OXFORD ( AP) — A high school football coach who posted a nude photo of himself on Facebook has resigned. School Superintendent Rick Colpitts confirmed to the Sun Journal that former Oxford Hills School District football coach Paul Withee posted a photo that was intended to be seen by a personal friend but was inadvertently […]

TRENTON, N.J. In a move that supporters called a civil rights milestone, New Jersey’s state Senate on Monday passed a bill to recognize same-sex marriages, marking the first time state lawmakers officially endorsed the idea — despite the promise of a veto by Gov. Chris Christie. Monday’s vote was 24-16 in favor of the bill, […]

LOS ANGELES ( AP) — Whitney Houston’s life was a doleful cover of other addiction riddled pop stars who put their talent and themselves at risk. Her death has created more heartrending echoes of tragedies past: The painstaking investigation that follows the shocking loss. Why was Houston found underwater in a Beverly Hills hotel bathtub, […]

BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian government forces renewed their assault on the rebellious city of Homs today in what activists described as the heaviest shelling in days, as the U.N. human rights chief raised fears of civil war. Troops loyal to President Bashar Assad have been shelling Homs for more than a week to retake parts […]

OLYMPIA, Wash. Gov. Chris Gregoire signed into law a measure that makes Washington state the seventh to legalize same-sex marriage, but opponents almost immediately filed a referendum to challenge the new law, meaning voters likely will have the final say. Gregoire signed the bill Monday, saying it was “a day historians will mark as a […]

AUGUSTA The murders last June of a mother and her two children in Dexter underscores the need for legislation addressing bail in domestic violence cases, lawmakers were told Monday. But even as the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee took testimony on the bail proposal, it was told that Gov. Paul LePage is planning next […]

FREEPORT — The Freeport Women’s Club will host speaker Willo Wright on Friday for a talk titled, “Rebound, a Mentoring Program for Juvenile Offenders.” The program will begin at 1 p.m. at Freeport Community Library. Visitors are welcome.

TOPSHAM — The caucus of the Maine Green Independent Party for Topsham will take place at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 23 at the home of John and Carla Rensenbrink, 196 Cathance Road. Refreshments will be provided. John Rensenbrink will convene the caucus. For more information, call 725-6955.

BATH — Mike White of Island Carpentry is scheduled to lead a program titled “Zero Energy Homes” from 5: 30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Patten Free Library. “Just like a typical home, a Zero Energy Home (ZEH) is connected to, and uses energy from, the local electric utility,” a release about the program […]

BRUNSWICK — Beginning this week, state Rep. Alex Cornell du Houx, DBrunswick, will hold weekly office hours at the Little Dog Coffee Shop, 87 Maine St., from 7: 30 a. m. to 8: 30 a. m. every Thursday. “Cornell du Houx believes the informal setting in Little Dog allows for friendly, honest communication, and he […]