The Maine Legislature is ready to dispatch unfinished business that extends well beyond several vetoed bill. Lawmakers are also voting Friday on 80 late spending proposals that the governor warned could push the budget “to the breaking point.” Democratic Gov. Janet Mills chided the budget committee this week for advancing additional spending proposals after she urged the Democratic-controlled Legislature to show restraint and set aside money ahead of anticipated flat revenues. A spokesperson for the governor issued a statement accusing the committee of employing “budget gimmicks like stripping ..read more

A convicted scammer who claimed to be an Irish heiress and who is accused of stealing tens of thousands of dollars from several victims should be extradited to the United Kingdom, a federal court has ruled. Marianne Smyth, who accusers say has also fashioned herself as a witch, a psychic and a friend to Hollywood stars, has been in a Maine jail waiting to learn if she will be extradited. She faces allegations that she stole more than $170,000 from the victims from 2008 to 2010 in Northern Ireland. U.S. Magistrate Judge John Nivison ruled on Thursday that there is sufficient evidence to certify ..read more

Two people died when a driver lost control of his Jeep on Interstate 95 in Old Town, Maine, early Thursday, state police said. Both the driver, Patrick McMullin, an 18-year-old from Howland, and his passenger, Treasa Savage, an 18-year-old from Lincoln, were pronounced dead at the scene, police said. Investigators believe that McMullin was traveling south on the highway when he lost control of the SUV while passing another vehicle around 5:45 a.m. and veered off the road, hitting a tree, according to police. Police continued to investigate what happened as of later Thursday morning. More Maine ..read more

A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit brought by a Maine woman who accused school officials of encouraging her teen’s gender expression by providing a chest binder and using a new name and pronouns, without consulting parents. U.S. District Judge Jon Levy acknowledged his decision that a mother such as Amber Lavigne “might expect school officials to keep her informed about how her child is navigating matters related to gender identity” but he concluded that she failed to establish legal claims for which the school district could be held liable. The lawsuit filed last year was the latest to weigh ..read more

Several people were injured Saturday when an antique vehicle struck a parade float in Kennebunk, Maine, in what appears to be a total accident. Kennebunk Fire-Rescue says many people unfortunately witnessed the accident that occurred at the start of the parade formation on Water St. According to Kennebunk Fire-Rescue, the antique vehicle “lurched forward unexpectedly” and ended up crushing several people between the car and a trailer being used as a float with numerous children on it. Three adults were injured, including two who suffered significant injuries to their lower extremities. Police ..read more

A 21-year-old motorcyclist from Connecticut has died following a crash on the Maine Turnpike Friday evening. The Maine Department of Public Safety says Zachary Swain was exiting Interstate 95 around 6:30 p.m. when he failed to negotiate the curve of the Exit 32 southbound off-ramp in Biddeford, causing his motorcycle to strike a guard rail, according to NBC10 Boston affiliate News Center Maine. Swain was thrown from his motorcycle, and he was pronounced dead at the scene, News Center Maine reports. The exit was closed for two hours as crews worked to clear the scene. Further details have not b ..read more

It’s a dilemma no business owner should have to face: whether to reopen after a mass shooting. The answer didn’t come easily to Justin and Samantha Juray. But when they did decide to reopen their Maine bowling alley, they didn’t hold back. When patrons return Friday, six months after the gunman opened fire, they will see inspiring pictures at the end of each lane, bright paint on the walls, and new floors. The Lewiston venue has undergone a complete makeover, giving it a vibrant, airy feel. Samantha Juray gets emotional when recalling the events of Oct. 25, when the gunman killed eight people ..read more

A British national who forced a United Airlines plane flying from London to the New York City area to be diverted to Maine earlier this year has been ordered to reimburse the airline over $20,000 for interfering with flight crew. Alexander Michael Dominic MacDonald, 30, was sentenced this week in U.S. District Court in Bangor for interfering with a flight crew, according to the Transportation Security Administration. He was sentenced to time served and ordered to pay $20,638 in restitution. He had been in custody since his arrest and pleaded guilty on March 22. The charge stemmed from an incid ..read more

Democratic Gov. Janet Mills on Friday signed into law a suite of gun safety legislation approved by lawmakers after the deadliest mass shooting in state history, expanding background checks for private sales of weapons, bolstering the state’s “yellow flag” law, criminalizing the transfer of guns to prohibited people and expanding mental health crisis care. The governor told lawmakers during her State of the State address that doing nothing was not an option after an Army reservist with an assault rifle killed 18 people and injured 13 others in Lewiston on Oct. 25. The bills drew opposition fro ..read more

A woman was killed and a man seriously hurt in a pileup that temporarily shut one side of the Maine Turnpike Friday morning, police said. A car being driven by a man from Boston hit a minivan and a pickup truck in Wells at about 8:41 a.m., sending the truck rolling across the road, Interstate 95, Maine State Police said. The pickup’s driver, Gloria Cascio, a 53-year-old from Albion, Maine, was pronounced dead at the scene, while a passenger in the vehicle, Vincent Cascio, a 60-year-old from Albion, was flown to Maine Medical Center with serious injuries, police said. The driver of the minivan ..read more