University of Maine System Chancellor Dannel Malloy speaks during a meeting of the University of Maine board of trustees at the University of Southern Maine in Portland on Monday. Ben McCanna/Portland Press Herald
Leaders of Maine’s public universities and community colleges are voicing support for Gov. Janet Mills’ proposed budget that includes a 4% increase for higher education and extends the state’s free community college program.
Mills released her proposed budget Friday. The two-year, $11.6 billion spending plan includes $25 million to extend the program she created in 2022 that offers Maine students free tuition at the state’s community colleges. It also includes a 4% increase in the higher education budget — up to $41 million — that will support the University of Maine System, the Maine Community College System and Maine Maritime Academy. The proposal also includes an additional $10 million to cover contributions to the newly established Paid Family Medical Leave program for public higher education employees.
During a meeting of the University of Maine System board of trustees Monday in Portland, Chancellor Dannel Malloy thanked the governor, but said there are still challenges ahead.
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“That does not mean we’re home, by any stretch of the imagination. There are great fiscal challenges that have to be undertaken by the Legislature and the governor working together. But we’ve never had a start in the discussion, at least while I’ve been here, with the kind of the recommendation coming from the governor that is included in her recommendations,” he said.
His comments followed a joint statement issued Friday by the state’s three higher education systems, expressing strong support for the proposed budget.
David Daigler, president of the community college system, praised Mills’ decision to make the free community college program permanent by moving it into the state’s baseline budget. In the past, that funding has come from one-time allotments in each budget.
“This is a powerful statement to Maine students and families that the state is investing in them to build stronger families, a stronger workforce, and a better future for all Mainers,” Daigler said. “This funding is critical to continue the good work happening at Maine’s community colleges, supporting our faculty, adjuncts, staff and students.”
More than 17,000 students have enrolled in a Maine Community College tuition-free since the fall of 2022, according to the system. The state offers up to two years of tuition-free schooling to full-time students who received a high school diploma or GED.
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The higher education leaders also celebrated the governor’s proposed support for their costs associated with the Paid Family Medical Leave program, which went into effect with the new year and imposes a 1% payroll tax that is equally split between employers and employees. Mills included $10 million in her budget to cover both the employer and employee contributions at public colleges and universities — roughly 12,200 people according to the statement.
In recent years, the University of Maine System has seen financial challenges like state funding that hasn’t kept up with inflation and declining enrollment. There was good news this school year, however, when the system reported a 3% growth in undergraduate and graduate students, the first year-over-year increase in decades.
Daigler and Malloy co-authored a budget request to Mills in the fall, asking for the continued community college tuition program, increased funding to respond to rising operating costs, and greater higher education infrastructure investments. The state university and community college systems and Maine Maritime have a combined $2 billion in deferred maintenance.
Interim Maine Maritime Academy President Craig Johnson also celebrated the proposed budget. The Castine-based public college is focused on marine engineering, science and transportation, and enrolls about 950 students.
“Maine Maritime Academy is uniquely positioned to offer an academic experience and workforce training that propels our students into successful post-graduate careers all over the world and in Maine,” Johnson said. “We fully recognize the financial challenges facing our state and applaud the support for both our ongoing programs and the mission-critical capital projects underway to support our students.”
A student was killed in a crash involving a school bus in southern Maine on Tuesday morning, officials say.
The crash occurred around 7:30 a.m. near Edna Libby Elementary School in Standish, authorities said, and MSAD 6 School Superintendent Clay Gleason told News Center Maine it involved a student and a school bus.
Cumberland County Sheriff Kevin Joyce confirmed that an elementary school student was struck by an MSAD 6 school bus and died at the scene. He said Route 35 was shut down between Route 114 and Moody Road for the crash investigation.
MSAD 6 serves the towns of Buxton, Hollis, Limington, Standish, and Frye Island. Standish is a town with about 11,000 residents about 15 miles west of Portland.
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The child who died was a student at Edna Libby Elementary School, the school district said. Joyce said only one student was on the bus at the time of the crash — the half-brother of the student who was killed.
“The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, along with other law enforcement agencies, will be reconstructing the accident, providing more information as we get it,” Joyce said. “What we do know now is we have a child that’s deceased. It’s tough anytime of the year, but not a good time of the year for a lot of families.”
Gleason said Edna Libby Elementary School planned to dismiss students at 11:30 a.m. to allow parents or caregivers to be with their children and for staff to receive support. All after school activities in the district were canceled, though the school day went on as scheduled in all other district schools.
“I have been in communication with the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office and a full investigation will be forthcoming to determine how this tragic accident took place,” Gleason said in a message to the school community. “In this difficult time please keep those directly impacted in your thoughts – first and foremost the family of the student, as well as the students and staff of Edna Libby. Speculation or blame on social media is not productive or helpful and is disrespectful to the memory of the student and their family.”
Support services are being provided for the bus driver and the family, Joyce said.
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No additional information has been released, but officials said they expect to have more to say later in the day.
PORTLAND (WGME) — The Maine Jewish community says the attack in Australia has left them mourning and on edge.
It comes amid an increase in antisemitic rhetoric, online and in our communities.
Members of Maine’s Jewish community say they have no choice but to take these increased threats seriously, especially in wake of the tragedy in Australia.
They are now increasing security, like during the menorah lighting for the first night of Hanukkah outside Portland City Hall Sunday.
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The Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine says they’ve been coordinating with local law enforcement across the state since Sunday about heightened threat levels.
They say the attack in Australia is just the culmination of an increase in antisemitic actions that have been seen across the world in recent years, which Maine has not been isolated from.
“There were about, almost 16 antisemitic incidents, documented antisemitic incidents in 2024,” Jewish Community Relations Council Director Zach Schwartz said. “That represents the same increase that Sydney saw, which is a three-fold increase, so yeah, we could say by the numbers, that there is multiple orders of increased antisemitism in the state.”
The alliance says the story of Hanukkah is also more relevant than ever amid these attacks.
They say amid dark days, the Jewish community still finds ways to come together in hopes of lighting the way for a brighter future.
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Governor Janet Mills issued a statement on both the shooting in Australia and at Brown University.
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“My prayers are with the victims of the tragedies in Providence and Australia, and I hope for the full recovery of all those injured. Innocent people, like those gathering for school or to celebrate their faith, should be free from fear of hateful acts such as these.”
An image from Michael T. Fay’s Facebook page shows him in front of the location on Allen Avenue in Portland, one of the franchises ordered closed. (Facebook screenshot)
Eight Subway locations closed last week by state regulators have reopened.
MTF Subway franchise owner Michael T. Fay has confirmed that all of his franchise locations in Maine are open for business, following the closure of eight of them last Wednesday.
Maine Revenue Services ordered what it characterized as “several” Subway locations closed for “for noncompliance with Part 3, 36 M.R.S.A.,” which primarily governs Maine’s sales and use tax.
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The agency did not elaborate and would only reiterate Monday that, “Due to confidentiality requirements, MRS cannot comment on individual tax situations.”
In an email to the Sun Journal on Monday, Fay confirmed that eight of his locations were affected by the ordered closures, after the state revoked the registration certificates for each location.
Fay stated that none of his employees were laid off by the company.
MTF Subway locations affected:
Blue Hill
Brunswick
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Hampden
Lisbon Falls
Portland
Topsham
Westbrook
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Wiscasset
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A long-time journalist, Christopher got his start with Armed Forces Radio & Television after college. Seventeen years at CNN International brought exposure to major national and international stories…
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