BOSTON (AP) — A Massachusetts man who served time in prison for defrauding Home Depot has been sentenced to more than a year behind bars for doing it again. Robert Dooley pleaded guilty to 10 counts of wire fraud. The Salem News reports he was sentenced on Thursday in Boston federal court to 18 months […]

AUGUSTA (AP) — The Legislature has enacted a $29 million spending package that would increase the rainy day fund and expand access to drug treatment. Legislators in the House and Senate on Thursday approved the supplementary budget and sent it to Republican Gov. Paul LePage. Lawmakers will continue to hold hearings on the governor’s separate […]

PORTLAND (AP) — Northern New England is getting lashed by gusts topping 50 mph, knocking out power for thousands of homes and businesses in Maine and New Hampshire. The National Weather Service says the wind gusted to 53 mph in Guilford and 52 mph in Meredith, New Hampshire, and 50 mph in Portland, Maine. Central […]

AUGUSTA (AP) — Maine’s largest environmental organization says it will “pursue every opportunity” to walk back new solar energy rules recently adopted by the state Public Utilities Commission. The Portland Press Herald reports the PUC in January approved changes to its “net metering” policies that provide homeowners with credits for their electricity bills for any […]

AUGUSTA (AP) — A Maine state senator says the southern part of her state might face a shortage of engineers and the Legislature should consider opportunities to reverse the trend. Sen. Amy Volk, a Republican from Cumberland, has introduced a proposal to tackle the issue. Her bill would require the University of Maine System to […]

BELFAST (AP) — A former high school teacher in Waldo County who admitted to committing a sex crime against a student was placed on probation for a year after cutting a deal with prosecutors. The Morning Sentinel reports 37-year-old Aaron Clark was sentenced to 364 days in jail — all suspended — at Waldo County […]

PORTLAND (AP) — Cross Insurance Arena trustees will meet next week to discuss proposals from four groups interested in bringing professional hockey back to Portland. The board’s Strategic Development Committee will convene on Monday to review the four proposals before making a recommendation at the board’s next full meeting March 8. The city has been […]

WASHINGTON Attorney General Jeff Sessions may not have been clear about his contacts with Russian officials during the 2016 election, but this much is: The controversy over any Kremlin involvement in American politics is not going to fade away anytime soon. Sessions on Thursday became the second high-ranking member of the Trump administration to take […]

WASHINGTON Attorney General Jeff Sessions agreed Thursday to recuse himself from any investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. The move came after revelations that Sessions twice spoke with the Russian ambassador during the campaign, a fact that seemingly contradicts sworn statements he made to Congress during his confirmation hearings. Sessions rejected any […]

LOS ANGELES The president of the film academy has sent an email to its members telling them they have much to be proud of after this year’s Oscars ceremony, and reassuring them changes will be made to avoid a repeat of problems like the botched best picture announcement that closed the show. An Academy of […]