LETTERS IN THE EDITOR'S MAILBAG.
Byline: The Register-Guard `Ax Men' respects role of loggers I hope the representative of the Oregon Loggers Association will not take the series "Ax Men" too seriously (Register-Guard, May 18). The series probably has done far more to promote respect for the courage and danger...

Unemployment insurance mess a job-killing machine for state.
Byline: John O'Leary COLUMN: AS I SEE IT When people fly to Massachusetts from Arizona to collect Massachusetts unemployment insurance, don't you think it's a signal that our benefits are too high? In 2004, more than 2,000 people who had never lived in...

Selectmen reduce official's hours; Building commissioner's post.
Byline: Steven H. Foskett Jr. DOUGLAS - The Board of Selectmen voted last night to cut back the building commissioner's hours in the fiscal 2009 town budget. The board voted to reduce Building Commissioner Adelle M. Reynold's hours from 35 to 20, and to recommend...

No second stimulus fix.
Byline: The Register-Guard House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said last week that a second round of economic stimulus may be required, and her suggestion drew no audible objections from either Democrats or Republicans. But if there are any leaders whose authority is matched by a sense of responsibility,...

Business briefs.
COLUMN: Business briefs Telegram & Gazette Bloomberg Index Central Massachusetts Change: -2.94 Last: 176.38 Volume: 71,974,106 Up: 2 Down: 19 Unchanged: 9 Gainer: 3Com Corp. $2.52 +$0.02 ...

State may help H&R workers; Jobless benefits may be longer for 230 in Gardner.
Byline: Danielle M. Williamson GARDNER - A team of state workers is planning to offer assistance within a week to as many as 230 employees of H&R 1871, who will be losing their jobs this year because of the recent closure decision by the parent company, Remington...

Immigration and the workplace.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Twenty states passed laws last year directed at both immigrant workers and employers. Federal law already prohibits employers from hiring unauthorized workers. It requires employers to verify the identity and the work status of prospective employees. The law established a voluntary Internet-based pilot program to...

DIGEST.
COLUMN: DIGEST State extends jobless benefits BOSTON - Laid-off Massachusetts workers will now get up to 39 weeks of unemployment compensation benefits, under an authorization to add 13 weeks of benefits announced by Gov. Deval L. Patrick yesterday. The state's extended benefits authorization...

Union donors prime pump; O'Day: `I'm not beholden'.
Byline: Shaun Sutner Two powerful labor unions financed more than a quarter of state Rep. James O'Day's successful special election campaign to fill the seat of former Rep. James B. O'Leary, who left last year to become chief of staff for Lt. Gov. Timothy P. Murray. ...

MN: waking & dressing pts. before shift starts: fired employee denied unemployment benefits.
CASE FACTS: Sarah Williams worked for over seven years as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) for Jones-Harrison Home Corp. (Jones), a long-term care facility. On April 21, 2003, Williams was fired because she allegedly failed to follow care plans for residents and did not follow the time clock procedure....