News Briefs

Appropriations Committee Makes Progress with Budget; Removes Sunday Hunting from Budget
From Rep. Mark Bryant, (D-Windham)

AUGUSTA - Members of the Legislature's Appropriations Committee worked through the weekend making progress on the 2006-2007 Budget.
In general, Democratic and Republican Committee Members continue to find common ground on major policy areas. One noteworthy decision that took place this weekend was the unanimous decision to remove Sunday hunting from the budget.

Initial votes have been taken on all or almost all of the items in the budget related to many departments, including Department of Administrative and Financial Services; Marine Resources; Inland, Fisheries, and Wildlife; Agriculture; Natural Resources; Conservation; Department of Economic and Community Development; Department of Environmental Protection; Land Use Regulations Commission; Criminal Justice, and others. During Monday's session, they reviewed Corrections, Public Safety and Labor.

The Joint Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs is meeting daily in Room 220 of the State House. This and upcoming budget updates, can be found online at:
www.mainehousespeaker.org/budgetupdates.

Cendant Settlement Services group acquires a leading title company in New England
Market Street Settlement Group, Inc. Joins Cendant Settlement Services Group Family of Companies

Cendant Settlement Services Group (CSSG), a subsidiary of Cendant Corporation (NYSE: CD), announced that it has acquired Market Street Settlement Group, Inc., a firm headquartered in Manchester, New Hampshire. Market Street Settlement Group (MSSG) was one of the largest independently owned and operated title companies in New England with 11 branch offices located throughout New Hampshire and southern Maine, including an office in Gray, Maine.

The acquisition included MSSG's title insurance operations as well as its Market Street Commercial Title Company. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Under the new ownership structure, the firm will continue to do business and operate as Market Street Settlement Group.

Michael K. Massey is the founder of Market Street Settlement Group and will continue to serve as the firm's president. Mr. Massey established Market Street Settlement Group, Inc. in 1999, as the successor to Landmark Title, Inc., a firm that he founded in 1984. Today, Market Street Settlement Group and Market Street Commercial Title Company and its approximately 30 employees provide a full range of real estate information and settlement services, from straightforward title searches and mortgage loan surveys and title insurance, all the way to settlements for complex 1031 exchange transactions and off-site closings in unusual locations.

Maine implementing registration of livestock premises for national animal ID system

AUGUSTA - Livestock farmers owners can now sign up for a unique "premises identification number" for their livestock facilities through the Maine Animal Identification System (MAIS).

Officials in the Maine Department of Agriculture, Division of Animal Health and Industry are in the process of identifying locations that manage or hold animals and assigning them a premises identification number through MAIS.
This is a first step to build a state and national animal identification system established through the United States Department of Agriculture.

The data will help identify animals that may have been exposed to a serious disease and determined where that exposure occurred. The information will help with disease containment.

The impetus for a national identification and tracking system accelerated after a Canadian-born cow with (BSE) Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy was diagnosed in a Washington herd in 2003, the first case detected in the United States.

"Premises" includes farms and hobby farms; veterinary clinics; stables; livestock markets; livestock trucker and dealer premises where animals are kept; slaughter, rendering and dead animal plants; livestock exhibitions; and any other location where livestock is kept.

Eventually, Maine will require identification for all types of food animals, but for now the emphasis is on beef and dairy cattle. In the next few years, food markets will require ID all the way through the system to farm of origin.
Farmers will receive this unique identification number for farms and other property where livestock are kept. The number is assigned to a location, similar to an address.

Participation in premises registration is voluntary at this time, but the expectation is for the program to become mandatory in the future.
If you would like to register your premises or need further information on the MAIS, please contact Judy Perry, Animal Identification Coordinator at 287-4507 or by e-mail at judy.h.perry@maine.gov.


Opportunity Farm for Boys and Girls receives grant
By Denise Duda

Opportunity Farm for Boys and Girls in New Gloucester has received a grant award from Oxford Networks in the amount of $12,500. Oxford Networks opened a new corporate office and switching station in Lewiston last year. In addition to cable TV and high-speed internet access service, the company is building a fiber optic network for the Lewiston-Auburn area. The telecommunications corporation issued a challenge to other Lewiston-Auburn businesses to match their grant.

The funds are in the form of support scholarships for Lewiston area youth participating in the program at Opportunity Farm. The Farm helps support at-risk children with a safe home and the academic and social tools they need to succeed.

"We are obviously very excited about the opportunity to partner with Oxford Networks and other Lewiston businesses through their grant challenge," said Julie Poulin, Director of Development at Opportunity Farm. "About 1/3 of our kids come from the Lewiston-Auburn area. Each child that comes gets 100% financial assistance so this certainly helps."

Poulin reports that 2/3 of their budget comes from private sources such as corporate or individual donations. Opportunity Farm has worked with at-risk boys from the area for almost 100 years and opened their first home for girls in December 2002. They hope to open a second home for girls in June 2005.

Spring into health
"Day of Health" planned for Vernal Equinox

FALMOUTH, March 7, 2005-From 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 20, Maine Audubon and Yoga in Maine will offer day of health-focused programs at Gilsland Farm Audubon Center.

Programs include yoga, dance, deep relaxation and presentations by health and diet experts from around the state. Participants can also sign up to receive back massages.

It will be a day of relaxation and renewal for body, mind and spirit and a great way to celebrate the onset of the spring.

Participants can choose from:
--gentle yoga with Deb Cook, Kripalu yoga teacher and founder of Yoga in Maine;
--a reading and discussion plus healthy snacks with Jessica Porter, author of "The Hip Chick's Guide to Macrobiotics;"
--a discussion about the liver with Lisa Silverman, owner of Five Seasons Cooking School;
--a session on spring space-clearing with Tony Shuttleworth, owner of the Koru Institute;
--dance and yoga movement and deep relaxation with Cook; and
--a tea ceremony and meditation on the increasing daylight with Karin Dillman, Kripalu yoga teacher.

Lunch will be provided by Small Potatoes Catering.
The workshop is $75 for all or part of the day. Advance registration is necessary; to register, call at (207) 781-2330, ext. 215.

For more information on other Maine Audubon programs, visit www.maineaudubon.org.