Attorney General Steven Rowe today filed a stipulated judgment with Merck and Company, Inc. resolving a three-year investigation by 30 states concerning the company's deceptive promotion of the anti-inflammatory "Cox-2" drug Vioxx. In addition to a $58 million payment to the participating states, with Maine's share being $1.1 million the judgment filed in the Kennebec County Superior Court will restrict Merck's ability to deceptively promote other Merck products.

Attorney General Steve Rowe announced today that Port Property Management, a Maine corporation which manages over 700 residential apartments in Portland and South Portland, has agreed to a Court-ordered Consent Decree which bars it from automatically charging an Early Termination Fee whenever a tenant has to leave the apartment before the lease has expired.

Attorney General Steve Rowe, Public Health Director Dr. Dora Mills and the Partnership for a Tobacco Free Maine are seeking to add to the more than 600 retailers across Maine that participate in the ?NO BUTS? (Blocking Underage Tobacco Sales) program. The drive to enroll new retailers follows the distribution of an updated brochure and training DVD that was sent to participating merchants in April.

Attorney General Steve Rowe announced today that the State has entered into a Consent Decree with Level 10 Marketing, Inc., a New Orleans corporation, and Newcastle Chrysler Dodge Jeep of Newcastle Maine. The Consent Decree, which was signed by Kennebec County Superior Court, prohibits the two companies from using unfair and deceptive advertisements or practices such as sales ?vouchers? which appear to promise ?$4,000 Instant Savings? when in fact such savings are not realized.

The flood waters that poured into Aroostook County this week damaged homes, roads and businesses, but Attorney General Steve Rowe warns that people need to be on guard to ensure that they are not victims a second time.

?After natural disasters, door to door salespeople hit the street offering clean up and repair services. While many of these people are honest and reputable, some are not.? Rowe said, ?It is important to protect your home and your wallet from unscrupulous scam artists.?

Today, Attorney General Steve Rowe announced that Joel Palmer, Jr., and his wife Shannon Marie Palmer, both of Augusta, were sentenced Wednesday for stealing credit cards from a 97 year old resident of a nursing facility, and then embarking upon a shopping spree of over 100 transactions in the amount of more than $9,000 over a two month period.

The State Foreclosure Prevention Working Group, a group of state attorneys general and banking regulators working to prevent home foreclosures, issued a report Tuesday concluding that efforts have increased but are falling far short of the need to address the foreclosure crisis and prevent millions of unnecessary foreclosures. A copy of the full report entitled ?Analysis of Subprime Mortgage Servicing Performance? is available on the Maine Attorney General?s website at www.maine.gov/ag.

Attorney General Steve Rowe announced today that the hours of operation for the Attorney General?s Consumer Mediation and Information phone line (Consumer Line) have been expanded. The toll free line, (800) 436-2131, will now be open Mondays through Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to noon and from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Augusta, Maine: The Maine Bureau of Insurance and the Maine Attorney General have resolved concerns about MEGA Life and Health Insurance Company?s (MEGA Life) flawed method of determining premiums for individual health insurance policies, including payment of a $1,000,000 fine against the company. The $1,000,000 represents a civil penalty of $250,000 for the years 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007, which represents the time that MEGA Life wrote individual health policies in Maine. MEGA Life is also required to refund $4.6 million in overpaid premiums, plus interest, to consumers.

Attorney General Steve Rowe announced that the State of Maine has charged Abbott Laboratories and French drug company Fournier with violating antitrust laws in delaying the availability of a cheaper, generic version of TriCor, a cholesterol drug which last year accounted for over one billion dollars of Abbott?s sales.