LePage signs insurance relief bill for agritourism businesses ...

AUGUSTA, Maine ? Gov. Paul LePage on Monday signed a new law that protects farmers, beekeepers and others in Maine?s agritourism industry from liability.

LD 1605 provides limited protection for landowners as long as they post signs stating that visitors accept the ?inherent risks? of any activity associated with their business.

This doesn?t mean landowners do not have to buy insurance to protect visitors, it just means anyone who files a lawsuit claiming injury must demonstrate more than just an inherent risk.

Maine already has similar statutes for activities such as skiing and horseback riding.

?This new law will help reduce the burden of insurance on local farmers,? said the bill?s sponsor, Rep. Aaron Libby, R-Waterboro. ?In the short term, the farmer will be provided with assurance that they have some protection from a major lawsuit due to a farm-related accident. In the long term, with fewer claims filed, premiums should decrease, there will be less chance of a policy denial and more options will be made available.?

Some common examples of agritourism in Maine include choose-and-cut Christmas tree farms, maple syrup sugarhouse tours, pick-your-own fruit and vegetable farms, animal parks, corn mazes and cider-making operations.

Libby?s family runs a pick-your-own fruit farm and he said at least 23 states have enacted laws to address agritourism businesses. He said data suggest that agritourism is much more significant for small farms, accounting for 50 percent of farm income for farms whose total income is in the $50,000-$249,000 range.

Since agritourism has become popular so quickly, few insurers are familiar with or are willing to underwrite the operations.

?Farmers may not know they need additional insurance,? Libby said. ?Most farm and ranch insurance policies are intended to cover risks associated with everyday farming exposure.?

LD 1605 had bipartisan support and many members of the Legislature?s Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee were on hand Monday for the bill signing, as was Agriculture Commissioner Walter Whitcomb.

?This legislation expands opportunities in Maine agriculture, especially for young farmers,? Whitcomb said. ?Clearly stated liability and assumption of risks gives this emerging sector of Maine agriculture the green light.?

Follow BDN reporter Eric Russell on Twitter @BDNPolitics.

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Home Improvement Tips For Making The Most Of Your Investment ...

Deciding to make home improvements is wise for many reasons. It can be overwhelming to do some home improvement projects. Whether you are interested in increasing property values in a home you plan to sell or simply making your home your own, you will find many helpful tips and tricks in this article.

Are you tired of your bedroom furniture? You can make it look brand new by refinishing it. It is a great way to get a new look in your home and save a ton of money. There are many different colors you can stain your furniture.

An excellent home improvement project which will save you money on potential damage and utility bills is re-caulking your windows. This prevents moisture from seeping in and causing mold growth, and it keeps drafts out, which can lower your heating bills. If there are cracks in the existing caulk, use a chisel to remove it, and then apply the new caulk.

TIP! When planning a landscaping project for your house, be sure to go beyond the home-improvement stores and check out online resources. You might just find deals and products that are not carried locally.

Regular cleaning of carpets helps you feel that your home is cleaner. Regularly have carpets deep cleaned and shampooed, especially areas that get high traffic. Your home will suddenly feel like new.

Be aware, if you need to hire a contractor for your home improvement work, that getting a good contractor is more important than getting the lowest price. Any contractor who vastly underbids a job and has a bad reputation is not the best choice. When the work is done, you will soon see flaws on the work that need repairs. Along with added repair costs, when projects are done carelessly, it could create an unsafe environment inside your house. Always select a contractor that is honest and reputable.

Consider painting as the first step of a project. This will save you the trouble of worrying about where the paint ends up. Even with tarps and drop cloths, you are sure to find a way to get some paint on your beautiful new flooring.

TIP! Create a budget for your landscaping efforts. It?s easy to get carried away and buy tools or materials that you can?t really afford.

Have a handy organizer where you keep different types of fasteners. This way, when you encounter a home improvement project that requires screws, anchors or nails, you will have them on hand and won?t have to run out to the store.

Safety is key when starting a new home project. Take sensible precautions so you don?t sustain an injury and so your house is not damaged. Read the instruction manuals for your tools, and take advantage of any tutorials before starting any home improvement project.

Real estate agents know the best additions to give a home added value. They know the housing market well and what people look for in a home.

Keep your ceiling fans in balance. Get rid of the annoying noise unbalanced fan blades make. A noisy ceiling fan often needs balance help. Check the fan blade screws, the screws on the blade arms, the motor frame screws, and the ceiling mounts. Give your fan blades a thorough cleaning while you adjust the fan?s balance.Try switching out all of the light bulbs in your house for energy efficient ones. They will save you a lot of money in bills and also are better for the Earth. They will last longer. So swap out those incandescent light bulbs for ones that are more energy efficient.

This article has shown you that there are ways to make home improvements manageable and easy to complete. Having your mind open is important when making these types of repairs. The article was written in order to provide you with the advice you need to make successful alterations to your home. By using these tips, you can update your home quickly!

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Two arrested in Oklahoma shootings that killed 3, wounded 2

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Memory declines faster in years closest to death; mental activity best protection

ScienceDaily (Apr. 4, 2012) ? New research finds that a person's memory declines at a faster rate in the two- and-a-half years before death than at any other time after memory problems first begin. A second study shows that keeping mentally fit through board games or reading may be the best way to preserve memory during late life. Both studies are published in the April 4, 2012, online issue of Neurology?, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

For the study, 174 Catholic priests, nuns and monks without memory problems had their memory tested yearly for six to 15 years before death. After death, scientists examined their brains for hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease called plaques and tangles.

"In our first study, we used the end of life as a reference point for research on memory decline rather than birth or the start of the study," said study author Robert S. Wilson, PhD, of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

The study found that at an average of about two-and-a-half years before death, different memory and thinking abilities tended to decline together at rates that were 8 to 17 times faster than before this terminal period.

Higher levels of plaques and tangles were linked to an earlier onset of this terminal period but not to rate of memory decline during it.

In an accompanying editorial, author Hiroko H. Dodge, PhD, with Oregon Health and Science University in Portland and a member of the American Academy of Neurology, noted, "The findings suggest that the changes in mental abilities during the two to three years before death are not driven directly by processes related to Alzheimer's disease, but instead that the memory and other cognitive decline may involve some biological changes in the brain specific to the end of life. The study by Wilson and his co-authors deepens our understanding of terminal cognitive decline."

The second study, also conducted by Wilson, focused on mental activities and involved 1,076 people with an average age of 80 who were free of dementia. Participants underwent yearly memory exams for about five years. They reported how often they read the newspaper, wrote letters, visited a library and played board games such as chess or checkers. Frequency of these mental activities was rated on a scale of one to five, one meaning once a year or less and five representing every day or almost every day.

The results showed that people's participation in mentally stimulating activities and their mental functioning declined at similar rates over the years. The researchers also found that they could predict participants' level of cognitive functioning by looking at their level of mental activity the year before but that level of cognitive functioning did not predict later mental activity.

"The results suggest a cause and effect relationship: that being mentally active leads to better cognitive health in old age," said Wilson.

The studies were supported by the National Institute on Aging and the Illinois Department of Health.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by American Academy of Neurology (AAN), via Newswise.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. Robert S. Wilson, Eisuke Segawa, Patricia A. Boyle and David A. Bennett. Influence of late-life cognitive activity on cognitive health. Neurology, April 4, 2012 DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0b013e31824f8c03

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

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SolarCity Moves Into Home Energy Efficiency Loans | Solar Energy ...

Here?s the bad news: , around $40 out of every $100 you?re spending to heat and cool your home is lost to duct and air leakage alone. The good news is that the company has launched a new loan program designed to make energy efficient home improvement affordable to one and all.

Having seen success with a similar financing program for home solar power systemswhich actually allows homeowners the ability to pay less for solar electricity than they pay for utility power aims to reduce or eliminate the upfront costs of energy efficiency upgrades with this new loan program. SolarCity offers, as you might imagine, a comprehensive onsite home energy evaluation designed to diagnose where energy is being wasted in your home, as well as a range of upgrades designed to lower your energy costs while improving your indoor air quality and general comfort.

By making energy-saving measures more accessible and affordable, were doing for energy efficiency what weve done for solar power,said Lyndon Rive, CEO of SolarCity, in a statement.

SolarCity and currently has 5,000 efficiency projects completed or underway in Arizona, California, Colorado, Oregon and Texas. The company is now extending its energy efficiency services to its East Coast service areas in Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Washington, D.C. (The company also works with a range of local energy efficiency loan programssuch as to help them take advantage of available rebates.)

Financing for SolarCity?s new program comes courtesy of , a federal savings bank headquartered in Boston, with a history of home improvement lending. More information on the program is available via SolarCity?s .

Read More: SolarCity Moves Into Home Energy Efficiency Loans via Feedproxy.google.com.

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With or Without Apple: Sparrow for iPhone Will Soon Get Push Notifications

There are a fair amount of third-party iPhone email clients out there, but few ever received the kind of reception that Sparrow for iPhone got a few weeks ago. Sadly, though, unless you have a jailbroken iPhone or use a third-party service like Boxcar, you won't be able to get push notifications for new emails from Sparrow - but this could soon change.

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Students angry over pricey courses pepper-sprayed

In this photo provided by David Steinman, Nnaemeka Alozie, campaign manager for Steinman, reacts with milk on his face after being sprayed with pepper spray during a protest on Tuesday, April 3, 2012, in Santa Monica, Calif. Campus police pepper-sprayed as many as 30 demonstrators after Santa Monica College students angry over a plan to offer high-priced courses tried to push their way into a trustees meeting Tuesday evening, authorities said. (AP Photo/Courtesy David Steinman)

In this photo provided by David Steinman, Nnaemeka Alozie, campaign manager for Steinman, reacts with milk on his face after being sprayed with pepper spray during a protest on Tuesday, April 3, 2012, in Santa Monica, Calif. Campus police pepper-sprayed as many as 30 demonstrators after Santa Monica College students angry over a plan to offer high-priced courses tried to push their way into a trustees meeting Tuesday evening, authorities said. (AP Photo/Courtesy David Steinman)

In this photo provided by David Steinman, 33rd district congressional candidate David Steinman wipes his face after being sprayed with pepper spray during a protest on Tuesday, April 3, 2012, in Santa Monica, Calif. Campus police pepper-sprayed as many as 30 demonstrators after Santa Monica College students angry over a plan to offer high-priced courses tried to push their way into a trustees meeting Tuesday evening, authorities said. (AP Photo/Courtesy David Steinman)

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) ? Campus police pepper-sprayed as many as 30 demonstrators after Santa Monica College students angry over a plan to offer high-priced courses tried to push their way into a trustees meeting, authorities said.

Raw video posted on the Internet Tuesday evening showed students chanting "Let us in, let us in" and "No cuts, no fees, education should be free."

Students were angry because only a handful were allowed into the meeting room, and when their request to move the meeting to a larger venue was denied, they began to enter the room, said David Steinman, an environmental advocate who is running for Congress as a Green Party candidate.

Two officers were apparently backed up against a wall, and began using force to keep the students out of the room. Steinman said both officers used pepper spray.

"People were gasping and choking," Steinman said.

Marioly Gomez, 21, said she was standing in a hallway outside the meeting with several hundred other students who wanted to get into the meeting.

"I got pepper-sprayed without warning," she said.

Santa Monica College spokesman Bruce Smith said he believed it was the first time pepper spray had been used to subdue students on campus.

"It was the judgment of police that the crowd was getting out of hand and it was a safety issue," he said.

Firefighters were called to the campus at about 7:20 p.m. Five people were evaluated at the scene and two were taken to a hospital, Santa Monica Fire Department Capt. Judah Mitchell said. Their conditions were not known, but the injuries were not believed to be serious, Mitchell said.

Students have been upset over a new plan that involves the formation of a nonprofit foundation which would offer core courses for about $600 each, or about $200 per unit ? about four times the current price. The program is designed to cope with rising student demand as state funds dwindle.

The move has raised questions about whether it would create two tiers of students in a system designed to make education accessible to everyone and whether it's even legal under state education law.

Community colleges statewide have lost $809 million in state funding over the past three years, causing schools to turn away about 200,000 students and drastically cut the number of classes offered.

___

Associated Press writer Whitney Phillips contributed to this report.

Associated Press

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