Morning update: What you need to know in Maine today

— Jeff Solari and Greg Hawes, who will be taking over WKIT 100.3 FM in the new year.

Two Maine business owners are taking over Stephen King’s ‘rock ‘n roll’ radio station. Jeff Solari and Greg Hawes will be taking over the popular classic rock station WKIT 100.3 FM, which was set to shut down on Dec. 31.

This is how Maine’s first violence prevention director is envisioning her new role. Jamie Bourque will be the director of the Office of Injury and Violence Prevention, an office formed after Maine’s deadliest mass shooting in October 2023.

Maine is lagging behind in the lofty housing goals it set last year. One recommendation calls on the state to build at least 76,400 new homes by 2030 in order to accommodate existing and future residents.

The total solar eclipse on April 8 had an outsized impact on Maine tourism. People flocked to the state ahead of the typical tourism season, and brought their business to a number of smaller towns in the direct path of totality during their stays.

“Peace and love remain universal aspirations. But hope and salvation are the tangible message of this special day.”

Did you know it’s not actually that common to experience a truly “white Christmas” in Maine? While it makes for a picturesque backdrop for the holiday, snow on Christmas Day hasn’t actually happened all that often in Maine in recent years.

If you’re grieving this holiday season, there’s resources to help you out. You don’t have to feel alone if you haven’t been in the holiday spirit after losing a loved one.