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Greetings from Downeast, where in East Machias, and all around rural Maine, it’s time to break out your wellies. 

Frozen ground is giving way to warmer temps and rain, stirring sandy soil and silt into a mucky mess. You are sure to hear a good deal of cursing as boots and lighter vehicles get sucked into the grainy mire (not to mention potholes!). But folks are also grateful that the soil is awake after a long, frozen slumber and garden planning can begin.

The shift to growing season is especially welcome this year as community leaders look for ways to fill food pantry shelves. Federal funding hits mean that Downeast food pantries (like hundreds of others statewide) could have far less food available for the thousands of food insecure people who depend on these vital services.

To meet the crisis Downeast, agencies are partnering to create a robust regional food system to help meet increasing needs. More information about that partnership will be announced next month.

And today at the University of Maine at Machias, specialists are also coming together for the annual ROOTS Conference. They’ll be talking about additional ways to develop sustainable and community-driven strategies around food, agriculture, and other regional resources.

Across Maine, residents are attempting to purchase their mobile home parks. A new bill would sweeten the deal for sellers.

As the state grapples with a housing affordability crisis, advocates say housing cooperatives offer lower-income residents more stability.

Read this story by Adrienne Washington of The Maine Monitor.

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

Gov. Mills warns lawmakers of ‘hard decisions ahead’ after signing $11.3 billion budget | Bangor Daily News 

With cuts to federal funding through two significant food programs and a proposed reduction in SNAP benefits, uncertainty is a common tone among food pantries around Hancock County as they anticipate an influx of food insecure people and fewer resources to support them. | Mount Desert Islander

ICYMI: As birthing units continue to close across Maine, potential solutions emerge. | The Maine Monitor

The National Park Service says the Department of Interior is reinstating eight probationary Acadia National Park employees in compliance with recent court orders. | WABI

The Hancock County Commissioners meeting Tuesday started on a sour note as Commission Chairman Bill Clark almost immediately told Lt. Brian Archer of the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office to leave the public meeting. | The Ellsworth American

The Island Explorer will run at full capacity this summer after the Department of the Interior approved Downeast Transportation's financial assistance request for funds to operate the fare-free bus line. | Mount Desert Islander

Extensive repairs to Ellsworth's roads can be expected this spring after the City Council accepted a local roads paving bid of approximately $1.6 million to repair or repave nearly 20 roads. | The Ellsworth American

The Mount Desert Island Regional School System as the organization announced it had recovered the more than $1 million put at risk by an attempted cyber theft. | Mount Desert Islander

There may be fewer bottles of syrup to take home this coming Maple Sunday as syrup producers work with imperfect weather conditions to extract sap from their tapped maple trees. | The Ellsworth American

Bar Harbor has escalated its enforcement of the notice of violation administered to Golden Anchor for allegedly operating as an unlicensed cruise ship disembarkation facility. | Mount Desert Islander

Attorneys representing the state want court approval to publicly identify the name of a ship that sank off Bar Harbor in the 1890s. | Bangor Daily News

A Hancock County probate judge is again at risk of losing his ability to practice law because he has not paid his taxes. | Portland Press Herald

Have feedback, a correction or know of something we should look into? Send it to our newsroom. If you have feedback or a tip that you want to send to Joyce Kryszak directly, email her at: joyce@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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