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Good morning from the shores of Gouldsboro Bay, where the occasional gray days are beginning to look like winter.

Tire dealers are booking appointments for snow tires. Thin orange stakes are going up to protect wellheads and other outdoor essentials. And snow plows are being overhauled for what little of the fluffy stuff we might get. I only had one plowable snowstorm last year.

Of note, a recount is occurring in Bar Harbor today on a last ditch attempt to boost the count on daily cruise ship disembarkations beyond what voters approved by a slim margin on Election Day.

Maine Recovery Council approves $13.9 million in projects

The Maine Recovery Council on Tuesday approved a $13.9 million funding package for 43 projects statewide, its largest and most comprehensive allocation since it first met two years ago.

The 15-member Maine Recovery Council is tasked with overseeing the distribution of half of Maine’s $230 million share of opioid settlement funds over 18 years. The national settlements are the result of years of litigation against pharmaceutical manufacturers, distributors and retailers accused of fueling the epidemic.

The projects, selected from more than 120 applications, include a methadone clinic in Aroostook County, a syringe service program in Hancock County, and recovery homes in Franklin County. 

Read this story by Emily Bader of The Maine Monitor.

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A recount is happening today of a very close vote on cruise ship visitations in Bar Harbor. | Mount Desert Islander

ICYMI from The Monitor: Underfunded and understaffed, Maine’s dam agency does what it can to keep the aging infrastructure safe. | The Maine Monitor

Two Aroostook County ski areas have lost funding from the Libra Foundation.  | Bangor Daily News

The Bar Harbor town council has instituted a 60-day moratorium on certain short-term rentals while they discuss the issue. The moratorium applies to rentals that are not part of a resident’s primary living space. | Mount Desert Islander

The controversial, $55 million Hancock Judicial Center project in Ellsworth might be changing locations. The city has approved $50,000 to study a new site off High Street. | Ellsworth American

Electric rates will go up about 2.9 percent in 2025. This applies to Versant Power’s Bangor Hydro District, which includes most of Hancock County and parts of Washington, Penobscot and Piscataquis counties. | Ellsworth American

A collaboration is being formed to guide the future of the Machias dike project. | Quoddy Tides

Maine’s oldest seafood cannery is closing Dec. 14, although the owner will continue to maintain its offices in Whiting. General manager Mike Sansing says Bar Harbor Foods — now owned by Sea Watch International — has a more efficient processing plant in Delaware. | Bangor Daily News

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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.