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Greetings from Downeast where the Easter Bunny found its way Downeast even though it hasn’t looked or felt much like spring until the last couple of days. Rumor has it that the big bunny (not to be confused with the Bad Bunny!) still will be hopping around Washington and Hancock counties today. Visits with the Easter Bunny are happening in towns up and down the coast.

In other bunny news…Bunny Hollow in Machias will answer any questions you have about bunny care, or anything bunny related later tonight.

If you’d like to learn more about critters of another kind, the Downeast Salmon Federation will be teaching everything about the under-appreciated smelt. The DSF’s annual Smelt Fry and Fisheries Celebration is next Saturday, expected to draw hundreds of visitors to the region.

There’s plenty of information about entertaining and educational events such as these posted on the Washington county Facebook Events page.

But be careful about what you believe on newsier social media pages. An apparently false post on the Washington County Incident Alerts page Thursday said that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were looking for undocumented migrants in Milbridge. The social media post turned out to be false and the thread was removed.

Reports like these, however, are becoming more common as people grow more anxious over ramped up Trump administration immigration policies. Sadly, they are not all rumors. The American Civil Liberties Union reports that more immigrants are being detained in Maine.

You can read more about it in the link below, as well as in my article published today that looks at how Maine businesses and farmers are being impacted by harsher immigration policies.

Farmers, seasonal businesses worry as immigration crackdown ramps up

“There are a lot less local people that want to do [this work], so we have to have this program,” said the owner of an apple orchard. “Without it, we’ll just be out of the industry. We go away.”

Read this story by Joyce Kryszak of The Maine Monitor

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

The ACLU of Maine says more immigrants are being detained in Maine. | Maine Public

ICYMI: Maine has joined lawsuits challenging Trump’s birthright citizenship order, funding freezes and more. Here’s a running list. The Monitor

Hancock County’s elected probate judge has been suspended from the bench for the second time in the past year. | Bangor Daily News

Farmers astride tractors and livestock trailers rallied to demand the U.S. Department of Agriculture honor $12 million in agriculture contracts it has not paid out and reinstate a local food program that provided $4 million to Maine schools and food pantries. | Portland Press Herald

The latest announcement of the fourth maternity unit closure leaves a huge swath of northern Maine without hospital-based labor and delivery services, raising concerns about care for mothers and babies. | Maine Public  (Maine Monitor context: Maine's Maternity Crisis)

Too many Mainers are going through ‘life-changing’ civil cases without attorneys, legal aid providers said at a news conference. They are asking for lawmakers to pass a $15.9 million 2-year emergency bill. | Portland Press Herald

A New York man will spend 16 years behind bars for the murder of commercial fisherman in Whitneyville. | WABI

The number of people visiting Maine fell for the third year in a row in 2024, spotlighting a growing challenge for one of the state’s primary industries. | Portland Press Herald

Bar Harbor has finalized its agreement with American Cruise Lines, paving the way for the small-ship tour operator to legally disembark passengers at the town pier. | Mount Desert Islander

Hannaford began a review of dairy sourcing days before a human rights complaint

alleged substandard working conditions on some farms that supply the supermarket chain's milk. | Portland Press Herald

Academic associations that represent UMaine System schools and other universities are challenging a recent Department of Energy directive that will limit the amount of grant money that can be used by colleges and universities for administrative purposes. | Portland Press Herald

ICYMI: A bill that would boost transparency of how Maine’s opioid settlement funds are being spent advanced out of committee last month. | The Maine Monitor

The new leader of a Maine pharmacy school is facing scrutiny this week over a new report that said he made misleading claims about his own research on the health benefits of maple syrup while receiving funding to promote the maple industry. | Bangor Daily News

Without more funding from towns, the Bucksport library director say that services, hours and events will likely be cut. | Bangor Daily News

The 1932 Criterion Theatre, Bar Harbor’s beloved Art Deco cultural landmark, is poised for a rebirth in announcing a change of ownership and renewing a commitment to its long-term presence. | Mount Desert Islander

Chris's Pond Park is now three acres larger thanks to a recent donation from Maine Coast Heritage Trust that expands the town's conservation easement at the property. | Mount Desert Islander

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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