AGP Executive Report

Heating Assistance Push: Gov. Janet Mills is urging Congress to boost LIHEAP funding as Maine braces for another winter of high heating costs, citing record heating oil prices and warning families shouldn’t have to choose between staying warm and buying food. Fuel Economy Lawsuit: Maine is among states suing the Trump administration over a rollback of federal fuel economy standards, arguing it violates federal law and will raise costs and pollution. Opioid Update: Maine overdose data shows fewer fatal overdoses so far this year, but non-fatal overdoses are up—keeping pressure on prevention and treatment efforts. Conservation & Development: Residents and the Conservation Commission are pushing back on an “unnecessarily large” warehouse proposal near cranberry bogs, raising concerns about stormwater, pollution, and impacts to protected habitat. Maine Politics: In the first televised debate for governor, candidates sparred over taxes, spending, and qualifications, with property tax relief a central theme. Citizenship in Bangor: Twenty new U.S. citizens took the oath in Bangor, with voting rights a key focus ahead of the midterms.

Maine Politics: Maine’s three gubernatorial candidates clashed in their first televised debate in Portland, trading sharp attacks over housing costs, taxes, energy bills, and healthcare while still pledging to work across party lines. Local Elections: Bangor City Council hopeful Michael Furrow says drugs are the city’s No. 1 problem and backs eliminating affordable housing and syringe exchange, while Caribou’s George LaCasse Jr. runs unopposed on a business-and-tax-control pitch and Houlton’s Chris Robinson seeks to balance services with affordability. Homelessness & Housing: Bangor warming-center leaders warn two centers were denied state funding, raising fears of fewer beds and more people freezing this winter; meanwhile, a Bangor couple says rising rents pushed them to buy after 15 years of renting. Energy & Health: Maine EMS is holding an Oct. 15 info session on the Maine EMS Connectivity Project as costs shift to agencies; MaineHealth Pen Bay Hospital earned Joint Commission Primary Stroke Certification. Safety: October is Pedestrian Safety Month, with Maine urging drivers to slow down and watch for people on foot.

EPA Fight Over Power-Plant Pollution: Maine AG Nick Brown joined a coalition of states, counties and cities suing the Trump administration to restore Biden-era greenhouse gas limits for coal and gas power plants, arguing the rollback harms public health and communities. Drug-Price Settlement: New York AG Letitia James announced a $400 million deal with Sandoz and Fougera over an alleged scheme to inflate generic drug prices and reduce competition, with eligible consumers urged to file claims. ICE Vehicle-Stop Rules: New ICE internal guidance orders officers not to do high-speed chases and limits who can lead traffic stops after specific training. Public Safety in Maine: A driver was caught on video nearly running over an investigative journalist outside a Bangor methadone clinic; police say they’re investigating. Local Government Watch: Jay approved a $52,188 propane boiler for the Livermore Falls wastewater facility, while Edgecomb held a hearing on updating its fire department ordinance. Community & Culture: Damariscotta’s Oct. 3 open-mic celebration and Bangor’s summer Red Clay Strays waterfront show are among the week’s local events.

Budget Showdown: A federal watchdog says the Trump administration’s “pocket rescissions” canceling about $810M in congressionally approved funding were unconstitutional, setting up a fresh fight over who controls the purse. Maine Politics: Maine Sen. Susan Collins is facing renewed scrutiny tied to a data-center lobbying push—this time involving her husband’s consulting work—while the Senate race with Troy Jackson tightens amid national political turbulence. Housing & Winter Safety Net: MaineHousing awarded a record $2.72M for overnight warming shelters, but Aroostook’s only warming site still faces a deficit even with the boost. Drought & Water: Kittery’s water supply remains critically low, with severe restrictions continuing as Portsmouth Naval Shipyard demand rises and ponds fail to refill. Nor’easter Fallout: A weekend nor’easter brought heavy rain and gusty winds along the coast, knocking out power for thousands and canceling many outdoor plans. Health Policy: The Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act—introduced by Sen. Tina Smith with Maine’s Susan Collins—was signed into law to renew tick-borne illness programs through 2030. Local Sports: Skowhegan shut out Lewiston 3-0 in Class A North field hockey.

Offshore Wind & Maine’s Next Steps: Maine is being urged to rethink offshore wind plans now that lease cancellations are in play, with critics saying the state must weigh less harmful, more practical options for future development. Energy Costs Politics: Democrats blocked a Senate push aimed at curbing electricity strain from data centers and AI, a move that could shape the midterm fight over affordability. Election Watch (Maine): Maine’s U.S. Senate race stays in the spotlight as Troy Jackson apologized after remarks tying Gaza “genocide” language to Jewish Mainers’ views. Road & Travel Disruptions: MaineDOT will close Seawall Road (Route 102A) in Southwest Harbor for up to 28 days starting Oct. 5 for storm-resiliency work. Big Transport Slowdown: A nearly 684,000-pound load moving from Jay toward South Portland is taking longer than expected after missing a key crossing, with major traffic impacts along the route. Public Health/Environment: A new survey found microplastics in every Delaware River tributary segment tested—another reminder of how widespread contamination can be. Local Life & Community: A bagel shop is set to open in Amesbury at a former service station, and Augusta’s United Volunteers of Maine Haunted House returns Oct. 2 with new rooms and nightly scares.

Appalachian Trail: A 91-year-old Baptist layman, Dale “Grey Beard” Sanders, finished a record-setting Appalachian Trail through-hike—2,197 miles from Georgia to Maine’s Mount Katahdin—after starting in September 2025 and ending Aug. 31, 2026. Maine Politics/Ads: Sen. Susan Collins is demanding a full accounting of taxpayer-funded pro-Trump TV ads, as legal experts question whether the spending violates federal rules on propaganda and political activity. Public Safety: The body of 82-year-old James Kannry, missing from a Blue Hill area boat incident for more than a week, was recovered after a days-long search. Healthcare/Local Government: Bangor is moving to buy PCHC’s headquarters property to help address a reported $3 million financial shortfall, aiming to keep services running while a sale delay is worked out. Courts/Students: Maine’s highest court will hold oral arguments at three high schools next week, including appeals involving a murder conviction, bail revocation, and access to unredacted public documents. Environment/Coast: A nor’easter left heavy seaweed piles along parts of the coast, with some Maine businesses turning the wash-up into “free fertilizer.” Business/Legal: A couple accused of defrauding a lobster co-op has sold a Winter Harbor marina to pay off a court-ordered penalty, closing out a long-running federal case.

Maine Politics: A new University of New Hampshire poll shows Sen. Susan Collins gaining ground with women, narrowing her gap with Democrat Troy Jackson ahead of the midterms. Maine Courts & Guns: Twenty-five states led by Montana urged the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down Maine’s 72-hour gun-purchase waiting period, arguing it’s unconstitutional. Energy & Rates: Central Maine Power warned that uncertainty in its rate case could delay grid reliability projects and affect staffing, after Maine PUC staff recommended denying CMP’s temporary rate hike. Broadband Funding: Sen. Susan Collins and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen pushed the Commerce Department for clearer rules on how states can use remaining broadband grant money. Public Safety: Maine State Police are seeking a Massachusetts man wanted after he fled a Skowhegan traffic stop tied to a drug investigation. Weather: Nor’easter clouds linger but conditions improve, with patchy fog possible and a warmer stretch expected into early October. Community: Portland hosts the Maine Food Producers Showcase and Golden Fork Awards Oct. 8, plus the Maine Animal Coalition’s Veg Fest Oct. 24.

Maine Politics: Bangor City Council voted 8-0 to extend its data center moratorium by 180 days, buying time to draft zoning rules as developers eye large power- and water-hungry projects. Local Housing: A Belfast nonprofit is running a volunteer-staffed transitional housing program, Family Harbor House, offering free rooms and support for homeless families in a community that previously lacked options. Public Safety: Maine Game Wardens used K-9 Lucy to find a missing Montville man early Monday; he was alive, uninjured, and brought back after an overnight search in heavy rain. Courts & Justice: Jury selection is set to begin Thursday in a long-running Bangor-area murder case: Raymond Brown is accused in the 1984 slaying of Calais teen Linda Maxwell, with trial expected to last about two weeks. Health Care: Bangor is moving to buy a Penobscot Community Health Care building, a move that could disrupt PCHC’s emergency plans as the provider faces financial strain. State & Federal: Sen. Susan Collins says the Trump administration’s $810 million spending cancellation breaks the law, including major HHS-related items.

Title IX shake-up: The Trump administration formally rescinded the Biden-era Title IX protections for LGBTQ students, signaling a return to narrower rules for how schools handle harassment and sports participation. Federal funding fight: President Trump used a rare “pocket rescission” move to cancel nearly $1B in spending approved by Congress, drawing sharp criticism from Maine Sen. Susan Collins. Maine politics under pressure: Maine veterans are calling on Collins to respond to ProPublica allegations tied to a reported “pay-to-play” scheme involving Navatek. Nor’easter impacts: A nor’easter weakened but left high surf, coastal flooding risk, and lingering rain across Maine’s shoreline. Local courts and crime: A Portland-area drug case saw two men plead guilty in a southern Maine fentanyl/meth conspiracy. UMaine change: The University of Maine System voted to remove George Mitchell’s name from a sustainability center, fund, and scholarship program after it appeared in Jeffrey Epstein-related files. Community and culture: The Declaration of Independence toured Skowhegan schools, and St. Albans hosts the Rail City Tattoo Convention Oct. 3-4.

Storm Impact: A powerful nor’easter is battering the Northeast for a second day, bringing heavy rain, strong winds, dangerous surf, flooding, and widespread power outages, with travel disruptions and hundreds of flight cancellations reported. Federal Funding Fight: The White House is rescinding $810 million in education and research funding, a move Sen. Susan Collins says is illegal because it bypasses Congress. Maine Politics: Sen. Mark Kelly says Troy Jackson has a “real shot” to win Maine’s Senate race against Susan Collins, citing her long tenure and role as appropriations chair. Maine EMS Crisis: A Bangor Daily News investigation highlights Maine’s crumbling ambulance system, and asks gubernatorial candidates how they’d fix rural emergency response. Local Planning: Bucksport officials discussed a temporary data center ban after a developer visited the former mill site, adding urgency to how Maine communities handle new power- and infrastructure-heavy proposals. Public Safety: One person died and three were seriously injured in a head-on tow-truck crash in Standish; speed is suspected.

Nor’easter Impacts: A powerful nor’easter kept battering Maine and the Northeast Sunday, with high surf and coastal flooding risk plus outages—Central Maine Power reported thousands without power, including heavy hits along the coast. Coastal Safety: Wells saw waves crash over seawalls and debris on roads; a coastal flood advisory and high-surf warnings stayed in effect into early Monday. State Oversight: Maine DHHS moved to cut off MaineCare funding for an autism group home operator after inspectors found serious care and safety failures, following a recent Maine Wire investigation. Local Public Safety: Maine State Police arrested an Old Town man after a crash and foot pursuit in Pittsfield; investigators cited revoked license and alcohol in the vehicle. Community Help: WindowDressers and First National Bank announced three fall Community Builds to install low- or no-cost window inserts for households struggling with heating costs. Politics: Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King separately slammed President Trump’s move to cancel nearly $1 billion in federal funding without congressional approval.

Nor’easter Impact on Maine and the Northeast: A powerful nor’easter is battering the U.S. East Coast from Washington, D.C. to Maine, bringing coastal flooding, strong winds, heavy rain, and major travel disruption. Storm Disruption: More than 400 flights were canceled and thousands delayed, while power outages left tens of thousands of homes and businesses in the region without electricity at one point. Maine Coastal Watch: In York County, minor coastal flooding is possible during high tide, with a Coastal Flood Advisory in effect until early Monday and a High Surf Advisory through Sunday evening. Local Maine Politics: Old Town residents are pushing for a new agreement with the Juniper Ridge Landfill operator, arguing the current host deal lacks key protections like a closure date. Elections & Community: A Houlton council candidate says she wants more respect and citizen input as she seeks re-election. Sports: Elon beat UMaine 43-17, and Maine Maritime Academy women’s soccer topped Vermont State 2-1.

Nor’easter Disrupts Maine and the Northeast: A strong fall nor’easter is battering the East Coast, with coastal flooding, high winds, and widespread travel trouble. Over 400 flights were canceled and more than 100,000 customers lost power at one point, including major impacts across the region. Local Weather Watch: Maine’s coast faces a High Surf Advisory and Coastal Flood Advisory, with dangerous rip currents and rough seas expected through the weekend. Maine Tragedy: A Roque Bluffs grandmother and her two young grandchildren died after their car plunged into a pond following their father’s wedding. Politics—Maine Senate Race: Democratic Senate hopeful Troy Jackson was removed from his own Facebook group after supporters complained about rude comments. Public Safety—School Fire Alarms: Boothbay Regional Elementary School is keeping a “fire watch” in place while waiting for parts to restore its fire alarm system. Statehouse/Taxes: GOP gubernatorial candidate Bobby Charles proposes a $100,000 homestead property-tax exemption with full state reimbursement to towns. Other Maine News: A rare white “ghost” lobster named Casper has arrived at UNE’s marine center for genetics research.

Nor’easter Watch: A strong nor’easter is expected to bring flooding, damaging wind gusts, heavy rain and dangerous rip currents from Maine down the East Coast, with New York and New Jersey declaring states of emergency and airlines waiving fees as travel disruption and power outages loom. Maine Traffic & Safety: Maine State Police report a crash on the Maine Turnpike in Gray sent one person to the hospital and backed traffic more than 10 miles after an SUV changed lanes suddenly. Local Sports: Chenango Forks rolled past Maine-Endwell 36-21 behind Brysen Fry’s five-touchdown night, while Marshwood held off Noble for a 52-51 win in a late defensive stop. Community & Campus: Bangor hosted its first Shred-A-Thon, collecting and shredding 32,000 pounds of sensitive documents. Environment & Innovation: UMaine researchers are turning discarded lobster shells into golf tees, aiming to cut waste and improve soil as the project moves through testing. Politics: The White House says it will use “pocket rescissions” to withhold nearly $1 billion in congressionally approved spending, drawing sharp criticism from lawmakers including Sen. Susan Collins.

Nor’easter Watch: A strong nor’easter is expected to bring soaking rain, gusty winds, coastal flooding and dangerous surf from Maine down the East Coast, with travel disruptions and flight waivers already in place; Maine utilities say they’ve staged extra crews and warn winds can limit safe bucket-truck work. MaineDOT Projects: Crews will repair Deering Avenue Bridge sidewalks in Portland starting Sept. 28, and Route 1A paving/drainage work in Brewer and Holden will run daytime through early October, with delays expected. Education Tech Shift: The Maine DOE released a Phone-Free Schools Toolkit to help districts limit personal device access during the school day while still supporting intentional classroom technology. Public Health: CDC reports measles cases are up nationwide, with Maine among the states reporting cases. Politics & Scrutiny: ProPublica’s latest reporting says UMaine disputed a key claim tied to Sen. Susan Collins’ defense-contractor relationship, as the Senate race remains a national focus. Environment & Local Health: Southwest Harbor is moving ahead with a long-planned landfill cap to reduce well contamination, with filters continuing while water lines are extended. Data & Science: UMaine is expanding microplastics research capacity with an NSF-funded facility, and a separate NSF project is giving rural Maine teachers hands-on AI, quantum and microelectronics research experience.

Iran War Powers: The U.S. Senate rejected a resolution to force President Trump to end the Iran war powers, 49-50, with Maine Sen. Susan Collins joining three other Republicans to advance it before the final vote. Maine Infrastructure: MaineDOT will use conventional steel girders to finish the Stillwater River bridge replacement after an August span failure, while engineers keep assessing what happened. Food & Local Industry: W.A. Bean is switching Maine’s red snapper hot dogs from Red Dye 3 to carmine extract made from crushed cochineal insects. Public Safety: A nor’easter is tightening up for the Northeast, with Maine bracing for high surf, strong winds, and possible minor coastal flooding. Healthcare Access: A new 50-bed inpatient rehab hospital is opening in Bangor in early October. AI Oversight: Maine AG Nick Brown and other attorneys general are urging Congress to set federal rules for safer AI development without wiping out state authority. Research & Environment: UMaine researchers are turning discarded lobster shells into golf tees, and UNE has a rare “ghost” white lobster, Casper, for genetic research.