Maine News & Current Events | Public News Service

Maine's Climate Action Plan cites supply disruptions during the pandemic as a wake-up call to improve the state's local food systems. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, May 23, 2022

Maine Seeks Proposals to Increase Access to Local Food

Maine is seeking proposals for a grant opportunity to support local food producers and production and assist low-income residents in accessing local f…

679 people who were counted in the 2022 Point in Time survey are chronically homeless. (JP Photography/Adobe Stock)

MaineHousing: Better Data Collection Can Help Reduce Homelessness

Data from Maine's annual Point in Time homelessness survey has been released, showing 4,411 individuals were experiencing homelessness on Jan…

Arctic terns have one of the longest annual migration patterns of any species on the planet, traveling from the Arctic to the Antarctic circles and back, nearly 19,000 miles. (rabbitti/Adobe Stock)

Experts, Birders: Turn Off Home Lights at Night During Migration Season

Saturday is World Migratory Bird Day, and bird experts said it is a great time to be on the lookout for types of birds you may not see every day in …

Nearly 70% of voters who identify as Independents oppose overturning the decision in Roe v. Wade, according to a January 2022 poll by Marquette University Law School. (Judith Anne/Adobe Stock)

Mainers Rally In Support of Roe v. Wade After Leaked Draft Opinion

Mainers gathered Tuesday at the federal courthouse in Portland, calling on the U.S. Supreme Court to protect the right to have an abortion. Politico …

Polling shows that many Mainers worry about affording future health-care costs, and groups hope Maine will continue to take that concern seriously in future legislative sessions. (hafakot/Adobe Stock)

Groups: Maine Lawmakers Took Health Care Seriously This Session

With the conclusion of this year's legislative session, advocates say Maine lawmakers have taken key steps toward reducing the cost of health care…

During the pandemic, 141 child-care centers closed in Maine, and many more closed temporarily. That's limited some women from getting back into the workforce. (Rafael Ben-Ari/Adobe Stock)

Report: Gaps in Data Limit Maine's Ability to Support Marginalized Women

A new report finds the pandemic disproportionately impacted women, but that gaps in data limit Maine's ability to help those in need. Women are …

Estimates suggest that in 2018, more than 20,000 service members were sexually assaulted, but there only were slightly more than 6,000 reports. (Ovidiu lordachi/Adobe Stock)

Veteran Women's Center Underscores Toxic Culture in Maine National Guard

April is National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, and advocates are urging more accountability for responding to sexual assault…

The Penobscot River is one of the ancestral rivers in which the Penobscot Nation has fought to keep water rights. (kellyvandellen/Adobe Stock)

Native Community Development Group Works to Boost Wabanaki Economies

Indigenous Mainers are working on a plan to boost tourism for the state's five Wabanaki Nations. The Wabanaki Cultural Tourism Initiative has …

Maine's Passamaquoddy Tribe at Pleasant Point has been facing high levels of toxic chemicals in their drinking water for decades. (Wabanaki Alliance)

Groups Rally for Clean Drinking Water for Passamaquoddy Tribe

Groups rallying at the State House on Monday called on lawmakers and Gov. Janet Mills to pass and sign a bill to address the high levels of toxic …

The news organization Reuters has identified nearly 900 threats against election workers in the last year. (Krakenimages.com/Adobe Stock)

ME Lawmakers Spotlight Need to Protect Election Workers

The Maine Legislature passed a bill on Tuesday to strengthen protections in the law for election workers and volunteers. In a recent survey of …

A report finds nationally, Black and Latino kids were 50% more likely to face incarceration than their white peers in 2019. (mario beauregard/Adobe Stock)

Report: Too Many Youth Incarcerated in Maine, Across U.S.

Almost a quarter-million American children were incarcerated in 2019, and a new report found it is about five times more than states' annual point-in-…

The Affordable Care Act was signed by former President Barack Obama 12 years ago today. (Annap/Adobe Stock)

Mainers Spotlight Impact of Affordable Care Act, Signed 12 Years Ago Today

Twelve years ago today, then-President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act (ACA) into law, and it has helped provide more than 156,000 …

Maine, one of the most rural states in the nation, has just two congressional voting districts. (Maine.gov)

Officials to Mainers: Check Your New Districts Before Election Time

With new maps for the next decade of elections finalized in Maine, election officials are urging voters to make sure they are up-to-date on any …

Groups in Maine highlight a need for more funding for early education and care. The current continued resolution is set to expire March 11th. (Alessandro Biascioli/Adobe Stock)

ME Groups: Congress Needs to Pass Fully-Funded Appropriations Bill

Mainers are urging Congress to pass a fully funded, full-year appropriations bill, instead of the stopgap continued resolutions for the various …

In a virtual news conference, Maine labor leaders react to a new set of recommendations about how to improve the state's climate resiliency. (Maine AFL-CIO)

Report Recommends Slew of Climate, Labor Policies for Maine

A new report outlines steps Maine could take to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and pollution, create new jobs and build more equitable and resilient …

A report found paid family and medical leave can lead to increased employee engagement as well as higher morale and productivity. (Paid Leave for ME)

Mainers Rally for Paid Family, Medical Leave This Session

Dozens of Maine residents came together at the State House yesterday, calling on the Legislature to pass a bill this session to implement a paid …

Chief Kirk Francis of the Penobscot Nation was among those who testified in support of a bill to restore tribal sovereignty to the Wabanaki Nations in Maine. (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service/Flickr)

Wabanaki Nations, Allies: Restore Sovereignty to Maine Tribes

More than 100 Mainers attended a Tuesday hearing on a bill to restore tribal sovereignty to Maine's four Wabanaki Nations. Advocates of LD 1626 say …

Research from the Mayo Clinic Health Center shows volunteering can lead to lower rates of depression and anxiety, especially for people age 65 and up. (Mediteraneo/Adobe Stock)

Volunteering in Retirement Brings Mental, Physical Benefits

Many nonprofits and advocacy groups across Maine, and the nation, have seen fewer volunteers during the pandemic, but research shows donating your …

Nearly 70% of fire fighters in the United States are volunteers, which can be a barrier to getting support after traumatic events. (Peter Abzug/Adobe Stock)

ME Firefighters: Extend Law to Support First Responders with PTSD

A bill in the Maine Legislature would keep a law in place that makes it easier for first responders to get workers' compensation coverage for Post-Tra…

Concerns over the cost of prescription drugs led 30% of Maine adults to not fill a prescription, cut pills in half or skip doses of their medicine. (Bonsales/Adobe Stock)

Maine AARP: Focus on Seniors This Legislative Session

With the Maine legislative session under way, advocates for older Americans say residents need action on issues from prescription-drug costs and …

Across the United States, 38 states operate some kind of needle=exchange program. (Wikimedia Commons)

ME Recovery Advocates: Access to Fresh Syringes Saves Lives

Death rates in Maine have been on the rise among people who use drugs, not only from overdoses but also complications due to injection drug use…

Narcan, or Naloxone, can help treat an opioid overdose in an emergency situation. (Flickr)

ME Advocates Urge Expansion of Good Samaritan Law

A bill before the Maine Legislature would expand the state's Good Samaritan law, which protects people seeking help for an overdose from arrest or …

More than half of Maine adults struggle to afford prescription drugs, according to a new survey. (pickselstock/Adobe Stock)

Poll: Mainers Face Health-Care Affordability Burdens

A new poll found a majority of Mainers struggle to afford the medical care they need. Advocates for increasing access to health care say Gov…

Maine now has the third-highest minimum wage in New England, after Connecticut and Massachusetts. (Adobe Stock)

ME Minimum Wage Now 60 Cents Higher Than Last Year

Mainers working for minimum wage will see a modest increase in their paychecks starting this month, as inflation has driven it to $12.75 an hour…

More than 190 winter bird species can be found in Maine, including chickadees, crows and mallards. (Ann Stryzhekin/Adobe Stock)

Maine Birders Urged to Assist in Mapping Wintering Species

The Maine Bird Atlas is in its fourth year out of five, an effort to document the abundance and distribution of the state's wintering and breeding …

If passed, Build Back Better would allocate additional funding for home and community-based care for seniors and people with disabilities. (Miguel Tamayo)

ME Labor Leader: Child Care, Pre-K, CTC Needed to Boost Working Families

With the future of the Build Back Better Act in doubt in Congress, labor leaders are urging Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, to get on board to improve …

Maine law requires at least five eight-hour days of paid leave, but has no other policies for family or medical leave. (Rostislav Sedlacek)

Mainers Say Comprehensive Paid Family, Medical Leave Policy Needed

AUGUSTA, Maine -- The commission tasked with finding the best way to establish a paid family and medical leave policy in Maine has until Feb…

More than 2.8 million Americans signed up for health insurance coverage through the online marketplace during the 2021 Special Enrollment Period. (onephoto/Adobe Stock)

Mainers Could Get Help Paying ACA Marketplace Plan Premiums

AUGUSTA, Maine -- With open enrollment deadlines for the Affordable Care Act marketplace approaching, groups are urging Mainers to make sure they've …

Maine has more than 2,000 children in foster care, but not enough families for family placements. (cristalov/Adobe Stock)

Groups: Maine Foster Youths Need More Families Available for Placements

PORTLAND, Maine -- About 2,200 children are in foster care in Maine, and agencies say there are not enough families who are actively able to accept …

Groups representing 77,000 physicians and more than 200 hospitals issued a declaration of a national children's mental health emergency. (Robert Hainer/Adobe Stock)

Mental-Health Summit to Raise Awareness of Challenges in Maine System

AUGUSTA, Maine -- Advocates for access to mental-health services are holding a Behavioral Health Summit today at the Augusta Civic Center. They are …

Maine has more than 80 Land Trusts, areas of protected land ranging from farms to wilderness and forests. (Maria Sbytova/Adobe Stock)

Poetry Seeks to Connect People to Protected Land

WALES, Maine -- Land trusts across the Northeast have partnered with poets this year for the first edition of "Writing the Land," an anthology to …

The Build Back Better Act includes rebates for solar installations. (Studio Harmony/Adobe Stock)

Mainers Spotlight Urgency of Build Back Better to Curb Climate Change

AUGUSTA, Maine - With the Build Back Better Act expected to see a vote in the U.S. House this week, some Mainers are reminding their elected …

An estimated 22 million people in the United States are recovering from addiction. (junce11/Adobe Stock)

Workforce Shortage Still Limits Some Substance-Use Treatment Providers

PORTLAND, Maine -- Maine's providers of substance-abuse treatment and some other behavioral-health services are seeing a major increase in …

Retired Army Col. Lewis Millett, who died in 2009, hailed from Maine and fought during three wars, earning his Medal of Honor during the Korean War. (U.S. National Archives)

Museum to Pay Tribute to Recipients of Military's Highest Honor

AUGUSTA, Maine -- Americans from former presidents to friends and family of military service members are marking this Thursday's Veterans Day holiday …

President Joe Biden was one of many world leaders who spoke about the urgent need to take bold action to curb climate change at COP26. (White House)

Mainers Join World Leaders in Glasgow, Demand U.S. Climate Action

AUGUSTA, Maine -- As talks continue at the annual international climate summit, Mainers are among those urging the U.S. to follow up on its …

A 2017 report found staff at Long Creek were using dangerous force, and reports in September 2021 indicate those practices have continued. (Maine Youth Justice)

Young Mainers Call for Closure of Long Creek Detention Facility

PORTLAND, Maine -- A youth group advocating for keeping young people in their communities is calling on the Mills administration to close the Long …

The Maine Department of Environmental Protection has identified more than 700 sites in 34 towns for PFAS testing. (Flickr)

Groups Urge Bold Steps to Reduce Harm of Toxic, Pervasive PFAS

ARUNDEL, Maine -- As Maine and the federal government take steps to study and restrict the toxic and pervasive "forever chemicals" known as …

Worldwide, it's estimated that nearly 40% of all murders of women are committed by intimate partners. (Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence)

Groups Urge Congress to Renew Protections for Domestic-Violence Survivors

AUGUSTA, Maine -- Advocates for ending domestic violence urged Congress to renew the Violence Against Women Act and other federal legislation …

This year's election already has begun. Voters can request an absentee ballot as long as they return it by Election Day, Nov. 2, by mail, at a town office or city hall or at a drop box. (Adobe Stock)

Nonpartisan Citizen's Guide Helps Voters Get Informed Before Nov. 2

AUGUSTA, Maine -- Election officials in Maine are urging voters to get informed about the questions on the ballot before they vote Nov. 2. This year …

In Maine, protests against the Texas abortion ban occurred in Portland, Waterville, Belgrade and more. (vivalapenler/Adobe Stock)

Protesters Support Roe v. Wade in Portland, Central Maine

PORTLAND, Maine -- Reproductive-rights advocates took to the streets across Maine and the U.S. over the weekend to protest the Texas ban on abortions …

A $3.5 billion budget reconciliation deal is set for a vote this week in Congress. (alan/Adobe Stock)

Business Leaders Face Climate Challenges, Urge Federal Investments

AUGUSTA, Maine -- Business leaders are urging Congress to take action to curb climate change by supporting the Biden administration's Build Back …

New Jersey and California were the only states to receive "C" grades in a new report on state prison systems' handling of COVID-19. Most received lower marks. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Steps Needed to Improve Public Health in ME Prisons

AUGUSTA, Maine -- One out of every three people incarcerated in the U.S. has contracted COVID-19, and a new report showed how state prison systems…

Roughly 1,000 Atlantic salmon remain in the Gulf of Maine. (jamie/Adobe Stock)

Four Atlantic Salmon Restoration Projects in Maine Get Federal Funding

BANGOR, Maine -- Efforts are under way to restore Atlantic salmon populations in the Gulf of Maine, by removing dams, replacing culverts and …

Muslim American advocates are among those eager to welcome refugees from Afghanistan to resettle in Maine communities. (danr13/Adobe Stock)

Groups Work to Stop Hate Crimes, Islamophobia 20 Years After 9/11

PORTLAND, Maine -- As the nation marks the 20-year anniversary of the Sep. 11 attacks, groups said stopping hate crimes and bigotry toward Muslim …

A report from the Urban Institute looked at the successes and challenges of four rural apprenticeship programs in Maine, Arizona, Mississippi and Missouri. (Kampan/Adobe Stock)

Report: Rural Apprenticeships Help Keep Young People in Home Communities

FAIRFIELD, Maine -- Rural communities in Maine are shrinking, as young people move to cities for work opportunities, but a new report found expanding …

An agreement between Maine People's Alliance and Mallinckrodt U.S. LLC will not go into effect unless the Federal District Court in Maine approves it. (peter/Adobe Stock)

Groups Urge Input on Mercury Removal Proposal for Penobscot River

BANGOR, Maine -- A proposed settlement for cleaning mercury out of the Penobscot River is in its 90-day public-comment phase, with court hearings set …

More than 16,000 kids live in households that are set to lose extra federal unemployment benefits on Sept. 4. (momius/Adobe Stock)

End to Extra Federal Jobless Aid to Impact Tens of Thousands of Mainers

AUGUSTA, Maine -- Expanded federal unemployment programs are set to expire early next month, and economic policy analysts said it will negatively …

During the COVID-19 medical emergency, Medicaid and Medicare are reimbursing telehealth at the same rate as in-person care. Beyond the pandemic, federal reimbursement parity remains uncertain. (Adobe Stock)

Social Worker: Telehealth Reimbursement Parity Critical for Future

AUGUSTA, Maine - The pandemic has revealed the benefits of telemedicine - but advocates are concerned that in Maine, some providers may not be able …

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