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Welcome to the shores of Gouldsboro Bay, where towns are deep into putting together their budgets for the next fiscal year. Right now, a lot of the conversations are about money.

Property values everywhere have skyrocketed, so many municipalities are required to do an across-the-board property valuation increase pending a full revaluation, which could be years down the road.

And Mount Desert Island Hospital is closing its labor and delivery unit July 1 to all but emergency deliveries. The hospital says there is no longer enough demand.

On a separate note, Border Patrol agents in northern Maine are using drones and surveillance equipment to look for persons who are crossing the border illegally.

MDI Hospital announced plans to close its birthing unit, making it the tenth Maine hospital to do so in the past decade

The hospital president said the choice to close the unit follows a steep decline in births, calling it a “devastating decision.” The Maine State Nurses Association called it an “abject failure.”

Read this story by Rose Lundy of The Maine Monitor.

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

With the cost of operating the Washington County Jail being a significant portion of the county budget, legislative efforts to increase the state's share of funding for county jails are being closely watched. | Quoddy Tides

A newly released report maintains that Maine should greatly increase funding for transit and transit providers. | Mainebiz

Border Patrol agents who oversee Maine’s international boundaries have relied more on drones and other surveillance tools this year as they’ve stepped up their enforcement efforts. | Bangor Daily News

ICYMI: Educators and lawmakers have varying priorities on how to address Maine’s dwindling teacher workforce, but many are united behind a multi-pronged approach. | The Maine Monitor

Youth in Washington County will have the opportunity to engage in more outdoor activities with the establishment of the Jeffrey A. Stanhope Foundation in memory of the late Perry resident. | Quoddy Tides

Secretary of State Shenna Bellows made it official. She announced her gubernatorial run where she has her roots: Hancock County. | Ellsworth American

The budget for employing and outfitting the men, women and law enforcement dogs who patrol Hancock County has grown by over a million dollars during the past 10 years. | Ellsworth American

ICYMI: Potential MaineCare cuts threaten care for children, nursing home residents | The Maine Monitor

The Federal Emergency Management Agency funded an emergency repair of the Manset Pier in Southwest Harbor after the January 2024 storms, but now is looking to FEMA for much more costly permanent repairs. | Mount Desert Islander

A man was arrested over allegations that in 2023 he threw cash at an Acadia National Park employee and pounded on the door when told the worker could not accept cash. | Bangor Daily News

The Lubec Area Musicians' Philanthropic Society and the Machias Bay Chamber Concerts have collaborated to develop a program bringing music to hundreds of students around the county. | Quoddy Tides

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 Jacqueline Weaver
directly, email her at: jacqueline@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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