Maine Beacon - Conservation groups in Maine warned the U.S. Senate’s current reconciliation bill would do significant damage to the National Park Service. The legislation, often referred to as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” cuts more than $260 million from the Park Service at a time of record park attendance.
Todd Martin, northeast senior program manager for the National Parks Conservation Association, said already understaffed parks face an additional 16% cut. “Visitors might not see significant changes in visitor services,” Martin noted. “However, they should know that behind the scenes, the parks are really operating on a shoestring and doing the best they can to keep everything open.”
News Center Maine - When most people think of a museum, they picture a physical building filled with artifacts. But a new digital experience is flipping that notion on its head by serving up all things lobster, completely online.
The Maine Lobster Museum, which launched in May 2025, is the first virtual museum dedicated solely to Maine's most iconic crustacean.
Created by Sebastian Crissey, who is from Belfast, and his partner, Coral, the museum aims to both educate and entertain. It’s packed with interactive exhibits that explore lobster biology, the crustacean’s transformation into a global delicacy, and its presence in media and pop culture.
Visitors are guided through the online exhibits by "Laurence the Lobster," a vibrant blue lobster mascot. It's an intentional choice, as Crissey was fascinated to learn about the rarity of the blue hue, which occurs in only one in two million lobsters.
“There are also lobsters that are orange, white, or even split-colored — half one color, half another,” Crissey said. “I love the diversity in the lobster kingdom.”
The idea for the museum was sparked during Crissey’s summer job at the Abbe Museum in Bar Harbor, where he engaged with visitors daily and saw the potential for a more accessible, immersive experience rooted in Maine culture.
“There’s so much opportunity to build another experience for people to engage with Maine history and culture in a way that’s really fun and engaging,” Crissey explained.
Since its launch, the museum has welcomed visitors not just from Maine and New England, but also from as far away as Scotland and India.
Access to the Maine Lobster Museum is offered through tiered admission plans, ranging from $10 for a one-day pass to $80 for a full year of unlimited access. Memberships for three days and three months are also available.
The virtual museum is part of Museums For All, a national initiative to provide free or reduced admission for those on SNAP assistance.
More information can be found on the museum’s website.
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Press Herald - The Maine House of Representatives on Wednesday voted against adding $320 million in spending and additional taxes to the state’s next two-year budget that was voted on this spring. The 77-71 vote in opposition — with two members absent and one excused — throws uncertainty into the budget process as lawmakers seek to wrap up their session. The budget proposal, which was opposed by six Democrats, now heads to the Senate for an initial vote.
Press Herald - Central Maine Power Co. customers will see their monthly bills rise by about $5 for the average household next month, though that figure will vary by usage. Customers utilizing the standard offer rate and using 550 kilowatt-hours per month — the average for households in Maine — will see their bills go from about $149.76 to $154.67.
Press Herald - A corrections officer with the Cumberland County Jail was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, county officials confirmed Monday. It’s unclear if the person is still in ICE custody. The arrest comes amid ongoing tensions between the sheriff’s office and federal officials and at a time when the county has seen an increase in immigrants applying to work for the jail.
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WGME - A bill creating a state minimum wage for farmworkers in Maine has been signed into law. Starting next year, farmworkers will now be paid the state minimum wage of $14.65 an hour. Currently, they are only entitled to $7.25 an hour.