Maine News Saturday

Chellie Pingree -   Starting this week, the U.S. Senate is considering the SAVE America Act, which would increase the burden for Americans to register and vote by requiring a passport or birth certificate. Millions of Americans do not have their passport or birth certificate readily available, and attaining those documents can be costly and time-consuming. If enacted, this bill could threaten to disenfranchise millions of eligible American citizens and put your private information at risk as all 50 states would be required to hand over their unredacted voter rolls with sensitive, personally identifiable information to the Trump Administration. 

Midcoast Now - Brunswick's Curtis Memorial Library will begin work on its lobby revamp on Monday, March 23. The central lobby will be walled off during construction but all library services will be available. Work is expected to be completed in July 2026. 

Topsham Fire and Rescue is hiring a full-time firefighter/paramedic. Interested? See more information here. 



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Press Herald - A deep winter chill across the Maine woods has kept maple trees dormant longer than usual this year, forcing producers into a high-stakes race against time as the sap finally begins to flow. The delay has some worried about the length of their harvest window before the spring warmth triggers budding and ends the season. While the cold start has been grueling, producers are hoping for a stretch of 40-degree days and freezing nights to keep the “golden flow” moving.

Frank Thompson, a fifth-generation Vinalhaven lobsterman, is petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a federal regulation requiring commercial lobster boats to be monitored by GPS trackers 24 hours a day. Thompson argues that the continuous, warrantless surveillance violates his Fourth Amendment protections from unreasonable searches, while regulators say the data improves understanding of lobster populations and can inform future rules.

The University of Maine is planning budget cuts, staff reductions and a tuition increase as the school aims to address an expected $18 million shortfall next year. The budget proposal calls for more than $10 million in cuts and a 4% tuition increase across the board. The university lists declining out-of-state enrollment, shifting federal priorities and a decrease in credit hours per student as “persistent challenges.