Maine News Wednesday September 19

8 best bike routes in Greater Portland (pressherald.com)

News Flash - Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC) has notified the Town of a case of animal rabies in a raccoon recently identified in Freeport, via testing by Maine’s Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory. ….Rabies is a disease caused by the rabies virus. It affects the brain and spinal cord and can cause death if left untreated.  Commonly infected animals are raccoons, skunks, foxes, and bats.

JOBS

• First Atlantic Health Care posted a job opening for Housekeeper in Freeport. Apply here.
• Wolverine World Wide, Inc. posted a job opening for Retail Store Associate - Merrell in Freeport. Apply here. 
• You can search for other jobs near Freeport here.

 UPCOMING

Wolfe’s Neck Center calendar

Freeport Farmers Market - Saturdays now through October: Through October 8:30am – 12:30pm at the BTLT Saturday Farmers Market at Crystal Spring Farm. 277 Pleasant Hill Road, Brunswick. The Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust. Farmers Market was established in 1999 to advance the Land Trust’s mission of supporting local agriculture. With over forty vendors, many of whom have been with the Market since its inception, the Saturday morning market offers a variety of local, fresh produce

AUG 21

AUG 23 
Music in the Parks (Freeport) ? Memorial Park, 19 Bow St 2:00 pm

AUG 25
Town Manager's Office Drop-In → 30 Main Street, Freeport 4:00 pm

AUG 27
Art Afloat Closing Celebration Harraseeket Inn 5–7 PM RSVP

SEP 7 

Join Freeport Speech for a special evening featuring Emmy-winning comedy writer Lew Schneider (Everybody Loves Raymond, The Goldbergs) in conversation with local educator and producer Brett Pierce as they discuss how Lew learned to make people laugh and evolved to keep people laughing over a 40-year career. Where: Kresge Auditorium, Bowdoin College, 239 Maine St, Brunswick, ME Cost: $20 general, $10 students (proceeds benefit Meetinghouse Arts) Get your Tickets now. For more information, visit FreeportSpeech.org

SEP 2

Join Lew Schneider and moderator Brett Pierce at Bowdoin's Kresge Auditorium on September 2, for "We Might As Well Laugh..."—a Freeport Speech event exploring how shared laughter draws us together through life's absurdities. 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM (pre-lecture music starts at 6:30 PM) Kresge Auditorium, Bowdoin College, 239 Maine St, Brunswick. $20 general, $10 students (proceeds benefit Meetinghouse Arts). Get tickets

SEP 12

NOV 7

Twin Keys: A Love Story: Thomas Wolf with Jessica Chow Shinn and Michael Shinn, duo-pianists  2 PM  Crewe Center for the Arts

Maine News Tuesday August 18

Press Herald -   Underneath the water’s surface between Haskell and Great Mark islands lives a vibrant meadow of eelgrass that captures carbon and serves as a nursery for juvenile fish and other marine species. But elsewhere in Casco Bay, these vital habitats are disappearing. A combination of factors — including climate change and destructive invasive species like the green crab — have wiped out more than half of the bay’s eelgrass population in recent years.

A team led by the Collaborative for Bioregional Action Learning and Transformation, or COBALT, along with students and staff at Bowdoin College’s Schiller Coastal Studies Center and other local partners, are working to understand and potentially combat the decline — by transplanting eelgrass seeds from healthy meadows to unhealthy ones.

 

Maine News Monday August 17

Charlie Urquhart, Press Herald -  Charlie Urquhart teaches social studies at Richmond High School and is a member of the RSU 2 School Board representing Hallowell. He is a parent of two children in public schools. The opinions expressed here are the writer’s own.

Maine’s Department of Education is simply not doing enough to support our students and teachers. In the Aug. 11 article “Latest test scores show Maine students are making slight, steady progress,” Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin repeatedly dismissed Maine’s low national ranking on standardized test scores.  The attempt to distract from Maine’s poor educational track record over the last eight years is symptomatic of a Department of Education that has been asleep at the wheel.

When confronted with the data, the commissioner dismisses the basic fact that too many of our students do not read at grade level. We can all agree with Maine DOE’s own assertion that “Literacy… is the cornerstone of all learning.” Makin said, “test scores were not a priority” for Mainers, but as a teacher, parent and school board member, I can assure you kids’ ability to read, write and do math is our number one priority. Ignoring the test results does not change the fact that our students are not set up for success.

Press Herald  -  The town of Wells announced Thursday that staff recently discovered an original, handwritten transcription of the Declaration of Independence from 1776 while perusing historical records.  The newly unearthed copy was recorded in the Wells Town Record Book by Town Clerk Nathaniel Wells in July 1776. The record book contains the handwritten document, as well as the original instructions ordered by the Massachusetts Council, which ordered that the declaration be recorded in the town’s official record book to “remain as a perpetual Memorial thereof.” 

WalletHub  - With Women’s Equality Day around the corner and the U.S. ranking just 43rd for gender equality worldwide, the personal-finance company WalletHub today released its report on the Best & Worst States for Women's Equality in 2026, as well as expert commentary, to determine where women receive the most equal treatment in American society.

WalletHub compared the 50 states across 17 key metrics. The data set ranges from the gap between female and male executives to the disparity in unemployment rates for women and men to the income gap.

Women’s Equality in Maine (1=Best; 25=Avg.):
Overall Rank: 4th
5th – Earnings Gap
27th – Executive Positions Gap
1st – Educational Attainment Gap (among Advanced Degree Holders)
26th – Minimum-Wage Workers Gap
1st – Unemployment Rate Gap
27th – Entrepreneurship Rate Gap
3rd – Political Representation Gap

For the full report

Via Kristen Stevens, Peaks Island

These Maine art galleries get creative to survive uncertain times

Maine News Saturday August 15

A global fluoride shortage is affecting Maine’s water system

Press Herald -   The taxable value of Harpswell’s residential and commercial properties rose 49% in the first townwide reappraisal in two decades, but town leaders say that doesn’t automatically mean higher tax bills.

After receiving the new valuation figures, the Harpswell Select Board set a new, lower tax rate of $4.84 per $1,000 of taxable value on Wednesday. That’s down from the previous $6.66 rate and should, they said, leave the average tax bill largely unchanged — with the exception of mobile homes and seasonal cottages, which may see steeper hikes.

“I’m expecting that everybody’s taxes will be pretty much the same,” Select Board member David Chipman said. For property owners whose bills go up because of a larger-than-average increase in taxable value, he said, “my message is fairness. We have to treat everyone the same or the state will step in and do it for us and send us the bill.”

The new tax rate is 27% lower than the previous one. The impact on individual tax bills will vary according to the property and any exemptions for which owners qualify.

 Jane Hagness, First Parish Church, Brunswick - Do you love to sing, but haven't found the right outlet for sharing your passion? The Adult Choir at First Parish Church, UCC in Brunswick has a long history of singing both diverse and quality music with excellence. Perhaps you don't want to only sing classical music. We sing not only classical music, but also jazz, spirituals, gospel pieces, newly composed pieces, and pieces from the justice movement. We warmly welcome persons of any race, gender, ethnic origin, mental or physical ability, religious tradition, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, and economic circumstance.

Here are some details about our ensemble: We rehearse Wednesday evenings from 7:30-8:45 p.m. or 9:00 p.m. depending upon seasonal needs. Our first rehearsal is Wednesday, September 2nd. We sing most Sundays from September through May during the 10:00 a.m. worship service with a warm-up at 9:00. … If you have any questions or are interested in joining, please reach out to Minister of Music, Jane Hagness at jhagness@firstparish.net. We would love to prepare a folder for you.

Maine News Friday August 14

The unofficial poet laureate of Mane

Medicare for All: Here's where U.S. Senate candidates Troy Jackson and Sen. Susan Collins stand on the proposal. 

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins: A new poll shows Maine voters think Collins votes with President Donald Trump too often. 

Maine Morning Star - “A whole new organism that’s never been here before has come to our shores.” - biologist Christopher Peters, on the influx of certain crab populations to Maine and New Hampshire.

Press Herald - The Portland International Jetport lost power for nearly six hours Thursday evening after a series of strong thunderstorms wreaked havoc across southern Maine in the afternoon, toppling trees and leaving thousands of residential customers without electricity….  The outage caused major flight delays and forced employees to do all of their tasks manually, Sundquist said.  By the time power was fully restored, 34 flights had been delayed and six had been canceled, the jetport said in its news release. Two aircraft were also damaged by hail, which mechanics were working to repair Thursday night.

Maine News Thursday August 13

News Center Maine -  The Holy Donut will close its Brunswick location later this month, ending the shop's two-year run in town. The business announced the closure in a social media post, saying its final day will be Aug. 23.

"We've made the difficult decision to close the shop," the company said. The Holy Donut thanked its Brunswick employees and customers for their support.

The Portland-based donut shop also has locations on Portland's Park Avenue and in Portland's Old Port, as well as a location in Scarborough.

The closure comes months after workers at The Holy Donut's Park Avenue location voted unanimously to unionize.  All eight employees at the Park Avenue shop signed onto the union effort and submitted a formal request for recognition to the company's owners. Workers had previously demonstrated outside the shop while pushing for collective representation.

Maine Morning Star -  People in Cumberland County have been detained outside court and at the airport in recent weeks, following a national trend of federal immigration authorities employing new tactics to boost arrest numbers.

Federal immigration agents arrested more people in July than in any previous month of President Donald Trump’s administration.

….However, less than a third of current detainees have a criminal conviction and 40% have never been accused of anything but non-criminal immigration violations, according to statistics reviewed by Maine Morning Star’s sister outlet Stateline through early July.

New Republic -  A new Fox News poll has Troy Jackson up two points on Susan Collins, 48–46. That’s five points better than Graham Platner was doing.

 

Maine News Wednesday August 12

Maine Biz - The story of real estate in Maine in 2025 was mixed, but overall trended downward, according to the 20th edition of the Maine Real Estate and Development Association’s annual Index.

….The downturn was primarily in commercial real estate — which dropped 8.6% — due to lower sales prices and rental rates, the study finds. There was a small drop in the number of transactions, but the total square footage in transactions increased by nearly 20%.

The residential market showed modest growth of 2.6%. Home prices continued the upward trend, though sales of existing units were essentially unchanged. The number of permits for new housing fell by 10% and mortgage originations declined slightly. 

Patriotwise -   A Maine lifeguard says a shark pulled him underwater at Scarborough Beach State Park, turning a routine patrol into a close call that ended without injury.  The lifeguard escaped unharmed after freeing himself from a rescue device and swimming back to shore. Officials said the encounter fit other recent shark activity off the Maine coast. Recent shark sightings in the area gave the event a broader sense of alarm.

Democratic Assn of Secretaries of State - Maine Senate Democratic Campaign Committee - Susan Collins calls herself "pro-choice" when it is convenient for her, but we know the truth. Collins has voted to confirm 43 federal judges nominated by Donald Trump who oppose abortion rights.  That's right - 43 anti-choice judges. Time and time again, Collins is all bark and no bite on reproductive rights. She cast the deciding vote for Justice Kavanaugh, paving the way for Roe to be overturned. She's voted for legislation that would defund Planned Parenthood and supported restricting abortion funding through the Hyde and Dornan amendments.  Collins's votes have harmed millions of women across the country.

Maine Morning Star -  Maine continues to have the highest rate of food insecurity among children in New England, according to the latest data from national nonprofit Feeding America in its annual "Map the Meal Gap" report and data collection. That means that 20.7% of Maine children, or roughly one in five, were food insecure in 2024. It's the highest rate in all of New England - a ranking Maine has topped for years - with Connecticut coming in second, with 18.8% of children experiencing food insecurity.    

Maine Senate Democratic Campaign Committee - Susan Collins calls herself "pro-choice" when it is convenient for her, but we know the truth. Collins has voted to confirm 43 federal judges nominated by Donald Trump who oppose abortion rights.  That's right - 43 anti-choice judges. Time and time again, Collins is all bark and no bite on reproductive rights. She cast the deciding vote for Justice Kavanaugh, paving the way for Roe to be overturned. She's voted for legislation that would defund Planned Parenthood and supported restricting abortion funding through the Hyde and Dornan amendments.  Collins's votes have harmed millions of women across the country.

JOBS

• Desert of Maine posted a job opening for Housekeeping at Luxury Campground - Part-time/Seasonal in Freeport. Apply here.
• L.L.Bean, Inc. posted a job opening for Retail Sales Associate – Freeport Main Street Stores in Freeport. Apply here. 
• You can search for other jobs near Freeport here.

Maine News Tuesday, August 11

WMTW -   Drivers traveling on the I-95 should expect temporary fuel outages at several service plazas Tuesday as scheduled work takes place, according to the Maine Turnpike Authority.

9 Best Coastal Towns to Retire in the U.S. for Ocean Views and a Relaxed Lifestyle (travelandleisure.com) — Freeport is highlighted as a top coastal retirement choice, praised for its small-town charm, working waterfront, and easy access to nature trails alongside shops, outlets, and restaurants. Local voices describe a tight-knit, walkable community that balances convenience with a relaxed lifestyle, all within a manageable drive of Boston and strong health care options.

Maine News Monday Aug 10

Maine Morning Star -  When it comes to gun rights in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, the key difference between the nominees is that the National Rifle Association has only endorsed one: Republican Paul LePage.

And while Democrat Matt Dunlap doesn’t stand far from LePage on the importance of the Second Amendment, their approaches to campaigning on the issue are very different. As LePage moves to make it a central pillar of his platform, Dunlap more often highlights his time as a sportsman and segues to other issues.

LePage held a press conference Thursday at Maine Military Supply in Holden, where the NRA’s political arm announced its endorsement of the former governor in the race to replace Democratic U.S. Rep. Jared Golden.

“It’s so, so important that as your governor in the state of Maine, I fought for the Second Amendment,” LePage said, of the constitutional right to bear arms. “The Second Amendment is freedom. It’s all about our ability to move around and have some safety.”

Intermed - If you're looking for a more comprehensive introduction to Medicare, the Southern Maine Agency on Aging (SMAA) has reserved several Preparing for Medicare Open Enrollment seminars exclusively for InterMed patients with Medicare. Presented in plain, easy-to-understand language, these interactive seminars review Medicare basics, provide an overview of updates to Medicare in 2027, important dates and deadlines, and a demonstration of how to use the Medicare Plan Finder to shop for plans. Each session also includes time for small-group discussion and questions.

Available Sessions: 

• October 8 from 5:00-6:30 PM | Register Here
• October 26 from 10:00-11:30 AM | Register Here
• Additional seminars open to the public can be found at www.smaaa.org/events/.

Maine News Aug 9

MaineHealth to close labor and delivery service at Damariscotta hospital. “We concluded that we could no longer consistently ensure that level of staffing and clinical coverage at Lincoln Hospital over the long term,” said MaineHealth’s CEO.

New Republic - At the start of 2025, Elon Musk looked as if he was going to become a permanent fixture in American politics. Strutting across the stage, giving the Sieg heil!, the far-right mogul set up shop in the Trump administration’s DOGE dojo and started chaotically pulling the load-bearing beams out of the civil service and heisting the private data of an untold number of taxpayers. In June of this year, however, Musk expressed regret over getting so caught up in the political scene. Ahh, but the ketamine has since hit: In recent weeks, Musk has said that he’s going back to being a GOP bankroller, to the tune of $120 million. And the first beneficiary of his dirty money is slated to be endangered Maine Republican Susan Collins.

JOBS

• Albertsons Companies, Inc. posted a job opening for Meat Cutter in Freeport. Apply here.
• Domino's Pizza, Inc. posted a job opening for Assistant Manager(03091) - 8 School St. in Freeport. Apply here. 
• You can search for other jobs near Freeport here.