South Freeport
GOVERNMENT
Great Falls Balloon Festival rejects Lewiston's offer to keep event going
LEWISTON (WGME) -- Organizers for the Great Falls Balloon Festival have formally rejected the City of Lewiston‘s proposal to help the festivities get off the ground this year. Last Wednesday, the board for the annual event posted on Facebook that it was canceling the festival this year. The group...
Disaster declaration issued for April snowstorm that caused millions in damage in Maine
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A powerful late-season snowstorm that caused millions of dollars in damage in Maine was a major disaster, the federal government has declared. The disaster declaration by President Joe Biden will help clear the way for funding to help rebuild. The April nor’easter, which caused hundreds of thousands of power outages in the Northeast, brought 2 feet (0.60 meters) of snow to parts of northern New England and hit Maine and New Hampshire especially hard.
Some Maine businesses are still struggling to hire summer help
PORTLAND (WGME) -- Summer tourism season is starting up here in Maine, as tens of thousands of visitors came to the state over the holiday weekend. “It was a great weekend, nice to see people back in Portland.” said Brad Belding, general manager at The Porthole Restaurant and Pub.
Memorial Day events in Maine go ahead despite rain
The colors lead off the parade on Broadway in South Portland on Monday. South Portland went ahead with its Memorial Day parade despite the clouds, drizzle and rain. People lined Broadway to watch school bands, police and fire vehicles. Children waved small American flags while some grown-ups held umbrellas to stay dry.
Work still unfinished after 2 years of construction at Portland's Congress Square
PORTLAND (WGME) -- After more than two years of on-again and off-again construction at the intersection of Congress Square and Free Street in Portland, that work is still unfinished. The city and Gordon Contracting split in October after a dispute over electrical wiring under the construction site, but city leaders...
Maine veterans speak on the importance of Memorial Day at Falmouth parade
Despite rainy weather, Mainers across the state were observing Memorial Day on Monday. At the annual parade in Falmouth, several veterans spoke about what the day means to them. “Memorial Day to me means that all the people that have died from Civil War all the way up, they deserve...
Environmental study allows Gulf of Maine offshore wind research lease to advance
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management completed an environmental review that will allow a Gulf of Maine offshore wind research lease to move forward with further work including a power-purchase agreement, officials said Tuesday. The state of Maine has proposed putting 12 offshore wind turbines producing 144 megawatts of electricity atop University of Maine-developed floating platforms, and the state can move forward after the lease assessment found no significant impacts from leasing and assessment of the proposed site about 28 nautical miles (50 kilometers) off the coast, southeast of Portland. Democratic Gov. Janet Mills called it a milestone in the state’s efforts to embrace the benefits of ocean wind energy as well as recognition of “our nation-leading work to responsibly develop this promising industry.” The lease is separate from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management designation of a larger area in the Gulf of Maine for offshore wind production that sets the stage for a lease sale this fall.
Brunswick-Topsham community holds Memorial Day parade
BRUNSWICK, Maine — Spectators and participants braved the cool, damp weather for the annual Brunswick-Topsham Memorial Day parade and observances held Monday. The annual Memorial Day events included a parade and several observances at locations in the community. It was one of numerous ceremonies held in Maine and across the U.S. to honor fallen service members.
Lewiston city leaders meet to discuss possible school budget cuts
LEWISTON (WGME) – Lewiston city council debated a new school budget Tuesday after voters overwhelmingly rejected the first proposal earlier this month, saying it was just too expensive. The school committee met last week and recommended removing $500,000 from the budget, bringing the total to $110 million. Tuesday both...
Bailey Islander and Vietnam-era veteran participates in Honor Flight
Bailey Island resident Minerva “Minnie” Vazquez wears her Honor Flight Maine T-shirt in her home on Bailey Island on May 2. Vazquez served in the U.S. military for more than 20 years. (J.W. Oliver photo) Retired U.S. Army 1st Sgt. Minerva “Minnie” Vazquez, of Bailey Island, served in...
Proposed $3 million athletic field at center of turf war in SAD 51
CUMBERLAND, Maine — A turf war has broken out in Cumberland and North Yarmouth ahead of a referendum vote asking residents to spend $53 million on a new school. The plan also includes a $3 million athletic field made of artificial turf. Here's the divide. You have one side...
Good News, Bad News
The first good news of the week is that the state paving project on Route 27 is a go for this summer. The bad news is that that project may begin when our summer tourist season is in full swing. The good news is that most of the bill for...
June ballots include school spending, state primaries
Harpswell voters will decide two school spending issues and choose their preferred November election candidates for county, state and national seats at the polls on Tuesday, June 11. Voters in the June referendums will choose whether to grant final approval to next year’s Maine School Administrative District 75 budget of...
Woolwich holds 121st Memorial Day service
Woolwich marked Memorial Day with its 121th Service of Remembrance Monday evening, May 27, with First Baptist Church on Middle Road hosting the event. At 7 p.m., Rev. Tom Tuck, pastor of First Baptist Church, welcomed guests gathered in the sanctuary with a short prayer of thanks to the countless men and women who have died or shed blood serving in our country’s armed forces. Following a hymn, Rev. David Ouellette of North Woolwich Methodist Church gave a scripture reading from Galatians 5:13-25. Memorial Day, he said, was a time to reflect on the “purpose of freedom” and the awesome responsibilities that come with this freedom in the way we choose to live our lives.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.