The Maine Monitor

York County is rebuilding its destroyed dunes York County is bolstering beaches and dunes washed away by storms as part of an effort that involves piping up sand from the seabed.

Crews in York County #Maine, are piping sand from the seabed in an effort to restore beaches ravaged by winter #storms. Roughly 7,600 cubic yards of sand will be deposited along Wells Beach, part of a $5.1-million stopgap measure to protect against a five-year flood. Read more for free👇

How much is Maine spending on addiction treatment and recovery? Here’s how Maine’s counties, cities and towns used their opioid settlement funds in 2025, and who was involved in the decisions.

@emilykbader breaks down how Maine’s counties, cities and towns used their #opioid settlement funds in 2025, and who was involved in the decisions. Read her findings for free at the link 👇

themainemonitor.org/local-govern...

Local governments spent $3M in opioid settlement funds in 2025 Money from the opioid settlement funds went to addiction treatment in jails, behavioral health workers, recovery centers and more.

ICYMI: Data shows that just over 40% of #opioid settlement funds in #Maine went to police and jails. Counties and municipalities spent the most on harm reduction and treatment efforts, while prevention programs received the least. Read more from @emilykbader.bsky.social for free

10 wetland restoration projects in #Maine will receive funding, including a project in Acadia to improve the park’s largest freshwater #wetland, which has seen extensive flooding in recent years, and money to remove #dams in Yarmouth. Read more for free 👇

themainemonitor.org/wetland-rest...

At The Monitor, our reporters’ stories exemplify the commitment to going beyond breaking headlines to make sense of the complex and nuanced realities shaping life in #Maine. To sustain this work, we need to raise $45K to make that happen. Make your donation now 👇

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Reporter Dan O'Connor sits down with @newscentermaine.bsky.social to talk about how a #police department in rural #Maine is using an #AI program to write its police reports. Read Dan's full report for free at the link below 👇

themainemonitor.org/wilton-ai-po...

Bills aim to ease municipal costs for emergency services, shelters There is widespread support from social service agencies and municipalities to establish statewide initiatives to help people in crisis.

There is widespread support from social service agencies and municipalities in #Maine to establish statewide initiatives to help people in crisis. Read more from our Monitor Local reporting for free at the link below 👇

themainemonitor.org/bills-aim-ea...

The #Maine Monitor is proud to be a sponsor of the Ellsworth Public Library and @mainepublic.org's Indie Lens Pop-Up Screening series. The first will be The Inquisitor by Angela Tucker, showing on March 21st at 2 p.m. Visit the link for more information.
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Knox County can’t find anyone interested in forming its next budget Knox County is caught in a legal bind and has had no choice but to operate on last year’s budget for the past two months.

Knox County in #Maine is caught in a legal bind and has had no choice but to operate on last year’s budget for the past two months. Read more for free from Daniel O'Connor below 👇

themainemonitor.org/knox-county-...

How much is Maine spending on addiction treatment and recovery? Here’s how Maine’s counties, cities and towns used their opioid settlement funds in 2025, and who was involved in the decisions.

Earlier this year, local governments across #Maine were required to report how they spent their #opioid settlement funds for the first time. @emilykbader.bsky.social breaks down what the data shows for free here:

themainemonitor.org/local-govern...

Local governments spent $3M in opioid settlement funds in 2025 Money from the opioid settlement funds went to addiction treatment in jails, behavioral health workers, recovery centers and more.

#Maine spent $3M in #opioid settlement funds in 2025 on projects ranging from #addiction treatment in jails to prevention workshops in schools, leaving more than $19M that has yet to be spent, with another $50M coming in the next dozen years. Read more from @emilykbader.bsky.social 👇

At The #Maine Monitor, we serve the public as a watchdog #news outlet, delivering thorough, insightful reporting empowering Mainers. We are kicking off our 11-day fundraising drive with a 48-hour $5K match from member Luca Mellon. Click the link to double your donation.

Caitlin Andrews joins The Maine Monitor as housing reporter Caitlin Andrews, the newest reporter for The Maine Monitor, brings a wide range of reporting expertise to an important beat.

The #Maine Monitor is pleased to welcome Caitlin Andrews as a new addition to the independent, nonprofit news organization. Caitlin joins the newsroom to cover statewide #housing issues.

themainemonitor.org/maine-monito...

Thank you for sharing Rose's story!

York County in #Maine began a $5.1 million project in January to repair stretches of coastal #dunes damaged by winter #storms, but the county has bigger ambitions. The coast will need further fortification to fend off larger floods. Read more for free 👇

themainemonitor.org/york-county-...

York County in #Maine is bolstering #beaches and #dunes washed away by #storms as part of a $5.1-million effort that involves piping up sand from the seabed. But full restoration would cost $50 million. Read more on the project for free at the link 👇
themainemonitor.org/york-county-...

#Maine lawmakers are considering two bills that attempt to increase access to #dentalcare by studying ways to establish specialist residency programs and creating a new license tier with lower educational requirements, a measure that multiple dentists opposed.

themainemonitor.org/should-maine...

Maine’s Black Future: The history of London Atus and interview with Alfine Nathalie Introducing the debut of The Maine Monitor's newest podcast offering.

Maine's Black Future podcast delves into Atus's impact and how it shaped the history of Black people in #Maine. Listen to the full episode: themainemonitor.org/maines-black...

London Atus, slave of the Rev. James Lyon, was born in 1759. He came to Machias from Nova Scotia in 1771 with Reverend Lyon. Atus purchased his freedom and went on to serve in the Revolutionary War, and help found Atusville, where he lived with his wife, Eunice, until his death.

ICE agents wouldn’t provide their names. What are Maine's rules? Amid a national debate, Maine law enforcement identification practices are guided by individual department policies, not legal requirements.

Read their full report here: themainemonitor.org/immigration-...

#Immigration agents have come under fire for obscuring their faces with masks and not making it clear who they are and who they work for while detaining #immigrants at record levels across the U.S. Sean Scott sits down with @newscentersmaine.bsky.social to talk about what he and @krstnimg found.

Greenville is being eyed for Maine’s latest battery storage project It is an example of Maine working toward its goal of expanding battery storage capacity despite Trump’s hard turn against alternative energy.

The #battery storage project is an example of #Maine working toward its goal of expanding battery storage capacity despite President Trump’s hard turn against many forms of alternative energy. Read more for free at the link below 👇

themainemonitor.org/greenville-e...

Bankruptcy bill amended to force counties to conduct timely audits If passed, the measure will require audits to be completed within 12 months of the end of each county’s fiscal year.

A bill originally written to offer #bankruptcy protections for towns and counties in #Maine has evolved into a proposal requiring counties to file annual audits within 12 months of the end of each fiscal year, and the state auditor to review them as they are submitted to ensure they are complete.

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Wilton Police using AI to generate police reports The small police department was among the first in the country to begin using Code Four, AI-powered software that generates police reports.

The small Franklin County department in # Maine was among the first in the country to begin using Code Four, software that generates police reports based on audio and video recorded by officers’ body cameras. Read more for free below 👇

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Did you know we are also on #Substack? Subscribe to our "stack" and get our latest that affect #Maine headlines as always for free.

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A pastor's search for missing congregant amid ICE activity in Maine Evaristo Kalonji, an asylum seeker from Angola, vanished from South Portland. He turned up in one detention center, then another.

Thank you for sharing our story!

themainemonitor.org/missing-cong...

The #Maine Monitor is proud to be a media sponsor of the Ellsworth Public Library and @mainepublic.org's Indie Lens Pop-Up Screening series. The first will be The Inquisitor by Angela Tucker, showing on March 21st at 2 p.m. Visit the link for more information.

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Maine considers data centers moratorium Maine officials want to know how data centers will affect energy costs in the region, which already has high electricity prices.

As the nationwide expansion of #datacenters arrives in New England, questions about #electricity prices, grid reliability, and impact on water resources are forcing elected leaders in #Maine to pump the brakes. Read more for free from @juliatilton.com below 👇

themainemonitor.org/maine-consid...

Editor Kate Cough breaks down this week's stories on how immigration agents wouldn’t tell their names to a woman whose partner was detained and how the rules differ across agencies. Also, about how a proposed #climate superfund would work in #Maine and more.

Read more for free: themainemonitor.org