Maine to receive $1.8 million in health insurance rebates
U. S. health insurance companies will give out nearly $330 million in rebates to employers and individuals this summer to comply with President Barack Obama's health care law, commonly known as Obamacare.
Under Obamacare, health insurers have to refund money to their customers in case they spend less than 80-85 per cent of the premiums that they collect from customers to provide them with medical insurance coverage.
The refund, which will be in the form of rebates, will go to as many as 6.8 million people across the country, with average rebate of around $80 per family.
Maine churches selling properties as attendance declines
Surplus of under-utilized buildings due to a notable decline in church attendance is prompting many Maine Catholic churches to sell off some of their properties.
The Diocese of Portland has so far put as many as 20 churches, convents, rectories as well as schools on the market. Since the start of last year, the diocese has sold nearly a dozen of properties for around $2.4 million.
Many Maine shops & retailers not paying heed to customer service
Jackie Conn, the general manager of an independent Weight Watchers franchise in Maine, shared her experience about customer service at various retailers and shops in the state.
Conn stressed that expecting good customer service is not unreasonable but she grumbled that she could count only a few places where received excellent customer service. She added that customer service in several places was going from bad to hostile.
MOFGA announces $1M financial aid to help farmers flourish
The Maine Organic Farmers & Gardeners Association (MOFGA) on Wednesday announced a financial aid of one million dollars from the Partridge Foundation to help farmers flourish.
The MOFGA, the oldest and largest organic organization of the United States, is aiming to attract more and more farmers and expand its already extensive educational offerings to them under its Educational Programs Endowment.
UM Museum of Art to remain in Bangor through 2031
The University of Maine's Museum of Art will remain in Bangor for nearly another two decades, thanks to a recent renewal of its lease.
The museum, located in the Norumbega Hall building on the Harlow Street in downtown Bangor, said in a statement that it lease had been renewed for 17 years, allowing it to remain in the same building in Bangor through 2031.
Maine’s order of bond questions to be put on November ballot
Maine's secretary of state Matt Dunlap on Wednesday drew the order of bond questions that were approved by the Legislature in the last session to be put on the November ballot. Let's have a quick look at what the referendum ballot will read:
The first question will seek voters' 'yes' or 'no' on whether to they want to ban on the use of bait, dogs or traps to hunt bears, except in cases of protection of property, safety of public, or for research.
Able-bodied Mainers must work for food stamps: LePage
Maine's republican Gov. Paul LePage on Wednesday declared that able-bodied individuals would have to work for gaining food stamps.
Launching a push to make able-bodied individuals work for their food stamps, LePage said, "People who are in need deserve a hand up, but we should not be giving able-bodied individuals a handout. We must continue to do all that we can to eliminate generational poverty and get people back to work"
Maine sites may be included in potential Boston 2024 Olympics
Boston last month made it to the narrowed list of U. S. cities that may host the Summer Olympic Games of 2024, prompting many to predict that Portland could also be included in the regional games sites' list.
On 13th of June, the United States Olympic Committee named Boston along with Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington D. C. as prospective cities for hosting the 2024 games. The four cities were selected from the originally selected 35 cities of the countries. Dallas and San Diego were eliminated from the list last month.
