Politics & Government

A legislative committee listened to startling national statistics about violence against Native women and heard in graphic detail about brutal assaults in Maine, as it considered a bill to extend jurisdiction over such crimes to tribal courts.

Governor Paul LePage visited Machias the evening of April 29 to hold a 'town meeting' to discuss his budget plan. While short on details, the summary presented in a 21-page handout had rosy examples of how his 'tax reform and relief plan' would pan out for different taxpayer scenarios.

One of the points of contention in the New Brunswick Liberal government's budget announced on March 31 is the closure of courthouses in St. Stephen, Sussex and Grand Manan. The Saint John Law Courts opened in 2013, and cases from these courts will be heard there beginning in October.

The testimony of a number of Washington County residents and organizational leaders in Augusta on March 19 resulted in LD 295, An Act to Promote Tidal Energy Projects, to be killed by the legislature's Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology.

Washington County voters reflected the statewide trend of electing Republican candidates to office, by even wider margins than the state percentages, and a new sheriff will be riding into the county, following the November 4 general election in Maine.

For the November 4 general election in Maine, the gubernatorial race has been garnering the most media attention, while local races for Washington County sheriff, the area district attorney and for the Maine House of Representatives, including the contest between Rep.