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Maine tour group was inside the Louvre during brazen jewel heist:

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Maine tour group was inside the Louvre during brazen jewel heist:


French officials insist the Louvre’s security measures were working properly when eight precious crown jewels – worth more than $100 million – were stolen in broad daylight from the world’s most visited museum in Paris. 

Investigators say the heist lasted fewer than eight minutes, and the thieves were only inside the building half of that time. 

“Quite honestly we were scared to death. We thought it was worse. We thought it was like a terrorist attack or something,” Curt Dale Clark recalled.

Tour group forcefully pushed back

Dozens of travelers from the Maine State Music Theatre were inside the Louvre walking toward the Apollo Gallery Sunday morning when suddenly, their tour group was forcefully pushed back. 

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“We were actually really offended because we didn’t understand the language, so we didn’t know why it was happening. But then when we started seeing, you know, military with machine guns and SWAT teams, we realized, oh, something pretty serious is going on,” said Clark, who is the theatre’s artistic director. 

Investigators say a broken window triggered the museum’s alarm. Police arrived two or three minutes after receiving a call, but those thieves were long gone – making their getaway on motorcycles. As the Maine tour group was ushered outside and onto their bus, the evacuation began to make sense. 

French police officers stand next to a furniture elevator used by robbers to enter the Louvre Museum, on Quai Francois Mitterrand, in Paris on October 19, 2025. 

DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP via Getty Images

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“And as we were coming out of the building and turning left, we saw the ladder that they had climbed up and into the building, used their chainsaws to break it open and then climbed back down that ladder,” Clark explained. 

Around 100 investigators are now involved in the search for the thieves and eight stolen treasures – a loss described as a wound to French culture. 

“To know that you were there when that happened, it was crazy. absolutely crazy. Something this tour group, I promise you, will never forget,” he added. 

The priceless crown jewels would still be worth millions if broken up and sold on the black market. French law prohibits institutions like the Louvre from insuring its property, except when part of a collection is moved or loaned. 

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Tennessee forward & Maine native J.P. Estrella enters transfer portal

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Tennessee forward  & Maine native J.P. Estrella enters transfer portal


Tennessee forward J.P. Estrella, a Scarborough native and former South Portland standout, announced earlier today that he is entering the transfer portal.

Estrella shared the news in a social media post, writing that his time at Tennessee “means more to me than I can put into words” and that he’ll “cherish the time I spent there.”



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This Maine Restaurant’s Lobster Roll Is 3 Feet Long… Yes, Really!

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This Maine Restaurant’s Lobster Roll Is 3 Feet Long… Yes, Really!


This iconic spot is a “road-trip-worthy” Maine destination, but can you handle their newest addition?

Spring has sprung, which means plenty of people will take a well-deserved break from the daily grind and hit the open road. If you’re heading out to explore some cool Maine traditions—and you love lobster rolls—we’ve found the perfect stop.

The Taste of Maine restaurant has been serving up delicious seafood since 1978. They’re famous for a few things: a giant inflatable lobster that covers about 75% of the roof, and their claim to fame—the “World’s Largest Lobster Roll.”

These legendary lobster rolls are 22 inches long, and over the years, many customers have taken on the dare of finishing one. If you succeed, you earn membership in the “Clean Plate Club”—no easy feat given the size of this lobster roll.

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But this year, Taste of Maine has gone even bigger. Introducing the “Monster” Lobster Roll: 3 feet long, packed with 2½ pounds of fresh Maine lobster meat—tail, claw, and knuckle—all on a 6-inch roll. This colossal creation carries a price tag of $259.99.

Read More: Maine Amusement Park Reveals New Family Attraction For 2026

Located at 161 Main Street in Woolwich, Maine, Taste of Maine is now open for its 48th season.

One of the best things about Taste of Maine is watching people take on these enormous lobster rolls. Guests love filming themselves attempting to finish them, including a Guinness World Records titleholder for “World’s Largest Mouth Gape.”

Spring Hours:

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Monday: Closed
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 11:30 AM – 8:00 PM
Thursday: 11:30 AM – 8:00 PM
Friday: 11:30 AM – 8:00 PM
Saturday: 11:30 AM – 8:00 PM
Sunday: 11:30 AM – 8:00 PM

To see just how long Taste of Maine has been a local favorite, check out this classic TV commercial from the 1980s!

New Arcade in Brewer, Maine Opens This Month

Game on, Brewer! The arcade of your dreams is almost here. Get ready to press start!

Gallery Credit: Arlen Jameson

12 New Restaurants That Opened in Maine in February 2026

Gallery Credit: Sean McKenna

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Maine lawmakers should prioritize childcare

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Maine lawmakers should prioritize childcare



To the Editor;

Access to affordable child care plays a direct role in whether Maine families can work, pursue education, and maintain stability. The Child Care Affordability Program helps keep child care costs within reach for working families.

To the Editor;

Access to affordable child care plays a direct role in whether Maine families can work, pursue education, and maintain stability. The Child Care Affordability Program helps keep child care costs within reach for working families.

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At Penquis, we serve 270 children from 266 families across dozens of communities through our child development programs, including Head Start, Early Head Start, and child care. We see firsthand how access to child care determines whether parents can work, pursue education and build long-term stability for their families, particularly in communities facing workforce shortages and rising cost of living. 

Child care availability alone is not enough. We can have programs and facilities in place, but if care is not affordable, it remains out of reach for families who are already struggling.

Without it, the cost of child care places an unsustainable burden on Maine families, consuming as much as 29% to 39% of income for single-parent households and 10% to 13% for two-parent families. CCAP is one of the few tools that effectively addresses this challenge by ensuring child care costs are affordable, capping costs at 7% of income for those with the lowest incomes, and expanding access for many more families.

Investing in CCAP supports children’s healthy development, enables parents to participate in the workforce, and strengthens Maine’s economy. We urge state leaders to prioritize this $15 million investment in the supplemental budget and ensure that affordable child care is accessible to the families who need it most.

Kara Hay
president and chief executive officer

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Penquis

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