News Briefs

Documents Show Maine BMV Pessimistic on Driver's License Law
Rachel Myers, Maine Civil Liberties Union

Portland--Newly obtained documents reveal that Maine state officials are concerned that federal legislation called the Real ID Act will require extensive changes to existing practices at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, will be extremely difficult to implement by the Act's deadline, and will carry heavy expenses that will have to be absorbed by Maine taxpayers and license applicants. The Act, passed by Congress last spring, imposes federal regulations on the design, issuance and management of state driver's licenses -turning them, for all practical purposes, into federal identity papers.

Myers noted that the national survey responses showed that the concerns expressed by Maine officials are broadly shared by motor vehicles administrators around the United States. For example, no state that responded to the survey seems to believe it is possible in the near future to link all the motor vehicle information databases between all states, as the statute requires. And 3 in 4 states reacted with "medium" to "high" concern to Real ID's extensive new document-verification requirements, which they said would involve major systems changes and increased hiring - and that is assuming that AAMVA or the federal government will build electronic systems for verification. In the survey, Maine officials wrote that the new regulations would require systematic, procedural, statute, and contractual changes. Maine's response to the AAMVA survey along with other documents is online at www.realnightmare.org

Free Speech in the University Classroom

The University of Southern Maine will be the place for debate and discussion about free speech in university classrooms at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, January 31, in the Moot Court Room, University of Maine School of Law, Deering Ave., and Portland.

The free panel discussion, "Controversies in the Classroom: The Academic Bill of Rights, Advocacy Teaching, and Free Speech," will examine the issues that led to academic bill of rights legislation across the country.
Republican-led academic bill of rights legislation has been proposed in many states by lawmakers who felt colleges and universities employed a greater number of liberal faculty than conservative faculty. (Maine's legislation, LD 1194, received an "ought not to pass" from the Majority Committee that was adopted by the Senate on May 20, 2005.)

This USM panel will feature faculty who hold a range of political beliefs: Professor of American and New England Studies Ardis Cameron, a Guggenheim and National Endowment for the Humanities Fellow, is a longtime scholar activist interested in social justice. Interim Dean of the School of Business and Professor of Business Administration John Voyer is concerned that expressions of centrist and conservative views are not encouraged. Associate Professor of History Eileen Eagan has written about 20th century student movements. Associate Professor of Arts and Humanities Eve Raimon presented a paper earlier this month about academic freedom in the classroom at the annual meeting of the Association of American Colleges and Universities. Associate Professor of Women's Studies and Sociology Wendy Chapkis will moderate the panel that is sponsored by USM's Women's Studies Program.

This event concludes USM's Constitution Day series that began last September following a Congressional mandate requiring educational institutions receiving federal funds to observe the signing of the United States Constitution.

Let Dirigo Work
Democratic Lawmakers Agree Dirigo Needs to Move Forward

AUGUSTA-Senate Majority Leader Michael Brennan, D-Portland, and Senator Arthur Mayo, D-Bath, commented on the "Let Dirigo Work" rally in the State House held last week, indicating their continued support of the program. Over 100 people participated in the rally, including consumer health care advocates, and business owners and individuals with Dirigo Health coverage.

Senator Arthur Mayo said that Dirigo Health is succeeding in providing coverage to over 8,000 individuals and 2000 small business across the state - it has been the fastest selling insurance product this year in Maine. Senator Mayo currently chairs the Joint Select Committee on Health and Human Services and served as a member of the Joint Select Committee on Health Care Reform which created Dirigo Health with bipartisan support over 2 years ago.

Gray Region Citizen Corps elects new officers

Outgoing Executive Director Mark Grover congratulates the following people elected as officers of the Gray Region Citizen Corps (GRCC) for 2006. The group began meeting in mid-2003, and formally became a non-profit charitable organization at the start of 2004.

Executive Director
Frank DeMers was elected Executive Director for 2006. Frank has been a member since the group's founding. He is a police officer for the Town of Cumberland and is a volunteer EMT with Gray Fire-Rescue. He teaches American Heart Association CPR and First Aid classes, and is a Girl Scout leader.

Deputy Director
Terri Welch was elected as Deputy Director. Terri is a business owner in Gray, and is becoming active as a team leader in the new Windham community emergency response program.

Secretary/Treasurer
Kellie DeMers was re-elected as Secretary-Treasurer and has been generously and skillfully serving in this capacity since the founding of the group. Kellie is married to our newly elected Executive Director.
The official address of the organization is, Gray Region Citizen Corps, c/o Gray Public Safety Building, 125 Shaker Road, Gray, ME 04039
Non-emergency messages for the Gray Region Citizen Corps may be left at the Gray Dispatch center (207) 657-3931. A GRCC officer will return the call. E-mail: info@grccme.org, Web site: www.grccme.org
Gray Region Citizen Corps accomplishments for 2005

Eleven scheduled safety seminars, including:
Medical response to the "Dirty Bomb" scenario by Dr. Saucier of Maine Medical Center
"The Bunker" tour of the Cumberland County EMA command center
Identity Theft with representatives of Identity Cops (Inc.) of Westbrook
Gray Fire-Rescue equipment tour with Gray EMA Director and Fire Captain Gary Wood
Red Cross shelter operations certification class
Maine Wilderness K-9 Search and Rescue "Lost in the Woods?" program and dog team demonstration
Maine Poison Control Center program
Chainsaw safety training at Whitney Tree Service
Maine 2-1-1 Program presentation and discussion with the state program director
Two seminars were postponed due to snow

Also in 2005:

Fielded one team for the Keep ME Warm winterization program
Completed one CERT team training program.
Purchased and stocked safety vests and hard hats.
Participated in New Gloucester community fair.
Donated smoke detectors to Town of Gray food pantry.
Obtained $400 in funding in Town of Gray budget approved for 2005-06. Applied for funding for 2006-07.
Continued participation in VolunteerPortland.org online volunteer registry.
Issued three electronic newsletters.
Participated in Cumberland County Citizen Corps Council business meetings.
Participated in GPCOG Central Corridor Coalition meetings on public safety.
Established a website and an e-mail address.
Participated in panel at conference sponsored by Greater Portland Neighborhoods Coalition.
Executive Director Grover was a finalist (not an awardee) in Channel 6 "Six Who Care" volunteer recognition program.

USDA Announces Grant Opportunities

Bangor, ME, January 17, 2006 - Joyce Swartzendruber, State Conservationist for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Maine, has announced that up to $24 million is available nationwide through two conservation grant opportunities.

Up to $4 million has been released for the Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative (CCPI) for 2006. A nationwide competition, CCPI fosters the development of conservation partnerships to focus technical and financial resources on conservation priorities in watersheds and airsheds of special significance. Under CCPI, funds are awarded to State and local governments and agencies, Indian tribes, and non-governmental organizations that have a history of working with agricultural producers.

The CCPI offers two components: Conservation Priorities and Rapid Watershed Assessment. It is a component of the Conservation Technical Assistance (CTA) program. The deadline for submitting proposals is March 7, 2006.

The second grant is the Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG). Up to $20 million has been released for 2006. A nationwide competition, CIG promotes the development and adoption of innovative conservation technologies and approaches while leveraging Federal investment in environmental enhancement and protection, in conjunction with agricultural production.

Under CIG, Environmental Quality Incentives Program funds are used to award competitive grants to non-Federal governmental or non-governmental organizations, Tribes, or individuals. It enables NRCS to work with other public and private entities to accelerate technology transfer and adoption of promising technologies and approaches to address some of the Nation's most pressing natural resource concerns. Proposals are due March 20, 2006.

"This is a great opportunity to get additional conservation dollars to Maine", said Ms. Swartzendruber. "We hope to receive some innovative and cooperative project proposals that will benefit Maine's natural resources and the people of Maine."

Program funding announcements and instructions for both of these grant opportunities are available atwww.me.nrcs.usda.gov.