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QUOTE OF THE DAY

“We’re a vacation state, and people look to us as a safe place to come and have a good time.”

— Judy Oberg, president of the Maine Association of Realtors, on the influx of out-of-state homebuyers during the pandemic.

TODAY’S TOP STORIES

A popular downtown Ellsworth cafe will be sold to a 24-year-old employee later this month. Flexit Cafe, located on Main Street, has been owned by Paul Markosian and Lorena Stearns since March 2015.

Home values in Maine’s southern and coastal counties rose more than the rest of the state and the nation during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. That period saw high demand coupled with low inventory, which drove prices up.

Bangor is considering restricting cooperation with federal immigration agencies. Councilors narrowly voted Monday to further consider a proposal that would establish limits on city involvement with federal immigration enforcement.

Eliot Cutler allegedly violated his probation for a third time in the past five months. Maine State Police arrested the disgraced two-time gubernatorial candidate at a South Portland hotel Monday while there for an unrelated investigation.

NEWS FROM AROUND THE STATE

MAINE IN PICTURES

Saylor DesJardin, 24, will become Flexit Cafe’s new owner in later this month. Desjardin has worked at the downtown Ellsworth cafe since 2021. Credit: Sabrina Martin / BDN

FROM THE OPINION PAGES

The Penobscot County Jail in Bangor. Credit: Linda Coan O'Kresik / BDN

“Penobscot County’s current jail is outdated, overcrowded and fails to meet modern standards for safety and humane treatment.”

Opinion: A new Penobscot County Jail is a moral and practical necessity

LIFE IN MAINE

This year, 918 anglers registered for the fourth annual ice fishing derby at Belgrade Chains, a dramatic increase from the 25 participants in the first derby.

The fast-paced march of technology is blurring the lines of ethical hunting as never before.