QUOTE OF THE DAY

“We will take anybody. Hopefully, you’ll walk away with a job with the city, driving a transit bus and a license that’s yours.”

— Laurie Linscott, superintendent of Bangor’s Community Connector on a federal grant aimed at attracting drivers to a bus system that has been plagued by staffing shortages for years.

TODAY’S TOP STORIES

Outages will be possible today as high winds and heavy gusts move through the state during the evening. The winds follow a day filled with mixed precipitation that will likely coat powerlines and tree branches in a layer of freezing rain. Find the latest closings, cancellations and delays here.

Bangor will offer free bus driver training in hopes of resuming Saturday service. The goal of the training is to eventually hire more bus drivers and ease staffing shortages that have forced the Community Connector to reduce service. 

Low-income Mainers won’t get new federal housing aid for months. With Congress yet to settle its 2025 appropriations and a new president in the wings, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has told housing authorities to brace for cuts.

Maine’s military personnel will get big raises under the new defense budget. The roughly $895 billion National Defense Authorization Act includes a 4.5 percent raise for all personnel and more than double on top of that for junior service members.

The Penobscot Bay Chamber of Commerce is closing. The chamber faced a sharp decline in revenue and falling membership in recent years.

NEWS FROM AROUND THE STATE

MAINE IN PICTURES

Firefighters in Clinton rescued a dog that fell through the ice on Monday. The dog, Dunkin, is home safe and warming up with his family. Credit: Courtesy of Clinton Fire and Rescue.

MAINE TOWN OF THE WEEK

Got a fun factoid about a Maine town? Email us at news@bangordailynews.com.

NEW SWEDEN: As the name might suggest, the Aroostook County town of New Sweden is home to a large population of people descended from the town’s original Swedish immigrants colony. The colony was founded in 1870 by 51 Swedish immigrants recruited by the state of Maine to live in the town. Many New Sweden residents still honor their heritage by celebrating Midsommar in June and St. Lucia Day in December.

FROM THE OPINION PAGES

A man cleans the heavy, wet snow off a car in his driveway during the nor’easter that hit Maine with heavy snow and strong winds on April 4, 2024. Credit: Linda Coan O'Kresik / BDN

“It shouldn’t take a law or a financial penalty to get Mainers to think about each other and take steps to avoid crashes.”

Editorial: Removing snow and ice from your car isn’t just a courtesy. It’s the law.

LIFE IN MAINE

Paul Winter will return to Maine this weekend to perform his legendary Winter Solstice Celebration concerts, including Friday at Hannaford Hall in Portland, Saturday at the Collins Center for the Arts in Orono and Sunday at the Rockport Opera House.

These gift ideas can help you find the perfect present for a Maine homesteader or gardener in your life. Thoughtful holiday gift-giving doesn’t have to be stressful, it just takes a little bit of consideration for what would make life a little easier. 

This secluded hike in western Maine offers spectacular views of the White Mountains. Albany Mountain is located between West Bethel and Stoneham and part of the eastern sector of White Mountain National Forest.