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QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Regardless of who’s paying for it, either way it’s gonna be more expensive for us, if Americans are making it or if we’re buying it from a country that’s being tariffed.”

—  Eric Dumais, production manager at Bissell Brothers, on the likely effect of the Trump administration’s aluminum tariffs on small Maine beer brewers.

TODAY’S TOP STORIES

Donald Trump is bringing a Paul LePage-era fight back to Maine. The president could seek national Medicaid work requirements, like those his administration allowed the former governor to pursue in 2018.

You can expect to pay more for Maine beer under Trump’s aluminum tariffs, brewers warned. The new 25 percent tariffs are scheduled to take effect March 12 and will be enforced “without exceptions or exemptions.”

A new bill would protect Maine’s limits on PFAS in water as Trump scraps rules. His administration already has rolled back some limits on the toxic “forever chemicals,” also known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS.

There’s been a mysterious uptick in Romanians illegally crossing the border through Maine. Or at least getting caught trying. Last year, the only foreign nationals border patrol officers saw more frequently than Romanians were Mexicans, and not by much.

The Bangor YMCA gave a first look at its new $57.8 million campus. You can take a virtual tour here.

Maine’s annual high school basketball tournament starts today. Get up to speed with these previews of the boys and girls North classes.

NEWS FROM AROUND THE STATE

MAINE IN PICTURES

A still from a drone used by Houlton sector border patrol agents while capturing two Romanian youths who crossed the U.S.-Canada the border illegally in January. Border patrol agents in northern Maine saw an unexplained rise in attempted illegal crossings by Romanians last year. Credit: Courtesy of U.S. Customs and Border Protection Houlton Sector

FROM THE OPINION PAGES

Rep. Ken Fredette, R-Newport, looks at his computer on the floor of the Maine House of Representatives at the State House in Augusta on Tuesday. Credit: Linda Coan O'Kresik / BDN

“Partisan division over a short-term state budget sets a terrible precedent for the much larger and difficult negotiations over a two-year budget that Maine lawmakers must pass this spring.”

Editorial: Passing a bipartisan supplemental budget can build foundation for larger spending debate

LIFE IN MAINE

You won’t want to miss these birding festivals in Maine. “Bring out your calendar,” Bob Duchesne writes. “There are four major ones. Feel free to attend more than one.”

Watch this 5-year-old’s reaction when she catches a pike. Maddy Ross chose to go fishing that day, much to her mother’s surprise. It was her first time trying the sport.