Maine and New England | Articles
Interview with Jerry Leeman: Today we bring you a story about a handful of fishermen rallying against a billion-dollar green industrial project, shady foreign corporations, and our own federal and state government. All are conspiring to generate a cash cow for...
By Greg Yates The criminal case People v Gosselin took place in a little red house structure known as the “Town of Highland Justice Court” located in Sullivan County, New York. This little red structure is also known as the Barryville Town Hall, where court is...
A conservative Washington news outlet is reporting Graham Platner, accused of rape Monday, will be withdrawing from Maine’s Senate race. “A well-placed source told the Washington Reporter that Platner is poised to drop out,” the outlet said in what it’s calling an “exclusive.” In a related development, California congressman and key Platner supporter Ro Khanna
The new rape allegation made against Graham Platner by a former girlfriend on Monday place his Democratic supporters in an extremely difficult position. They must now choose between staying the course and defending Platner, despite their past condemnations of sexual abuse, or maintaining their integrity and rejecting Platner. [RELATED: Bellows, Warren, and Pingree Stand by
AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine Democrats may soon discover that their decision to rally around Graham Platner was not simply a political gamble, but a potentially devastating failure of judgment. The left leaning new outlet, POLITICO, Monday afternoon published a story stating that a woman who dated Maine U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner says he forced her to
Vermont’s senior senator, a key supporter of Maine Democrat U.S. Senate nominee Graham Platner, Sunday rejected the alleged hypocrisy of flying charters while blasting oil-executive salaries. “Independent” Bernie Sanders’ use of private jets for his political campaigns and tours has drawn scrutiny from critics who argue it contradicts his advocacy against corporate wealth and environmental
The Maine Secretary of State’s Office has announced the results of the two remaining recounts from the June 9 primary election. In ranked choice elections, only candidates who emerge in the top three at the end of the next-to-last round of tabulation are eligible to request a recount, unlike non-ranked choice elections where any unsuccessful
As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, a newly released Gallup poll suggests national pride has fallen to its lowest level in the survey’s history, highlighting deep political and generational divides over how Americans view their country. The poll found that only 33 percent of Americans say they are “extremely proud” to be American,
Storm clouds formed two years ago over News Center Maine’s Jason Nappi, canned for spending too much time promoting local restaurants. The popular meteorologist lost his TV gig, he said at the time, for social-media posts promoting the restaurant scene. Nappi had now started his own weather app, Jason Nappi Weather, a personal milestone in
An estimated 627 non-citizen MaineCare recipients are set to lose their taxpayer-funded healthcare on October 1 following changes made by President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill budget, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) announced on Wednesday. [RELATED: Just One Maine Prosecution for $70 Theft Part of New Nationwide Crackdown on Medicaid
GOP lawmakers say Gov. Janet Mills allowed political differences with President Donald Trump to cost Maine a valuable opportunity to promote its tourism industry on the national stage. Republican lawmakers and volunteers stepped in to represent Maine at the Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C., after Gov. Janet Mills’ administration declined to operate the
The Robbins family has announced the death of Alden J. Robbins, who died on July 2, 2026, from injuries he sustained in the devastating explosion and fire at Robbins Lumber on May 15. In a statement released Friday through the Maine Department of Public Safety, the family said Robbins passed away peacefully while surrounded by
Mainers planning to run errands, visit government offices, mail packages or travel over the Independence Day weekend should expect a split holiday schedule this year. Independence Day falls on Saturday, July 4, 2026. Because the holiday lands on a Saturday, the federal government and the State of Maine will officially observe it on Friday, July
Communities across Maine have opened cooling centers to provide relief from dangerously high temperatures and humidity expected to continue through the Fourth of July holiday weekend. The National Weather Service has issued extreme heat warnings and heat advisories for large portions of the state. Heat index values could reach between 105 and 110 degrees in
The City of Portland will activate cooling centers this week as dangerous heat is expected to settle over the city from Wednesday through Friday. The downtown Portland Public Library, located at 5 Monument Square, will serve as the city’s cooling center on Wednesday, July 1, and Thursday, July 2, during its normal operating hours of
Maine communities from York County to Aroostook County are preparing for a busy week of Independence Day celebrations, with fireworks displays scheduled across the state beginning Thursday and continuing through the Fourth of July weekend. This year’s celebrations carry added significance as the nation marks the 250th anniversary of American independence, with many towns pairing
Mainers need to rally and overrule the Democrat killjoys who refused to sponsor a booth at the Great American State Fair in Washington. Otherwise, Pennsylvania may wind up stealing the spotlight with its own “Spirit of 250” exhibit. “Pennsylvania’s found a way to get Pennsylvania to the State Fair,” says James Fisk, an avid follower
Chris and Karen Harrington have gathered more than two-thirds of the 149 signatures they need to help pass a food sovereignty ordinance in Clinton, after a state official showed up at their house and stopped them from selling baked goods and dairy at their farm stand. [RELATED: Clinton Family Farmers Take Action after State Regulators
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner was absent from this year’s Oysterfest in Freeport, and his company, Waukeag Neck Oyster Company, did not have a booth at the event despite the presence of numerous oyster growers from across Maine. The Maine Wire was at the event on Saturday, but America’s most-notable oyster farmer was nowhere
Over the course of the last six decades, those regularly traveling along Route 26 in Maine have become familiar with a classic throwback motel as they pass through the small town of Woodstock. It’s known as the Mollyockett Motel, a classic motor lodge is located in Bryant Pond, a village in Woodstock that’s been conservative
Riders using Greater Portland Metro and BSOOB Transit will soon pay more to use most bus services as both transit agencies implement a systemwide fare adjustment effective Aug. 1. The increase, approved by the Metro Board of Directors and the BSOOB Transit Committee, marks the first fare hike since late 2020. Transit officials said the
United Airlines First Officer Daniel Lustman had a special passenger on a recent flight from Portland, Maine to Chicago, Illinois – his airlines captain father. Capt. Rob Lustman had to retire from flying the big jets after he was diagnosed with ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Lustman the son flew his dad in
The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) has spent more than four decades building what was once considered a fringe political movement into one that now influences elections from city halls to Congress—and increasingly, statewide campaigns. Founded in 1982 through the merger of several socialist organizations led by democratic socialist activist Michael Harrington, the DSA has
After moving from Vermont to Maine to buy a breakfast joint, Sara and Dave LeBlanc find themselves in a real cockfight. The couple, who run a place called The Omelette factory in Ogunquit, bought a couple of metal rooster statues to decorate their new establishment. But the Ogunquit code officer cried fowl, claiming the roosters
Clinton family farmers are taking action after an inspector from the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry (ACF) arrived at their house on Tuesday and ordered them to stop selling milk and sourdough bread at their farm stand. [RELATED: Farmers’ Almanac Saved at the Last Minute after New York Digital Media Buyout…] “I was
Republican gubernatorial nominee Bobby Charles is challenging his Democratic opponents to publicly reject campaign contributions from Augusta lobbyists, Central Maine Power, and AI data center companies, setting the stage for what he says is a defining issue in Maine’s race for governor. Charles announced Thursday that he will hold a press conference Friday morning at
America’s Best Restaurants Roadshow couldn’t resist checking out a new monster lobster roll that’s just been rolled out in midcoast Maine. In their latest episode, team hosts Theo Williams, Danyel Detomo, Luis Rivera, and J. Russell stopped by the Taste of Maine Restaurant in Woolwich with one goal in mind: trying the eatery’s massive new
The upstart Maine Wire now has literally twice as many followers as the state’s longest-established big daily. Well, formerly big daily. The Maine Wire is now showing 188,000 Facebook followers compared to 94,000 for the Portland Press Herald. The Maine daily has 152 years on The Maine Wire but who’s counting. Lots to be said
Graham Platner has built his campaign for U.S. Senate around a carefully crafted image: the working-class Marine veteran, the man of the sea, the oyster farmer who understands coastal Maine because he lives it. But after spending Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday on the ground in Sullivan, Ellsworth, and the surrounding communities, The Maine Wire found
A Maine college that recently sued its host city to force judicial approval of a new research pier now suddenly wants the public to know how loved it is. University of New England went out and hired a pollster to try to prove how popular it is with the average Mainer. Apparently school officials decided
The Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) voted unanimously this past Tuesday to launch an investigation into the Casco Bay Ferry’s latest passenger rate hikes. This comes after 50 islanders submitted a petition to the PUC raising concerns that the increased prices would have a negative impact on low- and middle-income families, as well as seniors
Susan Collins Campaign Manager Steve Abbott delivered an energetic and often pointed speech Saturday at the Maine GOP Unity Breakfast, praising Republican volunteers and candidates while directing some of his strongest criticism toward Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Graham Platner. Speaking to a room filled with Republican activists, elected officials, candidates, campaign staff, and supporters, Abbott
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is advising political observers not to count out Sen. Susan Collins. On ABC’s This Week, Christie called the five-term GOP senator from Maine “one of the most resilient politicians” he has ever met. Christie, who has two failed presidential campaigns under his belt, predicted her challenger is in for
HALLOWELL, Maine — Republican leaders, candidates, activists, and volunteers gathered Saturday morning at the Maine GOP’s Unity Breakfast at Maple Hill Farm Inn & Conference Center, delivering a consistent message to supporters: the primary election is over, and the focus must now shift toward winning in November. The event brought together Republican candidates, party officials,
A number of vehicle registrants across Maine are being tagged with New Hampshire toll violations amid the recent plate changeover. When Maine began switching from chickadee plates to the new pine tree motif, vehicle owners were expected to pay an extra $25 to keep their old numbers. But some who chose to receive new randomly
Monument Square turned into the center of Maine’s soccer scene Friday as more than 1,000 fans packed downtown Portland for a free outdoor watch party hosted by the Portland Hearts of Pine, Maine’s new professional soccer club. The June 19 event was part of the club’s “Maine Soccer Summer” series and brought together fans for
By: Jon Fetherston Graham Platner wants Maine voters to send him to Washington as a United States senator. Think about that for a moment. A man seeking one of the highest offices in the country wants to help write the laws that govern 340 million Americans. Yet his own record raises a serious question: Does
Maine election officials on Friday released final results from several key primary contests more than a week after voters went to the polls, bringing an end to a prolonged counting process that drew increasing criticism of the state’s ranked-choice voting system and the administration of Secretary of State Shenna Bellows. Among the most significant results,
Dick’s Sporting Goods is planning a huge “House of Sport” in the Maine Mall after it moves from an adjacent, smaller mall. I95Rocks.com is reporting that the nationwide sports outfitter in gearing up to open an “experiential” retail outlet with batting cages, turf fields and a rock-climbing wall. The new facility will be located in
U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that 19 Maine organizations will receive more than $16 million in federal funding to support economic development projects across the state. The $16,201,188 funding comes through the Northern Border Regional Commission’s Fiscal Year 2026 Catalyst, Timber for Transit, and Forest Economy programs. “The NBRC has been an
On a clear, dark, quiet summer night, the light of the moon shimmering on outer Casco Bay, the 111-foot tug Helen McAllister was proudly doing its work, guiding a massive gasoline barge into Portland Harbor. Suddenly, before the captain could react, the barge overtook the tug, the towline going taught, flipping the Helen McAllister, sinking
Firefighter Katie Paige has experienced a delay in her recovery from injuries sustained in the devastating Robbins Lumber explosion. News of the setback in recuperation comes from Paige’s husband Paul, according to a national website monitoring her treatment at Maine Medical Center. Paul said doctors have determined that some of Katie’s skin grafts are not
The Portland City Council voted 7-2 on Monday night to reject a proposed Payment In Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) program that supporters argued could have helped ease the city’s growing property tax burden by seeking voluntary contributions from some of Portland’s largest tax-exempt institutions. The proposal would have established a formal framework for requesting payments
The whales have won a big match with Prince Edward Island’s lobster industry in a case being closely monitored by Maine’s fishermen. Government fisheries police told the island’s lobstermen to remove their traps for a two-week period, after wildlife officers discovered migrating right whales moving through the area. With a worldwide population of just 380,
Jennifer Gingrich sounds like a leftist when she calls herself a feminist but then she blows her cover by adhering to some logical principles, like keeping boys out of girls locker rooms. “Humans can’t change sex and men don’t belong in girls spaces or sports,” Gingrich’s X profile says as a precursor. So Gingrich caught
The Office of State Fire Marshal announced Sunday that 76-year-old Searsmont Assistant Fire Chief Wayne Woodbury has died following his response to the massive fire at Robbins Lumber in Searsmont last month. According to the agency, Woodbury passed away Sunday morning, June 14, 2026, at Maine Medical Center in Portland. Woodbury was among the many
Encouraging news for firefighter Katie Paige following her latest surgery related to potentially life-threatening injuries she suffered in the Robbins Lumber explosion May 15 in Searsmont. Paige successfully came out of surgery and is now recovering, according to a national website following her case. Doctors determined that no additional major procedures are needed, as her
Maine Community College System (MCCS) President David Daigler has announced that he plans to step down from his position by the end of the 2026-27 academic year. Daigler has been president since 2019 and has been working for the system since 2003. Daigler notified the MCCS Board of Trustees on Wednesday during their regular meeting
The Maine Secretary of State’s Office announced Thursday morning that three races are officially moving on to ranked choice voting tabulation, including both the Democrat and Republican primaries for governor, as well as the Democrat primary in District 2. Given the wide field of candidates running in each of these races, it is not unexpected
Peru, Maine, residents voted on Tuesday to saddle themselves with draconian new homeowners association-style rules governing how they use their property, including strictures on yard maintenance, vehicle repairs, and parking. [RELATED: Peru, Maine, Sexual Assault Suspect Found Dead After Threatening Suicide During Police Standoff…] Voters in Peru were confronted at the ballot box with a
Maine Democrat Senate nominee Graham Platner has come under heavy fire for his many immoral and vile statements. These include lying about a Nazi tattoo, justifying rape, denigrating American hero Chris Kyle, and making remarks about me. I’m the soldier in the viral combat video whom Platner stated “didn’t deserve to live.” Platner and his
If you’ve got a can of rat poison out in the barn, guard it with your life. The rodenticide is now illegal across Maine. The Board of Pesticide Control has voted to ban its sale, action in keeping with LD 356. The law, which the Legislature adopted last year, directed the board to prohibit the
Roughly three out of five Mainers believe that artificial intelligence (AI) will have a negative effect on the country over the next decade, according to the latest Pine Tree State Poll, a States of Opinion Project from the University of New Hampshire Survey Center. Just 22 percent feel that AI will have a positive effect
AUGUSTA, Maine – Maine’s 2026 primary elections delivered decisive victories in some races while triggering the state’s ranked-choice voting system in several of the night’s most competitive contests, setting the stage for days of additional ballot tabulations before final nominees are officially declared. With no candidate surpassing the required 50 percent threshold in both gubernatorial
PORTLAND, Maine — Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner delivered a combative and deeply anti-establishment speech Sunday evening at the Elks Club in Portland, lashing out at President Donald Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Senator Susan Collins, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and what he described as a political system dominated by billionaires, corporations, and defense
A half-dozen children’s camps across Maine are among 30 such facilities caught up in a massive northeast bankruptcy filing. Simad Holdings, which runs 22 overnight camps and eight day camps, sought court protection Thursday, listing more than $500 million in liabilities on its Chapter 11 petition. Simad shareholders Michael and David Shabsels also filed personal
PORTLAND, Maine – Prominent Democratic leaders Shenna Bellows, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Hannah Pingree have publicly embraced Graham Platner as a trusted ally, a champion for working families and the kind of leader Maine needs in Washington. Their endorsements came after Platner’s offensive Reddit history and Nazi-associated tattoo had already become public. Then the
Two Navy veterans have raised questions about the veracity of Maine gubernatorial candidate Bobby Charles’ military record and sharply criticized his decision to wear a military uniform on Memorial Day. Claude Berube, a retired Navy Reserve commander, expressed concerns about Charles’ claims regarding his military service in the aftermath of September 11 attacks. “After 9/11
LEWISTON, Maine – The Lewiston City Council voted Tuesday night to formally censure Ward 3 Councilor Scott Harriman for what council leadership described as escalating unprofessional conduct during official city meetings, marking the third censure against Harriman during his time in office. The resolution accused Harriman of interrupting fellow councilors, disregarding council rules, and allegedly
BUCKSPORT, Maine – A proposal to begin Bucksport Town Council meetings with the Pledge of Allegiance has sparked debate among local officials and residents, with supporters calling it a traditional expression of patriotism and opponents warning it could inject unnecessary division into municipal government. The issue came before the town’s regulatory review committee on May
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) celebrated the early completion and delivery of an Arleigh Burke-class naval destroyer on Tuesday after the delivery was announced by the U.S. Navy. [RELATED: Bath Iron Works Secures Contract to Construct New Navy Destroyer…] “@USNavy has accepted delivery of the future USS Patrick Gallagher from Bath Iron Works more than two
PORTLAND, Maine – Just how well is Graham Platner’s campaign going? That question has become harder to ignore as the Democratic U.S. Senate candidate continues to face mounting scrutiny over a string of controversies, awkward campaign moments, and growing questions about whether his campaign is beginning to unravel. The latest issue came after Platner’s wife
Republican gubernatorial frontrunner Bobby Charles admitted to receiving MaineCare benefits in a Facebook post on Thursday and reaffirmed that statement in the comments before correcting it and saying that he is actually on Medicare. Charles’s rapid-fire style on social media has successfully drawn attention from voters and has likely contributed to his consistent place at
SEARSMONT, Maine — The fire and explosion that devastated the Robbins Lumber mill complex in Searsmont is believed to have been accidental, according to preliminary findings released by the Office of State Fire Marshal. Investigators with the Fire Marshal’s Office and special agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives National Response Team
AUGUSTA, Maine – Tickborne illnesses are rising sharply across Maine and much of the United States, with state health officials reporting record numbers of Lyme disease, anaplasmosis and babesiosis cases as residents face increasing exposure close to home. The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported 4,257 cases of Lyme disease in 2025, up
Biddeford city councilors are refusing to spend taxpayer money to help fund La Kermesse, a popular annual festival celebrating Franco-American culture. The council in York County’s largest city pulled funding for it in the annual $51 million city budget, according to Saco Bay News. La Kermesse Treasurer Paul Gagne asked the council to reconsider funding
Construction of the USS J. William Middendorf has begun with ceremonial first-steel cut. The new warship “will strengthen the U.S. Navy’s missile-defense and escort capacity during sustained operations in the Red Sea, Eastern Mediterranean, and Indo-Pacific,” reports ArmyRecognition.com. The so-called Flight III destroyer is equipped with the SPY-6 radar and Aegis Baseline 10 combat system.
After two weeks and more than 10,000 votes, Boston.com readers have crowned New England’s top suntanning enclave in its Battle of New England Beach Towns bracket – Ogunquit, Maine. “From an original bracket of 32 towns spanning five states, the contest ultimately ended in a Maine battle between Ogunquit and Bar Harbor during the championship
Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, who couldn’t even manage a plate rollout, has announced her new political bedfellow – public-bathroom masturbator-in-chief Graham Platner. “So glad to have Graham on my team!” the Democrat gubernatorial hopeful says on Facebook. “Together we’re going to usher in a new chapter for a progressive and affordable Maine!” Notwithstanding
WOOLWICH, Maine – A large pro-Trump sign that stood for years on a ledge overlooking Route 1 in Woolwich has been replaced with a new political message: DavidJones for Governor. The sign, visible to thousands of motorists traveling through the Midcoast community, had become a familiar landmark along the heavily traveled road. According to the
LEWISTON, Maine – The Lewiston School Committee met Monday night to take another run at its fiscal year 2027 budget after voters rejected the original proposal at the polls last week, forcing school officials to make deeper reductions before sending the spending plan back to taxpayers. The May 12 referendum failed 1,463 to 1,092, with
“It is with heavy hearts we share the passing of a Biddeford legend, Bob Cote, who served as our manager for 52 years, starting just one year after our founding in 1961 and retiring in 2013.” The news Friday of Cote’s death, announced by Pizza By Alex, saddened generations of his pie customers and co-workers.
PORTLAND, Maine — TPUSA Faith’s “Make Heaven Crowded Tour 2026” came to the Portland Expo Center Friday night, bringing a faith-based, family-friendly Christian gathering to a city where critics had spent weeks trying to cast the event as controversial. Hosted by Calvary Chapel Greater Portland, the event featured former White House Press Secretary and Fox
SEARSPORT, Maine – A reported silo explosion in Searsmont on Friday morning triggered a massive emergency response, with first responders from multiple departments rushing to the scene amid reports of numerous injuries and a mass casualty incident. According to information shared by the MidCoast Region Scanner Page, the incident was reported at approximately 11:06 a.m.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Susan Collins pressed the heads of the FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration during a federal budget hearing over the continued spread of illegal marijuana grow houses in Maine, warning that the operations are often tied to money laundering, transnational crime, human trafficking concerns, and the destruction of badly needed housing.
GORHAM — A growing controversy is unfolding in Gorham after absentee ballots for the June 9, 2026 school budget validation referendum were mailed to voters before the Gorham Town Council had even finalized or approved the budget amount appearing on the ballot. The issue surfaced Tuesday night after residents discovered absentee voters had already received
LEWISTON, Maine – Lewiston voters on Tuesday rejected a proposed $130 million school budget, sending district officials back to the table after a high-turnout election shaped by concerns over rising taxes, a recent citywide revaluation, and growing frustration over the direction of Maine’s second-largest city. The vote was 1,463 no to 1,092 yes. The proposed
WASHINGTON – Multiple Maine airports will receive more than $13.6 million in federal funding for infrastructure improvements through the Federal Aviation Administration’s Fiscal Year 2026 Airport Improvement Program, U.S. Sen. Susan Collins announced. Collins, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, said the $13,647,939 in funding will support runway, apron, planning, and land-acquisition projects at airports
LEWISTON, Maine – Lewiston voters head to the polls Tuesday to decide the fate of a $129.71 million public school budget in a city already struggling with crime, shootings, litter and rising pressure on taxpayers. The referendum vote, scheduled for Tuesday, May 12, 2026, will determine whether the Lewiston Public Schools budget for the upcoming
The self-described digger of Maine journalism is boasting about its “local news service … in direct response to what people told us they need.” But arguably the question is what the Maine Monitor is actually doing to ensure its followers are – in its words – “informed and engaged.” The Monitor claims to be “committed
The “lifestyle” columnist for Maine’s largest daily is worried that the state’s largest city is losing the fight to newcomers. “Portland’s Maine-born population has dropped to 40%,” Leslie Bridgers writes. “Is that a problem?” Well apparently it is or Bridgers would neither have asked the question nor written an entire column about it. Bridgers complains
PORTLAND, Maine – The 2026 Republican gubernatorial primary debate opened with two notable absences Thursday night, as CBS 13 moderator Greg Lagerquist said Robert Wessels did not meet the debate’s polling threshold and Bobby Charles qualified but chose not to attend. The candidates on stage were former Senate Majority Leader Garrett Mason, healthcare executive Jonathan
SOUTH PORTLAND — In an unusual move in Maine’s Republican gubernatorial primary, Jonathan Bush announced that fellow GOP candidate Robert Wessels will serve as his Congressional District 2 Grassroots Chair, even as Wessels remains in the race for governor. The announcement came ahead of tonight’s WGME/BDN gubernatorial debate and before Wessels was set to hold
Brian Hayden Jr. of Wells began operating his father’s earthmoving machines when he was just 5 years old. Hayden’s adroit handling of the huge Caterpillar diesel beasts never left him, evidence a new trophy naming him the Cat operator of the ages. “Meet Your Global Operator Challenge Champion! 🏆,” Cat announced on Facebook. “Brian Hayden
The White House has expressed support for making the moratorium on new regulations pertaining to North Atlantic Right Whale valid through 2035. Friday afternoon, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a State of Administration Policy backing a bill Rep. Jared Golden’s (D) bill extending the current regulatory moratorium by seven years. The original
Barney Frank, reprimanded as a congressman after hiring and then living with a male prostitute, now is giving Democrats advice? A terminally-ill formerly sanctioned Massachusetts congressman and first openly-gay federal lawmaker is now scolding fellow Maine liberals for picking the wrong U.S. Senate candidate. “I am concerned that some of my party have chosen the
Due to deteriorating water quality in the St. George River, pets are now banned from a midcoast park. Thomaston officials have declared Mill River Park along the banks of the river off limits to dogs due to apparent pollution. The decision to ban canines from the picturesque park follows ongoing water quality concerns in the
Angus King III proved during the first key statewide Democrat primary pivotal televised debate he doesn’t have Daddy’s killer instincts. Unfortunately the younger King needed a moment – one that could have reaped him huge headlines as well as proving he’s no Mama’s boy but as smart as Daddy, he being U.S. Sen. Angus King
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) identified a possible 900,000 metric ton deposit of lithium in the Northern Appalachians, with the largest concentrations in Maine and New Hampshire, which “could replace imports for a century or more.” [RELATED: How America Can Break Free From China’s Minerals Stranglehold…] “USGS mineral science is the leading edge in the
When Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth reposted Major H. Michael Gary’s story on X, it wasn’t just a show of support. It was the public validation of a fight that had stretched across four long years—a fight against unlawful mandates, institutional retaliation, and...
Major Michael Gary, a highly trained and respected Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) officer, has endured a relentless campaign aimed at stripping him of his security clearance, career, and reputation in the Maine ArmyNational Guard (MEARNG). The...
U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) is undeterred by the “No Kings” signs that have become prominent at recurring ‘Hands Off’ rallies around the state and has launched a speaking program to raise the alarm about America’s democracy being in peril. Never one to let a low-hanging news hook pass by, Sen. King pegged an op-ed
Democratic lawmakers in the Maine House of Representatives on Thursday voted down a bill that would have shifted the financial burden of testing illegal drugs as part of criminal cases from the state’s taxpayers to convicted drug traffickers. LD 717, An Act to Amend the Maine Criminal Code Governing Restitution to Include the Costs of
Rhode Island-based U.S. District Court Judge Melissa DuBose reportedly issued a ruling late on Friday denying Maine State Rep. Laurel Libby’s (R-Auburn) claim for declaratory and injunctive relief against the terms of the censure Maine Democrats imposed against her last month. Those terms strip Rep. Libby of the right to vote or speak on the
New Hampshire’s proposed ban on offshore wind development proves the state’s loyalty to its coastal communities and the working men and women of the New England fisheries. New Hampshire’s state Senate will soon take up HB 682, a measure that reorganizes or closes state offices backing the offshore wind buildout in the Gulf of Maine
Army Reserve Major and former Maine National Guardsman Michael Gary was forced out of his full time AGR position in the Guard and faced multiple investigations in what he believes was retaliation for his refusal to take the MRNA COVID vaccine when it was mandated for...
The Portland Police Department say they grappling with an “alarming” surge in drug overdoses, reporting very recent eight cases in a less than 24 hour period, two of which were fatal. The department issued a press release Friday afternoon stating they have seen a recent increase in drug overdoses. According to police, the city has
A new Democrat-led bill proposes a study of aligning the state’s procurement processes with the Mills’ administration’s climate action plan, amid recent revelations of systemic oversight failures in the state’s issuance no-bid contracts. LD 1494, or a resolution “Directing the Office of Procurement Services to Study Adapting the Procurement Process to the State Climate Action
Statehouse Republicans blasted the Mills administration on Tuesday for what several suggested could be criminally-negligent stewardship of public funds in the latest fall-out from an official report from the State Auditor that highlighted lax controls and potential abuses of its contracting process. “My hat is off to (State Auditor Matt Dunlap, a registered Democrat) for
A first-term Maine Democratic lawmaker has introduced a bill that would prohibit the state from investing public funds or entering into contracts with companies, persons or other entities associated with “perpetrator states” that have been found by international organizations to have committed “apartheid, ethnic cleansing, genocide or a war crime.” The bill, LD 1383, entitled
With over 10,000 overdoses last year alone and fatalities — many of them adolescents — ranging from 40 to 70 a month, Maine is facing an existential crisis of drug abuse, Robert “Bobby” Charles told a group of lawyers in Portland on Tuesday. Unless urgent, comprehensive action is taken soon, this trend threatens greater damage
The Maine Legislature’s Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee considered a bill from State Rep. Nina Milliken (D-Blue Hill) to restrict the coyote hunting season in the state this week that pitted hunters and state wildlife officials against those seeking to save the animal that farmers and others consider a threat to their livestock. When presenting
Legislative Democrats failed this week to secure a $120 million supplemental spending bill — thanks largely to Republicans in the Senate opposing the latest version of the MaineCare bailout package. At the same time, Democratic lawmakers in the House and the Senate also rejected a handful of mild welfare reforms and other cost-saving measures Republicans
A Maine high school track and cross country coach published an op-ed Thursday in the Bangor Daily News defending the participation of biological males in girls’ sports. The author of the op-ed, entitled “There is no place for hatred in running,” is Isaac Vaccaro, a math teacher and head coach of cross country, indoor track
The Maine Trust for Local News (METLN), the nonprofit organization that owns the Portland Press Herald, Lewiston Sun Journal and more than a dozen other regional newspapers, announced on Tuesday that it will be laying off 49 employees and reducing certain print publications as part of a new cost-cutting effort. [RELATED: Press Herald Faces More
In an interview published online last week, recently elected Portland City Councilor for District 2, Wes Pelletier, a longtime member of the Maine Democratic Socialists of America (Maine DSA), praised Maine Gov. Janet Mills for picking a fight with President Trump over the issue of biological males competing in women’s sports. Pelletier was elected as
I am writing in support of Maine Representative Laurel Libby. Laurel represents District 90, Minot and parts of Auburn. Being a proponent of safety and fairness in girls’ sports, Laurel Libby came out against the recent loss in a girls’ state poll-vaulting contest to...
With a turnout estimated at over 500 Mainers, demonstrators gathered outside the State House in Augusta on Saturday to show their support for protecting girls in school sports from transgender athletes unfairly impacting the playing field, protestors and speakers at the event said. “We will protect our girls and we will NOT back down!” Assistant
Former Bangor Mayor, Democrat state senator and state representative Sean Faircloth won Maine House District 24 on Tuesday, holding the seat vacated by Maine State Treasurer Joe Perry for his party against a challenge by Republican Carolyn Fish with over 70 percent, or 1,431 votes to Fish’s 566. The district which covers parts of Bangor
A former York County Jail corrections cadet was among a group of suspected illegal aliens taken into federal custody by U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at Cumberland County Jail last month. [RELATED: York County Jail Hiring Sanford’s ‘New Arrivals’…] Mauricio Romeu, 45 | Source: Cumberland County Jail Mauricio Romeu, 45, was one of five
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President Donald Trump and Maine Governor Janet Mills traded legal ultimatums on Friday afternoon in a dispute arising from the state’s refusal to implement a White House order banning males from female school sports. “Governors won’t be governors if they continue to allow men in women’s sports,” Trump said, before looking to Governor Mills and
The push for boilerplate ‘Red Flag’ laws that would give authorities the ability to remove firearms and deny Second Amendment rights to targeted individuals endangers the progress Maine policymakers have made, experts, lawyers and legislators from both sides of the aisle argued on Friday at the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine (SAM) Institute for Legislative Action
Portland Police announced Monday morning that they are investigating two deaths in the wooded area behind Hannaford on Riverside Street. Police say they received a call reporting two unconscious males in the wooded area behind the Hannaford shortly after 7:40 a.m. on Monday. Upon arrival, police found 57-year-old William Liese and 44-year-old Lee Thomas Johnson
A wealthy Maine philanthropist who quietly used his access and money to promote social good is being remembered by the region’s largest transportation museum. James S. Rockefeller Jr., 99, who founded the Owls Head Transportation Museum 50 years ago, died recently at his Camden home. As the museum celebrates a half-century in operation, it’s honoring
The Trump Administration’s rapid moves to impose fiscal restraint on the sprawling federal bureaucracy will hit at least one governmental organization in Maine: Medical Care Development, a 501(c)3 group that pulled in $37 million in 2023. Medical Care Development, which operates as “MCD Global Health,” is a Hallowell-based nonprofit that claims to employee 195 people
Lift tickets are already expensive, but they just got a lot more so for a man who thought he was getting them for free. Skiing at Sugarloaf just cost a Massachusetts public worker $6,000. Scott Callahan, a foreman for the Auburn, Massachusetts Water District, violated conflict-of-interest laws by accepting freebie ski trips to Maine from
The co-founder of the National Trust for Local News, the “nonprofit” owner of Maine’s largest newspaper chain, who quit on Wednesday, had been under fire for taking huge salary increases amid budget cuts. As The Maine Wire reported a month ago, Elizabeth Hansen Shapiro has been under fire for grabbing massive pay hikes even as
U.S. Senator from Maine Susan Collins was one of just two Republicans to join Democrats on Thursday in voting against President Donald Trump’s pick for Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth. The Senate voted 51 to 49 to advance Hegseth’s nomination to lead the Department of Defense, with Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Collins siding
Two Democratic lawmakers escalated their efforts to obtain long-overdue reports on Maine’s cannabis industry on Wednesday, writing a letter to the director of Maine’s cannabis regulatory agency demanding that the reports be turned over by Friday. The letter comes nearly a week after a high-ranking state government employee admitted to intentionally hiding the documents last
The Maine Gambling Control Unit (MGCU) reported that sportsbooks in the state accepted $52.7 million in bets during December, a 1.5 percent increase from the previous month. That gambling activity resulted in just $417,000 in taxes from the month’s wagers, according to information provided by MGCU to Covers.com. The two legal sportsbooks in Maine, Caesars
Democratic Congressman from Maine’s 2nd District Jared Golden has reintroduced his proposed bill that would implement a universal 10 percent tariff on all imports, a move he believes will help incentivize American manufacturing, raise revenues and rebalance trade deficits. Rep. Golden’s reintroduction of his “BUILT USA Act” comes just days before President-elect Donald Trump will
The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC) is paying a Portland-based nonprofit $90,000 to form a stakeholder group that will work on strategies to combat diabetes among the city’s immigrant and refugee populations. According to a state contract document published Monday, the Maine CDC will be awarding $90,000 to Maine Access Immigrant
The City of Portland has issued a request for grant applications in order to find partner organizations to launch a “Day Space” pilot program for homeless individuals, and to open an on-peninsula methadone treatment program. Funding for the two initiatives comes from a nationwide class action lawsuit against opioid manufacturers. The City of Portland joined
A Maine Republican lawmaker who a week before election day turned himself in to police over an alleged aggravated assault incident has won reelection by a single vote after a Thursday recount. [RELATED: Maine Republican Representative Up for Re-Election Arrested on Aggravated Assault Charges…] State Rep. Lucas Lanigan (R-Sanford) received 2,478 votes, while his Democratic
At a Tuesday meeting of the Portland Board of Public Education, at-large member and Board Chair Sarah Lentz claimed that immigrants and refugees have “come under attack” after the election of Donald Trump, and said that the district is preparing for potential mass deportations of immigrants by the incoming Trump administration. WATCH: Lentz, who during
The York County Sheriff’s Office is looking for the owner of an 8-foot Boa constrictor a deputy found on the side of the road in Shapleigh on Friday. The Sheriff’s Office said Friday evening that earlier that day Deputy Jonathan Marshall responded to Shapleigh Corner Road in Shapleigh for an animal complaint When Deputy Marshall
In a statement issued following former President Donald Trump’s resounding victory over Vice President Kamala Harris last week, the executive director of the Maine American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) said the nonprofit is “prepared to act” to resist the “dangers” posed by Trump’s return to the presidency. [RELATED: Maine ACLU Demands Portland Stop ‘Criminalizing Homelessness’
A political action committee (PAC) founded by the Maine Education Association this week spent $75,500 on digital advertisements in support of six Democratic candidates running for State Senate this November. According to campaign finance records, Citizens Who Support Maine’s Public Schools, a political spending arm of Maine’s teachers’ union, bought $75,500 worth of digital ads
The National Border Patrol Union endorsed State Rep. Austin Theriault (R-Fort Kent) Thursday in his bid to unseat incumbent Democrat U.S. Rep. Jared Golden in the race for Maine’s Second Congressional District. “We proudly endorse @AustinTheriault in Maine-02,” the Border Patrol Union tweeted from its official account on Thursday. “Austin will assist in cleaning up
The City of Portland is now seeking applications to fill the vacancy at the top of the city’s Justice, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (JDEI) office, a role which boasts a starting salary of over $110,000. Portland’s JDEI office was launched in 2023 on the recommendation of the city’s Racial Equity Steering Committee, which itself was formed
At a special meeting this Wednesday, the Portland City Council will consider adopting a resolution to divest the city from entities “complicit in the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.” A description of the resolution, which is sponsored by City Councilor At-Large April Fournier, reads: “The City of Portland recognizes the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and
Maine’s ongoing effort to resettle non-citizens will get a $5.4 million boost thanks to a Biden-Harris Administration grant that will provide taxpayer dollars to house, feed, and provide other services to migrants recently released from U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) custody. On Wednesday, Aug. 28, DHS, alongside the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and
Tensions ran high at Portland City Hall on Monday evening as the city’s “justice, diversity, equity and inclusion” (JDEI) office gave its first update to the City Council since being formed last year. The city’s racial equity office has been without a director since May, when Umaru Balde, who joined the JDEI office in April
Mainers statewide have been experiencing sticker shock when reviewing their property tax bills for the upcoming fiscal year, and Republican lawmakers are laying blame for rising taxes squarely at the feet of Democratic lawmakers and Gov. Janet Mills (D). Legislative Republicans held a press conference in Gorham Wednesday addressing this issue and providing a platform
Maine has the seventeenth most underprivileged children nationwide with the sixth worst health, according to a recent study by WalletHub. All fifty states plus Washington D.C. were scored across several variables related to children’s well-being, including socioeconomic welfare, health, and education. Although Maine fell more towards the middle of the pack with respect to socioeconomic
Gov. Janet Mills (D) announced Tuesday that Maine is expected to receive between $45 million and $72 million in federal funding to “accelerate the adoption of heat pump technology” in homes across the state. Five New England states — including Maine, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island — were given a combined total of
