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QUOTE OF THE DAY

“My husband and I go north to Fort Kent to visit relatives of his, and a lot of these little towns had these lovely flower barrels… I said to Rowena Harvey, who is the national honor society and chemistry teacher at Katahdin, ‘Wouldn’t it be nice if we did that with kids? They could plant, have a lesson and do something for the community.’”

— Former Katahdin principal Rae Bates on to the school’s tradition of having honor students plant flower barrels for Memorial Day. 

TODAY’S TOP STORIES

Katahdin-area students honor fallen heroes for Memorial Day. For the past 11 years,  Katahdin honor society students have planted flower barrels, said former principal Rae Bates, who got the program going her last year at the high school.

Memorial Day was created because Civil War veterans fought for it. The Grand Army of the Republic was largely responsible for making Memorial Day a holiday and creating most of Maine’s Civil War memorials.

The BDN introduces its lobster roll index. The index will keep a running tab on the cost of the beloved summer dish across Maine.

New sushi restaurant opening in Bucksport. Chalee Thai-Sushi To Go will offer a sushi menu, Thai classics, soup and bubble tea.

NEWS FROM AROUND THE STATE

MAINE IN PICTURES

Students in the Katahdin Chapter of the National Honor Society filled 20 barrels with flowers for Memorial Day in Patten on Thursday, as part of a project that began 11 years ago. Pictured, junior Olivia Mitchell, left, sophomore Payton Gardner, center, and senior Mickenzie Landry. Credit: Kathleen Phalen Tomaselli / BDN

FROM THE OPINION PAGES

President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk speak to reporters as they sit in a Tesla vehicle on the South Lawn of the White House on March 11, 2025, in Washington. Credit: Pool / AP

“Democrats are mad. So are independents and even some Republicans. Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are drawing huge crowds. Despite demands that congressional Democrats do something, Congress seems powerless. But that is not the case.”

Opinion: Trump administration actions demand investigation

LIFE IN MAINE

Bangor’s war memorials can teach us about those who died in the line of duty. Here in Bangor, Mainers can pay tribute at any of the 10 war memorials installed around the city, from the Civil War to the Vietnam War.

Maine angler “could barely stand up in the boat because of the waves.” The Labbes said they caught about 14 fish on Maine’s largest lake that day, and probably lost as many.

This Bangor-area paddle is excellent for birding. “For years, I’d wanted to paddle this part of Fields Pond, or was it Sedgeunkedunk Stream?” Outdoors Contributor Aislinn Sarnacki writes.

How to keep snakes out of your yard. Snakes don’t deserve their sinful reputation. There are many perks to having snakes on your Maine property.

Turkey hunt is a tribute to persistence and the memory of a beloved uncle. “Perhaps I had an angel on my shoulder the other day who helped coax that tom into my path. At least that’s what I would like to think,” writes Pete Warner.