View in browser   |   Forward

The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial Bridge connecting Lubec and Campobello Island is a lifeline for area residents. Officials on both sides of the border agree something has to be done to either repair or replace the international crossing; this week, our reporter covered what the cost, safety and environmental impact might look like for the project, which may not start construction until 2032.

Thanks to the Maine Memory Network, the story is accompanied by images taken during the dedication of the bridge in 1962, including one of James Roosevelt, who attended the ceremony and cut the ribbon on behalf of his mother, Eleanor Roosevelt, who was also present. 

We also have a story about a significant step forward in the permitting process for an underwater data center being proposed in Eastport. It comes days before residents there are scheduled to take up two citizen-led petitions to adopt ordinances that would ban the $100 million project.

We’re also following the Maine Library Commission’s ongoing work to draft new standards for public libraries that commissioners say are designed to make our libraries more sustainable. Some aspects of that work have been challenged by supporters of small libraries who have petitioned the commission to consider alternative rules.

All of the stories published by Monitor Local are written by community reporters, and we’re eager to train more people to cover local civic news in their hometowns.

This is the last call to participate in our next training session, in partnership with Journalism New England, in September. For more information about the program and application process, click here. It’s free and requires no travel, and you get paid for your time.

If you’re interested in freelance work but aren’t interested in this training opportunity, please reach out to me at judy@themainemonitor.org. I’d love to hear from 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. 

Thank you for your support.

Judy

Federal regulators accept preliminary permit for underwater data center off Eastport: A public hearing is scheduled for Monday on two citizen-initiated ordinances that would ban large-scale data center projects. Read this story by Melissa S. Razdrih

Repair or replace: FDR Memorial Bridge between Lubec and Campobello Island faces pivotal choice: Public feedback, environmental reviews and cross‑border impacts will guide MaineDOT’s decision on the future of the 64‑year‑old international crossing. Read this story by Elora Griswold

Maine Library Commission supports paid director requirement, drops municipal funding proposal: Members adopted new eligibility rules for public libraries, including a change that could have left five communities without access to state services. Read this story by Judith Meyer

Lubec School Department moves to limit public access to the community playground: Volunteers who built the playground say it was intended for everyone, even as two other play areas on school property show years of neglect. Read this story by Ethan Bien

Petition challenges Maine Library Commission’s draft library rules: A version of the citizen proposal was submitted to the commission earlier this year as a friendly consideration. Read this story by Judith Meyer

Maine struggling to get homeowners to test and treat private wells for arsenic: Low-income homeowners are least likely to test and treat their well water for arsenic, and a state program to help them has treated fewer homes than expected. Read this story by John Forbes

They wanted to restore wild oyster reefs to the Maine coast. Could it be done?: A team in Phippsburg has been working for nearly a decade to get wild oysters to regenerate in Maine’s cold, turbulent waters. Read this story by Abi Brissett

Even small Maine towns are weighing data center bans: Data centers — large warehouses that hold computer needed by AI and other software to function — have drawn ire for high water and power use. Read this story by Daniel O'Connor of The Maine Monitor and Bangor Daily News

August ‘radio hour’ explores how Maine jails treat addiction: The show offers a behind-the-scenes look at recent Maine Monitor reporting. Listen to this episode

Washington County municipal elections and annual town meetings, August 24-25: Perry

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.

Cash assistance program for single, working mothers in Maine set to expand | Maine Public | Maine Public

Maine students will need to power off electronic devices this year, as the state’s bell-to-bell ban goes into effect | Spectrum News Maine

Governor Janet Mills opposes a proposed merger of energy companies, aligning Maine with other New England states | Maine Public

More than 90 percent of the state is considered abnormally dry | WMTW

Maine has 475 mobile home parks, with the average owner paying $479 a month to rent their lot | Maine Public

Advocates for children in Maine warn that a proposed federal deregulation of Head Start will impact services | Public News Service

Two ATV-related deaths over last weekend have experts stressing safety protocols and training, particularly for young riders | Maine Public

Maine's highest court upholds permit for aquaculture farm proposed near Bar Harbor | Maine Public

Have feedback, a correction or know of something we should look into? Send it to our newsroom. You can reach Monitor Local editor Judith 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.

Manage preferences | Update email address