Morning Links - Wednesday March 26, 2025

Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Arts

The Humming Lion 🏛 SPACE

As Long As Space Exists 🏛 SPACE

Scarborough students have artwork featured at Portland Museum of Art 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Jay Bragg performs ‘Call Me Old Fashioned’ on 207 - YouTube - NEWS CENTER Maine

Asylum Seekers

Mother of Lewiston teenager arrested by Border Patrol describes anguish over her son's detention 🏛 Maine Public

Ukrainians in Maine fear for their legal status and their country 🏛 Bangor Daily News

ILAP Decries Trump Administration’s Cruel Revocation of Immigration Status for Current Humanitarian Parolees from Cuba, Nicaragua, Haiti, and Venezuela 🏛 Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project

Bears, Sharks, and Zombies

Maine’s bears are waking up. And they’re hungry. 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Business

Scarborough council attempts to settle light industrial district dispute 🏛 Portland Press Herald

The Downs pivoting toward ‘the meat’ of the Scarborough downtown development 🏛 Portland Press Herald

City

Proposed Live Nation venue draws large crowd to Portland Planning Board workshop 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Portland artists raise parking concerns over proposed 3,300-seat music venue - YouTube - CBS 13 News

Letter: Proposed Portland music venue will adversely affect smaller arts groups 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Letter: New music venue would be a great asset to Portland 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Neighborhood Meeting for 60 Elm Street Redevelopment Set for April 1 🏛 Munjoy Hill News

Civil Rights

Underscoring ongoing gender disparity, Gov. Mills declares March 25 Equal Pay Day 🏛 Maine Morning Star

Climate Emergency

New England grid operator tells Congress offshore wind critical to future power reliability 🏛 Maine Morning Star

ISO-NE CEO Reiterates Offshore Wind Essential for Future Grid Reliability 🏛 Natural Resources Council of Maine

Community

Borrow. Use. Return. Repeat. 🏛 Edible Maine

South Portland firefighters will ‘Check for Charity’ this weekend 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Gorham High School students’ actions kept boy safe 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Constitutional Crisis

Maine AG has faith in court system even as some fear Trump won’t abide judicial orders 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Here is where Maine is challenging the Trump administration in court 🏛 Portland Press Herald

AG Frey and U.S. Rep. Pingree highlight importance of state-level legal challenges to counter Trump 🏛 Maine Morning Star

Social Security official ended program for Maine newborns because he was ‘ticked’ at Mills 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Social Security, Buffeted by Turmoil, Awaits a New Leader 🏛 New York Times

Maine service cuts: SSA acting chief's regret over brief pause 🏛 WCSH News Center Maine

Trump official ended program for Maine newborns to get back at Janet Mills 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Freeze on climate-smart forestry funding risks logging jobs in Maine 🏛 Maine Public

Letter: Gray skies ahead for US weather forecasting 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Tesla takedown protest in Waterville 🏛 Reddit

Some Canadians canceling their vacation plans this summer in Old Orchard Beach - YouTube - CBS 13 News

National park funding cuts spark concerns about Maine's Acadia National Park - YouTube - CBS 13 News

COVID-19

Five Years Later: How Preble Street’s Response to COVID-19 Shaped Its Future 🏛 Preble Street

Environment

Harpswell seeks answers as PFAS spill contaminates local waters 🏛 Harpswell Anchor

US Fish and Wildlife: Tell us what you think about listing Monarch butterfly as threatened 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Food and Drink

Cuties to Open in Early April 🏛 Portland Food Map

Guns

Gun control debate returns to Maine State House as lawmakers take up slate of new bills 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Health Care

Survey finds nearly half of Maine households have taken on medical debt 🏛 Maine Public

Nearly half of Maine households struggle with medical debt 🏛 Maine Beacon

MaineHealth asks lawmakers to alter equal pay law to entice specialists to rural hospitals 🏛 Maine Morning Star

Family planning clinics are essential for Maine’s health 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Opinion: Maine must fund invaluable family planning services 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Mainers urge legislature: Keep medical debt from wrecking credit scores 🏛 Maine Beacon

InterMed wants patients to be kinder. We need more from doctors, too. 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Cancer care advocates urge Maine lawmakers to support life-saving measures 🏛 WCSH News Center Maine

Housing

Opinion: Maine’s property tax relief proposals need improvement 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Justice

Maine man charged with making threats to politicians, judges and others online 🏛 Boston.com

Labor

Maine Bureau of Insurance Approves 9.6% Average Decrease in Workers' Compensation Loss Costs 🏛 State of Maine

Maine Bureau of Insurance approves proposal that will lower workers comp premiums for most employers 🏛 Maine Public

LGBTQIA+

Blackstones is Portland’s only gay bar, again 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Letter: Trans athletes debate is a convenient distraction 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Outdoors

Get ready for a partial solar eclipse this weekend 🏛 WCSH News Center Maine

Here are some things you probably didn’t know about Maine owls 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Police

Maine man accused of threatening police, politicians on social media - YouTube - WMTW-TV

Politics

Everything you need to know before going to your Maine town meeting 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows officially announces bid for governor 🏛 Maine Morning Star

Secretary of State Shenna Bellows announces campaign for Maine governor 🏛 Maine Public

Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows will run for governor in 2026 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows announces bid for governor 🏛 WCSH News Center Maine

Secretary of State Shenna Bellows announces run for governor 🏛 Maine Beacon

Maine Republicans file people’s veto effort to overturn $11.3B state budget 🏛 Bangor Daily News

‘Not responsible governing’: Republicans file people’s veto on budget, risking MaineCare funding and government shutdown 🏛 Maine Beacon

Republicans choose paths of resistance as Democrats look to 'part two' budget in special legislative session 🏛 WCSH News Center Maine

Republicans file for people’s veto of budget as lawmakers begin special session 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Maine lawmakers return to State House for start of special session - YouTube - NEWS CENTER Maine

Angus King grills senior Trump official on ‘war plans’ leak in tense hearing 🏛 Bangor Daily News

Sen. King grills national intelligence officials over Signal chat that included journalist 🏛 WCSH News Center Maine

Angus King presses Tulsi Gabbard on leak of military attack plans 🏛 Portland Press Herald

King, Democrats ask Trump officials how Yemen strike plans were mistakenly shared with journalist 🏛 Maine Public

Greenland or Loring? 🏛 The County

Public Safety

Crews battle South Portland motel fire 🏛 WMTW

South Portland motel fire started in the attic, fire officials say 🏛 WCSH News Center Maine

Fire displaces guests at Budget Inn in South Portland 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Firefighters battle three-alarm fire at South Portland's Budget Inn 🏛 WCSH News Center Maine

MedCu marks 50 years of service in Portland 🏛 WCSH News Center Maine

Legislative committee advances Bunker bill to expand benefits for volunteer first responders 🏛 Daily Bulldog

Things to Do

The Live Music Guide: March 26th – April 1st, 2025 🏛 Portland Old Port

Regal Imports Wine Tasting 🏛 Rosemont Market

SPACE on Earth: Panel ＆ Performance with Cara Giaimo, Brandon Keim, Laura Poppick, and sidebody 🏛 SPACE

‘The Addams Family’ brings spooky charm to Portland 🏛 WGME

Mariah Blake – They Poisoned the World: Life and Death in the Age of Forever Chemicals (in conversation with Ayana Elizabeth Johnson) 🏛 SPACE

John Mulaney and friends coming to Portland in August 🏛 Portland Press Herald

John Mulaney ＆ Friends Take the Stage in Portland, Maine 🏛 Portland Old Port

Pet Photographer Day 🏛 Visit Portland

Fortune Feimster 🏛 Merrill Auditorium

Maine Things To Do | Dine ＆ Dance Fundraiser, Girl Scout Spaghetti Dinner, Sports Card ＆ Collectible Show 🏛 WCSH News Center Maine

Cool Things Happening in Portland This Week (March 25-30) 🏛 Reddit

SUMMERS COMING!!! 🏛 Reddit

On The Ocean Festival at Thompson's Point 🏛 Reddit

Transportation

New Report Calls for Expanded Investment in Maine Transit 🏛 Natural Resources Council of Maine

Public transportation meeting just 11% of need in Maine, advisory council says 🏛 Maine Public

Gorham councilor opposes turnpike connector; the issue is headed to Augusta 🏛 Portland Press Herald

Unhoused

Maine's emergency shelter network is in crisis Talbot Ross 🏛 Amjambo Africa

50 years of Compassion in Action – 20 years of 24/7 supportive housing 🏛 Preble Street

Utilities

Starting in April, utilities can cut off power to Mainers with unpaid bills 🏛 Portland Press Herald