In Brief

Food Stamp Program has a new name
    AUGUSTA — The federally-funded program that provides supplemental nutrition has a new name. Effective October 1, the Food Stamp Program will be known as the Food Supplement Program in Maine. At the federal level, the program is now known as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program).
    The United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Nutrition Service program gives states the flexibility to adopt their own names. The name change in Maine reflects the shift in focus, as well as the fact that the paper Food Stamps no longer exist.
    “This change won’t have any effect on the people who receive the food supplement benefit,’’ Van Burgel said. “It’s simply a shift away from older terminology that does not reflect what the program is all about.”
MPBN to broadcast three live debates
    LEWISTON — The Maine Public Broadcasting Network is partnering with the Muskie School for Public Service at the University of Southern Maine and the Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center at the University of Maine to hold debates between Maine candidates for federal office over three consecutive Thursday evenings in October.
    The first debate will be between the two candidates for the House of Representatives from Maine's Second Congressional District. Democratic incumbent Rep. Mike Michaud of East Millinocket will square off against Republican challenger John Frary of Farmington. It will be held at Page Commons on the campus of Colby College in Waterville on Thursday, October 16.
    The following Thursday, October 23, will feature a debate between incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins and Democratic challenger Rep. Tom Allen, who is challenging Collins for her Senate seat after serving six terms in the House.  This debate will take place at Hannaford Lecture Hall in Portland on the campus of the University of Southern Maine.
    The final debate will be between the candidates for Maine's First Congressional District, pitting Democrat Chellie Pingree of North Haven against Republican Charlie Summers of Scarborough. They will debate on October 30 at the Studzinski Recital Hall on the campus of Bowdoin College in Brunswick. This is an open seat with no incumbent.
    All debates will be broadcast live on location beginning at 8 p.m. and be simulcast across MPBN's television and radio stations and streamed on its Web site. Each will run for one hour and be moderated by MPBN's Jennifer Rooks.