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Maine Outdoor Film Festival, July 21-26

MAINE PUBLIC • June 24, 2026

The Maine Outdoor Film Festival’s signature flagship event returns to Portland July 21 to July 26 and Maine Public is very pleased to be a Media Sponsor. This year’s MOFF lineup features 97 films from 11 countries, including 18 Maine-made films. Screenings take place throughout Portland—indoors each day at local theaters and outside each night under the stars at our open-air theatre, complete with a 24-foot inflatable screen (BYO chair and picnic!).

2 men rescued from Katahdin after becoming trapped in severe thunderstorm

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 25, 2026

Two men, Dakota Cunningham, 35, of Richmond, Virginia, and Sean Rowan, 35, of Chesterfield, Virginia, were cleared to climb Katahdin and left the Chimney Pond Campground at 5 a.m. Wednesday. Conditions worsened during their ascent, and by 2 p.m., they were confronted with a severe thunderstorm, according to Baxter State Park Director Kevin Adam. The hikers were caught in the storm on a section of the mountain known as the “Flat Iron,” which is a difficult climb even for expert hikers. As the storm worsened into rain, hail, high winds and lighting, Cunningham and Rowan became hypothermic and dehydrated. At around 6:45 a.m. Thursday morning, the Maine Army National Guard search crew located the hikers, and airlifted them off the mountain. They were taken to the Millinocket Regional Hospital for necessary treatment.

US Supreme Court hands win to Monsanto in case related to claims Roundup causes cancer

MAINE MORNING STAR • June 25, 2026

State courts cannot find liability for labeling shortcomings in pesticides and related products because such products are covered by federal law, the U.S. Supreme Court said Thursday in a decision backing agricultural giant Monsanto. The justices, in a 7-2 decision, threw out a $1.25 million verdict a Missouri court awarded to a man who said long-term use of the weedkiller Roundup caused him to develop non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of blood cancer. The herbicide, produced by Monsanto, does not include any warning of carcinogenic material and Monsanto and parent company Bayer deny there is any link.

Some Versant Power customers can expect to see lower bills in July, company says

NEWS CENTER MAINE • June 24, 2026

Some Versant Power customers can expect to see lower bills starting on July 1, according to a press release from the company. The change is due to lower distribution and conservation rate changes in the Bangor Hydro District and the Maine Public District, the company said Thursday.

Is New England’s new hydropower transmission line paying off?

MAINE MORNING STAR • June 25, 2026

When the New England Clean Energy Connect transmission line started carrying electricity from Canada into Maine in January, supporters hailed the project as a triumph for renewable power. Now, after nearly six months of operations, the early numbers raise questions about whether the project will be able to advance the region’s energy transition as much as advertised. Energy flow into New England is up just marginally, and there have been roughly 27 days when no power at all traveled along the new line, commonly called NECEC. If current trends hold, New England will receive less hydropower this year over two transmission lines than it did over just one line in 2023 and previous years.

Opinion: A federal proposal puts Maine’s scientific research in peril

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 25, 2026

Maine is a small state with a large scientific footprint. Across the state, nearly 10,000 people work in the life sciences, at roughly 600 institutions or businesses. Maine’s life sciences sector is growing faster than other job areas and contributes $2.3 billion to our economy. This growth was built on a foundation of federally funded research. That foundation is now under threat, and Maine has a lot to lose. A recent policy proposal from the White House would transform longstanding federal regulations that propel discovery-driven research, fundamentally weakening the pipeline that produces America’s most important scientific advances. This proposal will sow uncertainty in the research conducted in Maine, which has supported thousands of jobs statewide. Now is the moment for Sen. Susan Collins to demand that the White House withdraw this proposal. ~ Elisabeth Marnik,The Evidence Collective

You’re missing one of Maine’s finest stretches of north woods

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 25, 2026

Recently, at the urging of my son Josh, I revisited a few of the many trout ponds north of Eustis. It was still early in the season for that country, but a light hatch of Dark Hendricksons was underway. Good memories come flooding back on trips like that. Aside from the trout fishing, this area remains a feast for the eyes. The Flagstaff watershed stretches for miles, while Bigelow, Spencer Mountain, Sugarloaf and other prominent peaks provide a magnificent backdrop beyond the paved highway, which leads to Coburn Gore, Benedict Arnold’s Chain of Ponds and eventually the Canadian border. Like the famed Rangeley Lakes region to the west, with its rich sporting history and celebrated figures such as Carrie Stevens and Herb Welch, the Eustis area has a heritage of its own if you take the time to look for it.

Letter: Orrington trash plant a blight on nearby communities

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 25, 2026

The trash plant in Orrington is a blight on our communities. Living only a half mile from the facility, we have been subjected to consistent light and air pollution with little benefit to the community to offset these concerning issues. The fire in 2024 caused many of us in the area to suffer from respiratory problems. The recent fire didn’t last nearly as long, but again we were greatly affected by the onslaught of dangerous smoke. Something needs to be done to guarantee our health and safety and that of our neighbors. ~ Toni Thompson, Orrington

Aroostook nature center is a hidden gem for summer fun

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 24, 2026

For parents wondering what to do with the kids home all summer, there is a little known nature and discovery center tucked away off a Hodgdon dirt road that is packed with free outdoor adventures. The Twin Ponds Nature and Discovery Center, celebrating its 10th year, might be one of Aroostook County’s best kept secrets. Sara McQuarrie, the center’s founder, said the center aims to give kids and families up-close nature adventures that could spark the next generation of conservationists.

Acadia balances invasive plant’s popularity with ecological damage

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 24, 2026

While lupines are celebrated as one of Maine’s most iconic blooming flowers — showcased on Acadia National Park souvenirs and the centerpiece of the beloved children’s book “Miss Rumphius” — the park has spent years balancing their popularity with the ecological threat they pose as one of many invasive species in Acadia. But, unlike many invasives targeted by the park’s invasive management team, lupines are only managed when they encroach on at-risk species or significant natural habitats like wetlands or summits, according to the park service.

Franklin County lands $2.37M for trail, housing, ski projects

FRANKLIN JOURNAL • June 24, 2026

Three Franklin County projects will receive a combined $2.37 million in federal funding through the Northern Border Regional Commission, including money for a Farmington trail bridge, ski area upgrades and workforce housing infrastructure in Carrabassett Valley.

Fact brief: Does Maine have the most untouched wilderness in the Lower 48?

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 24, 2026

No. Maine does not have the most untouched wilderness in the Lower 48 (the continental states excluding Alaska and Hawaii). One measure is federally designated wilderness: public land Congress has protected under the Wilderness Act. Maine has three designated wilderness areas totaling about 18,600 acres, less than 1% of its land area. California has the most designated acreage in the Lower 48 at 15.3 million. Another measure is the U.S. Forest Service’s list of inventoried roadless areas. These are undeveloped National Forest System lands, but they are not automatically designated as wilderness. Maine has about 6,000 acres, ranking 33rd among the 42 states listed by the Forest Service. Alaska leads with nearly 14.8 million roadless acres. Maine nevertheless is said to be the nation’s most forested state.

Volunteers are mapping Maine's missing mussels

MAINE PUBLIC • June 24, 2026

A community science effort led by the Gulf of Maine Research Institute is mapping mussel beds with the help of this weekend's extremely low tide. By documenting where mussels are thriving or receding due to changing environmental factors, researchers can better understand what's happening along the coast, said Carissa Maurin, aquaculture manager at GMRI. The effort is part of a larger community science project spanning Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

Code enforcement officers are a ‘dying breed’ in Maine. That’s a problem.

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 24, 2026

By law, every municipality must employ a code officer to enforce state and local ordinances on shoreland zoning, land use, plumbing, waste disposal and building codes. They’re responsible for reviewing permits, conducting inspections, investigating complaints and making sure construction meets safety standards. Like so many industries, though, code enforcement is facing a mass exodus of workers as baby boomers retire. That’s where regionalization comes in. the Kennebec Valley Council of Governments has developed a model that will soon be replicated across the state as part of a three-year pilot program.

Androscoggin River water quality is the subject of a lawsuit. Here’s what you need to know.

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 24, 2026

Friends of Merrymeeting Bay, a conservation group, filed a federal lawsuit last week seeking stronger water-quality protections for part of the Androscoggin River. The lawsuit challenges the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for abusing its discretion under the Clean Water Act “in failing to reject Maine’s unlawful and uncodified actual antidegradation policy.” It also challenges the Maine Board of Environmental Protection for its refusal to recommend to the state Legislature a reclassification of a stretch of Androscoggin River ranging from Gulf Island Pond dams to Worumbo in Lisbon. The lawsuit follows a yearslong debate over whether the stretch of Androscoggin River should be reclassified from a Class C waterway to cleaner Class B status.

Rockland man accused of 17 hunting violations

MIDCOAST VILLAGER • June 23, 2026

A Rockland man entered not guilty pleas Monday to 17 violations of Maine hunting laws. Dustin Dean, 23, was initially charged with night hunting in Rockport. A criminal complaint was filed June 9 charging him with 17 counts that include one count of night hunting, six counts of exceeding the bag limit on deer, one count of fraudulently obtaining a hunting license, four counts of failing to register the animal after it was hunted, four counts of unlawful possession of a wild animal, and one count of hunting an antlerless deer without a permit.

Kennebunkport’s Cape Porpoise Pier renovation completed

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 23, 2026

Kennebunkport has wrapped up an $8.6 million renovation of the Cape Porpoise Pier, which supports approximately 50 commercial fishing vessels and is home to several restaurants. The town will mark the occasion with a formal ceremony Wednesday morning. The pier had a number of structural flaws that were exacerbated by years of storm surges and extreme tides.

Landmark Deal Marks Step Toward Permanent Protection for 500 Acres of Rare Oldest Forest in Northern Maine

NEW ENGLAND FORESTRY FOUNDATION • June 23, 2026

The New England Forestry Foundation (NEFF) and Irving Woodlands Maine have signed an agreement to defer timber harvesting in nearly 500 acres of rare, old, natural forest — also known as late-successional and old-growth (LSOG) forest — in Aroostook County, safeguarding carbon-rich ecosystems and rare habitat as part of a broader effort to conserve some of Maine’s most valuable forestland. Under the agreement, NEFF will provide funding to Irving Woodlands Maine in exchange for deferring planned timber harvests while partners work toward a permanent conservation solution for the area. As part of the agreement, NEFF is also providing funds to support practices that will increase future timber production in younger forests, including thinning dense young stands.

Acadia’s citizen advisory commission has not met this year

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 23, 2026

A citizen advisory commission for Acadia National Park has missed its two meetings so far in 2026. The bylaws say the Acadia Advisory Commission shall convene at least three times per year. Usually, those meetings take place in February, June and September. The first two meetings planned this year have not happened, which members and stakeholders said seems to be the result of an administrative problem at the national level.