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The big news this weekend: Troy Jackson has won delegates’ support to replace Graham Platner as the new Democratic Senate nominee and take on Sen. Susan Collins in November. My colleagues Matt Junker, Josh Keefe and Erin Rhoda were at Bangor’s Cross Insurance Center yesterday, so you can read all about how it went down. Ahead of the convention, we looked at questions Democrats raised about the party’s process, and whether it was as transparent and inclusive as promised.
Our health reporter Emily Bader put out a four-part series, published with support from the Pulitzer Center, that takes a close look at how Maine’s county jails are providing addiction treatment. One piece details the story of a woman whose addiction started nearly two decades ago at age 19, when doctors sent her home after C-section with a “great big bottle” of Percocet — and who recently celebrated a year in recovery, in part thanks to monthly shots she started getting at the Franklin County jail. The stories are accompanied by portraits and scenes inside several of the state’s smallest and oldest jails taken by freelance photographer Greta Rybus. We hope you'll find time to give them a read.
You may also remember a series we published last year, in partnership with the Bangor Daily News, about a Maine State Police trooper who was cleared of wrongdoing after punching a handcuffed man in the face. Well this week, in response to a long-awaited records request, we learned that in December the agency suspended a trooper for punching a handcuffed woman in the face — the first time it has sustained an excessive force complaint in at least a decade. The determination was made three months after our investigation called the agency’s practices into question.
Thank you, as always, for reading and supporting our work.
— Stephanie |
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‘Somewhere between a highwire act and a moonlanding’: Maine Democrats chose Troy Jackson in unprecedented U.S. Senate nomination: Maine Democrats used an unfamiliar process to choose a familiar face as their replacement nominee for one of the most closely watched races in the country. Read this story by Josh Keefe and Matt Junker |
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Maine state trooper was suspended for punching handcuffed woman in the face: The Maine State Police sustained an excessive force complaint for the first time in a decade three months after a Maine Monitor/Bangor Daily News investigation called its practices into question. Read this story by Josh Keefe of The Maine Monitor and Callie Ferguson of the Bangor Daily News |
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How two rural Maine jails are rethinking addiction treatment: Monthly shots to treat addiction are promising, but costly. Read this story by Emily Bader |
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Her addiction started after a C-section. Her recovery began in jail: “If they can help you while you are in jail to get yourself set up for when you come out, that is the best thing that they can do for you.” Read this story by Emily Bader |
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The cost of treating addiction in Maine’s jails: The state’s 15 county jails spent an estimated $12.6 million on addiction and mental health treatment last year, often through a mix of grants and other temporary funding streams. Read this story by Emily Bader |
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Overdose rates soar after incarceration. How some jails are trying to improve the odds: Opioid-related overdose is the leading cause of death among recently incarcerated people. But not all jails have the resources for robust re-entry planning. Read this story by Emily Bader |
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NOAA report finds Gulf of Maine warming slowed for now, but ecosystem remains unstable: Although the climate is changing, scientists say fishermen can find a path forward. Read this story by Delger Erdenesanaa |
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After sightings of deadly sharks, a Maine town will fly warning flags all summer: Harpswell adopted the season-long flag policy nearly six years after it was the site of the first fatal shark attack in Maine history. Read this story by Daniel O'Connor of The Maine Monitor and Bangor Daily News |
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Lincoln scales back conservative-led budget cuts after weeks of backlash: While Lincoln’s budget is being slashed, the change pales in comparison to the original 12.8% budget cut. Read this story by Daniel O'Connor of The Monitor & BDN |
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FERC finds DeepGreen’s preliminary permit application deficient. Read this story by Melissa S. Razdrih |
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MSAD 58 voters pass recommended budget at contentious meeting. Read this story by Ben Hanstein |
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Kingfield’s Iron Bridge restricted to 5 tons, must be replaced within 12 months. Read this story by Ashton F. LeCraw |
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Lobstermen propose enlarging fishing area in the waters of Englishman Bay for small-scale operators. Read this story by Jessica Brockington |
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Rangeley Board of Selectmen expands financial reports over transparency concerns. Read this story by Ashton F. LeCraw |
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Washington County 2027 budget planning is underway. Read this story by Judith Meyer |
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RSU 73 board accepts resignations of elementary principal, 3 teachers. Read this story by Bob Neal |
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Fairfield sets special town meeting to reconsider two articles that failed at June annual town meeting. Read this story by Colin Hickey |
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Wilton Blueberry Festival hiring bounce house workers amid volunteer shortage. Read this story by Bob Neal |
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Waterville restricts municipal employees, including police, from cooperating with ICE. Read this story by Makayla Morello |
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Have feedback, a correction or know of something we should look into? Send it to our newsroom. You can also email The Monitor's editors: editors@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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