Maine Liberty Journal

Via WMTW (January 13, 2010):

I definitely like the idea of less money being dished out from Augusta to fund local schools. Cities and towns can and should decide for themselves what sports and other “extracurricular” activities they value and wish to pay for. Students who are forced to do their own fundraising for these activities learn a valuable lesson that they would not otherwise get about the cost and benefit of their recreation. And hopefully, tight school budgets will be reworked to put the focus back on core educational areas of math, science and language skills.

Maine state budget cuts are trickling down to local school athletic programs.

The programs’ booster club members brainstormed options Tuesday night in an effort to save the programs, but it appears the fate for some teams doesn’t look good.

Cuts to coach’s stipends and expenses means a number of Scarborough sports teams will not be playing this spring.

Tags: Government schools, State news by Editor
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Via AL.com (January 15, 2010):

A Maine defense contractor who bribed officials at the Army’s Space and Missile Defense Command in Huntsville, Ala., has been sentenced to eight years in prison.

Sixty-five-year-old Maurice “Moe” Subilia Jr. of Kennebunkport was described by prosecutors as one of the masterminds of the scheme. His brother and his son-in-law received lesser sentences of two and three years on Friday.

They pleaded guilty to charges including conspiracy, money laundering and bribery.

Subilia had faced up to 40 years in prison. But attorney Toby Dilworth sought a penalty similar to the five-year sentence given to the government official accused of proposing the scheme. Dilworth says Subilia has cooperated and given up virtually everything he owns. He also suffers from heart problems and had a coronary bypass in October.

Tags: Crime & corruption, Military industrial complex, National news by Editor
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Via WCSH (January 16, 2010):

It’s too bad the issue of casinos comes down to the morality of gambling, the potential change in crime rate or the hypothetical benefit to local employment. Why does it have to be more complicated than simply saying people should be free to open a casino and other people should be free to gamble as they see fit?

As the latest effort to put a casino in Western Maine takes shape, an interesting rivalry is materializing. Two former architects of the campaigns that defeated proposals in Sanford and Biddeford have parted ways and will be managing the message for opposing sides.

Dennis Bailey of Savvy Communications will continue fighting gambling in Maine as the spokesperson for Casinos No! But his former business partner, Mark Robinson, is now working for the proponents.

Robinson says he was persuaded that casinos can bring jobs and economic boosts to Maine… without the downsides he so vigorously warned of when he worked with Bailey. For example, a flyer Robinson designed that used a stock photo of a homeless man.

“I think the Hollywood Slots experience has shown people it hasn’t come true,” says Robinson. “There aren’t homeless people lying all over the streets in Bangor.”

Dennis Bailey remains unconvinced. “There is no evidence that Bangor is any better off than communities in Maine without casinos. They promised jobs and economic development, and said crime would go down. but unemployment is up, businesses have closed, crime has increased more than any other city in Maine.”

Mark Robinson says he will be paid $60,000 from now through the November vote.

Tags: State news by Editor
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