Thomaston, Maine
Lobsterman shares catch with the needy
A lobsterman in Maine carried on his tradition of giving away lobsters to those in need on Christmas. Noah Ames set up his pickup truck in a parking lot in Thomaston on Sunday with a sign that read ‘‘Free lobsters today for families truly in need.’’ Ames started the tradition four years ago to demonstrate to his children that Christmas is about more than present wish lists. He gave out 400 pounds of lobster in an hour Sunday. He provided 100 pounds while the rest was donated by other companies. Walter Davis, of Thomaston, says he has stopped by each year. He says this was a particularly rough year with six relatives dying within a few months of each other. (AP)
Concord, N.H.
Hassan wants websites to be mobile friendly
A bill introduced by US Senators Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire and Cory Gardner of Colorado to require all new federal websites to be mobile-friendly is headed to the president’s desk. Hassan, a Democrat, and Gardner, a Republican, say the Connected Government Act will support low-income individuals who rely on mobile broadband at higher rates. They say it will also help many citizens who experience disabilities who regularly use wireless technology. Hassan said as mobile devices continue to surpass desktop use for accessing the internet, it is important that the federal government is up to speed with the latest technology Gardner said the bill will promote transparency and bring the government into the 21st century. (AP)
Boston
State House to close doors one hour earlier
The new year will bring new hours of operation to the State House, as the gates will swing closed an hour earlier than they did in 2017. The rollback will close State House public entrances at 5 p.m. instead of 6 p.m. The change was a recommendation of State House Security Director Adam Elias, who said his goal is to bring the building in line with other government buildings that close at 5 p.m., like Boston City Hall, “without impacting the services the building offers.’’ Gates will remain open to the public during evening House and Senate sessions, and during any legislative committee hearings that run past 5 p.m., he said. (State House News Service)
Boston
Baker seeks fingerprint checks on tax workers
State agencies would need to obtain fingerprint-based background checks for current or prospective employees with access to federal tax information, under a bill filed by Governor Charlie Baker. The legislation is required to bring Massachusetts into compliance with new Internal Revenue Service background check requirements, Baker wrote in a message to lawmakers. He said the bill would primarily apply to the Department of Revenue. (State House News Service)
New Haven
Yale helps employees buy homes in city
A Yale University program that helps employees buy homes in designated areas of New Haven has been extended through 2019. Yale says 1,221 faculty and staff members have used the program. It was introduced in 1994 to help boost some of the less affluent neighborhoods in its home city. Yale trustees voted at a meeting this month to renew the program for another two-year phase. (AP)
