Maine's Department of Health and Human Services notified Paradise Residential Services in a letter on March 6 that it was terminating its MaineCare contract as of March 9 because clients were in "immediate jeopardy." https://bit.ly/4c36ND7

Two years ago this month, the shadow of a total solar eclipse passed right over Houlton. How the town prepared and the impact of the eclipse are subjects of a documentary film —"A Moment in the Sun." https://bit.ly/48i1leo

U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss in Washington ruled that President Donald Trump's executive order to cease funding for NPR and PBS is unlawful and unenforceable. https://to.pbs.org/4bO3Ndy

The new figures from the Deportation Data Project provide fresh insight into who was arrested during the operation. https://www.mainepublic.org/immigration/2026-03-31/data-only-6-of-those-arrested-during-january-ice-surge-in-maine-had-criminal-convictions

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has ordered utilities to repay for years of inflated infrastructure profits. https://www.mainepublic.org/business-and-economy/2026-03-30/maine-electric-ratepayers-could-get-refunds-for-15-year-of-overpaying-for-power-transmission

President Trump paid TSA workers through a memo. No funding mechanism for DHS has been agreed upon by Congress. https://www.mainepublic.org/business-and-economy/2026-03-30/tsa-workers-got-most-of-their-back-pay-monday-though-they-say-the-next-paycheck-is-uncertain

More than a dozen Portland non-profits have had their tax-exempt status recently denied or revoked by the city's assessor. But there was some hesitancy among lawmakers to move a bill forward, and there isn't enough time in the session to adopt a solution. https://bit.ly/4uV5E9f

The complaint alleges that state elections officials should have invalidated at least 7,000 additional petition signatures, thereby preventing the citizen's initiative from qualifying for the fall ballot. https://bit.ly/3O6O9SS

Scientists say there's a critical information gap in our understanding of winter conditions at higher elevation, especially as a warming climate changes winter recreation, water flows and flood risks. https://bit.ly/4sCqQPT

Average diesel prices in Maine are up more than 30% compared to a month ago to just over $5.70 per gallon, according to AAA's fuel price tracker. https://www.mainepublic.org/business-and-economy/2026-03-30/surging-diesel-prices-squeeze-maine-truckers-and-loggers-as-iran-war-drags-on

Applications for paid family and medical leave are open, though the requested leave must occur on or after May 1. https://www.mainepublic.org/health/2026-03-30/maine-now-accepting-applications-for-paid-family-and-medical-leave

In Portland, a few thousand people gathered in Monument Square Saturday and marched through the Old Port and onto Commercial Street.

Bath Iron Works says that members of the Bath Marine Draftsmen Association union Saturday ratified a tentative agreement on a new four-year contract.

Locals have been concerned by rumors that Prelude will no longer be funded. https://www.mainepublic.org/arts-and-culture/2026-03-27/kennebunkport-shop-owners-and-residents-weigh-in-on-funding-the-towns-popular-christmas-prelude

Taub currently serves as the state's chief deputy attorney general and has been involved in many high-profile legal battles over state laws during the past two and a half decades. https://www.mainepublic.org/courts-and-crime/2026-03-27/committee-endorses-christopher-taub-for-maines-highest-court

New census data also show that international migration into Maine dipped about 20% compared to the previous year.

For the first time, Maine included plants in its "species of greatest conservation need." https://www.mainepublic.org/climate/2026-03-27/maine-doubles-species-covered-by-wildlife-conservation-plan

A federal judge Thursday heard arguments in a case that could determine whether the U.S. Department of Justice can obtain access to Maine's voting rolls. https://www.mainepublic.org/courts-and-crime/2026-03-26/federal-judge-hears-arguments-in-battle-over-maines-voter-rolls

Specifically, the DOJ is looking into allegations that a transgender prisoner in Maine assaulted and harassed female prisoners. https://www.mainepublic.org/courts-and-crime/2026-03-26/doj-will-investigate-housing-of-transgender-prisoners-in-maine-and-california

The American Civil Liberties Union of Maine is part of a coalition seeking to block the Trump administration from ending birthright citizenship. https://www.mainepublic.org/courts-and-crime/2026-03-26/legal-advocates-prepare-for-pivotal-scotus-arguments-next-week-in-birthright-citizenship-case

Advocates argue that the program serves as a bridge to help those most vulnerable while the state continues to build more housing. https://www.mainepublic.org/business-and-economy/2026-03-26/as-budget-debates-ramp-up-renters-call-on-state-lawmakers-to-renew-eviction-prevention-program

A new report from AARP finds that caregivers in Maine provide 220 million hours of care to adults per year, with an estimated economic value of $5.5 billion. https://www.mainepublic.org/health/2026-03-26/report-finds-that-maine-caregivers-provide-5-5-billion-in-annual-care

Candidates talked about cutting $1 billion, $2 billion and even $4 billion from the state's budget if they win back the Blaine House. And they're suggesting that MaineCare, which enrolls nearly a third of the state's residents, seems a likely target. https://bit.ly/4szYllK

Maine is joining more than 20 other states in a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture intended to stop the agency from enforcing new rules that could threaten federal funding for school meals. https://bit.ly/4t0NUYq

The national advisory council aims to improve the health of unsheltered people with HIV. https://www.mainepublic.org/health/2026-03-25/6-providers-at-mainehealth-will-serve-on-national-street-medicine-council

The project, run by the Portland-based ensemble Palaver Strings, pairs new parents with professional musicians to write, record, and perform original lullabies. https://bit.ly/3PZSaZL

Instead of charging oil and gas companies for storm costs and other damage, the measure directs the state to calculate damages from climate-warming pollution. https://www.mainepublic.org/climate/2026-03-25/maine-lawmakers-back-off-from-creating-climate-superfund

Nicholas Nadeau began serving as town manager in June after a career in municipal government in Vermont. He died last week in what the state Chief Medical Examiner said was likely a suicide. https://bit.ly/40TLWx2

It's the latest disciplinary action taken against the pharmacy's owner in recent years. https://www.mainepublic.org/health/2026-03-24/machias-pharmacy-fined-by-the-state-for-operating-without-a-pharmacist-in-charge

The measure requires utility regulators to consider impacts on household energy costs. https://www.mainepublic.org/climate/2026-03-24/maine-passes-law-to-prioritize-affordable-electric-rates

In a new public benefit determination, the Department of Environmental Protection claims that it addressed concerns raised by a Penobscot County Superior Court judge in January. https://bit.ly/4bvb2s3

The bill is in part a response to an effort to get the Cumberland County Jail to stop holding ICE detainees. https://www.mainepublic.org/politics/2026-03-23/maine-lawmakers-advance-bill-to-give-local-jails-more-flexibility-on-accepting-immigration-detainees

The U.S. Department of Justice wants copies of all team rosters as well as other documents that the Maine Principals' Association and other groups say could contain students confidential medical information. https://bit.ly/4t4i1xV

The change brings the University in line with the recent House v. NCAA settlement, which allows Division I schools to directly share revenues with student-athletes. https://www.mainepublic.org/education-news/2026-03-23/umaine-launches-fund-to-directly-pay-student-athletes

The change brings the University in line with the recent House v. NCAA settlement, which allows Division I schools to directly share revenues with student-athletes. https://www.mainepublic.org/education-news/2026-03-23/umaine-launches-fund-to-directly-pay-student-athletes

There's a picket line outside Bath Iron Works on Monday, as more than 600 members of the Bath Marine Draftsmen's Union are on strike after rejecting a company contract offer Saturday. https://bit.ly/4bDunGh

The Office of Civil Rights in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services notified Maine's Superintendent of Insurance of the compliance review on Thursday. https://www.mainepublic.org/health/2026-03-20/trump-admin-investigates-maine-law-requiring-insurance-coverage-for-abortion-care

None of the eight GOP candidates for Maine governor participated in the event in Houlton. https://www.mainepublic.org/politics/2026-03-20/dem-independent-candidates-express-support-for-tribal-sovereignty-at-first-wabanaki-voter-forum

The analysis by AdImpact includes super PACS, dark money groups and the candidate campaigns. With eight months left until the November election, the spending is on pace to beat the state record set six years ago in the senate race of more than $200 million. https://bit.ly/4svCY5k

Dozens of Maine sugarhouses will be celebrating a successful harvest this weekend with pancake breakfasts, discounted maple products and syrup making demonstrations. https://www.mainepublic.org/environment-and-outdoors/2026-03-20/sugarhouses-prepare-for-maine-maple-sunday-weekend

All five Democrats expressed support to restore the tribes' right to self-governance, although with some nuances. None of the Republican candidates running attended, but three independent candidates did. https://bit.ly/4sV9IV4

The state's network of seven civil legal aid providers say they need $3 million for the next fiscal year to provide free help to Mainers facing matters such as eviction, financial exploitation, and domestic violence. https://bit.ly/4bTJvkb

Financial assistance is still available through the Home Energy Assistance Program administered by local community action programs. https://www.mainepublic.org/news/2026-03-19/maine-heating-fuel-prices-increased-to-nearly-5-per-gallon-since-iran-war-began

Maine's relatively new Commission on Public Defense Services was on track to run out of money to compensate private attorneys who help represent indigent clients. https://www.mainepublic.org/courts-and-crime/2026-03-19/maine-lawmakers-approve-emergency-funding-for-public-defender-system

Unless lawmakers approve Gov. Janet Mills' plan to make funding for community college permanent, supporters fear enrollment will decline at a time when Maine needs to train and hire more skilled workers. https://bit.ly/4cVkypE

Maine announces more than 90 new apartments for people experiencing chronic homelessness https://www.mainepublic.org/business-and-economy/2026-03-18/maine-announces-more-than-90-new-apartments-for-people-experiencing-chronic-homelessness

This week, Mills, who's been trailing Platner in publicly available polling, launched an attack ad that leans heavily on one of her strengths to try to expose a potential weakness in her opponent’s resilient candidacy: women voters. https://bit.ly/3NxvcbM

The program has been in place since 2022, but was not funded in last year's budget. Mills hopes it will be made permanent. Some critics of the program say it has curbed interest in other universities around the state. https://bit.ly/4bwicuL

The shelter was set up in 2023, when more than 1,600 asylum seekers arrived in the city. https://www.mainepublic.org/immigration/2026-03-18/portland-set-to-close-asylum-seeker-shelter-as-new-arrivals-dwindle-under-trump

Secretary of State Shenna Bellows says her staff certified more than 70,000 signatures, more than enough to qualify the petition. https://www.mainepublic.org/politics/2026-03-17/citizen-initiative-to-ban-transgender-students-in-girls-sports-in-maine-qualifies-for-the-ballot