MPBN
Pervasive dark money is swamping Maine's Senate race | Maine's Political Pulse
- Title
- Pervasive dark money is swamping Maine's Senate race | Maine's Political Pulse
- Runtime
- 8:03
- Date posted
- 2 days ago
- Description
- Dark money. If you follow politics, you’ve heard of it.
It’s anonymous cash that’s flowing into the U.S. political system, particularly during congressional and presidential elections. And it’s increasing in prevalence as both political parties work to keep their financiers secret.
The New York Times recently tried to quantify how dark money is shaping the upcoming congressional midterm election. It found $1 billion in secret cash is sloshing around, including a whopping $75 million in Maine — most of it trying to influence the U.S. Senate race between Republican Sen. Susan Collins and Democrat Troy Jackson.
It’s a conservative estimate. Much of the dark money coursing through the political system cannot be tracked or counted. That social media influencer or activist blogger who enthusiastically boosts or attacks a particular candidate? They could be getting paid by dark money. It’s difficult to know.
Even the amount tha...
- Title
- Portland's minor league sports teams generate over $110 million a year in economic activity
- Runtime
- 0:13
- Date posted
- 4 days ago
- Description
- Portland’s minor league sports teams generate over $110 million each year in economic activity and support over 900 jobs. That’s according to a new report from the Maine Center for Business and Economic Research.
Caroline Paras with the center said researchers looked at the impacts of the team’s hiring, business-to-business deals, and visitor spending to generate the numbers.
“Attending a game from over 50 miles away takes 6-8 hours,” Paras said. “You’ve got travel. You’ve got a three-hour game. You’ve got pre-game ritual, post-game ritual. You’re talking about an eight-hour day, and for visitors, day trippers, it’s the reason that they come into Portland.”
The report found that the Portland Sea Dogs generated more than half of the overall economic activity, and the Maine Celtics generated the least at just under $10 million.
Mayor Mark Dion said it’s fair for people to question the city’s partnerships with...
- Title
- L.L. Bean to open doors on $50 million renovation of flagship store in Freeport this weekend
- Runtime
- 1:15
- Date posted
- 4 days ago
- Description
- This weekend L.L. Bean will open the doors on a $50 million renovation of its flagship store in Freeport. The brand is also embarking on an aggressive plan to open stores in new markets, refresh classic products, and connect with younger customers in a bid to jump-start flat revenues. L.L. Bean CEO Greg Elder said a total of 25 new stores will have opened by next year across the Southeast into the Midwest and Colorado. Elder said that will allow customers to immerse themselves in the brand and outdoor lifestyle in person. The company said classic product refreshes will focus on the iconic Bean Boot and field coats and sweaters in new yarns, fabrics and styles.
The Freeport-based retailer reportedly reached revenues of $1.8 billion during the pandemic but has not maintained those numbers. The company's goal with this plan is to reach $2 billion in annual revenue by 2030.
L.L. Bean is planning celebrations for each of the next six weekends in Freeport that will ...
- Title
- Rural representation in fiction | Immigrants by Art Dingley
- Runtime
- 30:55
- Date posted
- 5 days ago
- Description
- Art Dingley joins host Bill Nemitz for a conversation about his novel, Immigrants.
Maine Public's Book Club is made possible through the generous support of Coffee By Design, Islandport Press, OceanView at Falmouth, Highland Green and Maine Public's viewers and listeners.
📚 Check out our book club selections: https://www.mainepublic.org/all-books-considered-book-club
❤️ Love what you see on Maine Public's YouTube channel? Support your local public media station by donating at mainepublic.org/donateyoutube
0:00 Introducing the book
3:41 Author background
5:50 Characters and setting
8:47 Immigration in Maine
10:41 Assimilation and change
12:23 Writing authenticity
15:00 Rural reality and perception
17:39 Plot evolution
20:20 Future writing projects
22:14 Perspectives on Portland
24:05 Writing rules and mechanics
25:51 Conclusion
- Title
- Checking in on Maine's gubernatorial contest | Maine's Political Pulse
- Runtime
- 11:37
- Date posted
- 5 days ago
- Description
- There’s a race for governor on the November ballot. Just letting you all know.
It seems strange to remind everyone about arguably the most consequential contest this fall, but the U.S. Senate race has been a black hole for attention. Nothing escapes.
This week’s Pulse aims to steer clear of the void. Instead, we’re dropping in to provide the broad contours of a race that will determine who replaces Gov. Janet Mills next year and who will helm the state bureaucracy through 2031 and possibly beyond.
It’s a three-way contest and, no, for the gazillionth time, ranked-choice voting will not be used. (Ask your AI assistant for an explanation. Or maybe don’t do that.)
Hannah Pingree is the Democrat. Bobby Charles is the Republican. Rick Bennett is the independent, although Pingree says he’s a Republican and Charles says he’s a Democrat. Why? Because there’s no ranked-choice voting and the party candidates need independent vot...
- Title
- If you see an out of control fire in Maine, call 911
- Runtime
- 0:40
- Date posted
- 6 days ago
- Description
- If you spot an uncontrolled fire, Chief Forest Ranger Bobby Gross says to call 911. Maine's record of preventing the spread of forest fires is strong compared to other states. Gross goes on to say that sometimes property owners have permits for controlled burns, but when in doubt, it's ok to call emergency services. Listen to Maine Calling's full August 18 episode on Wildfire Risk & Readiness in Maine at mainecalling.org or wherever you get your podcasts.
- Title
- 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony held at memorial in Portland park
- Runtime
- 0:26
- Date posted
- 9 days ago
- Description
- Dozens turned out in Portland Friday morning to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Portland Fire Chief Chad Johnston says that since the attacks, law enforcement has transformed the way it protects communities.
“We’ve integrated technology, tracking, analytics to ensure that we’re making faster and safer decisions. Perhaps most importantly, we’ve changed how we’ve cared for the people behind the badge,” he says.
Firefighters and police officers laid a wreath at the 9/11 Memorial in Fort Allen Park.
✍️&📸: Madi Smith
- Title
- Clergy urge Newport landlord not to rent to ICE
- Runtime
- 0:20
- Date posted
- 9 days ago
- Description
- Amid rumors that Immigration and Customs Enforcement is planning to rent the former courthouse in Newport, clergy members from churches around the greater Bangor area are asking the property owner to reconsider the idea.
The group made its appeal in a letter to the property's landlord, Charles Cox. A group of about a dozen people met outside his law office in Bangor Thursday afternoon to deliver the letter.
Cox wasn’t available when the clergy delivered the letter but it was taken to him by a receptionist, says Rev. Jarrett Kerbel of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Bangor. The encounter was polite.
“We set out to do what we did, decided to do, which is a very polite delivery of a letter asking for a meeting concerning the property in Newport, where ICE will be renting space," he says.
The group is concerned that an ICE office in eastern Maine will stoke more fear among those in the community and lead to more arrests of immigrants...
- Title
- Looking back on the first Common Ground Country Fair in 1977
- Runtime
- 1:16
- Date posted
- 9 days ago
- Description
- For 50 years, the Common Ground Country Fair has celebrated rural living, sustainable practices and organic agriculture.
Earlier this week on Maine Calling, we learned how the fair grew from a counterculture gathering in 1977 into a massive event that draws visitors from all over the country. In this clip, current MOFGA’s executive director Sarah Alexander talks about the fair's rocky start.
This year, the fair will occur September 24-26 in Unity. For the full episode from September 9, head to mainecalling.org or wherever you get your podcasts.
- Title
- The new Maine Public Classical studios as of March 2026
- Runtime
- 0:37
- Date posted
- 9 days ago
- Description
- Get an insider view of the NEW Maine Public Classical studios, from back in March, back when it was still very much under construction.
- Title
- Pack 12,000 CDs in 90 seconds with us
- Runtime
- 1:32
- Date posted
- 9 days ago
- Description
- Get an insider view of the NEW Maine Public Classical studios, from back in March, back when it was still very much under construction.
- Title
- Maine sees 3rd-highest jump in nation in ICE arrests of people with no criminal records this year
- Runtime
- 1:16
- Date posted
- 11 days ago
- Description
- An analysis of new federal data shows a surge in ICE arrests in the state has been driven by increased targeting of people with no criminal records.
Through July of this year, Immigration and Customs Enforcement has arrested 488 people in Maine, according to federal data obtained and published by the Deportation Data Project. That's already well above the total for all of last year, when the agency detained 315 people in the state.
Over 40% of this year's ICE arrests took place in January, when the agency launched its so-called "Operation Catch of the Day," sweeping up many residents who had no criminal record and who were pursuing lawful immigration pathways.
Read the full story and take a closer look at the data on our website: https://www.mainepublic.org/immigration/2026-09-02/maine-sees-3rd-highest-jump-in-nation-in-ice-arrests-of-people-with-no-criminal-records-this-year
Reporting: Ari Snider
Production: Ari Snider & Lucy S...
- Title
- Humpback whales in Maine waters
- Runtime
- 0:32
- Date posted
- 18 days ago
- Description
- Dive into shark and whale facts on Maine Calling! In this clip from our August 26 episode, Maine Department of Marine Resources scientist Sarah Leitner shared that there were 57 Humpback whales identified in Maine waters during the month of July, when the typical number is 20-30. Listen back at mainecalling.org or wherever you get your podcasts.
- Title
- Do we know why there are more white sharks being spotted in Maine waters?
- Runtime
- 1:28
- Date posted
- 24 days ago
- Description
- A rash of near-shore shark sightings has led to temporary beach closures and surveillance measures along the southern Maine coast.
"Maybe we are realizing that Maine's southern coast is important habitat for juvenile white sharks. But we really don't know for certain and we're not going to really be able to give a direct answer until we can get some tags on these animals," said Matt Davis, a marine biologist at the Maine Department of Marine Resources.
Read the full story at mainepublic.org.
Reporting: Peter McGuire
Video & Production: Lucy Santerre
- Title
- The historic Pownalborough Courthouse in Dresden, Maine | Assignment Maine America @ 250
- Runtime
- 3:36
- Date posted
- 26 days ago
- Description
- Take a step back in time at the Pownalborough Courthouse in Dresden, Maine. Built in 1761 along the banks of the Kennebec River, this pre-Revolutionary War courthouse has witnessed centuries of Maine history.
Come along for a look inside this historic landmark and discover a little of its fascinating connection to Maine’s colonial and Revolutionary-era past!
This video is part of the Assignment Maine: America @ 250 series.
Assignment Maine: America at 250 is made possible by Lee Auto Malls, Corient, George Washington’s Mount Vernon and viewers like you.
❤️ Love what you see on Maine Public's YouTube channel? Support your local public media station by donating at mainepublic.org/donateyoutube
- Title
- JD Vance stumps for Paul LePage in Brewer
- Runtime
- 1:41
- Date posted
- 27 days ago
- Description
- Vice President JD Vance used his visit to Brewer Monday to campaign for Republican 2nd District candidate Paul LePage and defend the Trump Administration as it stares down prospective losses in this year's midterm elections.
It was Vance's second visit to the state in three months. His 30-minute speech was heavy on attacks against Democrats, who he says are overrun with "crazy" socialists who want to unwind Trump's policies and make Americans dependent on the government.
LePage also spoke at the rally and focused on his record as a two-term governor. He's attempting to make another political comeback after failing to win back the governor's office in 2022. LePage is taking on state auditor Matt Dunlap. Both hope to claim the seat currently held by Democratic Congressman Jared Golden.
Reporting: Steve Mistler
Video & production: Lucy Santerre
- Title
- Martha Ballard’s Legacy on Maine Calling August 17
- Runtime
- 0:44
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- Do you know Martha Ballard? She was the subject of Monday's @MaineCalling. A new memorial to to her will be dedicated on Wednesday at 5:30 at Mill Park in Augusta.
Ballard, a midwife and healer, lived during the late 1700’s and early 1800’s in Hallowell Maine, in what is now Augusta. Her diary was the basis of the 1990 Pulitzer Prize winning history book The Diary of a Midwife, and then a PBS film, and more recently, the novel The Frozen River – which is historical fiction. She delivered more than 800 babies in the area and attended to many other medical emergencies. Listen to the full episode at mainecalling.org or wherever you get your podcasts.
- Title
- Meet artist Alan Bray, Maine's master of casein tempera landscapes
- Runtime
- 3:21
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- Meet Alan Bray, a landscape painter from Sangerville, Maine. Born in Waterville, Bray studied at the Art Institute of Boston and the University of Southern Maine. He received his MFA in painting from the Villa Schifanoia in Florence, Italy, where he fell in love with casein tempera, the same fast-drying medium used in Italian Renaissance and late medieval painting.
Working in thousands of thin layers with fine, pencil-like brushstrokes, Bray captures the wonders of central Maine's elegant landscapes: tree-lined fields, vivid wetlands, misty forests, and more.
In this video, we explore Bray's technique, influences, and decades-long relationship with nature.
🔗 Support Maine Public and get your limited edition Alan Bray Sea Bag at https://www.mainepublic.org/donate
- Title
- Exploring stories in rural Maine | Skin and Bones by Paul Doiron
- Runtime
- 29:20
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- Paul Doiron joins host Bill Nemitz for a conversation about Skin and Bones and Other Mike Bowditch Short Stories, a collection of original short stories in the Mike Bowditch series.
Maine Public's Book Club is made possible through the generous support of Coffee By Design, Islandport Press, OceanView at Falmouth, Highland Green and Maine Public's viewers and listeners.
📚 Check out our book club selections: https://www.mainepublic.org/all-books-considered-book-club
❤️ Love what you see on Maine Public's YouTube channel? Support your local public media station by donating at mainepublic.org/donateyoutube
0:00 Introduction to the guest
1:02 Origins of Mike Bowditch
2:22 The lightning strike story
4:43 Author and character kinship
6:50 Gaining trust in the field
9:23 Reality versus fiction
12:12 The North Pond Hermit
15:01 Style and inspiration
17:15 Short stories vs. novels
20:...
- Title
- Old Town bridge partially collapsed while under construction
- Runtime
- 0:16
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- Portions of a bridge that spans the Stillwater River in Old Town collapsed this afternoon while work was underway according to local police and a Department of Transportation spokesman.
Photos and videos posted to social media show parts of the bridge dangling into the Stillwater river. Crews were pouring concrete for the bridge deck at the time.
Maine DOT said no motorists or construction workers were injured and the incident remains under investigation.
The new bridge under construction spans the Stillwater River roughly 2.5 miles north of Orono. A temporary bridge built just beside the new span carries traffic along Stillwater Avenue, which is a thoroughfare between Old Town, Orono and Bangor. The temporary bridge was closed to traffic immediately after the collapse but had reopened before 4 p.m.
The collapse occurred in one section of the bridge. The middle of the section gave out, collapsing in a V-shape with the support girders ...
- Title
- Stories from Maine Cemeteries on Maine Calling
- Runtime
- 1:34
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- Did you know? Mt. Hope Cemetery in Bangor was the second “garden cemetery” in the nation. Hear more stories from Maine cemeteries in Maine Calling’s August 3 episode with author Ron Romano. Listen wherever you get your podcasts or at mainecalling.org.
- Title
- Preserving Acadian French in the St. John River Valley
- Runtime
- 1:08
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- A local French teacher brought about a dozen of her counterparts to the St. John River Valley this summer for a weeklong immersion in Acadian language, history and culture.
For the full story by Ari Snider, head to mainepublic.org.
Reporting & video: Ari Snider
Production: Lucy Santerre
- Title
- MaineHealth nurses demand release of colleague arrested by ICE
- Runtime
- 0:28
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- Over 100 Maine Medical Center nurses and supporters rallied in Portland today, demanding the release of a colleague arrested by ICE last week.
According to the nurses union, registered nurse Debora Kapisha was arrested by ICE on July 30 at Boston's Logan Airport.
The union said Kapisha, originally from Zambia, is seeking asylum and has legal work authorization.
Nurse and union co-president Kelli Brennan said the arrest undercuts the Trump administration's own justification for its mass deportation agenda.
"This is not about safety. This is not about border security," Brennan said. "It is about stripping our friends and neighbors of their dignity, their safety, and any ability they have to comfortably live their lives."
And fellow nurse Abbey Nelson said Kapisha's absence is affecting coworkers and patients.
"Not only is it heartbreaking to see someone who has given so much to others be taken away, but it's an...
- Title
- Hearts of Pine announce $50 million stadium plans at Cassidy Point industrial site
- Runtime
- 1:05
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- The Portland Hearts of Pine Press held a press conference today announcing a new stadium on Cassidy Point. After building a dedicated following, the soccer club says it's outgrown Fitzpatrick Stadium. It entered into an agreement to turn an industrial coal storage site into a "vibrant, community-centered destination."
Read the full story by Michael Livingston at mainepublic.org.
- Title
- Seeking refuge in "Vacationland" | Everything You Love Ends Up in a Yard Sale by Jennifer Braunfels
- Runtime
- 29:20
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- Jennifer Braunfels joins host Bill Nemitz for a conversation about her debut novel, Everything You Love Ends Up in a Yard Sale.
Maine Public's Book Club is made possible through the generous support of Coffee By Design, Islandport Press, OceanView at Falmouth, Highland Green and Maine Public's viewers and listeners.
📚 Check out our book club selections: https://www.mainepublic.org/all-books-considered-book-club
❤️ Love what you see on Maine Public's YouTube channel? Support your local public media station by donating at mainepublic.org/donateyoutube
- Title
- Memorial for 25-year-old Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero continues to grow in Biddeford
- Runtime
- 1:00
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- The memorial for 25-year-old Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero continues to grow and draw those who want to pay their respects at the intersection of Hill and Pool streets in Biddeford. Durán Guerrero was allegedly shot and killed by ICE agent David Brouillette on his way to work early the morning of July 13. Handwritten notes, chalk messages on the sidewalk, flowers and candles fill one corner of the intersection where the Colombian man succumbed to his injuries. Federal officials later said Durán Guerrero was not the man they were looking for. Maine’s congressional delegation is calling for a fast-tracked, transparent and independent investigation into the shooting.
📸: Carol Bousquet
- Title
- 36th Annual Maine Shrine Lobster Bowl Classic
- Runtime
- 4:12:57
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- The annual Maine Shrine Lobster Bowl Classic is the premier high school athletic event in the State of Maine. Over 140 All-Star football players and cheerleaders from over 60 high school programs across Maine are nominated as high school seniors and selected by the Maine Football Coaches Association to participate in this prestigious event.
Maine Public is supporting the event as a Media Sponsor and broadcasting the game across Maine.
The game is always a tightly contested battle, as the players are eager to show off their skills in front of a large crowd. The atmosphere is always electric, and the fans are some of the most passionate in all of high school football.
- Title
- Protests continue across Maine, days after fatal ICE shooting in Biddeford
- Runtime
- 0:26
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- Protests continued across Maine this weekend, days after an ICE agent shot and killed 25-year-old Johan Sebastian Durán Guerrero in Biddeford on Monday.
In Portland on Saturday, hundreds gathered in Monument Square to pay tribute to Durán Guerrero and others killed by ICE.
✍️ Ari Snider/Maine Public
📸 Ari Snider, Lucy Santerre/Maine Public
- Title
- State will resume ferry service to Swan Island Wildlife Management Area for first time since 2022
- Runtime
- 0:57
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife will resume complimentary ferry service to Swan Island Wildlife Management Area in Richmond this upcoming weekend for the first time since 2022.
The service will resume because of a bill introduced by Rep. Sally Cluchey that was approved last year.
"Reliable ferry access is more than access to the island, it's about access to economic benefits that come with it, breathing new life into our local economy, and making sure that future generations will have the chance to learn, explore, and fall in love with Swan Island," Cluchey said.
Wildlife Division Director Nate Webb said the public ferry service was closed after the U.S. Coast Guard determined that it no longer met federal passenger vessel requirements. Webb said the new ferry service will be provided by Capt. Gary Smith, owner and operator of River Run Tours in Bath.
"Swan Island is one of Maine's most unique wildlife management...
- Title
- Portland opens new community pool after years of planning, fundraising
- Runtime
- 1:06
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Patrons wasted no time jumping into the new Rising Eddy Community Pool on Monday. Neighborhood kids, their families and even the mayor of Portland took turns going down the water slides and splashing in the water.
The new facility located in the Libbytown neighborhood replaces the old Kiwanis Community Pool at 165 Douglass St., which originally opened in 1961.
In 2019, the city launched plans to revitalize the community pool. It was originally projected to cost $12 million funded by the city and COVID-era relief money from the American Rescue Plan Act.
But due to inflation and rising costs of construction, the project had a budget gap of over $1 million in 2024. Ethan Hipple, the city's director of parks, recreation and facilities management, said the project was at risk of losing amenities like the water slides.
But he says community fundraising by the Portland Parks Conservancy helped close the funding gap in less than a year. More ...
- Title
- Maine has a record number of piping plover breeding pairs this year
- Runtime
- 0:20
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Kevin Mullan works on Maine Audubon's Coastal Birds Project and said beachgoers should be aware that plovers blend into the sand, and they should keep an eye out so they don't step on and kill them.
Mullan said it's important to keep track of the plovers because of their endangered status, but also as a sign of healthy beaches.
"They typically nest on beaches with good habitat, in terms of there being dune grass, and there's lots of food for them to forage on, such as marine worms, crustaceans, insects, so the presence of them indicates a healthy beach ecosystem," Mullan said.
Full story by Madi Smith at mainepublic.org.
- Title
- Introducing Greetings from Maine
- Runtime
- 12:37
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- From Maine Public's new storytelling series, Greetings from Maine: three close friends tackle a spring cleaning project, and wind up uncovering powerful insights about how to navigate change.
- Title
- Legendary Maine Guide Cornelia "Fly Rod" Crosby | Borealis Season Three
- Runtime
- 8:44
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- One of the most famous people in Maine at the turn of the 20th century, Cornelia "Fly Rod" Crosby was not only a fly fisherwoman extraordinaire, but also Maine's first Registered Guide and the first person to market Maine as a destination for early tourism. Crosby was a skilled sportswoman and journalist whose writing and natural flair for public relations helped establish western and northern Maine as premier outdoor destinations.
Her contributions live on today through a dedicated trail, a passionate community of admirers, and the registered Maine Guide program she helped inspire.
Learn about Fly Rod Crosby's life and legacy in this segment from Episode Three of Borealis Season Three!
Borealis is made possible through the generous support of our production sponsors The Nature Conservancy, the Maine Office of Outdoor Recreation, and Poland Spring, and our broadcast sponsors Evergreen Home Performance, Patriot Subaru, and Bangor Savings Bank, in ...
- Title
- Greetings From Maine: Spring 2026
- Runtime
- 41:34
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Springtime in Maine is notoriously hard to define. It's snowy. It's sweltering. It's dreary. It's dazzling. It's muddy. It's green. This storytelling special celebrates all the season's ups and downs.
- Title
- What are PFAS and what is Maine doing about them? | Maine Explained
- Runtime
- 8:52
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- PFAS are in waterproof outdoor gear, makeup, nonstick pans and even our soil. Living in Maine, you’ve almost certainly heard about them: the so-called "forever chemicals" that linger in our environment, well, forever.
But what exactly are PFAS? And why are they such a big problem in Maine? That’s what we’re diving into in this episode of Maine Explained.
❤️ Love what you see on Maine Public's YouTube channel? Like, comment, and support your local public media station by donating at mainepublic.org/donateyoutube
Production Credits:
Esta Pratt-Kielley — Host, Writer, Videographer, Supervising Producer
Kaitlyn Budion — Writer, Reporter
Tulley Hescock — Video Editor, Videographer
Nik Sparlin — Video Editor, Motion Graphics Designer
Lucy Santerre — Marketing and Promotion Support
Mark Simpson — Director of News and Public Affairs
Andrew Catalina — News Editor
Other materials...
- Title
- Hiking Gorham Mountain in Acadia National Park | Borealis Season Three
- Runtime
- 4:04
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- At just 525 feet above sea level, the Gorham Mountain Loop offers amazing views of the ocean and Acadia's iconic Sand Beach. Open ledges near the summit reveal stunning panoramas of the nearby ocean and neighboring peaks, including Cadillac Mountain.
In this segment from Episode Three of Borealis Season Three, join Borealis host Aislinn Sarnacki on this scenic trail that proves you don't need to climb high to get an awe-inspiring view.
Borealis is made possible through the generous support of our production sponsors The Nature Conservancy, the Maine Office of Outdoor Recreation, and Poland Spring, and our broadcast sponsors Evergreen Home Performance, Patriot Subaru, and Bangor Savings Bank, in addition to Maine Public's viewers and listeners.
🔗 Learn more about Borealis at mainepublic.org/borealis
Production Credits:
Produced and Written by Aislinn Sarnacki
Videography by Chris Bennett
Edited by Aislinn Sarnacki...
- Title
- Drought fails to dull tick harms to young moose
- Runtime
- 0:17
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Winter ticks took a heavy toll on young moose again this year despite hopes that a fall drought would help kill off some of the parasites.
Lee Kantar, a moose biologist with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife collared moose calves had a 72% mortality rate this year because of high numbers of winter ticks.
Kantar told Maine Calling that drought conditions can dry out tick egg sacs and reduce the population before the fall, when they attach to animals.
“What happened is we had just as many winter ticks getting on moose than the previous year and we saw that in a very high mortality rate in the calves trying to make it to their first birthday,” Kantar said.
Even though MDIFW only has data on the moose calves it has equipped with GPS collars, it is broadly representative of the state’s population, according to Kantar.
“There may be some spots that are hot spots and some spots not bad but if you want...
- Title
- What has twelve legs, ten eyes and one tail? Horseshoe crabs, and it's their mating season
- Runtime
- 1:13
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Horseshoe crabs are often called living fossils. They've roamed the Earth since well before the dinosaurs. But some scientists say they're now threatened with extinction.
Read the full story at mainepublic.org.
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Story & video: Patty Wight
Production: Lucy Santerre
- Title
- Maine's tick problem | Borealis Season Three
- Runtime
- 7:54
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Ticks are one of Maine's most notorious outdoor hazards, and scientists are working hard to understand them better.
Researchers at the UMaine Cooperative Extension Tick Lab are tracking the black-legged tick and its role in Maine's tick-borne disease landscape, studying pathogens like Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. The lab has built a passive tick surveillance program thanks to thousands of samples submitted by members of the public from across the state.
Learn about the state of tick research in this segment from Episode Five of Borealis Season Three!
🔗 Learn more about the Tick Lab at https://extension.umaine.edu/ticks/
Borealis is made possible through the generous support of our production sponsors The Nature Conservancy, the Maine Office of Outdoor Recreation, and Poland Spring, and our broadcast sponsors Evergreen Home Performance, Patriot Subaru, and Bangor Savings Bank, in addition to Maine Public's viewers...
- Title
- Maine’s Congolese community erupts with joy as DR Congo secures tie against Portugal
- Runtime
- 0:27
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- The Democratic Republic of the Congo's men's national soccer team pulled off an unlikely 1-to-1 draw against Portugal Wednesday in the African country's first World Cup appearance in over 50 years.
More than 150 members of Maine's Congolese community attended a watch party at a bar in Portland, where the energetic crowd filled multiple rooms and spilled onto the street.
Event organizer Papy Bongibo says this kind of community gathering is especially important in light of recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity, including the January surge dubbed Catch of the Day.
"It's not easy," he says. "After the Catch of the Day operation it was sad and crazy, people were stuck at home, even not sending kids to school. We did the best we can, though"
Blessing Mukembo, of Portland, says the game was an opportunity to show joy and pride against that backdrop.
"People been scared to be outside, and this, this just brings all ...
- Title
- Mainland students commute by ferry to the Chebeague Island School
- Runtime
- 1:12
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Chebeague residents voted to secede from the Cumberland school system nearly 20 years ago. The island school was renovated, but ran at half capacity for some time. Enrollment has since rebounded with 23 kids, including nine from the mainland. That may be in part due to the small class sizes.
Chebeague Superintendent Aaron Townsend says it helps that the school is so close to a number of large southern Maine communities that it can draw from with only a 20-minute ferry commute.
“Having that cohort of like academic and social peers as a way to sustain the island school, and we’re certainly unique, and being able to do it because of the (Chebeague Transportation Co.) ferry connection,” Townsend says. “There aren’t many of the unbridged islands that have that close a ferry connection, even here within Casco Bay.”
And Townsend says the appeal of the program has helped the island maintain enrollments at a consistent level — enough to suppo...
- Title
- Would you survive an Arctic Circle winter 80 years ago? | The Last Whaler by Cynthia Reeves
- Runtime
- 30:08
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Cynthia Reeves joins host Bill Nemitz for a conversation about her novel, The Last Whaler.
Maine Public's Book Club is made possible through the generous support of Coffee By Design, Islandport Press, OceanView at Falmouth, Highland Green and Maine Public's viewers and listeners.
📚 Check out our book club selections: https://www.mainepublic.org/all-books-considered-book-club
❤️ Love what you see on Maine Public's YouTube channel? Support your local public media station by donating at mainepublic.org/donateyoutube
- Title
- Cranberry Isles come together to keep their small schools open
- Runtime
- 2:47
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Many school districts across the country face declining enrollment, teacher shortages and funding uncertainties. For small island communities off the coast of Maine, these challenges can be even more daunting.
On an island with fewer than 100 year-round residents, declining enrollment can close a school down and force families to relocate.
Residents of Great Cranberry Island know this all too well because their school was closed for more than 15 years. When it reopened a decade ago, students from both Great Cranberry and Islesford began attending each other's school for two years at a time, connected by the island ferry.
Read the full story at mainepublic.org.
✍️: Madi Smith
📸: Tulley Hescock
- Title
- Government ordered to restore climate signs in Acadia
- Runtime
- 0:32
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- The signs were taken down last year under orders from President Donald Trump and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. The orders professed to "restore truth and sanity to American history" and directed the Interior Department to identify and remove materials that disparaged Americans past and present.
But U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley said the removals violated federal laws related to national parks and the administration was sought "to rewrite the nation's history with a white-out pen."
Trump's March 2025 order led to the removal from parks nationwide of materials related to the history of slavery, Indigenous nations, women and environmental damage.
Opponents, led by the National Parks Conservation Association, filed suit, alleging the removals violated federal law and were an attempt to censor and obscure the nation's past.
In a preliminary injunction issued Friday, Judge Kelley said the government's actions dismantled objective...
- Title
- Recreating boats used during Benedict Arnold's Quebec Expedition | Assignment Maine America @ 250
- Runtime
- 6:25
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Teaching history to middle school kids can be tough, but in Bristol, with the help of the Bristol Historical Society and the Carpenter’s Boat Shop, the 7th grade class at Bristol Consolidated School is getting a hands on lesson in 18th century boat building.
Watch these industrious students work on a bateau modeled after the boats used on Benedict Arnold’s famous 1775 expedition to Quebec.
Led by master boat builder Robert Stevens, these kids are not only learning woodworking skills, but they’re also learning about the heritage of the historic boatbuilding town of Bristol and the role it played in the founding of our country.
This video is part of the Assignment Maine: America @ 250 series.
Assignment Maine: America at 250 is made possible by Lee Auto Malls, Corient, George Washington’s Mount Vernon and viewers like you.
❤️ Love what you see on Maine Public's YouTube channel? Support your local public medi...
- Title
- U.S. Senate Candidate Graham Platner speaks to supporters after winning Democratic nomination
- Runtime
- 0:30
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner secured the Democratic nomination on Tuesday, withstanding a withering blitz of unflattering revelations and ongoing attempts by Republicans and some Democratic operatives to weaken his candidacy.
“We will take back this Senate seat and when we do we will take back our power,” he said shortly after the race was called.
Platner also addressed the controversies that have dogged his campaign, acknowledging his personal struggles.
“This is the state that raised me and this is the state that saved me,” he said.
“I’m still far from perfect, but everyday I wake up and try to be a little bit better,” he added. “If you give me the chance, I will be a senator for the people who cannot afford to buy a seat. I will stand up for you and against the billionaires and greedy corporations.”
His victory earns him the right to take on Republican Sen. Susan Collins this November in a clo...
- Title
- How to row a dory | Borealis Season Three
- Runtime
- 6:15
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- What does it feel like to row a wooden dory through the waters of coastal Maine? Operating year-round, Registered Maine Guide Nicolle Litrell, AKA the DoryWoman, takes folks out on the water, teaching them how to row so they can experience the magic for themselves.
Hit the waters of Belfast Harbor with host Aislinn Sarnacki in this segment from Episode Three of Borealis Season Three!
🔗 Learn more about DoryWoman rowing at https://www.dorywomanrowing.com/
Borealis is made possible through the generous support of our production sponsors The Nature Conservancy, the Maine Office of Outdoor Recreation, and Poland Spring, and our broadcast sponsors Evergreen Home Performance, Patriot Subaru, and Bangor Savings Bank, in addition to Maine Public's viewers and listeners.
🔗 Learn more about Borealis at mainepublic.org/borealis
Production Credits:
Produced and Written by Aislinn Sarnacki
Videography by Brian Bec...
- Title
- From Above: Maine Forts | Assignment Maine America @ 250
- Runtime
- 8:16
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Take an aerial tour of some of Maine’s most significant forts. From pre-colonial times, Maine has played a pivotal role in America’s defense from enemies both foreign and domestic.
We celebrate these impressive fortresses, and pay tribute to their strategic and cultural significance in the nation’s history in this Assignment Maine.
This video is part of the Assignment Maine: America @ 250 series.
Assignment Maine: America at 250 is made possible by Lee Auto Malls, Corient, George Washington’s Mount Vernon and viewers like you.
❤️ Love what you see on Maine Public's YouTube channel? Support your local public media station by donating at mainepublic.org/donateyoutube
- Title
- Kids in Portland's East End came out to celebrate the fifth annual "Danny Day"
- Runtime
- 1:37
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Kids in Portland's East End came out to celebrate the fifth annual "Danny Day" last week. Danny Lowe, a man living with autism, has been a Portland crossing guard for more than a decade. Kids and parents played his favorite songs and made signs of appreciation for Danny for helping them cross the street every day.
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Reporting: Patty Wight
Video: Tulley Hescock
Production: Tulley Hescock & Lucy Santerre
- Title
- In an interview with Maine Public, Graham Platner denies being physically threatening
- Runtime
- 0:57
- Date posted
- 4 months ago
- Description
- U.S. Senate hopeful Graham Platner today denied some of the allegations made by former girlfriends in a New York Times story this week, including one charge that he engaged in physically threatening behavior.
"No, that's just not true," Platner said, speaking with Maine Public's Steve Mistler in Hancock this morning about the allegations and whether he fears they may impede the momentum of his campaign.
The latest allegations come from Lindsay Fifield, a Virginia conservative who has worked for right-leaning groups in Republican campaigns. Fifield also asserted that Platner knew long ago that his controversial tattoo was associated with Nazi iconography, a claim that first surfaced in the publication Jewish Insider last fall. Platner says that's not true.
For more of Steve Mistler's interview with Graham Platner, visit mainepublic.org.
