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QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Statistically, Maine may rank as one of the safest states in America, but that doesn’t mean much if Mainers don’t feel safe in their communities.”

— David Jones, a Falmouth real estate agent and Republican candidate for Maine governor. While crime rates in Maine are in decline and FBI data have long placed the state among the safest in the nation, President Donald Trump’s sweeping takeover of policing in Washington, D.C., has put a focus on crime that has carried over into Maine’s 2026 governor’s race.

TODAY’S TOP STORIES

Maine is safe, but crime is still a flashpoint in 2026 politics. Trump’s takeover of law enforcement in Washington has entered its second week despite the city’s crime rate being at a 30-year low. In Maine, one gubernatorial candidate has vowed to rid the state of “organized crime” and illicit drug operations.

The company the state blamed for a statewide emergency alert refutes claims its technology didn’t work. Crisis24 said it reviewed its technology and found no issues with it despite Maine emergency officials’ insistence that it failed.

Bangor is suing two homeowners for allegedly not registering properties as vacant. The move comes after the city doubled the permit fee for its vacant buildings ordinance in 2023 in an effort to reduce the number of unused buildings.

BangorHousing is planning renovations to its affordable properties. That comes as the agency also works to open new apartments for seniors and a supportive housing facility for homeless people.

Ellsworth wants to revamp its waterfront business spaces. The Union River Center for Innovation was created to support startups in 2015, but city officials are concerned the space is outdated. 

NEWS FROM AROUND THE STATE

MAINE IN PICTURES

William Jackson, 67, who lives in an apartment in Bangor, sits in a shady spot in Pickering Square on Aug. 14. He said he keeps an eye out for crime in Bangor — especially at night — and thinks more walking beat cops would help. Credit: Linda Coan O'Kresik / BDN

FROM THE OPINION PAGES

In this March 11, 2021, file photo, desks are arranged in a classroom at an elementary school in Nesquehoning, Pennsylvania. Credit: Matt Slocum / AP

“Students in these programs often develop a deeper understanding of academic concepts because they are applying them in context, not just memorizing them for a test.”

Opinion: Project-based learning works. It should be expanded in Maine.

LIFE IN MAINE

Here’s how lobster roll prices around the state changed from May to August.

A chainsaw artist is carving a statue of Poseidon outside a Searsport motel.

With sandy beaches and a mountain backdrop, this Hancock County pond is a paddler’s paradise.