WHEREAS, the logging industry has served as an economic driver and cultural tradition in Maine for centuries; and

WHEREAS, the logging industry creates rural jobs and provides revenue for local communities, contributing $582 million to the state’s economy annually; and

WHEREAS, loggers provide renewable material for products used by people in Maine every day; and

WHEREAS, loggers are the root of Maine’s $8.1 billion forest economy; and

Hello, this is Governor Janet Mills, and thank you for listening.

You know, some years ago, there was a young woman who dated a man who was handsome and charming and smart, and she was in love with him. That man was also an alcoholic, as it turned out. And one night, in a drunken rage, that man held a gun to her head. The gun did not go off. She packed her bags and left that place and never turned back.

The rest of the story is that that young woman went to law school. She became a prosecutor, later the Attorney General of her state. And now she is the Governor of the state of Maine.

Yes, I was one of the lucky ones. But many others who experienced domestic abuse are not so lucky, as headlines from Bangor this week cogently remind us.

I want to make sure that Maine people who have experienced or who are experiencing domestic abuse know that they are not alone and know that escape from violence is possible, so I've declared October to be Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Maine.

Here are some of the things you ought to know about domestic abuse and domestic violence:

• Domestic abuse affects people in families of all races, ages, genders and income levels. Rural and urban.
• Nationwide, one in four women and one in seven men has experienced abuse or violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
• In Maine, nearly half of all homicides are related to domestic abuse every year.

We can prevent domestic abuse and domestic violence in Maine by spreading awareness, by improving public policies to better support people affected by abuse, and by holding perpetrators accountable.

Prevention is important too, every day, but especially during Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

May we all do our part to spread awareness, to talk about it, and to challenge the behavior of abusive people, and to stand up for survivors of domestic abuse, whoever they may be. Together, it is our individual actions that will put an end to domestic abuse in the State of Maine.

So, if you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, please call the statewide domestic abuse helpline at 1-866-834-HELP. That's 1-866-834-HELP.

If you or someone you know is deaf or hard of hearing, please have them call 1-800-437-1220. That's 1-800-437-1220.

Look, you are not alone, and escape from violence is possible.

This is Governor Janet Mills, and thank you for listening.

WHEREAS, the State of Maine Office of Information Technology plays a vital role in identifying, protecting, and responding to evolving cyber threats that can significantly impact the State's information systems and our collective safety, security, and privacy; and

WHEREAS, October 2024 marks the 79th anniversary of National Disability Employment Awareness Month; and 

WHEREAS, workplaces across our state that are welcoming of the talents of all people, including people with disabilities, are critical to healthy communities and a strong economy; and

WHEREAS, while the employment of persons with disabilities ages 16 to 64 in Maine has seen significant gains, it is still far less than the percentage of Maine people without disabilities; and

WHEREAS, every child in Maine should be able to attend a safe, modern, efficient, and accessible public school, regardless of where they live;  

WHEREAS, the Mills Administration, in partnership with the Legislature, has made record investments in the construction and renovation of Maine schools, providing $580 million since 2019 to finance the renovation or construction of new schools and to provide debt service for school construction loans;