Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. Unemployment Rate Falls Again Maine’s unemployment rate has fallen for the fourth consecutive month to its lowest levels in five years. The December rate is 6.2 percent, down from 6.4 percent in November and 7.2 percent one year ago. Most notably, Maine continues to have a higher percentage of employed population than the U.S. While the nation has seen no improvement in the share of employed population in four years, Maine has experienced the opposite. U.S. unemployment rate declines have been entirely due to lower labor force participation as millions of jobless people have stopped looking for work. (Jobless people not looking for work are not counted as unemployed – they are not in the labor force.) A rising employment-to-population ratio has been the leading factor in declining unemployment rates in Maine the last three years. December’s rate is the lowest since 2008. According to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of unemployed people in Maine has fallen by 6,500 from this time last year. A few of the world-class companies that have created jobs in Maine over the past few months are Barclaycards, Irving Forest Products, Ameridial, Eimskip, Tempus Jets, Maine Wood Concepts, Molnlycke Health Care. State of the State Scheduled Governor Paul R. LePage will deliver his State of the State Address in the House Chamber at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 4. The speech will cover a variety of priorities that include growing Maine’s economy and encouraging families to stay in Maine; electricity costs; infrastructure improvements; reforming the welfare system; and addressing drug-related crimes and their impact on our State. The economy remains the number one initiative Governor LePage will continue to address during the second session of the 126th Legislature. While Maine’s unemployment rate is at its lowest it’s been since 2008 – at 6.4 percent – Governor LePage will announce an initiative aimed at attracting major business investment and creating hundreds of new jobs for Mainers. MPBN Radio, TV and mpbn.net will feature the Governor’s State of the State Address live, in its entirety. Maine State Park Campground Reservations to Open Feb. 3 for Sebago Lake State Park, for all State Parks Feb. 10 The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry’s Bureau of Maine State Parks and Lands announced that campground reservations for the 2014 season will open for Sebago State Park on February 3 and for all state parks February 10. Commissioner Walt Whitcomb highlighted the recent success and popularity of Maine State Park offerings and programs. “Despite a very wet spring last year, 2,512,627 people visited Maine State Parks in 2013, the fourth highest attendance since 1990,” said Whitcomb. “Our dedicated staff continues to offer new recreational and educational offerings for all age groups. Visitors to our state parks have fun and leave with memories that can last a lifetime.” Reservation Details: Online-reservation “start-days” once again are being split, with reservations being taken for the very popular Sebago Lake camp sites only starting on Monday, February 3, to reduce wait times. Campers can make reservations at Maine state park campgrounds in four ways: •Online at CampWithMe (24-7); •By calling in state at 800-332-1501; or (out-of-state) 207-624-9950 (9:00AM – 4:00PM, on Business Days); •By mailing reservations to: Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry, Bureau of Parks and Lands, ATTN.: Reservations, 22 SHS, Augusta, ME 04333. Mailed Sebago Lake reservation requests must not be postmarked before Feb. 3, 2014; and, Feb 10, 2014 for all other parks. •By dropping off completed reservation forms, which will be processed during business hours at the Augusta office. PLEASE NOTE: Group Camping Reservations and Group Picnic & Shelter Reservations open on 02/03/2014 at 9:00 a.m. as well. Call the park directly for either of these reservations. Online listings are provided below: Group Camping Reservations maine.gov/dacf/parks/camping/group_camping.shtml Group Picnic Areas & Shelter Reservations maine.gov/dacf/parks/camping/grouppicnicareas.shtml Charter Commission Advances 3 Applications, Schedules Public Hearings The public will have the opportunity to weigh-in next week on three public charter schools proposed to open in Maine this fall. The Maine Charter School Commission (MCSC) members working in small review teams presented their recommendations on four applications, with the entire seven-member Commission then voting to advance applications from Lewiston-Auburn Academy Charter School, Lewiston; Maine Connections Academy; and Maine Virtual Academy. The application for Many Hands Montessori School in Windham did not move forward. The Commission will now consider the proposed public schools, and hold in-person interviews and a public hearing on each application next week before voting at its March 4 meeting whether to enter into contract negotiations with each applicant or deny the application. All proceedings are open to the public. The in-person interview for the applicants proposing the virtual Maine Connections Academy will be held on Monday, Feb.3 from noon to 3 p.m., in the Richard J. Randall Student Center Lounge at the University of Maine at Augusta. A public hearing will follow at the same location from 4 to 7 p.m. and written comments will be accepted by the Commission through 1 p.m. on Feb. 11. The in-person interview for the applicants proposing the online Maine Virtual Academy will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 4 from noon to 3 p.m. in the Richard J. Randall Student Center Lounge at the University of Maine at Augusta. A public hearing will follow at the same location from 4 to 7 p.m. and written comments will be accepted by the Commission through 1 p.m. on Feb. 12. The in-person interview for the applicants proposing the Lewiston-Auburn Academy Charter School will be held on Friday, Feb. 7 from noon to 3 p.m. in Room 103 of Kirk Hall at Central Maine Community College in Auburn. A public hearing will follow at the same location from 4 to 7 p.m. and written comments will be accepted by the Commission through 1 p.m. on Feb. 15. Written public comment on any of the applications can be sent to [email protected] or the Maine Charter School Commission, 182 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333-0182. Submissions can also be delivered in-person to the 5th Floor of the Burton Cross State House Office Building in Augusta. Legislative Hearings Listed are a few hearings that may be of interest. For a full listing, please visit the Legislature’s web page at maine.gov/legis/. Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (Cross Building, Room 214): LD 1587 An Act To Temporarily Ban the Use of Neonicotinoid Pesticides- February 4, 2014, 1:00pm LD 1678 An Act To Protect Maine’s Lobster Fishery- February 6, 2014, 1:00pm Criminal Justice and Public Safety (State House, Room 436) LD 1729 An Act To Increase the Period of Time for the Calculation of a Prior Conviction for Operating under the Influence- February 3, 2014, 10:00am Education and Cultural Affairs (Cross Building, Room 202) LD 1681 An Act To Amend the Laws Governing Gambling and Criminal History Record Checks- February 3, 2014, 10:00am LD 1726 An Act Directing the Department of Education To Formulate and Implement a Citizenship Educational Component for the School Curriculum- February 3, 2014, 1:00pm LD 1728 An Act To Prohibit Possession of a Replica or Simulated Firearm on or near School Property- February 3, 2014, 1:00pm Energy, Utilities and Technology (Cross Building, Room 211) LD 1628 An Act To Require a Timely Response by a Gas Company to a Municipal Request for Service Expansion- February 5, 2014, 1:00pm Health and Human Services (Cross Building, Room 209) LD 1683 An Act To Improve Degree and Career Attainment for Former Foster Children- February 5, 2014, 9:00am LD 1686 An Act to Address Preventable Deaths from Drug Overdose- February 5, 2014, 9:00am LD1704 An Act To Increase the Use of Dental Services by MaineCare-eligible Children- February 5, 2014, 1:00pm Judiciary (State House, Room 438) LD 1697 An Act To Provide Funding for the Veterans Treatment Courts- February 4, 2014, 1:00pm LD 1720 An Act To Improve the Operations of the Office of the Attorney General- February 4, 2014, 1:00pm Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development (Cross Building, Room 208) LD 1724 An Act To Conform Licensing Requirements for Real Estate Appraisers with Federal Law- February 4, 2014, 1:00pm LD 1710 An Act To Retain Call Centers in Maine- February 6, 2014- 1:00pm Taxation (State House, Room 127) LD 1609 An Act To Establish an Education and Skills Training Tax Credit for Veterans- February 3, 2014, 10:00am LD 1696 An Act To Extend the Veterans’ Property Tax Exemption to Veterans Who Served in Iraq or Afghanistan- February 3, 2014, 10:00am LD 1722 An Act To Exempt from Sales and Use Tax Sales of Publications To Be Distributed without Charge and Printed Materials Included in Publications- February 3, 2014, 10:00am LD 1733 An Act Regarding the Registration of Motor Vehicles of Deployed Members of the National Guard or Reserves of the United States Armed Forces- February 3, 2014, 10:00am LD 1707 An Act To Amend the State’s Tax Laws- February 5, 2014, 10:00am Transportation (State House, Room 126) LD 1692 An Act To Ensure That Local Businesses Are Notified of Construction Projects- February 4, 2014, 1:00pm Veterans and Legal Affairs (State House, Room 437) No Public Hearings Scheduled as of 1/31/14 Maine State House Maine State House Stay informed by visiting the Maine State Legislatures web page at maine.gov/legis/ Office of Governor Paul R. LePage: (207) 287-3531 maine.gov/governor/lepage/index.shtml Secretary of State: (207) 626-8400 maine.gov/sos/ Office of the Attorney General: (207) 626-8800 maine.gov/ag/ Report Fraud to the Department of DHHS: https://maine.gov/dhhs/fraud/ Contact the Consumer Protection Division: maine.gov/ag/consumer/complaints/ Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles: maine.gov/sos/bmv/index.html Town of Bancroft Schoolhouse Road Bancroft, ME 04497 (207) 456-7542 Town of Crystal 272 Crystal Road Crystal, ME 04747 (207) 463-2770 Town of Dyer Brook 864 Dyer Brook Road Dyer Brook, ME 04747 (207) 757-8302 Glenwood Plantation 361 Main Street PO Box 1010 Houlton, ME 04730 (207) 521-0343 Town of Haynesville 16 Danforth Road Haynesville, ME 04497 (207) 448-2239 Town of Island Falls 68 Houlton Road Island Falls, ME 04747 (207) 463-2246 Town of Linneus 1185 Hodgdon Mills Road Linneus, ME 04730 (207) 532-6182 Town of Ludlow 831 Ludlow Road PO Box 487 Houlton, ME 04730 (207) 532-7743 Macwahoc Plantation 48 Kingman Road Kingman, ME 04451 (207) 765-2581 Town of Merrill 3391 Rte 2 Smyrna, ME 04780 Town of Mount Chase 1094 Shin Pond Road Patten, ME 04765 (207) 528-2225 Town of New Limerick 11 Old Station Road New Limerick, ME 04761 (207) 532-3303 Town of Oakfield School Street PO Box 10 Oakfield, ME 04763 (207) 757-8479 Town of Patten 21 Katahdin Street Patten, ME 04765 (207) 528-2215 Reed Plantation 8 Springer Road PO Box 10 Wytopitlock, ME 04497 (207) 456-7546 Town of Sherman 36 School Street #1 Sherman, ME 04776 (207) 365-4260 Town of Smyrna 3391 Rte 2 PO Box 239 Smyrna Mills, ME 04780 (207) 757-8286 Town of Stacyville 414 Station Road Stacyville, ME 04777 (207) 365-4195 Town of Weston 5 Church Lane Weston, ME 04424 (207) 448-2316
Posted on: Sat, 01 Feb 2014 01:37:48 +0000
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