Press Herald
- Maine’s Affordable Care Act enrollment for 2026 is down and thousands have dropped their plans, with many saying they couldn’t afford the higher monthly premiums. Enrollment dropped 7%, compared to the same time last year, and about 5,500 enrollees have canceled their plans for next year. The drop comes after Congress failed to extend certain tax credits that expire at the end of the year. Read more here.
- Early spending on Maine’s U.S. Senate race is the fourth highest in the U.S., trailing only races in Texas, Georgia and California. The deluge of ad money hitting the state shows the importance of Susan Collins' seat in determining control of the Senate. And for the second cycle, Democrats are bullish about toppling Collins. But despite low approval ratings, the senior Republican has defied expectations before. Read more here.
- Gov. Janet Mills will allow a bill regulating so-called ghost guns to become law without her signature. The bill will require serial numbers on homemade guns, also known as ghost guns, and prohibit firearms that cannot be traced. It’s one of 60 bills held by the governor when the first legislative session ended in June. Read the story here.
- Windstorm closes schools, leaves tens of thousands of Mainers in the dark
- MaineHealth seeking ways to connect youths to gender-affirming care if federal rules take effect
- Maine’s roller coaster home prices drop one month after record high
Inside Climate News - Even though they span all the way from Canada to certain regions of Massachusetts, the kelp forests are a foundational fixture on Maine’s coasts. The state remains one of the largest homes for this ecosystem on the East Coast. However, between 2004 and 2018, southern Maine experienced an 80 percent decline in kelp cover, mainly because the south is one of the warmest regions on the coast.
“This transition from kelp to turf algae is not just happening here in Maine. It’s happening in places of rapid ocean warming around the world,” Farrell said.
However, this is far from the only threat the kelp faces. A host of environmental and biological stressors continue to thwart the survival and regeneration of kelp, putting the alarming numbers about the steady decline in perspective. For instance, the sea urchin remains one of the main reasons for the decimation of abundant kelp cover in the country. “Sea urchins are locusts, they crawl across the substrate [and act as] underwater lawn mowers—they eat everything in their path,” said Jon Witman, a marine biologist who has taught at Brown University and spent most of his research life studying marine food webs across the Gulf of Maine, Galapagos Islands and the reefs of Easter Island.
Portland Warming Center, 166 Industrial Parkway - The city opens the warming center between November and March when the daily low temperature reaches 15 degrees or below, or snow accumulation of more than 10 inches occurs. Hours: Open 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4 – 6:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 5
A free shuttle service will be available
to bring guests to and from the shelter. Shuttle hours: 7:30-11:59 p.m.
and 4-6:30 a.m.Call 207-810-6727 to be picked up at a shuttle stop.
Shuttle service stops:
• St. Vincent de Paul, 307 Congress St. (Monday-Friday only)
• City Department of Health & Human Services, 39 Forest Ave.
• Spurwink Living Room Crisis Center, 62 Elm St.