As a part of its strategic efforts in local journalism, Maine Public presents a year-long series of news reports on Maine Public Radio and digitally that highlight the benefits, challenges, and opportunities of life in today’s rural and western Maine.
Reporting on rural and western Maine is decreasing. Most local media outlets have diminished in size, capacity, and reach, to only cover the higher profile stories from Augusta, Portland, Lewiston and Bangor. This shrinking level of coverage widens the gap in what listeners, viewers, and readers know about their fellow Mainers. And the need to connect with our neighbors and understand people everywhere in our state is entirely evident now, more than ever.
This series will showcase the best that rural Maine has to offer, while also featuring the stories that show how these communities have challenges unique to each.
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Ying Xia Liao, Xi Qiang Zhao, and Yao Bin Cheng, all of New York, were arrested and charged with cultivating and trafficking scheduled drugs. Somerset County Sheriff Dale Lancaster said thousands of plants were seized.
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Supporters say the money is urgently needed after recent storms and floods caused severe trail damage around the state.
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Worcester Holdings will pay the fine and submit an after-the-fact permit application by Friday.
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For the first time in the 30-year-history of the Can-Am Crown sled dog races, this weekend's event has been canceled because of concerns about warm temperatures and lack of snow in Northern Maine.
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The trails for beginning and intermediate skiers cover roughly 120 acres and will boost Sugarloaf's skiable area by 10%. The chairlift will increase Sugarloaf's uphill capacity by 2,400 skiers an hour.
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William Janelle of Bridgton has been working with wood for most of his life, building furniture and carving wildlife sculptures. These days he's trained his chisels on a new subject: hand-carved electric guitars.
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Students at an elementary school in West Paris are being transferred to other buildings for the rest of the school year, after the district closed the school due to unsafe conditions.
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The first company in the country to offer wood fiber insulation will expand production in the coming months. TimberHP was approved last month for a million dollars in loans from the Finance Authority of Maine and the Maine Rural Development Authority.
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Ahead of the commission's Feb. 14 meeting to vote on the zoning proposal, staff issued a recommendation to deny the request.
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The Denmark Fire Department and Bridgton Fire and Rescue sent personnel and ice rescue equipment to the scene.