PRESQUE ISLE, Maine (WAGM) – This week we are taking a look at the five referendum questions on this year’s ballot. Question 3 on this year’s referendum is a bond question. It states… “Do you favor a $10,000,000 bond issue to restore historic buildings owned by governmental and nonprofit organizations, with funds being issued contingent on a 25% local match requirement from either private or nonprofit sources?”

Secretary of State Shenna Bellows said, “This question, like the other bond questions, originated with a bill put forward in the legislature to authorize a bond issue to restore historic community buildings. Now, those funds would be issued contingent on a 25% local match from either private or nonprofit sources.”

This means an organization must be able to fund 25% of the total amount they’ve requested to be eligible to receive funds. The decision on whether or not an organization would receive this funding goes through the Maine Historic Preservation Commission. Secretary Bellows, “The legislature hasn’t designated certain buildings that will receive the money or not get the money. That will be the purview of the Maine Historic Preservation Commission. This was sponsored by State Senator Rick Bennett, a Republican of Oxford County, and if it is passed by the voters, then the Maine Historic Preservation Commission, we will oversee dispersing grants.”

Voters can find more information on question three and the other referendum questions in the Maine Citizens’ Guide to the Referendum Election Questions on the maine.gov website. Secretary of State Shenna Bellows says this resource allows folks to take a deeper look at the questions before casting their ballot.

Copyright 2024 WAGM. All rights reserved.

Just days before the official debut of Duke phenom Cooper Flagg, the consensus projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft, another member of the family could make an impact at the Division I level in the future, too: his twin brother.

Ace Flagg, a 6-foot-8 forward, has committed to play for Maine, he announced on Instagram on Wednesday.

Ace is a three-star prospect in the 2025 recruiting class, according to ESPN. He and his brother, who are both from Maine, were part of the same class until Cooper decided to reclassify into the 2024 recruiting class so he could play for the Blue Devils this season. But they’ve maintained their strong ties to their home state. Over the summer, the twins hosted a youth basketball camp in Orono, Maine, together.

Last season, the Maine Black Bears finished 15-17 overall and 7-9 under head coach Chris Markwood, who is entering his third season. Maine, appropriately, will travel to Cameron Indoor Stadium to face No. 7 Duke on Monday in the team’s 2024-25 season opener.

While Cooper will start his collegiate career with the Blue Devils this season, his twin brother won’t be too far. Ace recently transferred to Greensboro Day School in Greensboro, North Carolina, just an hour from Duke’s campus.

Ace recently told a local media outlet that he believes the move will help him reach his potential.

“To just be able to showcase what I can do and I think Greensboro is going to be that place for me,” he told Fox 22, a TV station based in Bangor, Maine.

MAINE (WABI) – The results are in for Maine’s Student Mock Election which took place Tuesday.

115 schools submitted their ballot results.

In the Presidential race, the students chose former President Donald Trump who got 52% of the votes.

Vice President Kamala Harris received almost 41%.

Independent Cornell West would receive 2% of the votes, Green candidate Jill Stein received 1.9% of votes while Libertarian Chase Oliver with 1.8%.

In the First Congressional District, Incumbent Democrat Chellie Pingree won with nearly 41% of the votes.

Republican candidate Ronald Russell received over 38.5%.

In the Second Congressional District, Incumbent Democrat Jared Golden won by a margin of less than one percent, 49.3% over Republican Austin Theriault who received 48.8% of the vote.

In the race for U.S. Senate, Incumbent Angus King finished on top with just over 43 percent of the vote. Republican Demi Kouzounas got almost 24 percent and Independent Jason Cherry received just over 16 percent.

21,443 students voted for a Presidential Candidate.

19,396 students voted for a Congressional District House Representative.

19,655 students voted for a US Senator.

Copyright 2024 WABI. All rights reserved.