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It's Labor Day weekend, that bustling break between seasons associated with changing leaves, cooler nights and maybe a nice, three-day vacation before September arrives.

For many young Mainers however, Labor Day marks an even more important event: the start of the school season.

It's a good time to remind ourselves to take care around school buses, giving them plenty of space and keeping an eye out for students at bus stops. Some school districts are enjoying more or less problem-free starts to the school year, while others are dealing with facility issues or failed budget votes (see the links).

For the kids, of course, these issues pale in comparison to the joy of seeing one's friends, the angst of a new school or new teacher. It's up to us adults to figure everything else out.

It's tough to build things in America. The Energy Permitting Reform Act could change that

The Biden Administration wants the next ten years to be the "infrastructure decade." In the past few years, Congress has allocated more than $1.75 trillion for transportation, energy, water resources and broadband, money that is intended to be spent over the next five to ten years.

But it's hard to build big infrastructure projects in America, and experts say we're unlikely to meet our emissions reductions goals without making it easier. Maine Senator Angus King is one of a group of lawmakers supporting efforts to change that.

 Read this story by Kate Cough of The Maine Monitor.

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

ICYMI: A Maine nursing home owner has been in the business for nearly 50 years. He wants out. | The Maine Monitor

Administrators in MSAD 17 in Paris unveiled $360,000 in spending cuts in a bid to win support from voters, who have rejected the district's proposed budgets twice this year. | Advertiser Democrat

The board that regulates state utilities is considering setting electricity prices that encourage usage during off-peak hours. | Maine Public

A leak in Mt. Blue Middle School's fire suppression system is believed to be responsible for thousands of dollars of damage. | Franklin Journal

Voters in Madison will decide whether or not to recall their road commissioner in September, after a petition was submitted. | Morning Sentinel

The federal government wants to seize properties in Norridgewock and Sangerville that were allegedly used to cultivate marijuana illegally. | Bangor Daily News

The Maine Warden Service is seeking information about whoever put an illegal net across the Magalloway River, a known brook trout habitat. | Sun Journal

Rumford taxpayers may see an impact from a market value adjustment this year, which will increase the total valuation of the town. | Rumford Falls Times

The University of Maine at Augusta has seen enrollment grow to a point where students are being housed in a Best Western motel. | Kennebec 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.