7+ hour, 55+ min ago (619+ words) In the Rangeley Lakes region of western Maine, an ambitious effort is underway to conserve tens of thousands of acres in historic Wabanaki territory. For centuries, these have been prized hunting and fishing grounds, home to bear, lynx, deer and moose and one of the last strongholds of native brook trout in the country. But with a recent construction boom, forest fragmentation and rising temperatures, woods and wildlife are under threat. The Magalloway Conservation Initiative aims to safeguard both while also protecting public access to the region. "The area really speaks for itself," Caisse says, setting off toward Aziscohos Lake. "It's something that's uniquely special in the way that it looks and the way that it feels" Getting out of the truck, he takes a short walk through some dense woods to the edge of the upper Magalloway. It's quiet…...

10+ hour, 52+ min ago (238+ words) Don Christen, known as a godfather of Maine's marijuana industry for his activism, has died after a years-long battle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He was 72. Christen is remembered for his ability to organize and educate around the cannabis plant's medicinal properties. He's possibly best known for his annual demonstration that started in 1991 " when he sparked up a joint on the steps of the Somerset County Courthouse in Skowhegan in protest of cannabis prohibition. His advocacy group Maine Vocals organizes a handful of music festivals and helped lead the effort to pass a statewide referendum to legalize medical marijuana in 1999. Glenn and Catherine Lewis were Christen's friends. They own Kennebec River Cannabis Co. " a marijuana apothecary in Winthrop. Glenn, who stood with Christen in some of his demonstrations, said Christen's belief in the legalization movement went so deep it "seeped…...

12+ hour, 41+ min ago (438+ words) (The Center Square) " Maine's two U.S. senators are asking the Trump administration to provide financial support for the state's forest products industry as many companies struggle with the impact of tariffs." In a letter to Trump administration officials, Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine and Angus King, I-Maine, said they are "gravely concerned" about the impact of the tariffs imposed on imports of timber and lumber on the state's multi-billion dollar forest products industry." "This industry is part of Maine's heritage, boosting our state's economy, creating thousands of good-paying jobs in rural communities, and providing essential products to consumers across the United States," they wrote. "As such, we request that the Administration provide immediate and meaningful relief to this industry, which is already struggling to survive." Trump announced "reciprocal" tariffs on imports from about 90 nations in April, with a 10% across-the-board tariff applied to…...

15+ hour, 42+ min ago (110+ words) NAPLES, Maine (WMTW) - A driver suffered serious injuries after crashing into a tree in Naples on Saturday. Officials say 21-year old Ethan Crockett drove off the road and hit a power line before ... NAPLES, Maine (WMTW) - A driver suffered serious injuries after crashing into a tree in Naples on Saturday. Officials say 21-year old Ethan Crockett drove off the road and hit a power line before crashing into a tree near on Thompson's Point Road. Crockett was taken to Maine Medical Center in Portland with non-life-threatening injuries. The crash remains under investigation, but officials say speed and alcohol appear to be factors in the crash....

17+ hour, 28+ min ago (480+ words) Community solar companies across Maine sued the Public Utilities Commission Monday, attempting to block the implementation of a new law designed to reduce the impact of subsidies for solar development on the state's electricity customers. A group of 11 companies are claiming the law, which modifies Maine's long-fought-over net energy billing program, violates their constitutional rights. The law, passed earlier this year, restructured the program, including by creating a monthly charge for some community solar projects based on their size. Those charges could range from $2,800 to $30,000, depending on how much electricity a given system is capable of producing, and are designed to offset the distribution costs that could otherwise fall to ratepayers. But the community solar companies claim it would cause "immediate and irreparable harm" to their business and are asking for a preliminary injunction before Jan. 1, when the new law…...

23+ hour, 9+ min ago (187+ words) Lifted pickup trucks are not illegal in Maine, but they must meet strict requirements to be street legal. Maine law sets the maximum allowable length, height and width of vehicles. Frame height restrictions are based on the manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating for each model. For example, the frame end of a vehicle weighing 4,500 pounds or less must not exceed 24 inches in the front and 26 inches in the rear. Inspectors measure from the frame's lowest point to the ground at both ends. Suspension and body lifts are allowed if they're aftermarket kits designed for that make and model and installed exactly as the manufacturer recommends. An illegally lifted truck should fail a state inspection, and driving a vehicle that doesn't meet standards is typically a traffic infraction. Extreme violations can be charged as a Class E crime, punishable by a…...

1+ day, 1+ hour ago (678+ words) The Maine high school football season wrapped up this past weekend with the Maine Principal's Association (MPA) championships that took place at Portland High School's Fitzpatrick Stadium and Lewiston High School, respectively. Top-ranked Thornton Academy remains the No. 1 team in the state won the state's highest classification, Class A, with a resounding 28-0 win over Portland, avenging last year's loss to the Bulldogs. How does the final Top 25 Maine high school football rankings look out of the Pine Tree State this week? Here is the latest Maine high school football Top 25 rankings, according to Massey as of Nov. 24. The Thornton Academy Golden Trojans (10-1) finished with a 10-3 record last season, with two of their three losses were against'the'Portland Bulldogs. The Trojans capped off a banner year by winning the MPA Class A state championship in a 28-0 shutout of Portland at Fitzpatrick Stadium....

1+ day, 1+ hour ago (286+ words) Maine households and businesses will see their monthly electricity bills increase in January under new supply rates approved by the state's utilities regulator." The Maine Public Utilities Commission last week accepted bids for the standard offer, which makes up about 40% of a CMP residential customer's bill and roughly half of a residential customer in Versant Power's Maine Public District. " As of"January, the average CMP residential customer using 550 kilowatt-hours per month will have to pay $11 more per month for the"supply portion of the bill,"bringing the total"to $12.72 per kWh. The same rate will apply to small businesses." For the average residential and small-business customer of Versant, the monthly supply charge will increase by about $16 a month to $14.87 per kWh." Rates were adjusted"following"a competitive bid process conducted by the Maine Public Utilities Commission, as required by state…...

1+ day, 3+ hour ago (1345+ words) by Annie Rupertus, Bangor Daily News BANGOR, Maine (BDN) -- Bangor is the epicenter of Maine's largest ever HIV outbreak. But the ripple effects from the cluster first identified in Penobscot County in October 2023 are being felt across the state. Health care providers are confident that the outbreak will lead to new cases outside the Bangor area, and some local governments and community organizations are taking proactive steps to get ahead of that spread. Their efforts reflect an awareness that the outbreak will likely reach beyond Penobscot County and affect the entire state. They also come at a critical time when threats to public health infrastructure at the federal level could jeopardize efforts to contain the outbreak. "Public health providers in the southern Maine area kind of circled up and we've been having conversations around how to prepare for a similar…...

1+ day, 6+ hour ago (1376+ words) Local governments across Maine have received just over $22 million in opioid settlement funds from pharmaceutical companies accused of fueling the overdose epidemic, with nearly $54 million more expected over the next decade and a half. The money is meant to go to prevention and harm reduction efforts, as well as treatment and recovery programs. But oversight is limited, and until recently there were no reporting requirements, meaning it was up to local officials how much they wanted to disclose about their plans. Many municipalities and counties have struggled to determine how those choices should be made, getting caught up in the logistics of how to disburse the funds fairly, ultimately delaying much-needed help for vulnerable communities. That's where a $2.5 million'resource center'comes in: one designed to help the local governments start spending the money appropriately and maintain data on where it's going....