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The voyage of Artemis II and the lunar flyby we’ve been witnessing over the past 10 days has been nothing short of amazing, giving us an opportunity to see a side of the moon we’ve never seen before.

Just because we haven’t seen it doesn’t mean we don’t appreciate how much the moon’s influence has on Earth, from ocean tides to stabilizing our planet’s wobble. Some believe the moon affects plant growth.

The Farmer’s Almanac charts the phase of the moon and its position in the Zodiac to determine the best days of the year to do household chores, indoors and out.

According to the Almanac’s wisdom, today is a good day to make jam, to cut your hair, and to paint. It’s also one of the best days of this month to start potty training, if that’s necessary in your household.

The Almanac also says today is a good day to dig post holes, kill plant pests and host a party. Maybe a party celebrating the return of the Artemis II? If you haven’t seen images taken by the crew, it’s worth a minute to look here.

And just one more note: as Monitor Local has grown, we’ve been publishing more frequently throughout the week. You will continue to see all of our Downeast work rounded up in this newsletter on Saturdays — with a new name: Downeast Local — but you can also get the freshest news as it’s published by signing up for The Maine Monitor’s new newsletter, the Daily Dispatch.

Washington County Commission seeks more information on shift to fiscal year budgeting: The Legislature has passed emergency legislation authorizing a special $640,671 payment to cover the unorganized territories’ share of Washington County’s 2025 debt. Read this story by Judith Meyer

Lubec Board of Selectmen votes to support Green and White Hope’s marine safety advocacy work: The board also approved seed money to establish the Paula Tinker Memorial Lubec Junior Firefighters program. Read this story by Ethan Bien

Fidium Fiber confirms broadband in Machiasport, quietly hitting the streets to ‘cover the whole town’ with fiber-optic access: Under a Federal Communications Commission contract to expand broadband in rural Maine, construction is scheduled to begin in June and be completed in October. Read this story by Melissa S. Razdrih

Maine Library Commission discusses meaning of ‘quality’ library service: Commissioners are expected to propose new minimum standards for public libraries in May before opening the proposal to public comment. Read this story by Judith Meyer

Machiasport Planning Board drafting short‑term rental ordinance as officials weigh town’s future as a ‘vacationland’: The ordinance is expected to include a registration process, described as a “first step” in a multistep effort to ensure short‑term rentals have minimal impact on residents. Read this story by Melissa S. Razdrih

Proponents of Maine trans athlete referendum criticize wording of question: Protect Girls Sports in Maine, the committee responsible for bringing the proposal to voters this November, said the ballot language is “not dutifully faithful to the proposed legislative text.” Read this story by Daniel O'Connor of The Maine Monitor and Bangor Daily News

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.

Climate, ocean research slashed under proposed NOAA budget | Public News Service

Proposed underwater data center off Eastport raises concerns | Quoddy Tides

Maine border crossings continue to fall as Canadian tourists shift away from the U.S. | Maine Public

Bill to calculate Maine's climate damage awaiting funding decision | Maine Public

Recent fine against lobsterman and GOP lawmaker fuels claims of political retaliation | Maine Public

Area legislators support bill to boost state’s share for county jails | Quoddy Tides

Machias Historical Society begins work on ‘Liberty Village’ Revolutionary War site | WABI

New state law gives protections to Mainers with medical debt | Maine Public

Proposal to create Maine Office of Child Advocate progresses through House | WABI

Maine public health groups to share support for new medical cannabis regulation bill | WABI

UMaine faculty outline ‘grave concerns’ with administration in scathing letter | Bangor Daily News ($)  (Maine Monitor context: UMaine is re-envisioning its future. Faculty concerns are ‘palpable’)

Maine Supreme Court says proposed ranked-choice voting expansion is unconstitutional | Maine Public

A moratorium on data centers larger than 20 megawatts did pass through the Legislature | Spectrum News Maine

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.

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