Morning Links - Thursday, March 21, 2024

Thursday, March 21, 2024

Arts

Portland Museum of Art's seventh annual 'Art in Bloom' takes place this week 🏛 Portland Museum of Art

'Art in Bloom' takes place this week at Portland Museum of Art 🏛 WCSH News Center Maine

Death Becomes a Scarborough Artist's Lifelike Birds 🏛 Down East

Business

Maine's organic food industry looks to grow, with a $1M federal boost 🏛 Mainebiz

City

Who Gets Grants and What Doesn’t – City Council Review 3/18/2024 🏛 The Portland Townsman

Portland cuts ties with contractor on Congress Square redesign 🏛 Portland Press Herald

8 reasons to call foul on a Sea Dogs tax subsidy 🏛 Maine Center for Economic Policy

Climate Emergency

Biden administration declares disaster in Maine from January storms, unlocking federal aid 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Joe Biden declares Maine's twin January storms a major disaster 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Maine environmental board rejects controversial EV rules 🏛 Maine Public

Maine Board of Environmental Protection rejects Advanced Clean Car II Act 🏛 Maine Morning Star

Maine board rejects mandate to boost electric vehicle sales by 2032 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Maine board defeats rule to phase out sales of newgas vehicles 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Regulators strike down program to bring more EVs to Maine 🏛 WCSH News Center Maine

FEMA centers wrapping up Maine operations as deadline looms to apply for storm disaster recovery 🏛 Portland Press Herald

In wake of January storms, Maine's fish wharves and working waterfronts are starting to rebuild 🏛 Mainebiz

Climate change is causing a longer and more intense allergy season across Maine, report finds 🏛 Maine Public

Maine coastal communities to get updated flood zones this summer 🏛 WCSH News Center Maine

Scarborough residents frustrated by FEMA flood map update 🏛 WGME

Community

Re-Forest the City 🏛 West End Neighborhood Association

Education

Listening Session Set for Today at East End Community School by Education Committee 🏛 Munjoy Hill News

Why Maine is lagging on its goal of universal pre-K 🏛 Maine Public

Mount Desert Island Is Home to Maine’s First Electric School Bus 🏛 Down East

The UMaine System says its budget situation is improving, after years of shortfalls 🏛 Maine Public

Environment

Offshore wind makes sense for Maine, but at Mack Point 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Letter: Reconsider Mack Point for wind port before it’s too late 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Fishing groups pile on against feds’ wind energy area 🏛 Mainebiz

2024 Casco Bay Community Grant Awards Announced 🏛 Casco Bay Estuary Partnership

The extent of toxic trespass 🏛 Maine Morning Star

Guns

Victims fund pays out $4.7 million to Lewiston survivors, families 🏛 Maine Public

Victims of Oct. 25 mass shooting share $4.7 million in donations 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Chellie Pingree presses Army on firearms protocols for Reservists with mental health diagnoses 🏛 Maine Public

Maine Democrats meet privately with ATF official as work continues on gun safety proposals 🏛 Maine Public

Maine Democrats meet behind closed doors with ATF official 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Maine Democrats meet privately with ATF official as advocates work to build support for gun reforms 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Lewiston plans memorial to honor mass shooting victims, teams with chamber on new fund 🏛 Mainebiz

Letter: Hold leaders accountable for Lewiston tragedy 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Letter: Don’t blame individuals for national problems 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Lewiston commission’s interim report was too important for a Friday afternoon 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Health Care

Collins votes not to confirm judge with history of defending abortion rights 🏛 Maine Beacon

Housing

New Maine law will allow manufactured homes on same lots as single family homes 🏛 Maine Public

Maine brokers talk about how National Association of Realtors might change home-buying here 🏛 Mainebiz

Maine lawmakers consider bill to require landlords to disclose fees 🏛 WGME

Justice

Westbrook man sentenced to 18 years in prison for sexually exploiting a child 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Westbrook man to spend 18 years in prison for sexually exploiting 14-year-old 🏛 WMTW

Labor

Gov. Mills introduces bill to establish same minimum wage for farmworkers as other sectors 🏛 Maine Morning Star

Gov. Mills’ proposal would raise minimum wage for farmworkers 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Janet Mills unveils farmworker minimum wage bill after opposing past efforts 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Community college workers shouldn’t have to rely on food stamps and MaineCare 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Nazis

Maine father, son accused of painting anti-Semitic graffiti on the Midcoast 🏛 WGME

Outdoors

Bobcat continues to recover after being hit by car in Gorham 🏛 WGME

Politics

Judiciary Committee inches closer to a comprehensive data privacy law 🏛 Maine Morning Star

A Maine doctor is willing to go to jail for opposing the war in Gaza 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Things to Do

Assembly of Dust at Portland House of Music and Events | Thu, November 21, 2024 🏛 State Theatre

Maine Maple Sunday Weekend in 2024 is March 23, 24 🏛 WCSH News Center Maine

Andy Shauf pre-show happy hour 🏛 SPACE

Poetry Night Celebrating Seamus Heaney 🏛 Visit Portland Maine

Author reading and discussion with Jack Cashman 🏛 Visit Portland Maine

First Annual Chowderfest! 🏛 Visit Portland Maine

An Evening of Arabic Songs & Music w/ Selima Terras & Maine Takht Ensemble 🏛 Portland Downtonwn

Kotzschmar Organ Bach Birthday Bash 🏛 Portland Downtonwn

Full Moon Hike 🏛 Visit Portland Maine

Transportation

Smiling Hill Farm ready to ‘fight back’ against proposed Gorham Connector route 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Opposition mounts before public meeting on proposed Gorham Connector route 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Winds overturn small plane parked at Portland International Jetport 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Amid strong winds, parked private plane flips at Jetport 🏛 Mainebiz

Vacationland

Maine Lobster Festival 2024 seeks Delegate applicants 🏛 PenBay Pilot

Solar eclipse expected to draw thousands, boost Maine's economy 🏛 WCSH News Center Maine