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QUOTE OF THE DAY

“The Rolland Perry City Forest is a wonderful tribute to his 42 years of service, but I don’t need to be in the forest to remember Rolland.”

— Aaron Huotari, director of Bangor Public Works, reflecting on the late Rolland F. Perry’s impact on the Bangor community.

TODAY’S TOP STORIES

Rep. Jared Golden will run for reelection in Maine’s 2nd District in 2026. Some believed the Democrat would throw his hat in the ring for Maine’s 2026 gubernatorial race, but he has opted to seek another term in Congress. 

Real estate agent David Jones has announced a second bid to become Maine’s governor. The Republican ran as an independent in 2006 and qualified for the ballot, but he dropped out of the race a few months before the November election. The announcement comes a day after Democrat Troy Jackson joined the race.

A local election is looming over a Maine school district that has become intensely divided over transgender rights. Regional School Unit 40 will hold a board election this summer, a year after its transgender policies faced scrutiny from the community.

Bangor’s finance director abruptly resigned following a city councilor’s accusations that he was lying to the board and misallocating the use of city funds. David Little submitted his letter of resignation after a confrontation that lasted nearly 10 minutes erupted between him and Councilor Joe Leonard at a budget workshop.

Rolland F. Perry, a longtime Bangor city forester, died Thursday at the age of 89. Perry, for whom the Bangor City Forest is named, retired in 2006 after he had planted approximately 812,809 trees across the city of Bangor.

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NEWS FROM AROUND THE STATE

MAINE IN PICTURES

A pony cart is driven by a resident transporting firewood on May 13 in Freedom. Credit: Robert F. Bukaty / AP

FROM THE OPINION PAGES

Jordyn Rossignol reads the children’s book “Love the World” to kids at a preschool in Caribou in this file photo. Credit: Hannah Catlin / St. John Valley Times

“In rural and low-income communities, child care businesses are already teetering on the edge, potentially undermining Maine’s economy.”

Opinion: Maine needs more affordable child care to secure its economic future

LIFE IN MAINE

After the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife issued warnings against eating animals harvested in levels with high PFAS concentrations, some hunters are wary of eating their game meat. “It is important and sometimes difficult to keep perspective on these safe-food issues,” V. Paul Reynolds writes. 

A former nun’s retreat is for sale on a Maine pond. It comes with more than 4,000 square feet of living space, plenty of natural wood and a chapel.