Wake-Up Call: Friday, August 1, 2008

With the PolitickerME.com Wake-Up Call e-mailed to your inbox, phone, Blackberry or PDA first thing in the morning, you can get a rundown of Maine's top political headlines. Sign up to get the Wake-Up Call delivered every morning.

With the PolitickerME.com Wake-Up Call e-mailed to your inbox, phone, Blackberry or PDA first thing in the morning, you can get a rundown of Maine's top political headlines. Sign up to get the Wake-Up Call delivered every morning.

President Bush arrives in Maine

KENNEBUNKPORT—President Bush has arrived in Maine for a long weekend after hailing a "degree of durability" in security gains in Iraq that he said should permit him to announce further U.S. troop reductions this year. (Boston Globe, AP)

Link: http://www.boston.com/news/local/maine/articles/2008/07/31/president_bus...

William Cohen, Robert Baldacci seek to buy newspapers

William Cohen, a former Maine Senator and Secretary of Defense, and Robert Baldacci, the brother of the governor, are part of a group that intends to buy the Kennebec Journal, the Morning Sentinel and the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram. (PolitickerME.com, Jessica Alaimo)

Link: http://www.politickerme.com/jessicaalaimo/2093/william-cohen-robert-bald...

Maine, Vt., offering firewood

To offset rising fuel costs, Maine and Vermont are taking steps to make the two states' abundant supplies of firewood available to homeowners at reduced costs. (Maine Today, AP)

Link: http://news.mainetoday.com/updates/030951.html

Dirigo nominees announced

AUGUSTA -- Gov. John Baldacci on Wednesday announced four nominations to the Board of Directors of Dirigo Health.

Baldacci chose Sara Gagné Holmes of Augusta, Marianne Ringel of Gardiner, Judy Foss of Gardiner and Joseph Bruno of Raymond to serve on the Dirigo Board. (Maine Today, Susan M. Cover)

Link: http://news.mainetoday.com/updates/030938.html

President Bush to be greeted by protest during Kennebunkport visit

KENNEBUNKPORT — "Hands Off Iran" will be the message that protesters will be trying to send to President George W. Bush on Aug. 2 during his visit to his parents' Walker's Point residence.

A protest march sponsored by a number of activist groups, including the Kennebunks PEACE Department, is anticipated to begin at the Kennebunkport Consolidated School at 1 p.m. and end at the gates of Walker's Point. (Seacoast Online, Staff)

Link: http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080731/NEWS/8...

Flag-raising may resolve Bangor apartment flap

BANGOR - Bangor Housing Authority, which recently asked a Vietnam veteran to remove a U.S. flag from his porch because it violated the subsidized apartment complex’s policies, put up a flagpole Thursday in the man’s front yard. (Bangor Daily News, Nok-Noi Ricker)

Link:  http://bangornews.com/news/t/news.aspx?articleid=167858&zoneid=500

Campaign travel: Allen outspends Collins

While both Republican Sen. Susan Collins and Democrat Tom Allen have raised more than $900,000 each from Maine residents in the U.S. Senate race, the amounts raised out of state differ widely. (Sun Journal, Rebekah Metzler)

Link: http://www.sunjournal.com/story/276741-3/MaineNews/Campaign_travel_Allen...

China planners back re-election of codes officer

CHINA -- Planning Board members unanimously recommended selectmen reappoint Code Enforcement Officer Scott Pierz.

Michael Martin, the alternate member who did not vote because the other five members were all present at Tuesday evening's meeting, said had he voted, he would have agreed. (Morning Sentinel, Mary Grow)

Link:  http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.com/news/local/5278130.html

With the PolitickerME.com Wake-Up Call e-mailed to your inbox, phone, Blackberry or PDA first thing in the morning, you can get a rundown of Maine's top political headlines. Sign up to get the Wake-Up Call delivered every morning.