Author: Libby Palanza

Many of Maine’s elected officials have issued statements following the death of former President Jimmy Carter at the age of 100, with Gov. Janet Mills ordering Maine flags to remain at half-staff in honor of the 39th American president. “President Carter led a remarkable life centered around service to others,” said Gov. Janet Mills (D). “As a peanut farmer, a U.S. Navy Lieutenant, Governor of Georgia, President of the United States, respected statesman and humanitarian, and a humble Sunday School teacher, President Carter spent his life working to make our world a better place.” “He was the moral conscience of…

A Maine legislative committee has been blocked by the state’s highest court from requiring a state agency to turn over confidential records concerning the deaths of four children in 2021. The Maine Supreme Judicial Court ruled Thursday that the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) cannot be compelled to give certain child protective files to the Legislature’s Government Oversight Committee (GOC). DHHS declined to turn over these records citing confidentiality, prompting the GOC to ask the Superior Court to enforce compliance with a subpoena. After this request was denied, the GOC appealed to the state’s Supreme Judicial Court.…

Some Maine voters will again be asked to go to the ballot box in February to fill a now-vacant seat in the Maine House of Representatives. The Maine Secretary of State’s Office announced this past Friday that a special election will be held in House District 24 on February 25, 2025 for the seat previously held by Rep. Joseph C. Perry (D-Bangor). Rep. Perry — who won reelection in November to serve in the state’s 132nd Legislation — resigned his seat earlier this month after being elected as the next State Treasurer. The State Treasurer’s Office became vacant when Henry…

Maine’s unemployment rate has increased slightly since October, rising to 3.1 percent. Despite this, unemployment in Maine still came in below national and regional averages. Labor force participation rates for the state also remained well below national trends, as well as those of demographically similar states. According to a press release from the Maine Department of Labor (MDOL), preliminary seasonally adjusted numbers for 2024 mirror the trends exhibited during the previous two years, with unemployment trending lower through the spring, stabilizing at “annual lows” in the summer, and rising thereafter. Seasonal adjustment is a statistical technique that is regularly employed…

A federal judge ruled earlier this week that the trial for Ryan Routh — the man accused of attempting to assassinate former and president-elect Donald Trump (R) in Florida — will be held in September of 2025. In October, federal prosecutors asked Florida District Judge Aileen Cannon to designate this case as “complex,” allowing the timeline to stretch beyond what is typically lawful, requesting that the case be heard no earlier than December 2025. Although Routh’s trial was previously set to begin in February of next year, Judge Cannon explained in an order released this week that pushing the proceedings…

Maine’s housing market is looking promising for buyers in the final month of 2024 despite prices increasing substantially in comparison to this same time last year. The median price, however, has dropped about $10,000 since October. Maine’s median home sale price for November of $385,000 represents an 8.45 percent increase over November of 2023. Nonetheless, this is coupled with a 6.81 percent increase in the number of homes sold during this same period. “Prospective buyers are in a better situation than they were a year ago across many markets in Maine,” said Paul McKee, President of the Maine Association of…

Two months after launch and one month after moving to waiting list procedures due to high demand, the Maine State Housing Authority’s newly launched Eviction Pilot Program has made nearly $1 million in payments and is already committed for roughly $1.5 million more. These figures, however, represent just a fraction of the total amount of funding that has been allotted for the program, totaling around $18 million, 12 percent of which is set aside for administrative costs. The Eviction Pilot Program was designed to “help tenants who may be facing eviction and the loss of their housing” by paying tenants’…

The Cape Elizabeth Town Council voted unanimously Monday in favor of covering both the employer and employee contributions to the state’s new paid leave program for Town employees through the end of the fiscal year. Town Manager Patrick Fox explained in a December 10 memo to the Town Council that covering these costs through June 30, 2025, would allow more time to educate employees on the new law and its impacts. Click Here to Read the Full Memo to the Town Council Under the new program — signed into law over the summer as part of the budget legislation —…

The Town of Cape Elizabeth is revisiting the possibility of constructing a new middle school after voters narrowly rejected $94.7 million proposal for the project in November. The “Middle Ground School Project Design” bond was rejected by just 166 votes, representing only 2.47 percent of those who turned out to the polls. The $89.9 million “Middle Ground School Project Design” had been developed after two years of deliberation by the School Building Advisory Committee (SBAC), and was accompanied on the ballot by a $4.8 million addition proposed by then-Chairman Tim Reiniger that would preserve part of the existing middle school.…

The United States Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments on January 10 in TikTok’s challenge to a federal law that has the potential to ban the popular social media app nationwide by the end of next month unless certain conditions are met. Although TikTok and it’s Chinese-owned parent company ByteDance asked the Court for an injunction preventing the law from taking effect, the Justices instead opted to treat their application as a petition for a writ of certiorari, which they granted. The companies’ case was consolidated with that of a group of TikTok content creators — both of…

United States Congressional leaders released another short-term funding agreement Tuesday night that, if passed, would keep the government open through March 14 of next year. Absent this legislation, the government would be facing a shutdown Friday when the stop-gap funds approved in September are set to expire. Among the hundreds of pages worth of legislation released Tuesday are not only billions of dollars worth of spending for causes such as storm relief and agriculture, but also a several-thousand-dollar pay raise for lawmakers and the ability to opt out of ObamaCare health insurance. [RELATED: Congress Kicks Fiscal Can Past Election with…

TikTok and it’s Chinese-owned parent company ByteDance have asked the United States Supreme Court to block a law that could potentially result in a nationwide ban on the app late next month. They have asked the Court to act on their request by January 6. If the Justices ultimately do decide to issue an injunction temporarily preventing the law from being enforced, it would set the stage for the Court to eventually weigh in on the constitutionality of the underlying law. Absent an injunction, the law requiring ByteDance’s complete divestment in order to avoid a ban would go into effect…

The Maine Department of Labor (MDOL) released a report this week exploring the state’s projected job outlook through 2032, outlining trends such as expected job growth, demographic shifts, and industry changes. Based on the agency’s analysis, job availability is not expected to rise as quickly as the population, but they say this differential will likely be mitigated by “productivity gains.” The MDOL also projects that several occupations in the health care, professional, and legal fields will grow over the next few years while office administrative positions and repetitive production jobs will decline due to the spread of automation. Source: MDOL…

Over 60 percent of Americans are supportive of expanding educational freedom for students nationwide, according to a new poll conducted by YouGov on behalf of yes. every kid. foundation. All three of the school choice policies included in the poll received support from at least 60 percent respondents, being backed by as many three-out-of-four K-12 parents. This survey also found that 57 percent of voters rated education as having an importance between eight and ten, with Black adults (72 percent), dads (71 percent), and Democrats (67 percent) doing so most frequently. K-12 parents (66 percent) and moms (63 percent) closely…

The United States House of Representatives approved a bill Tuesday limiting the Department of Energy’s (DOE) authority to enforce energy conservation mandates for washing machines. Under HR 7673 — also known as the Liberty in Laundry Act — the DOE would be prevented from enforcing such regulation unless they are (1) are “technologically feasible and economically justified,” (2) do not increase consumers’ net costs, and (3) would result in “significant conservation of energy.” All Republicans who participated in the vote supported the bill, alongside six Democrats: Reps. Yadira Caraveo (D-CO), Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Donald G. Davis (D-NC), Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX),…

Rep. Josh Morris (R-Turner) has formally submitted a bill that, if passed, would repeal the state’s new payroll tax—set to take effect on January 1—that is designed to fund the recently established Paid Family and Medical Leave program. Titled “An Act To Stop Government Overreach and Repeal Payroll Taxes,” the proposed legislation was filed as an emergency so that all relevant payroll taxes collected for the program would be returned to Mainers immediately. Under the new program — signed into law over the summer as part of the budget legislation — Maine workers will be eligible to take up to…

Two Maine-based political action committees (PACs) and their founder have sued members of the state’s ethics commission and Attorney General Aaron Frey over the new limits on PAC contributions approved by voters in November. Brought by the Dinner Table — a Maine PAC focused on “faith, family, and freedom” and dedicated to supporting “conservative candidates” — and its founder, Alex Titcomb, this lawsuit challenges the newly-enacted $5,000 annual limit on contributions to “independent-expenditure only” PACs, more commonly known as Super PACs. Part of this lawsuit as well is the For Our Future PAC, also founded by Titcomb and described in…

Recent reports from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reveal that inflation continued to climb in November. As a result of this, the BLS explained separately that real average hourly earnings for all employees remained unchanged from October to November. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) — widely recognized as a critical indicator of inflation — rose .3 percent in November, contributing to a 2.7 percent increase over this same time last year. This represents an increase over the .2 percent by which the CPI has risen in each of the past four months. Although current inflation rates are still…

Many who are self-employed can expect to receive a new tax form next year following a recent rule change by the IRS. This update, however, will not impact what income must be reported to the government or how much tax is owed on it. The new regulations require online platforms — such as Etsy, Airbnb, and Uber — and payment apps — including PayPal, Venmo, and Cash App — to issue a 1099-K to those whose annual gross payments exceed $5,000 in 2024, $2,500 in 2025, and $600 in 2026. These income thresholds apply regardless of how many transactions are…

Social media platform TikTok and its Chinese-owned parent company ByteDance have asked an appeals court to temporarily block a law requiring divestment by January 19 in order to avoid a ban in the United States pending review of their case by the U.S. Supreme Court. The emergency motion filed with the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia argues that, absent an injunction, the law will “shut down TikTok — one of the nation’s most popular speech platforms — for its more than 170 million domestic monthly users on the eve of a presidential inauguration.” [RELATED: TikTok…

Electricity Maine is set to begin sending out payments to eligible customers as part of a settlement reached with the Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) over unfair billing practices. It has been estimated that, in total, about 20,000 Mainers will be paid in connection with this settlement. Approved by the Maine PUC in October, the settlement ended a lengthy investigation into the company after it switched customers to variable rate contracts without their consent. When these rate changes were made, customers saw notable price increases, going up for some by hundreds of dollars, according to the Bangor Daily News. During…

The United States Supreme Court announced Monday that they will not be hearing a case out of Wisconsin challenging a school district’s gender identity policies. Justices Brett Kavanaugh, Samuel Alito, and Clarence Thomas dissented. As a result of this decision, the lower court’s ruling that the parents lacked standing to bring this case — which did not consider the merits of the case — will be upheld. Filed against the Eau Claire Area School District, the lawsuit alleges that the district “facilitate[s] gender identity transitions at school and [keeps] this hidden from parents who would disagree that it is in…

The United States Supreme Court heard oral arguments Wednesday morning in a case out of Tennessee concerning bans on the provision of certain medications to minors for the purpose of so-called “gender-affirming care.” United States v. Skrmetti focuses specifically on restricting the prescription of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormone therapies to minors. The case has the potential to have broad implications for the legality of other laws governing issues associated with gender identity, such as the participation of biological men in women’s sports and the use of bathrooms that do not align with one’s biological sex. During oral arguments Wednesday,…

Following the swearing in of the 132nd Maine State Legislature on Wednesday, Sen. Rick Bennett (R-Oxford) was set to introduce an order directing the Joint Rules Committee to consider and report on a number of recommendations made by lawmakers at the close of the previous session, including serious reforms to the use of “concept draft” bills. The order also asks the Committee to think about adjusting cloture dates, limiting sponsorship and co-sponsorship, reworking the issuance of notices for public hearings, making sponsor amendments more readily available, and improving the consistency of such processes across all committees. In addition to this,…

The Maine Department of Labor (MDOL) released Wednesday the final rules for the state’s new Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program set to launch, in part, in just four weeks. These rules include several updates from the second draft released for public comment in September, most notably with respect to employers’ ability to assert that an employee’s request for leave would constitute an “undue hardship” on their business. Over the summer, Gov. Janet Mills (D) signed a budget into law that included, among other things, legislation establishing the program with a starting appropriation of $25 million for the MDOL.…

Gov. Janet Mills (D) announced Tuesday that applications are now open for a second round of funding from the Business Recovery and Resilience Fund (BRRF). Grants through this program are available to small businesses impacted by the storms that swept through Maine last winter. About $2 million remains in the fund and will be allocated to businesses and non-profits in up to $100,000 portions, covering up to half of the total project costs. The BRRF was established under the most recent supplemental budget approved by lawmakers as part of a larger $60 million spending package designed in response to this…

The University of Maine (UMaine) has denied Calvary Chapel Belfast’s appeal of the institution’s decision to sell the former Hutchinson Center to a non-profit organization after originally accepting the church’s bid. On November 20, the church filed a formal appeal of the university’s decision to renege on their offer. UMaine’s response Monday argued that that there was “insufficient evidence” to “warrant overturning” their offer to sell to a non-profit organization. Calvary Chapel Belfast filed a lawsuit against the school in late November after UMaine went back on their offer to sell the property to the church, alleging that the decision…

Ranked choice voting has recently taken center stage following the November 5 election, during which a number of critical state, local, and federal races were on the ballot. In the days that have followed, complications have arisen and caused significant delays in the tabulation process for the race between incumbent Rep. Jared Golden (D) and Maine State Rep. Austin Theriault (R-Fort Kent). Because neither of these candidates were found to have over fifty percent of votes cast — due in large part to a significant number of “blank” first-choice selections and the presence of a declared write-in candidate — the…

The Maine State Housing Authority announced this past Wednesday that the agency had awarded $12.8 million worth of state and federal affordable housing tax credits across seven projects in four counties representing a total of 319 units. Taken together, it is estimated that these tax credits will generate $73.4 million in equity from private investors, $8.4 million in subsidy, and $34.5 million in loans from the Maine State Housing Authority. The 319 units represent a combination of those which need to undergo preservation efforts and those which are yet to be built. Projects set to receive these tax credits are…

The South Portland City Council unanimously approved the creation of a new Tax Increment Financing District (TIF District) and thirty year credit enhancement agreement (CEA) — or property tax reimbursement plan — for a mixed-use housing project slated to be built in the heart of Mill Creek. Set to be located at 170 Ocean Street, this nearly $79 million development will have 17,000 square feet of retail space on the first floor and 124 to 146 studio and one-bedroom units on the upper floors. City officials explained at a recent Council meeting that the development would not require any zoning…

Editor’s Note: The endorsement covered below reflects the opinion of the Maine Republican Party and not the Senate Republican or House Republican caucuses. The Maine Republican Party announced Tuesday that they intend to nominate Robert B. Charles for the position of Maine Attorney General. In Maine, Constitutional Officers — including the Attorney General, Secretary of State, the State Auditor, and State Treasurer — are selected biennially as the start of the first session of the Legislature. Charles is a Maine attorney who grew up in Wayne, graduated from Maranacook High School, and went on to attend Dartmouth College, Oxford University,…

A Saturday recount revealed that Bar Harbor residents rejected an updated cruise ship disembarkation ordinance by just 65 votes, upholding the original results of the vote reported following the election. This represents a slight increase in opposition votes over the initial count when it was found that the measure had been rejected by just 63 votes. In comparing the results, the total of votes in support of the new ordinance increased from 1,713 to 1,714, while the number of votes against the measure rose from 1,776 to 1,779. [RELATED: Bar Harbor Voters Narrowly Reject New Approach to Cruise Ship Regulation…

The State of Maine reached a settlement Tuesday with the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) in a lawsuit over alleged violations of the the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) due to their handling of children with behavioral disabilities. According to the lawsuit filed in September, the State “unnecessarily segregat[ed] children with behavioral health disabilities in hospitals, residential facilities and a state-operated juvenile detention facility,” thus violates their rights under the ADA. As part of this settlement, the State of Maine will make a number of improvements to the availability of community-based services for these children. The DOJ filed their…

The Maine Climate Council has released an updated version of the state’s four-year plan concerning climate change, “Maine Won’t Wait.” This report outlines the state’s policy goals and objectives over the next few years, giving a preview of what can expected from the state government in the near future with respect to environmental policy. As explained in the report, the state will be pursuing policies to achieve an “accelerated goal” of having a 100 percent “clean electricity” grid by 2040. [RELATED: Green Energy’s Soaring Costs Outweigh Projected Benefits for New England: Think Tank Report…] Among the major priorities identified in…

A federal judge in Bangor has ruled against five Maine lobstermen who sued Maine Department of Marine Fisheries (MDMR) Commissioner Patrick Keliher in January of this year over new rules mandating that all federally permitted lobster boats be equipped with a 24-hour electronic location monitoring system. The ruling grants Commissioner Keliher’s motion to dismiss, thus rendering the lobstermen’s motion for a preliminary injunction moot. These mandated devices — provided by the MDMR — identify a vessel’s location every sixty seconds while in motion and once every six hours when stationary. Using one of these devices, a boat’s position is able…

The median price of homes in Maine has increased more than five percent compared to this same time last year, reaching $395,000 in October 2024. Despite rising prices, the number of homes sold in the state has also increased to 1,481, a 3.21 percent jump over October of 2023. According to Paul McKee, President of the Maine Association of Realtors, “regional variations” can be seen across the state, as some markets are seeing homes receive multiple offers, while others show for-sale inventory trending upward and stabilizing prices. “Maine needs additional housing supply,” McKee said. “As markets gradually move toward a…

On Tuesday, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg requested to delay former and President-elect Donald Trump’s sentencing on the thirty-four felony counts of falsifying business records until 2029, meanwhile the defense team is seeking a complete dismissal. In recent months, former and President-elect Trump had been at the center of several legal battles throughout the country, although the charges brought against him by Bragg in New York went the furthest. Following Trump’s substantial electoral win earlier this month, however, questions were raised about how these challenges will proceed, particularly with respect to the felony counts levied against him by Bragg. [RELATED:…

Former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz has withdrawn his name from consideration for United States Attorney General. This decision comes after former and President-elect Donald Trump’s (R) selection received harsh criticism from many in the media, government, and the public as a result of serious allegations against the representative, including sex trafficking and drug use. Gaetz has never been charged with any crime, as the Department of Justice (DOJ) declined to bring charges following an FBI investigation in 2021. Gaetz was recently the subject of a related congressional ethics committee investigation. The report from this ethics investigation was set to be…

A coalition of New England based think tanks released an extensive report Wednesday in collaboration with Always on Energy Research (AOER) detailing the costs and consequences associated with the rigorous clean energy policies being pursued by most state governments in the region, including Maine. This report — The Staggering Costs of New England’s Green Energy Policies — was completed by Americans for Prosperity Foundation (AFPF), the Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy in New Hampshire, the Ethan Allen Institute in Vermont, the Fiscal Alliance Foundation in Massachusetts, Maine Policy Institute, Rhode Island Center for Freedom and Prosperity, and Yankee Institute…

Friday, a federal judge in Texas blocked the United States Department of Labor (DOL) from increasing the maximum salary threshold for so-called “white-collar” overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), preventing the rule from going into effect nationwide. As a result of this, the new minimum salary threshold in Maine will be $845.21 per week — or $43,951 annually — instead of the expected $58,656, according to the Maine Department of Labor (MDOL). Under the FLSA, employers are generally required to pay employees overtime, or time-and-a-half, if they work more than forty hours in a week. Some “white-collar” employees…

Maine’s newly launched Eviction Pilot Program—designed to “help tenants who may be facing eviction and the loss of their housing”—has proven so popular that the organization running it is sending new applicants to a waiting list. The program first began accepting applications on October 18, and as of November 18, more than 1,400 applications had been received by the Quality Housing Coalition, the organization responsible for administering the program under a contract with the Maine State Housing Authority. The program works by paying tenants’ rent with taxpayer dollars that flow from Maine State Housing Authority to landlords. Over 500 landlords…

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R) made it known during a campaign stop in Vassalboro Friday that she intends to seek reelection in 2026 for her sixth term in office. Despite confirming these intentions, Sen. Collins emphasized that her focus currently remains on the work she does as a member and Vice Chair of the Appropriations Committee. Given the Republican Party’s success in obtaining control of the Senate, Collins indicated that she expects to be made Chair of the Committee next session. “My primary focus for this year, this upcoming year, is going to be overseeing the appropriations process,” Collins said…

The University of Maine (UMaine) has decided to sell the Hutchinson Center to Waldo Community Action Partners (WCAP) following a second round of solicitations for offers. This award comes several months after the institution rescinded its offer of the property to Calvary Chapel Belfast. WCAP, a 501(c)3 funded almost entirely through taxpayer dollars, has offered UMaine $3.06 million for the property, about half a million more than the appraised value of $2.52 million. The Future of the Hutchinson Center Steering Committee/Waterfall Arts offered $1.8 million for the property, and Calvary Chapel Belfast offered $1.1 million. [RELATED: Cavalry Chapel Will Pursue…

The Cape Elizabeth Town Council voted Wednesday night in favor of directing the Town Manager to offer the Cookie Jar — a local bakery that has been in operation since the 1950s — a license formalizing four critical parking spaces located in front of their building. Councilors were divided 4-3 in favor of making this license available to the bakery, with Councilors Timothy Reiniger, Stephanie Anderson, Susan Gillis, and Timothy Thompson supporting the measure and Councilors Jeremy Gabrielson, Caitlin Jordan Harriman, and Penelope Jordan opposing it. This decision followed a lengthy, and at times heated, discussion among the Councilors regarding…

The Maine Secretary of State’s Office announced Thursday that recounts have been scheduled in nine races for seats in the Maine House of Representatives. In most of these races, preliminary results show just a handful of votes and margins of less than one percent separating the candidates. One race appearing to have resulted in a mathematical tie. Under Maine State Law, a recount can be conducted without a deposit when the apparent margin of victory is below 1.5 percent in races for seats in the State Legislature. For races with a wider apparent margin of victory, a deposit is required…

The developers behind the controversial Yard South project in South Portland have withdrawn their application for special zoning permissions and indicated that they are now pursuing alternative options for the property. Yard South developers have been working on plans for the sprawling parcel of land near Bug Light Park for about six years and submitted their pre-application for a contract zone to the City in 2022. A final application was submitted in July of this year. In South Portland, Contract Zoning allows the City Council to “impose, by agreement with the property owner or otherwise, certain conditions or restrictions not…

South Portland residents approved two of the three bonds on this year’s ballot but rejected a $12.3 million proposal to fund the “design, construction, and equipping of improvements to the South Portland High School athletic stadium complex.” Voters also passed a charter amendment requiring citizen approval for the sale, lease, trade, or gift of three key City-owned properties: Mill Creek Park, Bug Light Park, and Hinkley Park. While the two smaller bonds on the ballot — seeking a combined $4 million for maintence and improvements at the City’s public schools — were overwhelmingly approved, both receiving over 75 percent support,…

Nearly 60 percent of Portland voters supported a measure Tuesday allowing local emergency wage provisions to go into effect only when a state of emergency is declared by the City, as opposed to when one is called by state, as is currently the case. In addition to this, 67 percent of voters also approved changes to the City’s registration requirements for short-term rental units that are now set to go into effect on September 1, 2025. The petition behind the emergency wage amendment was sent to City in May of this year by a group of citizens, officially constituting the…

Voters in Bar Harbor narrowly rejected a proposal Tuesday that would have overturned a 2022 ordinance capping the number of cruise ship passengers allowed to disembark per day at 1,000, replacing it with an updated set of rules that took a markedly different approach to cruise ship regulation. According to results published by the Town of Bar Harbor, the measure’s failure was determined by just 63 votes, representing only 1.8 percent of ballots cast and around 1 percent of the town’s registered voters. Because of these extremely close margins, Tuesday’s vote may be subject to a taxpayer-funded recount if 100…

On Tuesday, Mainers made their voices heard not only on a number of key state, federal, and local elections, but also on five ballot questions, including one citizens initiative, three bonds with a total combined initial cost of $65 million, and one proposal from the Legislature. Early Wednesday morning, it was determined that voters had overwhelmingly approved a citizens initiative limiting Super PAC contributions, closely mirroring what the late-fall polling had predicted. By Wednesday afternoon, it became clear that Mainers had rejected the Legislature’s attempt to redesign the state flag based on the version used for eight years between 1901…

Voters in Cape Elizabeth narrowly rejected a $94.7 million school improvement plan that included the construction of a new middle school for $89.9 million. The bond for the proposed “Middle Ground School Project Design” was rejected by just 166 votes, representing only 2.47 percent of those who turned out to the polls. [RELATED: Cape Elizabeth Voters to Decide on $94.7 Million Plan to Construct New Middle School] The $89.9 million “Middle Ground School Project Design” had been developed after two years of deliberation by the School Building Advisory Committee (SBAC), and was accompanied on the ballot by a $4.8 million…

Former President Donald J. Trump (R) has been elected to serve as the 47th President of the United States. The president-elect secured his win early Wednesday morning when Pennsylvania and Wisconsin were called in his favor, bringing his total number of electoral votes to 277, exceeding the 270-vote threshold needed to win the election. Around 2:30am, president-elect Trump delivered a victory speech to his supporters at Mar-a-Lago promising to “help our country heal,” assuring Americans that “every single day [he] will be fighting for [them].” Co-chair of the Harris-Waltz campaign Cedric Richmond announced around 1am Wednesday morning — shortly before…

Two Maine citizens have threatened to sue Secretary of State Shenna Bellows for improper voter roll maintenance unless action is taken within ninety days. Alex Titcomb — co-founder and Executive Director of The Dinner Table PAC — and Kristin Tripp allege that all sixteen counties in the state have an implausible, and in some cases impossible, share of registered voters. In eleven counties, they calculated that the number of registered voters exceeded the county’s entire voting age population, and in the remaining five they found a registration rate of over 95 percent, far outpacing the nationwide registration rate in recent…

In business since the 1950s, Cookie Jar Bakery in Cape Elizabeth is now fighting to retain use of the four parking spaces in front of its building. Although the use of this area for parking has been unchallenged for years, controversy was sparked when the bakery recently applied to create a delivery entrance in the back of their property. In reviewing their proposed site plan, the Town determined that the parking spaces in front of the bakery were in violation of zoning rules and must be removed, as they are too close to the road and block access to the…

Voters in Bucks County Pennsylvania will have until the end of the day on Friday, November 1 to “apply for, receive, vote, and return a mail-in ballot,” according to a court document posted on X by the Pennsylvania GOP. This comes less than one day after the Republican National Committee (RNC), Pennsylvania GOP, and the Trump Campaign sued Bucks County for turning away citizens attempting to vote early before the October 29 deadline at 5pm. CBS News and other outlets have reported that voters were sent away as early as 2:45pm, more than two hours before the deadline. According to…

Kennebec and Somerset County District Attorney Maeghan Maloney is currently facing allegations before the Maine Board of Overseers of the Bar concerning her conduct with respect to an Oakland woman who has alleged she was drugged and sexually assaulted in a Waterville bar. The complaint against Maloney was first reported by Keith Edwards of the Kennebec Journal, a “Maine Trust for Local News” newspaper. Last year, Pamela Boivin of Oakland filed a complaint with Maine’s Board of Overseers of the Bar alleging that District Attorney Maloney improperly reached out to one of Boivin’s friends who works for the Family Violence…

The United States Supreme Court declined Tuesday to remove former Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. from the ballot in the key battleground states of Wisconsin and Michigan. Kennedy announced in August that he would be suspending his campaign and endorsing former President Donald Trump (R). The former candidate’s petitions seeking injunctions that would have allowed his name to be removed from the ballot in these states were denied by the Court Tuesday. While there were no public dissents regarding the Court’s decision for Wisconsin, Justice Neil Gorsuch did dissent from the ruling that pertained to Michigan. As is…

The United States Supreme Court ruled Wednesday morning that the State of Virginia may remove self-identified noncitizens from its voter rolls ahead of Tuesday’s election. The 6-3 decision was issued by the justices without any explanation of their reasoning, as is common with these types of orders. Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented from the majority, indicating that they would have denied Virginia’s request, without any further elaboration on their position as well. A federal judge had previously ruled that the state would need to put about 1,600 suspected noncitizens back on the rolls ahead of…

Demographic characteristics such as gender, age, and educational attainment appear to be strong predictors of how Mainers will vote this November, with older, more highly-educated women leaning Democratic and younger, less highly-educated men leaning Republican. District 1 voters in southern Maine also appear to be more likely to vote for Democratic candidates than their counterparts in the more northern District 2. The Voice of Maine: Critical Insights on Maine Fall 2024 report, conducted by Digital Research, asked Mainers how they plan to vote in the upcoming election for a number of key offices, including the House, Senate, and presidency. While…

Tesla CEO, majority-owner of social media platform X, and supporter of former President Donald Trump (R) Elon Musk has been sued by the Philadelphia District Attorney Lawrence S. Krasner over an alleged “illegal lottery” in which Musk is giving away $1 million prizes to some of those who sign a pledge supporting the Constitution. Founded earlier this year by Musk, the America PAC launched a petition on October 7 — called a “Petition in Favor of Free Speech and the Right to Bear Arms” — and offered $47 a piece for referring registered voters in swing states to sign on.…

In just a matter of days, Cape Elizabeth residents will be deciding whether or not to approve a $94.7 million school improvement plan, including the construction of a new middle school for $89.9 million. Voters will also be asked to authorize the expenditure of nearly $1.7 million worth of gifts and grants to install solar panels on the new middle school once construction is completed. Question 1 — which seeks approval for the $94.7 million school improvement proposal — was unanimously supported by the school board, while the Town Council indicated opposition to the proposal by a vote of four…

The Maine Department of Labor (MDOL) announced Monday that Maine’s unemployment employer tax schedule, which supports the state’s unemployment trust fund, will remain at the lowest level going into 2025. Unemployment benefits are paid to Mainers out of the state unemployment trust fund using the money contributed by employers via unemployment taxes. According to Bloomberg Tax, Maine’s unadjusted unemployment tax rates under the lowest schedule — Schedule A — for 2024 ranged from 0.28 percent to 6.03 percent. The MDOL explains in their press release that in 2025, employers are expected on average to pay $253.20 annually per employee. They…

Concerns over the state of the economy loom large in Mainers’ minds, and there are significant partisan gaps when it comes to the state’s direction and approval of its elected officials, according to a new statewide survey. The Voice of Maine: Critical Insights on Maine Fall 2024 report, conducted by Digital Research, asked Mainers their opinions of several political figures, as well as on their outlook for the state and nation. Respondents were also asked to identify the most important issues facing Maine today, revealing that economic-related concerns — such as housing, the cost of living, and inflation — are…

Maine’s Committee on Judicial Conduct has reportedly said that Justice Catherine Connors of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court violated the Maine Code of Judicial Conduct by participating in two cases that ultimately overturned recent precedent with respect to the state’s foreclosure law, according to the Portland Press Herald. The Committee conducts its proceedings in secret and reportedly filed its recommendation concerning Justice Connors on October 11. Under Maine’s Code of Judicial Conduct, a judge must recuse him or herself “in any proceeding in which the judge’s impartiality might reasonably be questioned.” The complaint focuses on a selection of cases pertaining…

Homes in Maine are 8.68 percent more expensive than this time last year — reaching a median sale price of $409,450 — according to a press release from the Maine Association of Realtors. 5.39 percent more homes were sold last month compared to September of 2023, coming in at a total of 1,486 completed sales. Despite there being more homes for sale in September 2024 than at any point since October 2020 — forty-seven months ago — President of the Maine Association of Realtors Paul McKee explained that “it is still below the level needed to fully balance the market.”…

Maine’s September unemployment rate and labor force participation rate remained largely unchanged in comparison to recent months, according to the Maine Department of Labor’s (MDOL) Tuesday press release. For the fourth month in row, the state’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate has been calculated at 2.8 percent, while labor force participation came in at 60.1 percent. Seasonal adjustment is a statistical technique that is regularly employed to remove the influences of “predictable seasonal patterns” in order to reveal a more accurate measure of how the employment situation has evolved over time. Nationwide, unemployment for September came in at 4.1 percent with a…

Maine’s civic health currently is strong, according to Maine’s first Civic Health Report from Colby College’s Goldfarb Center for Public Affairs, Public Engagement Partners, and the Maine Community Foundation. Released on October 23, this report showed that 70 percent of Mainers are hopeful about the state’s future, but suggested that “there are reasons to be concerned that this is a fragile, rather than a stable or growing, working consensus.” To gauge the state’s civic health, the study incorporates findings across a number of different categories, including: Civic Trust; Belonging and Mattering; Community Climate; The State of Civic Knowledge; Voting; Volunteering, Group Participation, and Giving;…

A new poll published by Politico and conducted by Axis Research shows that Maine State Rep. Austin Theriault (R-Fort Kent) currently has a two-point lead over incumbent Rep. Jared Golden (D) in the highly-competitive race for the Second Congressional District’s seat in the United States House of Representatives. This represents a major change from the firm’s July poll, wherein Rep. Golden held a ten-point lead over the Republican State Representative. This shift followed a significant change in the percentage of Mainers who are familiar with Rep. Theriault, rising from 39 percent in July to 72 percent in October. This poll…

Maine voters may be some of the nation’s most powerful in the upcoming election, according to a recent report published by personal finance website WalletHub. Based on the outlet’s Voter Power Scores, Maine voters will be the thirteenth most powerful in the presidential election and the seventh most powerful in casting their ballots in the race for Senate. The Voter Power Scores were calculated by multiplying a grade based on YouGov’s “win probabilities” by the the number of electors or open Senate seats and dividing by the voting age population. This figure was then multiplied by one million to determine…

South Portland voters will be asked to make their voices heard on several questions this November, including a proposed charter amendment and three school bonds. The first question on the ballot asks voters if they would like to require citizen approval for the sale, lease, trade, or gift of three key City-owned properties: Mill Creek Park, Bug Light Park, and Hinkley Park. This proposed charter amendment stems from a months-long discussion by the City Council with roots in the Council’s 2019 decision to incorporate the Open Space Plan into their 2012 Comprehensive Plan. At that time, the City created a…

Federal officials have rejected Maine’s application for $456 million to construct an offshore wind port at Sears Island. According to reporting from the Portland Press Herald, Paige Sterling — a media advisor at the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) — said in an email that the agency does not comment on applications, “but noting that, as with last year’s awards, these programs were significantly oversubscribed.” Sterling went on to explain that the DOT received around two hundred applications seeking an aggregate of more than $27 billion, “far exceeding the amount of funding available.” According to a DOT press release, the…

Residents of Portland will be asked to weigh in on two ballot questions when they go to the polls in November. The first of these questions — the result of a citizens initiative — would amend the City’s emergency wage provisions such that they would only go into effect when the City itself declares a state of emergency. Currently, the provisions automatically apply when the State of Maine declares an emergency for a region including Portland, regardless of the impact on employment conditions in the City. The second question would amend Portland’s short term rental unit registration requirements, effective September…

On Monday morning, the Maine State Housing Authority launched an Eviction Prevention Pilot Program designed to “help tenants who may be facing an eviction and the loss of their housing.” The Eviction Prevention Pilot Program is funded by an $18 million allocation approved by the State earlier this year and will be administered by the Quality Housing Coalition under a contract with the Maine State Housing Authority. The Quality Housing Coalition was selected for this role through a “competitive process” that included six proposals from organizations both inside and outside of Maine. HOTB — a California-based online software developer known…

The Maine Governor’s Energy Office (GEO) was selected by the federal Department of Energy (DOE) to receive a $65 million grant to aid in the adoption of new technologies designed to help Maine’s electrical grid to better support the transmission of “clean energy.” Known as Flexible Interconnections and Resilience for Maine (FIRM), this project represents a collaboration between the State of Maine, Central Maine Power (CMP), and Versant Power. The goal of FIRM, as stated in Friday’s press release, is to “deploy cutting-edge software and hardware to enhance grid stability, regulate voltage, and increase transmission capacity on existing lines” to…

Residents of Bar Harbor will be given the opportunity this November to overturn a 2022 ordinance capping the number of cruise ship passengers allowed to disembark per day at 1,000 and replace it with an updated set of rules that take a markedly different approach to cruise ship regulation. If the referendum is approved, the 2022 ordinance would be replaced by one allowing for more than three times this amount, with variable monthly limits intended to better reflect the nature of tourism in Maine. In November of 2022, Bar Harbor voters approved — with 58 percent support — a new…

As November 5 quickly approaches, Mainers are preparing to make their voices heard at the ballot box in a number of critical races. Not only will voters be tasked with casting their ballots for the presidency, they will also be asked to make a choice for the United States House and Senate, as well as for many state and local offices. There will also be five statewide questions on the ballot: one citizens initiative, three bond questions, and one piece of legislation out of Augusta. Appearing on the ballot as presidential candidates this election cycle are five individuals, including former…

A group of residents at a mobile home park in Brunswick recently became the first to utilize a new Maine law approved by the Legislature in 2023. LD 1931 went into law without Gov. Janet Mills (D) signature in July 2023 and required mobile home park owners to notify residents when the properties upon which their homes are located are put up for sale, as well as to “negotiate in good faith” with them. This law also gives residents ninety days after the execution date of their purchase and sale agreement to secure appropriate financing. The Blueberry Fields Cooperative –…

Electricity Maine will be required to refund about 20,000 customers and pay a $315,000 fine as part of a settlement reached with the Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) over unfair billing practices. This settlement was reportedly approved by the Maine PUC Wednesday, ending a lengthy investigation into the company after it switched customers to variable rate contracts without their consent. When these rate changes were made, customers saw notable price increases, going up for some by hundreds of dollars, according to the Bangor Daily News. During a four month period between late 2022 and early 2023, the Maine PUC received…

Earlier this month, the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that all lead pipes nationwide must be replaced within the next ten years. Following this decision, the agency awarded Maine nearly $25 million to help support the replacement of lead pipes throughout the state. Around this same time, the state also received more than $11 million to help protect children from being poisoned by lead paint in older homes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), exposure to lead is particularly harmful for children under the age of six and can cause a number of complications, including…

Presque Isle City Councilors decided this past Friday to indefinitely table an ordinance that would have placed limits on public camping that had been developed in response to concerns regarding the City’s homeless population. First proposed in June, this ordinance was introduced in order to address public complaints about people camping in public parks. Some raised concerns, however, that the ordinance would have resulted in discrimination against homeless individuals, prompting officials to rework the proposal a few weeks ago. According to City Manager Tyler Brown, the decision to recraft the ordinance was also prompted by a recent Supreme Court ruling…

Maine’s Congressional delegation announced Friday that two commercial fishing associations have been awarded a significant amount of federal grant funding to support youth “training and workforce development” efforts. These grants were awarded through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Young Fishermen’s Development Program. Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association (MCFA) received just over $90,000 to establish an “online knowledge hub” targeted toward young fishermen that includes “educational training content” focused on career development and “caring for your physical and mental wellbeing” in the commercial fishing industry. Eastern Maine Skippers Program was given $296,342 for the provision of “career development opportunities” to…

A temporary injunction halting enforcement of a Maine law blocking foreign spending in local and state elections and referendums was up for consideration by the First Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston Wednesday. In November of 2023, Maine voters overwhelmingly approved a measure prohibiting foreign governments — as well as entities with at least 5 percent ownership by a foreign government — from campaigning either for or against both candidates and ballot questions, with 86.33 percent voting in support of it. The measure also requires the media to do their “due diligence” to determine whether or not the entity behind…

The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments Tuesday morning in a case challenging the federal government’s 2022 rule aiming to regulate “ghost guns.” Ghost guns are firearms without serial numbers that can be assembled using parts printed on a 3D printer or purchased online or by mail without a background check. Despite having previously ruled against the government’s ability to issue certain regulations on guns, many of the Justices appeared inclined during Tuesday’s session to support the federal government’s authority to regulate “ghost guns.” While the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) has argued that the rules are…

The trash fire which started at a trash facility in Orrington on October 1 has finally been extinguished, according to Orrington’s Assistant Fire Chief, Chad Bean. A statement released on Facebook Friday by the Orrington Fire Department explained that they have been on the scene for over nine and a half days and will continue to be as “progress is being made to get rid of this material in a safe manner over the next day or two.” Although the fire was contained within hours of breaking out, officials indicated at the time that it would likely take several days…

The New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association (NEFSA) will be sending Gov. Janet Mills a petition with over 2,500 signatures urging her to halt the development of offshore wind farms in the Gulf of Maine, according to a source close to the matter. NEFSA is a bipartisan nonprofit organization dedicated to helping save the region’s commercial fishing industry and preserving it for future generations. Signatories on the petition include commercial fishermen, as well as residents of New England maritime communities. In a copy of the petition’s letter obtained by the Maine Wire, NEFSA CEO Jerry Leeman urged Gov. Mills to follow…

Maine’s Congressional delegation has sent a letter to the Centers for Medicare and medicaid Services (CMS) urging the creation of a special enrollment period for Humana Medicare Advantage beneficiaries impacted by Northern Light Health terminating its contract with the Medicare Advantage provider. As of September 30, Northern Light Health — one of the largest medical service providers in the state — ended its Medicare Advantage contract with Humana after “considerable time and effort” was spent “try[ing] to resolve numerous ongoing administrative issues,” according to an August press release. This decision was estimated to have impacted between 2,000 and 4,000 patients…

The Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced Thursday the results of ongoing efforts to test the surface water near where toxic firefighting foam spilled over the summer at the former Brunswick Naval Air Station. On August 19, the fire suppression system in one of the hangars malfunctioned, releasing 1,450 gallons of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) mixed with 50,000 gallons of water. This mixture filled the hangar and spilled out into an oil/water separator and one of the retention ponds, resulting in the largest accidental AFFF spill in Maine and the sixth largest in the U.S. over the past 30…

The United States Supreme Court reconvened on Monday for the start of its October 2024 term. Among the cases on the docket for the first four weeks of oral arguments are consequential cases related to gun laws and veterans’ benefits. Garland v. Vanderstok concerns the federal government’s authority to regulate so-called “ghost guns,” while Bufkin v. McDonough centers on veterans’ right to appeal the fair application of the more than century-old “benefit of the doubt” standard when determining their eligibility for service-related benefits. Garland v. Vanderstok The case of Garland v. Vanderstok is centered on a 2022 federal rule aiming…

According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, the share of Maine households using oil as their primary source of heat dropped more than six percent between 2022 and 2023, the largest decrease since at least 2010. In 2010, about 70 percent of Maine households were reliant on oil as their primary heating source compared to just over 50 percent in 2023. Gov. Janet Mills (D) connected this change to the rise in heat pump usage during her administration. “When I took office, I made it a priority to help Maine households transition away from expensive, imported fossil fuels…

The second public comment period for Maine’s new Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) Program closed Monday after receiving nearly 600 additional responses from roughly 280 individuals representing both employers and workers from a variety of Maine’s economic sectors. During the first round of public comment, the Maine Department of Labor (MDOL) received over 1,000 responses from nearly 300 individuals. The Department must adopt a final set of rules for the program by January 1, 2025. [RELATED: Maine Businesses Brace for New 1% Payroll Tax and Paid Leave Mandate] “Thank you to everyone who took the time and effort to…

When LS Power withdrew its proposal to build a controversial high-power transmission line across Maine this summer, the news created uncertainty for the future of the foreign-owned wind turbine project and the transmission line was supposed to connect to New England’s grid. The proposed wind farm, set to be developed by Longroad Energy — a company that is 92 percent controlled by investors from outside the United States — was given new hope Monday when the Biden-Harris administration delivered a taxpayer-funded grant worth $425 million to support the construction of the transmission line by a separate foreign-owned company. According to…

Add Bath to the long and growing list of Maine towns set to see property taxes head higher. Residents of 8,800-person home of Bath Iron Works have just seen their property taxes increase substantially as a result of the city’s most recent round of revaluations. According to the city’s website, this revaluation was based on data compiled between July 1, 2022, and July 1, 2023, and was conducted by Assessor Brenda Cummings and Assistant Assessor Jason Marshall. Generally speaking, in order to stay in compliance with state law, municipalities undertake revaluations when assessed values fall below 70 percent of market…

In the fall of 2023, Efficiency Maine announced that it would not be requiring homeowners to disconnect their older heating systems in order to be eligible for whole-home heat pump rebates. A new program designed to aid mobile home owners with heat pump adoption, however, still requires that existing systems be removed in order to qualify. In other words, if you want the state rebate, you’ve got to dismantle and remove your natural gas or oil-based heating system. Efficiency Maine — a quasi-government organization established to “plan and implement energy efficiency programs” throughout the state — offered an explanation for…

Prosecutors in the case against Ryan W. Routh — the suspect in the second assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump (R) — requested Wednesday that the forthcoming trial be indefinitely delayed, arguing that “the volume of evidence collected in this case is substantial and the investigation is ongoing.” Florida District Judge Aileen Cannon was asked by prosecutors Wednesday to designate this case as “complex,” allowing the timeline to stretch beyond what is typically lawful. Prosecutors indicate that Routh’s counsel does not object to the “instant motion” to cancel any upcoming deadlines or court dates. [RELATED: What We Know About…

The federal Department of Environmental Protection (EPA) sent a letter on September 26 directing the U.S. Navy to “take any and all actions necessary” to address the spill of toxic firefighting foam that occurred at the former Brunswick Naval Air Station in August. On August 19, the fire suppression system in one of the hangars malfunctioned, releasing 1,450 gallons of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) mixed with 50,000 gallons of water. This mixture filled the hangar and spilled out into an oil/water separator and one of the retention ponds, resulting in the largest accidental AFFF spill in Maine and the sixth…

A fire broke out Tuesday night around 8:21pm at a trash facility in Orrington, causing Orrington Fire and Rescue to direct everyone in the surrounding areas to keep their windows closed due to the significant smoke that has been generated. Although the fire has now been contained, officials have said that it will take several days for it to be fully extinguished. An investigation as to the fire’s cause is still underway, but initial reports suggest that it was started by a lithium-ion battery. According to WABI TV, the fire was initially so big that its glow could be seen…

A September report published by a state-level advisory committee argues that Maine must “incrementally increase the number of housing units it produces per year” in order to reach its production goals by 2030. Following up on the 2023 State of Maine Housing Production Needs Study, this report represents the work of an advisory committee formed by the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) to “create statewide and regional goals.” In addition to outlining specific housing production goals — both at the statewide and county level — the report also details a number of specific strategies for increasing housing production…

According to the Public Access Ombudsman’s 2023 Report, state-level agencies received nearly three thousand requests under the Maine’s Freedom of Access Act (FOAA) last year. While roughly half of these requests were fulfilled in under five days, about 14 percent took more than two months, with sixteen requests taking more than a year to complete. FOAA is a government transparency law designed to ensure that Mainers have a “broad right of access to public records” while simultaneously “protecting legitimate governmental interests and the privacy rights of individual citizens.” This law also guarantees that citizens have access to “meetings of public…

Businesses throughout Maine are preparing for the state to implement its new payroll tax and a complex series of rules stemming from the newly approved paid family and medical leave program in just a matter of months. Over the summer, Gov. Janet Mills (D) signed a budget into law that included, among other things, legislation establishing the program with a starting appropriation of $25 million for the Maine Department of Labor (MDOL). Beginning in the spring of 2026, Maine workers will be eligible to take up to twelve weeks of paid leave to care for a sick family member, as…

The Winthrop School District is facing a nearly $700,000 budget deficit for the current school year. According to Winthrop Superintendent Becky Foley, this is due an overestimation of how much funding would be left over from last year, as well as a lack of adequate funding to cover the current year’s expenses. Taken together, the district is a total of $681,207 short of what it needs to cover the planned expenses for FY25. Foley first discovered the shortfall earlier this month after just two weeks on the job, following Superintendent Jim Hodgkin’s reportedly abrupt resignation over a “lack of understanding”…