Thursday September 3

THE COAST

QSR Magazine - Most people consider lobster a delicacy reserved for fine-dining restaurants. But because of a supply glut that is bringing wholesale prices down, the tasty crustacean is showing up on more than just white tablecloths. Uno Chicago Grill, for example, offered lobster sliders, a lobster wrap, a lobster roll, and lobster and shrimp scampi on its Best of Summer menu, and D'Angelo Grilled Sandwiches continues to promote its Lobster Nation Lineup. The slogan for Boston-based Uno's promotion, "Way deeper than pizza," highlights lobster's ability to add pizzazz to a menu, says Dane Somers, executive director of the Maine Lobster Council. . . In the long term, such bargain-basement prices pose a grave threat to the salt of the lobster industry. But in the short term, the lobstermen's pain is the restaurant operator's gain. "This is the best year I've seen in a long time to try to capitalize on adding lobster to your menu, at least as a special," says Steve Kingston, owner of Kennebunkport, Maine, quick-serve The Clam Shack.

ECONOMY

Construction Digital - States have obligated 70 percent of highway stimulus funds for 6,929 projects as of August 31, according to the Federal Highway Administration. However, only 5 percent of funds had been expended. . . . Among the states, Wyoming had obligated the most, 99 percent, followed by Maine and New Hampshire, 95 percent each. . . Maine led in funds expended (40 percent), followed by Iowa and South Dakota (24 percent each).

INDICATORS

Maine Public Broadcasting - As Labor Day weekend approaches, state public safety officials say 100 people have been killed on Maine highways this year, the lowest number of highway deaths at this point in the year in at least 16 years.

GOVERNMENT

Maine Biz - Lawmakers were put on notice that the Department of Health and Human Services has no further areas to trim, and that lawmakers searching for an additional $30 million should prepare to cut services. "At this point there are no grand opportunities ... that represent $30 million or even a significant portion of it," Commissioner Brenda Harvey told members of the appropriations committee, reported the Bangor Daily News. . . . Among the options brought before the committee were early prisoner release, streamlining the Maine-Rx program and teacher furlough days, reported the Sun Journal. Education Commissioner Susan Gendron testified that $7 million in state and local funds would be saved per shutdown day for teachers, with about $3 million of that coming from the General Fund, reported the Sun Journal.

FAIR POINT

Maine Biz - The Maine Attorney General's office will drop its investigation into allegations that Fair Point Communications faked readiness to take over Verizon's landline telephone service in Maine. Maine Attorney General Janet Mills said no credible evidence has arisen following an anonymous email tip that charged Fair Point with presenting phony information to consultants hired by three state regulatory agencies to assess whether the company was ready to take over operations from Verizon, the Bangor Daily News reported. In a subsequent email, the writer clarified that he had no firsthand knowledge of the testing process. The Public Advocate's Office, which received the emails, still wants an independent investigation into the matter, but Mills said further inquiry is not warranted, according to the paper.

GAY MARRIAGE

Gay marriage on the ballot after religious extremists get nearly 100,000 signatures.

SENIORS

Boston Globe - A Maine-based nonprofit organization that provides door-to-door rides for senior citizens with no access to vehicles says it has delivered its 250,000th ride. ITN America said it gave the milestone ride to an 87-year-old woman from Bloomfield, Conn., who was delivered to a cathedral where her late husband had been a minister. The organization was founded in Maine in 1995 as the Independent Transportation Network. There are now 13 affiliates in 10 states.

EDUCATION

WGME - Portland's School Committee voted six to three, to approve a $1.3 million plan to buy laptop computers for high school students in the city. Along with that plan, the School Committee also voted to buy older laptops, previously used by 7th and 8th grade students, and give them to 6th grade students in the city. This would mean all middle school students attending Portland Public Schools would have access to laptop computers. The proposal will now go to the Portland City Council for final approval on the funding.

POLICE BLOTTER

Kennebec Journal - The FBI is investigating recent posts on Craigslist that offered to sell "Maine Indian scalps" to "white people only," according to court documents and the leader of the Penobscot Indian Nation, who reported the situation to state and federal officials. The person who posted the items claimed to have six scalps and related artifacts that were obtained by bounty hunters in the 1700s and came into his possession through a private family collection. . . It is unclear whether the scalps exist, or whether the person who posted the ad was trying to carry out an elaborate hoax. But based on dates and other details in the posts, federal investigators and Penobscot leaders have proceeded under the assumption that they are legitimate.

DRUG BUSTS

Maine Public Broadcasting - Maine will receive nearly $1.5 million as part of a record-setting $2.3 billion civil and criminal settlement with Pfizer, Inc. the world's largest manufacturer of pharmaceuticals. The agreement settles allegations that Pfizer and its subsidiaries paid kickbacks and marketed drugs for off-label uses. In a separate agreement with Pfizer over similar allegations involving different drugs, Maine will receive nearly $500,000. Maine Attorney General Janet Mills says the first $2.3 billion agreement settles allegations that Pfizer marketed the anti-inflammatory drug Bextra and other pharmaceuticals for conditions and dosages other than those for which they were approved. Pfizer is also alleged to have paid doctors cash, and provided them with entertainment, meals and travel to induce them to promote and prescribe Bextra and other drugs. Bextra was pulled from the market in 2005.