QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Attempting to punish people out of poverty is the least effective and most expensive response to this growing housing crisis.” 

— ACLU of Maine on a proposed loitering ban in Bangor that the group called unconstitutional.

TODAY’S TOP MAINE STORIES

Scammers are trying to sell Mainers’ land without their knowledge. Deed fraud, perpetrated by “title pirates,” is increasingly plaguing landowners across the country.

A proposal to remove transgender protections is splitting a Midcoast school district. School board members who opposed the policy said it undermines families and isn’t necessary.

Maine ACLU called Bangor’s proposed loitering ban unconstitutional. The group said the ban would criminalize “peaceful conduct in public spaces” while ignoring the “root causes of homelessness.”

A debate is under way over expanding a program for treating serious mental illnesses. Judges could order people at risk for harming themselves or others to get assisted outpatient treatment.

MAINE IN PICTURES

Nancy Deveau prepares to throw a pass to Mykyta Haletska after school on Oct. 5, 2023. Nancy, a big fan of the Dallas Cowboys, was teaching Mykyta how to play American football. The Haletska family moved to Orono in March 2023 as part of the Uniting for Ukraine program, which pairs Ukrainian refugees with American families like the Deveaus. Credit: Linda Coan O’Kresik / BDN

NEWS FROM AROUND THE STATE

FROM THE OPINION PAGES 

“We endorse candidates because we often have been given unusual access to them and we have the time to dig deeply into and challenge their ideas.”

Editorial: This is why we endorse

LIFE IN MAINE

Three Bangor buildings — a nondescript multi-unit, a former orphan asylum and a 1830s Greek Revival mansion — have hidden histories you might not know about.

A common and handy biodegradable material might be leaking PFAS into your garden. So-called forever chemicals have been linked to health problems not usually associated with homegrown veggies.

Now that it’s warm enough to comfortably sleep outdoors. Here’s a beginner’s guide to camping in a tent in Maine.