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Hot weather will make its triumphant return next week, as one of those ever-popular heat domes settles over the United States. Get your air conditioner in (if it isn't in already), drink plenty of water and keep an eye out for our four-legged friends. Keep repeating, "it's not the heat, it's the humidity" — that usually makes me feel better.

Town meetings are continuing this month, with Paris approving big cuts, Kingfield holding the line and Dover-Foxcroft changing its mind on its dam.

Some sadder news out of western Maine concerns the passing of Pam Harnden, a staff writer with the Franklin Journal. A trusted community reporter with tremendous knowledge of local history, Harnden was a fixture at events and meetings throughout the greater Farmington and Livermore/Livermore Falls area. 

She wrote thousands of stories during her 13-year tenure and worked hard to keep us all informed about what is happening in our communities. She will be missed.

Paper mills in Maine and across the U.S. releasing more greenhouse gases than federal data shows

As the Trump administration eyes rollbacks on industrial emissions limits, a new report claims that paper mills are already dirtier than they appear.

Read this story by Emmett Gartner of The Maine Monitor

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

More than 200 voters in Paris approved $1.2 million in cuts to the town's proposed municipal budget at the annual town meeting. | Advertiser Democrat

Bethel approved continuing its contract with the Oxford County Sheriff's Office for police services by two votes. | Bethel Citizen

New federal data shows Maine’s foster care population grew at the fastest rate in the nation. | The Maine Monitor

Somerset County has settled lawsuits filed by the family members of two inmates that died in separate incidents at the Somerset County Jail. | Morning Sentinel

The Maine Legislature eventually advanced the second part of the state budget Wednesday evening, sending the bill to the governor's desk. | News Center Maine

Residents at Kingfield's annual town meeting approved the town's proposed budget, defeating efforts to cut several articles. | Franklin Journal

The Fire Marshal's Office is investigating a fire that killed a Wilton woman. | Daily Bulldog

Andover approved a moratorium on new solar projects at its town meeting. | Rumford Falls Times

While Dover-Foxcroft chose to keep its dam last year, residents voted last week to not pay $9 million to repair and retain the structure. As a result, it will likely be demolished. | Bangor Daily News

What the public lands fight means for Maine. | The Maine Monitor

Analysts tracking the buildout of EV infrastructure say there is an ‘emerging charging divide’ between rural and urban areas. See what Western Maine's EV infrastructure is like. | Daily Yonder

Have feedback, a correction or know of something we should look into? Send it to our newsroom. If you have feedback or a tip that you want to send to Ben Hanstein directly email him at: benjamin@themainemonitor.org. 

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.

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