Maine Things Considered

An array of progressive groups and two of Maine's Native American tribes are criticizing Democratic Attorney General Janet Mills for joining a Washington State lawsuit over tribal water rights. The lawsuit is scheduled to be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court next month, and its outcome could affect a long standing legal battle in maine over water quality standards in the Penobscot River. This new criticism coming from progressive activists comes just as Mills is attempting to convince Democrats to

Independent U.S. Sen. Angus King of Maine questioned Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke on Tuesday on a proposal to open most of the coastal areas of the United States to exploratory drilling for gas and oil. King used a hearing on the Interior Department budget to press Zinke to pay attention to the opposition that’s coming from from the state of Maine. He told Zinke that the Maine Legislature, as well as the state’s congressional delegation, are all opposed to drilling off Maine’s coast, and he

Maine ski operators, particularly smaller ones, are enthusiastically embracing the back-to-back blizzards this month. Even a short drought can leave some mountains struggling for the rest of the season to recoup their losses. Only two weeks ago, parts of Maine were reporting temperatures in the upper 50s. That wasn’t making ski area operators like Bill Whitcomb at all happy. But this week’s snowstorm has put a smile on his face. “Right now, snow in the month of March is frosting on the cake

Central Maine Power wants ratepayers to invest $200 million or more in Portland-area electricity infrastructure. But some lawmakers and the state’s utility watchdog say the company is underestimating the potential for alternatives that could be much cheaper and much better for the environment. In a recent letter to state regulators, CMP says it needs to improve grid reliability in the Portland area to meet projected electricity demand in 2025. It proposes spending $214 million on 32 miles of new

Days before planned walkouts at thousands of schools across the country, students in the Bangor area say they want lawmakers to take action to prevent school shootings.

We all know firsthand that music can improve your mood, but it can also have real, measurable effects on brain chemistry. A Portland-based startup tech company is developing a new device that’s designed to improve mobility in people who’ve had strokes by retraining the brain to walk again, using the music of their choice. At a coworking space in Portland, neurologic music therapist Brian Harris works with two stroke survivors. He and his team at MedRhythms are testing a device dubbed The Stride

The third nor’easter to hit Maine in the last couple weeks is dumping 12 to 18 inches across much of the state - and more in some areas - with far northern Maine getting most of its snowfall Tuesday night and Wednesday.

An internal memo from the Maine Department of Labor indicates that a new $90 million unemployment claims system is not working properly and should not have ever been put online without considerable testing. The document, which is marked confidential, also says that hundreds if not thousands of Mainers who were eligible for unemployment benefits either did not receive them in a timely manner, or never got them at all. I think those folks should definitely consider filing suit, I think there is a

AUGUSTA, Maine - The Maine Department of Labor says the state's unemployment rate fell slightly in January to 3 percent. The Labor Department says the unemployment rate was down from 3.1 percent for December and 3.4 percent a year ago. The department says the state's rate of unemployment has been below 4 percent for 26 consecutive months, which is the longest stretch since the current methodology was put in place in 1976. The nationwide unemployment rate of 4.1 percent in January was the same as

Of all Maine's export products, one of the most logistically challenging is Homarus americanus. Fresh Maine lobster is now in demand all over the world, but it takes a lot of work to deliver the product to the other side of the planet while it's still fresh. In this installment of It CAN Get There From Here we visit a lobster dealer who's found a way to do it. Lobster packing is a squeaky affair, but the workers who do it will tell you “you get used to the Styrofoam squeak after a while.” A crew

The population of the endangered North Atlantic right whale took a big hit last year with a record number found dead in Canadian waters from ship strikes and entanglements. With this year's calving season ending and no new births observed, an ongoing debate over whether Maine's lobster industry poses a mortal threat to the species is gaining new urgency.

As the year ends, we look back on the lives of some memorable Mainers. They defended people in court and on the battlefield, created great art and moving music, shaped public policy and gave us an official state soft drink.

The Maine Board of Dental Practice has found in favor of a Lewiston dentist accused of putting the health and safety of his patients in immediate jeopardy. Dr. Jan Kippax had his license temporarily suspended about a year ago after 18 patients filed nearly 200 complaints against him. But on Friday, the same board that suspended Kippax decided not to take further action. The complaints against Kippax alleged, among other things, that he extracted the wrong teeth from patients, performed

At first glance, a new bill from Maine’s secretary of state contains mostly a list of minor housekeeping changes to state election laws. But tucked inside is a big change that could make it much harder for groups pushing citizen initiatives onto the state ballot.

Frigid temperatures forecast this weekend are proving too much even for rugged Mainers. A pair of popular polar dips planned for New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are being canceled or rescheduled due to organizers’ concerns for participants’ safety. For the first time in 30 years, the New Year’s Day Lobster Dip held in Old Orchard Beach to benefit Special Olympics is being postponed until Saturday, Jan. 13. Participant and Public Relations Director Lisa Bird says the numbers forecast for that