Committee recommendations aim to limit flood risk

Remember when Maine Maple Sunday Weekend was one day? Always Sunday. In 2007, the event expanded to include Saturday in an effort to bring even more visitors to Maine’s sugarhouses – and it worked.

The Maine Maple Producers Association estimates about 100,000 visitors stopped at one or more sugarhouses across the state last year, up from 60,000 visitors when the event was held on a single day. This year – the 43rd anniversary – there are more than 100 sugarhouses participating, offering tours, tastings and so much more.

At Church’s Sugar Shack in Columbia Falls, visitors will see a wood-fired evaporator at work and can sample maple syrup over vanilla ice cream – and maple beans. New this year will be mini pancakes with a choice of toppings. How sweet is that?

Sounds like the perfect event to welcome spring, so check out the Maine Maple Producers Association searchable map to find a sugarhouse near you.

Dress warm. Wear boots. The syrup will be good, but the weather is going to be a little messy this weekend.

We hope that you are enjoying this newsletter 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.

Know of a Downeast Maine story The Maine Monitor should look into? Click the banner to contact the newsroom.

Upper Machias Bay Master Plan Leadership Committee recommends increasing inspections and infrastructure upgrades to limit flood risk: The committee also recommends updating and implementing an emergency response plan to address weather and flooding emergencies. Read this story by Evan W. Houk

Proposed changes to Maine’s school funding formula could benefit Calais district: If the proposed changes are enacted, Calais could receive as much as $60,000 in additional education funding. Read this story by Ethan Bien

Washington County municipal elections and annual town meetings, March 30-31: Addison, Alexander, Dennysville, Robbinston

banner that reads in-depth from the maine monitor

Maine could help convert empty schools into housing. But it’s tricky. A former school near the Canadian border has been empty for 15 years. One in the Midcoast closed last year. Both are trying to figure out what’s next. Read this story by Caitlin Andrews.

banner that reads other news we're monitoring

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

Maine’s rural health care players confront challenges while trying to stay afloat | Ellsworth American

'A last safe place': Mainers experiencing mental health crises often end up in the emergency room | Ellsworth American

Here’s how northern Maine school districts will use a $1M USDA grant | Bangor Daily News

Maine lawmakers approve emergency funding for public defender system | Maine Public

Penalties pile up for poor Mainers facing stalled USDA foreclosures | Bangor Daily News

Maine could become first state in the country to offer free community college and then take it away | Maine Public

Bill introduced to increase funding to Maine’s county jails | WABI

Bill to make child care in Maine more affordable and accessible heads to Gov. Mills' desk | WMTW

Maine military moms hope to start state’s first Blue Star Mothers chapter | Sun Journal

AARP Maine and Maine Public Health Association to hold community conversation about health, community and resilience in Trescott | AARP

Civil legal aid organizations in Maine say they need $3 million to prevent reduction in services | Maine Public

Gubernatorial candidates at Wabanaki forum agree on tribal sovereignty | Bangor Daily News

Maine’s school funding formula could be changed for first time in 20 years | Portland Press Herald

Spiking energy costs relating to the war with Iran is driving up the cost of heating oil | Maine Public

Monitor Local Editor Judith Meyer recognized for “extraordinary, decades-long commitment” to Maine journalism | The Maine Monitor

banner that reads congrats to judith meyer on being recognized with a yankee quill award.

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.

DONATE NOW

banner that states the maine monitor is part of the trust project, an international consortium of news organizations implementing transparency standards. tap to learn about the monitor's editorial standards.

Manage preferences | Update email address