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Thursday, March 28, 2024

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Pulling back the curtains on wage-theft enforcement in MN; Trump's latest attack is on RFK, Jr; NM LGBTQ+ equality group endorses 2024 'Rock Star' candidates; Michigan's youth justice reforms: Expanded diversion, no fees.

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Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says rebuilding Baltimore's Key Bridge will be challenging and expensive. An Alabama Democrat flips a state legislature seat and former Connecticut senator Joe Lieberman dies at 82.

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Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

ME: Budget Policy & Priorities

More than 3,300 Mainers have died from COVID-19 since 2020 and more than 9,000 have been hospitalized. Cumberland, Penobscot and York counties have seen the highest numbers of deaths. (Adobe Stock) <br />
ME fighters of COVID-19 alarmed by new federal recommendations

Today is "Long COVID Awareness Day," and Mainers will be among those who gather at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., to commemorate it…

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The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard generated $1.46 billion in regional economic activity last year, according to a study by the Seacoast Shipyard Association. Shipyard workers living in Maine amassed nearly $372 million in payroll. (Adobe Stock)<br />
ME naval workers seek state-backed loans in case of government shutdown

Federal workers in Maine are backing legislation to help ensure they can pay their bills in case of a government shutdown. Those who might be …

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Medicare Savings Programs help people with limited income and resources pay for some or all of their Medicare costs. Enrollment in these MSPs puts more than $2,000 back into the wallets of seniors and adults with disabilities each year, according to AARP Maine. (Adobe Stock)<br />
Supplemental budget puts Maine’s Medicare Savings Programs at risk

Some 30,000 Mainers could lose access to critical healthcare benefits under Gov. Janet Mills' proposed supplemental budget. The state legislature …

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Local and federal resources for Mainers who have been affected by the damaging storms that hit Maine on December 18, 2023, and January 10, 2024, are available through the Maine Emergency Management Agency by calling 1-800-452-8735. (Adobe Stock)<br />
Climate change, development threaten Maine’s working waterfronts

Reintroduced federal legislation aims to preserve Maine's iconic, working waterfronts still recovering from recent powerful storms. Strong winds and …

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Studies show fewer than half of people with a mental illness are able to access prompt care while rural and lower-income communities in particular suffer from a lack of behavioral health care providers. (Adobe Stock)<br /><br /><br />
ME mental health care advocates push for services after Lewiston shooting

Advocates for mental-health care in Maine are applauding Gov. Janet Mills' push to increase access to services, following last year's deadly shooting …

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It is estimated that Mainers facing hunger would need a total of $97,584,000 more income per year to adequately meet their food needs, according to Feeding America. (Adobe Stock)
Maine food banks meet growing demand as Farm Bill lags

Food banks in Maine are struggling to keep up with demand as the Farm Bill remains stalled in Congress. The bill is renegotiated every five years …

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Latino children in Maine fare better than their peers nationwide, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation report. An estimated 70% of Latino children in Maine live in families with incomes at or above 200% of the poverty line, compared to 47% of Latino children nationally. (Adobe Stock)<br />
Report finds gaps in child well-being persist across Maine

Children of color in Maine fare relatively well compared to their peers nationwide, but gaps in child well-being persist - according to a new report…

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More than 95% of Mainers have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine while 84% of the state's population is considered fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Adobe Stock)
Health misinformation online builds distrust in science, vaccines

Public health experts say the rapid spread of health misinformation online is contributing to a dangerous decline in vaccination rates. Surveys show …

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Respite for ME Grants, funded by the Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan, provide caregivers up to $5,171 to access needed services and can be accessed through the state's five Area Agencies on Aging. (Adobe Stock)
Unpaid caregivers in ME receive limited financial grants

Advocates for unpaid family caregivers in Maine say they'll need continued support beyond the recently passed paid family and medical leave program…

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Maine's four-year climate plan aims to decrease the state's greenhouse gas emissions by 45% by 2030 and 80% by 2050, and achieve carbon neutrality by 2045. (Adobe Stock)
ME towns share plans, resources to build climate resilience

Community groups across Maine are helping small towns with fewer resources better prepare for the growing threat of climate change. They are …

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The Biden administration recently announced that Medicare will soon begin to negotiate prices for up to 60 drugs covered under Medicare Parts 'D' and 'B,' through a new program under the Inflation Reduction Act. (Adobe Stock)
First public hearing for Mainers on healthcare, drug costs

Maine's new Office of Affordable Health Care holds its first public hearing this week, and people are being strongly encouraged to participate…

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Maine had one of the highest voter turnout rates in the country for the 2022 midterm elections with 73% of registered voters taking part. (Adobe Stock)
State Officials Warn of Threats Ahead of 2024 Election

Election officials nationwide are urging Congress to provide the funding needed to ensure a safe and secure 20-24 election. They've asked for at …

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