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Happy Valentine’s Day, a day that marks mid-February and one we associate with love and caring.

It also happens to be the date, in 1946, when the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer – or ENIAC – was introduced to the public as the first programmable, electronic, general-purpose digital computer. Exactly 42 years later, Texas Instruments patented its “micro on a chip,” better known as the first microchip.

In 1966, Wilt Chamberlain broke the NBA career scoring record at 20,884 points on Feb. 14. (LeBron James holds the record now, at 42,975 points and climbing.)

On Feb. 14, 1971, President Richard Nixon had a secret recording system installed in the Oval Office. Sixteen months later, five men broke into the Democratic National Committee headquarters. Two years later Nixon resigned from office.

And, in 2005, YouTube was launched on Feb. 14 by three former PayPal employees. Now owned by Google, it is the second-most visited site worldwide.

What happens today is going to be history tomorrow. 

The world will learn of amazing human achievements, marvels and discoveries through journalists who — as former owner and publisher of The Washington Post Philip Graham is credited with saying — write “the first rough draft of history” by capturing, recording and reporting events as they happen.

We hope you have a lovely and loving Valentine’s Day and that you are enjoying this newsletter – with its contributions to the rough draft of history – and encourage you to share it with family members and friends. They can sign up on our website to have it delivered to their own inbox each Saturday.

Jay Select Board weighs police partnership, rent moratorium and solar farm plan: Town officials in Jay and Wilton have not set a date for when voters will consider options for shared law enforcement services. Read this story by Bob Neal

Waterville City Council releases 2026 goals, opens them to public review and discussion: The goals reflect themes of growth and improvement that have been council priorities in recent months. Read this story by Charley DiAdamo

RSU 9 to begin special education services for 4‑year‑olds this fall: Board approves dual diploma program allowing students from Playa del Carmen, Mexico, to attend Mt. Blue High School during their junior year. Read this story by Ben Hanstein

Paris Select Board approves solar farm named Baxter off Kilgore Road: Solar panels will be set on ballasts atop a capped landfill that served as a sludge disposal site for the former AC Lawrence Leather Co. Read this story by Jon Bolduc

Skowhegan Select Board discusses U.S. Border Patrol raid, life safety code violations at homeless shelter: Police Chief David Bucknam called the recent Border Patrol operation that resulted in more than a dozen arrests ‘meticulous’ and ‘very professional.’ Read this story by Evan W. Houk

As Community Center project nears three‑year mark, members of Farmington Select Board ‘pray’ for it to be over: Town officials approved a handful of change orders for the project this week as they head toward a March 1 move‑in date. Read this story by Ben Hanstein

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

U.S. Border Patrol arrested at least 17 farmworkers in Skowhegan this week. | Maine Public

A federal judge later ordered the release of a Venezuelan man detained during that operation. | Morning Sentinel

Nineteen students were suspended from Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School in connection to the harassment of a student, according to school officials. | Advertiser Democrat

The first sober house in the greater Bethel area will open in Woodstock later this month. | Bethel Citizen

A consulting firm has estimated that the 2024 Farmington Fair generated $4.6 million of economic impact. | Franklin Journal

The Maine Legislature passed an expansion of ranked-choice voting to the gubernatorial and legislative races, as well as a request to the state law court to advise on whether or not the expansion aligns with the state constitution. | Maine Public

Franklin County Detention Center will make use of a field kitchen while it replaces grease traps. | Sun Journal

Officials are keeping a wary eye on a 3-mile-long ice jam that is piling up in Caratunk. | Morning Sentinel

Rumford is receiving a federal grant for $3 million to convert the closed Rumford Elementary School into a child care and community center. | Rumford Falls Times

The U.S. Attorney’s Office moved to dismiss gun-related charges against a Rangeley man that tied into a multi-year marijuana case. | Sun Journal

Proposed law would direct funds from unredeemed bottles and cans to Maine lakes, farms | Maine Public

Bill to teach Wabanaki Studies in classrooms passes through both House & Senate committees | WABI

The Case for Rural Prosperity | Maine Policy Review

Consolidation could ease demand for new Maine schools — but communities are reluctant | Maine Public

Maine’s Rural Maternity Crisis: A Policy Agenda | Maine Policy Review

Chief Justice Valerie Stanfill delivers State of the Judiciary address | News Center Maine

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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