Maine

Maine sues USDA after funding freeze amid dispute over transgender athletes

Published

11 months ago

April 8, 2025

Maine sues USDA after funding freeze amid dispute over transgender athletes

Maine isn’t backing down on the issue of transgender athletes participating in female sports. On Monday, April 7, the state sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture over a recent funding freeze.

In the lawsuit, filed by the attorney general of Maine, Aaron Frey, he said schools are required by Title IX and the equal protection clause to allow biological males to play on women’s sports teams. He argued that the federal government is withholding federal funds that go towards keeping children fed in schools, after-school programs and programs for disabled adults.

The complaint names Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, who sent a letter to Democratic Maine Gov. Janet Mills on April 2 announcing the freeze and alleging that the state violated Title IX in educational programming.

Rollins initially said the freeze would not affect food-providing programs but would target “certain administrative and technological functions in schools.”

“This pause does not impact federal feeding programs or direct assistance to Mainers; if a child was fed today, they will be fed tomorrow,” Rollins stated in the letter.

The lawsuit claims the Maine Department of Education’s Child Nutrition Program lost access to several sources of federal funding on April 3.

“Under the banner of keeping children safe, the Trump Administration is illegally withholding grant funds that go to keeping children fed,” Frey said in a statement. “This is just another example where no law or consequence appears to restrain the administration as it seeks capitulation to its lawlessness. The President and his cabinet secretaries do not make the law and they are not above the law, and this action is necessary to remind the President that Maine will not be bullied into violating the law.”

Then, the Trump administration launched several investigations into Maine’s compliance.

Frey is seeking a temporary restraining order to prevent the USDA from withholding funds while the court hears the case.

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Maine

Lawmakers advance bill to provide death benefits after two DOT workers killed on the job

Published

7 hours ago

March 11, 2026

Press Room

Lawmakers advance bill to provide death benefits after two DOT workers killed on the job

After a fatal car crash in Waterville killed two Maine Department of Transportation employees in January, state lawmakers are backing a bill to expand death benefits to the families of DOT workers killed on the job. The Labor Committee unanimously voted Tuesday to advance LD 669, which will make DOT employees eligible for the same […]

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Maine

Maine man accused of lighting bed on fire after fight with girlfriend

Published

1 day ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

Maine man accused of lighting bed on fire after fight with girlfriend

WISCASSET, Maine (WMTW) – A Maine man has been arrested after police say he intentionally set a bed on fire after a dispute with his girlfriend, while they were still in it.

Police responded Monday, March 9, to a report of a fire that had been intentionally set inside a home on Beechnut Hill Road, according to the Wiscasset Police Department.

Investigators say the homeowner, Terry Couture, 41, set the bed on fire following an argument while both he and his girlfriend were in it. Authorities said the fire was extinguished and no serious injuries were reported.

Couture was arrested and charged with attempted murder, arson, aggravated criminal mischief, and domestic violence criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon.

The investigation is ongoing.

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Maine

Celebrate Maine Maple Weekend at Williams Family Farm

Published

2 days ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

Celebrate Maine Maple Weekend at Williams Family Farm

CLIFTON, Maine (WABI) – Maine Maple Sunday is less than two weeks away, and the Williams Family Farm in Clifton is gearing up for one of the sweetest seasons yet.

A long stretch of frost and snow meant a late start this year, but the first boil of sap has finally run through the evaporator, and maple season is officially underway.

At Williams Family Farm, everything is done by hand:

Fresh maple syrup, bottled on-site
Maple sugar, carefully extracted in small batches
Baked candied pecans, cashews, and more

The Williams family has spent years working with whatever weather sends their way.

Long winters, surprise warmups, and everything in between—they’ve learned how to adapt so community members can enjoy their products.

As co-owner John Williams explains, the key is in the temperature.

“You need to have it warm during the day and still freezing at night, so typically that’s the middle of February,” said Williams. “We have a lot of trees, so we have to start tapping them before the conditions are ideal, so we start tapping way before it’s time for it to run just so we can get them all tapped. If you have ten trees in your backyard, you want to wait until roughly now, the middle of February to now, and when it’s actually running and put them in then because you can put all your taps in, in one day.”

They’re excited to welcome the community during Maine Maple Weekend on March 21 and 22.

They will be boiling up sap, hosting demonstrations, and providing free samples.

Locals can also join them for their third annual pancake breakfast where all proceeds are donated to Holbrook Recreation.

Follow the link to find out their hours for March and more.

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