MAINE NEWS & NOTES

Maine News Sunday Jul 12

JOBS

Skechers USA, Inc. posted a job opening for Retail Sales Associate in Freeport. Apply here.
Albertsons Companies, Inc. posted a job opening for Baker in Freeport. Apply here.
You can search for other jobs near Freeport here.

UPCOMING

JULY 12

Memorial Park, 5 Park St., Freeport: The Honey Tones, 2-4
Music in the Parks - Memorial Park, 19 Bow St 2:00 pm
Poetry on the Porch Pinecone Studio, 3 Cranberry Dr, Brunswick 3 pm

JULY 14
Complete Streets Committee →30 Main Street, Freeport 7:30 am
Conservation Commission → 5 Depot Street 6:30 pm

JULY 16

Winslow Park, 50 Winslow Park Way, Freeport: Coastal Winds, 6-7:30, park has $3 entry fee

Bandstand By The Sea, 1410 Harpswell Neck Rd., Harpswell: Harpswell Concert Band, 6-7:30

Thursday, July 16, 2026 | 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM (music starts at 6:30 PM) Kresge Auditorium, Bowdoin College, 239 Maine St, Brunswick, ME More info: FreeportSpeech.org

Thursday Night Concert Series at Winslow Park

For more info on the artists and to see the Memorial Park summer concert schedule, visit the Meetinghouse Arts website

JULY 16 — COASTAL WINDS: Enjoy the vibrant sounds of the Coastal Winds, a community band featuring over 35 skilled woodwind, brass, and percussion instrumentalists from the Freeport area.
JULY 23 — THE FLUKES:A Fun-Loving Ukulele Society, The Flukes bring joy to all ages with their performance, playing tunes from Bach to the Beatles.
JULY 30 — THE DELTA KNIGHTS BAND: Led by frontman Rob Babson, The Delta Knights Band has spent 30 years as a Southern Maine staple, delivering a tight, expert blend of blues, R&B, and classic rock.
AUGUST 6 — VINYL FOSSILS…Don't miss this six-piece band performing classic rock and roll music.
AUGUST 13 — CAROLE WISE | MARK ABRAHAM | DENNY BREAU | APRIL REED-COX: Four gifted Maine musicians unite to perform a harmonious, authentic blend of original songs celebrating friendship and collaboration.
AUGUST 20 — CORMAC MCCARTHY: Don't miss Cormac McCarthy's enthralling Americana set, showcasing his expertise as a singer, songwriter, guitarist, and storyteller.
AUGUST 27 — BESS JACQUES & THE STRAYS: Bess Jacques & The Strays deliver a vibrant, nostalgic blend of jazz and pop, featuring lush vocal ballads and hard-swinging originals from their debut album.
Winslow Park Concerts are a community collaboration between Meetinghouse Arts and the Town of Freeport View it on website

JULY 17

JULY 18
Discovery Park, LL Bean, Freeport: Skosh, 7 pm

JULY 19
Memorial Park, 5 Park St., Freeport: Arcadia Band, 2-4 PM

JULY 22
Waves for the Bay: Friends of Casco Bay Members Annual Meeting: 5:30-7:30 pm. Where: Portland Yacht Services, 100 West Commercial Street, Portland, ME. The event will be held outside on a gravel surface under a tent, rain or shine.

Maine News Saturday July 11

CNBC - Maine has America’s lowest violent crime rate, with just 100 incidents per 100,000 people in 2024. After a horrific mass shooting spree in 2023 in Lewiston that left 18 people dead, Maine legislators passed a series of reforms that earned the state “most improved” honors in 2024 from the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. The Pine Tree State’s laws offer a wide range of protections against discrimination. But the state has some challenges when it comes to health. Maine ranks No. 42 for drug deaths and No. 35 for frequent mental distress, according to the United Health Foundation.

2026 Quality of Life score: 232 out of 290 points (Top States grade: A+)

Strengths: Crime, Inclusiveness, Air Quality

Weakness: Health

Financial Times - “Graham Platner is what happens when pundits ignore obvious red flags . . . and sell voters an idealised version of a candidate who does not actually exist,” said Jessica Mackler, president of Emily’s List, a group that recruits and trains women as Democratic candidates.

“The lesson here is that we always have to be looking at these races and primaries through the lens of what it takes to win a general election, and that is what went horribly wrong in this situation.”

Under Maine state law, the Democratic Party now has just over two weeks to find a new candidate to take on Collins — a five-term incumbent with a record of defeating well-funded challengers — in November. State party officials have said they intend to pick Platner’s replacement at a nominating convention to be held later this month.

Press Herald - A ballot question limiting transgender students’ rights in sports and access to school facilities will not appear on the November ballot, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court ruled Friday. The decision comes after an appeal by its proponents, who argued the rules for out-of-state signature collectors were unlawful. The court unanimously held that Secretary of State Shenna Bellows had a right and an obligation to invalidate those signatures.

JOBS

Circle K posted a job opening for Store Assistant Manager in Freeport. Apply here.
National Health Care Associates Inc. posted a job opening for Dietary Aide in Yarmouth. Apply here.
You can search for other jobs near Freeport here.

Maine News Friday July 10

Press Herald - The median statewide home sale price reached a new record of $436,000 in June, according to data released Thursday by the Maine Association of Realtors. Hannah LaClaire breaks down the data and shares three big takeaways regarding the current housing market.

New - Senate poll - Maine Collins 48% Jackson 47

Polling Numbers

The citizens’ initiative, filed by a group called Protect Girls Sports, initially qualified for the ballot but later met a legal challenge over the signature collection process, which a group of citizens said broke several state rules and resulted in invalid signatures.

Secretary of State Shenna Bellows agreed and rejected nearly 4,000 signatures, leaving the group 500 names below the required threshold. A Superior Court judge upheld that call last month, but the group appealed.

Protect Girls Sports argued to the Supreme Judicial Court on July 1 that the secretary of state’s rules for out-of-state signature collectors were unlawful, and that she did not have the right to invalidate more than 1,000 signatures on that basis.

The high court, in a unanimous per curiam decision Friday, said Bellows had not only the right but the obligation to invalidate those signatures.

“As a result of the Secretary’s proper invalidation of the signatures collected by these four circulators, the petition fell below the constitutional threshold for an initiative petition to be submitted to the voters of Maine,” the court wrote. “The Secretary thus correctly determined the petition to be invalid.”

The referendum would have required participation in school sports and use of facilities including bathrooms and locker rooms to be based on a student’s sex assigned at birth, rather than their gender identity.

Although the question will not appear on the November ballot, the petitioners are allowed to keep collecting names; per the state’s constitution, their initial signatures only remain valid for a year after the petition was filed with the secretary’s office. In this case, that occurred on Nov. 3, 2025.

Maine News Thursday July 9

Press Herald - With Graham Platner announcing Wednesday that he will withdraw from Maine’s Senate race after days of speculation, the question now becomes: Who will replace him?... Party officials are planning an in-person convention of about 600 people for the purpose of selecting a new Senate nominee, according to a person familiar with the planning who asked not to be named because they were not authorized to disclose details of the ongoing discussions.

FREEPORT

Lower Mast Landing Road: Updated Closure for Roadwork -Due to a collapsed pipe in a culvert near 29 Lower Mast Landing Road, crews will be working on the road to replace the pipe. Construction will end on July 11th

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Intercept - In group chats of progressive activists and political operatives concerned with the state of the Senate race in Maine Wednesday morning, a link to an anonymous Google Doc was making the rounds. It disavowed Graham Platner, the disgraced Democratic nominee whose campaign was throttled by a rape accusation on Monday, and called to replace him with Troy Jackson, a recent gubernatorial contender the document deemed “the one candidate who can hold Platner’s coalition together.”

Platner suspended his Senate campaign on Wednesday evening, and there is no clear alternative to his candidacy. His campaign’s swift downfall has presented Democrats and his primary supporters with several bad options: The party establishment could pick a candidate and inflame an already frustrated base that scoffed at its efforts to anoint Gov. Janet Mills as the nominee, or it could bend to Platner’s past demands and let him influence the selection of his successor.

In either case, a base already exhausted by months of Platner scandals is at risk of fracturing and failing to consolidate behind a potential replacement — and Democrats are at risk of once again losing a key seat they need to pick up for control of the Senate to Republican Sen. Susan Collins.

NOTUS’ Emily Kennard reports on the fallout from the Platnerpocalypse inside Democratic politics. Has the progressive, populist push for more “outsider” candidates come at the expense of rigorous candidate vetting? A lot of people point at Maine and say obviously, yes. But progressives insist the party cannot turn away from outside-the-box candidates, even as they struggle with the aftermath of their strong support for Platner as red flag after red flag was waved.

JOBS

Banana Republic, Inc. posted a job opening for Retail Sales Associate - Main St - Freeport in Freeport. Apply here.
Regional School Unit 05 posted a job opening for Long-Term Substitute Art Teacher in Freeport. Apply here.
You can search for other jobs near Freeport here.

Maine News Wednesday July 8

Matt Kerbel, Wolves and Sheep - As of this writing, Graham Platner has not yet formally withdrawn from the Maine Senate race, but his departure should be inevitable. His party support cratered—and justifiably so—in the wake of the sexual assault allegation against him that surfaced on Monday. He has canceled public events while considering his next steps, and if he doesn’t yet realize that his candidacy is no longer viable, he will soon.

This could be a blessing in disguise for Maine Democrats. Maine election law has a provision allowing party nominees to withdraw for any reason as long as they do it by a specified date, which in this case is next Monday. After that, the party has two weeks to find a replacement. Given that Platner was polling even with Susan Collins in a state that Kamala Harris won by seven points while the Democratic gubernatorial nominee is running away with her contest, it’s fair to say that from an electoral perspective Democrats will be better off without Platner on the ballot.

Maine Biz - Portland-based Maine Community Bank launched a dedicated merchant services division to meet growing demand for card processing, point-of-sale systems and e-commerce solutions. The division will operate effective immediately.

JOBS

Advantage Solutions posted a job opening for Traveling Retail Merchandiser in Freeport. Apply here.

U-Haul International, Inc. posted a job opening for Storage Facility Housekeeper in Brunswick. Apply here.

You can search for other jobs near Freeport here.

Maine News Tuesday July 7

NOTLUS - A seasoned Democratic strategist in Maine not working on the Senate race told NOTUS’ Christa Dutton that state party committee members are “seriously looking at alternatives” already. Of course, the internet is also doing that, as well as Washington’s text chains and Signal chats. Christa’s operative had some takes on the early names rising to the top of a replacement list:

Gov. Janet Mills, who was forced from the Senate primary by Platner-mentum? “I don’t think anyone challenges her, assuming she wants it.”

Retiring Rep. Jared Golden, the candidate establishment dreams are made of? “His desire to be done with politics seems sincere.”

Former state legislator Troy Jackson, whom the online left has all but crowned the next nominee already. “Thus far I haven’t heard anyone in Dem political circles calling for him to run.”

It will be hard to move forward because this is a bad moment for Democrats, full stop. The party establishment backed Mills, a candidate so old she had to promise to seek only one term, and her campaign never caught fire. Now they have to explain why anyone should trust them to pick the next nominee. The left stayed firmly in formation around Platner through it all — and it really has been a lot — insisting that anyone with concerns about their candidate was an idiot who didn’t understand what real people are actually like. Now they, too, have to make the case that they should be trusted to pick the next candidate.

This remains one of the marquee races, if not the marquee race, of the cycle. And Sen. Susan Collins, the Republican incumbent who was always going to be tough to beat, has been able to sit back through months of Democratic infighting — which now continues.

Polling USA has Troy Jackson 5 points ahead of Collins, and Platner 4 points behind here. Mills is tied.

Maine Morning Star - Religious schools accepting public funds are required to follow Maine laws that protect against discrimination based on faith, gender identity and sexual orientation, a federal court has ruled. Crosspoint Church, which runs Bangor Christian Schools, and St. Dominic Academy in Auburn filed separate appeals in the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit in Boston in January, 2025. The state’s anti-discrimination law infringes on their constitutional right to free exercise of religion, they said.

UPCOMING

JULY 7

Tonic, 7 Dunlap St., Brunswick: Open mic with Rexy Dinosaur, 6-8

JULY 8

Peaks Island Lions Club, 2 Garden Rd., Peaks Island: Don Campbell, 5

Thursday Night Concert Series at Winslow Park

For more info on the artists and to see the Memorial Park summer concert schedule, visit the Meetinghouse Arts website

JULY 9 — JIM SHARKEY: Original songs blending Celtic traditional ballad influences with contemporary issues.
JULY 16 — COASTAL WINDS: Enjoy the vibrant sounds of the Coastal Winds, a community band featuring over 35 skilled woodwind, brass, and percussion instrumentalists from the Freeport area.
JULY 23 — THE FLUKES:A Fun-Loving Ukulele Society, The Flukes bring joy to all ages with their performance, playing tunes from Bach to the Beatles.
JULY 30 — THE DELTA KNIGHTS BAND: Led by frontman Rob Babson, The Delta Knights Band has spent 30 years as a Southern Maine staple, delivering a tight, expert blend of blues, R&B, and classic rock.
AUGUST 6 — VINYL FOSSILS…Don't miss this six-piece band performing classic rock and roll music.
AUGUST 13 — CAROLE WISE | MARK ABRAHAM | DENNY BREAU | APRIL REED-COX: Four gifted Maine musicians unite to perform a harmonious, authentic blend of original songs celebrating friendship and collaboration.
AUGUST 20 — CORMAC MCCARTHY: Don't miss Cormac McCarthy's enthralling Americana set, showcasing his expertise as a singer, songwriter, guitarist, and storyteller.
AUGUST 27 — BESS JACQUES & THE STRAYS: Bess Jacques & The Strays deliver a vibrant, nostalgic blend of jazz and pop, featuring lush vocal ballads and hard-swinging originals from their debut album.
Winslow Park Concerts are a community collaboration between Meetinghouse Arts and the Town of Freeport View it on website

JULY 9

Shellfish Commission Meeting 30 Main Street, 6:30 pm

JULY 10

JULY 11

JULY 12
Memorial Park, 5 Park St., Freeport: The Honey Tones, 2-4
Music in the Parks - Memorial Park, 19 Bow St 2:00 pm

JULY 17