Daily
Portland
Wednesday, September 17th, 2025
Good morning, Portland. Here's your local news at a glance for Wednesday, the 17th of September.
CULTURE NEWS
- ➤ Portland writer Shir Kehila’s poem Colony shows how landscaping work disrupts ant colonies—forcing them from their nests near a mansion and beach restroom area. The poem appears in Deep Water: Maine Poems with the Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance and submissions are open through the end of the year. Portland Press Herald
- ➤ Organizers in Unity are set to host the annual Common Ground Fair later this week to celebrate rural living—its return revives a popular local event. WGME
- ➤ A fin whale skeleton recovered by the College of the Atlantic is now being gifted to Maine Beer Company to hang above its tasting room, and a formal unveiling in October will feature speeches by co-founder Dan Kleban and Representative Chellie Pingree — with proceeds benefiting the Allied Whale Research Group. FOX23
- ➤ UNE professor Brian Duff has published a new book called Restaurant that explains how eating out can bring people together and ease anxiety—he draws on his past as a restaurant critic and local meals at spots like Ugly Duckling to show how food sparks clear, caring talks. Duff uses simple examples and big ideas to argue that sharing a meal helps people feel nourished and understood. Portland Press Herald
ECONOMY NEWS
- ➤ Central Maine Power is asking regulators to let it raise monthly distribution rates by up to $35 from Oct. 1, 2026 to 2031—money it says will fund hiring new workers and upgrading its grid. State officials and Gov. Mills have criticized the proposal, saying it may worsen costs for Mainers. Portland Press Herald
- ➤ Fishermen in New England caught few shrimp during the winter sampling program—linked to warmer oceans—and regulators will meet in December to decide if the moratorium on shrimp fishing should be extended for five more years. The low catch has raised concerns over the future availability of the seafood. Portland Press Herald
EDUCATION NEWS
- ➤ Hannaford and Portland Public Schools are partnering to launch a new food pantry at Portland High School—expected to serve over 500 students each month as hunger demand rises. FOX23
GOVERNMENT NEWS
- ➤ In November, South Portland voters will choose candidates for City Council and the school board. Candidates have shared plans for local development, such as reusing Mahoney School—along with proposals on budget oversight, sustainable growth, and public safety. Portland Press Herald
- ➤ Portland City Council approved raising taxi fares in Monday night’s meeting—changing the minimum fare from $1.90 to $4, the mileage rate from $0.30 to $0.35, and doubling the jetport pickup fare from $5 to $10. Councilors said the changes will help drivers compete with rideshare companies and better reflect the city’s size. WGME
- ➤ Maine Gov. Janet Mills is taking steps to run for Senate in 2026—she has called campaign managers and is seriously considering a campaign with a decision expected by mid-November. WGAN
- ➤ At the World Medical Innovation Forum in Boston on Monday, Senator Susan Collins warned that Medicaid cuts in the One Big Beautiful Bill were devastating for rural areas in Maine and that lawmakers will face pressure to change the law once the effects become clear — she defended the ousted CDC director for her refusal to support new vaccine policies and supported a hearing for her testimony on Wednesday. Portland Press Herald
- ➤ The U.S. Department of Justice is suing Maine and Secretary of State Shenna Bellows because they refused to share voter registration information when asked by the federal government—Bellows defended the decision by citing privacy laws and the Constitution. WGME
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Maine Irish Makes: September Session
2-4 p.m. — Maine Irish Heritage Center — Free entry — Gather with local crafters for an afternoon of creativity, conversation, and community building.
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Ekphrasis Poetry Workshop
5:30-7 p.m. — Dunes — Entry fee applies — Explore the art of poetry inspired by visual art with Poet Laureate Emeritus Maya Williams.
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Maine Brain Tumor Awareness Walk
9 AM – 12 PM — Payson Park — $20 registration fee — Join the community for a one-mile walk to raise awareness and funds for brain tumor research.
No new real estate listings today. You can submit one here.
No new job posts today. You can submit one here.
No new community announcements today. You can submit one here.
TODAY'S FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
~ Jesus
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