Happy Sunday. I hope everyone had a pleasant Saturday — I am currently in Florida to attend the first league match for the Portland Hearts of Pine, which occurred yesterday evening in Naples against FC Naples. And though I’m here supporting Maine’s soccer team, I have another Maine team to talk about today.
The Maine Mariners, ECHL affiliates of the Boston Bruins, will wear the above knight’s armor-inspired jerseys this coming Wednesday, April 2nd. The promotion, dubbed Renaissance Night, is being held in support of Maine’s 988 lifeline, a suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline. This is the last Mariners one-off jersey of the season. We covered the previous ones here (just last week) and here.
Local renaissance fair performers will also be present at the game. Oddly, the photo shoot was held at Portland’s Victoria Mansion, an 1860 Italianate house that now operates as a museum not far from the Mariners’ home arena. The Victorian era is pretty far from the medieval Europe that renaissance fairs try to evoke, but then again it’s not like Portland has a 12th-century church where they could go to get a real medieval feel for the photo shoot. We’re an old city, but not quite medieval old.
Anyway, the connection between suicide and mental health awareness and ren faires seems tenuous at best. The press release for the new jersey starts with “It doesn’t take a knight in shining armor to check on your friends.” It’s a worthy cause, no doubt — the jerseys feature a prominent “988” patch on the right chest, and will be auctioned off after the game, with a portion of the proceeds going to Maine 988.
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The jerseys feature several silver elements with fake shadows to look like individual plates of armor. The jersey crest has a metallic sheen, faux chipping, and dots around it to make it appear bolted-on to the “armor” below, with elements designed to look engraved beneath it. The same engraved designs are also on the sleeves, above a gold sleeve stripe. The same shade of gold is used for a stripe at the hemline.
Like I said when I covered the Mariners’ Best Buddies jerseys last week, I don’t plan on turning Uni Watch Weekends into my own personal Maine Sports Fiefdom, so I do apologize about the glut of Maine sports coverage that’s occurred since I took over this role. Like I said then, though, it seems as if we are living in the halcyon days of Maine sports uniforms — new alternate identities for the baseball team, more one-off jerseys for the hockey team than I can keep track of, and a soccer team whose identity has become an instant hit globally. Maybe it’s time for the basketball team to step up!
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine Democrat Graham Platner has picked up another high-profile endorsement in his bid to flip a key Senate seat blue, marking another sign of the oyster farmer and combat veteran’s political resiliency even as he continues to face controversy throughout his campaign.
Arizona Democrat Ruben Gallego announced Monday that he was backing Platner, saying that the first-time candidate “reflects the grit and independence that defines Maine.”
“Graham Platner is the kind of fighter Maine hasn’t seen in a long time, someone who tells you exactly what he thinks, doesn’t owe anything to the special interests, and wakes up every day thinking about working families,” said Gallego, who won a Senate seat in Arizona in 2024 by more than 2 points while Trump carried the state by nearly 6 points.
Platner has previously been endorsed by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, and New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich, a Democrat.
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However, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has endorsed Platner’s main opponent, Maine Gov. Janet Mills.
Both Platner, 41, and Mills, 78, are hoping to unseat Republican Sen. Susan Collins, 73, a five-term incumbent who announced last month that she was running for another term. A victory in Maine is crucial for Democrats’ efforts to take back control of the Senate. The Democratic Party needs to net four seats to retake the Senate majority, and they are aiming to do that in Maine, North Carolina, Alaska and Ohio.
READ MORE: Maine’s Graham Platner thinks voters will overlook his past to support a new type of candidate
Platner has gained traction with his anti-establishment image and economic equality message. He’s pressed forward despite controversies over old social media posts and a tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol, which he recently had covered up.
Gallego is among the Democrats named as possible 2028 presidential contenders. Last fall, he stumped in New Jersey, Virginia and Florida, where he campaigned for Democrats who went on to win their elections.
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“I have an immense amount of respect for him and I’m looking forward to joining him as a fellow Marine and combat infantryman in the U.S. Senate,” Platner said in a statement.
Kruesi reported from Providence, Rhode Island.
A free press is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy.
On March 2, Spurwink will join community partners for a special viewing of Building Hope: Ending Homelessness in Maine at the University of Southern Maine’s McGoldrick Hall.
Directed by Richard Kane and produced by Melody Lewis-Kane, the film shines a compassionate light on the realities of Maine’s homelessness crisis. Through deeply personal stories, Building Hope explores the challenges faced by unhoused individuals and families, while highlighting the hope that emerges when communities come together to create solutions. It’s been praised for its honesty, dignity, and inspiring message: change is possible when we work together.
Following the screening, a panel of local leaders and advocates will discuss the film and the ongoing effort in Maine to end homelessness. Panelists will include Katherine Rodney, Director of Spurwink’s Living Room Crisis Center; Cullen Ryan, Chief Strategic Officer at 3Rivers; Donna Wampole, Assistant Professor of Social Work at USM; and Preble Street staff. Catherine Ryder, Spurwink’s Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives, will bring her expertise in trauma-informed care and community collaboration to the panel as the moderator.
Keon Johnson had 21 points and 10 rebounds as the Maine Celtics defeated the Windy City Bulls 122-87 in an NBA G League game on Sunday afternoon at the Portland Expo.
Hason Ward scored 16 points and Jalen Bridges 14 for Maine (13-15), which had seven players score in double digits. Bridges drained four 3-pointers for the Celtics, who shot 13 for 28 (46.4%) from beyond the arc.
Max Shulga dished out 11 assists and scored nine points.
Maine led 33-18 after one quarter 72-36 at halftime.
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Keyshawn Bryant scored a game-high 25 points for Windy City (12-12).
