PORTLAND -- Stand for Marriage Maine, a coalition opposing the state's new gay-marriage law, announced the launch of their Web site Thursday.

The group says the site will be the online headquarters for supporters of traditional marriage who are seeking a people's veto to overturn the new law.

"An issue as important as the very institution of marriage deserves a vote of citizens of Maine," said Bob Emrich, a leader of the Stand for Marriage Maine coalition. "Our Web site is part of a comprehensive effort to restore the definition of marriage to what Maine, and of course all of human civilization, has known it to be -- between a man and a woman."

The Web site is www.standfor marriagemaine.com.

Kennebec Historical Society schedules talk

AUGUSTA -- The Kennebec Historical Society will present a talk by Clark Thompson at 6:30 p.m. July 15 at the Unitarian Universalist Community Church, 69 Winthrop St. The talk will be "Maine's Trotting Horse Heritage Trail."

There is a suggested donation of $2 for nonmembers. For more information, call 662-7718.

Transgender child's bias filing prevails

BANGOR -- The Maine Human Rights Commission says the Orono School Department discriminated against a transgender child who was denied access to the girls' restroom.

The commission's ruling came in the case of a fifth-grader who initially was allowed to use the girls' bathroom even though she's biologically male. Educators later required her to use a unisex restroom after a male student harassed her.

Melissa Hewey, attorney for the Orono School Department, said the decision may make sense on an intellectual level but may not take into account "practicalities that face educators around the state."

The human rights panel's decision is not binding, but the case could be brought to court by the agency if conciliation efforts fail.

Vt. Guard leaving for Afghanistan

COLCHESTER, Vt. -- The Vermont Army National Guard will send about 1,500 members to Afghanistan next winter in what will be the state's largest National Guard call-up since World War II.

Vermont Adjutant Gen. Michael Dubie outlined the deployment order on Thursday, ending months of planning for the mission without having a final order.

The Vermont unit and members from other states will oversee Task Force Phoenix, a 10,000-soldier force that will be commanded by Vermont National Guard Col. Will Roy. The primary mission is to train Afghan security forces. About 1,500 other soldiers from Colorado, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire and North Carolina, as well as other U.S. forces and soldiers from 17 other nations will be part of the mission.

Man gets life term for killing 2 brothers

LOWELL, Mass. -- A Lowell man will serve life in prison without the possibility of parole after being convicted of the execution-style killings of two Billerica brothers.

Rene Ramos was sentenced Thursday, one day after a Middlesex Superior Court jury found him guilty of two counts of first-degree murder in the fatal shootings of Michael Donovan, 18, and Paul Donovan, 20. The brothers both were shot once in the head as they waited in a car in a Lowell hotel parking lot in 2002.

Investigators believe Paul Donovan had agreed to sell drugs to Ramos. They said Michael Donovan gave his brother a ride in their father's sport utility vehicle, but didn't know about the meeting.

Compiled from staff, wire reports