• Read more about Reps. Mo Terry and Kristen Cloutier elected to lead House Democrats

AUGUSTA - Maine House Democrats on Thursday elected Rep. Mo Terry, D-Gorham, to serve as House Majority Leader and Rep. Kristen Cloutier, D-Lewiston, as Assistant Majority Leader.

Terry replaces termed-out Rep. Michelle Dunphy as House Majority Leader, while Cloutier replaces current Assistant Majority Leader Rep. Rachel Talbot Ross, who earned the House Democratic nomination to serve as Speaker of the House. A final vote on that position will be taken by the entire House of Representatives on Dec. 7 when the Legislature convenes for swearing-in day.

• Read more about House Democrats nominate Rep. Rachel Talbot Ross to serve as Speaker of the House

AUGUSTA - Maine House Democrats on Thursday nominated Rep. Rachel Talbot Ross, D-Portland, to serve as Maine's Speaker of the House for the 131st Legislature.

• Read more about Cloutier law expands eight workforce training programs across Maine

AUGUSTA - A law sponsored by Rep. Kristen Cloutier, D-Lewiston, to bolster Maine's workforce education and training programs, has been implemented by the Maine Department of Education (MDOE) to fund eight "Strengthening Maine Workforce" projects across the state.

• Read more about Law creating the Maine Redevelopment Land Bank Authority earns three awards

AUGUSTA - A new law sponsored by Rep. Melanie Sachs, D-Freeport, establishing the Maine Redevelopment Land Bank Authority, has earned three awards for its impact on the revitalization of communities throughout Maine.

• Read more about Fay to serve as House chair of PFAS Fund Advisory Committee

AUGUSTA - Rep. Jessica Fay, D-Raymond, has been named House chair of the newly-created PFAS Fund Advisory Committee. The committee, established in the Fiscal Year 2023 supplemental budget that was passed by the Legislature earlier this year, will make recommendations on how to utilize a $60 million fund to provide relief to Maine farmers that have been impacted by PFAS contamination.

• Read more about Heating Assistance Resources in Piscataquis County

The leaves are beginning to change and the mornings are becoming colder here in Dover-Foxcroft, meaning that winter is right around the corner. Around town, many of our neighbors have already expressed their concerns to me about struggling to heat their homes this winter due to the rising costs of oil and electricity. According to the Governor's Energy Office, as of September 26, the average price of heating oil in northern Maine has risen almost 70 percent over the past year, increasing from $2.71 per gallon to $4.51 per gallon.

• Read more about Gramlich to deliver keynote address at inaugural coastal erosion conference

AUGUSTA - Rep. Lori Gramlich, D-Old Orchard Beach, will deliver the keynote address at the First Annual Coastal Conference hosted by SOS Saco Bay on Tuesday, Sept. 27. The conference will focus on the challenge of confronting rising seas and coastal erosion, and Gramlich's remarks will provide an overview of climate change and its implications on Maine's shoreline and the economy.

• Read more about To the Editor:

Thanks to up to $500 million in federal and state funding, and the work my colleagues and I in Augusta did to advance access to high-speed internet for rural Mainers, we have a monumental opportunity to close the digital divide once and for all. Our leaders must prioritize solutions that bring broadband connectivity to communities still living without it and avoid proposals that will waste the finite funds we have or do little to address the factors driving our state's internet divide.

• Read more about McCreight earns national recognition from American Cancer Society

AUGUSTA - Rep. Jay McCreight, D-Harpswell, has been named a 2022 recipient of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network's National Distinguished Advocacy Award. The award recognizes lawmakers who have led efforts to fight against cancer and to support patients, survivors and their families.

• Read more about Cloutier earns national recognition from American Cancer Society

AUGUSTA - Rep. Kristen Cloutier, D-Lewiston, was named a 2022 recipient of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network's National Distinguished Advocacy Award at a reception held in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, Sept. 14. The award recognizes lawmakers who have led efforts to fight against cancer and to support patients, survivors and their families.