Last week, Maine heating oil reached a record-high $6.02 a gallon. As temperatures drop, Waterville Fire Chief Jason Frost remembers 2008 in Skowhegan, when soaring fuel prices triggered a dangerous surge in chimney and structure fires.
Maine Speaker of the House Ryan Fecteau and other lawmakers met with Eastern Maine Community College educators as part of a “Lower Energy Bills” tour across the state to promote clean energy investments.
Eligibility for the program is now tightened with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and more adults need to work or volunteer at least 80 hours a month to access SNAP.
Officials say the visit highlights the importance of the long-standing relationship between Maine and Canada, especially when it comes to trade, workforce and regional economic development.
One business owner says that Maine already overregulates the cannabis market, and the potential for more regulations from the federal side could consolidate the market, making it harder for smaller operations to survive.
Officials say while the region saw fewer Canadian visitors, tourists from southern Maine and local residents still turned out to support local businesses.
The business community has been opposing this legislation, even before the amendment was proposed. Businesses say this will take away tools that they use for targeted advertising.
Tax experts say it is not just the tipped workers who will make out this year. They say those over 65 years of age and people who work a lot of overtime will also benefit from the new tax code.
Garrett Mason, former Republican Senate leader and current Androscoggin County commissioner, said if elected governor, he would create a refundable tax credit of up to $2,500 for these accounts.
ICE officers arrested more than 200 people during less than one week of immigration enforcement operations throughout Maine, the DHS said in an update Thursday.
According to the department, 206 arrests were made between January 20 and January 24.
The specific funding that President Donald Trump has frozen is the Childcare Affordability Program. This is a state-run program that uses federal dollars to help families pay for child care.
The reclassification of marijuana is seen as a victory for cannabis advocates, as it is expected to increase research into possible benefits and open up the availability for people with chronic conditions to access medical marijuana.
Through the program, eligible Maine residents can be reimbursed through their state tax return for up to $2,500 of student loan payments made during the previous year.
MSEA accused the administration of committing multiple violations of state labor law relating to the current negotiations for successor two-year contracts that expired on June 30, 2025.
King sided with GOP members in supporting a “continuing resolution” that would stave off a shutdown by allowing the government to operate under its existing budget through Nov. 21.
A new National Park Service report shows visitors to Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument contributed millions of dollars to the local economy in 2024.
DHHS officials said approximately 300 Maine households have been impacted thus far, but that number may increase since the incident is still unfolding.
