Maine DOE Launches Second Year of Pine Tree Programming, Expanding Hands-On Computer Science Opportunities for Students Across Maine

Maine - The Maine Department of Education (DOE) Learning Through Technology team is excited to announce the launch of the second year of Pine Tree Programming, a statewide initiative designed to expand access to high-quality computer science education. Building on a successful first year that introduced more than 500 students to coding across 44 schools, Pine Tree Programming is returning with even more opportunities for Maine students.

This year, the program will feature hands-on coding experiences using micro:bits, small

Two-Part Professional Learning Series: Designing High-Quality ILAP Language Goals for Multilingual Learners

Maine - Are you looking for a clearer, more confident approach to creating effective language goals for multilingual learners? If so, consider participating in a two-part virtual series, led by Maine Department of Education (DOE) Teacher Leader Fellow Rebecca Carey. Participants will learn how to strengthen their practice surrounding Individual Language Acquisition Plans (ILAPs) by engaging in a clear and collaborative process for creating meaningful, measurable language goals that support and monitor student growth, connecting directly to classroom learning

Every multilingual learner must have an ILAP—a required, school-based plan designed to

Grant Funds Available to Rural SAUs through 2026 Aspirations Incubator Requests for Proposals; Submissions Due January 12

Maine - The Rural Youth Institute has announced the release of two 2026 Aspirations Incubator Requests for Proposals (RFP): a planning grant RFP and a seed grant RFP. Rural SAUs are encouraged to apply. The submission deadline for both RFPs is January 12, 2026.

The Aspirations Incubator is a

MAINE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION ISSUES REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY GENERATION AND TRANSMISSION PROJECTS TO ADVANCE DEVELOPMENT OF RENEWABLE ENERGY IN NORTHERN MAINE

Hallowell, Maine-The Maine Public Utilities Commission (Commission) issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) in Docket No. 2025-00361 today seeking proposals for renewable energy generation and associated transmission projects pursuant to the Northern Maine Renewable Energy Development Program.

The RFP is intended to advance the development of renewable energy resources in northern

Court Blocks HUD Changes That Would Have Left Thousands Without Housing

Augusta, MAINE – A federal judge today ordered the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to preliminarily halt changes to its Continuum of Care grant program — the largest resource for federal homelessness assistance funding — after a coalition of states argued in court that the changes were illegal and would leave tens of thousands of people around the country without a place to live. 

 

In her order orally granting a preliminary injunction, U.S. District Court Judge Mary McElroy barred HUD from implementing its proposed changes to the Continuum of Care

Senator Collins Praises Addition of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy to HHS’ List of Recommended Newborn Screenings

Decision follows letter from Senator Collins to Secretary Robert F. Kennedy requesting the disease be included on the Recommended Uniform Screening Panel.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins today praised the decision from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to approve the addition of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) to the Recommended Uniform Screening Panel (RUSP). The RUSP is a list of

Senator Collins Highlights Lyme Disease Efforts, Kay Hagan Tick Act at Roundtable

Joined Maine doctor and Lyme patient to discuss why more research is needed.

Click HERE and HERE for full-resolution images.

Click HERE to watch and HERE to download video of Senator Collins’ remarks at the event.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins participated in a roundtable discussion at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Lyme disease research and innovation. The roundtable included public health officials, researchers, and patient advocates who discussed

UNE medical students learn to prescribe ‘Food as Medicine’ through culinary, community immersion

Second-year UNE College of Osteopathic Medicine students, left to right: Srividya Alisetty, Rose Paadam, Madison Guay, and Anushka Malik.

Portland, Maine - Rose Paadam carefully budgeted ingredients for a white bean chowder designed for a patient with prediabetes and high cholesterol. The challenge: Create six servings of a nutritious, anti-inflammatory meal for just $15, the reality of a SNAP budget.

“Until we lived it, it was hard to realistically understand someone else’s struggle,

King-led Legislation Signed into Law, Will Help Military Life Insurance Keep Up with Inflation

Law would provide more peace of mind for military members and their families

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME), a member of both the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC), John Cornyn (R-TX), Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Ted Cruz (R-TX) are celebrating the signing into law of their bipartisan bill, which to help adjust military life insurance for servicemembers and their families to account for cost-of-living increases and inflation.

The Fairness for Servicemembers and their Families Act will help ensure the

MAINE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION APPROVES MAJOR EXPANSION AND REDESIGN OF STATEWIDE LOW-INCOME ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (LIAP)

Hallowell, Maine- The Maine Public Utilities Commission (Commission) today approved significant amendments to its statewide Low-income Assistance Program (LIAP) rules, expanding eligibility, increasing funding, and transitioning the program to a more stable and predictable bill discount model for participating Central Maine Power (CMP) and Versant Power (Versant) customers.

The Commission approved the changes in Docket No. 2025-00241, a rulemaking

Maine School Nutrition Teams Sharpen Skills Through No-Cost Regional Culinary Trainings

Maine - With the support and participation of the Maine Department of Education (DOE) Child Nutrition Team, Full Plates Full Potential, in collaboration with the MaineHealth Center for Health Improvement, hosted another successful season

Second of Three Statewide Professional Learning Days Scheduled for January 16: EngageMEnt – Cultivating Innovative Teaching and Learning

Maine - Maine educators are invited to attend a statewide professional learning experience on Friday, January 16, 2026, hosted by the Maine Department of Education (DOE) Offices of Teaching and Learning and Innovation. This is the second of three free, statewide events, designed for educators, ed techs, administrators, and pre-service educators, scheduled for the 2025-2026 school year. The first took place in October, and the third is scheduled for Friday, March 10.

These professional learning days are scheduled to align with the dedicated professional

Save the Date for the Third Annual ‘I Belong’ Youth Summit

Auburn, Maine - The Maine Department of Education (DOE) Office of Special Services and Inclusive Education, in collaboration with the Transition Maine Regional Transition Collaborative Fellows, invites you to save the date for the third annual “I Belong” Youth Summit, to be held at Central Maine Community College in Auburn on May 21, 2026, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Information regarding registrations for middle and high schools will be released soon.

The “I Belong” Youth Summit invites schools from across Maine to join a transformative

Maine DOE Announces 2026 United States Senate Youth Program State Delegates

Maine - The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is pleased to announce that Katarina Ousback of Scarborough High School and WanTing Huo of the Maine School of Science and Mathematics (MSSM) have been selected as Maine’s delegates to the 2026 United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP). They will join 102 exceptional student leaders from across the

Attorney General Aaron M. Frey Secures Court Victory Preventing Trump Administration from Unlawfully Cutting Billions in Disaster Preparedness Funding

Court Order Prevents Trump Administration from Illegally Shutting Down the FEMA BRIC Program

 

AUGUSTA – Attorney General Aaron M. Frey and a coalition of 20 states today won their lawsuit against the Trump Administration over its unlawful attempt to shut down the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) bipartisan Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, designed to protect communities from natural disasters before they strike.  

 

For the past 30 years, the BRIC program has provided communities across the nation with resources to proactively fortify their infrastructure against natural disasters.   By

ProInfoNet Marks 30 Years of IT Consulting and Project Leadership

From left to right: Jason Gay (VP of Technology), Jim Rogers (President & CEO), Jeff Rogers (VP of Finance & Operations)

ProInfoNet celebrated 30 years in business last week, ahead of its official incorporation anniversary on December 19.

From the beginning, our goal has been simple: improve lives through the creative use of technology solutions. Thirty years later, that commitment hasn’t changed.”

— Jim Rogers, founder and CEO of ProInfoNet

BANGOR, ME, UNITED STATES, December 11, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- ProInfoNet marked its 30th anniversary last week with an event on December 4 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Bangor, commemorating three decades of supporting more than 320 organizations and helping customers save over $200 million in technology, broadband, and healthcare connectivity solutions. More than 120 guests attended the celebration, including family, friends, partners, clients, and employees.

“We’re proud to be a company that grew from

Saco Celebrates Groundbreaking for New Pre-K–Grade 5 School Campus After 20-Year Wait

Pictured: Saco School Department’s New Elementary School Assistant Principal (Grades 1-5) Tom Partridge, Fairfield School student Caroline Libby, Fairfield School student Maris Posey, Young School student Nathan Smith, Young School student Olivea Desmarais, New Elementary School Principal (Grades 1-5) April Noble, Young School student Anna Broaddus, Fairfield School student Alex Hadiaris, New Primary School Principal (PreK-K) Wendy LeBlanc, Young School student Cameron Blunt, Fairfield School student Nathan Kupresanin, New Primary School Assistant Principal (pre-K–kindergarten) J’Aime Walker, and New Elementary School Assistant Principal (Grades 1-5) Jeff Mears. Photo Credit: Maureen Grandmaison Photography

The Saco School Department and City of Saco marked a historic milestone on December 4, 2025, as families, city officials, students, educators, and construction partners gathered for the official groundbreaking of the district’s transformative new pre-K–grade 5 school campus, representing the long-awaited transformation of the district’s elementary learning environments.

Following more than two decades of planning, the community-backed bond and state

Battalion Metals Reviews, Complaints, Gold IRA Services, and Product Analysis Released in New Industry Report

Battalion Metals by Tucker Carlson, review analysis released

Gold IRA Directory has launched a reviews analysis of Battalion Metals, a gold IRA company launched by Tucker Carlson, prominent public figure and podcaster.

Battalion Metals has carved out a place in the industry by offering simplicity and transparency.”

— Ryan P. GoldIRA.Directory

PORTLAND, ME, UNITED STATES, December 11, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- As economic uncertainty continues to rattle investors nationwide, interest in physical precious metals has climbed sharply. Rising inflation, market volatility, and concerns about long-term dollar

Turning a Hobby into a New Career: Retired Educator Dr. Gary Springer Finds Global Success as a Photorealistic Artist.

Dog on a Chair

Portrait of Drew Lambert

Duck Family at Texas State University

Turning a Hobby into a New Career.

BELFAST, ME, UNITED STATES, December 10, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Turning a Hobby into a New Career: Retired Educator Dr. Gary Springer Finds Global Success as a Photorealistic Artist, by Hana Shaklan.

After concluding an accomplished 30+ year

University of Maine System’s strong AA- credit rating affirmed, outlook upgraded

S&P Global Ratings, which recently downgraded the outlook for the nation’s higher education sector, lauded the System’s innovative student recruitment and retention efforts, as well as internal collaborations and cost containment, and the University of Maine’s research excellence

ORONO, Maine — The nation’s top credit rating agency has reaffirmed the University of Maine System’s (UMS) strong rating and upgraded its future outlook in recognition of enrollment stability and prudent fiscal management. 

Following its annual comprehensive review of UMS finance and operations, S&P Global

Reconstructed Manuscript Sheds New Light on the True Origins of A Christmas Carol

 

The Sacred Carol: Rediscovering the True Authorship of a Christmas Classic

Long-Hidden Text Brings New Understanding to the Origins of "A Christmas Carol"

When unredacted phrases, style comparisons, and personality are all considered, it’s abundantly clear that Dickens, having markedly different sensibilities, heavily re-worked the Whittiers' text.”

— Stephen Sakellarios

PORTLAND, ME, UNITED STATES, December 8, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- A new book by researcher Stephen Sakellarios, “The Sacred Carol: Rediscovering the True Authorship of a Christmas Classic,” presents compelling evidence that the origins of “A Christmas Carol” reach far deeper than the traditional account suggests. Based on a meticulous reconstruction of Dickens’ handwritten manuscript—which contains a surprisingly large number of heavily redacted phrases—the book uncovers layers of text that appear to come from an earlier, previously unrecognized source.

Sakellarios spent two and a half months digitally

Maine DOE Launches GIS World Language Educator Map to Support Expansion of World Language Opportunities Statewide

Maine - The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is introducing a new resource designed to support the expansion of world language opportunities for students across the state: the Graphic Information System (GIS) World Language Educator Map.

Available on the Maine DOE World Languages webpage, this interactive map provides a statewide view of where world

Maine DOE Announces Nominees for 2026 RISE Award

Maine - The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is pleased to announce the nominees and top 10 finalists for the 2026 Recognizing Inspiring School Employees (RISE) Award.

Created by Congress in 2019 and

Bringing Maine’s Ocean Economy Together

Task Force outlines how statewide coordination can help Maine communities and businesses compete and grow

AUGUSTA, Maine — The Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) today released the final report of the Legislature’s Blue Economy Task Force. Lawmakers asked the Task Force to: (1) provide guidance on what a statewide Blue Economy Center should focus on and how it could be structured, and (2) recommend

BoardWise Launches Trauma-Informed Care Packages for Professionals Facing Licensing Board Complaints

A first-of-its-kind movement bringing compassion, dignity, and calm to one of the most stressful experiences in a professional’s career.

Professionals going through licensing investigations are terrified, and no one ever shows up for their emotional state.”

— Kara M. Voisine, RN

YORK, ME, UNITED STATES, December 4, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- BoardWise, the technology platform helping licensed professionals navigate board complaints with clarity and calm, today announced the launch of its trauma-informed Care Package Initiative, a groundbreaking effort to bring emotional support, grounding, and dignity to nurses and other professionals facing investigations by their licensing boards.

Each care package includes curated calming items, handwritten notes, and supportive

Hawkin Dynamics and Sports Academy Partner to Expand Access to Sport Science and Decentralize Performance Data

WESTBROOK, Maine, Dec. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Hawkin Dynamics, the global leader in force measurement technology, is excited to announce a strategic partnership with Sports Academy, a premier destination for athlete development and performance training. This

The Jackson Laboratory CEO to Deliver Commencement Address at 127th Husson Graduation

Husson University is pleased to announce that Dr. Lon Cardon, President and CEO of The Jackson Laboratory, will deliver the address at the 127th Husson University Commencement on Saturday, May 9, 2026.

An internationally recognized geneticist and demonstrated leader in academic, pharma and

Senator Collins’ Statement on the Passing of Charles Norman Shay

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins issued the following statement on the passing of Charles Norman Shay, a decorated World War II and Korean War veteran and member of the Penobscot Nation, at the age of 101:

“I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Charles Norman Shay, a remarkable hero who made countless sacrifices to protect our country during World War II and the

Senator Collins’ Substance Use and Mental Illness Provisions Signed into Law

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The President signed into law the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, a bipartisan bill that strengthens prevention, treatment, and recovery services for Americans with substance use disorders and mental illness. The legislation contains several provisions authored and supported by Senator Collins.

“The opioid and mental health crises continue to devastate families and communities

Senator Collins Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Improve Federal Workers’ Access to Injury Compensation

Click HERE to watch and HERE to download video of Senator Collins introducing the bill on the Senate floor

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) introduced the bipartisan Improving Access to Workers’ Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act. This legislation would allow Physician Assistants (PAs) and Nurse Practitioners (NPs) to certify injuries and oversee treatment for federal workers with injuries or illnesses that occurred on the job, when doing so is consistent with the scope of their practice under state law.

“In a large, rural state like Maine, finding access to health care close to home can be

Senator Collins Announces Release of Nearly $40 Million in Federal Home Heating Aid for Mainers

Release of funds follows written request earlier this month led by Senators Collins, Reed, and Murkowski

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced today that the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of Community Services has released $39,780,472 million in Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funding, with $38,321,610 million being allocated for the State of Maine and $1,458,862 million for the Indian Township and Pleasant Point Passamaquoddy, Penobscot, Maliseet, and Mi’kmaq Tribes in Maine. LIHEAP funding will help low-income households and seniors on fixed incomes in Maine afford their energy bills this winter.

Last month, Senators Collins, Jack Reed (D-RI), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) along

Smart Cities Adopt Bicycle and Tricycle Racks for Cleaner Commutes

recumbent trike rack

tandem bike rack for sale

ebike carrier

bike rack for trike

trike racks for cars

CycleSimplex racks support smart cities' green transport with specialized solutions for bikes and trikes, promoting cleaner, safer, and more efficient commutes.

ALNA, ME, UNITED STATES, December 3, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- As part of a growing effort to make urban transportation more sustainable, CycleSimplex, a U.S.-based manufacturer of specialized bicycle and tricycle racks, is seeing its rack systems

Governor Mills Statement on Passing of Charles Norman Shay

Governor Mills issued the following statement on the passing of decorated veteran and Penobscot tribal elder Charles Norman Shay:

"I am deeply saddened at the passing of Charles Norman Shay, whose bravery as a 19-year-old medic during D-Day saved Allied lives on Omaha Beach. Charles and his three brothers served valiantly during World War II -- service during which Charles was held as a POW -- in defense of freedoms they themselves were not yet afforded, including the right to vote. Charles later served with selflessness and distinction in the Korean War and Cold War, a record of service that has been honored by the Penobscot Nation, the United States, the State of Maine, and his adopted home of France, which bestowed upon him its highest award -- the Legion of Honor. I was proud to honor his vision by signing legislation in 2024 to establish a memorial for Wabanaki veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces, so their service and courage are remembered for generations to come. On behalf of the people of Maine, I mourn his passing, and offer my condolences to his loved ones, the Penobscot Nation, and to all the people Charles Shay inspired during his remarkable life."

#1 of 100 'Universal Artifact' Cast-Signed Blu-ray Auctioned for The American Cancer Society on Giving Tuesday

Metaphysical Sherpa: Spiritual Alchemy Blu-Ray Art

Meditative Animal creator Dr. Nick Mirisola, holding a PhD in Parapsychology and Paranormal Science, honors the memory of book contributor Frankie Ellison.

SANFORD, ME, UNITED STATES, December 2, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Moonlit Creative Works today announces a landmark philanthropic event at the intersection of high-concept art, forensic science, and celebrity memorabilia. To mark