Morning update: What you need to know in Maine today

— Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Lizotte on Maine’s illegal pot busts in 2024.

You can thank Jimmy Carter for Maine’s thriving craft beer industry. The former president had a hand in landmark legislation in 1978 pushed by early homebrewers that allowed the craft beer industry to operate legally.

Donald Trump’s allies have warned Maine officials they could face jail time for “sanctuary” policies. Officials in at least two counties recently received letters from America First Legal, whose president, Stephen Miller, will serve as Trump’s deputy chief of staff for policy and homeland security adviser that claimed their communities’ “sanctuary” policies disrespected the rule of law.

Last year became the year that Maine cracked down on illegal marijuana. About 60 properties across the state have been searched this year, leading to a significant decrease in illegal marijuana grow operations.

A former Bangor inn’s reopening as housing for homeless is being delayed until next month. Penquis CAP has worked for months to renovate the former Pine Tree Inn at 22 Cleveland St. into one-bedroom and efficiency apartments.

Maine was the place to be if you wanted to look up to the sky and witness some amazing celestial events in 2024. A total solar eclipse in April and multiple opportunities to see the northern lights resulted in some beautiful pictures in 2024.

“Against this troubling backdrop, Baxter’s words at the dawn of 1922 sounded a hopeful message of trust, cooperation and tolerance.”

These Maine laws passed in 2024 could affect your livelihood. A number of agriculture-related laws passed this year were geared toward farmers, and may impact how you operate your homestead.

Outdoors columnist V. Paul Reynolds has one solution for MDI’s deer problem. “Step one would be a phased in hunting season, at the very least by qualified and vetted bow hunters,” he writes.