Andrew Thompson said he
wouldn’t have been able to take much time off of work after the birth of
his daughter had it not been for Maine’s new paid family and medical leave law.
Thompson, a baker at Scratch
Bakery in South Portland, said his wife Katherine gave birth to Lucy, their
first child, in January. She received paid leave through her work as an
elementary school teacher, but Thompson said the bakery didn’t have its own program,
so he received paid time through the state program.
Maine’s paid leave law was
approved by lawmakers in 2023, and was fully implemented this year. Maine
residents could begin applying for their paid leave benefits in March, and
start receiving them in May. Andrew Thompson said he wouldn’t have been able to
take much time off of work after the birth of his daughter had it not been for
Maine’s new paid family and medical leave law. Thompson, a baker at Scratch
Bakery in South Portland, said his wife Katherine gave birth to Lucy, their
first child, in January. She received paid leave through her work as an
elementary school teacher, but Thompson said the bakery didn’t have its own program,
so he received paid time through the state program.
Maine’s paid leave law was
approved by lawmakers in 2023, and was fully implemented this year. Maine
residents could begin applying for their paid leave benefits in March, and
start receiving them in May. Read the rest of the story
Town of Pownal - Pownal continues to offer a Senior Property Tax Assistance Program to help eligible residents offset the cost of property taxes.The program is available to qualifying seniors who receive Maine's Property Tax Fairness-related tax relief benefits and meet the Town's eligibility requirements. Eligible applicants may receive a supplemental refund or credit from the Town to help reduce their property tax burden. The deadline to apply is November 15th.
Maine
Morning Star - Citizens of Wabanaki Nations are divided in their pick
for who should represent Maine in the U.S. Senate, highlighting the tension the
tribes face between the need for investment and their ultimate goal of full
sovereignty.
The tribal councils of the
Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians and the Mi’kmaq Nation endorsed Democratic
nominee Troy Jackson, citing his commitment to advocating for the Wabanaki
Nations’ sovereignty. Meanwhile, the two chiefs of the two reservations of the
Passamaquoddy Tribe endorsed incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins,
pointing to her ability to secure federal funding as chair of the Senate
Appropriations Committee.
Neither the Passamaquoddy Tribe
at Indian Township nor the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Sipayik have endorsed
Collins. As a tribal citizen of the Passamaquoddy community at Sipayik
emphasized in a recent op-ed, their chief is not authorized to endorse political
candidates on the Tribe’s behalf.
But the individual endorsements
still mark a departure from elections past, as the five-term senator had never
before received such endorsements. They also illustrate the competing interests
the candidates are appealing to as the Nov. 3 election nears.
The dilemma in front of
Portland school officials: On Tuesday, the school board was presented with two paths forward: move fifth grade from
elementary to middle school, or close one of the district's three middle
schools. Whichever way officials lean, it's bound to meet resistance based
on the cost — either monetarily or in nostalgic attachment to a historic
building.
Town of Freeport - Freeport Community Library will be getting much-needed replacement siding. The project is scheduled to begin on Monday, November 9th. The existing cedar siding will be replaced with a more durable, and less expensive composite shingle.
The library will remain open throughout this process. The work is all happening outdoors and won't impact the entrances, since there is brick facade on that part of the building.
This work will be noisy. We will continue to offer regular programs and meeting spaces, but please be aware that there will noise while the new siding is being installed.
We expect this to take several weeks but we do not have an exact timeline, as weather, timely arrival of materials, and other issues could impact the length of time this will take.
Safety is a top concern of library staff and the contractor. We are working with RSU5 to ensure that neighboring middle schoolers are kept away from areas currently under construction. Active work areas will be clearly marked and blocked from foot traffic, to keep humans and canines safe. Freeport Public Works will be hauling away discarded siding material every day that work is happening.
