Governor Sends Letters to Treasurer and Legislative Leadership Regarding Bonds

 

December 14, 2015

AUGUSTA – Governor Paul R. LePage today delivered a letter to Legislative leadership and the State Treasurer clarifying his position and future intentions regarding bonding in 2016. In the letter the Governor indicates he will issue $5 million in Land for Maine’s Future bonds, which were ratified in 2012. Authority to issue another $6.47 million in LMF bonds was allowed to expire in November, due to Legislative inaction.
“My position all along has been that if wealthy landowners are going to benefit from selling their properties to the publicly funded LMF program, then senior citizens and other low-income Mainers should get a commensurate benefit,” wrote Governor LePage. “LMF bonds pay to take large tracts of land off the local tax rolls, which forces local property taxes to go up. All of this combines to increase taxes on the Mainers who can least afford it: middle-class families, the working poor, senior citizens and others on fixed incomes.”
“Make no mistake, I respect the will of the people. They elected me twice to bring fiscal responsibility and common-sense reform to state government, which includes managing our state’s debt and rooting out greedy politicians.”

Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Offers Electronic Shopping for Quality IF&W Official Gear!!

Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is delighted to offer you its improved and expanded electronic store! Browse an even larger offering of clothing, books, DVDs,  and mugs. The added ease of shopping online means that you can complete all of your shopping from the comfort of home. Just think, no more lines; no more hassles!
We take pride in guaranteeing complete security of your privacy while you shop the IF&W Online Store.
All merchandise can also be obtained at our main office located at 284 State Street in Augusta.
Don't forget!:

• Logos on clothing items are created with full color fine embroidery.
• IF&W merchandise makes a great gift idea.
• Order yours today!

Note: For more IF&W logo merchandise, please visit the Nature Store at the Maine Wildlife Park, L.L. Bean store, and Kittery Trading Post.
Presently, online orders may be shipped to United States and Canada only. For international orders, please call us at (207) 287-8000.

To Access the Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Online Store,

CLICK HERE:

http://www10.informe.org/webshop_ifw/index.php?storeID=2

Central Maine Power, York County Emergency Management Agency, and York County Cities and Towns Participate in Emergency Management Drill.

ALFRED, Maine —With winter weather around the corner, York County emergency officials staged a crisis to make sure they are prepared for the worst.
"We had a large ice storm that produced 2 inches of ice on Saturday, followed by a blizzard Sunday through Monday that produced 2 to 3 feet of snow," Megan Arsenault, of York County Emergency Management Agency, said.
Fortunately for Mainers this scenario was only a drill. However, you wouldn't know it at the county's command center. Volunteers coordinated with 22 towns for Wednesday's training.
"They call in here to our emergency ops center with their response as if they actually would do it during an event," Arsenault said.
In the scenario, 80 percent of the power in the county is out and staff are forced to call in resources from out of state.
"This exercise is showing us the need for shelters, generators, staff and individuals in the community to be prepared," Arsenault said.
Central Maine Power took part in the drill from its own command center.
"When we have a major storm at Central Maine Power, it's all hands on deck," CMP spokeswoman Gail Rice said.
Emergency crews practice drills like Wednesday's once a year. The drill was similar to the real ice storm in 2008.
"There's a broad range of people that are out there working on storm recovery," Rice said.
CMP's team created a map showing downed power lines, snapped poles and widespread outages.
"We like to practice these major storms that affect at least 10 percent of our customer base, which would be about 60,000 or more customer accounts," Rice said.

READY?? Lebanon Rec Department and Lebanon Maine Truth Seekers Gear Up for Holiday Decorating Competition Judging!!

Lebanon Recreation Department

and

Lebanon Maine Truth Seekers

 

HOLIDAY DECORATION
COMPETITION

contestants list

 

 

 

 

260 Lower Guinea Rd,

84 North Rochester Rd,

538 Upper Guinea Rd

12 Evergreen Lane

78 Smith Road

 

The Lebanon Recreation Department Director, Georgie Allen and Lebanon Maine Truth Seekers, Deborah Wilson and Sandy Adams are so happy to have 5 good strong contestants for our very first Holiday Decorating Competition!!

 

 

First Prize Judges Choice $50 Cash

(Given by LMTS)

First Prize People's Choice $50 Cash

(Given by LMTS)

Second Prize Judge's Choice $25 MB Gift Card

(Given by Lebanon Rec)

Second Prize People Choice $24 MB Gift Card

(Given  by Lebanon Rec)

Best Lebanon Pride Decoration Gift Basket

(Given by LMTS)

 

Please note that Lebanon Recreation Department is a department of the Town of Lebanon, Maine.

The Lebanon Maine Truth Seekers is NOT a town department and the town does not guarantee our portion of the prizes.

 

Lists for People's Choice viewing and buckets available at
Train's Tavern Gas Station on 202
Welch's Hardware and Lumber on 202
Hometown Mobil on 202
and
Lebanon Fire and EMS Station 1
on Depot Road

 

Formal Judging will begin at 4:30 pm on Saturday, December 19, 2015

 

Winners in all categories to be announced on Sunday, December 20, 2015

 

Take a ride around, enjoy the holiday lights and vote your choice!!!

 

 

 

 

Obituary: Ann Poitras Wade

Obituary for Ms. Ann (Poitras) Wade

 

 

Milton: Ann (Poitras) Wade, 39, passed away on Monday, Dec 7, 2015.
Ann was born on April 15, 1976 in Lowell, MA; the daughter of Ed and the late Charlene (Kappel) Poitras.
Ann worked as a registered Medical Assistant at Betty’s Dream in Portsmouth. Ann was known for her kind, compassionate nature and was always smiling, laughing and telling jokes. Ann had a very special way of making people feel loved wherever she went. Her smile was contagious and she had a tender heart and a gentle and deeply caring soul.
Ann loved her family. It was everything to her. She enjoyed her visits to her family in Minnesota; she had a special bond with her niece and nephew and she loved them dearly.
Ann is survived by her father, Ed Poitras of Milton; her sister, Mandy Poitras Olson (Dennis) of Minneapolis, MN; her niece, Brynne and nephew, Chase; many cousins, aunts, uncles and friends.
Family flowers only. Donations may be made in Ann’s name to Betty’s Dream, 75 Longmeadow Lane, Portsmouth, NH 03801.
Family and friends may call on Monday, December 14, 2015 from 4-6:00pm at Purdy Memorial Chapel 2 Concord Rd., Rt 4, Lee, NH, with a memorial service to be held at 6:00pm with Jo Maden, officiating.

USS Zumwalt Rescues Maine Fisherman on Maiden Voyage

SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The U.S. Navy's new stealth destroyer, the future USS Zumwalt, assisted in the rescue of a fisherman who had a medical emergency early Saturday off the Maine coast, officials said.
The 600-foot, 15,000-ton Zumwalt — the largest destroyer ever built for the Navy — was out for sea trials when Coast Guard officials received a distress call from the fishing boat Danny Boy around 3 a.m. The distress call said the Danny Boy's captain was suffering from chest pains about 40 miles southeast of Portland, according to officials.
A Jayhawk helicopter responded from Air Station Cape Cod, but the crew determined it would be too dangerous to hoist the fisherman up due to the configuration of the fishing boat's deck.
A crew and small boat from the Zumwalt transferred the man to the destroyer's deck, officials said. The helicopter crew then hoisted the patient on board and transported him to shore, where he was taken to a hospital.
"Our main concern with this type of medical emergency is to recover the patient safely and transport them to a higher level care as quickly as possible," said Lt. David Bourbeau, public affairs officer at Sector Northern New England. "Fortunately the Zumwalt was operating in the area and was able to provide valuable assistance."
The Zumwalt left Bath Iron Works for sea trials on Monday.
Bath Iron Works will be testing the ship's performance and making tweaks this winter. The goal is to deliver it to the Navy sometime next year.

Would you like to see video of the

USS Zumwalt's

amazing first rescue??

From WMTW Channel 8 News........

CLICK HERE:

http://www.wmtw.com/news/coast-guard-uss-zumwalt-rescue-fisherman/36931900?utm_source=Social&utm_medium=FBPAGE&utm_campaign=WMTW-TV&Content%20Type=Video

'Christmas inte mangalaashamsakal'.....Merry Chistmas from India~~ Christmas Around the World

'Christmas inte mangalaashamsakal'

Merry Christmas from India

Compared to other religious festivals, Christmas is quite a small festival in India, due to the number of people who are Christians (about 2.3%) compared to people who belong to other religions. Having said this, the population of India is over 1 Billion, so there are over 25 million Christians in India!
One of the largest Indian Christian Communities in a city is in Mumbai. A lot of the Christians in Mumbai (previously known as Bombay) are Roman Catholics. In India's smallest state, Goa which is on the west of India, about 26% of people are Christians. Many of the Christians in Mumbai came from or have roots in Goa. The states of Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Mizoram (all on the very east of India) have high populations of Christians as well.

Midnight mass is a very important service for Christians in India, especially Catholics. The whole family will walk to the mass and this will be followed by a massive feast of different delicacies, (mostly curries) and the giving and receiving of presents. Churches in India are decorated with Poinsettia flowers and candles for the holiday.

Compared to other religious festivals, Christmas is quite a small festival in India, due to the number of people who are Christians (about 2.3%) compared to people who belong to other religions. Having said this, the population of India is over 1 Billion, so there are over 25 million Christians in India!
One of the largest Indian Christian Communities in a city is in Mumbai. A lot of the Christians in Mumbai (previously known as Bombay) are Roman Catholics. In India's smallest state, Goa which is on the west of India, about 26% of people are Christians. Many of the Christians in Mumbai came from or have roots in Goa. The states of Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Mizoram (all on the very east of India) have high populations of Christians as well.
Many different languages are spoken in India. In Hindi Happy/Merry Christmas is 'Śubh krisamas' (शुभ क्रिसमस); Urdu it's 'krismas mubarak' (کرسمس); in Sanskrit it's 'Krismasasya shubhkaamnaa'; in Gujarati it's 'Anandi Natal' or 'Khushi Natal' (આનંદી નાતાલ); in Bengali 'shubho bôṛodin' (শুভ বড়দিন); in Tamil it's 'kiṟistumas vāḻttukkaḷ' (கிறிஸ்துமஸ் வாழ்த்துக்கள்); in Konkani it's 'Khushal Borit Natala'; in Kannada it's 'kris mas habbada shubhaashayagalu' (ಕ್ರಿಸ್ ಮಸ್ ಹಬ್ಬದ ಶುಭಾಷಯಗಳು); in Mizo it's 'Krismas Chibai'; in Marathi it's 'Śubh Nātāḷ' (शुभ नाताळ); in Punjabi it's 'karisama te nawāṃ sāla khušayāṃwālā hewe ' (ਕਰਿਸਮ ਤੇ ਨਵਾੰ ਸਾਲ ਖੁਸ਼ਿਯਾੰਵਾਲਾ ਹੋਵੇ); in Malayalam it's 'Christmas inte mangalaashamsakal' and in Telugu it's 'Christmas Subhakankshalu'.

Instead of having traditional Christmas Trees, a banana or mango tree is decorated (or whatever tree people can find to decorate!). Sometimes people use mango leaves to decorate their homes.
In Southern India, Christians often put small oil burning clay lamps on the flat roofs of their homes to show their neighbors that Jesus is the light of the world.

Christians in Goa love to celebrate Christmas! Goa has lots of 'western' customs as part of their Christmas as Goa has historical connections with Portugal. Most Christians in Goa are Catholics. People like to go carol singing around their neighbors for about a week before Christmas. Christmas Trees are also very popular as is a 'traditional' rich fruit Christmas Cake! Lots of local sweets are also eaten at Christmas in Goa. Favourite sweets include neureos (small pastries which are stuffed with dry fruit and coconut and fried) and dodol (like toffee that has coconut and cashew in it). These are other sweets are often part of 'consuada' when people make sweets before Christmas and give them to their friends and neighbors. Most Christian families also have a nativity scene with clay figures in it. On Christmas Eve Christians in Goa hang out giant paper lanterns, in the shape of stars, between the houses so that the stars float above you as you walk down the road.

The main Christmas meal is also eaten on Christmas Eve and is also 'western' with roast turkey or chicken being popular. After the meal, Christians head to Church for a Midnight mass service. After the service the church bells ring to announce that Christmas Day has arrived.
Christians in Mumbai use many Christmas traditions from Goa including the star lanterns and manger scenes (people like to make sure they have the best the nativity scene!).
In north-west India, the tribal Christians of the Bhil folk, go out night after night for a week at Christmas to sing their own carols the whole night through. They go to surrounding villages singing to people and telling the Christmas story.

In South West India, in the state of Kerala Were, 22% of the state's 33 Million population are Christians and Christmas is important festival. Traditional Catholics fast don't eat from 1st to 24th of December - until the midnight service. Every house will be decorated with a Christmas star. During the start of the Christmas season, almost all the stationary shops will be filled with new and variety Christmas stars. People make cribs in their homes and Churches.

In India, Father Christmas or Santa Claus delivers presents to children from a camel and cart. He's known as 'Christmas Baba' in Hindi, 'Baba Christmas' in Urdu (both of those mean Father Christmas); 'Christmas Thaathaa' in Tamil and 'Christmas Thatha' in Telugu (both of those mean Christmas old man); and 'Natal Bua' (Christmas Elder Man) in Marathi. In Kerla Were state, he's known as 'Christmas Papa'.

Christmas Dodol

Ingredients:

8 tbsp of wheat / millet flour
4 tbsp of rice flour
3 cans of coconut milk
14 oz of grated coconut / regular jaggery (approx 3 1/2 coconut jaggery squares. Add more if you like it sweeter)
1/2 cup of rough chopped cashews
2 tbsp of butter (optional)
pinch of salt

Directions:
Use a non stick pot and a wooden flat spoon if possible.
Mix the flours, 2 cans of coconut milk and salt in a pot and place on medium heat. Stir slowly till the mixtures thickens approx 15 minutes
Next add jaggery, cashews and the remaining can of coconut milk. Stir slowly on low medium heat for approx 1.15 hrs till the mixtures leave the side of the pan and does not stick to the wooden ladle. If the dodol does not let oil then add butter towards the end.
Pour into a 9″ round and smooth it with the wooden spoon to form a nice round. Cool and enjoy.
Leave it in a cool dry place or the refrigerator for a week or two.