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Western Maine has enjoyed a spectacular week of weather: blue skies, gentle breezes and plenty of sun for the newest additions to our gardens. There are gray, chilly mornings behind us and buggy-muggy afternoons ahead, but for now everything is about as perfect as it gets. This time of year is my favorite.

My name is Ben Hanstein. I’m a reporter who’s lived in Farmington for most of his life. This newsletter is designed to provide you with a snapshot of what’s happened in western Maine over the past week. 

So sit back and peruse the Western Maine Monitor. (Maybe after just a little more time outdoors.)

Environmentalists are advocating for the removal of four more dams on the Kennebec River to improve the outlook of the endangered Atlantic salmon and other fish populations in one of the state’s largest rivers.

The Maine Monitor looked at the arguments in favor of removal versus installing fish lifts and other improvements at a recent hearing held by the federal commission responsible for the fate of the dams. Read Emmett Gartner’s story here.

While The Maine Monitor does not place its content behind paywalls, some newsrooms we link to in this newsletter may. 

A Peru man who is alleged to have shot and killed his wife in her car on Route 108 has been charged with murder. | Maine Public

Hundreds of students in West Paris are likely to attend schools outside of their town in the coming school year. | WMTW

Utility regulators have rejected a settlement between Electricity Maine and ratepayers, saying the agreement does not adequately punish the company. | Portland Press Herald

A Maine-based company that manufactures COVID-19 test swabs is being sued for alleged racial harassment at its plant in Pittsfield. | Associated Press

Farmers may see benefits, some challenges as climate change impacts growing seasons, according to a presentation to the Maine Climate Council. | Portland Press Herald

The Maine Turnpike saw a record number of travelers this Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start of the state’s tourism season. | Bangor Daily News

The mother of an Athens man who committed suicide at the Somerset County Jail in 2002 is suing the county, the sheriff and jail officials. | Morning Sentinel

Jay town officials approved a bid to repair the Macomber Hill Road, which was damaged during storms last summer. | Sun Journal

A judge has approved a motion by the ACLU that expands its Sixth Amendment lawsuit against the state on behalf of low-income defendants. | Maine Public

MSAD 58 voters have approved a $11.9 million budget at that district’s annual meeting, with a final vote scheduled for June 11. | Daily Bulldog

Voters in Farmington approved a $45 million budget for RSU 9 schools, with a final vote scheduled for June 11. | Franklin Journal

Know of a story that we should be digging into? Send it to our newsroom.

The Maine Monitor is a publication of the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting, an independent and nonpartisan nonprofit news organization that produces investigative journalism. We believe news is a public good and keep our news free to access. We have no paywall and do not charge for our newsletters. If you value the reporting we do for Maine, please consider making a donation! We cannot do this reporting without your support.