Crime/Public Safety

Bangor City Council Honors First Responders at BIA

(Bangor)  First Responders who rushed to the site of a deadly plane crash at Bangor International Airport last month were honored this week by the Bangor City Council.  A proclamation presented said in part, “The efforts by first responders, airport personnel, and more than a hundred Guardsmen, all contending with extreme environmental and operational challenges, displayed resilience, adaptability and professionalism.”  The National Transportation Safety Board is expected to release a preliminary report of its findings yet this month, but says a comprehensive report could take up to two years.

Local Politics

Ambulance Reimbursement Rates

(Augusta)  Maine is working to stabilize emergency medical services by significantly increasing ambulance reimbursement rates.  Currently, EMS providers are rarely if ever fully reimbursed by Medicare and Medicaid, often forcing them to operate at a loss.  Key legislation, such as LD 35, a temporary measure, mandates that from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2028, MaineCare will reimburse ambulance services at 140% of the average Medicare rate in order to address funding shortages. That proposal was voted ONTP (Ought Not to Pass) and remains on file. Public hearings early this year have emphasized the critical need for continued funding for community paramedicine programs, which allow EMS providers to check on patients without transport, a vital service, especially in rural areas of the state.

House Advances Privacy Bill

(Augusta)  The Maine House on Tuesday advanced a measure that would limit the amount of digital data businesses and other groups can collect and use to target consumers with ads.  According to The Portland Press Herald, proponents insist the bill is needed in order to protect consumers from artificial intelligence and government surveillance.  Opponents say it would put smaller businesses at a competitive disadvantage.  

School Funding Reform

(Augusta)  The state legislature is considering a bill that would reform school funding in Maine.  The Portland Press Herald reports The Education Committee this week introduced a bill based on researcher recommendations that includes integrating local poverty rates and reforming the special education model.  Lawmakers, school leaders, and researchers for more than a decade have described Maine’s current formula as inequitable. Among the new recommendations:  Aligning regional adjustments with cost of living and minimum salaries, factoring community poverty rates into local “ability to contribute” calculations, updating parts of the formula related to transportation, tech, and instructional staff, and reforming the special education component of the formula they say disproportionately privileges wealthier districts.

Education

Move-In Date for New Conners-Emerson School

(Bar Harbor)  The MDI Regional School System is looking at October 26th for a move-in date for students and staff entering the new Conners-Emerson school facility.  Officials say that’s about a two month delay, due to an issue obtaining a permit from the state’s Department of Environmental Protection.  The Mount Desert Islander reports students will start the year in the old building, have a two-week break during the move-in period, and then return to school in a brand new building.  The old building is set to be demolished sometime before the Christmas holiday break.

RSU Reorganization

(Trenton)  This week’s Trenton School Department’s School Committee focused on a reorganization plan to turn the MDI Regional School System into one regional school unit. The Mount Desert Islander reports Superintendent Mike Zboray said he has been in touch with various town clerks and officials about setting up a vote on whether to join the proposed new RSU on June 9th, the same day as state primary elections.  The vote will be the culmination of a two-year effort to develop a unified RSU that Zboray said will result in fairer resource distribution, and help with staffing.  It would not mean closing any current schools or moving students and teachers.

Economy

Group Works to Preserve Wild Blueberry Land

(Maine)  The Wild Blueberry Collective says Maine – the state that produces 99% of the country’s wild blueberries – has lost more than 100K acres of wild blueberry land in less than a hundred years.  They say while they understand the need for housing, once the land is gone, it’s gone for good.  So now, this women-led cooperative is leading a community effort to purchase 158 acres of wild blueberry land in Searsport.  The group hopes to raise $750K to prevent the land from risk of development.  Should you wish to donate, you’ll find their go fund me at the link provided with this story on our social media pages.

Portland Jetport Sees Record Number of Flights in 2025

(Portland)  If you flew into or out of the Portland International Jetport in 2025, consider yourself part of a record-breaking year for the facility.  MaineBiz reports more than 2.59 million passengers departed from or landed on the jetport’s runways, making it the busiest year in its history.  Airport Director Paul Bradley called it highly unusual for northern New England to outperform the region.  Contributing to the numbers, Breeze Airways added nonstop service to Columbus, Ohio, Avelo Airlines added twice-weekly nonstops to New Haven, Connecticut, and United Airlines added seasonal non-stop service to Houston.

Environment

Taking Accurate Snow Measurements

(Caribou)  Snowfall measurements are all over the place.  Sometimes, that’s because of truly widespread differences in snowfall amounts.  But the National Weather Service in Caribou says, it’s also because people tend to measure differently.  Here’s how they say it should be done.  First, you’ll need a yardstick or ruler, a flag, and a 24 by 24 white board.  Find an open area out of the wind but away from tall objects.  Put out your board and mark it with your flag BEFORE the snow begins.  Measure once daily at the same time and to the nearest tenth of an inch by placing your ruler through the snow til you hit the top of the white board, then wipe off the board and put it on top of the snow.  They say measure as soon as the snow stops to avoid discrepancies from melting, settling, and drifting; and if you’re so inclined, send your location and results to weather dot gov.

Human Interest

EAAA Helps the Elderly Feed Their Pets

(Brewer)  Furry friends can be a lifeline for the elderly, especially those living alone.  The Eastern Area Agency on Aging believes no person should have to choose between groceries and goodbye.  Yet, rising costs mean too many are forced to worry about whether they can afford to keep their best friend by their side.  EAAA’s Furry Friends Food Bank makes all the difference through their monthly pet food kits, but the need is growing, with 96 older adults currently on a waitlist.  Make a difference by donating at E A A A dot org.

Stonington Opera House Celebrates System Upgrades

(Stonington)  The Stonington Opera House is celebrating a recent series of systems upgrades in a striking way.  The Theatre is planning a free screening of Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, the second film in the Star Wars saga, on February 28th.  The Stonington Opera House was built in 1912 on the site of an earlier hall that was destroyed by fire.  It was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991 and was rescued from abandonment in 1999 by the nonprofit Opera House Arts.  Curtain time for the February 28th showing is 6 p.m.  Yoda advises theatre-goers to get there early.  

Area Offers Plenty to Do Indoors

(Ellsworth)  Looking for something warm and meaningful to do this weekend?  The Ellsworth Public Library offers a series of culture passes to various places of interest, including the Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland, the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath, the Maine Discovery Museum in Bangor, and the Oceanarium in Bar Harbor.  Passes are limited and can be requested once a month on a first come, first served basis.  Also, the Versant Power Astronomy Center on the UMaine Campus in Orono offers you a chance to experience the universe with all your senses – that’s tonight at 7.  On Sunday afternoon at 2, the kids can enjoy Magic Treehouse:  Space Mission.  And take your sweetheart to their Sunday music show at 4 – this month, featuring a variety of stellar love songs set to stunning visuals in the planetarium.  Tickets for all their programs can be purchased at the door or at astro dot umaine dot edu.

Passamaquoddy Veterans Ice Fishing

(Indian Twp, ME)  Veterans and their families are invited to join the Passamaquoddy Veterans for a weekend of ice fishing, February 20th to 22nd at Muwin Park, off Peter Dana Point Road in Indian Township.  Bait will be provided, with fishing from 9 to 4 each day.  Questions can be directed to Darren Ripley at Wabanaki Public Health & Wellness

In National News headlines:

      – The House on Thursday passed a resolution to rescind President Trump’s tariffs on Canada, a  

             major if largely symbolic blow to the President’s trade policy.

• Attorney General Pam Bondi remained defiant in a heated exchange with lawmakers at a hearing on Capitol Hill.  Bondi was grilled on, among other things, the ongoing lack of transparency with the Epstein files and the magnitude of investigations into Trump’s foes, with one Senator calling it a “vendetta factory”
• And a group of monks ended their 109-day, 2300 mile Walk for Peace in the nation’s capitol, with Aloka the Peace Dog.  One participant said, “The walk does not end here.  It continues every time we choose kindness.”

• Border Czar Tom Homan Thursday declared an end to Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota.  Minnesota Governor Tim Walz thanked the citizens of his state for the dedication and care shown for their neighbors in the face of horrific tragedy, including the murder by agents of two U.S. citizens.
• A federal judge has ordered the Trump Administration to facilitate the return of Venezuelan migrants illegally deported last year to El Salvador’s notorious CECOT prison, in violation of a court order.
• And the House passed the SAVE Act, a Trump-backed election bill that could disenfranchise thousands of voters, particularly women and Black people who tend to vote Democratic, due to stringent ID requirements.
• We have more detailed versions of these stories and other national news on our National News page.

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