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Welcome to May. 

The crocuses and daffodils are up and the tulips are on their way. The fields and forests are drying out a bit, and we will see fiddleheads soon. Street sweepers, clean-up crews and homeowners are all working at getting the winter sand back where it belongs. 

As western Maine warms up, dries off and cleans up, local governments are hard at work as well, discussing everything from Real ID, to bullying, to budgets. It's all in the links below, but do try and make some time to get outside to see those tulips.

One more thing: Yesterday, The Maine Monitor and Bangor Daily News announced the launch of a new partnership to strengthen accountability journalism for Maine. Read that exciting news here.

With new techniques, landowners shape forests for maximum carbon storage

Many of the Maine woods have been cut so hard that reshaping them for carbon storage will be neither quick nor easy.

Read this story by Jan DeBlieu of The Maine Monitor

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

ICYMI: USDA funding uncertainty puts Maine farmers in a bind | The Maine Monitor

Strong and Phillips plan to begin a process to withdraw from the MSAD 58 school district. | Sun Journal

Maine leaders are pushing to delay or phase in the Real ID travel requirement. | WGME

ICYMI: Between 2014 and 2024, the average retail price for electricity in Maine increased by the third highest rate in the country, according to an analysis by The Maine Monitor. | The Maine Monitor

Franklin County scheduled an initial vote and public hearing on a proposed $11.6 million budget | Sun Journal

Tariffs and other costs are making it more expensive to build new homes in Maine. | WMTW

ICYMI: Maine’s clean electricity goals face unpredictable costs, availability | The Maine Monitor

Rangeley is forming a new committee to review the water levels of Haley Pond and the ownership of an associated dam. | Rangeley Highlander

MSAD 44 school board is proposing a $17.6 million budget due to rising costs. | Bethel Citizen

Roughly $8 million in grants was approved for 150 communities in Maine, aimed at improving their resilience to storms and other forms of extreme weather. | Maine Public

ICYMI: A total of 18 resilience projects in Maine had their BRIC applications terminated with the cancellation of the program and are now seeking alternate funding. | The Maine Monitor

Board members, staff and members of the public at the recent RSU 73 board meeting discussed a recent social media post by a director that some described as bullying staff. | Livermore Falls Advertiser

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 Ben Hanstein directly email him at: benjamin@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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