Morning Star - President Donald
Trump’s immigration enforcement could result in the state losing anywhere from
$395 million to $3.3 billion in annual economic output.
That’s according to a report
commissioned by the Maine Office of New Americans, which assessed the
contributions of more than 33,000 foreign-born workers in Maine and modeled how
federal enforcement could leave employers across various sectors critically
short of workers.
….Maine’s immigrant workforce is
relatively small but an increasingly important component of the state’s
economy, concluded the report, which was prepared by Maine-based Wallace
Economic Advisers using U.S. Census data.
An estimated 33,079 foreign-born
workers directly generated about $177 million in state income tax revenue and
$2.25 billion in personal income between 2020 and 2024, the report found.
Factoring in broader economic activity that employment supports, the report
estimates that immigrant employment helps sustain nearly 74,000 jobs and nearly
$15 billion in total economic output.
WalletHub - Portland, Maine, has the highest ratio of
full-service restaurants to fast-food establishments, which is three times
higher than in Jackson, Mississippi, the city with the lowest.
Here's what's in Yarmouth's new plan for safer streets (pressherald.com)
Morning Star - The Maine Department of Corrections has opted to continue its policy that allows staff to punish incarcerated people before and regardless of a finding of guilt, underscoring the discretion that props up the prison system.
Incarcerated Mainers raised
concern about this section of the department’s disciplinary policy that permits
prison staff to issue sanctions regardless of whether the formal disciplinary
process has been initiated or if someone has been found not guilty.
It’s been a part of the
department’s rules for decades, but proposed disciplinary policy changes
recently offered an avenue to sound alarm. The department announced it would
not alter the section of concern last week.
Defending its decision, the
department argued in written responses to critical testimony that it would be
unreasonable to wait for the formal process, which can take weeks to complete,
and not take certain actions, such as changing one’s housing status, particularly
when safety is at risk.
Press Herald - On Sept. 20, the floors were lined with paper and three large canvases were spread over the tables. Eighteen artists worked from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. to turn them into colorful banners.
The Artists’ Rapid Response Team!,
or ARRT!, has been painting in Maine since 2013. The group works with
progressive nonprofits to create banners, lawn signs and props. The goal is to
help these organizations make their issues more visible.
At this weekend’s “marathon ARRT!
workday,” the group made two banners for the Maine
Multicultural Center, an organization that provides services to immigrants
in the Bangor area. The banners will be used for tabling and taken to protests
and rallies. When not in use, they will hang in the organization’s office and
welcome people, said Adrian Arias-Palomo, the center’s executive director, who
attended the work session to help the artists paint…
AART! was started by Natasha
Mayers, an artist based in Whitefield. She had been making protest art for many
years. She said she thought it would be beneficial for nonprofits to have an
artist in residence, but knew many would never be able to afford it. So, she
gathered a group of artists that were already individually doing protest art to
make banners, and ARRT! was born. Fourteen years later, the group has worked
with over 150 nonprofit organizations to create over 600 banners.
UPCOMING
Town Council District Meetings are opportunities for the Freeport community to connect with councilors and discuss items and issues important to them. The four events are coming up on the dates listed below.
For this year's meetings, we are combining districts and holding multiple events, to make it more convenient for residents to attend. Feel free to attend one or both of your district’s meetings! All events will begin at 6:00pm
Unsure of which meeting to attend? Use this PDF map to find out which district you live in
Districts 1 & 4 - Hosted by Councilors Dan Piltch & Chip Lawrence
Monday, September 28th at Meetinghouse Arts (40 Main St)
Thursday, October 29th at Maine Coast Waldorf School (57 Desert Rd)
Districts 2 & 3 - Hosted by Councilors Eric Smith & Matt Pillsbury
Thursday, October 1st at South Freeport Church (98 S Freeport Rd)
Tuesday, October 13th at Wolfe’s Neck Center (184 Burnett Rd)
Weekly Ukulele Jam - 3PM - 4PM Freeport Community Services
Storytime with Taylor 10:15AM - 10:45AM 10 Library Drive, Freeport, ME ….Storytime continues at Freeport Community Library twice weekly. We meet in the Little Room during cold months and inclement weather, and during warm months, we meet outside the library by the parking lot. When indoors, storytime capacity is 40 people. Come share stories, songs, and rhymes! Each Monday and Thursday has different programs. Storytime runs about 15 minutes and is designed for ages 0-4, but all are welcome
Gulf of Maine Research Institute. Hear about Portland’s ever-changing waterfront, see projections for sea level rise on Commercial Street, review the Waterfront goals from the City's 10-year Comprehensive Plan, and contribute to discussion around potential solutions! More info and registration
Freeport Folio presents: Open Mic Poetry with Featured Poet Samaa Abdurraqib →
Meetinghouse Arts, 40 Main Street, Freeport 7:00 pm
Join researchers, conservationists, community members, and other partners from across the Casco Bay watershed for a day of presentations, conversation, and collaboration. The program will highlight recent research, restoration efforts, and community initiatives—from eelgrass and land conservation to sea level rise, ocean acidification, and changes in Casco Bay’s fish community.This event is hosted by Casco Bay Estuary Partnership. Location: University of Southern Maine’s Abromson Center, Portland, Maine. Time: Welcome: 11:00 a.m. Afternoon Sessions: 12 – 4 p.m. Evening Sessions: 5 – 7 p.m. Cost: General Registrant: $40; Students: Free
OCT 4
At just 35, Ken Curtis became the nation’s youngest governor, and went on to transform Maine government. Join author Doug Rooks for a talk on his new book, Transformational: Ken Curtis, Maine’s Reform Governor, and discover what Curtis’s leadership can teach us today. Learn more and register.
The Pownal Fire and Rescue Company will be hosting a Bean Supper on Saturday, October 10, 2026, at the North Pownal Community Center. Come enjoy a homemade meal consisting of beans, hot dogs, breads, and desserts prepared by department members. Dinner will be served in two sittings. We look forward to seeing you!
Choose from two dinner seatings:
🕟 4:30 - 5:45 PM
🕕 6:15 - 7:30 PM
Donations: ❤️ $10 (ages 15+)
❤️ $5 (ages 6-15)
❤️ Free for children 5 and under
Meet the Marsh - Cousins River Fields & Marsh Preserve in Yarmouth, Maine. A family-friendly fall festival celebrating the ongoing restoration of the preserve with activities, trail exploration, fall-themed ambience, and tasty treats amid a beautiful seasonal landscape. Free to attend. More info. .
