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People I know are in two camps: glued to the polls, constantly refreshing their feeds for the latest campaign gaffe, subsisting on a news diet of nothing but Trump and Harris. Or they're exhausted and overwhelmed, desperate for anything other than another path to 270 analysis. 

Whichever way you lean, we have something for you. On the election front, be sure to check out our list of key resources and our voting guide; our story on the Maine towns that still count ballots by hand; our map of the Maine House races with only one major-party candidate; our conversations with the local officials doing the behind-the-scenes work to make our elections run; and more. 

If you need a breather from the political frenzy, scroll down to read Josh Keefe's in-depth look at an ethics debate over recusal in Maine's high court. Or read Rose Lundy on the state's plan for new nursing home payments. Or watch Kate Cough go deep on energy policy. Or bookmark them for after the election — we get it.

Oh, and you've likely gotten a fundraising email from my colleagues on the development side — we just launched our end-of-year appeal and need to raise $150,000 to keep our nonpaywalled, nonpartisan, nonprofit newsroom operating. If you're able to make a contribution, we'd be very grateful.

— Stephanie

‘A recusal issue inside a recusal issue’: An ethics inquiry puts the Maine Supreme Court in uncharted territory

There are many legal concepts that require some time in law school or Latin classes to understand. The “reasonable person” standard, however, sounds simple.

According to Maine’s Code of Judicial Conduct, it is up to a judge to decide whether to recuse from a case based on whether “a judge's impartiality might reasonably be questioned.” The question, said Maine Law Professor Dmitry Bam, is “what would a reasonable person think?” 

A recent ethics inquiry suggests this isn’t as simple as it sounds. Maine Supreme Judicial Court Justice Catherine Connors is facing disciplinary proceedings, a first for a sitting Maine high court justice, because she did not recuse herself from two foreclosure appeals before the court.

This is the first time the Committee on Judicial Conduct has recommended discipline against a judge on the Supreme Court. Now, Maine’s highest court must decide how to judge one of its own members, with history and Maine law offering little guidance.

Read this story by Josh Keefe.

Nursing homes grapple with uncertainty over new MaineCare reimbursement rates: The state is planning to implement an updated payment system on Jan. 1. Facilities still don’t have estimates of what their rates will be. Read this story by Rose Lundy.

It’s all about the grid: the past, present and future of energy in Maine: Maine Monitor editor Kate Cough, in a Mitchell Center talk, explores the past and future of energy in Maine. Watch this video.

Maine BEP wrestles with fees for solar, wind impacts: Fees would vary depending on how much land is impacted and whether it is high-value habitat or home to threatened or endangered species. Read this story by Kate Cough.

Decades-old legal protections of low-income mortgages at risk with appeal pending

A solicitation of briefs from Maine’s highest court has legal aid providers worried that long-standing rulings protecting the poor from repeat foreclosure attempts could be upended amid the housing crisis.

Read this October 2022 story by Caitlin Andrews. 

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. 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.