Maine

Maine experts aim to raise awareness amid rise in HIV cases

Published

4 months ago

December 3, 2025

Maine experts aim to raise awareness amid rise in HIV cases

PORTLAND (WGME) – Five cases of HIV have been detected in Cumberland County among people who inject drugs, according to an alert from the Maine CDC.

Five cases in a year is a significant jump from the one case the county sees in a typical year.

The state wants to get the message out that people at risk, like intravenous drug users, should get tested every three months.

Experts say the reason behind the spike in cases could be a decrease in testing, a change in syringe-service programs or lack of awareness.

They say having awareness is one of the best ways to slow the spread.

“Every person who tests positive, if they get on medicine, that cannot transmit the virus, so every time we identify someone with HIV, we can get them into care, reduces chance of transmitting,” Dr. Stephen Rawlings of the MaineHealth Adult Specialty Care Clinic said. “Any one case above baseline is too many, so just increased awareness is really part of the response to get people on testing.”

The CDC says people who are not at risk of HIV should still get at least one test in their life.

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Maine

Regular gas tops $4, premium over $5 in Maine amid severe Trump Iran threats

Published

2 hours ago

April 7, 2026

Press Room

Regular gas tops , premium over in Maine amid severe Trump Iran threats

Brady Chapman fills up one of four trucks he uses for his business Wednesday at Irving Gas Station in Bethel. Regular gas was $4.09 at the station. (Rose Lincoln/Staff Writer)

Maine’s average price for regular gasoline rose to its highest point since August 2022, as the conflict in Iran continues to drive up global oil costs.

A gallon of regular gas averaged $4.03 here Tuesday, ticking up more than 6 cents overnight, according to data aggregated by motor club AAA. That price has risen 38.5% — about $1.12 — since Feb. 28, when the United States and Israel struck Iran, triggering a conflict that has since spilled into the broader Middle East.

Maine’s average price crossed the $4 threshold a week after the national average did so. The national average was up to $4.14 Tuesday, AAA data shows.

Premium gas was up to $5.07 per gallon in Maine, topping $5 for the first time in nearly four years. Diesel, meanwhile, averaged about $5.90 per gallon Tuesday.

Collectively, those figures mark the state’s highest average gas prices since the summer of 2022, when the Russian invasion of Ukraine drove gas prices to record highs. A gallon of regular gas peaked at $5.09 that June, the highest ever recorded by AAA.

This week, Maine’s prices were the 21st highest among the 50 states and Washington, D.C., according to AAA. California, Hawaii, Washington, Nevada and Oregon all saw average prices above $5 per gallon Tuesday.

This is a developing story.

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Maine

Tennessee forward & Maine native J.P. Estrella enters transfer portal

Published

14 hours ago

April 6, 2026

Press Room

Tennessee forward & Maine native J.P. Estrella enters transfer portal

Tennessee forward J.P. Estrella, a Scarborough native and former South Portland standout, announced earlier today that he is entering the transfer portal.

Estrella shared the news in a social media post, writing that his time at Tennessee “means more to me than I can put into words” and that he’ll “cherish the time I spent there.”

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Maine

This Maine Restaurant’s Lobster Roll Is 3 Feet Long… Yes, Really!

Published

1 day ago

April 6, 2026

Press Room

This Maine Restaurant’s Lobster Roll Is 3 Feet Long… Yes, Really!

This iconic spot is a “road-trip-worthy” Maine destination, but can you handle their newest addition?

Spring has sprung, which means plenty of people will take a well-deserved break from the daily grind and hit the open road. If you’re heading out to explore some cool Maine traditions—and you love lobster rolls—we’ve found the perfect stop.

The Taste of Maine restaurant has been serving up delicious seafood since 1978. They’re famous for a few things: a giant inflatable lobster that covers about 75% of the roof, and their claim to fame—the “World’s Largest Lobster Roll.”

These legendary lobster rolls are 22 inches long, and over the years, many customers have taken on the dare of finishing one. If you succeed, you earn membership in the “Clean Plate Club”—no easy feat given the size of this lobster roll.

But this year, Taste of Maine has gone even bigger. Introducing the “Monster” Lobster Roll: 3 feet long, packed with 2½ pounds of fresh Maine lobster meat—tail, claw, and knuckle—all on a 6-inch roll. This colossal creation carries a price tag of $259.99.

Read More: Maine Amusement Park Reveals New Family Attraction For 2026

Located at 161 Main Street in Woolwich, Maine, Taste of Maine is now open for its 48th season.

One of the best things about Taste of Maine is watching people take on these enormous lobster rolls. Guests love filming themselves attempting to finish them, including a Guinness World Records titleholder for “World’s Largest Mouth Gape.”

Spring Hours:

Monday: Closed
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 11:30 AM – 8:00 PM
Thursday: 11:30 AM – 8:00 PM
Friday: 11:30 AM – 8:00 PM
Saturday: 11:30 AM – 8:00 PM
Sunday: 11:30 AM – 8:00 PM

To see just how long Taste of Maine has been a local favorite, check out this classic TV commercial from the 1980s!