News Minute: Here is the latest Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont news from The Associated Press

Posted: Updated:

MAINE:

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - The communications chief for Gov. Paul LePage says it was her decision to put three newspapers on notice that she, the governor and other administration officials will no longer speak to them. Spokeswoman Adrienne Bennett says she saw a trend of bias among the papers.

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) - Maine lawmakers have failed in their first attempt to override a veto by Gov. Paul LePage to expand health care coverage to 70,000 more residents. But they say they will try again. LePage vetoed the bill, saying he fears the state will ultimately bear the financial burden for the new enrollees.

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) - The Maine state House has approved a bill to extend MaineCare coverage for certain drug addiction treatments to more than two years. It allows for the continuation of coverage for methadone and Suboxone if a person is pregnant, has serious mental illness or lives with a young child.

BANGOR, Maine (AP) - A Bangor man accused of killing his 49-year-old girlfriend has pleaded not guilty. David Coon is charged with murder in the death of Sherry Clifford. She died from asphyxiation and a neck injury. A police affidavit says Coon told investigators the two were on the floor in a tussle when he covered her mouth to keep her from screaming.

NEW HAMPSHIRE:

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - New Hampshire's House speaker says it will be hard to get the Democratic House to support a state budget that does not include a way to expand Medicaid to an estimated 58,000 poor adults. House Speaker Terie Norelli says there may not be enough votes in the House to pass a budget without expanding Medicaid.

LONDONDERRY, N.H. (AP) - School officials say a staff member at New Hampshire's Londonderry Middle School has been diagnosed with whooping cough, the third such case at the same school. Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is a highly contagious respiratory disease.

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - A nonprofit group that promotes marine conservation has been selected to move into a small storefront at Hampton Beach State Park. The Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation plans to open an education center focused on marine life, maritime history and conservation opportunities.

NORTH HAMPTON, N.H. (AP) - Fire investigators say one person has died in a camping trailer fire in North Hampton. They say the cause of Monday's fire is undetermined, but it was related to the operation of a propane-fired stove in the kitchen area of the camping trailer. The victim's identity has not been released. The person died yesterday.

VERMONT:

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - All three members of Vermont's congressional delegation are supporting the efforts of immigrant activist Danilo Lopez to avoid deportation and stay in the United States. The 23-year-old Lopez has been ordered to leave the country by July 5. Lopez has been active in a successful bid to allow farmworkers to get Vermont driver's licenses.

PEACHAM, Vt. (AP) - Police say the bodies of 2 men have been found at a home in Peacham where police have been investigating a shooting. Police began investigating when a woman reported a white van came to her home and her husband went outside. She told police she heard shots then couldn't find her husband.

SPRINGFIELD, Vt. (AP) - Vermont police say 33 people were taken into custody in the Springfield and Ludlow area as part of the latest in a continuing series of counter drug operations in the state. Most of the people arrested today were charged with heroin and cocaine crimes.

BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) - A Vermont woman accused of giving drugs to a woman who overdosed and died and to a man who overdosed and survived has been sentenced to 60 days on a work crew. Twenty-9-year old Anna Clark of Burlington allegedly gave cocaine to 54-year-old Cindy Goulet of Burlington, who later died of a combination of cocaine and Dilaudid.