Maine News Monday Oct 19

Here’s what Yarmouth voters will see on November’s ballot

Maine Morning Star -   The latest precipitation across the state still was not enough to alleviate Maine’s statewide drought, according to the Maine Drought Task Force.

The task force convenes when abnormally dry conditions in the state compound with the aim of increasing communication and awareness. Members from state and federal agencies met Friday for the second time this year.

Since the task force last met in early September, drought conditions have expanded, now reaching all areas of the state. The latest report from the U.S. Drought Monitor, with data from Tuesday, had 4.64% of the state in extreme drought conditions, 43.10% in severe drought and the remaining 52.26% in moderate drought.

The conditions are already affecting the fall harvest for farmers, and there has been a rise in the number of dry well reports.  The midcoast region is experiencing extreme drought, with severe drought spreading wider across that area as well as much of Northern Maine.

Maine Morning Star -  With 17 days to go before the November elections, Democratic Party leaders, supporters, and candidates took to the streets across Maine on Saturday as part of a nationwide mobilization to get out the vote.

Underscoring what she sees as the stakes of the midterms, particularly Maine’s Senate race, Democratic U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts told an estimated crowd of 1000 people who rallied in Portland’s Deering Oaks Park that a vote for a Republican is essentially a vote for President Donald Trump’s agenda.

“Two years of Donald Trump and the Republican majority in the House and the Senate have never had the backbone to say no to anything,” she said. “Not an illegal war, not illegal tariffs, not tax cuts for billionaires, not taking away healthcare for millions of people, not to the biggest grifter in the history of the United States.”

Press Herald -  The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear a challenge to Maine’s 72-hour waiting period for firearm purchases. Justices on Monday denied a petition for a writ of certiorari in the case, one of dozens that they declined to take up. The court, as is its standard practice, did not explain its reasoning for declining to hear the appeal.

Maine Democracy -    Over the past year, ICE has been terrorizing and harming our communities. And during the debates, Susan Collins defended her vote to give them $70 billion without guardrails. Now, her latest FEC filings revealed that she received thousands of dollars from Trump’s ICE contractor for her re-election campaign. Susan Collins has shown, once again, that she’s more concerned with appeasing her billionaire donors and special interests than standing up for the people of Maine. Enough is enough.

Press Herald -  More than 60,000 students, faculty and staff at Maine colleges and universities will receive free one-year digital subscriptions to Maine Trust for Local News publications this fall through a new sponsored program. The subscriptions will provide access to the Portland Press Herald, Sun Journal, Morning Sentinel and Kennebec Journal, among other Maine Trust publications. Funded by Bangor Savings Bank, the program covers Maine’s public universities, the Maine Community College System, Husson University in Bangor and Thomas College in Waterville.

UPCOMING

OCT 19 

Porter's Landing Ad Hoc Committee → Town Hall Council Chambers, 30 Main Street, Freeport 5:00 pm

OCT 20

Maine Neurological Society Annual Meeting & Symposium → Harraseeket Inn, 162 Main Street, Freeport

Town Council Meeting → Town Hall Council Chambers, 30 Main Street, Freeport
6:00 pm

OCT 21

Painting the Working Waterfront with Philip Frey → Meetinghouse Arts, 40 Main St, Freeport 9:00 am

·        

OCT 24

ANNUAL WOLFE'S NECK CENTER FALL FESTIVAL -  Join us for hayrides, family activities, yoga, local food and more! One ticket secures a wagon ride around campus.

Maine News Sunday October 18

WGME - Freeport residents will soon vote on whether a massive 80-ton homemade boat, built over 30 years in the woods off Lower Flying Point Road, can be launched into the Gulf of Maine. Neighbors and supporters clashed at a recent public hearing over safety, property access, and potential liability, and any launch would still need DEP and Army Corps approval.

Maine Biz -  Freeport will receive $218,400 to replace aging docks and floats at Cove Road Wharf, the commercial river floats, and the town dock along the Harraseeket River, bolstering the working waterfront. The upgrades aim to better support more than 60 shellfish license holders, fishermen, and aquaculture operations while improving resilience against storm surge and sea level rise.

Press Herald - Approximately 23 seventh-graders from Portland’s Lyman Moore Middle School sat in the front rows of the Portland Museum of Art’s auditorium on Thursday as Jonathan Tunstall, assistant professor of education at Bowdoin College, took kids through a presentation on Black music, spanning spirituals to hip-hop. As the musical journey took the kids from spirituals to the blues and then to funk, they gradually became more energized and engaged. By the time Tunstall arrived at hip-hop, they were pointing at the screen, moving along to the music snippets and yelling out the names of celebrities they recognized.

“That’s Cardi B,” yelled one seventh-grader.

A few minutes earlier, a group of 10 students was on the second floor of the museum’s gallery, standing around a display of sugar bowls when their tour guide, museum educator Beth Walker, asked a question: “Did anyone have sugar this morning?”

After a few children raised their hands, Walker explained the connection between the sugar trade of the 19th century, which relied on slave labor, and the way in which Portland economically benefited from that system. She wanted students to understand the brutal history behind what looked like just a beautiful piece of art. 

Troy Jackson -  [Susan Collins] votes with Trump 96% of the time. If she knows one of his bad bills is going to tank, she’ll vote against it. If she’s the deciding vote, she’ll always vote for it, just like how she was the deciding vote for Brett Kavanaugh, who then overturned Roe v. Wade. The same is also true with Trump’s tariffs. Mainers and folks across the country are hurting badly from rising costs – and too many families are having to pick between picking up their prescriptions or putting food on the table.

See Who's Single & Over 50 in Freeport

UPCOMING

OCT 18

Meet the Marsh - Cousins River Fields & Marsh Preserve in Yarmouth, Maine.  A family-friendly fall festival celebrating the ongoing restoration of the preserve with activities, trail exploration, fall-themed ambience, and tasty treats amid a beautiful seasonal landscape. Free to attend. 

OCT 19 

Porter's Landing Ad Hoc Committee → Town Hall Council Chambers, 30 Main Street, Freeport 5:00 pm

OCT 24

ANNUAL WOLFE'S NECK CENTER FALL FESTIVAL -  Join us for hayrides, family activities, yoga, local food and more! One ticket secures a wagon ride around campus.

Maine News Saturday October 17

Soaring heating oil prices put struggling Maine families in a bind as winter nears: (cbsnews.com) — Freeport families like Chris and Cheryl Oliver are struggling to afford heat as oil prices soar nearly 80 percent, forcing painful tradeoffs between essentials. The Freeport Wood Bank is stepping in with donated firewood, but demand is extremely high and supplies may run out by midwinter. Local donations and awareness are becoming critical to help neighbors stay warm.

Lockheed Martin gave Sen. Susan Collins tens of thousands of dollars as a F-35 program hit turbulence, The Intercept reported. Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate Troy Jackson got $15k from big oil and pharma lobbyists, but is giving it to charity to keep his 'Dirigo Pledge,' he said.

Midcoast Now -  On Monday, environmental groups started raising alarm about thousands of dead river herring appearing on the shores of the Androscoggin River in Brunswick. The fish kill event was attributed to the Brunswick-Topsham dam, which is up for federal relicensing.

Maine News Friday October 16

Big Loop Trail at Hedgehog Mountain is CLOSED for a new bridge installation, to be completed over the next 1-2 weeks. 

Maine Morning Star - Incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins and Democratic nominee Troy Jackson offered new insight on how they view the state of American democracy, gun rights, campaign finance and more during their final debate on Thursday. 

…While the debate had a live audience, attendees were invited by the campaigns, not members of the general public. The format of debates had been a point of disagreement, as Jackson’s campaign had requested town hall-style forums, where voters could ask questions on the spot. 

Jackson continued to try to tie Collins to President Donald Trump on Thursday, while the five-term senator again pitched her seniority as most beneficial to Mainers, something that has been a thorough line in earlier debates and the campaign season. 

Tensions were high both on and off stage Thursday. In addition to the candidates continuing to take jabs at one anothers’ records, fifteen minutes into the debate a member of the audience interrupted, yelling to Collins, “AI data centers are destroying our climate,” before being escorted out. 

Collins turned the blame on Jackson, saying, “so this is obviously one of Troy’s supporters.” Jackson responded, “Oh shut up, I don’t even know that kid.” The audience member had a press badge on but it was unclear who he was. 

Soaring heating oil prices put struggling Maine families in a bind as winter nears: "How are we going to stay warm?" (cbsnews.com) — Freeport families like Chris and Cheryl Oliver are struggling to afford heat as oil prices soar nearly 80 percent, forcing painful tradeoffs between essentials. The Freeport Wood Bank is stepping in with donated firewood, but demand is extremely high and supplies may run out by midwinter. Local donations and awareness are becoming critical to help neighbors stay warm. 

(949whom.com) — Freeport residents can now check out the expanded 1912 Cafe inside L.L. Bean’s newly renovated flagship store, which reopened this fall with more seating and an updated menu. It’s one of nine new or revamped Maine restaurants that debuted in September, offering everything from comfort food to Asian fusion for your next in-state foodie road trip.

Maine News Thursday October 15

 7PM - Troy Jackson and Susan Collins' debate will be streaming live on pressherald.com, centralmaine.com and sunjournal.com.

Maine Morning Star -   More than 250 people sent a letter to Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey Wednesday requesting that his office investigate corruption allegations against U.S. Sen. Susan Collins. The group argues that a state statute would permit such an investigation because it governs state election laws and does not distinguish between state officials or federal officials. Title 17-A M.R.S.A. Section 33 states that the Maine Attorney General “shall” designate the deputy attorney general or an assistant attorney general to investigate alleged violations of election law.

Maine News Wednesday October 14

Susan Collins and Troy Jackson square off in latest debate

Constant Contact -    No Mainer should be forced to choose between paying for heat or other essentials like food, gas and medication. A reminder that you can connect with the folks at Freeport Community Services if you would like more information about heating assistance with oil, pellets or K-1 propane. They also have a relationship with the Freeport Wood Bank to get firewood delivered to your home and can connect you with the Opportunity Alliance to help you apply for the federal Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP). HEAP is an income-based program that sends a direct payment to your fuel vendor for homes heated with oil, kerosene, wood, propane, natural gas, electricity or other fuels. 

Three takeaways from the latest Senate debate between Collins and Jackson

Wolfe's Neck Center for Agriculture & the Environment - The Northeast Farmers Fund provides technical and financial assistance to farmers across the region working to expand market opportunities for regenerative products. Funding can support projects ranging from equipment and infrastructure to certification, value-added processing, marketing and distribution.

A button lost hundreds of years ago. A fragment of a ceramic dish. A piece of glass left behind near a kitchen door. Individually, these objects may seem small, but together, they offer clues about the people who lived, worked and gathered at a place over generations. In August, Wolfe’s Neck Center for Agriculture & the Environment’s Casco History Lab hired archaeologists from the Northeast Archaeology Research Center to conduct a Phase I archaeological survey at the historic Saltbox House on our Freeport campus. The survey was an important step in preparing the house for preservation and learning more about its history. More

 

Maine News Tuesday October 13

Freeport Patch - 5 fun things to do in Freeport (pressherald.com) — Freeport residents get a handy, insider guide to favorite local restaurants, coffee spots, and unique shops, plus must-visit outdoor gems like Wolfe's Neck and the Desert of Maine. Chamber director Tawni Whitney highlights both big-name outlets and small hidden treasures, giving you fresh ideas for where to eat, explore, and bring the kids right in town.

Finding something fun to do in Portland without spending money isn't always easy, but a brand-new attraction just opened downtown, and the best part is that it's completely free. The Portland Museum of Art officially opened a new outdoor space called PMA | AMP on October 2, and it's not your typical museum experience.

Located in Portland's Arts District, this 4,200-square-foot outdoor pavilion is designed to bring art, entertainment, and the community together. Instead of walking through traditional museum galleries, visitors can enjoy rotating art installations, performances, outdoor movie screenings, and creative workshops.

This isn't just a place to look at art. There's public seating and free Wi-Fi, meaning you could literally grab a coffee, bring your laptop, and spend some time enjoying downtown Portland.  Read More: Portland Museum of Art Opens Free Outdoor Pavilion in Mainee

Maine News Monday October 12

Maine Senate race set to be the most expensive per capita

Newsweek -  A Republican-aligned super PAC mistakenly bought ads attacking Maine Democratic Senate candidate Troy Jackson in the wrong state, the PAC confirmed to Newsweek on Monday. “During a recent independent expenditure, our media vendor mistakenly placed approximately $25,000 in digital advertising in the Portland, Oregon media market instead of Portland, Maine,” Defending Main Street wrote in a statement to Newsweek. Once the error was identified, the ads were “immediately stopped and corrected,” the statement said. The vendor is also refunding the PAC the full amount of the misplaced spend, and no donor funds will be lost.

Press Herald - The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a federal judge’s ruling and dismissed the Maine lobster industry’s defamation lawsuit against a California aquarium on Friday. The Maine Lobstermen’s Association, Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association and three lobster businesses sued the Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation in 2023 after the organization’s Seafood Watch program put lobster on a “red list,” urging consumers to avoid the seafood. The foundation had claimed measures in the fishery don’t do enough to reduce entanglement or promote recovery of the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale population.

The plaintiffs argued the foundation made “false and defamatory statements” about the Maine lobster industry’s practices and misled consumers and businesses about the fishery’s “integrity.” In the lawsuit, they claimed to lose business, with some consumers specifically citing the red listing.

The foundation moved to dismiss the lawsuit, but a judge allowed the suit to advance in 2025. The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overruled that decision Friday, and ordered the lawsuit to be dismissed.

Press Herald - Maine could experience an early peak of influenza cases this flu season, public health experts said, urging residents to not delay getting immunized. “We are seeing the beginnings of influenza circulating earlier than we have had in recent seasons, said Anna Krueger, an epidemiologist with the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

While flu season runs from October to May, typically cases crest in late December, January or February. Cases peaked around the winter holidays during last flu season, with a high of 1,347 reported for the week ending Jan. 3, according to Maine CDC data.

So far this flu season, Maine has recorded 104 cases through Oct. 3, compared to 36 for the same time period in 2025.

How candidates for Maine governor say they’ll fill a projected $1B budget gap

Maine Morning Star - On ancestral Wabanaki homelands now known as Freeport, Maulian Bryant, executive director of the Wabanaki Alliance, told a crowd of tribal citizens and supporters of tribal sovereignty that they are on the verge of a historic time. 

“No more vetoes of large-scale legislation that restores our tribal rights,” Bryant said earlier this month during the alliance’s annual gathering known as Nihkaniyane, which means going forward together. 

With a new governor on the horizon — particularly with Wabanaki Nations’-endorsed candidate Democrat Hannah Pingree, who supports restoring full sovereignty, leading in polls — Bryant and others are optimistic about the future of the Tribal-State relationship. Outgoing Gov. Janet Mills, also a Democrat, had opposed sweeping change, though during her two terms ushered through several piecemeal adjustments. 

“No more compromises,” Bryant said. “We’re going for it.”  

The Wabanaki Nations have less sovereignty than other federally recognized tribes because of a 1980 land settlement agreement subjecting them to state laws in a manner more akin to municipalities.

Maine News Sunday October 11

Maine attorney files ethics complaint against Sen. Susan Collins (wmtw.com)

Maine family raises more than $6.6 million for Alzheimer's research and they aren't done yet (newscentermaine.com)

Yarmouth breaks ground on 18 affordable housing units behind town hall (pressherald.com)

Here's what's on the ballot in Brunswick (pressherald.com)

Dangerous Freeze and Frost Warnings Issued for Maine and New Hampshire as Temperatures Plummet (travelinglifestyle.net)

Democratic Conservation Alliance - Did you know that 60 million bison roamed the American West until settlers began hunting them in the 1800s?  In less than a century, they almost went extinct — because of decisions just like the one that Donald Trump made.  It took conservationists decades to bring bison back from this — with just hundreds left alive — to the population that exists today. But now, Trump is evicting bison herds from their natural habitat that keeps them alive.

Regenerative Agriculture (morningagclips.com) — A new Northeast Farmers Fund based in Freeport is offering financial and technical support to help regenerative farmers scale up and reach better markets across the region. Run by Wolfe’s Neck Center, the program has already enrolled more than 50 farms and opens wider enrollment this month, aiming to assist hundreds more by 2028. Local farmers can learn more and apply online.

U

Maine News Saturday October 10

Yarmouth breaks ground on 18 affordable housing units behind town hall