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Maine Morning Star
Texas U.S. House member calls for Biden to withdraw amid debate fallout
WASHINGTON — Texas U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett called for President Joe Biden to withdraw as the Democratic nominee Tuesday, becoming the first congressional Democrat to do so after Biden’s poor performance in last week’s presidential debate that has sent the party reeling four months before the November presidential election. Biden has acknowledged a shaky debate […] The post Texas U.S. House member calls for Biden to withdraw amid debate fallout appeared first on Maine Morning Star.
Pingree, King critique SCOTUS immunity decision, while Golden cautions not to rush to judgment
Some members of Maine’s congressional delegation are raising alarm of serious consequences to come from Monday’s U.S. Supreme Court decision granting the presumption of immunity from criminal charges for some official actions taken by presidents, calling the ruling an undermining of the country’s founding principles. However, Democratic Rep. Jared Golden of Maine told Maine Morning […] The post Pingree, King critique SCOTUS immunity decision, while Golden cautions not to rush to judgment appeared first on Maine Morning Star.
Trump NY sentencing delayed after U.S. Supreme Court presidential immunity ruling
WASHINGTON — A New York judge agreed Tuesday to delay the criminal sentencing of former President Donald Trump in the state hush money case after Trump claimed the U.S. Supreme Court’s presidential immunity decision absolves him. New York Justice Juan Merchan, who oversaw the case, ordered the delay until Sept. 18 so the court could hear arguments […] The post Trump NY sentencing delayed after U.S. Supreme Court presidential immunity ruling appeared first on Maine Morning Star.
As bird flu spreads on dairy farms, an ‘abysmal’ few workers are tested
Public health officials are concerned about bird flu, which so far has been detected in three dairy farmworkers — two in Michigan and one in Texas — as well as in cattle in a dozen states. The farmworkers’ symptoms were mild, and researchers have not found that the H5N1 virus, also known as bird flu, […] The post As bird flu spreads on dairy farms, an ‘abysmal’ few workers are tested appeared first on Maine Morning Star.
Biden administration announces new rule to protect workers from heat-related illnesses
WASHINGTON – Senior Biden administration officials announced a proposed rule Tuesday to prevent heat-related illness in the workplace, as climate change brings hotter temperatures around the nation. In a call to reporters Monday, officials spoke on background about the new rule, which the administration sent to the Federal Register Tuesday for review. Depending on the […] The post Biden administration announces new rule to protect workers from heat-related illnesses appeared first on Maine Morning Star.
‘No kings in America’: Biden slams U.S. Supreme Court ruling granting Trump immunity
Monday’s U.S. Supreme Court decision granting the presumption of criminal immunity for official actions taken by a president fundamentally altered U.S. democracy, President Joe Biden said from the White House Monday evening. Speaking for less than five minutes, Biden said the 6-3 decision contradicted the spirit of the country’s founding — set to be celebrated nationwide this week on […] The post ‘No kings in America’: Biden slams U.S. Supreme Court ruling granting Trump immunity appeared first on Maine Morning Star.
Pingree launches congressional caucus to push back against ‘fast fashion’
U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree last week announced the formation of a “slow fashion caucus” meant to develop policies to curb pollution from “fast fashion.” Pingree’s office said in a news release that fast fashion involves cheaply manufactured, frequently-bought clothing items that have a short life span. The Maine Democrat, who represents the state’s 1st Congressional […] The post Pingree launches congressional caucus to push back against ‘fast fashion’ appeared first on Maine Morning Star.
Solving homelessness demands a human response, not crime and punishment
Home is both a physical place and a concept. In the popular imagination, home is a refuge, a shelter, a place of safety and belonging. It is where we come from and where we return. We fill our homes with the things most precious to us, surrounding ourselves with the sights of beloved possessions, the […] The post Solving homelessness demands a human response, not crime and punishment appeared first on Maine Morning Star.
Maine farmers can get free, personalized support for PFAS contamination
Maine farmers can access dedicated one-on-one assistance to manage the impacts of harmful forever chemicals on their farm thanks to a new program that launched Monday. The Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry established the PFAS Navigator program with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension to provide resources and guidance to farmers coping with the […] The post Maine farmers can get free, personalized support for PFAS contamination appeared first on Maine Morning Star.
U.S. House Judiciary files suit to obtain audio tapes of Biden special counsel interview
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House Judiciary Committee Monday filed suit against Attorney General Merrick Garland, in an ongoing effort to obtain audio recordings from President Joe Biden’s interview with a special counsel during an investigation of the president’s handling of classified documents. The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, asks […] The post U.S. House Judiciary files suit to obtain audio tapes of Biden special counsel interview appeared first on Maine Morning Star.
Presidential immunity extends to some official acts, Supreme Court rules in Trump case
WASHINGTON — U.S. presidents enjoy full immunity from criminal charges for their official “core constitutional” acts, but no immunity for unofficial acts, the Supreme Court ruled Monday, sending former President Donald Trump’s election interference case back to the lower courts. The justices left open the question of how far the boundaries of such official acts […] The post Presidential immunity extends to some official acts, Supreme Court rules in Trump case appeared first on Maine Morning Star.
The cost of solar: rate increases, political feuds and the long-term outlook
Maine residential and business utility customers will start to see increases in their energy bills Monday. The reasons behind the hike are multifaceted but the short-term jump is part of a long-term plan that policymakers hope will reduce and stabilize energy costs as Maine transitions to clean energy. The Public Utilities Commission approved the rate […] The post The cost of solar: rate increases, political feuds and the long-term outlook appeared first on Maine Morning Star.
More Maine workers can now receive overtime pay under new federal rule
More Maine workers will be eligible for overtime pay beginning Monday when a new federal rule takes effect. The rule, finalized by the Biden administration in April, increases the salary threshold above which a worker can be exempt from overtime pay, meaning such compensation will be extended to about 4.3 million additional employees around the […] The post More Maine workers can now receive overtime pay under new federal rule appeared first on Maine Morning Star.
Machias hospital nurses, technicians at odds with leadership over staffing, work environment
The board overseeing Down East Community Hospital in Machias is pushing back on claims hospital management isn’t doing enough to address staffing and work environment challenges after registered nurses and technicians delivered a petition of no confidence in the hospital’s leadership earlier this month. On Friday, the board issued a statement of support in the […] The post Machias hospital nurses, technicians at odds with leadership over staffing, work environment appeared first on Maine Morning Star.
Democrats reel from ‘terrible’ Biden debate performance as he defends candidacy
President Joe Biden touched on a flood of criticism of his debate performance during a rally on Friday, while Democrats interviewed on Capitol Hill said the party must figure out a way to reassure voters after what they described as a “terrible” showing and a “bad night.” Biden, speaking from Raleigh, North Carolina, acknowledged some […] The post Democrats reel from ‘terrible’ Biden debate performance as he defends candidacy appeared first on Maine Morning Star.
‘Open season on anyone with a tent’: Maine advocates react to Supreme Court homelessness ruling
The ACLU of Maine is urging local communities not to punish unhoused people for trying to survive after the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday upheld an Oregon city’s ordinance that bans sleeping and camping on municipal property. In a 6-3 ruling, the Supreme Court’s conservative majority decided that the camping rules put in place by […] The post ‘Open season on anyone with a tent’: Maine advocates react to Supreme Court homelessness ruling appeared first on Maine Morning Star.
U.S. Supreme Court ruling on obstruction law helps cases of Jan. 6 defendants
A former Pennsylvania police officer who joined the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol that delayed the certification of the 2020 presidential election results cannot be charged with obstructing an official proceeding unless a lower court finds otherwise, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Friday. The ruling throws into question the cases of potentially […] The post U.S. Supreme Court ruling on obstruction law helps cases of Jan. 6 defendants appeared first on Maine Morning Star.
U.S. Supreme Court flips precedent that empowered federal agencies
The U.S. Supreme Court struck down a precedent Friday that had for decades limited judicial power to strike executive branch regulations, in a decision immediately criticized for potentially undermining decisions by scientists and agency experts. The 6-3 and 6-2 decisions in two cases brought by fishing operators in New Jersey and Rhode Island challenged a […] The post U.S. Supreme Court flips precedent that empowered federal agencies appeared first on Maine Morning Star.
Cooler states now forced to grapple with extreme heat fueled by climate change
NEW YORK — As temperatures soared into the 90s, the heat and humidity hit the concrete in Astoria, Queens, and bounced into the air. People moved along the scorched sidewalk slowly, their clothes drenched with sweat. Elianne Alvarado, 44, who was raised in New York City and has lived here for most of her life, […] The post Cooler states now forced to grapple with extreme heat fueled by climate change appeared first on Maine Morning Star.
U.S. Supreme Court sides with Oregon city, allows ban on homeless people sleeping outdoors
The U.S. Supreme Court Friday sided with a local ordinance in Oregon that bans homeless people from sleeping outdoors, and local governments will be allowed to enforce those laws. In a 6-3 decision, Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote in the opinion that the enforcement of those local laws that regulate camping on public property does not […] The post U.S. Supreme Court sides with Oregon city, allows ban on homeless people sleeping outdoors appeared first on Maine Morning Star.
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Maine Morning Star is an independent, nonprofit and nonpartisan news site covering state policy and politics — and how they impact the lives of Maine’s people. We focus on issues that Mainers grapple with every day: from the overdose crisis, to housing affordability, to tribal rights, to the challenges of the legal system, to the impact that our changing climate will have on the geography and economy of the Pine Tree State. We aim to hold powerful people and institutions accountable and explain how their actions affect communities from Kennebunk to Caribou. You might say we’ve got Moxie™. Ultimately, we believe good journalism is essential for a strong democracy and that honest reporting can empower Mainers to create the world that they hope to achieve. Maine Morning Star is an affiliate of States Newsroom, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported by grants and a coalition of donors and readers, which has editors and reporters throughout the country dedicated to relentless coverage of state government, policies and statewide issues. Our original reporting and opinions are free to readers and other news outlets, so please feel free to reprint our work. Also, drop us a line if you’d like to submit commentary for publication.
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