Morning Links - Thursday, April 18, 2024

Thursday, April 18, 2024

Asylum Seekers

Some Maine business leaders, employers say immigration is key to meeting workforce challenges 🏛 Maine Public

Letter: Allow asylum seekers to work 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Business

In Portland, a startup finds pent-up demand for pottery classes 🏛 Mainebiz

State says it’s the rightful owner of sunken ship near Bar Harbor 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Buy Local

We're getting ready for Record Store Day 2024 this weekend 🏛 WCSH News Center Maine

City

Maine lawmakers grant Portland Sea Dogs $2 million in tax breaks for ballpark renovations 🏛 Maine Public

Maine House backs tax credits for Portland Sea Dogs' stadium 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Portland Sea Dogs' 2 million tax credit bill gains momentum despite opposition 🏛 WGME

Planning Board Workshop on Roux Institute Set for April 23rd 🏛 Munjoy Hill News

Climate Emergency

Maine joins regional efforts to secure $1 billion for clean energy projects 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Maine Legislature passes bill seeking to avoid labor disruptions on clean energy projects 🏛 Maine Morning Star

Town repairing storms’ roadway damages at Higgins Beach 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Mills threatens to veto storm bill with added spending 🏛 Maine Morning Star

New Endangered Species Act rules consider climate impact on ME wildlife 🏛 Maine Beacon

Education

Opinion: To improve Maine students’ health and academics, start in the cafeteria 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Conservative advocacy group report says mandates are partly to blame for Maine's test score ranking 🏛 Maine Public

Environment

After initial split, lawmakers back bill to keep Sears Island in running for offshore wind port 🏛 Maine Morning Star

Maine House backs environmental exemption to allow wind terminal on Sears Island 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Maine lawmakers reverse course on sand dune plan for wind port 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Letter: Disgusted by Sears Island wind port decision 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Scarborough controlled burn benefits land, firefighters 🏛 WCSH News Center Maine

Food and Drink

Outdoor Dining: Decks, Patios & More in Portland, Maine 🏛 Portland Old Port

See If You Can Find Lincoln's In Portland For A Fun Date Night 🏛 Only in Your State

Best vegan food in Portland? 🏛 Reddit

Popular Portland Icon Named Best Dive Bar in the State 🏛 WCYY

Guns

Legislature passes spending bill, gun control measures after marathon session 🏛 Maine Public

As legislative session reached final hours, lawmakers did not vote on red flag law 🏛 Portland Press Herald

We must have an honest and open discourse about guns 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Health Care

MaineHealth MyChart hardware failure causes system to go down 🏛 WCSH News Center Maine

Maine Family Planning unveils mobile medical unit as it urges boost in state funding 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Housing

Where Maine's homebuyers came from in 2023 — and why they moved here 🏛 Mainebiz

Justice

Maine Legislature votes to expand ability to seal criminal records 🏛 Maine Morning Star

Labor

Report: Portland is the best city in the US for working from home 🏛 WMTW

A fair contract for graduate student workers will make UMaine stronger 🏛 Bangor Daily News

LGBTQIA+

LGBTQ families find protection and affirmation in Maine's new confirmatory adoption law 🏛 Maine Public

Nazis

Free speech for Nazis? What about the right to be free from harassment? 🏛 Maine Morning Star

Outdoors

Mainers will vote this fall on a $30 million trails bond 🏛 Maine Public

$30M trail bond gets bipartisan approval from Maine Legislature 🏛 Mainebiz

House approves $30M bond for Maine trails 🏛 WGME

Police

Brunswick Town Council approves spending $380,000 for new armored vehicle 🏛 WGME

Portland man accused of having two-thirds of a pound of fentanyl 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Portland man arrested for large stash of illegal drugs seized in Westbrook 🏛 WGME

Politics

Potato reclassification 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Maine House sends stricter data privacy bill back to Senate 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Maine Senate defeats data privacy bill 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Maine House approves stronger data privacy protections 🏛 Bangor Daily News

House, Senate debate over supplemental budget proposal stretches into early hours 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Republicans scrutinize voting rolls and prepare for mass challenges ahead of election 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Legislature approves budget with 11th-hour storm relief addition 🏛 Maine Morning Star

Maine House passes addition to 2-year budget 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Gov. Mills urges lawmakers to pass supplemental budget, reject amended storm bill 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Letter: Michael Lemelin failed his constituents 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Maine lawmakers slog through bills on final day of session 🏛 WCSH News Center Maine

Maine lawmakers scramble to tackle key issues on last day of legislative session 🏛 WGME

Legislative session ends soon: lawmakers race against deadline 🏛 WMTW

Maine's debate over flags the latest chapter in a long story 🏛 WCSH News Center Maine

Sports

Lugo leads Sea Dogs to 5-2 win 🏛 Minor League Baseball

Lugo’s three-run triple propels Sea Dogs to 5-2 win over New Hampshire 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Sea Dogs earn first home win of season 🏛 WMTW

Former DraftKings executive to lead new Portland pro soccer team 🏛 Mainebiz

Things to Do

Portland Maine Cannabis: Events, Specials and Deals: Where to Celebrate 4/20 🏛 Portland Old Port

WMPG's Jazz At The Movies present the film - Louis Armstrong's Black & Blue 🏛 WMPG

May 12th Portland Contra Dance 🏛 Reddit

Matt Braunger April 18th 🏛 Reddit

Six Organs of Admittance and Tashi Dorji 🏛 SPACE

BELLOWS A Supported Screaming Group! 🏛 Portland Downtonwn

Forest Bathing 🏛 Visit Portland Maine

Transportation

GrowSmart Maine opposes Gorham Connector project citing environmental harm 🏛 Maine Public

Passenger Rail Authority to present ideas for a new Portland station 🏛 Maine Public

Portland’s Congress Street detour set for April 22-26 🏛 PenBay Pilot

MDOT: Expect detour while Frank J. Wood Bridge gets inspection - YouTube - NEWS CENTER Maine

Vacationland

Area code 207 will continue to be Maine’s one and only 🏛 WMTW

Park Loop Road and Cadillac road open for the season 🏛 Mount Desert Islander