AUGUSTA

McCain will visit Maine before Nov. 4, GOP says

Republican presidential candidate John McCain will make a swing into Maine before Election Day, state GOP officials said Wednesday.

Maine GOP Chairman Mark Ellis made the official announcement, but provided no details about the time and location of McCain's upcoming visit.

His announcement came as Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean visited the University of Maine and University of Maine at Farmington.

Ellis said McCain will be visiting the state "to talk directly to Maine voters about his plans to lower our taxes, reduce wasteful government spending and get our economy back on track."

State gets $500,000 grant to prevent youth suicide

The Maine Youth Suicide Prevention Program is receiving a $500,000 grant for its efforts in high schools.

The U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration awarded 18 grants worth about $27 million nationwide.

In Maine, 10 high schools will be selected to participate in a new project called Caring About Lives in Maine. The high schools will be announced Nov. 10.

"This is an exciting project and we're thankful that SAMHSA continues to support Maine's work in youth suicide prevention," Cheryl DiCara, director of the Maine Injury Prevention Program and Maine Youth Suicide Prevention Program, said in a statement Wednesday.

More information on the project and suicide prevention information can be found at www.mainesuicideprevention.org.

STATEWIDE

Maine seeks federal help to curb mercury pollution

Maine and six other Northeast states have petitioned the Bush administration to reduce the mercury pollution that drifts in from other parts of the country.

Mercury pollution from Midwest power plants is considered a primary reason Maine posts health advisories warning that children and pregnant women should limit consumption of freshwater fish.

The states filed the petition with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under the Clean Water Act, which they say requires the federal government to convene a conference between states and craft an agreement to protect water quality in the Northeast. Along with Maine, the states are Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont.

Maine and other states already have sued the federal government demanding stricter mercury pollution rules, and earlier this year prevailed in a federal appeals court.

Maine consumer confidence remains same since July

Maine consumer confidence, which saw a historic decline last winter and spring, remains low, but it has not experienced the same steep drop as the national level this fall, according to Market Decisions, a Portland research firm.

The firm's latest phone survey found that how Mainers view the economy has remained relatively unchanged since July, compared to a steep drop nationally.

The Conference Board, which has been surveying consumers nationally for their confidence levels for 41 years, reported yesterday its consumer confidence index had hit an all-time low.

The Market Decisions survey found 57 percent of Mainers say they are worse off financially than a year ago, up from 55 percent in July, but the number who expect to be worse off a year from now dropped from 33 percent in July to 17 percent in October. The Maine survey also found that Mainers are not in a spending mode. Some 63 percent of those surveyed said now is a bad time to make a major purchase.

NORTH BERWICK

FIRE LEAVES FAMILY HOMELESS

A North Berwick family is homeless tonight after fire swept through their two story home on Hammond...