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QUOTE OF THE DAY
— Paul Stearns, a former state representative and former school superintendent, on an anticipated executive order from President Donald Trump to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. The department’s new secretary, Linda McMahon, thinks this can be done without affecting federal education funding.
TODAY’S TOP STORIES
Here’s what the end of the U.S. Department of Education would mean for Maine. President Donald Trump held off Thursday on an anticipated order, but school officials in Maine and other states are preparing for him to follow through on his long-discussed promise.
Gov. Janet Mills’ office suggested the federal investigation into Maine’s transgender athlete rules was a sham. It appears no state officials were contacted during the Title IX investigation, which took only four days.
More than 20 people applied to be Bangor’s next city manager. Whoever is selected will take the post after Debbie Laurie retires in May.
Rural Maine communities are trying a new model for child care. Schools and day cares usually operate separately, but organizers hope that bringing them under one roof will make it easier for working parents.
Northern Maine’s only homeless shelter is months away from closure. It takes roughly $100 per night to keep one shelter bed open in Maine.
NEWS FROM AROUND THE STATE
- Paul LePage is exploring a run for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District
- Maine lawmaker accused of strangling his wife pleads not guilty to domestic violence charges
- Bill Belichick’s Maine girlfriend pleads with Trump to restore Sea Grant funds
- Bangor changes its public comment policy for City Council meetings
- Man arrested after ‘threatening incident’ in Milford
- Pedestrian hit by car in Holden
- Presque Isle considers pausing solar projects as 1 looks to expand
- Man dead after Machias standoff
- Lamoine fisherman gets 2 years for attack on co-worker
- State awards contract for suicide barriers on Penobscot Narrows Bridge
- Belfast revises tennis court rules after flap over new scheduling policy
- Bowdoin declines to divest from Israel-supporting firms after protest
- Teenager hit by vehicle in Farmington
- 1 dead and 4 injured after Portland fire
- 11 children taken to hospital after falling ill at Scarborough school
- Maine Turnpike drops plans for Gorham Connector
MAINE IN PICTURES
FROM THE OPINION PAGES
“Participation in girls running sports is plummeting … Eating disorders are a massive issue for girls’ running … Athletes are assaulted by male coaching staff. If we care about the integrity of girls’ sports, these are the problems to address, not attacking trans girls.”
LIFE IN MAINE
A bill to increase Maine’s fishing license fees inched one step forward. The upshot is the state would put the extra income toward eight hatcheries where it raises brook trout for stocking lakes and ponds.
Here are winter birds you can expect to see in Acadia National Park. “After a half-century of birding my way past Thunder Hole, I know pretty much what I’m going to find, and where I’m going to find it,” Bob Duchesne writes.
UMaine hockey is facing a challenging regular season-ending series at UMass. “It’s going to be really, really intense,” said UMaine head coach Ben Barr, who is also a former UMass associate head coach and recruiting coordinator.
