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It’s hard for me to believe but Monitor Local is now just over six months old, and we’ve just emerged from our inaugural Career Lab in partnership with Journalism New England. 

Our lab fellows, Jessica Brockington and Melissa Razdrih, have spent the last three months learning the foundations of journalism. They have already done some very important reporting in their communities, including Melissa’s piece on the farm and forestry bond that would have helped fund grants and low-interest loans for Mainers, and Jessica’s report of voters rejecting spending any more money on an 1800s-era building the town of Jonesport bought last year.

Since Monitor Local’s launch in November, we have reported extensively on Washington County’s budget crisis and the work undertaken to address it. Our correspondents broke the news of the damage to Lubec’s commercial pier, and were the first to confirm that Fidium Fiber was quietly surveying Machiasport for future work without first alerting public officials. Monitor Local has brought readers vital coverage of countless meetings – from school boards to the Lubec Shellfish Committee.

We’ve kept it all free to read, but we need the support of our readers to keep going. Journalism New England, which provided the seed grant that allowed us to launch Monitor Local, is matching all gifts to support Monitor Local reporting up to $8,000. 

This match officially starts on Monday, but we wanted to open it up early for our Downeast Local readers. Starting today, any gift by a Downeast Local subscriber will be doubled.

If you start a recurring monthly donation, Journalism New England will match your full year of monthly donations.

Thank you for reading. It’s a privilege to report in the interests of Washington County readers like you. 

Please share this newsletter with family members and friends. They can sign up on our website to have it delivered to their own inbox each Saturday.

Maine Library Commission moves to update patron behavior policy, library standards: Debate sharpens over how much training should be required of library directors. Read this story by Judith Meyer

Harvesters, scientists and town officials coordinate steps to rebuild clam population: Lubec moves juvenile clams as town expands conservation efforts. Read this story by Ethan Bien

Washington County Commission tightens oversight of spending: Commissioners approved a $949 backup freezer for the county jail but, citing the new $500 spending-approval policy, rejected cellphone stipends for two clerical workers. Read this story by Judith Meyer

Calais Middle/High School launches major improvement plan with $150,000 donation: The plan kicked off this month with a Downeast Credit Union donation for a new gym floor. Read this story by Melissa S. Razdrih

Maine is stuck in ranked-choice voting limbo. That’s not likely to change soon: Nearly a decade after Maine became the first state to approve the use of ranked-choice voting for statewide elections, it has yet to fully implement the system. Read this story by Matt Junker

New England grid operator forecasts modest growth in electricity demand over next 10 years: Many people are switching to technologies that run on electricity rather than fossil fuels, reversing a past trend of falling electricity use. Read this story by Delger Erdenesanaa

Pastors and political leaders are ‘praying for Maine’: Increased outreach by a Christian lobbying group, along with a men’s Bible study and an expanded prayer caucus at the State House, showcase conservative Christianity’s growing visibility in Augusta. Read this story by Sean Scott

Read our full archive of Graham Platner’s deleted Reddit comments: The collection spans more than a decade and provides a rare glimpse into the thinking of a candidate at a time when he betrayed no political ambitions. Read this story by Josh Keefe

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.

Inside the effort to restore 'Big Jim,' an icon of Maine's bygone sardine industry | Maine Public

High school students get hands-on healthcare experience at UMaine Augusta | WABI

Maine environmental coalition lays out policy priorities, including Wabanaki Sovereignty | Maine Public

Maine Trash Kings turns clutter into cash across Searsport | WABI

Research shows preapproved housing plans boost construction, but Maine’s program was left unfunded | Spectrum News Maine

Maine advocates for home health care and hospice say federal moratorium won't affect patients | Maine Public 

One fisherman dead, another survives after boat overturns near Jonesport | News Center Maine

Maine's city and town websites are essential, new rules aim to make them accessible to all | WGME

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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