Mills: Oz's fraud allegations pull from 'malicious playbook' for targeting #Trump's political foes

Maine Public | By Steve Mistler
Published February 9, 2026

"Gov. #JanetMills says the #Trump administration is using findings from a routine social services audit to drum up allegations of fraud for political purposes. The governor's comments follow threats from a top #Medicaid official to cut off the state's federal funding.

"In the past several days, Centers for #Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator #MehmetOz has made allegations of widespread fraud in Maine's social services programs, at one point drawing comparisons to the scandal unfolding in #Minnesota.

"In a recently posted social media video, the former celebrity TV doctor suggested that Maine could lose its federal Medicaid funding.

" 'If we don't like what we see, CMS will work with Maine to put their house in order. And if we're not satisfied with their progress, we reserve the right to cut off their payments entirely,' he said.

"Those threats follow a recent audit by the Office of Inspector General that found the state made $45.6 million in improper payments to providers for #autism services. That review, initiated during the Biden administration, did not allege fraud, which is different than improper payments. However, the state may have to pay back $28.7 million to the federal government.

"Mills, a Democrat running for the U.S. Senate, said in a statement Monday that Oz's statements mark another example of the Trump administration's 'malicious playbook' of targeting its political opponents.

" 'Let’s be clear about what this is: Maine is facing a political attack from a president who uses allegations of fraud as a pretense to send (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and other weaponized federal agents into states led by Democrats with devastating consequences,' she said in a statement."

Read more:
https://www.mainepublic.org/politics/2026-02-09/mills-ozs-fraud-allegations-pull-from-malicious-playbook-for-targeting-trumps-political-foes

cc: @autistics

#MainePublic #USPol #Autism #Targeting #Fascism

#ShennaBellows says Trump's call for federal #elections takeover is blatantly #unconstitutional

#MainePublic | By Steve Mistler
Published February 3, 2026

"Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows said Tuesday that President Donald Trump's call for a federal takeover of elections is blatantly unconstitutional, but a threat that should be taken seriously given moves his administration has already made.

"Bellows, a Democrat who is also running for governor, says the president's comments on a right-wing podcast about commandeering elections in 15 unnamed states fit a troubling pattern. That includes an effort by the Department of Justice to obtain states' private voter data, which Bellows' office is fighting alongside Oregon in federal court.

"Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon also pushed back after receiving a letter from Attorney General Pam Bondi suggesting the immigration surge there would end if officials complied with the DOJ, a request he described as 'apparent ransom.'

"Bellows said those moves, along with the FBI's recent raid of election offices in #FultonCounty #Georgia, suggest Trump is trying to preempt voter backlash to his policies in coming #elections.

" 'The president fears big losses in the 2026 and 2028 and is trying to set the stage for federal interference in our elections,' she said.

"Under the #Constitution, states govern American elections. But Trump has frequently made unsubstantiated claims that Democrats exploit the decentralized system to rig outcomes."

Source:
https://www.mainepublic.org/politics/2026-02-03/shenna-bellows-says-trumps-call-for-federal-elections-takeover-is-blatantly-unconstitutional

#USPol #Elections #USElections #Elections2026 #TrumpSucks #Unconstitutional #VotingRights #StatesRights #VoterDisenfranchisement
#Authoritarianism #Fascism #VoterRegistration #VoterDisenfranchisement

More of this, please!!!

#RockportME - #Midcoast nonprofits team up to preserve historic #farmland — and build new #housing

Maine Public | By Nicole Ogrysko
Published November 29, 2025 at 8:31 AM EST

"Two midcoast nonprofits are teaming up to preserve a historic dairy farm in Rockport — and build new affordable housing on site.

#MaineCoastHeritageTrust has owned more than 160 acres south of Route 90 for the last 15 years. The #EricksonFieldsPreserve has #WalkingTrails and a #CommunityGarden, where students have learned to grow produce for nearby #FoodBanks.

Recently, the Heritage Trust secured the farm's remaining six acres across the street, where the old farmhouse and dairy barn are located.

When a family member living in the farmhouse passed away a few years ago, Aaron Englander with the Maine Coast Heritage Trust said the nonprofit began to think about how the property could be preserved for community benefit.

Housing, Englander said, emerged as a clear need. The Heritage Trust acquired the six-acre property and plans to preserve five of them. It has donated the remaining acre to the #MidCoastRegionalHousingTrust, which plans to develop one and two-bedroom apartments.

The housing shortage is being felt throughout the region, said Jonathan Goss, president of the housing trust. Knox County needs nearly 1,300 new homes by the end of the decade.

'Services are being cut back or being lost because of a lack of employees,' he said. 'Everybody knows someone who either grew up here or had been living here who is not able to live here any longer.'

The housing trust plans to renovate the old farmhouse on site for rental housing first, and then construct eight new apartments for working families there later on. Goss said these are families with teachers, public safety officers, nurses and others who earn too much to qualify for subsidized housing, but not enough to afford a median-priced home in the region, which now surpasses $450,000.

Housing development is sometimes pitted against land and environmental conservation efforts. But Englander with the Maine Coast Heritage Trust said this project could serve as a statewide model for balancing those interests.

'[This can] show people that yes, you can conserve wildlife habitat, you can conserve farmland, soils and agricultural know-how, and you can create access to public lands and outdoor educational spaces all in one property,' he said."

Read more:
https://www.mainepublic.org/business-and-economy/2025-11-29/midcoast-nonprofits-team-up-to-preserve-historic-farmland-and-build-new-housing

#SolarPunkSunday #LandPreservation #AffordableHousing #PreservingWildlifeHabitats #Farmland #Conservation #Maine #MainePublic #PublicBroadcasting

#Maine #FamilyPlanning will close its primary care practice at end of October

#MainePublic | By Patty Wight
Published October 1, 2025

"Maine Family Planning says it cannot sustain its primary care practice beyond this month.

"The nonprofit says it faced an impossible decision after losing $2 million in #Medicaid funding under a new federal law. That means 800 patients in #Aroostook and #Hancock counties will now need to find new primary care providers.

"The law bans health providers who also offer #abortions from being reimbursed by Medicaid.

“ 'The cruel and dangerous law has put us in an impossible situation,' President and CEO George Hill said in a written statement. 'Discharging and turning away vulnerable patients strikes at the very heart of MFP’s reputation as a trusted community provider that has been able to serve patients of any means for more than 50 years.'

"As a result, #MaineFamilyPlanning says they've been providing primary care to Medicaid patients in #EllsworthME, #HoultonME, and #PresqueIsleME free of charge since July."

Read more / Listen:
https://www.mainepublic.org/health/2025-10-01/maine-family-planning-will-close-its-primary-care-practice-at-end-of-october

#WomensHealth #FamilyPlanning #FundingCuts #MedicaidCuts #ProBirth #KillThePoor #TrumpSucks #USPol #MainePol

As if folks on #SNAP aren't having a hard enough time because of #SNAPCuts , there's this!!! (And it's been going on for a while in other states...)

#Maine DHHS reports #TheftRing of #SNAPBenefits

Maine Public | By Kevin Miller
Published August 15, 2025

"The Maine Department of Health and Human Services is urging federal food assistance recipients in Maine to change the PINs on their #EBT cards and check for fraudulent activity.

"So far this week, about 300 households who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, have lost $76,000 in benefits in a multi-state theft operation. The Maine Department of Health and Human Services said Thursday that the thieves appear to be using the electronic benefit transfer cards, or EBT cards, at point-of-sale terminals in other states.

"Maine is one of several states that has been hit by the theft operation targeting SNAP, which is formerly known as food stamps. But DHHS officials warned that the number of affected households could rise as the scale of the operation becomes clearer.

" 'This incident appears to be the result of large-scale theft involving stolen card numbers and PINs — sometimes referred to as ‘cloning’ — rather than a localized skimming device,' Ian Yaffe, director of the DHHS Office for Family Independence, said in a statement. 'While this type of fraud and theft have occurred in other states, this is the first time we have seen it at this scale in Maine. We are working with the federal government and our EBT vendor, Fidelity Information Services, to do all we can to prevent further theft of benefits from Maine people who rely on SNAP to supplement their monthly food budget.'

"More than 170,000 Maine residents currently receive SNAP benefits.

"DHHS officials said #FederalRules prohibit the state from replacing stolen SNAP money. That means affected households will have to wait until next month to receive additional benefits. In the meantime, DHHS said it is is working to connect those households with #FoodPantries or other community groups to help them bridge the gap until next month. The office said it is proactively contacting affected households, whenever possible.

"But DHHS officials are urging all SNAP recipients to take steps on their own to strengthen protections on their accounts.

Those steps include:

- Immediately changing the PIN on their EBT card and avoiding easy-to-guess numbers, such as 1234 or birthdays.
- Activating the lock/unlock feature to temporarily block access to benefits when not in use.
- Blocking out-of-state or online transactions.
- Regularly reviewing activity on their accounts.

"Those changes can be made online at the #PinetreeCard website or by using the #ebtEDGE app for mobile phones. Individuals who need assistance using the website or app can call Fidelity Information Services at 1-800-477-7428."

Source:
https://www.mainepublic.org/health/2025-08-15/maine-dhhs-reports-theft-ring-of-snap-benefits

#PublicRadio #MainePublic #MaineNews

So, I caught a glimpse of #EcoMaine's new recycling facility, which has been completed. The new imaging technology will help separate recyclables even faster and more efficiently! Pretty cool stuff!

#Ecomaine plans $25 million #recycling center upgrade

#MainePublic | By Peter McGuire
Published September 9, 2024

"One of Maine’s largest recyclers is planning a multi-million dollar upgrade of its Portland plant in anticipation of handling more cardboard and other household waste.

"Ecomaine, a #CommunityOwned corporation, plans to spend up to $25.2 million on state-of-the-art sorting equipment at a new recycling plant near its Portland headquarters.

"CEO Kevin Roche said the new automated sorting machines use #ImagingTechnology to separate mixed recycling such as paper, cardboard, plastic, glass and aluminum.

"The equipment will replace the company's current machines, installed around 2006.

"Back then, newsprint made up most of the recycling ecomaine handled, according to Roche. With a boom in online shopping and home delivery, however, cardboard has become the top material it handles.

" 'Paper packing has really taken over the recycling bin, so we need a new design and plus the new system is nearly 20 years old,' Roche said.

"The market for recyclables has rebounded from a slump after China stopped accepting most U.S. solid waste about seven years ago.

"American companies retrofitted mills to process used cardboard into more packaging material, boosting domestic demand, Roche said.

"But local policy is also likely to increase the amount of material ecomaine handles, he added.

"Maine regulators are finalizing requirements that producers pay for the cost of disposing #packaging waste. The extended producer responsibility program would reimburse towns and cities for their recycling programs.

"With that policy in place, Roche said that more communities will likely expand programs or revive abandoned recycling rather than 'leave money on the table.'

" 'So that in concert with public outcry for more recycling and more recovery, those two things are going to go hand in hand and I think, expand recycling programs,' Roche said.

"The company hopes its expansion will allow it to add more member communities that own and send waste to the Portland facility.

"Ecomaine plans to borrow $35.5 million through a bond issue for the recycling upgrade and a landfill expansion. Adding more landfill space will give the company seven more years to store ash from its waste-to-energy [#WTE] plant, according to the company.

"The public corporation is owned by a collection of towns and cities in southern Maine. It serves about 73 communities statewide."

Source:
https://www.mainepublic.org/climate/2024-09-09/ecomaine-plans-25-million-recycling-center-upgrade

#SolarPunkSunday #Recycle #TrashToEnergy #FoodWasteComposting #GarbageToGarden #Maine

Just further proving that #TrumpHatesChildren! He certainly hates #SesameStreet! Boo, hiss! (Not to mention #History, #Art, #Culture, etc.)

#MainePublic reacts to #Trump's order to end funding for #NPR, #PBS

by WGME Staff Fri, May 2nd 2025

https://wgme.com/news/local/maine-public-reacts-to-trumps-order-to-end-funding-for-npr-pbs-president-donald-trump-radical-woke-propaganda-concerns-biased-current-events-news-taxpaying-citizens-corporation-for-public-broadcasting-doge

#TrumpIsABully #TrumpIsAFascist #CorporationForPublicBroadcasting #PublicRadio #PublicTelevision #CharacteristicsOfFascism

Some great photos of the #PortlandME #April19th protest! Leave it to #MainePublic to have some great coverage!

Thousands return to Portland as part of another day of rallies across Maine

Maine Public | By Nicole Ogrysko
Published April 19, 2025 at 5:15 PM EDT

"Thousands of people gathered in Monument Square in Portland Saturday to protest what they say are threats to democracy, human rights and the U.S. Constitution from the Trump administration.

"The rally was one of many that took place in more than a dozen towns across Maine and organized as part of a national day of action by groups across the state."

Read more / view photos:
https://www.mainepublic.org/politics/2025-04-19/thousands-return-to-portland-as-part-of-another-day-of-rallies-across-maine

#PortlandMaine #MaineResists #Resistance #DumpTrump #DayOfAction #FundCPB #PublicRadio #PublicTelevision #BadDOGE #HandsOff

https://www.mainepublic.org/2025-04-04/sengage-nouvelles-de-la-semaine-ep-196-4-4-25

#maine #mainenouvelles #portlandmaine #nouvellesenfrançais #mainepublic

NOT JUST MAINE! #USDA ending local purchasing programs for #Maine #FoodBanks and #schools

#MainePublic | By Nicole Ogrysko
Published March 12, 2025

"The U.S. Department of Agriculture is ending two national programs that help food banks and schools in Maine — and around the country — purchase produce from local farmers.

"USDA told Maine officials and partners late last week that it has terminated the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program. It helped #GoodShepherd Food Bank buy produce from about 100 Maine farmers, which is then distributed to local food banks around the state.

"'That program is incredibly important to the state of Maine, both in food today — food that we source and distribute today — and in food tomorrow, which is the economic viability for those 100 #farmers and for our partner agencies to experience fresh, nutritious produce," said Good Shepherd President Heather Paquette.

"At the same time, Paquette said the food bank recently learned that USDA will stop delivering about 1 million pounds of food through the Emergency Food Assistance Program to Maine. Those deliveries are on hold for Good Shepherd — and food banks around the country — through at least June.

"Paquette said the USDA delivery represented about 20% of food that Good Shepherd moves around the state.

"The cuts — both to government food deliveries and to funds that Good Shepherd used to buy local produce — are concerning, Paquette said, because more Mainers are experiencing #FoodInsecurity.

"Our need is up every year," she said. 'This year we distributed 10% more food cases than we distributed the year before that, and that year was 10% over the [prior] year. So we're experiencing double-digit need increase in the state of Maine.'

"A spokesperson for the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry said the state received about $1.3 million for the Local Food Purchase Assistance program.

"USDA has also terminated the Local Food for Schools program, which provided more than $720,000 last year to Maine schools. Schools used those funds to buy food directly from local farmers to serve in their cafeterias.

"The program provided a big boost to the state's farmers, because more than 100,000 students eat at Maine schools every day, said Anna Korsen of the food security non-profit Full Plates Full Potential.

"'That has a huge impact on local economies, on #SmallFarms, and it's just better for kids," she said. 'The food's healthier, they're getting fresh, local foods in the school cafeteria.'

"A spokesperson for Maine's Department of Education said the state was expected to receive nearly $2.8 million for the Local #FoodForSchools program over the next three years. The funding was supposed to be disbursed later this spring.

"Maine still has a statewide local food purchasing program for schools. But Korsen said the federal program provided more purchasing power for Maine schools. In 2023 before Maine received federal #LFS funding, schools in the Pine Tree State spent just more than $168,000 on local food, Korsen said.

"These USDA programmatic cuts are separate from those that the department is making at the University of Maine System [which were just reversed]. And unlike those impacting UMaine, the termination of USDA's local purchasing programs affects food banks and schools around the country."

https://www.mainepublic.org/business-and-economy/2025-03-12/usda-ending-local-purchasing-programs-for-maine-food-banks-and-schools
#KillThePoor #USPol #MadKingTrump #RESIST! #FoodIsLife #WorkingPoor #SNAP #SaveTheFarms