Morning Links - Friday February 14, 2025

Friday, February 14, 2025

Arts

Opinion: A Southern rock opera comes to Southern Maine 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Letter: A tribute to the Portland Symphony Orchestra 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Business

Joann closing more than half of its stores, including several in Maine - YouTube - WMTW-TV

Buy Local

Uncommon Paws in Portland offers upscale, all-natural pet products - YouTube - CBS 13 News

Climate Emergency

Snow lovers welcome the return of an old fashioned Maine winter 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Maine considers tightening rules for recycling solar panels 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Constitutional Crisis

Pingree fields wide-ranging concerns at virtual town hall focused on Trump's actions 🏛 Maine Public

Pingree warns Trump’s hiring freeze could have financial impacts on Acadia, other national parks 🏛 Maine Morning Star

Pingree calls for lifting National Park Service hiring freeze 🏛 Maine Public

Senators ask Navy to exempt Portsmouth shipyard workers from Trump buyout program 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Maine nonprofit directly impacted by move to shutter USAID 🏛 WCSH News Center Maine

Letter: Some questions for Maine Republicans 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Letter: Trump right to end birthright citizenship 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Elon Musk is trying to shut down a federal agency that protects people from… 🏛 Bluesky - Maine People's Alliance

Education

Portland Education Association proposes task force to update discipline policies - YouTube - CBS 13 News

Ban or embrace? Harpswell-area school board debates classroom AI policy. 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Environment

How Stormwater Impacts Casco Bay’s Coldwater Community: A Story of Two Maine Mermaids 🏛 Friends of Casco Bay

Republican legislators paving way for possible nuclear energy comeback in Maine 🏛 Maine Morning Star

Maine train derailment that led to injuries and forest fire was caused by beaver dam, officials say 🏛 WCSH News Center Maine

Food and Drink

Maine Food ＆ Dining: Lewiston, Waterville, Kennebunk, Belfast, Eliot, Houlton, Windham, Bangor 🏛 Portland Food Map

Guns

Federal judge pauses Maine’s new waiting period for gun sales 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Federal judge pauses Maine's 72-hour waiting period for gun purchases - YouTube - WMTW-TV

Federal Judges Pauses Implementation of 72 Hr. Waiting Period Law; MGSC press release 🏛 Maine Gun Safety Coalition

Use of Maine’s yellow flag law continues to be consistently high 🏛 Maine Morning Star

Look up which law enforcement agencies are using Maine’s yellow flag law 🏛 Maine Morning Star

Health Care

After Mainers Elect Pro-Reproductive Rights Majority to Statehouse, Some Lawmakers Seek to Take Away Rights, Access to Care 🏛 Planned Parenthood Maine

Committee Advances Bill to Train Internationally ... 🏛 Amjambo Africa

Housing

Maine housing leaders building interest in modular construction 🏛 WCSH News Center Maine

Outdoors

You won’t want to miss these birding festivals in Maine 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Photography

Pemaquid Point After Recent Snow 🏛 Reddit

Casco Bay Bridge and sea smoke, Portland, Maine. 🏛 Reddit

Ice droplet 🏛 Reddit

Politics

The Paul LePage-era fight that Donald Trump is bringing back to Maine 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Passing a bipartisan supplemental budget can build foundation for larger spending debate 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Opinion: The folly of Maine Republicans 🏛 Maine Beacon

Former Elon Musk employee enters 2026 race against Susan Collins 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Sen. Collins votes to support RFK Jr. while Sen. King calls the nominee a 'danger' to public health 🏛 Maine Public

Angus King calls RFK Jr. ‘a danger.’ Susan Collins votes yes. 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Susan Collins and Angus King split over RFK Jr. confirmation 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Letter: Susan Collins capitulates 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Opinion | Susan Collins and Her Cowardly Caucus Bow Down to Trump 🏛 New York Times

Susan Collins is again under pressure over backing or bucking Trump 🏛 USA Today

Sen. King demands more resources to combat fentanyl trafficking - YouTube - CBS 13 News

Prices are up again, after Trump’s promises to bring them down 🏛 Maine Beacon

Analyzing how President Trump's proposed tariffs would impact Maine - YouTube - WMTW-TV

NO KINGS Protest 2/17/25 at the State House in Augusta And Elsewhere 🏛 Reddit

Public Safety

Maine immunization advocates call for state action following confirmation of RFK Jr. 🏛 Maine Public

Maine’s childhood vaccination rates have benefited from the elimination of nonmedical exemptions 🏛 The Maine Monitor

Letter: RFK Jr. stands to compromise medical care and study 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Social Safety Net

Mainer says he feels helpless after poor personal experience at DHS office 🏛 WCSH News Center Maine

State

Maine must provide better support for families experiencing challenges 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Things to Do

Susan Linn's "What the Duck?" – Mayo Street Arts 🏛 Mayo Street Arts

Upcoming Heroscape Learn-to-Play events at Weekend Anime ＆ Games in Westbrook, Maine 🏛 Reddit