Tribal sovereignty / Pickett Mountain debate / Child welfare

Today is Thursday. Temperatures will be the mid-20s, with wind gusts up to 20 miles per hour and potential wind chill in the low negatives. See what the weather for the rest of the day will be here.

Here’s what we’re talking about in Maine today.

The big hunting and fishing changes tied up in Maine’s tribal sovereignty talks

One recommendation would allow tribes to favor members over nonmembers in hunting and fishing, a power that other U.S. tribes have.

Here are the dozen Maine towns with PFAS in 20 percent of drinking water wells

Elevated levels are not limited to one area of the state. Towns in central Maine, the midcoast and Down East had contaminated wells.

Bar Harbor biomedical lab plans to be 50 percent larger by 2030

For more than a century, MDI Biological Laboratory was a mostly seasonal enterprise, but it has grown substantially in the 21st century.

Republicans vying to face Jared Golden in 2024 split on Donald Trump

Their differences could mean more if the campaign mirrors past tension among Maine Republicans on the divisive former president.

Human error caused Vinalhaven ferry grounding, investigations find

“Based on the results of the investigation, MaineDOT concluded that human error was the cause of the incident, and we have taken appropriate action,” department spokesperson Paul Merrill said.

Madawaska scrambling to fill public works jobs after 3 employees quit

Three full-time employees, including Madawaska Public Works Director Kevin Dube, resigned in late November.

Regulators question if Pickett Mountain is best location for proposed mine

Members of the Land Use Planning Commission questioned a Canadian mining company’s finances and its plan to excavate metallic minerals in the middle of the state’s waters and wildlife habitat.

Stephen King’s ‘Dollar Baby’ short film program has ended

After more than 40 years and more than 300 known short films, Stephen King’s Dollar Baby program officially shut down this month.

Nonprofit calls for Maine’s embattled child welfare agency to take ‘team approach’

The report from the nonprofit Walk A Mile In Their Shoes is the latest in a string of critiques of Maine’s child welfare programs.

Meet the best friends revitalizing Hampden Academy boys’ basketball

Having played together for close to 10 years now, the duo has developed a mutual passion for basketball, and know each others’ games to a tee.

Yes, out-of-state bar bouncers, Maine IDs are real

A TikTok user in a viral video bemoans the fact that bouncers at bars in other states reject her Maine ID.

Here’s our experience with an automatic generator for our rural home

“When a coworker of mine at the time learned that I was moving to her town 20 years ago, one of the first things she said to me was ‘welcome to the town of brownouts!'”