A version of this story first appeared in the Morning Update newsletter. Sign up here to receive the Morning Update and other BDN newsletters directly in your inbox.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“In Madison, why is a studio over $1,000? Two people could move in there and obviously afford it, but I’m one person, right?”

— Kelly Normandin, who has been searching for months for a safe, pet-friendly apartment in the Skowhegan area.

TODAY’S TOP STORIES

Gov. Janet Mills may get Democratic pushback on proposed cigarette tax hike. Mills and her office said the $1 per pack increase to Maine’s $2 cigarette tax — along with a boost in the excise tax on other tobacco products — will generate about $80 million over two years.

Bangor bus riders approve of the recent switch to a new fixed stop system. Previously, riders could get on the bus at any point along the route by waving it down, making it hard for buses to run on time.

Bangor mobile home park becomes Maine’s second bought by residents under new law. After raising $8 million to outbid a corporate investor, residents of a Bangor mobile home park unanimously voted to purchase their park Saturday. 

Renting in rural Maine can be as hard as it is in cities. Rents for middle-income earners are rising fast, making it hard for potential tenants to find a place to live.

NEWS FROM AROUND THE STATE

MAINE IN PICTURES

Old Town native Russ Willey Jr. often wakes up to the sound of his grandfather’s chainsaw running outside. That means it’s time to get to work in the woodyard and start recording videos. Read Elizabeth Walztoni’s story below about how two Maine families created successful YouTube channels highlighting Maine’s small firewood industry. Credit: Courtesy Russ Willey Jr.

FROM THE OPINION PAGES

Medical charges are seen in Temple Hills, Maryland, on June 26, 2023. Credit: Jacquelyn Martin / AP

“Every year, millions of Americans, most of whom have health insurance, incur medical debt. These unpaid bills often force people to curtail spending on essentials, such as heat, housing and food. Medical debt is the leading cause of bankruptcy in the U.S.”

Editorial: Permanent relief from medical debt is needed

LIFE IN MAINE

There’s never been a better time to visit a sauna in Maine. In the bleak midwinter, when daylight is scarce and temperatures struggle to rise above freezing, some Mainers have found warmth, solace and rejuvenation in a practice that stretches back centuries: traditional Nordic sauna.

You can ride a snowmobile through Caribou’s new light show. Jim Gamage and Troy Haney created the “Northern Lights” trail to entice people to come north and take advantage of Aroostook’s winter recreation opportunities.

Maine man gets first moose and bride-to-be the same day. With blood up to his elbows, Jared Lavers of New Gloucester dropped to one knee in the North Woods beside his dead moose and asked his girlfriend of six years for her hand in marriage.