Crime/Public Safety

New Hampshire Man Dies in Newport Crash

(Newport)  A New Hampshire man died Tuesday when his Chevy Volt was struck by a semi on I-95 in Newport.  Public Safety Officials tell Downeast Digest, 33 yo Juan Guallpa was stopped in the northbound travel lane just after 11:30 p.m. when his car was struck from behind by a Freightliner.  The impact pushed Guallpa’s vehicle into the median.  The tractor-trailer also entered the median, where it rolled onto its side and came to rest across both southbound lanes.  The driver of the semi sustained minor injuries.  It’s unclear why Guallpa was stopped.  Traffic was diverted for several hours while crews investigated the crash.

Local Politics

Waldo County Ok’s Budget

(Belfast)  The Waldo County Budget Committee has approved a budget that’s a roughly 16% increase over last year.  While still a major increase, that’s in contrast to the 36% increase proposed in December, which led to public outcry.  Commissioners sent committee members back to the drawing board several times in hopes of coming up with a no-more-than-10% increase; but the committee ultimately said it could not pare the budget more and still function as a county.  Waldo County, like others, is also behind on audits;  the most recently completed one is for 2022.  It’s been difficult to find county auditors, and Waldo County reportedly had multiple finance directors within a few years, each of whom used different accounting practices.  

Federal Judge Weighs in on Title IX Lawsuit

(Undated)  A federal judge this week ruled in favor of the Maine Principals’ Association and Portland Public Schools, who asked the court to quash a subpoena involving requests for records tied to some transgender student athletes.  The subpoena was part of a lawsuit by the Justice Department against the Maine Department of Education.  MPA  argued some of the requested records were irrelevant, overly broad, burdensome or protected under FERPA.  The Judge instructed MPA to turn over athletic rosters it maintained for the past two school years, along with records for three specific student athletes if it has them, but said other related records must be redacted to remove personally identifying information.

Economy

Canadian Tourism in Maine Continues to Plummet

(Maine)  The number of visits to Maine by Canadian tourists continues to plummet.  In 2025, nearly a million fewer Canadians visited compared to previous years – and the trend has continued into 2026.  The drop is driven by strained relations between the U.S. and Canada, driven by the current Administration in Washington.  Data from early 2026 indicates 22% fewer Canadians returning from US trips in January 2026, compared to January 2025.  Maine Public reports other areas and tourist spots, such as Old Orchard Beach, continue to be heavily affected, with a 3.3% slump in taxable retail sales and a nearly 5% drop in restaurant and lodging revenue in border regions.  Maine has launched marketing efforts to reassure its northern neighbors the rhetoric from Washington is not representative of the Pine Tree State’s feelings toward visitors from across the border.  

Energy Refunds

(Maine)  More than a billion dollars in refunds could be coming to New England electric customers.  A March 2026 ruling by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission indicated transmission utilities were paid “inflated profits” for more than a decade, reducing the allowed return on equity, or R O E, for utilities.  The decision stemmed from complaints filed in 2011 and could, in addition to refunds, mean an estimated $100 Million in annual savings, particularly for residents of Maine and Massachusetts.  The specific timely for credit distributions on customer bills is reportedly pending further regulatory action.

Bangor Mall Sale

(Bangor)  As of Wednesday, the Bangor Mall was reportedly under contract and in final negotiations to be sold to a “mystery buyer”.  That, according to Senator Joe Baldacci.  The buyer is said to be a local group with “deep roots in Bangor history, described as a family which hopes to make the mall a more viable commercial and public space.  The mall has most recently been owned by New York-based Namdar Realty Group, under which it has fallen into disrepair, losing tenants in the process, and facing legal disputes with the City over property conditions.  NewsCenter Maine reports the property was partially condemned earlier this year, accelerating the need for new ownership.

Education

Grant to Benefit Local Seafood Support Organization

(Orono)  A seafood support organization headquartered at the University of Maine has received a $480K federal grant to help grow its capacity regionally and nationwide.  MaineBiz reports The Local Catch Network was founded in 2011 and has helped more than 70 community-based seafood businesses across New England, Florida, Alaska, and beyond.  The network offers free business and technical assistance, scientific research and networking opportunities for seafood businesses around the country, with a goal of growing community-based seafood systems by supporting businesses committed to the well-being of their coastal communities and marine ecosystems.

Health

Maternal Mobile Health Clinic to Travel the State

(Maine)  The Maternal Mobile Health Clinic initiative, along with the Maine CDC, will be traveling across the state, beginning this spring.  Free resources will be available for pregnant women and new parents.  The outreach effort will provide mobile maternal health services in the Community Action in Aroostook Washington and Hancock County service area.  They’ll be in Milbridge on May 20th, Blue Hill on May 21st, and Calais on May 22nd.  

Hospice Volunteer Training

(Machias)  Downeast Community Hospital in Machias is offering free hospice volunteer training this month.  The new hybrid program includes three in-person classes and six self-paced online modules.  Participants will learn how to cope with grief and loss, Alzheimer’s and dementia, stress management and more.  Volunteers offer companionship for those in need and their families.  They do not provide nursing care, and no medical background is required in order to lend a hand.  The in-person training will take place from 2 to 5 p.m. on April 9th, 16th, and 23rd at DECH.  Learn more at downeast hospice volunteers dot org.  

Maine in the Middle When It Comes to Stress

(Maine)  There are a lot of stressors in the world today – the ongoing conflict with Iran, prices at the pump and grocery stores, and in many cases, widespread feelings of loneliness and emotional disconnect.  In a recent WalletHub survey, nearly 70% of adults reported needing more emotional support than they received in the past.  WalletHub surveyed all fifty states, using 40 indicators and found Maine is right in the middle nationally at number 26.  It ranks very low in work-related stress – 49th, but 15th in financial stress, 16th in family-related stress, and 21st in stress related to health and safety.

Woodlawn Cleanup Days

(Ellsworth)  Here’s a sure cure for some of that stress and loneliness.  Get out of the house and shed the doldrums by volunteering at Woodlawn.  From helping with trail maintenance to volunteering at the Black House Museum, there’s something for everyone, including helping at several campus clean up days, April 10th, 12th, 17th, and 19th from 1 to 3.  The Woodlawn group is a welcoming one, dedicated to preserving the home and grounds that figure so prominently in Ellsworth’s history.  RSVP to woodlawn ellsworth dot org..  

Human Interest

Prom Dress Giveaway

(Searsport)  Going to prom is a rite of passage – an often overwhelmingly expensive one.  On  April 17th and 18th, the Cinderella Project of Maine will be offering a prom dress giveaway at the Mermaid Plaza in Searsport.  The event is free to all Maine High School students.  Check out Cinderella Project of Maine on FB to learn more.

National News 04/02/26

Judge Blocks Trump’s Order on Pulling PBS Funding

(Undated)  A federal judge this week ruled that President Trump’s executive order barring the federal funding of NPR and PBS violated the First Amendment.  The judge ruled the order, signed last May, was unlawful because it instructed federal agencies to refrain from funding NPR and PBS because the president believed their news coverage had a liberal viewpoint.  According to The New York Times, the ruling will have minimal effect on the federal funding of public media, because Congress voted to claw back roughly $500M in annual funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which distributes federal money to the nonprofits.  But the ruling could have implications for future money Congress decides to allocate to public media.  

Trump Attends Birthright Citizenship Hearing

(Washington, DC)  The Supreme Court on Wednesday heard arguments on the constitutionality of President Trump’s effort to ban birthright citizenship.  The Washington Post reports the justices questioned the attorneys about the definition of “domicile” – meaning a person’s fixed and permanent home, which serves as their legal, tax, and voting home, as central to the government’s argument that only children of immigrants who are domiciled in the United States should receive birthright citizenship.  In a show of the President’s concern, Trump attended the hearing, the first time a sitting President is known to have done so.  The Supreme Court appeared poised to uphold the legal principle, in place since the 14th Amendment in 1866-68, that almost everyone born on U.S. soil is a citizen, with arguments concluding after the Solicitor General made his rebuttal.  

American Journalist Kidnapped in Iraq

(Baghdad)  Even as Trump prepared to address the nation on the Iran war, an American journalist this week was kidnapped in Baghdad.  Shelly Kittleson has reported extensively from the Middle East as a freelance contributor to Politico, the BBC and others.  Based in Rome, she  travels frequently to the Middle East.  Kittleson was on assignment for Al-Monitor when she was kidnapped.  Security forces have reportedly arrested one suspect and seized a vehicle used in the crime and were tracking alleged accomplices in hopes of recovering Kittleson safely.

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