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QUOTE OF THE DAY

“No tick bite is a good tick bite.”

— MaineHealth vector ecologist Chuck Lubelczyk, who is monitoring the lone star tick’s presence in Maine.

TODAY’S TOP STORIES

Maine’s PFAS crisis is often portrayed as a result of regulators and health officials not knowing about the chemicals that were present in the sludge spread throughout the state. But there were concerns about the sludge’s contents almost from the start of the state-run program, the Bangor Daily News found through reviewing thousands of documents and interviewing industry figures.

We compared grocery prices at six Greater Bangor stores. Here’s what we found. The BDN spoke with about a dozen Bangor-area grocery shoppers and visited six local grocery stores to compare prices for 10 staple items.

Don’t worry too much — yet — about getting a red meat allergy from a Maine tick bite. Widely established in southern and Mid-Atlantic states, lone star ticks have been creeping northward over the last five years. 

Top Graham Platner adviser threatened former aide over sexting stories. A Platner adviser warned a former aide she would be accused of lying and sabotage if she cooperated with news outlets.

NEWS FROM AROUND THE STATE

MAINE IN PICTURES

Pumpkin Island Light reflects in the glassy surface of the ocean early in the morning on a sea kayaking adventure. Credit: Courtesy of Aislinn Sarnacki

FROM THE OPINION PAGES

In this Aug. 24, 2018, file photo, a worker rakes wild blueberries at a farm in Union. Credit: Robert F. Bukaty / AP

“We must also remember the lives and livelihoods of the workers who bring this produce to us and reflect on what fairness demands that we provide these workers in return.”

Opinion: Federal policy change means farmworkers in Maine will likely see a pay cut this year

LIFE IN MAINE

These classic Maine signs are worth watching for on your next road trip. “There was a time when Maine highways were blistered with large advertising displays. Fortunately, that is no longer the case,” Outdoors contributor Al Raychard explains.

Nest failure is common for birds in Maine. But many have backup plans. Renesting is a common survival strategy, according to Outdoors contributor Bob Duchesne.

Visit the real Maine places that inspired these books. From contemporary novels to classic children’s books, authors have turned to towns all over Maine for settings and inspiration.