Maine State News

Maine girls track star calls Laurel Libby a ‘hateful’ bully

Thu, 15 May 2025 16:15:05 +0000

A freshman high school track star is pushing back against state Rep. Laurel Libby’s campaign against transgender athletes.

In a letter published by the Portland Press Herald, Anelise Feldman, who attends Yarmouth High School, defended Soren Stark-Chessa, a transgender athlete who recently took first place in both the 1600- and 800-meter events.

Feldman placed second in the 1600, clocking a personal best of 6:16.32, she wrote. It was enough to earn her varsity status at Yarmouth High. Stark-Chessa finished 5:57.27 in the 1600 and 2:43.31 in the 800, just a second ahead of her next closest competitor.

“The fact that someone else finished in front of me didn’t diminish the happiness I felt after finishing that race. I don’t feel like first place was taken from me. Instead, I feel like a happy day was turned ugly by a bully who is using children to make political points,” Feldman wrote in the letter to the editor.

Stark-Chessa, a junior at Maine Coast Waldorf School in Freeport, testified last week before a legislative committee hearing a slate of bills concerning transgender athletes.

In an interview on Fox News last week, Libby lamented Stark-Chessa’s performance at the track meet earlier this month, accusing her of “pushing many, many of our young women out of the way in their ascent to the podium.”

But Feldman pushed back against Libby, saying that personal improvement is valued as much as the place where athletes finish. She wrote that athletics are the highlight of many students’ time in high school.

“No one was harmed by Soren’s participation in the girls’ track meet, but we are all harmed by the hateful rhetoric of bullies, like Rep. Libby, who want to take sports away from some kids just because of who they are,” Feldman wrote in the Press Herald letter.

In February, Libby took to social media to lament the performance of a different transgender athlete who had won a girls indoor track title. That post thrust Maine into the crosshairs of President Donald Trump, who threatened to withhold federal funding from the state over the inclusion of transgender athletes in girls’ and women’s sports, saying that violates an executive order he signed that month.

The day after Trump singled out Maine at a Republican governors’ event in Washington, he crossed paths with Gov. Janet Mills at an event at the White House. In a heated exchange, Trump pressed Mills on the state’s policy toward transgender athletes and the governor told the president that she would “see you in court.”

State law, specifically the Maine Human Rights Act, prohibits discrimination in education, employment, housing and more on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, ancestry or national origin.

There are no transgender athletes competing on any University of Maine System sports team. At the high school level, only two transgender athletes are competing during the current school year.

For the 2023-2024 school year, about 45,000 students participated in high school sports in Maine, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations. (That does count students who participated in two or more sports multiple times.)

Between 2013 and 2021, the Maine Principals’ Association, which oversees scholastic sports for 151 public and private schools, heard from 56 trans students wishing to participate on a high school sports team consistent with their gender identity, only four of whom were trans girls.

Since that verbal sparring at the White House, the Trump administration has launched an unprecedented pressure campaign against Maine over the inclusion of transgender athletes. Key to that has been a slate of Title IX investigations from six federal agencies targeting the state, the Maine Department of Education, the Maine Principals’ Association, Greely High School in Cumberland and the UMaine System.

Last month, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi sued the state alleging it was discriminating against and failing to protect women and girls in violation of Title IX, a landmark 1972 anti-discrimination statute. Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey responded late last week, accusing the Trump administration of a slew of constitutional violations and asking a federal judge to toss out the case.

That case could ultimately land before the conservative U.S. Supreme Court, where the Trump administration could ask it to rule that Title IX outlaws athletic policies like the ones in Maine and more than 20 other states.

The U.S. Department of Education, whose Title IX probe is behind the civil rights lawsuit, has launched a separate probe into its state counterpart over allegations that dozens of school districts are hiding students’ “gender plans” from parents in violation of the Family Educational Privacy Rights Act.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services also has referred a Title IX case to the Justice Department.

The Maine House censured Libby in February for her social media posts. She has sued House Speaker Ryan Fecteau in federal court to get her speaking and voting privileges back. But the courts have handed her two setbacks.

Now she’s asking the Supreme Court to take up her case.

Beyond the investigations, the Trump administration has been trying to leverage federal funds to get the state to reverse its policies toward transgender athletes.

Almost immediately the Trump administration pulled funding for Maine Sea Grant. More than 30 states, Puerto Rico and Guam participate in the national Sea Grant program. No other Sea Grant program has seen its funding cut.

That funding was restored earlier this month after the Commerce Department renegotiated the award, though it’s unclear what — if any — changes were made.

In March, the Social Security Administration ended two programs allowing Maine providers to share birth and death information electronically, a move that meant new parents would have to travel to one of eight Social Security offices to register their newborns for a Social Security number.

The agency reversed that decision within 48 hours.

The acting Social Security administrator, Leland Dudek, took that move in retribution against Mills over her war of words with Trump, despite earlier statements calling it a “mistake.” He even brushed off a senior aide’s warning that it would increase fraud. In an email, Dudek acknowledged “improper payments” would increase, but it was necessary in order to punish a “petulant child.”

And on April 1, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins informed Mills that her department was pulling funding for programs that feed schoolchildren, children in day care, at-risk youth outside school hours and adults in care settings. In a letter to the governor, Rollins warned that “this was just the beginning” for Maine because of alleged Title IX violations.

Earlier this month, the Trump administration signed a settlement with Maine agreeing to “refrain from freezing, terminating, or otherwise interfering with the state of Maine’s access to United States Department of Agriculture funds” over “alleged violations of Title IX.” In exchange, Maine dropped its lawsuit challenging the freeze.

In April, Bondi announced that her department was pulling $1.5 million in “nonessential” funding from the Maine prison system because of a transgender inmate housed in a women’s prison.

Older people in crosshairs as government restarts Social Security garnishment on student loans

Thu, 15 May 2025 16:12:49 +0000

NEW YORK — Christine Farro has cut back on the presents she sends her grandchildren on their birthdays, and she’s put off taking two cats and a dog for their shots. All her clothes come from thrift stores and most of her vegetables come from her garden. At 73, she has cut her costs as much as she can to live on a tight budget.

But it’s about to get far tighter.

As the Trump administration resumes collections on defaulted student loans, a surprising population has been caught in the crosshairs: Hundreds of thousands of older Americans whose decades-old debts now put them at risk of having their Social Security checks garnished.

“I worked ridiculous hours. I worked weekends and nights. But I could never pay it off,” says Farro, a retired child welfare worker in Santa Ynez, California.

Like millions of debtors with federal student loans, Farro had her payments and interest paused by the government five years ago when the pandemic thrust many into financial hardship. That grace period ended in 2023 and, earlier this month, the Department of Education said it would restart “involuntary collections” by garnishing paychecks, tax refunds and Social Security retirement and disability benefits. Farro previously had her Social Security garnished and expects it to restart.

Farro’s loans date back 40 years. She was a single mother when she got a bachelor’s degree in developmental psychology and when she discovered she couldn’t earn enough to pay off her loans, she went back to school and got a master’s degree. Her salary never caught up. Things only got worse.

Around 2008, when she consolidated her loans, she was paying $1,000 a month, but years of missed payments and piled-on interest meant she was barely putting a dent in a bill that had ballooned to $250,000. When she sought help to resolve her debt, she says the loan company had just one suggestion.

“They said, ‘Move to a cheaper state,'” says Farro, who rents a 400-square-foot casita from a friend. “I realized I was living in a different reality than they were.”

Student loan debt among older people has grown at a staggering rate, in part due to rising tuitions that have forced more people to borrow greater sums. People 60 and older hold an estimated $125 billion in student loans, according to the National Consumer Law Center, a six-fold increase from 20 years ago.

That has led Social Security beneficiaries who have had their payments garnished to balloon by 3,000 percent — from approximately 6,200 beneficiaries to 192,300 — between 2001 and 2019, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

This year, an estimated 452,000 people aged 62 and older had student loans in default and are likely to experience the Department of Education’s renewed forced collections, according to the January report from CFPB.

Debbie McIntyre, a 62-year-old adult education teacher in Georgetown, Kentucky, is among them. She dreams of retiring and writing more historical fiction, and of boarding a plane for the first time since high school. But her husband has been out of work on disability for two decades and they’ve used credit cards to get by on his meager benefits and her paycheck. Their rent will be hiked $300 when their lease renews. McIntyre doesn’t know what to do if her paycheck is garnished.

She floats the idea of bankruptcy, but that won’t automatically clear her loans, which are held to a different standard than other debt. She figures if she picks up extra jobs babysitting or tutoring, she could put $50 toward her loans here and there. But she sees no real solution.

“I don’t know what more I can do,” says McIntyre, who is too afraid to check what her loan balance is. “I’ll never get out of this hole.”

Braxton Brewington of the Debt Collective debtors union says it’s striking how many older people dial into the organization’s calls and attend its protests. Many of them, he says, should have had their debts cancelled but fell victim to a system “riddled with flaws and illegalities and flukes.” Many whose educations have left them in late-life debt have, in fact, paid back the principal on their loans, sometimes several times over, but still owe more due to interest and fees.

For those who are subject to garnishment, Brewington says, the results can be devastating.

“We hear from people who skip meals. We know people who dilute their medication or cut their pills in half. People take drastic measures like pulling all their savings out or dissolving their 401ks,” he says. “We know folks that have been driven into homelessness.”

Collections on defaulted loans may have restarted no matter who was president, though the Biden administration had sought to limit the amount of income that could be garnished. Federal law protects just $750 of Social Security benefits from garnishment, an amount that would put a debtor far below the poverty line.

“We’re basically providing people with federal benefits with one hand and taking them away with another,” says Sarah Sattelmeyer of the New America think tank.

Linda Hilton, a 76-year-old retired office worker from Apache Junction, Arizona, went through garnishment before COVID and says she will survive it again. But flights to see her children, occasional meals at a restaurant and other pleasures of retired life may disappear.

“It’s going to mean restrictions,” says Hilton. “There won’t be any travel. There won’t be any frills.”

Some debtors have already received notice about collections. Many more are living in fear. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order calling for the Department of Education’s dismantling and, for those seeking answers about their loans, mass layoffs have complicated getting calls answered.

While Education Secretary Linda McMahon says restarting collections is a necessary step for debtors “both for the sake of their own financial health and our nation’s economic outlook,” even some of Trump’s most fervent supporters are questioning a move that will make their lives harder.

Randall Countryman, 55, of Bonita, California, says a Biden administration proposal to forgive some student debt didn’t strike him as fair, but he’s not sure Trump’s approach is either. He supported Trump but wishes the government made case-by-case decisions on debtors. Countryman thinks Americans don’t realize how many older people are affected by policies on student loans, often thought to be the turf of the young, and how difficult it can be for them to repay.

“What’s a young person’s problem today,” he says, “is an old person’s problem tomorrow.”

Countryman started working on a degree while in prison, then continued it at the University of Phoenix when he was released. He started growing nervous as he racked up loan debt and never finished his degree. He’s worked a host of different jobs, but finding work has often been complicated by his criminal record.

He lives off his wife’s Social Security check and the kindness of his mother-in-law. He doesn’t know how they’d get by if the government demands repayment.

“I kind of wish I never went to school in the first place,” he says.

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Story by Matt Sedensky, Associated Press

Maine overdose deaths decreased 19 percent last year as US saw biggest one-year decline

Thu, 15 May 2025 15:50:55 +0000

There were 30,000 fewer U.S. drug overdose deaths in 2024 than the year before — the largest one-year decline ever recorded.

An estimated 80,000 people died from overdoses last year, according to provisional Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data released Wednesday. That’s down 27 percent from the 110,000 in 2023.

In Maine, reported overdose deaths dropped by 19 percent, according to state data released in February.

Between January and December 2024, Maine saw 490 confirmed and suspected fatal drug overdoses, compared with 2023’s 606 deaths. That is the largest year-over-year decline since 2023, when fatal overdoses fell 16 percent from the year prior, which was itself the largest decline since 2018.

2024 also marked the first time since 2011 when Maine saw consecutive years of falling fatal overdoses.

The CDC has been collecting comparable data for 45 years. The previous largest one-year drop was 4 percent in 2018, according to the agency’s National Center for Health Statistics.

All but two states saw declines last year, with Nevada and South Dakota seeing small increases. Some of the biggest drops were in Ohio, West Virginia and other states that have been hard-hit in the nation’s decades-long overdose epidemic.

Experts say more research needs to be done to understand what drove the reduction, but they mention several possible factors. Among the most cited:

— Increased availability of the overdose-reversing drug naloxone.

— Expanded addiction treatment.

— Shifts in how people use drugs.

— The growing impact of billions of dollars in opioid lawsuit settlement money.

— The number of at-risk Americans is shrinking, after waves of deaths in older adults and a shift in teens and younger adults away from the drugs that cause most deaths.

Still, annual overdose deaths are higher than they were before the COVID-19 pandemic. In a statement, the CDC noted that overdoses are still the leading cause of death for people 18-44 years old, “underscoring the need for ongoing efforts to maintain this progress.”

Some experts worry that the recent decline could be slowed or stopped by reductions in federal funding and the public health workforce, or a shift away from the strategies that seem to be working.

“Now is not the time to take the foot off the gas pedal,” said Dr. Daniel Ciccarone, a drug policy expert at the University of California, San Francisco.

The provisional numbers are estimates of everyone who died of overdoses in the U.S., including noncitizens. That data is still being processed, and the final numbers can sometimes differ a bit. But it’s clear that there was a huge drop last year.

Experts note that there have been past moments when U.S. overdose deaths seemed to have plateaued or even started to go down, only to rise again. That happened in 2018.

But there are reasons to be optimistic.

Naloxone has become more widely available, in part because of the introduction of over-the-counter versions that don’t require prescriptions.

Meanwhile, drug manufacturers, distributors, pharmacy chains and other businesses have settled lawsuits with state and local governments over the painkillers that were a main driver of overdose deaths in the past. The deals over the last decade or so have promised about $50 billion over time, with most of it required to be used to fight addiction.

Another settlement that would be among the largest, with members of the Sackler family who own OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma agreeing to pay up to $7 billion, could be approved this year.

Jurisdictions in Maine have received more than $68 million in payouts from drug manufacturers and distributors. The state stands to receive at least $235 million over the next nearly two decades as the result of national settlements with some of the companies accused of supercharging the opioid epidemic.

The money, along with federal taxpayer funding, is going to a variety of programs, including supportive housing and harm reduction efforts, such as providing materials to test drugs for fentanyl, the biggest driver of overdoses now.

But what each state will do with that money is currently at issue. “States can either say, ‘We won, we can walk away’” in the wake of the declines or they can use the lawsuit money on naloxone and other efforts, said Regina LaBelle, a former acting director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy. She now heads an addiction and public policy program at Georgetown University.

President Donald Trump’s administration views opioids as largely a law enforcement issue and as a reason to step up border security. That worries many public health leaders and advocates.

“We believe that taking a public health approach that seeks to support — not punish — people who use drugs is crucial to ending the overdose crisis,” said Dr. Tamara Olt, an Illinois woman whose 16-year-old son died of a heroin overdose in 2012. She is now executive director of Broken No Moore, an advocacy organization focused on substance use disorder.

Olt attributes recent declines to the growing availability of naloxone, work to make treatment available, and wider awareness of the problem.

Kimberly Douglas, an Illinois woman whose 17-year-old son died of an overdose in 2023, credited the growing chorus of grieving mothers. “Eventually people are going to start listening. Unfortunately, it’s taken 10-plus years.”

Story by Mike Stobbe and Geoff Mulvihill, Associated Press. BDN reporters Chris Burns and Leela Stockley contributed to this report.

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Elan School and Yarmouth fires connected to 4 teens, state fire marshal says

Thu, 15 May 2025 15:46:24 +0000

The state agency says seven fires in Poland and Yarmouth were intentionally set. Two teens have been charged in connection to some of the fires, and more charges may be coming.

Hancock Lumber announces plans to acquire Massachusetts-based Johnson Lumber

Thu, 15 May 2025 15:39:48 +0000

CASCO — Hancock Lumber is excited to announce its plans to acquire Johnson Lumber, a single-location lumberyard located in Salisbury, Massachusetts. The transaction is expected to close on May 31, with the location officially beginning operations as Hancock Lumber on Monday, June 2 — marking Team Hancock’s 12th lumberyard and its first in Massachusetts.

Founded in 1963 and originally operating as a sawmill, Johnson Lumber has grown into a respected contractor yard with a strong presence across Northeast Massachusetts, Southern New Hampshire and Southern Maine. With a team-first culture and strong customer relationships, the business has remained in the Johnson family for over 60 years.

“It’s been an honor to work with the Johnson family on the acquisition and integration of their amazing company into the Hancock Lumber family,” Hancock Lumber Chair and sixth-generation Managing Owner Kevin Hancock, shared, “Johnson Lumber has been a quintessential family business since the early 1960s – doing things the right way for over 60 years. The Johnson family, their employees, and their customers represent the essence of what local and independently owned lumber companies bring to their communities. So, for Hancock Lumber it’s a big blessing and responsibility to be given the opportunity to continue to expand and build on that legacy.”

He continued, “We plan to reinvest, grow the business and add resources to allow that tradition to keep building. Johnson Lumber and Hancock Lumber are a great fit in terms of business values, employee care and a deep focus on contractor sales and service. We’re excited, grateful and committed to moving the company forward while celebrating its roots and heritage.”

Located just two miles from the coast and minutes from I-95 and I-495, Johnson Lumber is situated on a 12-acre site featuring covered storage and contractor-focused inventory. Like Hancock, Johnson Lumber is a delivery-driven operation, with over 80 percent of its sales delivered to job sites — fitting seamlessly with Hancock’s service model for delivering first-class products and services on-time and in-full to professional builders.

Strategically, the acquisition is a natural extension of Hancock Lumber’s markets, enhancing the reach between its existing Kennebunk and Wolfeboro, New Hampshire locations — just 40 and 70 minutes away, respectively. This additional lumberyard will help grow key product lines including Hancock-made wall panels, trusses and pine, along with Marvin windows and Tiny Homes, while creating additional capacity and delivery efficiency across the region.

Twenty Johnson Lumber employees will join Team Hancock, including three second generation owners, two of whom will stay on short-term to assist with the transition and one as a full-time employee. The two companies plan to work together in the coming months to ensure a smooth transition for employees and customers.

“Our family has been focused on finding the right partner to move our family business into the next generation of ownership,” second-generation owner and President Trish Johnson, commented. “Ultimately, choosing to partner with Hancock Lumber came down to finding a company that will honor our values and take care of our people — both employees and customers — for the long-run.”

Being in the lumber business since 1848 says more about Hancock Lumber’s commitment to the future than it does about their past. Today, the company is a seventh-generation, family-owned integrated forest products company that is passionate about their people-first and values-driven culture. Operating high-efficiency white pine sawmills, a network of lumberyards, truss and wall panel manufacturing facilities, full-service kitchen design showrooms, a robust e-commerce shopping + online account management platform, and now manufacturing Tiny Homes, Team Hancock is led by over 700 employees. Hancock Lumber has been named a ‘Best Place to Work’ since 2014, a testament to the energy and work they put into creating a culture that truly makes a difference. Shop 24/7 and learn more at www.HancockLumber.com.

Electrical fire broke out at Brewer High School

Thu, 15 May 2025 15:13:52 +0000

An electrical fire broke out at Brewer High School on Thursday morning.

The fire was isolated to the school’s roof, according to the city of Brewer.

Firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze, but power has been cut off to the school as a precaution.

Administrators dismissed classes early as a result.

“The safety of our students, staff, and community remains our top priority. We will continue to monitor the situation and provide further updates as necessary,” the city said.

Plan to loosen federal habitat protection seen as threat to iconic Maine wildlife

Thu, 15 May 2025 15:01:56 +0000

Maine has its own state endangered species law, but environmentalists say a proposed change in federal law could hurt some Maine species the state has worked to protect.

Overdose deaths declined in Maine last year, but not as sharply as the U.S. overall

Thu, 15 May 2025 14:49:55 +0000

Data released this week by the U.S. CDC showed a 27% decrease in drug deaths nationwide from 2023 to 2024. Fatal overdoses in Maine dropped by 20%.

2 18-year-olds suspected of burning buildings at controversial Maine school for troubled teens

Thu, 15 May 2025 14:41:21 +0000

Two 18-year-olds have been accused of setting fire to seven buildings, including three at the former Elan School, over the past several months.

James Akers of Portland and Jacob Kaiser of Biddeford are suspected in a string of arson fires in Poland and Yarmouth between November 2024 and this past March, according to Shannon Moss, a spokesperson for the Maine Department of Public Safety.

Two of those fires were at a vacant building at the Elan School campus in Poland and a construction site in Yarmouth on Nov. 17, 2024.

That same site in Yarmouth was struck again on Jan. 2, burning a vacant home under construction.

Two more fires broke out on March 1, again at the Elan campus and at a vacant home on Madeleine Point Road in Yarmouth.

Those were followed by another fire at a vacant Elan School building on March 7, and then a U.S. Forest Service sign was burned at Princes Point Road and Lafayette Street in Yarmouth on March 19.

Akers was arrested on March 20 for allegedly burning the Forest Service sign. He was taken to the Cumberland County Jail in Portland and later released on bail.

Kaiser was arrested Tuesday for allegedly starting the Madeleine Point Road fire that destroyed a home. He was taken to the Cumberland County Jail and later released on bail.

While Akers and Kaiser have each been charged in one fire, Moss said Thursday that evidence suggests they are connected to other fires and criminal activity in the area during this time.

Two 17-year-olds also are suspected for being involved in the fires, but have not yet been charged, according to Moss.

Psychiatrist Dr. Gerald Davidson and businessman Joseph Ricci opened the Elan School in 1970. Staff there used humiliation as a therapeutic tool to treat children with emotional, behavioral and substance use problems.

Accusations of physical and emotional abuse dogged the school.

Despite numerous investigations, the school didn’t close until 2011 because of declining enrollment and financial trouble.

The investigation is ongoing.

Company could pay $240K for Aroostook lumber mill violations

Thu, 15 May 2025 14:33:33 +0000

A company that owned a Masardis sawmill until January could pay $240,000 in fines for violating state environmental regulations, including improper handling of wastewater.

Daaquam Lumber, owned by Groupe Lebel and Bois Daaquam of Rivere-du-Loup, Quebec, has been accused of multiple violations in a consent agreement issued by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.

The company allegedly discharged pollutants into local waters and failed to collect samples to monitor wastewater, among other violations, according to the DEP. Under the agreement, Daaquam will pay a $99,000 civil penalty and contribute $141,000 to enhance fish habitat in a nearby waterway.

Commonly known by the name of its longtime former owners, J. Paul Levesque and Sons, the sawmill operation has a history of Canadian owners since its founder died in 2013. Maibec, also of Quebec, bought it in 2015. Daaquam acquired it from Maibec in 2018 and owned it for about seven years. Irving Forest Products acquired it on Jan. 5.

Daaquam was cited for numerous violations at the mill in 2022, including missing repair and training documentation, having incomplete and unsigned records of corrective actions, ditch maintenance failures, uncontrolled windblown particles, illicit wastewater discharge and improper storage of sand and salt, the consent agreement states.

Though Daaquam addressed some of the violations, it did not take adequate steps to stop the discharge of pollutants and raw materials into waterways, according to DEP. The company also failed to train employees to minimize pollution and did not collect wastewater samples at the proper times.

Groupe Lebel officials did not immediately return a request for comment.

The agreement specifies that Daaqam’s $141,000 payment will go to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife for use in a $306,000 habitat enhancement project at Scopan Stream in Masardis.

“There is currently no holding pool habitat (with the exception of the pool in the tail race of the dam) in the stream that supports adult landlocked salmon or brook trout,” the project summary stated. “This project seeks to create pools to provide the needed habitat to allow adult fish to remain in Scopan Stream.”

The stream flows into nearby Scopan Lake, which also does not support brook trout or salmon populations, according to a 2018 state study.

Organizers said the project entails building two low dams, or weirs, that would raise water levels where needed to hold fish, growing their populations and benefiting local anglers. Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has received $165,000 so far to fund the project, and Daaquam’s contribution will cover the rest.

The consent agreement is open for comments until June 13.

Maine Community Foundation launches local press initiative

Thu, 15 May 2025 14:09:48 +0000

Press Forward Maine to be led by Maine media executive Lisa DeSisto

The Maine Community Foundation announced the launch of a new initiative to strengthen Maine communities by ensuring strong, local news coverage in all parts of the state. MaineCF applied and has been selected by the nonpartisan philanthropic initiative Press Forward to become one of 36 independent chapters nationwide.

Press Forward and Press Forward Maine share the goal of strengthening communities by reinvigorating local news. Press Forward Maine will be housed within MaineCF and led by Senior Advisor Lisa DeSisto, former CEO of Maine Today Media and the Maine Trust for Local News. The initial focus will be building a broad-based advisory panel to identify and prioritize the best ways to reimagine and expand access to local reporting.

“Our own research and the ‘Strengthening Maine’s Civic Life’ report we funded last year tell us two things,” said MaineCF CEO Deborah Ellwood. “One, most people in Maine are interested in reading and learning about their communities but, two, may encounter barriers for understanding how they can engage and participate locally. Press Forward Maine will bring people and resources together to close that gap because quality reporting means people can learn about any issue, understand how to get involved, have their voice heard and find solutions together. We are very pleased Lisa DeSisto is joining to help lead this effort as senior advisor and excited to get to work with our donors and partners.”

DeSisto, who also worked at the Boston Globe for 17 years before leading Maine’s largest media organization through many changes over 13 years, said, “I know all too well that these are changing times in the news business. This is important work and I am glad to continue as senior advisor to Press Forward Maine. We are committed to contributing to a vibrant media ecosystem by partnering with large and small news organizations. As a nonprofit community foundation with a 42-year record of working in communities across all 16 Maine counties, Maine Community Foundation is the perfect institution to convene media partners and craft new models for collaboration and innovation to better engage with Maine people.”

MaineCF’s Vice President of Philanthropy Bree Arsenault said there is interest in supporting local news infrastructure among MaineCF’s current and potential donors,“There seems to be an understanding among those looking to build a better Maine that local news and information are essential to inform and involve people in working together to find solutions. We are pleased to partner with Lisa DeSisto and work with our network of donors and partners to invest in promising solutions.”

In 2023, MaineCF embarked on a needs assessment project to help define the next phases of the foundation’s strategic work. Over a period of nine months, more than 1,500 community leaders, donors, nonprofits and stakeholders from every county in Maine provided their insights and perspectives on the state’s challenges, needs and opportunities.

Respondents repeatedly noted the need for more information about how to get involved locally. Consistent access to news and information is central to the health of Maine communities and core to the state’s progress on its biggest challenges. These include resilience to severe weather events, the need for affordable housing and economic opportunities in all parts of Maine.

The MaineCF-funded “Strengthening Maine’s Civic Life” report by the Goldfarb Center for Public Affairs at Colby College and Public Engagement Partners highlights the state’s strengths and vulnerabilities and uncovered a high level of support for quality local news.

According to this research, Maine people rank 10^th in the nation on keeping up with the news, with 74 percent of Mainers engaging in reading, watching or listening to news about political, societal or local issues, compared with the national average of 68 percent. Residents expressed facing barriers to civic participation, including lack of information about engagement opportunities.

The Maine Community Foundation brings people and resources together to build a better Maine through strategic giving, community leadership, personalized service, local expertise and strong investments. To learn more about the foundation, visit www.mainecf.org.

Press Forward is a national movement to strengthen communities by revitalizing local news and information. A coalition of funders is investing more than $500 million to strengthen local newsrooms, close longstanding gaps in journalism coverage, advance public policy that expands access to local news and scale infrastructure the sector needs to thrive. Press Forward is housed at The Miami Foundation. For more, visit pressforward.news.

Walmart will raise prices due to tariffs

Thu, 15 May 2025 13:51:24 +0000

NEW YORK — Walmart’s first quarter profit slipped and it said it must raise prices due to higher costs from tariffs implemented by President Donald Trump.

The nation’s largest retailers posted strong quarterly sales Thursday and said it expects sales growth of 3.5 percent to 4.5 percent in the second quarter.

Like many other U.S. companies, however, it did not issue a profit outlook for the quarter because of the chaotic environment, with stated U.S. tariff policies changing constantly. The company maintained its full year guidance issued in February.

Walmart earned $4.45 billion, or 56 cents per share, in the quarter ended April 30, down from $5.10 billion, or 63 cents per share, in the same period last year.

Adjusted earnings per share were 61 cents, exceeding the 58-cent projections from industry analysts, according to FactSet.

Revenue rose 2.5 percent to $165.61 billion, just short of analyst estimates.

Walmart’s U.S. comparable sales — those from established physical stores and online channels — rose 4.5 percent in the second quarter, though that’s slowed from a 4.6 percent bump in the previous quarter, and a 5.3 percent increase in the third quarter of 2024.

Shares rose almost 3 percent before the opening bell Thursday.

Business was fueled by health and wellness items as well as groceries. Sales were weaker in home and sporting good, which was offset by robust sales of toys, automotive goods and kid’s clothing, the company said.

Global e-commerce sales rose 22 percent, up from 16 percent in the previous quarter.

Future sales have become a concern for all retailers for a number of reasons.

Many Americans have been pulling back on spending as they grow uneasy about the economy, and inflation remains elevated. Trump’s tariffs on China and other countries threaten the low-price model that is at the core of Walmart’s success.

Trump’s threatened 145 percent import taxes on Chinese goods were reduced to 30 percent in a deal announced Monday, with some of the higher tariffs on pause for 90 days.

Retailers and importers had largely stopped shipping shoes, clothes, toys and other items with the duties so high, but many will now resume importing from China in the narrow window, hoping to avoid sparse shelves this fall. Yet many retailers say they must raise prices to tariff costs. And they are also bracing for higher shipping costs fueled by a surge of companies scrambling to get their goods on ships to the U.S.

Walmart has built in hedges against some tariff threats. Two-thirds of Walmart’s merchandise is sourced in the U.S., with groceries driving much of that. Groceries account for roughly 60 percent of Walmart’s U.S. business.

Still, Walmart isn’t immune and said it will have to raise prices even as it works to absorb the costs of the tariffs.

“We will do our best to keep our prices as low as possible but given the magnitude of the tariffs, even at the reduced levels announced this week, we aren’t able to absorb all the pressure given the reality of narrow retail margins,” CEO Doug McMillon said in a statement.

Walmart is among the first major U.S. retailers to report financial results and the numbers can provide a hint as to the mood of the American shopper and how the tariffs are impacting its business.

Earlier this month, Amazon announced higher first-quarter profit and sales that beat analysts’ projections, underscoring the online behemoth’s hold on shoppers looking for low prices and a wide selection in an uncertain economy.

Amazon brought in foreign goods before Trump’s tariffs took effect. And Amazon President and CEO Andy Jassy told analysts during its earnings call that many of its third party sellers did the same. And because of that move, a fair amount of third-party sellers haven’t changed their pricing yet, he said.

Story by Anne D’Innocenzio.

How to keep ticks out of your yard and off your body

Thu, 15 May 2025 13:24:57 +0000

This story was originally published in May 2018.

As ticks multiply and spread throughout Maine, people are looking for ways to protect themselves and their loved ones. For many, the battle begins in their own backyard.

In response, an increasing number of lawn care and pest control businesses throughout the state are offering services aimed at lowering tick populations in outdoor living spaces.

“It’s just something we all have to catch up on,” said Ed Mercier, who owns the Bangor-Auburn location of Mosquito Squad, a national company that offers mosquito and tick management services.

For Mercier and other pest management specialists in the state, spring is a busy time.

“Right now we’re seeing a big increase in tick activity just as people are starting to get outside and do their yard work,” Mercier said.

Home tick management is a relatively new concept for many Maine residents. After all, ticks — and specifically deer ticks — didn’t really start to be a problem in the state until the early 2000s, when they migrated up from southern New England and started infecting residents with Lyme disease. Many Mainers grew up rolling around in the grass and bushwhacking through the woods without a thought about these dangerous pests. But now, ticks are here to stay.

There’s no single solution to the tick problem. Options include spraying synthetic pesticides, dousing areas with natural plant-based repellents, erecting fences to keep out animals that carry ticks and removing tick-friendly habitat, such as tall grasses and leaf litter. The methods one uses comes down to personal preference and what will work best for the space you’re trying to protect.

“Many people are averse to using pesticides,” said Griffin Dill, pest management specialist for the University of Maine Cooperative Extension. “All I can really tell people is you have to weigh the risks of tick-borne diseases versus the risk of pesticides … That’s really a personal decision.”

Dill said the most commonly used synthetic chemical in anti-tick pesticides is bifenthrin, which is a relatively broad spectrum insecticide that kills a whole host of other lawn and garden pests. Other chemicals used in anti-tick pesticides include carbaryl, cyfluthrin, deltamethrin, lambda-cyhalothrin, permethrin and pyrethrin.

“[Pesticides] are certainly an effective aspect of a tick management program, but they’re not a silver bullet,” said Dill. “They won’t eliminate the tick population around a home.”

Dill also cautions that pesticide labels should be strictly followed.

One alternative to synthetic pesticides are natural tick repellents, which include garlic oil and essential oil mixes of rosemary, lemongrass, cedar, peppermint, thyme and geraniol. Multiple scientific studies that support the effectiveness of these natural repellents are listed on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. However, unlike synthetic pesticides, these natural methods are not regulated or tested by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Mosquito Squad offers both options — synthetic and natural tick repellents — and rather than spray the entire outdoor living space, they focus on areas where ticks tend to be more numerous, along the forested edges and in dense vegetation.

While ticks are hardy pests, they do require some shelter from the sun to survive, which is what makes dense vegetation and more shady areas so alluring to them.

In a study by the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, approximately 67 percent of the ticks sampled were found in densely wooded areas, 22 percent were found in unmaintained transitional edge habitats between woodlands and open areas, 9 percent were found in ornamental vegetation, and 2 percent found on lawns. Then, within the lawn, most of the ticks (82 percent) were located within three yards of the lawn perimeter, particularly along woodlands, stonewalls and ornamental plantings. The study also found that ticks were more abundant in the shaded areas of lawns.

“Deer ticks in particular dry out very easily,” Dill explained. “They need relatively humid conditions to survive, so they crawl out of the leaf litter and tall grasses to quest [search for a host] and are exposed to the sun and breeze, then start to dry out, so they have to venture back down into the leaf litter where it’s moist and humid to reabsorb some of that moisture.”

With this is mind, there are a number of additional measures homeowners can take to reduce tick populations in their outdoor living spaces:

— Reduce shade and shelter that ticks need by cutting your grass as short as possible and removing woods piles, leaf litter and debris from your yard.

— Set up playground equipment and other high-traffic areas in sunny locations, away from the edges of the yard.

— Install a 3-foot-wide barrier of gravel or rubber mulch between lawns and wooded areas and around swing sets and sitting areas. This will discourage tick migration.

— Fence in highly used outdoor areas to keep out animals that carry ticks, such as deer.

— Plant deer-resistant plants such as daffodils, lavender, mint, asters and marigolds, some of which also repel deer ticks.

— Place bird feeders in open areas away from the home or consider feeding birds only in the winter. Birds carry ticks, as do mice and other rodents attracted to feeders.

Another method of tick management people have tested out in Maine is keeping free-range chickens and other domesticated fowl, which eat ticks and other lawn pests. Whether this is effective is a matter of debate.

“The jury is kind of out on chickens and guinea fowl,” Dill said. “There are a lot of people who swear by them. Anecdotally, we get a lot of people that say they have chickens and have never had a tick in their yard. And admittedly there hasn’t been a lot of research done on chickens and the use of birds for tick management.”

Chickens do eat ticks, Dill said, but he believes the overall effectiveness of chickens as tick management boils down to the size of the yard and the number of chickens.

“If it’s a decent-sized yard and you have just a few chickens free ranging, I’d say the chance of them playing a significant role [in managing ticks] is pretty slim,” he said.

And at the end of the day, no matter how many tick management tools you deploy, odds are a tick will still sneak past the pesticide barrier or fence or stretch of gravel to shimmy up a blade of grass and wait for you, legs outstretched, in a host-seeking behavior called “questing.” So personal protection against ticks is still extremely important.

“Multiple tick checks every day should be a part of the daily routine,” said Bob Maurais, co-founder and president of Mainely Ticks, a company based in southern Maine that has been managing ticks on residential properties for 14 years.

“One of the best-kept secrets is treating clothing with permethrin spray,” said Maurais, who suggests two ways of doing this: using a can of permethrin spray to treat your clothes based on the instructions or sending your clothing to Insect Shield in North Carolina for a longer-lasting permethrin treatment.

People can also purchase pre-treated clothing, such as dog and human permethrin-infused garments made by Maine company Dog Not Gone.

“You don’t have to be hiking the Appalachian Trail to pick up a tick,” said Maurais. “You can get them right in your backyard.”

Tick expert offers advice for increasingly popular ‘No Mow May’

Thu, 15 May 2025 13:17:47 +0000

This was originally published April 25, 2024.

Growing numbers of people are leaving their yards unmowed for “No Mow May,” the same month when Maine’s tick season goes into full swing.

No Mow May is a voluntary pledge that formally reached Maine in 2022 after beginning in Wisconsin several years before. Participants aim to provide habitat and pollen for early-season pollinators by mowing their lawns less or not at all for the month.

The practice also provides habitat for ticks, which like to live in long grass.

A deer tick, also known as a black-legged tick, is a carrier of Lyme disease. If you participate in No Mow May this year, some approaches can help minimize the risk of providing tick habitat. Credit: US CDC via AP

Deer ticks have been active and multiplying since early March, and American dog ticks are waking up now, according to Griffin Dill, tick lab coordinator at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension. How many of them you’ll see this year will depend on the weather.

Letting your yard grow can provide them more habitat and may lead to more risk. If you’re concerned, try adding pollinator-benefitting plants to one area of your yard and continue to mow the places where you spend time, Dill suggested. This option also provides pollinator habitat throughout the year.

You can also still participate in what is known as “No Mow May” by mowing less often and leaving the grass to grow 3-4 inches or only keeping part of your lawn unmowed.

Tick risk aside, No Mow May has found an audience in a few Maine towns.

In Lamoine, participating in the movement to mow less helps some people feel like there’s something they can do locally about environmental challenges, according to the town’s conservation commission chair, Larissa Thomas.

The project was so well-received that the town added to it in 2023 by joining the National Wildlife Federation’s Mayor’s Monarch Pledge, a local government commitment to developing habitat for monarch butterfly populations.

“People in small towns like Lamoine and in bigger towns and cities across Maine face a lot of challenges, but doing things together like “No Mow May” and Mayors’ Monarch Pledge helps forge and strengthen relationships and generates goodwill that pays dividends as we navigate community life,” Thomas said.

Her town is not the only one. Rockland also encouraged residents to participate in “No Mow May in 2022,” followed by Auburn, Saco and Scarborough the next year.

Bangor approved an amendment to its property maintenance code last spring to relax mowing standards throughout the month, allowing residents to grow their lawns longer than 10 inches in May.

2 women die after Maine collision

Thu, 15 May 2025 13:15:36 +0000

Two women are dead after a Wednesday evening collision in Auburn.

The women, neither of whom has been publicly identified, were traveling in a 2016 Honda Odyssey van crossing Washington Street from Beech Hill Road about 6:56 p.m. when it passed in front of a 2017 Chevrolet pickup truck, according to the Auburn Police Department.

Both women were taken to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston, where one died shortly after she arrived and the second died early Thursday morning.

The women were passengers in the van, owned by John F. Murphy Homes, which serves adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, as well as autism.

The pickup truck’s driver wasn’t seriously injured.

The crash remains under investigation.

Advocates say debate about transgender athletes ignores chronic Title IX violations

Thu, 15 May 2025 12:33:23 +0000

It was March — Women’s History Month — when Republican Rep. Laurel Libby stepped to a lectern at a State House press conference to decry Maine’s policies on transgender athletes.

“We find ourselves in a battle to preserve the very definition of what it means to be a woman,” she said.

Flanked by female Republican colleagues clad in white in honor of suffragettes from more than a century ago, Libby pronounced that transgender athletes are a threat to women’s hard-earned rights.

“Today, we are declaring that we will not stand idly by and allow those rights to be stripped away in exchange for an empty, woke ideology that celebrates the mediocre over true womanhood,” Libby said.

Just a couple weeks before, Libby had thrust Maine into the national spotlight. She posted the photo of a transgender high school pole vaulting champion on social media and criticized the athlete for “dominating girls’ sports.” The Trump administration is now suing the state for allegedly violating Title IX. At the press conference, Libby took aim at Maine policies that allow transgender female athletes to compete.

“Title IX is not being upheld,” she said. “Our girls are not seeing a fair and level playing field, and that is what’s at stake here.”

But critics say the movement to ban transgender athletes from girls’ sports doesn’t have anything to do with fairness.

“This is not about protecting women,” said Shiwali Patel, the senior director of safe and inclusive schools at the National Women’s Law Center.

“It really is about targeting a group of people — you know, dehumanizing trans people and stripping them of protections — and not doing anything to address the actual gender inequities in sports,” she said.

Title IX prohibits sex discrimination in schools that receive federal funding and applies to activities including sports. Patel said the law has done a lot to bolster equity for women and girls since it was passed more than 50 years ago, but there are still disparities. Girls in U.S. high schools have about a million fewer roster positions than boys, and women in college have nearly 60,000 fewer opportunities to participate.

And equity advocates say it’s a problem that’s persisted for years.

“There are still so many colleges and universities that are not fully complying with Title IX, and many people are not aware of that,” said Pam Seidenman, the founder of Accelerate Equity, which tracks gender equity in college sports using federal data.

When comparing the percentage of female students to male students, Seidenman said Maine colleges are short more than 1,600 roster spots for women athletes.

“If people do have a sincere concern about increasing equity, increasing opportunities to play sports is really the most impactful thing that people can do,” she said.

Funding discrepancies are another measure of inequity.

While data compiled by Accelerate Equity show spending at some Maine colleges is more equitable than others, collectively there’s a gap of more than $6 million between men’s and women’s athletic programs. In one recent prominent case, six female coaches sued Colby College for unequal pay. The case was ultimately settled.

“The routine pay gap that women coaches and coaches of women’s teams have had over the span of 50 years is really indicative of a pattern of discrimination that schools need to be held accountable for,” said Ellen Staurowsky, a professor in sports media at Ithaca College.

She’s puzzled by the lack of outrage over the routine discrimination women experience in areas such as pay, team spending and roster spots.

“That’s the issue that needs to be addressed here,” Staurowsky said. “Is that we do have sex discrimination in this system that is already robbing hundreds and thousands of women of opportunities, and none of that has anything to do with transgender women athletes.”

Staurowsky said the focus on transgender athletes is also misplaced because there are so few of them. The president of the NCAA has estimated there are fewer than 10 among the half million college athletes nationwide. And the Maine Principals’ Association has said only two transgender athletes competed in girls high school sports this year.

The Maine Human Rights Commission’s executive director, Kit Thomson Crossman, can’t recall any cases involving transgender athletes.

“I have talked to my commission counsel who’s been here for over a decade,” Crossman said. “Between the two of us, we do not remember a case that was based on a transgender athlete either experiencing discrimination or somebody filing a complaint because there was a transgender athlete on their sports team.”

“I know it’s a few people,” assistant Maine House Republican leader Katrina Smith said. “I think it could be more in the coming years, and so that’s why it’s so important to tackle it right now.”

Smith said the unfairness created by Maine’s transgender policies only compounds the barriers women and girls face in scholastic sports.

“And so then when you’re adding transgender athletes into the mix, I think you see that girls are working even harder to be recognized for the skills that they have or for the accomplishments that they want to achieve,” she said.

Smith and her Republican colleagues are sponsoring bills that seek to ban transgender athletes from competing in girls’ sports. She said she’d like to see the issue resolved.

Opponents to transgender bans say they’d like the same — so that the focus can be on what they say are the actual disparities women and girls face in athletics.

This article appears through a media partnership with Maine Public.

Americans are divided over DEI programs on college campuses, an AP-NORC poll finds

Thu, 15 May 2025 11:49:14 +0000

WASHINGTON (AP) — As President Donald Trump seeks to end diversity, equity and inclusion practices on college campuses, a new poll suggests that while the concept of DEI is divisive, some of the initiatives being affected by his administration’s guidance are less controversial.

The poll, conducted earlier this month by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, found about 4 in 10 Americans “strongly” or “somewhat” favor DEI programs in colleges and universities, while about 3 in 10 oppose those initiatives and about 3 in 10 are neutral.

Support is higher for courses on racism and scholarships for students of color, among other services designed to help students from underrepresented groups.

The findings underscore that while “DEI” has become a politically toxic and unpopular term for many Americans, some components of DEI programs have much less opposition.

This is especially true among Republicans. While about 6 in 10 Republicans oppose DEI programs broadly, their opposition softens for many of their most common elements. Just under half of Republicans oppose courses that teach about racism. About one-third oppose scholarships for students from underrepresented groups. And roughly 3 in 10 oppose clubs and mentorship services for those students.

About 7 in 10 Democrats, by contrast, favor DEI programs on college campuses, with similar shares supporting courses that teach about racism and scholarships or extracurricular support services for students from underrepresented groups.

Divides reflect different views of DEI’s meaning

Some of this tension may stem from differing perspectives on what DEI means.

“I’m dead set against DEI,” says poll respondent Robert Ayala, an 81-year-old registered independent who leans Republican. His understanding of DEI is “giving someone a free ride” or hiring people based on their skin color, as opposed to their skill set.

But Ayala says he fully supports scholarships and mentoring to help disadvantaged students. Ayala, who has Mexican ancestry, grew up poor in rural South Dakota, faced prejudice as a child and lacked career direction. “If I was offered a scholarship or training or had somebody to guide me, I might have found my way faster,” says Ayala, who spent 22 years in the Navy, then went into contracting and is now retired near Palm Springs, California.

Trump, a Republican, has signed multiple executive orders to eliminate diversity practices in the federal government, private companies and in education, calling them “illegal” and “immoral.” He has threatened to cut federal funding to campuses that defy him. Some of his orders are being challenged in court.

On campuses, students of color say colleges responding to the new guidance have cut back scholarships, diversity offices and mentors that made them feel welcome on predominantly white campuses.

“Everybody should have the same opportunities as everybody else,” says Stanley Roberts, 61, a registered Republican near Knoxville, Tennessee. He is “somewhat” opposed to the idea of DEI and is “on the fence” about courses that teach about racism because he thinks dwelling on the past creates division. “What happened 200 years ago or 1,000 years ago shouldn’t have happened,” he says, “but if everybody would quit talking about it, it would be a whole lot less of a problem.”

White adults are more likely to oppose DEI programs

The poll shows that white adults are more likely than Black and Hispanic adults to oppose DEI programs.

Black adults are more likely than U.S. adults overall to favor courses that teach about racism.

“I know this sounds cliché to say, but the reason I favor teaching about racism is so history doesn’t repeat itself,” says Nicole Martin, 34, a Black social worker in Idaho Falls, Idaho. “I hear a lot of, ‘Oh, just get over it.’ But I think, ‘OK you don’t want to talk about slavery. But we’re still talking about the Holocaust and that’s OK.’”

The poll found that women are more likely than men to say they support DEI programs on college campuses, as well as support services for students from underrepresented groups.

“Without DEI, I am not sure there are many chances for understanding other people’s experiences,” says Regina Cuddeback, 27, a Democrat in Cortland, New York, who says her support for DEI depends on the context.

Cuddeback does not think race should factor into college admissions but DEI programs on campuses are “completely fine,” and she does not think the federal government should have a say in the courses colleges offer.

“Students have a right to take the classes they want to take,” says Cuddeback, who is white and a registered Democrat. “For a college to remove a class and say you don’t get to learn a certain subject anymore would be pretty abysmal.”

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Gecker reported from San Francisco.

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The AP-NORC poll of 1,175 adults was conducted May 1-5, using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 4 percentage points.

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The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find the AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Morning Update: What you need to know in Maine today

Thu, 15 May 2025 11:29:33 +0000

A version of this story first appeared in the Morning Update newsletter. Sign up here to receive the Morning Update and other BDN newsletters directly in your inbox.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“It’s just a way of life that’s maybe going away, but I don’t know. It’s hard to say. I would be sad to see it go, for sure, but I guess that’s why I keep hanging on.”

— Jeff Tilton, who runs Maine’s only dedicated livestock auction house. Tilton is a third-generation owner of the Corinth business, and he expects it will end with him.

TODAY’S TOP STORIES

Bangor has a plan to soften the blow of tariffs on local businesses. The city oversees one of four Foreign Trade Zones in Maine — secure, designated areas that are considered outside of U.S. customs territory.

An acclaimed University of Maine engineering center laid off nine people, citing President Donald Trump’s research cuts. Universities nationwide are facing “enormous financial pressures” caused by unexpected funding pauses and cuts, leaders of the Advanced Structures and Composites Center said.

Maine border patrol agents made more arrests in April than in any month in 24 years. The federal agency said the new high-water mark is not the result of more people illegally crossing the border but from expanded enforcement.

A vanishing way of life continues at one of Maine’s last livestock auctions. Maine had 1,217 dairy farms in 1974 and now has around 140 often larger operations milking hundreds of cows instead of a few dozen.

Indigenous-led food production is returning to part of the midcoast. The project follows a growing effort to restore land across what’s now Maine to the groups that first inhabited it.

NEWS FROM AROUND THE STATE

MAINE IN PICTURES

Jeff Tilton, a third-generation livestock auctioneer, runs the only dedicated livestock auction house surviving in the state. Credit: Elizabeth Walztoni / BDN

FROM THE OPINION PAGES

A compactor drives over trash at the Juniper Ridge Landfill in Old Town on Jan. 19, 2022. Credit: Linda Coan O'Kresik / BDN

“Mega-landfills don’t just store trash and waste; they spread it, creating potential harms to human health, our homes, and the lives of future generations.”

Opinion: We can’t let the largest landfill in Maine grow again

LIFE IN MAINE

This whimsical, turreted Maine island home was built for a pastor. The home, which is being sold for $440,000, is known as “The Abbey.”

A Maine fishing club is looking for the Pete Rose bat it raffled off in 1985. It wasn’t just any bat. It was a bat that Rose and his teammates signed on the night he broke Ty Cobb’s all-time MLB hits record.

There’s an alternative to Atlantic salmon fishing. “Under current regional salmon fishing circumstances, black salmon fishing may have to fit the bill for several more years, but be assured that you won’t be disappointed,” Outdoors contributor Bill Graves writes.

Florida set to execute suspected serial killer once eyed for possible link to the OJ Simpson case

Thu, 15 May 2025 10:55:05 +0000

STARKE, Fla. (AP) — A suspected serial killer once scrutinized for a possible link to the O.J. Simpson case that riveted the nation in the mid-1990s is scheduled to be executed Thursday in Florida for the murder of a woman in a Tampa motel room.

Glen Rogers, 62, is set to receive a lethal injection at Florida State Prison near Starke, barring a last-day reprieve. He was convicted in Florida of the 1995 murder of Tina Marie Cribbs, a 34-year-old mother of two he had met at a bar.

The U.S. Supreme Court denied Rogers’ final appeals on Wednesday without comment.

Rogers would be the fifth inmate put to death in Florida this year. As of May 1, 15 people have been executed this year in the U.S. in eight states, according to the Death Penalty Information Center’s website. That compares with 25 people in all of 2024, the center reported.

He also drew a separate death sentence in California for the 1995 strangulation killing of Sandra Gallagher, a mother of three whom he had met at a bar in Van Nuys in that state. That killing came weeks before the Cribbs murder. Rogers was stopped after a highway chase in Kentucky while driving Cribbs’ car soon after her death.

Rogers was named as a suspect but never convicted in several other slayings around the country, once telling police he had killed about 70 people. He later recanted that statement, but had been the subject of documentaries including one from 2012 called “My Brother the Serial Killer” that featured his brother Clay and a criminal profiler who had corresponded extensively with Rogers.

The documentary raised questions about whether Rogers could have been responsible for the 1994 stabbing deaths of Simpson’s ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman.

During a 1995 murder trial that drew intense media attention, the former football star and celebrity Simpson was acquitted of all charges. Los Angeles police and prosecutors subsequently said after the documentary’s release that they didn’t think Rogers had any involvement in the Simpson and Goldman killings.

“We know who killed Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. We have no reason to believe that Mr. Rogers was involved,” the Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement at the time.

Simpson had always professed innocence but was later found liable for the deaths in a separate civil case, and then served nine years in prison on unrelated charges. The 76-year-old Simpson died in April 2024 after battling cancer.

Rogers, originally from Hamilton, Ohio, has also been labeled the “Casanova Killer” or “Cross Country Killer” in various media reports. Some of his alleged and proven female victims had similar characteristics: ages in their 30s, a petite frame and red hair.

Rogers’ lawyers have filed several appeals with state and federal courts, none successful. One argument was that newly enacted state legislation authorizing the death penalty for trafficking in young children makes clear the abuse he suffered as a child is now taken seriously and should result in a life prison sentence for Rogers. That argument was rejected.

Florida uses a three-drug cocktail for its lethal injection: a sedative, a paralytic and a drug that stops the heart, according to the Corrections Department.

Anthony Wainwright is the next Florida inmate scheduled for execution — on June 10 — under a death warrant signed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. Wainwright, 54, was convicted of kidnapping a woman from a supermarket parking lot in Lake City in 1994 and raping and killing her.

What to know about the Supreme Court arguments in the birthright citizenship case

Thu, 15 May 2025 10:40:08 +0000

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is hearing arguments Thursday in its first case stemming from the blitz of actions that have marked the start of President Donald Trump’s second term.

Before the court are the Trump administration’s emergency appeals of lower court orders putting nationwide holds on the Republican president’s push to deny citizenship to children born to people who are in the United States illegally.

Birthright citizenship is among several issues, many related to immigration, that the administration has asked the court to address on an emergency basis, after lower courts acted to slow the president’s agenda.

The justices are also considering the administration’s pleas to end humanitarian parole for more than 500,000 people from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela and to strip other temporary legal protections from another 350,000 Venezuelans. The administration remains locked in legal battles over its efforts to swiftly deport people accused of being gang members to a prison in El Salvador under an 18th century wartime law called the Alien Enemies Act.

In Thursday’s arguments, the justices will be weighing whether judges have the authority to issue what are called nationwide, or universal, injunctions. The Trump administration, like the Biden administration before it, has complained that judges are overreaching by issuing orders that apply to everyone instead of just the parties before the court.

Yet in discussing the limits of a judge’s power, the court almost certainly will have to take up the change to citizenship that Trump wants to make, which would upset the settled understanding of birthright citizenship that has existed for more than 125 years.

What is birthright citizenship?

The first sentence of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution reads: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”

The Citizenship Clause, ratified in 1868 after the Civil War, was included to ensure that formerly enslaved people would be citizens. It effectively overturned the notorious Dred Scott decision, in which the Supreme Court held that Black people, no matter their status, were not citizens.

Since at least 1898 and the Supreme Court case of Wong Kim Ark, the provision has been widely interpreted to make citizens of everyone born on U.S. soil except for the children of diplomats, who have allegiance to another government; enemies present in the U.S. during hostile occupation; and, until a federal law changed things in 1924, sovereign Native American tribes.

Trump signed the birthright citizenship executive order on the first day of his second term

Trump’s executive order would deny citizenship to children if neither parent is a citizen or lawful permanent resident. Those categories include people who are in the country illegally or temporarily because, the administration contends, they are not “subject to the jurisdiction” of the United States.

Almost immediately, states, immigrants and rights groups sued to block the executive order, accusing the Republican administration of trying to unsettle the understanding of birthright citizenship. Every court to consider the issue has sided with the challengers.

The court will not be making a final ruling on birthright citizenship

The administration is asking for the court orders to be reined in, not overturned entirely, and spends little time defending the executive order. The Justice Department argues that there has been an “explosion” in the number of nationwide injunctions issued since Trump retook the White House. The far-reaching court orders violate the law as well as long-standing views on a judge’s authority, Solicitor General D. John Sauer wrote on behalf of the administration.

Courts typically deal only with the parties before them. Even class actions reach only the people who are part of a class certified by a judge, though those can affect millions of people, Sauer wrote.

Nationwide injunctions, by contrast, have no limits and can even include parties who oppose what the court orders are designed to protect, he wrote. As an example, Sauer pointed to Republican-led states that favor the administration’s position but are subject to the nationwide injunctions.

But the justices may well ask about Trump’s executive order and perhaps even tip their hand.

Lawyers for the states and immigrants argue that this is an odd issue for the court to use to limit judges’ authority because courts have uniformly found that Trump’s order likely violates the Constitution. Limiting the number of people who are protected by the rulings would create a confusing patchwork of rules in which new restrictions on citizenship could temporarily take effect in 27 states. That means a child born in a state that is challenging Trump’s order would be a citizen, but a child born at the same time elsewhere would not, the lawyers said.

Arguments over emergency appeals are rare

The Supreme Court almost always takes up the underlying substance of a dispute, not an emergency appeal of court orders issued early in a legal case.

The main argument against the court deciding too much on the emergency, or shadow, docket is that the justices are intervening too early in the process, sometimes before lower courts have had much to say or the legal arguments are fully developed.

Last year, the justices heard arguments in emergency appeals, then blocked the Environmental Protection Agency’s air pollution-fighting “good neighbor” plan, which aimed to restrict smokestack emissions from power plants and other industrial sources that burden downwind areas with smog-causing pollution.

Two years earlier, the court delivered a split decision that allowed rules requiring COVID-19 vaccines for health care workers but not for employees of large companies.

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Follow the AP’s coverage of the U.S. Supreme Court at https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court.

Fisherman found dead in Maine lake

Thu, 15 May 2025 10:22:21 +0000

A Pittston man was found dead Wednesday morning on Cobbosseecontee Lake.

Kyle Armstrong, 27, went bass fishing alone on the Monmouth lake about noon Tuesday but his family became worried when he failed to return after dark, according to Mark Latti, a spokesperson for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

Rescuers began searching for him about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, and around 1 a.m. Wednesday they found his empty boat on Cobbosseecontee Lake, Latti said Thursday morning.

His body was found later that morning in the water.

Armstrong was wearing a lifejacket, and neither speed nor alcohol is considered a factor in his death. Game wardens believe Armstrong suffered a medical event while on the lake.

His body was taken to the Maine medical examiner’s office in Augusta to determine a cause of death.

The death remains under investigation.

In the push for a statewide school cellphone ban in Maine, local control could stand in the way

Thu, 15 May 2025 08:00:51 +0000

Many teachers, parents and school leaders in Maine support bell-to-bell school phone bans, but lawmakers this month scaled back on a bill, citing overreach of local control.

A look at the status of US executions in 2025

Thu, 15 May 2025 05:20:59 +0000

Fifteen men have died by court-ordered execution so far this year in the U.S., and 12 other people are scheduled to be put to death in eight states during the remainder of 2025.

Glen Rogers is set to die by lethal injection in Florida on Thursday, followed by scheduled executions in Texas and Indiana on May 20 and Tennessee on May 22, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. Other states with scheduled executions this year are Alabama, Mississippi, Ohio, and Oklahoma, though Ohio’s governor has been routinely postponing the actions as their dates near.

So far this year, executions have been carried out in Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Louisiana, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Texas.

The most recent U.S. execution took place May 1, when Jeffrey Hutchinson, 62, died by lethal injection in Florida for the 1998 shotgun slayings of his girlfriend and her three young children.

A look at the executions scheduled for the rest of the year, by state:

Florida

Rogers, 62, was convicted in the 1995 stabbing death of Tina Marie Cribbs near Tampa. Rogers, who has said he killed many people around the country, was also sentenced to death in California for another woman’s murder.

Anthony Wainwright, 54, is scheduled to die by lethal injection on June 10 for the kidnapping, rape and murder of Carmen Gayheart in 1994. Gayheart was abducted from a grocery store parking lot in Lake City, Florida.

Texas

Matthew Johnson’s execution is set for Tuesday.

In 2012, Johnson walked into a gas station with a plastic bottle filled with bleach and continued behind the sales counter where a woman was working. He took cigarettes, lighters and cash before pouring the bleach on her and setting her on fire and walking out. The worker died later at a hospital as a result of her injuries.

Indiana

Benjamin Ritchie is scheduled to be executed Tuesday in the fatal shooting of Beech Grove Police Officer Bill Toney in September 2000. According to court records, Ritchie jumped out of a stolen van after a police pursuit. Toney was chasing him when Ritchie turned and shot him four times.

A jury convicted Ritchie of murder and other offenses in 2002. Ritchie has unsuccessfully challenged the convictions at the state and federal level. His latest motion asked permission to raise arguments that his attorney was ineffective because the lawyer failed to investigate whether Ritchie suffered from fetal alcohol spectrum disorders as well as childhood lead exposure.

Tennessee

Tennessee’s Supreme Court has set execution dates for three inmates this year.

Oscar Smith, 75, is scheduled to be executed May 22. Smith was convicted of fatally stabbing and shooting his estranged wife and her teenage sons at their Nashville home in 1989.

Smith was within minutes of being executed in 2022 when Gov. Bill Lee issued a sudden reprieve. Smith’s attorney had requested the results of required purity and potency tests for the lethal injection drugs that were to be used on him. It turned out a test was never done.

An independent review later found that none of the drugs prepared for the seven inmates executed in Tennessee since 2018 had been fully tested.

The Tennessee Department of Correction issued a new execution protocol in late December that will utilize the single drug pentobarbital.

Byron Black, 69, is scheduled to be executed on Aug. 5. Black was convicted in 1989 of three counts of first-degree murder for the shooting deaths of his girlfriend, Angela Clay, and her two daughters.

Harold Nichols, 64, is scheduled to be executed on Dec. 11. Nichols was convicted of rape and first-degree felony murder in the 1988 death of Karen Pulley in Hamilton County.

Alabama

Gregory Hunt, 65, is scheduled to die by nitrogen gas on June 10 for the 1988 beating death of Karen Lane. She was found dead in an apartment in Cordova that she shared with another woman. Hunt had been dating Lane for about one month before her death, according to court records.

Alabama last year became the first state to carry out an execution with nitrogen gas. Nitrogen has now been used in five executions — four in Alabama and one in Louisiana. The method involves using a gas mask to force a person to breathe pure nitrogen gas, depriving them of the oxygen needed to stay alive.

Oklahoma

John Fitzgerald Hanson, 61, is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection on June 12.

An Oklahoma board has denied clemency for Hanson, who was convicted of killing a Tulsa woman in 1999.

Hanson was transferred to Oklahoma custody in March by federal officials following through on President Donald Trump’s sweeping executive order to more actively support the death penalty.

Mississippi

Mississippi’s longest-serving death row inmate is set to be executed on June 25.

Richard Gerald Jordan, 78, was sentenced to death in 1976 for kidnapping and killing a woman. Jordan has filed multiple death sentence appeals, the most recent of which was denied in October.

Mississippi Supreme Court records show Jordan kidnapped Edwina Marter and shot her to death in a forest in Harrison County. He then called her husband, falsely claimed she was safe and asked for $25,000.

Mississippi law allows death sentences to be carried out using lethal injection, nitrogen gas, electrocution or firing squad.

Ohio

Ohio has two executions set for later this year, with Timothy Coleman scheduled to die on Oct. 30 and Kareem Jackson scheduled to be executed on Dec. 10.

However, Republican Gov. Mike DeWine has been routinely postponing the actions as their dates approach. He did so in February, when he postponed into 2028 three executions scheduled for June, July and August of this year. DeWine has said publicly that he does not anticipate any further executions will happen on his watch as governor, which runs through 2026.

Go back in time by hiking along this old Bar Harbor railway

Thu, 15 May 2025 05:00:00 +0000

This story was originally published in May 2023.

The wooden railroad ties were covered in moss and fallen leaves, their edges softened by time and the slow work of nature. Lying across the trail at random intervals, they almost blended into the forest floor. But here and there, a metal spike poked from the decaying wood.

Originally built by Maine Central Railroad in the 1880s, the railway used to carry passengers to McNeil Point in Hancock, where they would board steamer ferries to cross Frenchman Bay to Bar Harbor. It was a busy route then, with multiple trains running daily. Just like today, people were eager to experience the beauty of Mount Desert Island.

This once-popular method of travel, known as the Bar Harbor Express, chugged along until 1931, when the railway from Ellsworth to Hancock was discontinued. An auto bridge had been built to MDI, providing easier access to the island’s oceanside resorts and the newly formed Acadia National Park.

It was the end of an era. But nowadays, you can still ride a train on a 13-mile section of the restored railroad, starting at the rail yard and boarding platform on Washington Junction Road in Hancock. Known as the Downeast Scenic Railroad, the experience is like stepping back in time.

Or you can walk along a 3-mile stretch of the former railway on the Old Pond Railway Trail. That’s what I was doing on April 28, with my dog Juno in tow.

Spanning Point Road and Old Route 1 in Hancock, the trail travels through a lovely forest of oaks, maples, balsam firs and other trees. Along the way, it crosses a trestle bridge over a saltwater bay called Old Pond. There, at low tide, I spotted gulls wading through the shallows, an osprey fishing farther out, and a man digging for clams in the extensive mudflats.

Juno wanted to join him, but I didn’t feel like dealing with a muddy puppy for the rest of our walk. I also didn’t think the clammer would appreciate a husky-boxer mix digging enthusiastically alongside him. Yet in hindsight, I think he may have been impressed. Juno has dug up clams, unprompted, before. Perhaps she has a nose for them.

I first visited the Old Pond Railway Trail back in 2014. Boy does time fly. And it hasn’t changed much since then. I suppose the old railroad ties might have a bit more moss on them. And there’s new graffiti on the trestle bridge. “Smile,” “you’re loved” and “poetic justice” are now among the painted words.

Juno and I passed a few other visitors during our walk. I imagine everyone was enjoying the spring weather. Though the day was blustery, the sun was shining bright. Plants were budding. Frogs and salamanders had laid egg masses in woodland vernal pools. And tiny spiders had built their intricate webs among tree branches.

The trail, plus the adjoining Kilkenny Cove Preserve, is a collaboration of three local land trusts: Crabtree Neck Land Trust, Maine Coast Heritage Trust and Frenchman Bay Conservancy. The property was acquired in 2008, and local Eagle Scouts helped prepare the trail.

There are two trailheads: the East Entrance, on Point Road near its intersection with Route 1; and the West Entrance, with parking on Old Route 1. Both include parking lots for four cars.

The trail is about 3 miles long, so it’s a 6-mile walk, out and back. But you certainly don’t have to walk the whole thing.

People who are particularly interested in the trestle bridge and Old Pond start at the East Entrance. From there, it’s about a half-mile on the trail to the bridge. Since it follows the bed of an old railway, the trail is flat and straight. The biggest challenge is watching your step so you don’t trip over the old railroad ties.

In addition to having a cool history, the trail is a good place for birding, according to the Frenchman Bay Conservancy website, with plenty of migrating songbirds and shorebirds during the spring and fall.

Back in April of 2014, I watched a group of four Canada geese from the trestle bridge. I also mentioned “black and white ducks of some variety” in my column about the hike. Perhaps they were buffleheads? From afar, they look black and white, although their dark feathers are actually iridescent.

Also back then, I noticed signs of porcupines along the forested part of the trail. A good reason to keep your dog on leash.

Throughout Maine, trails have been built along the bones of old railways. It makes sense. They make for even, solid surfaces. And they aren’t being used anymore.

Many of those railway trails are open to a variety of activities, including ATVing and horseback riding. However, Old Pond Railway Trail is a bit different. It’s fairly narrow, and with some of the railroad ties remaining on the ground, it’s not suitable for ATVing or even mountain biking. It’s only open to walkers and runners (for those brave enough to navigate over the ties at such a speed), and in the winter, snowshoers and skiers.

While walking through the dense forest, I at times found it hard to imagine a train chugging along the tracks, headed for the coast, its passengers sipping flutes of champagne. It’s amazing how quickly the wilderness takes over. There’s something satisfying about seeing moss creep over a sawed piece of timber, and a woodland flower sprout from its decaying wood.

Maine lawmakers consider bill to stop mobile home park sales for 3 months

Wed, 14 May 2025 22:51:31 +0000

The Legislature's Housing and Economic Development Committee is considering a moratorium on the sale of mobile home parks while lawmakers consider a handful of bills designed to protect residents.

EPA announces rollback of limits on forever chemicals in drinking water

Wed, 14 May 2025 21:31:43 +0000

The agency rolled back limits for three types of forever chemicals but will keep standards in place for the two most common PFAS, known as PFOA and PFOS.

New concert venue planned for Portland waterfront

Wed, 14 May 2025 21:05:57 +0000

Live at Madrid's is set to open around the end of the year, and aims to provide local bands a place to grow.

Lewiston hospital to drop case against feds over pandemic funds

Wed, 14 May 2025 21:05:09 +0000

There are no details in the dismissal motion filed earlier this month by St. Mary's explaining the reason for the action.

Chez Rosa to move to larger space in Kennebunk

Wed, 14 May 2025 20:51:08 +0000

The French bistro has been in its current home in Kennebunkport for 5 years.

Lewiston’s Church of Safe Injection to reopen after unexpected closure

Wed, 14 May 2025 20:43:27 +0000

The needle exchange program's director said challenges with financing and staff forced the organization to close its doors and regroup.

Arrival of white South African refugees draws concern from Maine advocates amid resettlement halt

Wed, 14 May 2025 20:35:00 +0000

Refugee resettlement has ground to a halt in Maine and many other states under the Trump administration.

Sen. Collins presses RFK Jr. during Senate hearing on health budget

Wed, 14 May 2025 20:21:27 +0000

The contentious hearing included several tense exchanges between Kennedy, the health and human services secretary, and Senate Democrats.

We Love to Eat: Community meals in Westbrook, Gorham and Casco

Wed, 14 May 2025 19:44:27 +0000

Free community meal – Saturday, May 17, 4:30-6 p.m., FBC Westbrook, 733 Main St., Westbrook. Enchiladas, rice, salad and dessert. Kids menu available. Free weekly community meal – Wednesday, May 21, 5-6 p.m., Westbrook Community Center, 426 Bridge St., Westbrook. A hot meal plus salad, fruit, dessert and beverage is provided by Trinity Lutheran Church and […]

Wabanaki tribe reclaims seat in Maine House as relations improve

Wed, 14 May 2025 19:35:47 +0000

A new representative for the Houlton Band of Maliseets was sworn in Wednesday to take a seat left vacant for the past seven years.

South Portland police launch policy review after Deering High School student ‘mistakenly’ detained by police

Wed, 14 May 2025 18:56:26 +0000

The 16-year-old student was apprehended by South Portland police who were executing a search warrant near the school.

Data shows wide geographic disparity of yellow flag usage across Maine

Wed, 14 May 2025 18:33:27 +0000

Maine's extreme risk protection order is barely ever used in certain corners of the state, but police say it's not because they're reluctant to confiscate guns from dangerous people.

Guns taken through Maine’s yellow flag law? It might depend on where you live.

Wed, 14 May 2025 18:31:44 +0000

Use of the state's law to intervene in gun violence varies greatly between counties and their police departments. But it's unclear why.

Scarborough Land Trust to hold native plant sale

Wed, 14 May 2025 18:28:46 +0000

The Scarborough Land Trust will host a native plant sale on Saturday, May 31, from 8 a.m. to Noon at Broadturn Farm. The land trust’s conserved property at 388 Broadturn Road will also host presentations, plant experts and a guided nature walk. Native plants for sale include trees, shrubs, ferns and wildflowers. Pre-orders are available […]

South Portland Housing Authority names new director of resident services

Wed, 14 May 2025 18:24:59 +0000

Nicole Linscott will succeed Phillip Smith, who served in the role from 2016 until his passing this year and is revered by colleagues for his impact on the South Portland community.

Portland man arrested, accused of gunfire on Grant Street

Wed, 14 May 2025 18:22:37 +0000

The 31-year-old man faces one count of reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon.

Falmouth gives public comment on pesticide ordinance, again

Wed, 14 May 2025 17:51:43 +0000

The ordinance was reintroduced after unmet requirements caused the initial ordinance, which the Town Council passed on Feb. 24, to be unenforceable.

Kennebunk nonprofit awarded grant to help families cope with Alzheimer’s disease

Wed, 14 May 2025 17:26:46 +0000

Founded in Kennebunk 14 years ago, A Place to Start offers free help and guidance to families with loved ones diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, Arundel school district voters send $62.6M budget to polls

Wed, 14 May 2025 16:28:20 +0000

Voters will be able to decide on the fiscal year 2026 school budget at the June 10 referendum.

As Portland’s gotten cooler, are more Maine college grads staying? | Column

Wed, 14 May 2025 16:18:56 +0000

Census data shows the city has become more popular with recent college graduates, and some surveys of Maine students indicate more of them have been sticking around.

Maine joins 2 more multistate lawsuits against Trump administration

Wed, 14 May 2025 16:07:23 +0000

The latest suits come after 2 federal agencies threatened to cut off federal funding unless states support federal immigration enforcement actions.

World War II soldier from Gorham, buried in the Netherlands, is not forgotten

Wed, 14 May 2025 15:34:45 +0000

Cpl. Alfred O. Guimond, a Silver Star recipient, was killed in 1945 shortly before Victory in Europe Day. Portland Press Herald columnist Bill Nemitz helped connect the Dutch family that adopted his grave with the soldier's family in Gorham.

‘Nite Show’ host Dan Cashman talks with Howard Stern about surprise David Letterman appearance

Wed, 14 May 2025 14:23:05 +0000

Cashman has also been interviewed by NPR and People magazine, among others, since the episode aired.

After a brief podium-time tempest, Gorham budget is approved

Wed, 14 May 2025 13:08:15 +0000

Gorham Town Council uneventfully passed a combined $82.7 million municipal and school budget.

Now under county supervision, York County Food Pantry forges ahead

Wed, 14 May 2025 12:28:53 +0000

The program will continue to operate in a partnership between York County Government and nonprofit First County Foundation.

UMaine history professor puts knowledge to the test in ‘Jeopardy!’ win

Tue, 13 May 2025 21:57:58 +0000

Kara Peruccio, a professor of history and gender studies at the University of Maine, won $12,400 on the show Friday.