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Maine death certificates don’t track housing status, but other states are starting to
Jim Fernald is a fifth-generation funeral director. His great-great grandfather started the family profession near Mount Desert Island, and now, Fernald has been working for more than 30 years in Bangor. Each case is different, Fernald said, but in the past few years, he’s seen an increase in the number of people who were homeless […]
Millions in debt, low-barrier shelters warn committee they are at risk of closing
Hope House Health and Living Center, a low-barrier homeless shelter in Bangor is searching for a new financial partner. Without it, the shelter will need to close come next October. Currently, the shelter has an $800,000 budget gap, according to remarks made by Lori Dwyer, president and CEO of Penobscot Community Healthcare, which runs the […]
Spike in death investigations highlights Maine medical examiner’s limited staff, budget
A murder-suicide in Searsmont. A caretaker who allegedly murdered two patients in Denmark. An isolated shooting in Biddeford. These are just some details of the nine death investigations reported by the Maine Department of Public Safety between Nov. 21 and Nov. 28 — just one week. Most of them were ruled homicides; a seeming deluge […]
Sen. King introduces gun legislation to limit high-capacity ammunition devices
U.S. Sen. Angus King of Maine, an independent, introduced legislation Thursday that is designed to curb mass shootings while protecting the Second Amendment rights of those who own a firearm for self-defense or sport, such as hunting. According to a press release from King’s office, the Gas-Operated Semi-Automatic Firearms Exclusion, or GOSAFE, Act establishes a […]
Maine legislature will take up several housing bills, though none about encampment sweeps
Out of the 100 bills that the legislature will take up in the session that starts in January, seven pertain to housing or addressing the homelessness crisis. This accounts for fewer than half of the 20 housing related bills the legislative council voted on to determine whether they would be introduced as emergency bills in […]
Making space for people sleeping outside, Portland to open new asylum seeker shelter
A new emergency shelter is opening Wednesday in Portland with 179 beds and wrap-around services for asylum seekers. The shelter is opening due to increased demand from asylum seeking individuals, according to a news release from the city. The roughly 16,000 square-foot facility at 166 Riverside Street will be operated by city of Portland Health […]
Scope of proposed farmworker minimum wage law subject of debate in committee meeting
Maine is trying to pass a minimum wage law for farmworkers — again. Existing laws exclude agriculture workers, a historically intentional choice in federal and state laws to suppress labor groups comprised predominantly of people of color. A years-long effort to expand labor rights to farmworkers in Maine came close during the last legislative session, […]
What moving to Maine and tragedy taught me about gratitude
This year, I’m thankful for new beginnings. I’m grateful for the way starting over has challenged me, humbled me and shown me that community isn’t confined to a ZIP code. In pursuing my career, I gave up the place I’ve called home for my whole life and moved to Maine. I traded the land that […]
Lewiston shooting commission pursuing subpoena power from state legislature
At its first meeting, the Independent Commission to Investigate the Facts of the Tragedy in Lewiston decided to move forward with obtaining subpoena power to ensure it can gather all the necessary information to understand the state’s deadliest mass shooting. The commission unanimously agreed Monday to ask Gov. Janet Mills and Attorney General Aaron Frey […]
Northeast Amtrak corridor awarded billions for improvements, but not in Maine
Federal dollars are pouring into rail projects across the country, including right here in New England, but local lawmakers fear Maine may be missing its opportunity to jump on board. Earlier this month, the Biden administration announced $16.4 billion in improvement projects for Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor. The 25 projects between Boston and Washington D.C. will […]
Gov. Mills, congressional delegation want vital fishing area free of offshore wind development
Despite last month’s proposed map for offshore wind in the Gulf of Maine being dubbed a victory for the fishing industry, Maine’s congressional delegation and Gov. Janet Mills are calling for more. Along with Mills, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King along with Reps. Jared Golden and Chellie Pingree sent a letter urging that […]
Climate, labor groups rally behind new port as next step to bring offshore wind to Maine
Proponents for offshore wind in Maine are rallying behind efforts to build a new port to help bring the clean energy source online as soon as possible. A coalition of organized labor and environmental groups released a statement Wednesday highlighting its support for the “responsible development” of a port that would help with the construction […]