The average costs of heating fuels have stayed steady since October, Maine sellers report.

Price surveys of companies selling firewood, heating oil, kerosene and propane are published by the state Governor’s Energy Office every other week during the heating season. So far, averages are almost the same as last month, the lowest November cost since 2021.

That’s a change from the previous two Novembers, when prices spiked around this time, causing anxiety and uncertainty for some homeowners. Prices sometimes rose later in the winter before 2021, so there’s still a chance they will climb again.

The average price for heating oil across the state is $3.37 as of Tuesday, two cents less than last month. It’s a few cents less in central, northern and Down East Maine, and a few more in the southern part of the state.

Seasoned firewood remains around an average of $350 per cord, including delivery charges. An average house could use five or six cords per winter.

Kerosene averages $4.23 a unit and propane $3.27, within 10 cents of last month’s prices; costs are also higher in the southern part of the state and lower elsewhere for these fuels.

Among traditional heat sources, firewood is the most efficient, the governor’s office has said. At $350 per cord, firewood costs $15.91 per million Btu, the cheapest option except for the lowest end of natural gas costs.

Next most efficient are wood pellets, at $22.12 per million Btu, followed by heating oil at $24.30, kerosene at $31.33 and propane at $35.80. Electric heat pumps range from $24.03 to $28.99 depending on the unit’s efficiency, according to the office.

For people struggling to afford firewood, some regions are setting up “wood banks,” which offer free wood, like a food pantry for heating supplies. Volunteers hope to have more of them set up across the state in future years.

There’s also still time to apply for state heating aid if you haven’t yet. Local nonprofits or your town office may have aid programs for weatherizing your home or helping with fuel costs, too.

Learning to read is a special experience. There’s a sense of triumph in sounding out that first word and later, a sense of magic that accompanies understanding a story—the moment when squiggles on a page turn into characters and plotlines. 

“There’s nothing quite like watching a child fall in love with reading,” said Heather Martin, Maine Department of Education Interdisciplinary Instruction Specialist and former school librarian. “When students learn to master literacy skills, they’re not just learning to read. They’re learning about themselves as a lifelong learner.” 

Recognizing literacy as the cornerstone of learning, Gov. Janet Mills has directed $10 million in federal COVID-era funding to go toward evidence-based literacy programs across Maine schools. As a result, these Maine Department of Education (DOE) literacy grants, distributed in early 2024, are reshaping how Maine schools approach reading instruction. 

The literacy skills that students develop at an early age often lead them through their educational journey and into adulthood. Photo courtesy of Patra Company Visual Marketing Solutions.

Advertisement

“This initiative ensures every student, regardless of their background, has the opportunity to thrive,” Maine DOE Commissioner Pender Makin said. “We’re not just investing in books and programs. We’re investing in Maine’s future.” 

At George E. Jack School in Standish, that investment is transforming how educators approach each student’s unique needs. Instead of following a standard literacy curriculum, teachers analyze individual learning styles and challenges, creating personalized pathways to reading success. 

“Some students might need help with orthographic mapping, while others need support with phonological awareness,” said Victoria Sibley, an instructional coach and math interventionist at George E. Jack. “Maine should prioritize literacy in schools because reading is a right, and reading gives kids an opportunity. We need kids to be able to read, so they have the options to be who they want to be.” 

The emphasis on evidence-based instructional programs has sparked unprecedented collaboration among teachers and administrators statewide. By analyzing data and assessing specific school needs, educators are making informed decisions about funding allocation, ensuring investments directly benefit students in their unique communities. 

Literacy lessons can look different from classroom to classroom, incorporating everything from art to arithmetic. Photo courtesy of Patra Company Visual Marketing Solutions.

Advertisement

Through the AIM Institute for Learning and Research©, the Maine DOE has developed comprehensive professional development modules ranging from three to 11 hours in length. These modules cover essential topics from the Science of Reading to specialized instruction for English language learners, giving educators the tools they need to reach every student. 

“A strong foundation in literacy is essential for our students’ success across all subjects,” said Beth Lambert, Maine DOE’s Chief Teaching and Learning Officer. “Through this grant, we’re creating a collaborative environment where educators can grow and innovate, ensuring every child in Maine has the opportunity to thrive as a reader and writer.” 

The response from Maine’s education community has been overwhelming. Nearly 900 educators—including teachers, administrators, educational technicians and specialists—have completed more than 22,000 hours of professional learning through these modules. Federal emergency relief funding provided stipends to teachers who completed these vital literacy modules during the summer months, recognizing their dedication to professional growth. 

Even outside of the Maine Literacy Grant, the Maine DOE’s Interdisciplinary Instruction team has continued to expand the initiative’s reach by developing online courses focused on inclusive learning. These courses address crucial topics like the neuroscience of the developing brain, strategies for engaging reluctant learners and methods for fostering critical thinking skills through literacy.  

Letter recognition is one of the first skills in literacy that a student will learn. Photo courtesy of Patra Company Visual Marketing Solutions.

Advertisement

They’ve also invested in a four-workshop series integrating literacy through innovative pathways, including applied science and mapmaking. Available both in-person and virtually, these workshops ensure educators across Maine’s diverse geography can access vital professional development opportunities. 

This initiative’s comprehensive approach, combining substantial financial support, intensive professional development and evidence-based practices, positions Maine as a leader in literacy education. In fact, Maine has some of the highest literacy rates for students in the country. As educators collaborate and innovate, they’re not just teaching reading and writing; they’re opening doors to lifelong learning and success for every Maine student. 

“Through these grants and professional development opportunities, we’re building a foundation for the future of Maine education,” Commissioner Makin said. “When we invest in literacy, we invest in possibilities for our students, our schools and our state.” 

The Maine Literacy Grant is a part of Maine’s Whole Student Pandemic Response and was made possible by federal emergency relief funding. For more information about Maine’s literacy initiatives and how the Maine DOE used federal funding to support the whole student, visit the Maine DOE website

Copy the Story Link

Augusta’s Kmart plaza, a prime yet fading piece of property in the heart of Maine’s capital city, has sat underutilized and largely vacant for years.

Even those who may pass it daily may not know that it has a commanding view of the State House, which lies only a short walk away. Like in many cities around Maine and around the nation, officials are planning to revitalize the former shopping area as a mixed-use development with 60 market-rate apartments, retail and office space and a hotel.

“We’re looking at this as a $48.5 million project, which certainly recognizes the importance, the prominence and the potential status of this property,” Keith Luke, Augusta’s economic development director, said. “It has been tremendously underutilized in every sense, and undervalued.”

It’s one of the more prominent early Maine examples of redevelopment in shopping areas, a trend that has taken off in recent years amid changing consumer habits and a deepening housing crisis. If a contract zone for the project is approved, Augusta will join municipalities including Kittery and Brunswick in bringing residents into underused retail space.

“The bottom line is that there’s such a shortage of housing in the state,” Joseph Italiaander, a real estate broker with The Boulos Company focused on the commercial market, said. “Getting creative with where you develop housing has kind of led to retail centers as options.”

In Kittery, a lack of workforce housing for shipyard workers spurred a redevelopment project in its outlet malls. In Bangor, where rentals are just as unaffordable as they are in Portland because of lower incomes and inventory, the city has been trying to get in touch with the owners of its fading mall for years to inquire about turning vacant storefronts into apartments.

There are few better sites for housing than strip malls, which are often close to the town centers, have existing utility service and lie on public transportation lines. Unless there’s a historic element to these stores, they are most often razed and totally redeveloped rather than repurposed because of their age and because it’s more cost-effective, Luke said.

“These are the areas that we want to promote exactly this type of development in, to make the highest and best use of property that is served by public utilities,” Luke said.

The Augusta project, proposed by developer George Campbell, who told the Kennebec Journal he has an option to purchase the property, would revitalize a nearly 8-acre plaza that Luke said has been underutilized for 15 years. The Kmart closed  at the end of 2019, and its space has more recently hosted a seasonal Spirit Halloween store.

These kinds of redevelopment efforts are part of a larger “live, work, play” trend in community development that stands in stark contrast to the suburban sprawl trend of the late 20th century, Italiaander said. People today want rental housing with easy access to neighborhood services, restaurants and amenities.

It’s likely that Maine will see more of these mall redevelopment projects in major cities outside the greater Portland area, including Augusta, Waterville, Lewiston, Auburn and Bangor, Luke said. That’s in large part because there is a lack of available properties in the Portland area, and those that are available are expensive to acquire and redevelop.

Italiaander added that these projects are often easier in suburbs, where larger parcels of commercial land are being underused. Despite retail shifting more online in recent years, Italiaander said the sector is still holding up well, which is why these developments are mixed-use and include some retail.

“It’s a sign of strength,” he said. “But housing tends to be a greater need right now in some of these areas.”