Morning Links - Friday, February 2, 2024

Friday, February 2, 2024

Asylum Seekers

Feds deny request to accelerate work permits for Maine asylum seekers 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Climate Emergency

Maine makes it easier to rebuild dunes flattened by January storms 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Community

Dog visits Portland firefighters who saved her from house fire 🏛 WGME

Education

Maine is overhauling preschool special education services 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Environment

Federal health report: High levels of PFAS in Pease, NH community 🏛 WCSH News Center Maine

Board of Environmental Protection approves emergency rule for dune restoration 🏛 Maine Public

Food and Drink

From humble beginnings to culinary hotspot: Here's how Portland became 'Restaurant City' - YouTube - CBS 13 News

Guns

Reassessing long-standing beliefs and positions is natural after a horrific tragedy like Lewiston shooting 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Maine Republicans oppose background checks for private gun sales 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Tearful relatives of Maine mass shooting victims testify 🏛 WCSH News Center Maine

With new proposals, Janet Mills treads lightly into charged gun debate 🏛 Maine Public

Lewiston shooting commission hears heart-wrenching testimony from victims' families 🏛 Maine Public

Health Care

Party-line committee vote spells trouble for proposed constitutional right to abortion 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Task force calls for reforms to regulate hidden hospital fees 🏛 Portland Press Herald

History

Throwback Thursday Photo: Congress Square 1966 & 2024 🏛 Portland Old Port

Justice

Portland man sentenced to 48 years for killing girlfriend in hit and run in Acadia National Park 🏛 Maine Public

Portland man sentenced to 48 years for murdering girlfriend in Acadia National Park 🏛 WGME

Portland man sentenced to 48 years for killing girlfriend at Acadia 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Portland shooting suspect moves to withdraw guilty plea, asks for new trial 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Oxford County to temporarily house inmates in Cumberland County 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Labor

Mills administration to study how state pay stacks up against private sector wages 🏛 Portland Press Herald

South Portland freezes job openings in wake of $4 million budget shortfall 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Police

Man with machete arrested after assault at Franklin Towers 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Man armed with machete accused of assaulting people in Portland 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Man accused of attacking people with a machete in Portland 🏛 WMTW

Man with machete accused of assaulting people in Portland 🏛 WCSH News Center Maine

Man arrested in last week's South Portland bank robbery 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Suspected South Portland bank robber arrested, police recover nearly $30K in stolen cash 🏛 WGME

Man allegedly strangled his 'good friend' and stabbed him with broken bottle 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Westbrook man was strangled, stabbed with glass bottle 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Politics

Fundraising totals for Maine's District 2 race so far 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Public Safety

Last month was the 1st in more than 2 years with no fatal overdoses in Portland 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Portland officials report significant downward trend of drug overdoses 🏛 WMTW

Maine's largest city records first month without overdose death in over 2 years 🏛 WGME

Social Safety Net

How to get your taxesdone for free in Maine 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Proposal would extend program for low-income electricity customers struggling to pay bills 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Sports

Maine Mariners: February Roundup 🏛 Portland Old Port

State

Maine's Department of Education unveils new plan for embattled Child Development Services agency 🏛 Maine Public

Maine education chief unveils plan to reform failing Child Development Services 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Things to Do

Every Second and Fourth Monday! 🏛 Reddit

Unhoused

Portland council will vote on program to get homeless directly into housing 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Vacationland

State parks see slight decline in use in 2023, camping reservations now open 🏛 The Windham Eagle

How to enjoy snowy trails, frozen lakes in Acadia National Park 🏛 Bangor Daily News