Wake-Up Call: Tuesday, August 19, 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.

Politicker.com Wake-Up Calls will be on hiatus through Friday and will return Monday, Aug. 25. Please check back with PolitickerME.com for complete coverage of the Democratic National Convention in Denver next week.

2004 and 2008: Two different questions of special session pay

Legislative Democrats were quick to point out that history appeared to be repeating itself after the Republicans proposed a special session without pay for legislators last week. (PolitickerME.com, Jessica Alaimo)

Link: http://www.politickerme.com/jessicaalaimo/2217/2004-and-2008-two-differe...

Maine senators to consider appointments

AUGUSTA—After a quiet summer, the Maine State House comes back to life this week when the Senate returns to take up several gubernatorial appointments. (Boston Globe, AP)

Link: http://www.boston.com/news/local/maine/articles/2008/08/18/maine_senator...

Petition validated on Maine tax repeal effort

AUGUSTA—Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap has validated a petition to allow a statewide vote asking Mainers if they want to repeal new taxes on beer, wine and soda. (Boston Globe, AP)

Link: http://www.boston.com/news/local/maine/articles/2008/08/18/petition_vali...

State gay rights group endorses Allen

Equality Maine, the state’s largest advocacy group for the state’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, endorsed Tom Allen (D-Portland) for Senate Monday.

Allen, a current U.S. Representative, is challenging Sen. Susan Collins (R-Bangor.) (PolitickerME.com, Jessica Alaimo)

Link: http://www.politickerme.com/jessicaalaimo/2216/state-gay-rights-group-en...

Maine Maritime receives $2.5 million gift

CASTINE—Maine Maritime Academy has been given a $2.5 million gift that it will use to enhance its engineering program.

The gift, announced Monday, comes from the American Bureau of Shipping, an international ship classification society based in Houston. (Boston Globe, AP)

Link: http://www.boston.com/news/local/maine/articles/2008/08/18/maine_maritim...

Heating oil prices continue to fall in Maine

AUGUSTA—The price of heating oil continues to fall in Maine.

The statewide average cash price on Monday was $4 a gallon, according to the Office of Energy Independence and Security's biweekly survey. That's down 42 cents from two weeks ago and 71 cents from the peak on July 7. (Boston Globe, AP)

Link: http://www.boston.com/news/local/maine/articles/2008/08/18/heating_oil_p...

Maine candidate condemns labor ad

PORTLAND—Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Tom Allen's campaign is demanding that Republican Senator Susan Collins condemn an ad that depicts union members and Allen as tools of organized crime mobsters. (Boston Globe, AP)

Link: http://www.boston.com/news/local/maine/articles/2008/08/18/maine_candida...

Reverse Course on DDG-1000

Senator Susan Collins says the Navy has reversed course and decided to push for construction of a third DDG-1000 destroyer, which would be built at Bath Iron Works in Maine. (WGME)

Link: http://www.wgme.com/News/story_detail/story_detail_6.shtml?readmore

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.