Patch - Maine soft shell clam landings down 85% as researchers probe causes and predators. Researchers working out of South Freeport are investigating why Maine’s soft shell clam landings have plunged 85% since the 1970s, even as the state still supplies most of the nation’s clams. New shellfish recruitment boxes on coastal flats will help them study predators, climate pressures, and growth patterns that could shape the future of this key fishery.
U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner’s standing room only rally Saturday night in Portland underscored his frontrunner status in recent polling. Joined by U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, the Democrat from Sullivan called for structural overhaul of the country’s tax code. “The challenges before us are not going to be fixed on the margins anymore,” Platner told the crowd of roughly 1,000 people at the Holiday Inn Portland By the Bay. “It’s not that we can’t dream big. It’s that we must dream big.”
Central Maine Power, Maine’s largest utility, has submitted its latest rate increase proposal to the Public Utilities Commission. CMP is seeking to increase its revenue by $189 million, with $69.3 million coming from a temporary rate increase starting in July.
Nearly four dozen water systems that provide drinking water across Maine would be at risk of violating new limits on “forever chemicals” if the state had started enforcing updated rules on the toxic substances last week. How communities successfully reduce PFAS to minute levels could be a question of how much public funding is available to plan, purchase and install filtration systems before the April 2029 deadline. Read more.
After announcing last November that he would not seek a fifth term, U.S. Rep. Jared Golden said he would use his remaining campaign funds to support Democrats in 2026. His latest federal campaign finance report reveals he has given some of the more than $1 million he had left in his coffers to Democratic candidates in Texas, New Jersey and California.
Freeport
A specialty retail store in downtown Freeport is entering a new chapter, as new owners prepare to relaunch the Spice & Tea Exchange of Freeport with expanded offerings. Joel and Sam Elliot, along with business partner Denham Ward, have taken over the store from previous owner David Hamlin. The store was open for over a year before the ownership change. The shop, which is located at 6 Mill St., was closed for just over a week during the transition. A grand reopening is scheduled for May 1. The Spice & Tea Exchange of Freeport is located at 6 Mill St. in Freeport. The Spice & Tea Exchange, founded in 2008 in St. Augustine, Fla., operates nearly 100 franchise locations across 38 states. The Freeport location is the company’s only store in Maine.
Jobs
- Regional School Unit 05 posted a job opening for Pre-K Special Education Teacher in Freeport. Apply here.
McDonald's posted a job opening for Hiring Part-Time Maintenance/Custodian must be 18 years old Weekends required in Brunswick. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Freeport here.