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Maine Beacon

@mainebeacon.bsky.social

450 followers 14 following 240 posts

Beacon is a news site by the Maine People’s Alliance. We shine a light on the experiences of everyday Mainers, educate readers on the impact of public policy and promote a progressive vision rooted in community, fairness and investing in our shared future.

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Maine Beacon @mainebeacon.bsky.social · 2d

“What I am 100% certain of is that this is not the uncovering of some grand conspiracy to stuff a ballot box with votes meant to swing the election toward the radical left. And if this was an attempt at fraud, this is the dumbest ballot stuffer in the world.”

Ethan Strimling's new opinion piece ⬇️

Opinion: Lightsaber ballots and the the scandal that wasn’t - Maine Beacon

It’s possible you haven’t yet heard about the latest attempt to gin up support for Question 1, the voter suppression initiative that will go a long way towards wiping out absentee voting in Maine. Wel...

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Maine Beacon @mainebeacon.bsky.social · 2d

Mainers visited hospitals across the state Wednesday morning to speak with patients and providers on how Republican-led Medicaid cuts could force several facilities to close, leaving tens of thousands without care. Click below to read more.

Mainers warn of rural hospital closures under GOP cuts - Maine Beacon

Mainers visited hospitals across the state Wednesday morning to warn that Republican-led cuts to Medicaid could force several facilities to close, leaving tens of thousands without access to care. The...

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Maine Beacon @mainebeacon.bsky.social · 3d

Maine’s push to close the digital divide continues after the Trump administration canceled $35M in broadband grants. Advocates for digital equity are set to meet in Augusta this week to plan the next steps for expanding access in rural communities. Click the link below to learn more!

Maine digital equity advocates regroup following federal funding cuts - Maine Beacon

Groups working to improve Maine’s internet connectivity said their work will continue despite the loss of federal grants. Earlier this year, the Trump administration canceled $35 million meant to impr...

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Maine Beacon @mainebeacon.bsky.social · 4d

A landlord-funded study meant to discredit Portland’s rent control ended up proving it works — showing tenants are saving about $500 a month, Opinion columnist @strim.bsky.social writes. Read his full piece below!

Opinion: Landlord study shows Portland renters are saving $500 a month thanks to rent control (oops!) - Maine Beacon

This past winter, the Rental Housing Alliance — a landlord group led by corporate landlord Brit Vitalius (whose name you might know because his group led the failed fights against rent control in Port...

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Maine Beacon @mainebeacon.bsky.social · 4d

In-person absentee voting is now open across Maine. Question 1 would add new restrictions to absentee voting, while Question 2 would create a red flag law. The Save Maine Absentee Voting Campaign is urging voters go NO to 1, calling it “an attack on Maine’s safe and secure absentee voting system.”

Maine’s early voting starts today, and the future of absentee voting is on the ballot - Maine Beacon

Mainers can now cast their ballots early, with in-person absentee voting officially underway at municipal clerks’ offices across the state. Here is what’s on the ballot: Question 1 would add restricti...

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Maine Beacon @mainebeacon.bsky.social · 8d

Gubernatorial candidate Angus King III shares why he is pivoting from business to politics in our latest podcast episode. Angus chats with us on how he plans to solve some of the biggest problems Mainers are facing today, such as the cost of living, housing and health care. Listen now!

Podcast: Angus King III brings a business mindset to the governor’s race - Maine Beacon

Gubernatorial candidate Angus King III shares why he is pivoting from business to politics in our latest podcast episode. The founder and former president of Peaks Renewables chats with our host Cate ...

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Maine Beacon @mainebeacon.bsky.social · 8d

A majority of voters want stronger protections for our air, water, and public lands — but Donald Trump is moving the U.S. in the opposite direction. Polling reveals how Trump’s rollbacks are not only bad for the planet, they could be a serious political liability. Read more here!

Trump’s climate actions are hurting him with voters, polling reveals - Maine Beacon

Pres. Donald Trump’s lack of interest in environmental stewardship is well documented. He once said that rising sea levels might create more oceanfront property (this was a good thing, as far as he wa...

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Maine Beacon @mainebeacon.bsky.social · 9d

Mainers woke up to a federal government shutdown Wednesday morning after Republicans blocked Medicaid funding and Affordable Care Act tax credits. Without the credits, more than 70,000 Mainers could face skyrocketing premiums or lose coverage. Click below to read the full story.

Federal shutdown begins as Democrats stand strong in support of health care funding - Maine Beacon

Mainers woke up to a federal government shutdown Wednesday morning after Republicans refused to reinstate funding for Medicaid that was cut this summer and renew the expiring Affordable Care Act premi...

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Maine Beacon @mainebeacon.bsky.social · 10d

Maine Family Planning will close its primary care practices in Ellsworth, Presque Isle and Houlton on Oct. 31 after Congress cut $2M in Medicaid funds. “The cruel and dangerous law has put us in an impossible situation,” said CEO and president George Hill. Click below to read the full story.

Medicaid cuts force Maine Family Planning to close primary care practice - Maine Beacon

Maine Family Planning says it will be forced to close its primary care practice at the end of October, after losing millions in federal Medicaid reimbursements under a new law passed by Congress. The ...

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Maine Beacon @mainebeacon.bsky.social · 12d

A five-year pilot program in Maine aims to ensure special education students are no longer segregated from their peers.
Three elementary schools near Bangor and Lewiston will serve as models for teacher training and collaboration.

Read the full story at the link below!

Maine pilot program aims to improve inclusive education - Maine Beacon

A five-year pilot program in Maine aims to ensure special education students are no longer segregated from their peers. Research shows inclusive classrooms boost student attendance rates, family engag...

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Maine Beacon @mainebeacon.bsky.social · 14d

More than 1,400 people packed into Bunker Brewing in Portland last night to hear Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner outline his vision for Maine. He centered his campaign on housing and health care, while calling on Mainers to organize to challenge billionaires and corporate power.

Mainers must organize and fight, says Graham Platner at Portland town hall - Maine Beacon

More than 1,400 Mainers crowded into Bunker Brewing in Portland on Thursday evening — with many opting to stay and stand outside in the rain — to hear Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner s...

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Maine Beacon @mainebeacon.bsky.social · 15d

Mainers of faith gathered this morning at Sen. Susan Collins’ Portland office, urging her to oppose the federal budget resolution unless it restores health care funding and protects immigrants and vulnerable communities.
mainebeacon.com/maines-faith...

Maine’s faith community calls on Collins to fund health care, not ICE, in budget - Maine Beacon

Faith leaders and people of faith gathered at Sen. Susan Collins’ Portland office Thursday morning to urge Collins to not vote for the continuing budget resolution until the premium tax credits that h...

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Maine Beacon @mainebeacon.bsky.social · 16d

Federal courts have long held that immigrants arrested inside the U.S. are entitled to bond hearings. But a new federal policy strips that right away. The ACLU of Maine is fighting back — first winning a case in Maine, and now joining a class action to restore due process nationwide.

ACLU of Maine wins immigration case, files class action over bond hearings - Maine Beacon

On Friday, Sept. 19, the ACLU of Maine sued U.S. Customs and Border Patrol for unlawfully jailing a man without giving him a bond hearing — and won a preliminary victory the same day. The organization...

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Maine Beacon @mainebeacon.bsky.social · 17d

The Nature Conservancy has reached a $168 million deal to buy four dams on the lower Kennebec River, clearing the way for their eventual removal and reopening a salmon habitat that has been blocked for over a century. The plan will be developed with input from Wabanaki tribes and industry experts.

Historic sale of dams clears the way for salmon to return to the Kennebec River - Maine Beacon

The Nature Conservancy on Tuesday announced a landmark $168 million deal with Brookfield Renewable to purchase the company’s four hydroelectric dams on the lower Kennebec River, paving the way for the...

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Maine Beacon @mainebeacon.bsky.social · 19d

At a Republican gubernatorial debate in Old Orchard Beach last week, all five candidates endorsed new restrictions on abortion in Maine, though several struggled to outline exactly how far they’d go. Click the link to read the full story.

Maine GOP candidates for governor promise abortion restrictions - Maine Beacon

At a debate between five Republican gubernatorial candidates in Old Orchard Beach on Tuesday, several of the contenders for the GOP nomination seemed to struggle with answering a question on how far t...

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Maine Beacon @mainebeacon.bsky.social · 19d

Gubernatorial candidate Hannah Pingree joins us on the podcast to reflect on her political journey that started in small town Maine and led her to running for governor. Hannah shares her vision for the state's housing, healthcare, economic equality, climate and more. Listen below!

Podcast: Hannah Pingree stresses urgency on housing, climate in run for Maine governor - Maine Beacon

This week on the podcast, gubernatorial candidate Hannah Pingree discusses her political journey, starting from her early involvement in Maine's small communities and her recruitment to the state legi...

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Maine Beacon @mainebeacon.bsky.social · 21d

Earlier this summer, Pres. Donald Trump took to Truth Social to tell Republicans to “vote the opposite of Susan Collins” in a hidden attempt to make her appear to be moderate. The truth? Collins has voted with Trump 96% of the time.

Click the link below to read @strim.bsky.social's full column!

Opinion: Susan Collins is no moderate and Trump knows it - Maine Beacon

This summer, in a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Pres. Donald Trump told Republicans to “vote the exact opposite of Senator Susan Collins.” I couldn't agree with him more. Because if ...

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Maine Beacon @mainebeacon.bsky.social · 23d

Eighteen Maine Senators and 57 Representatives received 100% scores in an annual legislative scorecard by Maine People's Alliance that was released earlier this week.

The scorecard highlights legislators’ votes on housing, workers’ rights, child care, immigration, tax fairness and more.

Housing, taxing the rich, childcare, paid family leave key issues in MPA legislative scorecard - Maine Beacon

Eighteen Maine Senators and 57 Representatives received 100% scores in Maine People’s Alliance’s annual legislative scorecard. (Beacon is a project of MPA.) The scorecard released this week highlights...

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Maine Beacon @mainebeacon.bsky.social · 23d

Maine’s minimum wage is rising in response to the annual cost-of-living adjustment. More than 100,000 workers — including farmworkers now covered by the state minimum — will see higher pay, with a new base of $15.10 per hour.

Maine minimum wage hits $15.10 in January, boosting pay for 100,000 workers - Maine Beacon

As prices of everyday essentials like food, housing, and health care climb, the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) to the minimum wage is one of our state’s most impactful laws to ensure workers ...

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Maine Beacon @mainebeacon.bsky.social · 23d

Sen. Susan Collins says Congress may only revisit Trump’s $1 trillion cuts to Medicaid if there's "evidence" of Americans getting sicker — even as 61,000 Mainers face losing coverage and rural hospitals risk closure. Read more here.

Collins: “If Americans get sicker,” Congress may revisit Trump budget - Maine Beacon

Sen. Susan Collins suggested Monday that Congress will only take a deeper look at Pres. Donald Trump’s budget bill if evidence shows Americans are becoming sicker as a result of its cuts. Speaking at ...

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Maine Beacon @mainebeacon.bsky.social · 24d

CMP has officially filed for a $1.4 billion electricity rate hike that would raise bills every year starting in 2026. Gov. Mills blasted the proposal as “massive and unacceptable,” saying it would especially hurt seniors, small businesses and rural Mainers. Click below to read the full story.

CMP wants to raise bills by $420 - Maine Beacon

Central Maine Power has officially submitted a proposal to raise electricity rates by more than $1.4 billion over the next five years, a plan Gov. Janet Mills is criticizing as “massive and unacceptab...

mainebeacon.com

Maine Beacon @mainebeacon.bsky.social · 25d

ACA subsidies that have saved Maine families hundreds of dollars a month are set to expire in 2026. Without them, premiums could nearly double. Yet, Sen. Collins voted for a GOP bill that left the subsidies out — after pocketing campaign checks from the very insurers raising rates. Read more here!

Susan Collins accepts thousands from insurers while health costs soar for Mainers - Maine Beacon

Federal Election Commission numbers show that Sen. Susan Collins has accepted nearly $120,000 in campaign contributions from political action committees tied to major health insurers – the same compan...

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Maine Beacon @mainebeacon.bsky.social · 29d

In an off-kilter move for someone reportedly gearing up to challenge Sen. Collins for her seat, Gov. Mills offered universal praise for Collins’ actions in office. Collins said she was delighted. Esther, Cate and Ben cover this and the broader dynamics of the US Senate race on the podcast this week.

Podcast: Mills should be pressuring Collins, not praising her - Maine Beacon

In an off-kilter move for someone who is reportedly gearing up to challenge Sen. Susan Collins for her seat, Governor Janet Mills on Monday offered universal praise for Collins' actions in office. "Sh...

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Maine Beacon @mainebeacon.bsky.social · Sep 11

Opinion writer Ethan Strimling pays tribute to the late Bill Diamond, who served Maine for 40 years between the House, Senate, and as Sec. of State. Despite their differences, Ethan remembers Diamond as a mentor, friend, and leader who was "more progressive than he let on."

Read the full story:

Opinion: I will miss Bill Diamond - Maine Beacon

Twenty years ago, I met Bill Diamond, who died recently, when he took the seat next to mine in the Maine Senate. I was in my second term. He had served in the Senate for four years back in the 1980s. ...

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Maine Beacon @mainebeacon.bsky.social · Sep 10

Opinion writer Ben Chin argues that Maine's progressive movement is leading nationally because of...fundamentals!

"Fundamentals aren't sexy. But they're the reason campaigns win and big movements succeed," Ben writes. "Year by year, issue by issue, that persistence has built lasting power."

Opinion: How national Democrats can learn from Maine - Maine Beacon

We are living in the most progressive era of reform in Maine’s history. Since 2016, we have made more improvements in the lives of regular people than any other generation. The list of policy accompli...

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