Politics & Government

A well-rounded discussion about policy issues relating to gun rights, school safety, mental health and culture was in scarce supply at a February 12 public forum entitled Newtown Policy Issues Forum held at the University of Maine at Machias (UMM).

While the Democrats who control the Maine Legislature will be battling with Governor Paul LePage over his budget proposal that the Maine Municipal Association terms "a broadside attack on the property tax," the legislature also will be considering numerous other measures during this session.

Calais residents took to the polls on November 6 and favored withdrawing from AOS #77 by a margin of 62% to 38%. The vote in the local referendum question was 877 to 534.

In a historic vote in the November 6 election, Maine residents approved same-sex marriage, by the same margin that the state's voters had repealed a gay marriage law three years ago. Supporters of same-sex marriage won with 53% of the vote statewide and 47% against the measure.

While the race for the next U.S. president has generated much attention on the national political scene, and the contest for a new U.S.

Free passage into Canadian waters around Passamaquoddy Bay appears to have ended, as U.S. boaters recently have been stopped by Canadian officials while they have been in Canadian waters and told they must obtain clearance, even if they do not intend to land in Canada.