AGP Executive Report

Maine Transportation: MaineDOT will start ADA ramp improvements in Greenville on Sept. 8, with shoulder and lane closures and one-way alternating traffic from Lily Bay Road & Pritham Avenue to Pritham Avenue & Hospital Street. Work is expected to wrap by October. Local Sports: Maine-Endwell opened its Section IV football season with a 47-33 win over Webster Thomas and will host Waverly next Friday at 7 p.m. Downeast Outdoors: Cobscook Bay State Park hosts hands-on nature exploration at 6 p.m. and a Headbanz wildlife game at 2 p.m. on Sept. 5 in Edmunds Township. Statewide Politics: Maine Attorney General Nick Brown and a coalition of states won a preliminary injunction blocking USPS from forcing changes to vote-by-mail envelope designs and tracking portal steps ahead of the Nov. 3 midterms. UMaine Research: UMaine students are studying how zebrafish immune systems respond to influenza, and UMaine researchers say a smoothie program helped rural middle schoolers boost fruit intake. Community & Events: The Blue Hill Fair is underway for its 135th year through Labor Day, with live music and tractor pulls.

Maine Education: Districts across Maine are moving to enforce the Legislature’s bell-to-bell cellphone ban, with officials saying the rollout has been mostly smooth and now shifting focus to helping students who relied on phones for emotional regulation. Special Education & Health Coverage: Maine DOE and DHHS are scheduling a Sept. 11 virtual training to clarify updated IEP guidance and MaineCare Sections 28 and 65 services. U.S. Senate Politics: Troy Jackson and Susan Collins both agreed to four October debates, but Collins’ campaign says the debate format is still up in the air. Broadband: The federal government says states can submit new proposals for broadband grants to reach newly identified unserved locations. Public Safety: Kennebunk warned beachgoers about sinkholes forming near Gooch’s Beach seawall after a woman fell in. Immigration Court Ruling: A federal judge blocked ICE from removing a Lewiston asylum seeker from Maine while the case proceeds. Statehouse/Services: USDA Rural Development will expand monthly in-person help at service centers across rural Maine starting Sept. 8. Local Notes: Burlington is set to open Sept. 25 at the Turnpike Mall in Augusta.

Maine Drought Watch: The state’s Drought Task Force met Sept. 3 as dry conditions worsen again, with groundwater still below normal and more dry-well reports across multiple counties; officials urged conservation and reporting. Environmental Policy in Augusta: Maine Conservation Voters released its 2026 Environmental Scorecard, naming 60 lawmakers “Conservation Champions” at 100% and flagging six with zero scores for votes against protections and clean-energy efforts. Federal Land Protections at Risk: A USDA proposal could rescind federal protections for Maine’s only inventoried roadless area in the White Mountain National Forest; the public has until Sept. 21 to weigh in. Healthcare Access: MaineHealth’s Lincoln Hospital is set to end labor and delivery, meaning births will shift to Brunswick while prenatal and postpartum care stays local—sparking anger over what it means for rural families. Local Events: Maine Forest Service and partners host a free workshop in Skowhegan on battling deer browse (Sept. 4), and Bradbury Mountain State Park offers a Leave No Trace outreach event (Sept. 4).

Immigration & Courts: Maine’s Supreme Judicial Court upheld a father’s power to restrict a daughter’s church attendance, keeping the case in the spotlight as families and faith groups push back. Public Safety Tech: Midcoast communities are weighing a civil liberties fight over license-plate reader cameras, with Unity’s system now part of a broader ACLU of Maine push for limits or a ban. State Politics: Sen. Susan Collins’ campaign drew viral attention after a remark about Democrat Troy Jackson’s family ties, underscoring how personal attacks are shaping Maine’s Senate race. Healthcare & Jobs: Penobscot Community Health Care is closing its Bangor Adult Wellness Center and laying off staff as it tries to avoid bankruptcy. Energy Costs & Help: Maine residents are being urged to use energy-efficiency tools as electricity and heating oil prices climb, while LIHEAP applications in other states begin Oct. 1. Local Infrastructure: Wiscasset selectmen called a MaineDOT Route 1 safety meeting “productive,” and Warren is moving ahead with a roundabout on Route 90 to cut crashes. Community & Events: Freedom won a Community Action Grant for stream crossing, pedestrian safety, and energy upgrades, and Northern Light Eastern Maine’s Champion the Cure Challenge continues Sept. 12 with a Penobscot River paddle.

Local Business: Aubuchon Ace Hardware is settling in after a big move in Richmond, expanding into a larger Kingstown Road building with brighter aisles and more inventory after the prior Wyoming Ace closed. Maine Courts & Families: The Maine Supreme Judicial Court upheld a ruling giving a father final say over whether his daughter attends her mother’s evangelical church, a case headed toward the U.S. Supreme Court. Healthcare Accountability: MaineCare Section 21 and other healthcare coverage are getting fresh calls for more transparency and oversight, with readers pushing for clearer accountability in how programs work and who benefits. Politics & Money: Musk-linked political spending is landing in Maine, with America PAC putting $150,000 into the Susan Collins race as the contest stays tight. Trade & Eastern Maine: A Canadian brewery on Campobello says it must relocate to Lubec as U.S.-Canada tariffs escalate. Public Safety: Maine State Police are investigating a fatal shooting outside a Lewiston tavern, with another person hospitalized. Sports: Bangor High girls soccer is turning over coaching and replacing top scorers as it aims for a third straight Class A state title.

Voting Rights & Safety: DHS chief Markwayne Mullin says ICE agents could enter polling places this November in “certain circumstances,” despite long-standing federal limits on armed personnel at elections. Maine Politics: A new poll finds Mainers expect Trump’s 50% tariffs on Canadian goods to hurt the state, as Susan Collins faces a tight race against Troy Jackson. Congress Watch: Two Democrats, including Maine’s Jared Golden, voted with Republicans on a House procedural rule that kept the chamber moving and advanced Golden’s lobster-fisher protections—prompting anger from Democratic leaders. Brunswick Investigation: Brunswick police responded to reported gunshots and found an adult male dead; a resident was taken into custody as Maine State Police Major Crimes investigate. Local Planning: UMaine landscape architecture students were selected for the 2026 Envision Resilience Challenge, working with Lewiston and Auburn on climate resilience along the Androscoggin River. Public Safety Funding: State Farm grants will help several Maine volunteer fire departments buy safety equipment. Business & Costs: Biddeford sewer customers face refunds after a billing error overbilled them by $1.35 million since 2019.

Mega Millions: Tuesday’s drawing produced numbers 61-1-51-63-22 with Mega Ball 17; next drawing is Friday, Sept. 4, with the jackpot estimated at $160 million. Maine Schools: RSU 71 in the Belfast area has a new long-term superintendent, Liz Ridgeway, as the district continues to wrestle with enrollment and facility challenges. Local Government: Bangor still hasn’t clarified whether a city councilor’s spouse can be sworn in to the School Committee, leaving a legal gray area after Jamie Beck qualified for the ballot. Public Health: A Bangor-area opinion piece argues Maine’s needle exchange programs need stronger limits, citing discarded needles found in public spaces. Addiction & Community: Maine overdose deaths are falling, but advocates say the crisis isn’t over; another story highlights an overdose awareness vigil and local recovery resources. Politics (Maine Senate): Letters urge voters to return Sen. Tim Nangle and back gubernatorial candidate Bobby Charles, focusing on housing, energy, and public safety. Weather: Forecasters say Maine could see some much-needed rain Thursday, with showers and thunderstorms possible.

Maine Politics & Funding: The U.S. House passed a short-term funding bill to prevent a shutdown, keeping federal spending at current levels through Dec. 11 while negotiations drag on. Maine Public Safety: Maine State Police are leading an investigation in Brunswick after a major police presence on Valerie Avenue, with no threat to the public reported. I-95 Incident: A Bangor-area traffic stop in Hampden ended with a driver fleeing on foot; a 33-year-old Ohio man was arrested after a K-9 search and faces multiple charges. Maine Courts: A bindover hearing for a teen accused in a paddleboarder’s death may be delayed until February. Local Infrastructure: MDOT will start ADA ramp improvements in Greenville on Sept. 8, with lane and shoulder closures and one-way traffic through October. Maine Economy & Industry: Churchill Downs filings suggest Oxford Casino could be sold as the company reviews gaming properties. Social Security: A new bill would let some SSDI recipients start getting benefits during the current five-month waiting period, with a permanent benefit reduction to keep costs neutral. Sports (Maine): Maine football opened with a 21-18 win over Towson, with a strong debut from new QB Eddie Buehler. UMaine Innovation: UMaine launched a 30-foot 3D-printed high-performance boat, pushing large-scale 3D printing toward real manufacturing. Midcoast & Environment: Camden Public Library hosts a talk on restoring sea-run fish in Maine rivers, while researchers track Atlantic sturgeon timing in the Penobscot. Crime & Sentencing: A Bangor man was sentenced to life in prison for the 2024 murder of Virginia Cookson. Maine Gaming & Tourism: Rockland’s 2026 cruise season begins Sept. 6 with Celebrity Silhouette, bringing nine ships through October 22.

Maine Politics: Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Troy Jackson is ramping up his challenge to Sen. Susan Collins with a new series of town halls in Lewiston, Gorham and Jay, arguing Collins hasn’t held them in more than two decades and offering to answer questions alongside him. Local Government: Ellsworth City Council approved a 180-day moratorium on large-scale campground developments after residents pushed back on a proposed RV park, citing traffic and disruption concerns. Health & Safety: Maine is rolling out 12,000 free lockable cannabis storage bags statewide to keep products out of reach of kids and pets, with distribution starting in early September. Public Health: Advocates marked International Overdose Awareness Day by highlighting ongoing overdose risks in Penobscot County and promoting Safe Spot, a hotline for people using alone. Outdoors & Safety: Maine’s deadliest ATV crashes share preventable factors, including lack of seat belts and helmets, as two recent fatal incidents underscore the risk. Economy & Industry: Great Northern Salmon paused its $300 million land-based salmon project, blaming tariff uncertainty and higher costs for imported equipment and feed. Infrastructure: FEMA approved more than $6 million for Maine projects, including road repairs in Newcastle and upgrades to Bath’s Hunt Street Pump Station.

Trade & Jobs: Susan Collins is urging the Trump administration to restart talks with Canada after tariffs hit Maine businesses, while Canada’s move to drop lobster/seafood from retaliatory tariffs is offering some relief for lobstermen. Public Health: On International Overdose Awareness Day, Gov. Janet Mills says Maine overdose deaths have fallen for the third straight year and calls for sustained prevention and recovery support. Harm Reduction: Bangor’s needle exchange pilot at a downtown church ends Monday; syringe services move to the nonprofit’s Ohio Street office while other health services stay at the church. Education & Food: UMaine researchers say offering frozen fruit smoothies in middle school cafeterias boosts fruit consumption and cuts waste, with a toolkit now available for schools nationwide. Safety & Local Government: Presque Isle is reviewing a proposed “Safe Box” sharps disposal pilot after reports of discarded syringes and a resident injury. Community & Culture: Bethel mourns historian Randy Bennett, a longtime collections curator who helped preserve Oxford County records and architecture. Human Interest: Dale “Grey Beard” Sanders, 91, reclaimed the Appalachian Trail oldest-hiker record by finishing atop Mount Katahdin after a comeback hike. Weather/Science: A small earthquake (magnitude 1.9) shook near Eustis close to the Canadian border.

Energy & Politics: Maine regulators revived a major Aroostook County wind-and-transmission plan, with Avangrid set to build a 1,200-megawatt line and another developer an 800-megawatt onshore wind farm—already drawing GOP criticism over costs and raising fresh questions for ratepayers. Schools & Infrastructure: Bangor’s Fairmount School students moved into a renovated wing at Bangor High after asbestos was found, with families touring the “school within a school” as a long-term decision on repairs to the older building looms. Local Business & Community: Stonington’s School Street Market opened on a once-empty lot, turning it into a year-round cafe-and-market hub with eastern European and Middle Eastern flavors. Public Health: A local health care leader warns that Penobscot Community Health Care’s fiscal crisis could strip essential services from vulnerable patients, pushing more care into higher-acuity settings. Maine Stories & Oddities: A North Woods bear reportedly used a forgotten bait pack as a pillow, and a Dover-Foxcroft man says he’d cut his neighbor’s garage in half again—six years later.

Trade & Tariffs: Gov. Janet Mills says the U.S.-Canada tariff fight is hurting both sides and warns northern Maine could feel it fast, including road-salt delivery disruptions, in a letter published in Canada’s Toronto Star. Public Safety: Maine State Police are investigating a wrong-way, head-on crash on I-295 in Portland that sent three people to Maine Medical Center with serious but non-life-threatening injuries; the 88-year-old driver mistakenly entered southbound lanes near Exit 8. Wildfire Response: Penobscot Volunteer Fire Department crews are still mopping up hot spots after a 5-acre wildfire near Dunbar Road and Castine Road, with Castine Road expected to close again during fire attack operations. Health Policy: Maine is among states suing the Trump administration over new Title X funding conditions, challenging rules tied to clinic practices and patient recognition requirements. Community & Care: A Hampden family is raising money to send their 4-year-old, who has MECP2 duplication syndrome, to a medical conference in Houston for treatment options and research connections. Local Life: UNE students and volunteers helped rebuild Biddeford Pool dunes by planting 20,000 dune-grass stalks after 2024 storms washed dunes away.

Tariffs and trade war: Sen. Susan Collins pushed back on Trump’s Canada tariff fight, warning Maine could feel “devastating” impacts on lobster, fishing, paper mills, contractors, road salt and border communities, and urged a return to negotiations. Elections and voting access: A federal judge temporarily blocked a USPS mail-voting rule that would have required states to get federal approval for ballot designs and use a new USPS portal, citing timing and redesign burdens ahead of the Nov. 3 midterms. Power and storms: A storm knocked out power at the Portland International Jetport, with backup generators covering only essential functions before a restoration surge triggered another outage. Roads: A crash on I-295 southbound in Portland closed the Exit 8 off-ramp and caused delays. Community wins: Fort Kent’s Rivertown Arts Center is staying open after a town-and-neighbors push to cover a roughly $10,000 shortfall. Local culture: Glenburn hosted its second Bigfoot calling contest, with adult and kids winners taking home cash prizes. Fundraising: The Tunnel to Towers 5K in Portland raised nearly $12,500 for veterans and first responders. Health/education: Somerset County’s libraries are relaunching Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library after a local funding gap was unexpectedly covered. Environment: Scarborough saw sharks near surfers at Higgins Beach, with reports of an 8–10 foot animal.

Power & Safety: A hot air balloon giving tours hit and damaged power lines on Higgins Road in Presque Isle near the Crown of Maine Balloon Fest launch area; no injuries were reported and Versant Power was called to repair the lines. Local Business: Eastport’s only grocery store, R&M IGA, is set to close Sept. 3, leaving residents facing long drives for basics after the city’s pharmacy also shut earlier this month. Public Health & EMS: Maine EMS honored paramedics and EMTs statewide at a Memorial and Remembrance Ceremony at the Maine Capitol, spotlighting lifesaving rescues including a Camden Snow Bowl cardiac arrest. Environment & Fire: An Aroostook County slash pile fire burned about four hours and took roughly 6,500 gallons to contain, with the cause still under investigation. Community & Culture: LL Bean announced a major flagship reopening in Freeport with multiple celebration weekends starting Sept. 18. Sports: Women’s soccer returns home Sunday for Maine vs. Bryant, while Maine field hockey and other local fall sports schedules continue rolling out.

Maine Health Care: Lawmakers are pressing MaineHealth to explain why it’s ending labor and delivery at Lincoln Hospital’s birthing center, with the CEO citing low birth volume and staffing challenges. Trade & Politics: Sen. Susan Collins says she opposes moving U.S. defense shipbuilding overseas and is ready to act; she also warns Canada tariffs will hit Maine goods and says she’s been meeting with trade officials. Public Safety & Civil Liberties: Brewer’s license-plate reader cameras have operated for years without a public complaint, but the ACLU says the lack of a public process raises concerns. Innovation in Maine: UMaine launched a 30-foot 3D-printed boat, 3Dirigo X, aimed at faster, mold-light manufacturing for commercial and defense use. Workplace Safety: OSHA says a Maine paper mill where two men died ignored a broken alarm and created fire hazards, alleging willful violations. Community Notes: A Woolwich 9-year-old raised $500 for the Bath Food Bank with a lemonade stand. Sports: UMaine will have four home football games televised, including matchups with Sacred Heart, Bryant, Campbell and UNH.

USPS Voting Fight: Maine AG Nick Brown and a coalition of 25 states won a temporary court order blocking a new USPS rule that would have forced states to get federal approval for ballot designs and use a new federal portal—requirements the judge said would be “practically impossible” before the Nov. 3 midterms. Emergency Comms: The Maine Public Utilities Commission says AT&T mobile customers in Washington and York counties are facing service disruptions, and reminds people that text-to-911 (9-1-1 in the “To” field) is an option when voice calls fail. Canada Trade Fallout: Canada reversed a plan to tax lobster imports at 25%, easing pressure on Maine’s lobster market, while Maine officials and Susan Collins say the broader tariff fight still threatens prices and cross-border business. Defense Tech: TurbineOne opened T1 MachineWorks in Old Town, adding engineering and test capacity tied to a nearly $99 million U.S. Army contract. Public Safety & Courts: A Pennsylvania woman pleaded guilty in the Milford hot-car death of her 3-year-old, with sentencing deferred as the judge weighs unanswered questions. Weather: A funnel cloud was reported in western Maine during a severe thunderstorm, and northern lights may be visible in Vermont tonight with a G2 geomagnetic storm.