Leader of Navy shipbuilder in Maine abruptly resigns
BATH, Maine (AP) — The leader of Navy shipbuilder Bath Iron Works has abruptly resigned. A terse notification to employees announced Thursday that Dirk Lesko had resigned from the General Dynamics subsidiary that employs about 7,000 workers. Lesko led the Maine shipyard through a reset after his predecessor’s stormy relationship with the unionized workforce and then dealt with a tumultuous period that included a pandemic and his own labor troubles including a strike. There was no reason given for Lesko’s departure, which was announced in a two-sentence memo to workers Thursday.
SUPREME COURT APPOINTMENT
Potential first Black judge on top Maine court faces hearing
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A Maine judge who could become the first African American to serve on Maine’s highest court is set to face a confirmation hearing. Maine Gov. Janet Mills nominated Rick Lawrence to serve on the Maine Supreme Judicial Court. He is a two-decade veteran district judge. Lawrence faces a confirmation hearing before a committee of the Maine Legislature on Friday. He currently serves as deputy chief judge of the District Court. If confirmed by the Senate, Lawrence would replace Justice Ellen Gorman, who announced her intent to retire in January 2021.
MEDICAL SCHOOL MOVING
Plan to move Maine’s only medical school gets federal boost
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The federal government is providing Maine’s only medical school with $5 million to help it move. University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine is located in Biddeford, but the university wants to move the school to Portland. The university, which is the largest private school in Maine, said the move would allow it to admit more medical students and consolidate its health professions programs on one campus. The university is also home to a dental school and physician assistant program as well as other health programs.
BC-US-NAVY-SHIP-CUTS
US Navy intends to decommission some of its newest warships
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The U.S. Navy was once enamored with speed. It wanted lighter, faster ships to deal with threats during the war on terror, before pivoting to Russia and China and their modern navies. The Navy now wants to retire nine recently built littoral combat ships, which cost about $4.5 billion altogether to build. Chief of naval operations Adm. Mike Gilday said this week that it’s better to have a smaller, lethal force than a larger force that’s “less ready, less lethal and less capable.” The oldest of the littoral combat ships is 10 years old. Congress must sign off on the Navy’s proposal to decommission ships ahead of their projected service life.
MAINE LEGISLATURE-OUT-OF-STATE WASTE
Maine Senate votes to close loophole on out-of-state garbage
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — The Maine Senate has voted unanimously to ban out-of-state garbage from being dumped in a state-owned landfill. The bill approved by a 32-0 vote on Wednesday aims to close a loophole that allowed out-of-state trash to be processed and reclassified in Maine, and then dumped om Maine’s only publicly owned landfill, Juniper Ridge, near Old Town. The waste is mostly comprised of construction debris like drywall, concrete, asphalt, shingles — and toxic chemicals like mercury, arsenic and asbestos. The House will likely take up the bill next week.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-MAINE
Sen. Susan Collins of Maine tests positive for COVID-19
BANGOR, Maine (AP) — Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine has tested positive for COVID-19. Collins’ office said the veteran senator tested positive late Thursday afternoon, several hours after voting to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court. Collins’ office says in a statement that the 69-year-old senator would isolate and work remotely in accordance with federal guidelines. The office said she was experiencing mild symptoms. The only member of Maine’s four-member congressional delegation who has not tested positive for COVID-19 at some point is Democratic Rep. Chellie Pingree. Democratic Rep. Jared Golden tested positive last month, and independent Sen. Angus King tested positive last year.