Monday, Dec. 30, 2024

Quote of the Day

“At this point with Max’s remains found [and] coyote sightings and interactions, it’s definitely a coyote. I also don’t think anything will be done to remove or deal with the coyote until something really bad happens.”

— Jennifer Delano of Bangor, whose cat was among those that went missing earlier this year.

Today’s Top Maine Stories

Jimmy Carter once spent the night on Maple Street in Bangor. The former president, who died Sunday, stayed with a local family when he visited the city in 1978.

This Bangor mystery still hasn’t been solved. What happened to all those missing cats in Bangor’s Fairmount neighborhood?

What you need to know about the new paid leave tax hitting Mainers in 2025. Virtually all workers in the state will be subject to the new tax.

Maine’s policymakers will face these 5 big problems in 2025. State lawmakers will tackle some key issues — some new, others long-standing — in the coming year.

These million-dollar Maine homes for sale are in places you wouldn’t expect. We rounded up some of the priciest properties for sale in rural areas of Maine right now, stretching from the western mountains to the midcoast foothills.

These were the most popular stories from the past year. They covered a range of topics, from longtime homesteaders to a former spy's mansion to a pop star's visit.

News from Around the State

• Photos of the year from across Maine

• What we learned after spending months examining Maine’s juvenile justice system

• The headway Maine made with ‘forever chemicals’ in 2024

• Maine firefighters are struggling to adapt to the hazard posed by toxic chemicals

• Maine’s minimum wage gets a 50-cent boost for the New Year

• These 10 projects in 2025 could improve life in Aroostook County

• Possible natural gas leak from truck closed Route 1 in Aroostook

• Former professor sues UMaine System for age discrimination

• Plan to dock Maine ferries on the mainland worries island officials

• Midcoast town adds a menorah to its public holiday display

• Court orders psychological evaluation for suspect in Sidney murder

• Man sentenced to serve 12 years for fatal Portland shooting

• Maine man airlifted after pile-up with U-Haul, tanker, car and pickup

• Coast Guard looking for info about flares released in South Portland
  Former Maine warden recalls dicey rescue of Boy Scouts off Blackcap Mountain

• Bentley upsets UMaine men’s hockey team in Portland

• Boston University rallies late to beat UMaine men’s basketball

• UMaine women’s basketball team defeats Coppin State

Maine in Pictures

Central Aroostook Humane Society shelter employee Lori Good laughs as she brings a wide-eyed kitten out for a visit at the new animal shelter in Presque Isle. Credit: Paula Brewer / The Star-Herald

From the Opinion Pages

Life in Maine

Your winter yard holds gems for making homestead staples. Plant stalks, cattails and vines can be turned into practical things for everyday life. And this is the time of year to try it.

These laws will affect your outdoor experience in Maine in 2025. Money for trail systems, airboat noise limits and a push to fight aquatic invasive species feature in the new legislation.

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