Staff photo by Joe Phelan
Gov. John Baldacci discusses his curtailment order during a Friday afternoon press conference in his State House office in Augusta. ordered Maine state departments Friday to curtail spending by $63 million to make sure the budget is balanced.
Baldacci issued the order for the fiscal year ending in mid-2010 as preliminary estimates showed a shortfall in the two-year $5.8 billion budget of approaching $400 million, or nearly 7 percent.
The governor's order stands until the Legislature returns in January for its 2010 session and modifies the current two-year state budget. Lawmakers passed a budget this year that slashed spending by $500 million, giving Maine the first budget in three decades that was smaller than the previous one. See storyAUGUSTA MINDING A MINE
AUGUSTA -- The City Council, in response to residents' complaints about odors, noise and traffic from a paving plant in a pit off West River Road, is considering an ordinance change that would shut the plant down.
Many happy returns in Richmond
RICHMOND -- It took a group of students to start recycling paper in Richmond schools.
SPORT OF KINGS Falconry a blend of dedication and commitment
Tax woes land on Whitefield
WHITEFIELD -- Selectmen say they will review the town's entire property tax assessment, look at areas already identified as problems, fix them, then look at land values.
Rapist denied new trial
AUGUSTA -- A judge on Thursday denied a bid for a new trial by rapist and kidnapper Albert F. Dumas.
Alleged serial burglars re-indicted
AUGUSTA -- An Augusta couple already facing numerous theft and burglary charges was indicted again Thursday on additional charges.
AUGUSTA 2 face arson charges
AUGUSTA -- Two Augusta men were arrested Thursday night on warrants charging them with arson in separate blazes.
S. China man charged in assault on officer
CHINA -- A local man is facing multiple charges after allegedly punching a sheriff's deputy.
State to care for animals seized in New Sharon
FARMINGTON -- More than 40 animals seized from a New Sharon home in connection with an animal cruelty case will remain, for now, under the care of the Maine Animal Welfare Program.
WEDDING BURGLAR JAILED
SKOWHEGAN -- A Palmyra wedding guest will spend 30 days in jail for stealing $1,500 in cash from his friends at their wedding.
BRIEFS
TOGUS -- Six hundred doses of seasonal flu vaccines were destroyed Thursday night or Friday morning when the refrigerator the doses were stored in stopped working at the Veterans Affairs Medical and Regional Office Center at Togus
FARMINGTON Food pantry drive big success
FARMINGTON -- Two and a half tons of food found its way on Friday morning from two elementary schools to a local food pantry.
Grand jury returns indictments
AUGUSTA -- A number of people were indicted in the most recent session of the grand jury in Kennebec County.
More news >
A week's worth of news
Local and state stories from the previous 7 days
Search the News Archive for earlier stories
Resources and features
|
|
Business & finance
Keep an eye on the markets. Follow Maine business news. Check your stocks. Track your mutual funds. Use our new business site to keep tabs on your investments and the latest financial news from Maine, Wall Street and beyond. Stay informed.
Kennebec River Web cam
LIVE PHOTOS: The U.S. Geological Survey has set up a web camera to monitor water levels in the Kennebec River. The camera takes images of the river in downtown Augusta which are displayed in real time.
View Kennebec River web cam.
View map, get directions to the KJ.
The Kennebec Journal offices, newsroom and printing press are at 274 Western Avenue, Augusta, Maine 04330. Get directions.
|
Special reports and projects
Sense of Wonder: Kennebec Land Trust series
KLT celebrates its 20th anniversary. Outdoors writer Travis Barrett takes a look at some of the properties in a seven-part series.
Read Kennebec Land Trust series.
Capitals series
Read our series on Northern New England's capital cities: Augusta, Concord, N.H. and Montpelier, Vt.
Maine's aging boomers
Read our series on the pending retirement and health care challenges the baby boom generation faces in Maine.
'For I Was Hungry' Series
"For I was hungry," a seven-part editorial series, documents the depth and breadth of hunger in
Maine, from the dramatic increase in food pantries to the thousands of children who come to school
hungry to the elderly with bare cupboards. For more, click here.
Most recent comments
KO says, "\"state workers should receive a maximum of four (4) paid sick days per calendar year...
Laughable, at best."
Queequeg says, "The unintended consequences of flatulence is frequently mistaken for wisdom among liberals: posts by Prynee et al., an affirmation..."
ProConserv says, "cranky-yank of ME
Explain to me how letting homosexuals get married will stop divorce rates among heterosexual couples!"
Corrections
Errors that appear in the Kennebec Journal will be corrected in the print edition of the paper as soon as possible. We encourage readers to bring errors to our attention. Please call 1-800-537-5508 or send an e-mail.
Order Photo Reprints
KJ photo re-prints for sale: Capture memorable images that include Maine scenes, local high school athletes, nature and more. These high quality photos taken by our award-winning photographers can be purchased online. Order a print, have it framed or turned into a gift such as a mug or a mouse pad.
|
NEWS UPDATES
ADVERTISEMENT
Today's Weather:
Augusta, Maine (Airport)
Updated: 7:53 AM EST on November 21, 2009
 |
50 °F
Overcast
|
|
See Detailed Forecast >>
Classifieds Place An Ad
Today's Real Estate
Browse fine homes in Today's Real Estate, published by Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel in cooperation with the Southern and Northern Councils of the Kennebec Valley Board of Realtors.
|
