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Report: Maine State Police Racked Up Record Overtime In 2017

In the Maine Sunday Telegram this week, reporter Eric Russell looked at overtime in the Maine State Police . Looking at payroll data, he found that police staff took home more than $5.6 million in overtime last year.

Maine Secretary Of State Recommends Disqualifying GOP Senate Candidate

Maine Asylum Seeker Who Sued To Enter National Poetry Competition Knocked Out Before Finals

Maine School Funding Bill In Limbo After State Lawmakers Take Recess

By A.J. Higgins • 7 hours ago

Maine communities are preparing for their annual town meetings, in which important decisions will be made about local tax rates. But that process could be difficult if the Maine Legislature fails to act on a $1 billion-plus school funding bill that lets school districts know what their share of local education costs will be.

Trump-Macron Friendship Can't Mask Stark Differences On Iran, Syria And Trade

By Scott Horsley • 8 hours ago

Updated at 2:04 p.m. ET

President Trump is celebrating America's oldest alliance, with French President Emmanuel Macron. But even as they prepare for a lavish state dinner, the two leaders could not paper over stark differences on issues such as trade and the Iran nuclear deal.

Collins Presses For Balance In Awarding Shipbuilding Contracts

By Mal Leary • 8 hours ago

Maine Sen. Susan Collins is pressing both civilian and military leadership to distribute future shipbuilding contracts to keep Bath Iron Works and its competitor in Mississippi busy.

“In the fiscal year omnibus bill Congress decided to authorize the DDG-51 multi-year," Collins said, at a budget hearing on Capitol Hill. That will spread the construction of new Arleigh Burke class destroyers over several years.

10 Pedestrians Killed, Hit By Van In Toronto, Police Say

By Merrit Kennedy • 11 hours ago

Updated at 10:52 p.m. ET

Ten people have been killed and 15 injured after a white van struck pedestrians on busy Yonge St. in Toronto today. The driver, identified by police as Alek Minassian, was located and arrested without injury.

The police had initially identified him as Alex Minassian.

State Reports Nearly 100 Wildfires And Many Acres Burned

By AP • 11 hours ago

AUGUSTA, Maine - The Maine Forest Service says the number of wildfires in the state is approaching 100 and that more than 60 acres have burned so far this year.

Forest Ranger Jeff Currier tells the Portland Press Herald the service responded to 20 wildfires Monday.

Currier says most fires were accidental in nature, including one in Monmouth over the weekend that started when an orchard employee tried to smoke a woodchuck from a hole in the ground. The brush fire burned almost 2 acres of grass and brush.

Democrats Push For Internal Documents On 2020 Census Citizenship Question

By Hansi Lo Wang • 11 hours ago

Updated at 7:30 p.m. ET

Democratic lawmakers are calling for a subpoena to force the U.S. Census Bureau and Commerce Department to release internal documents about the decision to add a controversial citizenship question to forms for the upcoming national headcount.

The request comes two weeks before a congressional oversight hearing on the 2020 census.

VA Nominee Accused Of Drinking On Duty, Improper Prescriptions, Sen. Tester Says

By Scott Neuman • 11 hours ago

Updated at 5:20 p.m. ET

Rear Adm. Ronny Jackson, President Trump's pick to lead the Veterans Affairs Department, has been accused of creating a hostile work environment, drinking while on duty and improperly prescribing drugs to staff during his time as White House doctor to two administrations, according to Montana Sen. Jon Tester.

Lawyers Say Arson Suspects Are Intellectually Disabled

By AP • 13 hours ago

Kirk Mohney / via National Register of Hisoric Places

CASCO, Maine - Lawyers for two men facing arson charges in a fire that destroyed a historic Maine schoolhouse say the men are intellectually disabled.

The Portland Press Herald reports an attorney for 22-year-old Devin Richardson-Gurney told a judge Monday that the man has autism. An attorney for 20-year-old Edward Scott says the man receives services from an organization that helps the intellectually disabled.

Prosecutors say the two men set the Friends School House in Casco on fire Sunday.

Spokesman: George HW Bush Is Eager To Get Well, Go To Maine

By Michael Graczyk - Associated Press • 14 hours ago

HOUSTON - A spokesman says former President George H.W. Bush is eager to get well so he can get to his summer home in Kennebunkport, Maine.

Jim McGrath says the 93-year-old Bush is "the most goal-oriented person on this planet.''

Bush has been hospitalized in Houston with an infection, just after attending the funeral of his wife, Barbara. McGrath said Monday that Bush is "responding to treatments and appears to be recovering.''

Mainers Share Personal Stories of Battling Opioid Addiction

By Caitlin Troutman • 14 hours ago

As opioid addiction continues to be a widespread problem in Maine and throughout the country, it may be easy to forget that behind statistics and political debates there are real people coping with recovery, addiction and the pain these things can cause.