Standish-area schools to replace playgrounds after inspection finds dangerous equipment
MSAD 6 plans to replace playground equipment during the 2026-27 school year after an inspection found broken equipment and exposed rusted metal.
Maine
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Maine’s July 29 laws are in effect. Here’s what residents should know
New Maine laws provide eligible residents with $300 payments, expand tax relief and make community college free permanently, while housing, child-care, school, mobile-home and workplace changes move into implementation.
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Maine’s first statewide housing count beat the 2025 goal — but permits aren’t finished homes
Maine estimated 7,499 permitted housing units in 2025, surpassing its goal, but the first statewide dataset has coverage limits and the target rises to 13,300 units by 2030.
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Maine’s new license plate deadline has passed. What drivers should know
Maine’s July 31, 2026 deadline for issuing new plates has passed, but public BMV materials do not provide a final tally confirming every required Chickadee replacement.
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Maine Democrats replace Graham Platner with Troy Jackson in Senate race against Susan Collins
Troy Jackson was selected by Maine Democratic delegates to replace Graham Platner as the party’s U.S. Senate nominee. The November 3 contest could use ranked-choice voting if additional candidates qualify.
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Lewiston candidates have until Aug. 20 to file for mayor, council and school-board races
Completed nomination papers for Lewiston’s 2026 mayoral, City Council and School Committee races are due to the City Clerk by 4 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 20.
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Lewiston schools seek public input on 2026-27 federal education-fund plans
Lewiston Public Schools is asking residents to share thoughts and questions as it plans how to use federal ESEA funds in the 2026-27 school year.
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Maine clean-ports project advances Portland planning for lower-emission port operations
MaineDOT says Portland is among four Maine ports included in a Clean Ports Planning Project examining emissions, electrification, shore power and electrical-grid capacity.
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USM’s Maine-SMART high-school research program continues through Aug. 7 in Portland
The University of Southern Maine’s Maine-SMART program is holding week-long summer research and learning sessions for high-school students on its Portland campus through Aug. 7, 2026.
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Maine’s 2026 emergency plan flags Lewiston as vulnerable to amplified urban heat
Maine’s 2026 Emergency Operations Plan identifies Lewiston as one of three communities where urban heat-island effects can intensify summer heat impacts and air-conditioning demand.
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Maine expands eCourts and eFiling to Hancock and Washington counties
All courts in Hancock and Washington counties joined Maine’s eCourts and eFiling rollout July 27, extending electronic filing requirements to covered attorneys, agencies and frequent filers.
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UMaine-led forest-economy technology hub receives $20 million federal investment
A University of Maine-led initiative focused on the state’s forest economy has received a $20 million U.S. Economic Development Administration Tech Hub investment, according to the Maine Department of Labor.
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Augusta completes shift to four-day City Hall schedule
Augusta’s remaining City Hall offices, including Development Services and Assessing, moved to a Monday-through-Thursday schedule on July 13, 2026.
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Maine workplace-law package brings new compliance questions for employers and workers
Several Maine workplace measures were reported to have a July 29, 2026, implementation date, including pay-transparency and workplace-protection changes. State resources point employers and workers to existing labor-law, safety and employment-rights guidance, while details of individual provisions still require statute-by-statute confirmation.
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Portland council restores $12 million for police, fire, transportation and other services
Portland City Council voted 10-2 on July 22 to restore $12 million for public safety, transportation, water, parks and other city services during the FY2027 budget cycle.
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Maine awards nearly $1 million for soil-health projects at 19 farms
The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry announced nearly $1 million in Healthy Soils Program awards for 19 farms undertaking soil-health and climate-resilience projects.
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Lewiston public-safety committee prepares for second meeting after gun-violence-focused launch
Lewiston’s Public Safety Committee is scheduled to meet Aug. 4 after its July 7 inaugural meeting. The advisory panel was established under Ordinance 26-07 to focus on preventing and reducing gun violence.
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Ironman 70.3 Maine brings about 2,000 athletes to Augusta for fifth annual race
Ironman 70.3 Maine held its fifth annual race on July 26, bringing approximately 2,000 athletes to Augusta and surrounding areas.
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Ten candidates seek three Portland City Council seats after nomination deadline
Ten candidates are seeking three Portland City Council seats following the July 27 nomination-paper deadline, setting the field for the city’s November municipal election.
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Maine’s nonemergency laws from 2026 session reach general effective date
Nonemergency laws enacted during the second regular session of Maine’s 132nd Legislature reached their general effective date July 29, 2026, after the session adjourned April 29.
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Lewiston opens nomination papers for 2026 mayoral, council and school committee races
Lewiston’s City Clerk’s Department has opened the nomination-paper process for seven municipal offices on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot.
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Maine pay-transparency rules now apply to qualifying Augusta employers
Maine employers with 10 or more employees must include anticipated pay ranges in available-job advertisements under workplace-law changes that took effect July 29, 2026.