Author: Libby Palanza

Republicans in Washington nominated Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) to be the Speaker of the House in a secret ballot vote held this afternoon. Earlier this month, Rep. Scalise and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) announced their intention to seek the nomination, publishing open letters addressed to their House GOP colleagues on X — the platform formerly known as Twitter. [RELATED: Jim Jordan, Steve Scalise Announce Run for Speaker of the House] The final tally for today’s vote was 113 in favor of Rep. Scalise and 99 in support of Rep. Jordan. The remainder of the caucus did not vote for either…

State lawmakers are currently poised to consider a number of changes to the laws surrounding homelessness — an issue that has reached crisis levels in many of Maine’s municipalities — as they enter into their second regular session in the new year. This past Friday, the Legislature released its list of bill requests that are slated for screening going into the second regular session, which is scheduled to begin January 3, 2024. The preliminary list is comprised of each request’s working title and sponsor. No additional information is yet available concerning the specific contents of these potential bills. Seven of…

Oral arguments took place this morning before Boston’s First Circuit Court of Appeals in the case against the Maine Secretary of State’s Office regarding the use and dissemination of the state’s voter rolls. For the past three years, Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF) has been locked in a legal battle with the Maine Secretary of State’s office as a result of the organization’s quest to access and freely make use of Maine’s voter rolls. [RELATED: Legal Battle Over Dissemination and Use of Maine’s Voter Registration Records Ramps Up As Case Heads to First Circuit Court of Appeals] “This case implicates…

Schools in the Bonny Eagle School District (MSAD #6) have begun taking steps to ensure that underage students are not accessing age-inappropriate material in the school library without parental consent. Earlier this year, parents and community members from the district directly challenged the presence of six books in the middle and high school libraries due to their explicit and mature content. One book — Juliet Takes a Breath — was present in the library at both Bonny Eagle Middle School (BEMS) and Bonny Eagle High School (BEHS). In addition to Juliet Takes a Breath, the high school library has five…

Parents of Hermon High School students were asked earlier this year to decide whether their student should be allowed access to books in the school library containing mature or adult content — 82% said yes. Students with restricted access will be prevented from checking out any of the 81 books that were identified as containing explicit or otherwise age-inappropriate content. Out of 564 students, 466 were granted full access to the school’s library, while 45 were restricted by their parents from accessing any of the 81 flagged books. No students were barred from utilizing the library in its entirety, and…

Most Americans are inclined to trust Republicans over Democrats to effectively deal with the myriad of problems facing the country today, according to a recent Gallup poll. The poll, conducted throughout the month of September, showed that a majority of Americans place their trust in the Republican party when it comes to handling both the economy (53%) and national security (57%). It was also revealed that a plurality of Americans are more willing to trust Republicans than Democrats with handling the issue most important to them (44%). Just 35% of respondents said that they felt the Democrats would do a…

The Portland City Council rejected a proposal to add bunk beds to one of the city’s homeless shelters in an effort to make more space available to those who need it. If passed, the proposal would have instituted a limited state of emergency at the Riverside Street shelter and required the addition of 50 beds through November 20. Although there was a sense of urgency surrounding the proposal on account of the fast-approaching winter months, some argued that the addition would have worsened the quality of life for the 208 people who were already living at the shelter. The Council…

Roughly twenty-four hours after the House of Representatives voted to remove Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) from the speakership, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) and Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) have announced their intention to run for Speaker of the House. Both announced their candidacy on X — the platform formerly known as Twitter. Rep. Jordan made an appeal to members of the Republican caucus to support him in his efforts to replace Rep. McCarthy. pic.twitter.com/jNX4j5oNSB— Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) October 4, 2023 “The American people have entrusted us to lead the House of Representatives. Our majority has had success in the first…

Later this week, the Supreme Court will be hearing a case that originated in Maine several years ago — Acheson Hotels, LLC, Petitioner v. Deborah Laufer. After hearing oral arguments Wednesday, the Court will be tasked with determining whether a “self-appointed Americans with Disabilities Act ‘tester'” has standing to challenge a hotel’s “failure to provide disability accessibility information on its website,” even if she never intends to visit the hotel in question. In 2020, Laufer sued Acheson Hotels — which owns and operates Coast Village Inn and Cottages in Wells — for violating the Americans with Disabilities Act for failing…

South Portland High School (SPHS) went into lockdown this morning while the South Portland Police Department (SPPD) investigated a suspicious individual seen near the entrance to the building with an item believed at the time to be a weapon. The individual was intercepted by the school resource officer before entering the building and was then apprehended. It was later determined that the individual was unarmed. Officials from both SPHS and the SPPD asserted that the person in question was not connected to SPHS, either as a current or former student. No staff or students were harmed during this morning’s incident,…

U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) — the longest-serving woman in the United States Senate — has died at the age of 90. Sen. Feinstein’s career dates back to 1978 when she was elected president of San Francisco’s board of supervisors, becoming the first woman to hold the position. She later became mayor after the assassination of then-Mayor George Moscone and Harvey Milk by Dan White, who had also served on the same board. In 1992, Feinstein won a special election to the United States Senate, making her California’s first female senator. Barbara Boxer was sworn in as senator weeks later,…

The United States Senate has unanimously reversed course today by officially codifying a business casual dress code days after moving to scrap the concept of a dress code entirely. Last week, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) directed the Senate’s sergeant-at-arms to cease enforcement of the chamber’s unwritten rules regarding the attire worn on the Senate floor. It was widely understood that the attempt to change decorum expectations on the floor of the Senate was aimed at accommodating Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), who is regularly seen wearing hoodies and gym shorts on the Hill. Following the decision, 46 Republican Senators…

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced Tuesday that it has taken legal action — alongside a number of state attorneys general, including Maine’s — against online retail giant Amazon for allegedly utilizing illegal means to maintain monopoly power over the e-commerce industry. According to their press release, the FTC is accusing Amazon of using “a set of interlocking anticompetitive and unfair strategies to illegally maintain its monopoly power.” The lawsuit argues that Amazon’s tactics allow it to “stop rivals and sellers from lowering prices, degrade quality for shoppers, overcharge sellers, stifle innovation, and prevent rivals from fairly competing against Amazon.”…

When the State Legislature reconvenes next year, Maine lawmakers will consider two proposals that would strengthen Mainers’ right to privacy and place further restrictions on when an how state authorities are allowed to spy on residents or assist the federal government with domestic surveillance. The Judiciary Committee held a work session earlier this week to discuss two digital privacy bills — LD 1056 and LD 1576 — centered around government access to Mainers’ electronic data. Both of these bills were carried over from the 131st Legislature’s previous session. [Watch The Full Judiciary Committee Work Session] LD 1506 — An Act…

The former Longley Elementary School in Lewiston — currently being used for adult education classes — was broken into and vandalized by a group of seven children between the ages of eight and twelve this past Saturday night. According to Jake Langlais — Lewiston Public Schools Superintendent — all the children involved in the incident are current students in his district. An announcement released immediately following the incident described how several of the school’s classrooms were completely destroyed. The release describes the children as “making a mess of several classrooms, tossing items, damaging mannequins used for medical programming, [making] messes…

The Bar Harbor Town Council is currently considering a proposal to temporarily ban the construction of new hotels in the area. According to the proposed emergency memorandum included in the agenda packet for the town’s most recent council meeting, the purpose of the freeze would be to “allow municipal officials reasonable time to:” “Evaluate the concerns raised in regards to anticipated or proposed development of transient accommodations” “Determine the adequacy of existing land use ordinances and regulations “Develop additional ordinances and regulations to provide adequate protection for the property, health, welfare, land use compatibility, environmental compatibility, and protection of all…

Data from the Maine Judicial Branch shows that evictions in the state have increased dramatically since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, and this year’s numbers are on track to rival the 15-year high reached back in 2014. The figures, made available from the Maine Judicial Branch, reflect the number of eviction filings made with the courts, as opposed to the number of judgements entered. From 2009 through 2014, eviction filings increased gradually each year — starting at 4,672 in 2009 and reaching their peak in 2014 at 6,261. Between 2014 and the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, eviction filings…

Roughly thirty years after the inciting incident behind the infamous lawsuit that has since come to serve as the posterchild for “frivolous lawsuits,” McDonald’s is yet again being sued over a spilled cup of hot coffee. In the 2023 lawsuit, an elderly woman alleges that a San Francisco McDonald’s served her a scalding hot cup of coffee with an improperly attached lid, causing the drink to spill when she attempted to drink it, severely burning her. Mable Childress, 85, also alleges that employees “refused” to assist her after the incident. McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski denied this in a statement, arguing…

The United States Climate Alliance — of which Gov. Janet Mills (D) is a co-chair — announced today a new commitment to increasing heat pump usage nationwide four-fold by 2030. According to the press release, the Coalition aims to reach a total of 20 million heat pump installations by the end of the decade, with “40% of the benefits flow[ing] to disadvantaged communities.” The announcement was made at a Climate Week NYC event earlier this week, at which Gov. Mills was present in her capacity as co-chair. Also at the event were co-chair Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D), co-chair elect…

Maine’s unemployment rate has remained relatively consistent these past few months — leveling out around 2.5 percent — according to the August 2023 statistics released by the Maine Department of Labor (MDOL). At the same time, Maine’s labor force participation rate, a measure of how many Mainers who can work are working, saw a minor uptick over the course of the summer, but it has nonetheless remained significantly lower than the national percentage. August’s 2.5 percent unemployment represents a minimal uptick from the 2.4 percent reported consistently for the past several months. MDOL attributed the increase to a rise in…

The Bar Harbor Town Council voted unanimously earlier this week to dissolve the Council’s cruise ship committee. The committee was originally intended to help “grow and manage the cruise ship-based tourism and related activities within Bar Harbor,” according to a statement provided to the Maine Wire by Councilor Kyle Shank. The Council voted 6-0 in favor of scrapping the committee at their meeting earlier this week. According to the Bangor Daily News (BDN), many councilors expressed support for the committee’s purpose — and for the work done by those who served on it — but felt that it had outlived…

Four Kennebec County schools went into lockdown yesterday due to reports of an armed student on the nearby Kents Hill School campus. The Kents Hill School is an independent coeducational boarding school for students in grades 9 through post-graduate located in Kents Hill, Maine. Administrators at the private boarding school directed students to stay in their dorms and for non-resident students to report to the Bodman Performing Arts Center while law enforcement officials searched their belongings, according to Central Maine News, but no weapons were found. Police later reported that the investigation was sparked by an “off-the-cuff comment” made by…

Confused Mainers watched as pink vapor billowed out the chimney of the EcoMaine waste management plant in Portland back in mid-August. As reports of the unusual vapor spread across social media, the company — which dubs itself as “Maine’s leader in sustainable waste management” — and state officials scrambled to identify the cause of the unusual smog, according to emails obtained by the Maine Wire through a Freedom of Access Act request. More than a month later, experts with the State of Maine and EcoMaine still can’t say how materials that shouldn’t have been incinerated ended up in the wastestream,…

Middle schoolers in Topsham were sent home this morning out of an abundance of caution after the school received a bomb threat. Heidi O’Leary — the superintendent of MSAD 75 — told the Bangor Daily News that the bomb threat was left in a voicemail on Sunday night at about 9pm. Although students were initially directed to the high school, the school decided to send them home for the day around 9:15am. According to WMTW, the Maine State Police bomb squad searched the school’s campus and found no explosive devices. Authorities are still working to determine the source of the…

Although Maine is still experiencing persistent teacher shortages, the Maine Department of Education (MDOE) saw a 40 percent increase in “initial and renewal educator certification applications” this summer compared to last year, according to an MDOE press release. Between June and August of this year, the MDOE’s “certification team” processed 11,000 certification applications. Those applications include current those who are applying for their first teacher certification as well as current teachers who are renewing their certifications. “While educator shortages persist across our state, this increase is encouraging and the Maine DOE is committed to doing everything we can to build…

House lawmakers in Washington D.C. voted 222-190 in favor of a bill blocking states from attempting to eliminate the sale of internal combustion engine vehicles. The measure also would prevent the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from issuing waivers for such bans. The bill — called the Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act — amends the Clean Air Act to prohibit states from “directly or indirectly limit[ing] the sale or use of new motor vehicles with internal combustion engines.” It also adds language that blocks the EPA from allowing state standards matching this description to be permitted under new or existing…

The Maine Medical Association (MMA) last week became the fifth state medical association in the country to endorse a policy statement calling for universal taxpayer-funded health insurance coverage. The association’s board approved the statement back in June, and members who attended the association’s annual Portland gathering voted to officially endorse it this past weekend. “The MMA believes that our current U.S. health care system produces some of the world’s most eminent clinicians and health care facilities which, together, provide some of the most advanced medical care in the world,” the statement reads in part. “But, despite sustained efforts by physicians…

Westbrook High School went into lockdown earlier Thursday morning when a student reported to school officials that another student was in possession of a firearm — which was later determined to be unloaded — according to News Center Maine. Westbrook Superintendent Peter Lancia told News Center Maine that school officials, including the school resource officer, were able to immediately locate the 14-year-old male student and recover the weapon. The student was then taken to the Westbrook Police Department where he was interviewed by investigators and charged with the theft of a firearm and terrorizing. The police reported notifying the student’s…

Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) announced this week the opening of a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden over allegations of corruption, and Maine’s congressional delegation has begun to speak publicly about it. [RELATED: Kevin McCarthy To Throw Support Behind Impeachment Inquiry Into Biden] Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), the only Republican in Maine’s delegation, gave a tepid acknowledgement of the inquiry, stating that “the House is going to do what the House is going to do.” “That is a decision to be made by the House, which has exclusive authority over impeachment proceedings,” she said. Under impeachment…

A new Wall Street Journal poll revealed that the economy is at the forefront of voters’ minds going into the 2024 presidential election. Not only did a plurality of the registered voters surveyed say that the economy would be at the top of their mind when considering whom to cast their ballot for next year, but nearly 60 percent said that their personal financial situation has worsened over the course of the past year. Substantial percentages of respondents also said they felt inflation, the cost of housing, and the availability of goods and products had all worsened since this time…

It has been confirmed that the former Ramada Inn in Lewiston will not become a “transitional housing” facility for those “on the fringes of homelessness.” Chris Kilmurry, head of the Lewiston Housing Authority, told Maine’s Total Coverage that plans to convert the former hotel into a 117-unit transitional housing facility have fallen through after their request for a zoning variance was denied. Kilmurry further said that the agency has since canceled its sales and purchase agreement with the owners of the Ramada Inn. According to WMTW, 23 of the rooms in the former Ramada Inn are currently being used to…

Google will be going to court this week in the biggest anti-trust lawsuit in more than twenty years, according to the Wall Street Journal. The United States Department of Justice sued the company three years ago for using “illegal agreements to sideline its rivals” in such a way that consumers and advertisers were harmed in the process. One example of this behavior cited by the Wall Street Journal was Google’s billion-dollar agreement to serve as the default search engine on the Safari web browser, the browser that comes pre-installed in Apple iPhones. Given that Congress has stopped short of passing…

Biden Administration officials likely violated the First Amendment by “coercing” and “significantly encouraging” social media companies to censor citizens’ protected free speech, according to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. In early July, a federal judge from Louisiana issued an injunction against myriad government officials prohibiting them from working with social media companies to exert any form of control over users’ “protected free speech.” [RELATED: Judge Blocks Feds from Collaborating with Social Media Companies to Remove or Suppress “Protected Free Speech”] Almost immediately, the Biden Administration issued a notice of appeal for the ruling. In doing this, federal officials effectively…

Stacy Davis Gates, head of the Chicago Teachers Union, has been the subject of significant backlash after a local newspaper revealed that she is sending her son to a private high school despite her ardent opposition to school choice. Gates has defended opting to take her son out of the public school system by citing the poor quality of education available to families in the South and West sides of the city — the very same argument proponents of school choice have made for years. “It was a very difficult decision for us because there is not a lot to…

The Town of Cape Elizabeth’s lawsuit against the Lumbery — a business located in the center of town on Route 77 that sells locally-sourced wood, garden beds, and tools — may soon be coming to an end after nearly a year. This coming Monday, the Cape Elizabeth Town Council will be considering a motion to pursue a voluntary dismissal of the lawsuit, which was filed against the Lumbery last October. Councilor Tim Reiniger requested that the motion to dismiss be placed on the upcoming meeting’s agenda — as well as consideration of scheduling a workshop to review the town’s existing…

Gov. Janet Mills (D) stated during a Maine Public Radio interview earlier this week that she has not “taken a position” on the proposed California-style electric vehicle (EV) mandates currently under consideration by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (Maine DEP). This statement came in response to a listener’s question inquiring what the state is doing to expand access to EV charging and to upgrade the state’s electrical infrastructure. As part of her answer, Mills noted that the state has appropriated “some money” toward the cause, specifically pointing toward the state’s acquisition of “a significant amount of federal money,” as…

Free speech may not be so free on college campuses in Maine, according to a recent ranking done by College Pulse and the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). Out of the 248 colleges that were ranked, all four of the schools in Maine fell within the bottom portion of the list. Bowdoin College came in as the school with the greatest degree of free speech in Maine with a ranking of 122. Coming in at 213, Bates College was found to have the worst track record for free speech in the state. In comparison to the 24 colleges…

The subject of property taxes has become increasingly prevalent in recent weeks, with discussions ranging from the repeal of the Property Tax Stabilization Program for Seniors to the increased property tax bills in many municipalities throughout the state. Earlier this summer, the State Legislature defunded the Property Tax Stabilization Program less than a year after it was originally signed into law. Originally enacted in August of 2022, the Legislature voted in July of this year on a spending bill that effectively repealed the program following complaints from municipalities across the state that the program would be unsustainable. The program allowed…

Many cities in Maine are facing dueling crises at the moment that are both drawing on largely the same pool of resources — an influx of asylum seekers and an ever-growing homeless population. In responding to these crises, cities are generally called upon to make decisions regarding the distribution of the same scarce resource — housing. Particularly when considered in the context of the ongoing conversation surrounding the availability and construction of affordable housing, the ways in which different cities go about addressing these twin crises are especially interesting. Portland is one city that has taken notably diverging approaches to…

The Windham Town Council is currently considering competing proposals for allowing members of the town to recall their elected officials — one introduced by Windham residents, the other by the Town Council. The proposal set forth by residents is an ordinance — the local equivalent of a law — whereas the Town Council has proposed an amendment to the Town Charter — the local equivalent of a constitutional amendment. The residents first proposed their ordinance earlier this year after learning that no such provision was currently on the books in Windham. Kristen Day, the co-author of the ordinance, spoke to…

The Lewiston Housing Authority’s plan to purchase and convert the Ramada Inn into transitional housing appears to have been halted following the Board of Appeals decision to deny their request for a zoning variance earlier this week. According to the Lewiston Sun Journal, the Lewiston Housing Authority was seeking a zoning variance that would lower the minimum dwelling unit size from 300 square feet to 282 square feet — the size of 80 percent of existing rooms in the former Ramada Inn. The Housing Authority intended turn the former hotel into 117 affordable housing units with “selective services” for those…

Government over-payment of food stamp benefits cost taxpayers a minimum of $11.2 billion in fiscal year 2022, according to a recent report from the Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA). This is the highest amount that has ever been lost due to over-payment in the history of the program. In 2019, this figure was just $3.4 billion. Based on FGA research, nearly 80 percent of these over-payments are the result of errors at the state level, including overlooking fraudulent uses of the program. In their report, FGA recounts several recent incidents of food stamp fraud that resulted in the loss of…

A University of New Hampshire (UNH) poll released Wednesday revealed that many Mainers are struggling financially and feeling much less secure than they were just one year ago. Not only are the majority of Mainers worse off than they were at this time last year, but they are also struggling to even afford basic necessities, like housing, food, and electricity. Fifty-seven percent of Mainers reported that they are in a worse financial position now than they were at this time next year. Just 9 percent of respondents said that their financial situation had improved. Interestingly, the percentage of respondents reporting…

Eight people have been arrested and charged with drug trafficking offenses following a lengthy investigation, the Maine Department of Public Safety said in a Tuesday press release. According to the press release, the arrests were made as a result of a months long investigation into the sale of “crack cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine” in central and mid-coast Maine. The release specifically names Waldo, Kennebec, and Androscoggin counties as the operating range for the drug traffickers in question. DPS states that the investigation entailed “many hours of surveillance, vehicle stops, undercover purchases of a variety of drugs from the group, as…

A poll conducted earlier this month by the University of New Hampshire (UNH) reveals Mainers’ thoughts on Gov. Janet Mills’ (D) job performance, as well as what they believe to be the most important issues impacting the state. According to the poll, 54 percent of Mainers approve of the job that Gov. Mills has been doing, while 43 percent disapprove and 4 percent are either neutral or unsure. Over the course of 2023, the percentage of Mainers who “strongly disapprove” of Mills has been steadily increasing, while the percentage of those who “strongly approve” has been steadily decreasing. The share…

A District Court judge has denied Gov. Janet Mills’ (D) request to halt the First Amendment lawsuit filed against her administration by Maine healthcare workers concerning the State’s enforcement of the COVID-19 vaccine mandates. In a ruling last week, Judge Jon D. Levy of the Maine District Court denied a motion to stay filed on behalf of Mills and several other officials in her cabinet. The lawsuit in question — Alicia Lowe, et al., v. Janet Mills, et al. — alleges that the State of Maine violated healthcare workers’ First Amendment rights by refusing to allow a religious exemption to…

The Maine State Police has dispatched its bomb squad to Walgreens in Topsham in response to the discovery of a suspicious package. This comes after bomb threats were called into multiple Walgreens locations throughout the state yesterday. Investigations into each of these threats were completed, and police determined that no bombs or other explosive devices were present at any of the affected stores. With these threats in mind, however, employees at the Topsham location contacted police around noon today when a suspicious package was left at the FedEx drop box inside their store. As of about 1:30 this afternoon, the…

Paper and bamboo straws may not be as “eco-friendly” as they seem, according to a Belgian study. Recent research revealed that a number of so-called “eco-friendly” straws contain PFAS — or “forever” chemicals. Not only are these substances harmful to the environment, but they also are believed to pose a risk to human health. Researchers examined straws across thirty-nine brands and five materials — paper, bamboo, glass, stainless steel, and plastic. Extensive testing revealed that PFAS was present in straws of all materials except for stainless steel. PFAS was found more frequently, however, in straws made of plant-based materials. Based…

For the past three years, Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF) has been locked in a legal battle with the Maine Secretary of State’s office over access to and use of voter registration records. Throughout the summer, high-profile amicus briefs have been filed with the First Circuit Court of Appeals in preparation for the court’s consideration of Public Interest Legal Foundation v. Bellows. Among the amicus curiae — or “friends of the court” — are the Electronic Privacy Information Center, Judicial Watch, and the United States government. Setting the Statutory Stage In February of 2020, PILF filed a lawsuit against the…

Riding the ferry may become more expensive for tourists and Maine’s island residents alike. The Casco Bay Transit District (CBITD) is considering several budget proposals for the next fiscal year, all of which would involve instituting the ferry service’s first rate increase in 14 years, according to recent reporting from the Portland Press Herald. Although the ferry service is projected to have an estimated $6 million revenue increase in the next fiscal year — absent any budgetary changes — it is also believed that expenses will increase by roughly 5% to $10.5 million. Despite hopes that additional federal funding will…

Amidst Maine’s push to adopt California-style vehicle emissions standards, the manufacturer that produced the electric buses used by Maine’s major public transit systems has filed for bankruptcy. Proterra — the California-based electric bus manufacturer — produced four buses that are currently in use by Greater Portland Metro and Biddeford-Saco-Old Orchard Beach Transit. The bankruptcy comes a little more than a year after these buses first went into service. The transit systems secured $6 million in federal aid and state funding to purchase the vehicles from Proterra, as well as to install two charging stations at the bus depot and cover…

A District Court judge just gave the lawsuit brought against the University of Maine System for allegedly violating a former professor’s First Amendment rights the green light. Filed by former University of Southern Maine professor Patricia Griffin, the lawsuit — Griffin v. University of Maine System et al. — accuses the University of violating Griffin’s First Amendment rights by firing her as a consequence of questioning their masking and vaccination mandates in August of 2021. Judge Jon D. Levy of the District Court ruled earlier this month that Griffin’s suit brings a “plausible First Amendment claim” against the University and…

After nearly a year, the Town of Cape Elizabeth still has an open lawsuit against The Lumbery — a small business located in the center of town on Route 77 that sells locally-sourced wood, garden beds, and tools — and it’s owner, Mike Friedland. A Town Council meeting held earlier this week ended without any further action being taken to end the legal battle. Earlier this summer, the Council voted to direct the town attorney to pursue a court-approved settlement with The Lumbery, but Friedland and other concerned residents want to see the lawsuit dropped outright. [RELATED: Cape Elizabeth Threatens…

AUGUSTA – Citizens turned out in droves Thursday morning to make their voices heard at the Maine Department of Environmental Protection’s (Maine DEP’s) public hearing on the California-style vehicle emissions rules under consideration by the agency. Two citizen petitions – initiated by the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) – were successfully submitted earlier this year asking the Maine DEP to incorporate “the requirements of the California Advanced Clean Cars II” and “California’s Advanced Clean Trucks regulation” into Maine’s existing regulatory code. Adoption of these new regulations would essentially result in the state phasing out the sale of gas-powered cars…

The “asylum seekers” that have been living in the Portland Expo were transported north this morning to their new accommodations. City officials in Portland are partnering with unnamed hotels in Freeport and Lewiston to house the remaining 191 asylum seekers from Portland Expo. The City signed a long-term contract with the hotel in Freeport and secured a shorter-term agreement with the hotel in Lewiston. Jessica Grondin — Director of Communications and Digital Services for the City of Portland — told the Maine Wire that officials expect to utilize the Freeport hotel for up to a year and plan to make…

Maine health care employers may have to defend themselves before the U.S. Supreme Court against an allegation that they violated federal anti-discrimination laws in their efforts to comply with Gov. Janet Mills’ (D) controversial COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Maine health care workers who were fired during the COVID-19 pandemic for being unvaccinated — despite requesting a religious exemption to the state’s mandate — have petitioned the Supreme Court for a writ of certiorari asking the Court to weigh in on the lawsuit they brought against their employers. The case — Alicia Lowe, et al., v. Janet Mills, et al. — was…

The Maine Department of Environmental Protection (Maine DEP) is set to hold a public hearing at 9am on August 17 in the Augusta Civic Center to hear from the public about the California-style vehicle emissions regulations currently under consideration by the agency. Public comment on the matter will also be accepted via email through August 28 at [email protected]. Two citizen petitions – initiated by the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) – were successfully submitted earlier this year asking the Maine DEP to incorporate “the requirements of the California Advanced Clean Cars II” and “California’s Advanced Clean Trucks regulation” into…

Abortion has been at the forefront of politics in Maine this past year. From the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade to Gov. Janet Mills (D) signing a new full-term abortion law last month, Planned Parenthood – the country’s leading abortion clinic operator – has wielded tremendous influence in Maine politics and the Maine Democratic Party. Although the group did not make the list of the ten highest-spending lobbyists this past legislative session, Planned Parenthood’s lobbying expenditures have increased significantly in recent years. According to tax documents, the organization reported $14,361 in lobbying spending in 2019. That number…

From statewide mandates coming down from Augusta to municipal-level initiatives, affordable housing has become a priority for elected officials in Maine, especially as the supply of available housing remains near historic lows. Realtor.com, Housing Inventory: Active Listing Count in Maine [ACTLISCOUME], retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis; https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/ACTLISCOUME, August 14, 2023. The City of South Portland is one municipality that has taken the lead on the issue of affordable housing. Most recently, the South Portland City Council’s Affordable Housing Committee launched a program to fund interest free loans for developers working on affordable housing projects. The Committee…

Child labor violations are on the rise in Maine, according to a report released earlier this week by the Maine Department of Labor (MDOL). Violations include companies employing young individuals without a work permit, allowing children to work beyond the hourly restrictions set for their age, and employing young workers for hazardous jobs they are not lawfully allowed to hold, like using a lawnmower or cooking french fries. “The safety of Maine’s workers, especially our youth workers, is paramount to the Maine Department of Labor. All workers have the right to a safe work environment,” said Michael Roland, Director of…

Two people were discovered last week to be living on the roof of the Lillian P. Hussey Elementary School in Augusta. The assistant superintendent told the Bangor Daily News that the individuals were camped out at the school during the last weekend in July. The following Monday, a custodian found an unauthorized ladder on the premises, which led to the discovery that two people had been living on the roof. According to the assistant superintendent, the individuals were escorted off school grounds and the campsite was removed. No arrests were made. The assistant superintendent told the Bangor paper that there…

Rep. Jared Golden (D) of Maine’s Second Congressional District took over as a co-chair of the Blue Dog Coalition earlier this year, and the group is now looking to stage a comeback. Founded in 1994, the Blue Dog Coalition bills itself as an organization of “fiscally-responsible” and “pragmatic” Democrats who are “leading the way to find commonsense solutions” while “appealing to the mainstream values of the American public” and “transcending party lines to get things done for the American people.” Generally, members of the Blue Dog coalition are Democrats who have been elected to represent traditionally conservative districts. The coalition…

Speak Up for Life, a pro-life organization run by Rep. Laurel Libby (R-Auburn), has decided today against pursuing a People’s Veto of LD 1619, Gov. Janet Mills’ controversial full-term abortion bill. LD 1619 allows unborn babies to be aborted “after viability” if it is deemed “necessary in the professional judgment of a physician.” Previously, Maine law prohibited abortion after the point of viability except in cases where the life or health of the mother was in jeopardy. [RELATED: Dems Block Debate on Gov’s Late-Term Abortion Bill, Refuse GOP Questioning of Medical Experts] After a contentious period of debate, the bill…

The city of Portland has experienced massive increases in spending to accommodate migrants seeking asylum and residents experiencing homelessness, but those cost increases have been largely offset by increases in revenue from property taxes and other fees, according to the city’s financial records. Taxpayers from the rest of the state have also chipped in thanks to increases in aid from the state government. According to the 2022 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for Portland, the city had a surplus of $483,847 for the 2021-22 fiscal year, resulting from property taxes, increased revenue from licenses and permits, and “higher than anticipated” parking…

The Maine Municipal Association (MMA) is hosting a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Cohort Program aimed at providing “a more intimate trajectory toward understanding how to facilitate and lead such DEI efforts in Maine’s communities,” according to an email sent out by the organization earlier this week. The MMA is “a voluntary membership organization offering an array of professional services to municipalities and other local governmental entities in Maine.” Funding for the DEI training program will be provided by the Harold Alfond Center for the Advancement of Maine’s Workforce, part of the Maine Community College System. It is also noted…

Maine is now on a path toward adopting vehicle emissions regulations akin to those currently on the books in California — rules that will effectively ban the sale of vehicles with gas-powered internal combustion engines in the state. Two citizen petitions – initiated by the Natural Resources Council of Maine – were successfully submitted earlier this year asking the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to incorporate “the requirements of the California Advanced Clean Cars II” and “California’s Advanced Clean Trucks regulation” into Maine’s existing regulatory code. Adoption of these new regulations would essentially result in the state phasing out the…

The Maine Department of Health and Human Services began “unwinding” MaineCare’s 400,000-plus enrollment two months ago by “redetermining” all recipients’ eligibility for coverage, according to a July 28 press release. Eligibility reviews were “temporarily waived” by the federal government from March of 2020 until April of 2023 “as part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.” So far, 3,000 individuals have been deemed ineligible and were subsequently unenrolled from the program. 24,769 people were cleared for renewal. Back in 2020, the Maine DHHS halted eligibility checks in light of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) passed by the federal…

Data available from the Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices reveals what organizations are spending the most money to lobby lawmakers in Augusta — and what they were lobbying them about. In some cases, organizations appear to have made this list because their lobbying efforts covered a lot of ground, with time and money being spent to weigh in on a large number of issues. In other cases, organizations funneled significant amounts of money toward lobbying either for or against one or two issues. Regardless of what underlies each organization’s lobbying choices, however, these publicly available records illustrate…

The Maine Department of Transportation (Maine DOT) reportedly plans to shut down a portion of the Park and Ride on Marginal Way due to the presence of a homeless encampment, according to WGME. Signs posted at the Park and Ride indicate that half the lot will be closed starting this Thursday. The report revealed that those living in the camp were told to move to the side of the lot near Franklin street by Thursday. The Maine DOT told WGME that 84 parking spaces will continue to be reserved exclusively for traditional park-and-ride uses, while the other 84 parking spaces…

Public records from Maine’s child welfare agency show multiple child protective services employees were disciplined, but not fired, for failures related to child welfare investigations in 2022. In that same year, twenty-eight children died in cases where agents from the Maine DHHS were involved. Although the records concern only a handful of employees from DHHS’s Office of Child and Family Services (OCFS), they provide previously unavailable insight into how the agency is struggling to execute on its core mission. The records also reveal that in several instances caseworkers feel overworked and overwhelmed by the volume of families they are assigned…

After purchasing a bankrupt Bed Bath and Beyond last month, Overstock – also known as Overstock.Com – has officially relaunched the Bed Bath and Beyond website, rebranding it as a “bigger, better beyond.” Earlier this year, Bed Bath and Beyond filed for bankruptcy and planned to wind down its in-person operations over the course of the following months. At the time, it was unclear exactly how the future would play out for the company, with the possibility of resurfacing as an online-only retailer still on the table. When the company first declared bankruptcy, however, it seemed likely that the chain…

On Friday, Gov. Janet Mills (D) signed LD 1364 into law, officially establishing a working group to study the potential effectiveness of “Harm Reduction Health Centers,” also known as “safe consumption sites,” as a solution to Maine’s opioid overdose death crisis. Originally, LD 1364 would have authorized municipalities to open facilities, referred to as “Harm Reduction Health Centers,” wherein individuals can use previously obtained illicit drugs under medical supervision without fear of arrest. [RELATED: Maine Bill Would Allow Hard Drug Use at “Safe Consumption Sites”] After this version of the bill was rejected by the Senate in a 16-18 roll…

The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Constitution and Limited Government held a hearing Thursday on “the dangers and due process violations of ‘gender-affirming care’ for children.” Present at the hearing were six witness, each speaking to a different aspect of the debate surrounding the provision of “gender-affirming care” to minors. Paula Scanlon, a former NCAA swimmer at the University of Pennsylvania, shared her experience as a teammate of transgender swimmer Lia Thomas. Chloe Cole, a 19-year-old female who de-transitioned after receiving “gender-affirming care” as a child, spoke to the ways she was harmed by the medical community’s insistence upon pushing herself…

Following her veto last week of LD 398 – “An Act to Make Agricultural Workers and Other Related Workers Employees Under the Wage and Hour Laws” – Gov. Janet Mills (D) has signed an executive order establishing a “formal stakeholder group” tasked with developing a minimum wage law for Maine’s agricultural workers set to be introduced next session. Gov. Mills stated last week that she “reluctantly” vetoed LD 398 after hearing concerns “from members of the agricultural community about the true scope of the [bill’s] language.” With a House roll call vote of 61-61, the Legislature effectively upheld Mills’ veto,…

Harvard Law School professor Mark Tushnet published an open letter alongside San Francisco State University professor Aaron Belkin urging President Joe Biden (D) to “restrain MAGA justices” by allowing the administration to be “guided by its own constitutional interpretations.” Throughout the letter, the professors repeatedly referred to the recently-appointed Supreme Court justices as “MAGA justices,” implying a belief that there is a politically motivated connection between the justices and former President Donald Trump. “Although we continue to support expansion [of the Supreme Court], the threat that MAGA justices pose is so extreme that reforms that do not require Congressional approval…

State and federal initiatives to make home heating and cooling more environmentally friendly appear to be at odds with recent guidance from the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) concerning the production and use of a popular heat pump refrigerant. On Friday, Gov. Janet Mills (D) announced that Maine had “surpassed” her goal of installing 100,000 heat pumps two years ahead of schedule. In light of this, Gov. Mills instituted an updated benchmark of having an additional 175,000 heat pumps installed by 2027. “Since taking office, Governor Mills has prioritized action against climate change in Maine through reducing carbon emissions, transitioning…

Statistics released by the State of Maine for June 2023 reveal that although the state’s unemployment rate continues to decrease, labor force participation also remains low compared to the rest of the country. For the month of June, unemployment in Maine was at 2.4 percent, representing a .5 percent decrease since January. For reference, the national average unemployment rate for the month of June was 3.6 percent. Last month, Maine’s unemployment rate was the eighth lowest in the nation, tied with Montana and Utah. Labor force participation in Maine, on the other hand, was at 58.4 percent in June. Although…

During the nearly four-hour Cape Elizabeth Town Council meeting on Monday, twenty residents attended to speak out in support of the Lumbery in its legal battle against the town. After more than an hour of public comment and a forty-minute Executive Session, the Council returned with a draft motion directing the town lawyer to pursue a “consent decree” with the business. A “consent decree” is essentially a “settlement agreement” that is “approved by the court.” According the Cornell Law School, a consent agreement is commonly used in situation such as this wherein the government files a lawsuit against a person…

In the coming months, Christmas Tree Shops expects to close all of their 70-plus locations nationwide. As a result of these closures, a combined 69 Mainers, working at the store’s the Scarborough and Bangor locations, are expected to be laid off, according to WGME. As of May 2023, Maine’s unemployment rate is the 9th lowest in the nation at 2.4%. At the same time, however, Maine also has one of the country’s lowest labor force participation rates at 58.4%, meaning that a comparatively low percentage of Maine’s working-age population is actively working or trying to find work. Put differently, a…

Gov. Janet Mills (D) signed LD 1619 into law this morning, officially expanding access to late-term abortion in Maine. Consequently, Maine now has one of the nation’s least restrictive abortion policies. The new law allows women to abort their baby “after viability” if it is deemed “necessary in the professional judgment of a physician.” Previously, Maine law prohibited abortion after the point of viability except in cases where the life or health of the mother was in jeopardy. In the final weeks of the session, legislators approved this change by a roll call vote of 73-69 in the House and…

On the Maine Wire Podcast, conservative legal activist Leonard Leo discussed his thoughts on the state of education, both on the K-12 and university levels. In terms of K-12 education, Leo focused on the need for transparency and maintaining the proper role of the family when it comes to educating children about controversial subjects. Leo also discussed the ACLU’s apparent philosophical shift in recent years as it has begun to actively advocate against parental rights. Regarding the state of higher education, Leo argued that it is “absolutely, positively horrible.” He warned that universities who create a “hostile environment” for free…

The Town of York is considering a proposal drafted by York High School’s Eco Club to ban both the use and sale of single-use plastic utensils, straws, and cups. According to the Bangor Daily News, a public hearing is scheduled for July 24 to consider placing the ordinance on the November ballot. Only two cities nationwide, both in California, have to-date enacted bans similar to the one proposed in York. Under the Eco Club’s ordinance, reusable dishes would be required in circumstances where dishwashing facilities are available. Alternatively, businesses that primarily offer take-out would be required to incentivize customers to…

On the Maine Wire Podcast, conservative legal activist Leonard Leo spoke at length about his views on a number of issues, including the Constitution, guaranteed rights, and the appropriate role of the Supreme Court within the American system of government. According to Leo, the primary function of the Constitution is to limit the government’s powers. All other rights and freedoms, he argues, are only possible if the powers of the government are effectively restrained. Leo further stated that the Constitution, first and foremost, fundamentally guarantees Americans freedom from government overreach. Any “positive rights” the public desires – such as the…

On Wednesday, Portland officials held a second closed-door meeting to discuss their frustrations after spending three months in the Portland Expo emergency shelter, according to WGME. The temporary shelter at the Portland Expo is set to close on August 16 in order to give cleaning crews enough time to prepare the space for events that are scheduled to be held there beginning in early September. From WGME: City leaders say there are options which they are hoping will come together in the next few weeks, although nothing is definite just yet. Asylum-seekers say they’re anxious over the looming deadline, but…

The Legislature’s Budget Committee has approved a measure that would give both legislators and the governor a substantial raise beginning in 2024 and 2026 respectively, according to reporting from the Bangor Daily News. If approved, these measures would increase the governor’s salary from $70,000 to $125,000, as well as the governor’s non-audited expense account from $30,000 to $40,000. Legislators’ salaries would also rise from $25,000 to $45,000 a session. The governor’s salary was last raised in 1987, and legislators most recently received a pay increase in 1999. Before going into effect, the Legislature as a whole must vote to approve…

In the budget signed by Gov. Janet Mills (D) Tuesday, Maine’s free community college program was extended to include students set to receive a high school diploma or equivalent in 2024 and 2025. This expansion represents a roughly $15 million investment for the state. This program was initially intended to aid students who had been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic when it was approved by the Legislature last year. During the first wave of the program, approximately 6,400 students are estimated to have attended community college in Maine tuition-free. “Extending Free College to the Classes of 2024 and 2025 tells…

Lumbery has begun circulating a petition pressuring the Town of Cape Elizabeth to drop the lawsuit it has filed against the business for continued violation of town ordinances. The petition has now received nearly 1,000 signatures from Cape Elizabeth residents, representing upwards of 10% of the town’s population. Lumbery is currently facing a potential $25,000 in fees to the town for “storing several pallets of firewood, picnic tables, stacks of lumber, and other items in the front” of the store. The approved site plan for Lumbery allows for “minimal outside storage of materials.” The town is also suing Lumbery for…

Gov. Janet Mills (D) signed LD 535 into law Tuesday, which means minors aged 16 and 17 can receive hormone therapies prescribed to alter their physical sexual characteristics without parental consent and despite parental objections. The bill uses the phrase “gender-affirming hormone therapy,” which it defines as “nonsurgical, medically necessary health care that respects the gender identity of the patient, as experienced and defined by the patient.” Under the new law, 16- and 17-year-olds “diagnosed with gender dysphoria by a health care professional” may be provided “gender-affirming hormone therapy” without the consent of a parent if they inform their health…

A bill reducing enrollment requirements for minor political parties, introduced by Sen. Eric Brakey (R-Androscoggin), was signed into law by Gov. Janet Mills (D) Monday alongside a number of other bills passed by the Legislature this session. LD 769, “An Act to Reduce the Enrollment Requirement for Minor Political Parties That Seek Official Party Status,” lowers the enrollment required of a minor party for participation in Maine’s primary elections from 10,000 voters to 5,000 voters. The Senate approved the bill in late May, and the House supported the measure in a roll call vote of 104-35 at the end of…

The Town of Cape Elizabeth is set to consider changes to the town’s zoning ordinances to bring their codes into compliance with the affordable housing law, LD 2003, that was passed by the State Legislature last session. The requirements of LD 2003 are slated to go into effect in 2024 as a result of a bill passed during this Legislative session, LD 1706, that amended the initial measure. The meeting was initially scheduled for this past Monday, but it has since been moved to July 17th due to water damage in the town hall. [RELATED: Deadline Extended to 2024 for…

Race proved to be a focal point during last week’s South Portland City Council meeting. The South Portland City Council met on July 6, 2023, to discuss, among other things, the appointment of Katherine Borelli to the Civil Service Commission for the remainder of Pedro Vazquez’s unexpired term. The Civil Service Commission is responsible, primarily, for overseeing the South Portland Police and Fire Department’s personnel and hiring. Although the meeting’s agenda stated that Vasquez had resigned from his position, he was actually removed from the Commission as a result of failing to meet the attendance requirements. It was explained during…

Signs reading “No Yard South” have appeared in lawns across South Portland in recent months. But what exactly is Yard South? Who is proposing it? And why are people opposed? What is Yard South? Yard South, a project of L&R Northpoint Holdings LLC and PK Realty Management LLC, aims to construct 1,200 residential apartments, 100 hotel rooms, and 216,400 square feet worth of buildings for “mixed nonresidential uses” near Bug Light Park in South Portland on the 30 acres of land that formerly served as the West Shipyard where Liberty Ships were built during World War II. PK Realty Management…

Christmas Tree Shops, a Massachusetts-based retailer, is expected to close all of its 70-plus locations in the near future unless a buyer emerges to take over the franchise. Maine has three Christmas Tree Shops throughout the state, located in Scarborough, Augusta, and Bangor. Reporting from the Bangor Daily News revealed that the closure of the Bangor location will leave one of the city’s major shopping plazas nearly empty, with only a TD Bank and Harbor Freight Tools left open. Specialty Sweets closed its doors in 2019, and Shaw’s left the plaza in 2009 ten years earlier. Several of the other…

The Town of Cape Elizabeth is pursuing legal action against Lumbery – a business located in the center of town on Route 77 that sells locally-sourced wood, garden beds, and tools – according to reporting from WGME. Eight days ago, Cape Elizabeth’s posted a legal complaint it has filed against Lumbery. “The Town of Cape Elizabeth is obligated to enforce all Town ordinances,” the unattributed statement said. “The Lumbery has been and continues to be in violation of town ordinances. Legal action is always the last resort, but in this case it was necessary after The Lumbery failed to comply…

Gov. Janet Mills (D-ME) has successfully vetoed LD 2004, the tribal sovereignty bill that would allow the Wabanaki Nations a greater degree of flexibility both in terms of interacting with the federal government and in pursuing economic development. Although the bill was passed by a roll call vote of 100-47 in the House and 26-8 in the Senate, suggesting that it may have had enough support to overcome a governor’s veto, a roll call vote in the House today failed to replicate a similar two-thirds support to overturn Gov. Mills’ veto. [RELATED: Janet Mills Blows Off Historic “State of the…

On Wednesday, President Joe Biden issued a notice of appeal for the injunction issued Tuesday barring federal officials from collaborating with social media companies to remove or suppress “protected free speech.” Issued by Louisiana Judge Terry A. Doughty, the injunction that President Biden is appealing prohibits a number of named federal agencies from working with social media companies to take down, or limit the circulation of, “protected free speech” on their respective platforms. They were also blocked from flagging specific content for deletion or requesting that companies “Be On The Lookout” for certain kinds of “protected free speech.” In the…

A federal judge issued an injunction Tuesday that blocks members of the Biden Administration and several federal agencies from working with social media companies to exert any form of control over users’ “protected free speech.” Louisiana Judge Terry A. Doughty’s injunction bars the named agencies, including intelligence agencies, from meeting with social media companies concerning the removal of content or urging companies to alter their guidelines for doing so. The injunction also bars federal officials from “specifically flagging content or posts” for “removal, deletion[, or] suppression.” In addition to this, they are blocked from “requesting content reports” from social media…

The Supreme Court ruled Friday, in a 6-3 decision, that a Colorado state law compelling a website designer to “create expressive designs speaking messages with which the designer disagrees” stands in violation of the First Amendment. In this case, 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis, the owner and founder of the graphic design firm 303 Creative LLC, Lorie Smith of Colorado, wanted to expand her business to include the creation of wedding websites. Given that Smith is opposed to same-sex marriage on religious grounds, however, she did not want to design sites for same-sex weddings. As it stands, Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act…

Following the Supreme Court’s ruling yesterday declaring the use of race-based affirmative action in college admissions unconstitutional, two of Maine’s higher education institutions have entered the conversation. [RELATED: Supreme Court Declares Race-Conscious College Admissions Unconstitutional in Harvard Case] In a statement issued by Bowdoin College, outgoing President Clayton Rose expressed that “it is clear and deeply disappointing that the court overturned more than forty years of precedent that has enhanced diversity in campus communities.” Rose also argued that the Supreme Court’s “decision undermines the essential work to create an educational environment and experience that prepares students for the diverse worlds…

The Supreme Court issued an opinion this morning officially declaring affirmative action unconstitutional. The case, Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, posed the question of whether higher education institutions could consider an applicant’s race during the admissions process. In their decision, the Court ruled that Harvard College’s race-conscious admissions process actively violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. “Eliminating racial discrimination means eliminating all of it,” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the majority opinion. The Supreme Court first considered race-based admissions policies in the case of Regents of the University of…