(AP) - The U.S. Department of Agriculture is making Maine farms hard-hit by the drought eligible for federal assistance.

The USDA has designated Androscoggin and Oxford counties as primary natural disaster areas because of the dry summer.

AUGUSTA, Maine  - Gov.

AUGUSTA, Maine  - The state's efforts to rewrite Maine's welfare-to-work rules are drawing critique from a legal aid group.
Maine Equal Justice Partners said some of the rules proposed by the state Department of Health and Human Services conflict with state and federal law. The group is urging the state to continue allowing recipients to reject jobs that would mean less cash for their families.
Maine is facing up to $29 million in federal penalties for not satisfying work participation standards from 2007 to 2014.

AUGUSTA, Maine  - An advocacy group says a higher percentage of Maine candidates are using public funds to run for office.
Maine Citizens for Clean Elections said that 62 percent of candidates are campaigning with public funds, up from 53 percent in 2014.
The nonprofit examined candidates' financial reports and found that candidates have raised 22 percent less private money than at this point in 2014.

Two days after the House and Senate overwhelmingly voted to override President Barack Obama’s veto, GOP leaders are expressing reservations about legislation that would allow lawsuits related to 9/11 to go forward against Saudi Arabia.

According to The Hill, a leading political website, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan both say they were open to discussions about changing the bill, which Congress approved unanimously.

Maine Independent Sen. Angus King was among those who voted to override Obama’s veto.

A group working to enforce a new ban on the purchase of tobacco, alcohol, lottery tickets and other items with cash welfare benefits met for the first time Friday.

The Legislature created the prohibition earlier this year, but it also sought to determine whether retailers can block the sale of the outlawed items at the point of sale.

Some retailers and large grocers have worried about the cost of implementing a point-of-sale block. But Democratic state Rep. Drew Gattine argued it would take the enforcement burden off clerks and store owners.

By Marina Villeneuve, The Associated Press
AUGUSTA, Maine - The state's efforts to rewrite Maine's welfare-to-work rules are drawing critique from a legal aid group.

Maine Equal Justice Partners said some of the rules proposed by the state Department of Health and Human Services conflict with state and federal law. The group is urging the state to continue allowing recipients to reject jobs that would mean less cash for their families.

Portland’s police department is the latest law enforcement agency to hand out an overdose-reversal drug to its patrol officers.

Police Chief Michael Sauschuck says he had resisted the move, but the frequency of opioid overdoses in the city makes it necessary.