Annina Breen

New federal policy threatens stable housing for hundreds of Mainers - Maine Beacon Maine officials warn a new federal directive will increase homelessness in the state. The Trump administration is cutting funding for the Continuum of Care program, which helps move some of the most v...

Mark Swann, executive director of Preble Street, says some 1,200 Mainers, including seniors, veterans and people with disabilities, are at risk of losing their homes after the Trump administration announced it will cut funding for the Continuum of Care program. Read the story at the link below.

Federal government releases nearly $40M in heating assistance for Mainers Funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, had been delayed for weeks by the federal government shutdown.

Federal government releases nearly $40M in heating assistance for Mainers

Maine secretary of state opposes using federal immigration database to determine voter eligibility Secretary of State Shenna Bellows joined Democratic officials from 11 other states in criticizing the Trump administration's proposed expansion of its use.

Maine secretary of state opposes using federal immigration database to determine voter eligibility

Trump administration threatens to yank food stamps funding from Maine, other Democratic-led states • Maine Morning Star The U.S. Department of Agriculture will begin next week to block nutrition assistance funding for states led by Democrats that have not provided data on fraud in the program, Secretary Brooke Rollins…

Trump administration threatens to yank food stamps funding from Maine, other Democratic-led states mainemorningstar.com/2025/12/02/r...

Trump administration says it will withhold SNAP from Democrat-led states if they don't provide data U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree said Tuesday that "however you describe it, you’re talking about trying to deny hungry people food."

U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree said Tuesday that "however you describe it, you’re talking about trying to deny hungry people food."

Amid federal setbacks, Maine ‘closely tracking’ development of Canadian offshore wind • Maine Morning Star With Massachusetts toying with the idea of procuring offshore wind energy from Canada, officials in Maine say they are keeping an eye on opportunities across the border as local development has been…

With Massachusetts toying with the idea of procuring offshore wind energy from Canada, officials in Maine say they are keeping an eye on opportunities across the border as local development has been stalled. mainemorningstar.com/2025/07/25/a...

By one vote, Maine House passes restrictions on federal immigration enforcement • Maine Morning Star By one vote, the Maine House of Representatives passed a bill on Thursday to restrict local authorities from carrying out federal immigration enforcement. The bill now heads to the Senate, which is…

Updated: Both chambers of the Maine Legislature cast initial votes on Tuesday in favor of a bill to restrict local authorities from carrying out federal immigration enforcement. mainemorningstar.com/2025/06/17/b...

A court’s decision will continue limbo for Maine Job Corps centers The ruling pauses the Trump administration's effort close the nation’s largest job training program for low-income young adults.

The ruling pauses the Trump administration's effort close the nation’s largest job training program for low-income young adults.

Maine Republicans fail to get enough signatures to overturn state budget The group announced their people’s veto effort in March after the Democratic-controlled Legislature and Gov. Janet Mills approved a two-year, $11.3 billion budget.

The group announced their people’s veto effort in March after the Democratic-controlled Legislature and Gov. Janet Mills approved a two-year, $11.3 billion budget.

In Senate speech, Angus King invokes Margaret Chase Smith’s ‘Declaration,’ warns of current ‘crisis’ Citing Smith's 1950 'Declaration of Conscience' address, King said the issue is not President Donald Trump's agenda, but his apparent attempts to centralize power, including by 'ignoring the Constitut...

In Senate speech, Angus King invokes Margaret Chase Smith’s ‘Declaration,’ warns of current ‘crisis’

Angus King invokes Margaret Chase Smith’s ‘Declaration' in Senate speech on Donald Trump King also said that President Trump is "attempting to govern like a monarch." The independent also accused many of his colleagues of deliberately ignoring what he sees as Trump's violations of the con...

King said that President Trump is "attempting to govern like a monarch." The independent also accused many of his colleagues of deliberately ignoring what he sees as Trump's violations of the constitution.

Trump's haphazard tariff scheme clouds Maine revenue outlook Predictions by the Revenue Forecasting Committee are a key tool used by state budget writers. But the panel says market volatility and tariff uncertainty are injecting a high degree of risk in its upc...

Today's GDP numbers are a snapshot of how Trump's tariffs are affecting the economy. In Maine, his erratic implementation of import taxes is making it difficult for economic forecasters to predict revenues -- a critical piece of how state lawmakers draft the state budget.

Amid rapidly evolving energy goals, Maine lawmakers seek more coordinated grid planning • Maine Morning Star The bipartisan bill would formalize and increase collaboration between agencies involved in grid planning.

A bipartisan bill introduced during a public hearing Tuesday would formalize and increase collaboration between agencies involved in grid planning. mainemorningstar.com/2025/04/30/a...

Sue voted to confirm RFK Jr. — who is now shamelessly helping Trump gut our public health infrastructure and push conspiracy theories. #ShameOnSue

Opinion: 75 years after Margaret Chase Smith, this is my ‘Declaration of Conscience’ "This president is engaged in the most direct assault on the Constitution in our history."

"This president is engaged in the most direct assault on the Constitution in our history," U.S. Sen. Angus King writes.

State and national labor leaders highlight outsized impact federal cuts have on veterans • Maine Morning Star When Scott Surette left the U.S. Marine Corps after serving in the Gulf War, with tours in Iraq and Kuwait, he took a job at the U.S. Postal Service.  Like millions of other veterans, he was drawn to…

“The contract we make as a country with veterans is currently being broken," said U.S. Marine Court veteran Scott Surette, a postal worker who serves as president of Branch 122 of the National Postal Mail Handlers Union Local 301. mainemorningstar.com/2025/04/30/s...

Federal oil and gas leasing plan could include Maine coast The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has started a process to schedule drilling for offshore fossil fuel.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has started a process to schedule drilling for offshore fossil fuel.
www.mainepublic.org/climate/2025...

Canada-based Acadian Seaplants closed its Maine operations earlier this month The company cited the exchange rate, transportation costs, and tariffs as the drivers of the decision.

The company cited the exchange rate, transportation costs, and tariffs as the drivers of the decision.
www.mainepublic.org/business-and...

Federal oil and gas leasing plan could include Maine coast A 2009 study from the Maine Geological Survey noted there was no potential for oil and gas accumulation in state waters and little potential further offshore.

A 2009 study from the Maine Geological Survey noted there was no potential for oil and gas accumulation in state waters and little potential further offshore.

Key manufacturing resource in Maine could lose all federal funding The state's Manufacturing Extension Partnership is one of 10 nationwide that had its funding cut, then restored temporarily by the Trump administration.

Key manufacturing resource in Maine could lose all federal funding

Angus King says Donald Trump’s actions are ‘dangerous for everybody’ The independent senator who caucuses with Democrats has used media appearances, podcasts and speeches in the past month to sound the alarm.

He believes the country is witnessing the “collapse of the constitutional structure.”

Canadian seaweed company has closed its Maine operations Acadian Seaplants cited the exchange rate, transportation costs and tariffs.

Acadian Seaplants President and CEO Jean Pierre DeVeaux said that tariffs will cost his business millions of dollars on an annual basis.

Maine lawmakers still betting on accessory dwelling units to help end housing crisis Following the passage of a landmark law in 2022, a bill seeks to further encourage the construction of small housing units also known as in-law suites.

Maine lawmakers passed a landmark bill designed to increase home construction and ease the state’s worsening housing crisis. Now, almost one year after implementation, some worry the law hasn’t lived up to its potential.

Opinion: If we want to keep kids safe, we need to invest in their families "When families get support to address life’s challenges, it prevents crises and the need for more intensive and costly intervention from the state child welfare agency."

"When families get support to address life’s challenges, it prevents crises and the need for more intensive and costly intervention from the state child welfare agency."

Susan Collins, Angus King back failed effort to check Trump's unilateral tariffs The resolution to to block the president's global tariffs failed after a 49-49 vote. It was the second time that U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King tried to curtail the president's use of emergen...

The resolution to to block the president's global tariffs failed after a 49-49 vote. It was the second time that U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King tried to curtail the president's use of emergency powers to enact tariffs without Congressional approval.

Opinion: Maine's energy future should include improved net energy billing system “Maine’s position only reinforces the need for alternative energy sources like solar, small hydro, batteries, fuel cells, and wind, all of which can be installed in-state and don’t rely on fuels with…

"Maine has nationally high electricity rates, mostly due to out-of-state generation — not because of Maine’s renewable energy initiatives."

Maine’s electricity prices grew at third fastest rate in US, analysis shows Securing cheaper, cleaner power has become harder than anticipated.

Maine’s electricity prices grew at third fastest rate in US, analysis shows

Southern Maine municipal group lays of staff and pauses programs after losing federal funding The Greater Portland Council of Governments says the loss of funding affects broadband, transportation, and clean energy programs.

The Greater Portland Council of Governments says the loss of funding affects broadband, transportation, and clean energy programs.

Despite federal funding uncertainty, Efficiency Maine will continue to offer energy incentives Efficiency Maine has a new three-year plan to continue the state’s push to reduce energy use from homes and businesses.

Efficiency Maine has a new three-year plan to continue the state’s push to reduce energy use from homes and businesses.

Appellate court denies Maine lawmaker's expedited appeal of censure order ruling Republican state Rep. Laurel Libby, who was censured after she posted a photo identifying a high school transgender athlete, sought a fast-tracked appeal after a federal judge denied her request to im...

Republican state Rep. Laurel Libby, who was censured after she posted a photo identifying a high school transgender athlete, sought a fast-tracked appeal after a federal judge denied her request to immediately restore her ability to vote and participate in floor debates.