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Good morning:
Early this year we partnered with Journalism New England on a project to recruit and train community journalists. Our three-month Career Lab provided hands-on training for a small group of aspiring reporting fellows to contribute to Monitor Local’s coverage of government in Western and Downeast Maine. Two of our fellows – Jessica Brockington and Melissa Razdrih – are now actively reporting for The Maine Monitor’s Downeast Local newsletter, covering issues important to Washington County.
We have a number of freelancers covering Oxford, Franklin and Somerset counties and we’d like to train more to cover the civic news that’s important to you.
If that sounds interesting, for more information about the program and the application process, go to: Community Reporting Career Lab Fellowships | The Maine Monitor
If you’re interested in freelance work but not interested in this training opportunity, please reach out to me at judy@themainemonitor.org. I’d love to hear from you.
Please join me and Micaela Schweitzer-Bluhm, the executive director of The Maine Monitor, at a coffee in Rangeley on Tuesday next week. We’ll be at The Rangeley Hideaway at 2419 Main Street from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. There’s no agenda. Just coffee and conversation about our journalism and the issues that matter to you.
Enjoy the weekend, and please share this newsletter with family members and friends. They can sign up on our website to have it delivered to their own inbox each Saturday.
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Why are Maine communities struggling to keep their managers?: Rising turnover and a shrinking talent pool leave local governments searching for stability and new ways to mentor future leaders. Read this story by Makayla Morello |
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Kingfield voters pass temporary moratorium on transitional overnight recreational developments: The town’s attorney raised several concerns about the wording of the ordinance, which could open the town up to legal challenges from Bowdoin College. Read this story by Ashton F. LeCraw |
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MSAD 58 approves Strong withdrawal agreement for November vote: If voters approve withdrawal, high school students could choose to attend classes at Mount Abram, Mt. Blue or Carrabec. Read this story by Ben Hanstein |
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Skowhegan Select Board approves new police SUV after debate over rising costs: The 3-1 vote to fund a Criminal Investigation Division cruiser sparks discussion over the Police Department’s overall budget and fleet size. Read this story by Makayla Morello |
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MSAD 58 sends $13.2M school budget proposal to voters Monday: After voters rejected a smaller spending plan in June, school directors are bringing back their original, higher proposal for consideration. Read this story by Ben Hanstein |
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Farmington weighs rent caps for mobile home parks: While the Select Board delayed action on the proposal, members approved $240,000 in federal funding to install cameras to monitor roads. Read this story by Ben Hanstein |
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Most candidates have to disclose how they make money. Not those running for Maine governor: The Maine Monitor asked the three gubernatorial candidates to provide their personal financial information voluntarily. Here’s what they said. Read this story by Matt Junker |
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Building recovery connections in rural Maine: Gov. Janet Mills’ 8th annual Opioid Response Summit, held in Bangor on Thursday, explored strategies to help people affected by addiction. Read this story by Emily Bader |
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Maine is ramping up effort to reduce packaging in landfills. Will towns participate?: The state is seeking an operator for a new program to shift some recycling costs from municipalities to large companies. But only 16% of municipalities have said they’ll sign up so far. Read this story by Megan Blonigen |
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‘They keep killing people’: Grief and anger follow Biddeford ICE shooting: Hundreds of people gathered at protests in Southern Maine after a man was shot and killed by federal immigration agents in Biddeford on Monday. Read this story by Megan Blonigen, Sean Scott and Josh Keefe |
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The Maine Monitor receives $1 million grant from the American Journalism Project: The 3-year grant invests in the nonprofit news organization’s long-term capacity to deliver more local news for Maine. Read this story |
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The following stories are from other newsrooms. While The Maine Monitor does not place its content behind a paywall, some newsrooms we link to below may. Paywalled stories are followed by a ($). We encourage you to consider supporting local Maine newsrooms. |
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The state’s annual “point in time” survey found fewer people experiencing homelessness last winter | Maine Public
Livermore Falls has received $1 million from the Northern Border Regional Commission to go toward a $2.35 million sewer project along Route 17 | Livermore Falls Advertiser ($)
The oil spill in the Kennebec River last April was traced to the Sappi paper mill in Skowhegan | Maine Public
A $15 million state program designed to help homeowners install storm-resistance roofs will be delayed until next year | WGME
New Balance has offered to give its former factory in Norridgewock to the town | Morning Sentinel ($)
Maine International Film Festival highlights state’s film incentive gap | WABI
Maine has seen a 46 percent drop in overdose deaths since 2022 | Maine Public
A “cold blob” in the North Atlantic could be the result of global ocean currents shifting due to climate change | Public News Service
Advocates say new EPA guidance on PFAS falls far short of what’s needed | Spectrum News Maine
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Have feedback, a correction or know of something we should look into? Send it to our newsroom. You can reach Monitor Local editor Judy Meyer directly via email: judy@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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