Press Herald
- First 2026 refugees expected Nov. 24 as Maine’s annual arrivals drop significantly
- United 4 Child Care partnership aims to address crisis of access, affordability
- A third of Portland jetport flights have been canceled or delayed by new FAA restrictions
- Child care access and affordability have long been challenges in Maine. Through private partnerships, new United 4 Child Care facilities in South Portland and Freeport will add 200 spots to southern Maine’s strained child care industry by early 2026. Together, they hope to make a small dent in what many in the state call a crisis: child care is expensive and inaccessible, which prevents adults with children from entering the workforce.
- Warming faster than any other season, Maine’s winters are now two weeks shorter than they were in the early 1900s. Presque Isle is among the nation’s fastest-warming cities, tied for eighth out of 244 tracked, with average winter temperatures (December through February) roughly 6.5 degrees higher than in 1970. Portland and Bangor also have temperature increases—5.5 and 4.1 degrees, respectively—compared to the national average of 3.9 degrees.