Peggy Rotundo

Democratic National Committee Chairman  Howard Dean came to Maine this week to mobilize volunteers for the Democratic Party.

Thursday he spoke at a Portland rally, click here for the Portland Press Herald’s report. Today he helped kick off voter registration drives in Waterville and Lewiston.

Lewiston saw a small crowd of about 40 -- a third of them were elected officials and press. They crowded around the gazebo in Kennedy Park, and Dean spoke without a microphone or a podium. See below for video.

Citing the need to move the budget process along swiftly, Senate President Beth Edmonds is stepping in as Appropriations Committee chairwoman today.

The usual chairwoman of the committee, Sen. Peggy Rotundo, D-Lewiston, had to leave the State House on a family matter.

The committee hopes to finish up the budget adjustments this afternoon.  read more »

Mal Leary took a break from pestering lawmakers Thursday morning, and instead honored two of them.

Leary, who runs Capitol News Service, helped establish the Maine Freedom of Information Coalition in 2002. Thursday he thanked Sen. Peggy Rotundo, D-Lewiston, and Rep. Ted Koffman, D-Bar Harbor for their dedication to preserving open government.  read more »

UPDATED Mar. 19 at 7 p.m. with an interview with Sen. Lisa Marrache 

Wednesday was the seventh annual Franco-American Day at the State House, a day to celebrate French heritage in Maine during the International Francophone Week.

State Sen. Lisa Marrache, D-Waterville, was in charge of the show.

Marrache is 100 percent Franco. Her parents were the first generation of her family born in the United States. Her mom is from the Beauce region of Quebec, her dad was from the Gaspѐ region of Quebec.

The Lewiston Senate seat may be home to a three way primary.

State Sen. Peggy Rotundo, D-Lewiston, stood up on the Senate floor in defeat today.

This weekend she lost a wager with state Sen. Nancy Sullivan, D-Biddeford. The two made a friendly wager last week over the high school state championship hockey game.

VIDEO: U. S. Rep Mike Michaud, Andreas Waldkirch and Stephano Tijerina give their takes on international trade. Scroll down or click here for what they had to say about Columbia.

Maine has been hit hard by job losses, and most are quick to blame national trade agreements for the demise of the state’s factories and mills.

The Citizen Trade Policy Commission, appointed by the Legislature, has been tasked to travel the state and talk to the public about the national trade deals, and then make sure the concerns are elevated to the federal level. Thursday, they met in South Portland where experts and residents spoke out against the proposed Columbian trade deal.

Members of the Citizen Trade Policy Commission will meet in South Portland Thursday to get input from citizens about how international trade agreements are impacting their lives.

The meeting will be held at the South Portland Community Center at 6 p.m.  read more »

Highlights from recent Ethics Commission filings:  read more »

Lewiston Mayor Laurent Gilbert Sr. will run for the Maine House of Representatives in 2008.

He filed registration papers with the Ethics Commission Thursday to seek the seat now held by Rep. Elaine Makas, D-Lewiston, who plans to run for the state Senate next year.

Gilbert won the mayoral seat in a special election this February, and was re-elected in November. If elected to the House, he would be leaving short of completion of his first full term.