mOsT REcEnT sToRiES
Jury in Trump hush money trial resumes deliberations after rehearing instructions, testimony
Trump is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records at his company in connection with an alleged scheme to hide potentially embarrassing stories about him during his 2016 presidential election campaign.
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Jurors in Trump hush money trial end 1st day of deliberations after asking to rehear testimony Prosecutor says Trump tried ‘to hoodwink voters’ while defense attacks key witness in last arguments
Nation & World
Israel used U.S.-made bomb in deadly Rafah strike, experts say
Cops & Courts
Trial rescheduled for Standish man accused of killing girlfriend in 2021
Schools and Education
On spelling’s saddest day, National Spelling Bee competitors see their hopes dashed
Elections
Three Portland Democrats compete for open seat in Maine House
Durham man on a mission to build affordable housing for people with physical disabilities
Developers hope a new 51-apartment building in Scarborough can serve as a model for Maine and the rest of the country.
May 29
Stanley Goldstein, who helped build CVS drugstore empire, dies at 89
From a single store in Massachusetts in 1963, CVS has grown into a health-care giant with more than 9,000 locations.
May 29
Foul language, swastika painted on U.S. Post Office in central Maine
Postal workers spent Wednesday painting over graffiti that had been spray-painted in bright yellow on the U.S. Post Office in Thorndike.
May 29
Climate change likely to bring rewards – and risks – for Maine farmers
Warming temperatures and a longer growing season will benefit agriculture in the state, but pathogens, pests and extreme weather also are likely to accompany the milder winters, according to the Maine Climate Council.
May 29
Lewiston man sentenced in Massachusetts man’s murder
Family members of shooting victim John Paquin speak at Mark Sinclair's sentencing.
May 29
Iceland volcano starts erupting again, shooting lava into the sky
The eruption is estimated to be the area's most vigorous so far.
May 29
Details of Windam man's murder emerge as Leeds suspect appears in court
Police say the victim from Windham was shot in the head and his body found was in New Hampshire. Joseph Chute, 31, of Leeds has been charged with his murder.
May 29
Lewiston’s offer to help balloon festival doesn't address the magnitude of the challenges, board says
The city said attempts to hold a meeting with the festival board to discuss the details of its proposal have so far been unsuccessful.
May 29
Company behind controversial $500 million fish farm in Belfast suing city
The Belfast City Council voted to withdraw its decision to seize a parcel of mudflats, which it had done in part to guarantee Nordic Aquafarms had access to Penobscot Bay.
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Don McLean’s appearance at White House dinner sends ‘dangerous’ message about domestic violence, ex-wife says
Patrisha McLean criticizes the Biden administration for inviting the singer best known for his 1971 hit 'American Pie.'
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Richmond rounds up bikes and volunteers for annual Bike Rodeo
The annual event, put on by the Richmond Police Department, ensures that local children learn how to safely ride their bikes and that they get a tune up for safe operation.
May 29
Justice Alito rejects calls to quit some Supreme Court cases because of flag controversies
Justice Samuel Alito won't step aside from cases involving former President Donald Trump and Jan. 6 defendants because of the controversy over flags that flew over his homes.
54 mins ago
Sen. Angus King formally announces reelection bid
The former 2-term governor, who is an Independent, is facing 3 challengers in a race that will be decided by ranked-choice voting.
May 29
Aroostook woman found not criminally responsible for deadly apartment fire
Susan Kochanowski was accused of setting the fire at her Caribou apartment that killed her boyfriend, Jason Donahue. A judge last week found her not criminally responsible after listening to testimony from a state psychiatrist.
May 29
U.S. pledges $135 million in aid to Western-leaning Moldova to counter Russian influence
Moldova faced an acute energy crisis after Russia dramatically reduced natural gas supplies in the winter of 2022.
May 29
Inflation pressures lingering from pandemic are keeping Fed rate cuts on pause
In the U.S., a big reason why inflation remains above the Fed's target is that distortions stemming from the pandemic are still keeping prices elevated.
May 29
AI career coaches are here. Should you trust them?
People already turn to generative AI for the kind of advice provided by professionals – things like dating tips, trip planning and how to deal with toxic people. Why not our jobs?
May 29
American Airlines profit cut augurs bleaker summer travel season
Airlines in the U.S. and Europe had previously expected fares to surge this summer.
May 29
How the U.S. ignored a chance to make TikTok safer
TikTok offered the Biden administration control over its U.S. operations and a kill switch if things went south. The administration took a pass.
May 29
State regulators reject settlement with Electricity Maine over customer complaints
The Public Utilities Commission turns down a proposed settlement with Electricity Maine, saying it falls short of what's needed to punish the company, and orders staff to renew its efforts to find a resolution to the long-running dispute.
May 29
Israel says it’s taken control of key area of Gaza’s border with Egypt awash in smuggling tunnels
The move comes as Israel has deepened its incursion into the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where hundreds of thousands of people seeking shelter from fighting elsewhere have been displaced.
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Man charged with fatally shooting his wife in her car in Oxford County
Police say David Gaudreau drove next to his wife's car on the side of Route 108 in Peru and fired shots into her vehicle.
May 29
France’s Macron urges green light for Ukraine to strike targets inside Russia with Western weapons
French President Emmanuel Macron said that France's position is that 'we think we must allow (Ukraine) to neutralize the (Russian) military sites from which the missiles are fired.'
May 29
Nissan warns owners of 84,000 older vehicles about risk of exploding air bag inflators
The urgent request comes after one person in a Nissan was killed by an exploding front-passenger inflator, and as many as 58 people were injured since 2015.
May 29
Jurors in Trump hush money trial end 1st day of deliberations after asking to rehear testimony
Jurors, who will resume deliberations Thursday, also asked to rehear at least part of the judge's instructions meant to guide them on the law.
May 29
U.S. calls Algeria’s proposed UN resolution demanding Israel halt offensive in Rafah not helpful
The draft resolution demands that the cease-fire be respected by all parties and calls for the immediate release of all hostages taken during Hamas’ attack in southern Israel on Oct. 7.
May 29
Two new giant pandas are coming to Washington’s National Zoo from China
The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute has helped move the panda from 'endangered' to 'vulnerable' on the global list of species at risk of extinction.
Two Republicans compete for chance to challenge Rep. Pingree for seat in U.S. House
Andrew Piantidosi of Cape Elizabeth will face Ronald Russell of Kennebunkport in the June 11 Republican primary in Maine's 1st Congressional District.
Westbrook to consider new rules to allow small emergency shelters for the first time
If enacted by the City Council, the ordinance would permit small-scale shelters for youth and families, transitional housing, and accessory shelters in buildings owned by civic organizations.
May 28
Biden campaign edges in on Trump trial media frenzy with De Niro outside court
The Trump campaign called the event an admission that the trial is political and that the Biden campaign is struggling.
May 28
Great Falls Balloon Festival directors reject Lewiston proposal to save event
The festival board of directors notified city leaders Monday that it was rejecting their offer to help with planning, logistics and administrative functions.
May 29
Car crash and reports of gunfire lead to road closure in Oxford County
A section of Route 108 was closed to traffic Tuesday.
May 28
How a simple fix could double the size of the U.S. electricity grid
Rewiring miles of power lines could make space for data centers, AI, and a boom in renewables.
May 29
Somali farmers nurture growth of community farm in Wales
'I like this on every level,' U.S. Sen. Angus King said after visiting the Somali Bantu Community Association’s Liberation Farms in Wales on Tuesday.
May 28
Woman who crashed on I-295 in Portland tells state police she fell asleep
She sustained minor injuries after hitting into the median on Tukey's Bridge and snarling northbound traffic Tuesday afternoon.
May 28
Trump makes sweeping promises of tax cuts, project approvals to donors in audacious fundraising
The former president is testing the boundaries of federal campaign finance laws as he presses for donations in the multimillions of dollars from the wealthiest Republicans.
May 28
Fears rise of second landslide and disease outbreak at site of Papua New Guinea disaster
If the debris – which has become more unstable from recent rain and trapped streams – doesn't stop moving, it can wipe out villages further down.
May 28
Former worker accuses Puritan Medical Products of ‘heinous racism’ in federal lawsuit
Dupreme Ammonds, of Hartland, alleges managers at the Pittsfield swab-making facility did not address complaints about racial harassment and civil rights violations he faced over 14 months at the company.
May 28
Maine Department of Corrections names new superintendent of state’s sole youth prison
Ryan Andersen has worked for the department for 17 years and has been serving as interim superintendent of the Long Creek Youth Development Center since March.
May 29
Right-wing protest banner adds new wrinkle to Maine flag referendum
The Appeal to Heaven flag, which has come to symbolize Christian nationalism and the false claim that the 2020 presidential election was stolen, bears a strong resemblance to the 1901 Maine flag that could become the state's official flag in November.
May 28
More people make ‘no-buy year’ pledges as overspending or climate worries catch up with them
Many are using the challenge to dig out of debt, while others seek to shore up their financial future.
May 28
U.S. offers state a lease to research offshore wind in the Gulf of Maine
The move could establish Maine as a leader in developing the offshore wind industry and provide valuable information about how to build out similar projects.
May 28
U.S. consumer confidence rises in May after 3 months of declines
Most economic indicators show the economy in good shape, though there have been some signs it's cooling off.
May 28
Judge won’t restrict Trump statements that could endanger law officers in classified records case
U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon said that prosecutors on special counsel Jack Smith's team didn’t give defense lawyers adequate time to discuss the request before it was filed Friday evening.
May 28
Vatican apologizes after Pope Francis is accused of using hom*ophobic slur
The pope’s choice of words in a closed-door meeting with bishops appeared to run counter to his efforts to thaw the relationship with the LGBTQ+ community.
May 28
Portrait of Bernard Lown, a Lewiston native who won Nobel Peace Prize, to be unveiled
The painting of the inventor of the defibrillator and a Nobel Peace Prize honoree is part of Brooksville artist Robert Shetterly’s 'Americans Who Tell the Truth' series.
May 28
Melinda French Gates to donate $1 billion in support of women’s power
Gates says the donations will go to individuals and organizations working on behalf of women and families globally, including reproductive rights in the U.S.
May 28
Pittsfield-area schools closed Tuesday after a threat was sent to student via social media
The nature of the threat was unclear, but the MSAD 53 schools closed Tuesday over an abundance of caution.
May 28
Prosecutor says Trump tried ‘to hoodwink voters’ while defense attacks key witness in last arguments
Attorneys in Donald Trump’s hush money trial have finished their closing arguments after a marathon day in court.
May 28
Medics say new Israeli strikes kill 16 in Rafah as residents report fighting has escalated
Palestinian first responders say new Israeli strikes on Rafah have killed at least 16 people.
May 28
Israeli strikes kill at least 37 Palestinians, most in tents, near Gaza’s Rafah as offensive expands
The International Court of Justice has orderedIsrael to halt its Rafah offensiveas part of South Africa's case accusing Israel ofcommitting genocide in Gaza.
May 28
‘American Idol’ star Julia Gagnon's launching her career in music with a tour of Maine
The 22-year-old singer from Cumberland will perform at the Moxie Festival and 15 or more other Maine venues this summer. She also hopes to record a new song about Maine.
Cracking the ‘ReCode’ that could decide Portland’s housing future
The city released its map of proposed zoning changes and is asking for public input this summer before it sends its proposal to the planning board and on to the City Council in the fall.
May 28
Portland is updating its zoning laws. What does that mean?
Portland has embarked on a yearslong process to update its zoning laws, but what does that mean and why is it taking so long?
May 28
Defense attorneys, ACLU question whether new bail reviews for unrepresented defendants are working
Maine judges are holding weekly hearings for poor Mainers who can't find a court-appointed attorney. But in the last six months, the number of people waiting has grown from 100 to more than 630.
May 27
‘Maine has lost sight of parents’ and children’s right to be together’: The case of Barni A.
A state supreme court case found a mother’s parental rights were unfairly terminated, providing a rare glimpse inside the opaque child welfare system.
At least 21 dead as Memorial Day weekend storms devastate several U.S. states
The destructive storms caused deaths in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Kentucky and were just north of an oppressive, early-season heat wave setting records from south Texas to Florida.
May 28
Peru man dies in crash on Route 108 in Canton
Jared Bernard, 22, was killed in a single-vehicle crash on Turner Street, also Route 108, on Monday morning.
Chasing cheese wheels or lugging sacks of wool, U.K. competitors embrace quirky extreme races
This year’s hill where cheese rolling took place was especially slippery and muddy after recent rain.
May 27
Westbrook honors men and women who died in combat with Memorial Day parade, ceremonies
Hundreds braved the rain for the city's annual Memorial Day parade, one of dozens that were scheduled around the state Monday.
