal Railroad Administration routinely applies only modest civil penalties for hazardous materials safety […]

AUGUSTA A slate of bills aimed at helping more Maine veterans get access to the services and benefits available to them are set for public hearings at the State House next week. The bills, all the result of recommendations from a special legislative commission that worked over the summer to review the state’s Bureau of […]

AUGUSTA (AP) — Three of Gov. Paul LePage’s administration nominees for the Land for Maine’s Future board have been approved by the Maine Senate. The Portland Press Herald reports that Bob Meyers of Bath, Harry Ricker of Turner and Fred Bucklin of Appleton were approved unanimously. They will fill three of the six seats reserved […]

AUGUSTA (AP) — Maine officials are warning the public about a scam involving a company claiming to return unclaimed property from a sweepstakes prize. Maine Treasurer Terry Hayes said in a news release that the letters, which are mailed from a Massachusetts address, are fraudulent. The letters tell recipients that unclaimed sweepstakes are listed under […]

PORTLAND (AP) — Maine’s annual fox hunting season is ending for the year along with two other small game seasons. The fox season began on Oct. 17 and is scheduled to end for the season on Sunday. However, Sunday hunting is illegal in Maine, so the final day is effectively Saturday. The fox season does […]

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas The South steps into the spotlight of the 2016 presidential election in this week’s Super Tuesday contests, a delegate-rich day that will highlight the region’s sharp demographic and ideological divides. In what was once a Democratic stronghold, the party now controls one governor’s mansion, one Senate seat and no legislative chambers from […]

WOODBRIDGE, Va. On her first day on the job, Officer Ashley Guindon responded to a call that could have become routine: a domestic disturbance in a well-kept suburban neighborhood. But one woman had already been slain inside the northern Virginia home of a Pentagon worker, and Officer Guindon would be next. Army Sgt. Ronald Hamilton […]

DAYTON, Ohio The brother of a slain southwest Ohio pastor was expected to be charged today in the fatal shooting that occurred at the pastor’s church office as services were winding down, police said. Dayton police said Sunday that the Rev. William B. Schooler, 70, was shot around 12:30 p.m. Sunday at St. Peter’s Missionary […]

With deft timing and an impactful blend of humor and searing commentary, host Chris Rock took the bull by the horns at the Oscars, attacking the diversity crisis roiling the industry and not letting go all night long. Rock didn’t merely acknowledge the elephant in the room. From his first words to his farewell remarks, […]