Wake-Up Call: Tuesday, August 5, 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.

Waterville GOP nominates LePage for mayor

WATERVILLE-- Mayor Paul R. LePage will run for re-election Nov. 4, after being nominated Monday night as the Republican candidate for that position. (Maine Today, Amy Calder)

Link:  http://news.mainetoday.com/updates/031110.html

Allen releases economic plan

SACO - Democratic U.S. Sen. candidate Tom Allen today called for more investments in rural Internet access, transportation improvements and environmental cleanup as part of his new economic plan for Maine. (Maine Today, Dieter Bradbury)

Link: http://news.mainetoday.com/updates/031097.html

Jarody drops House run at behest of Republican Party leaders

A Republican former state House candidate said he was pressured out of running by leaders of his party because of politically incorrect online comments he had made on various Web sites. (PolitickerME.com, Jessica Alaimo)

Link: http://www.politickerme.com/jessicaalaimo/2113/jarody-drops-house-run-be...

Carpenters' union endorses Pingree

Chellie Pingree, a Democrat running for the 1st Congressional District seat, has won an endorsement from a union representing more than 1,000 Maine carpenters. (Maine Today, Dieter Bradbury)

Link: http://news.mainetoday.com/updates/031093.html

Maine utility nominee endorsed

A key aide to Gov. John Baldacci is a step closer to his appointment to the Maine Public Utilities Commission.

The Legislature's Utilities and Energy Committee today endorsed Jack Cashman's nomination by an 11-2 vote. The vote almost assures Cashman's confirmation by the Senate, which meets Aug. 20 to vote on that and other nominations. (Maine Today, AP)

Link: http://news.mainetoday.com/updates/031092.html

Snowe to visit coastal towns

WASHINGTON D.C. -- U.S. Senator Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine) will be in East Boothbay at 10 a.m. Tuesday to see the damages of the July 11th fire at the Washburn and Doughty Shipyard. (Maine Today, Marcia MacVane)

Link: http://news.mainetoday.com/updates/031086.html

Maine solar rebate $ gone

AUGUSTA—Maine's rebate account for solar electrical and thermal energy systems has run dry due to the popularity of the alternative form of energy. (Boston Globe, AP)

Link:  http://www.boston.com/news/local/maine/articles/2008/08/04/maine_solar_r...

Kittery legislative energy forum set for Aug. 13

KITTERY — The public is invited to a community forum to discuss energy-related issues and what citizens can do to prepare for the upcoming winter. State Sen. Peter Bowman and state Reps. Walter Wheeler and Dawn Hill will host the event with an invited panel of members from Efficiency Maine, Maine State Housing Authority and the local York County Community Action agency. (Seacoast Online, Staff)

Link:  http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080804/NEWS/8...

Law could add computer techs to 'porn police'

AUGUSTA - Some states require computer repair technicians to inform police if they find what appears to be child pornography on computers they are repairing for customers, and some lawmakers believe Maine should do the same. (Bangor Daily News, Mal Leary)

Link:  http://bangornews.com/news/t/news.aspx?articleid=168010&zoneid=500

Wanted: Young voters

YORK — Last spring, York resident Victoria Simon went to York High School to conduct a voter registration drive. She said she was surprised and disheartened by the response she received.

"They'd say, 'This has nothing to do with me,' or 'I don't know enough about this.' 'I don't know who to vote for.' 'I don't know where to get information,'" she said. "They did not seem to be very involved politically at all." (Seacoast Online, Deborah Mcdermott)

Link: http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080805/NEWS/8...

Maine names jail-spending board

AUGUSTA- Nearly a year ago, Gov. John Baldacci announced a proposal for the state to take over Maine's network of county jails, explaining that the current system had grown too costly and inefficient. (SunJournal, AP)

Link:  http://www.sunjournal.com/story/277084-3/MaineNews/Maine_names_jailspend...

Ruling on petitions likely sign of big changes

A ruling by Maine's highest court that knocked Herbert Hoffman's name off the November ballot could affect more than just Maine's U.S. Senate race.

The decision by the Maine Supreme Judicial Court tightens the laws surrounding the gathering of signatures on petitions for candidates seeking office, and it likely will affect the process for placing so-called "people's veto" questions on the ballot. (Portland Press Herald, Matt Wickenheiser)

Link: http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=203103&ac=PHnws

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.