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Governor kills Maine proposal to end 'three strikes' law for petty theft

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Governor kills Maine proposal to end 'three strikes' law for petty theft


Maine’s Democratic governor has vetoed a proposal to end the state’s “three strikes” law for people convicted of petty thefts.

The proposal, from Democratic Rep. David Sinclair, sought to set a threshold for theft by a repeat offender. Sinclair’s proposal stated that a person with two or more prior convictions would not be charged with a felony if they committed theft of property valued at $500 or less.

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Gov. Janet Mills vetoed the proposal Tuesday. Mills wrote in her veto message that the proposal would “make Maine an outlier among New England states.”

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Democratic Gov. Janet Mills delivers her State of the State address, Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024, at the State House in Augusta, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Mills also wrote that retail theft is “a serious problem in Maine” and that the proposal to alter the three strikes rule could possibly make it worse. Preventing prosecutors from being able to charge a third theft as a felony “will take away an important tool to hold people accountable,” wrote Mills, a former state attorney general.

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The American Civil Liberties Union of Maine was among the supporters of the proposal. Michael Kebede, a policy counsel with the group, testified that it “would ensure that our criminal codes are more proportionate to the conduct they seek to punish.”



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Immigrant rights coalition reports uptick in ICE detentions across Maine

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Immigrant rights coalition reports uptick in ICE detentions across Maine


The Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition says over the past two weeks its immigrant defense hotline has seen an uptick in reported ICE detentions.

They say this corresponds with a national shift in ICE activity, including bids for local businesses to cooperate with ICE.

In Maine, the arrests follow a broader trend of targeting Black and brown immigrants, including people navigating immigration proceedings.

The coalition, which represents more than 100 organizations, says it’s ready to protect civil and human rights and is urging immigrants to prepare themselves and their families.

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They suggest having the defense hotline ready in case you witness ICE activity, making sure you have important personal documents in case of detention, and reviewing rights around judicial warrants in private spaces, like your home or workplace.



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How a data center derailed $240,000 for affordable housing in Wiscasset

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How a data center derailed 0,000 for affordable housing in Wiscasset


On a crisp afternoon in early April 2026, Richard Davis walked to the end of a boat launch on the Back River, a tidal channel that cuts through Midcoast Maine’s rocky coastline. As the tide swept in, Davis, co-founder of a local group called Protect Wiscasset and an area resident, fixed his attention on the […]



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Mother’s Day brings boom in flower sales across Maine

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Mother’s Day brings boom in flower sales across Maine


It wouldn’t be Mother’s Day without a stop at the florist.

According to Fox Business, about 154 million flowers are sold during the week of Mother’s Day. So it’s safe to say it was a busy day for stores like Estabrook’s Maine Garden Center and Nursery.

Plenty of families stopped by to pick out flowers on Sunday, looking to choose the perfect bouquet for their moms.

“I think Mother’s Day is tradition, you know, and so it’s great to see families here. We have a lot of new families that have come today for the first time with their young children and their mother. Watching the young kids and seeing how excited they are—their eyes light up at all the beautiful flowers,” Tom Estabrook, president of Estabrook’s, said.

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Estabrook says Mother’s Day tends to be a great kickoff to the spring season.



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