Maine
USDA selects Maine nonprofit to receive millions of dollars to make school meals healthier
Making school meals in Maine healthier using locally harvested fish and vegetables is the goal of a U.S. Department of Agriculture effort to transform school food systems. The federal government is awarding more than seven million dollars to Full Plates Full Potential as part of that effort.
The nonprofit’s executive director Justin Strasburger says changing menus can encourage student buy-in.
“These are also opportunities to build habits in kids when they’re younger to make things like fish, something that’s accessible and not foreign. So there’s a lot of work to involve students in taste-testing and the roll out of things,” Strasburger said.
Strasburger says each project will include multiple partners, including school systems, farms, processors, and distributors that will collaborate on strategies to make each project a success.
School systems will be also be trained on how to do more cooking from scratch and producers will be get more money for their goods.
The seven projects selected by Full Plates Full Potential to develop:
Auburn Public Schools
School-Based Food Hub
Five Pillars Butchery
Halal Meal Production Lab
Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association
Fisherman Feeding K-12 Mainers
Maine Food Strategy/Maine Food Convergence
Local Food Switchboard
Peak Season
Streamlining Access to Maine Grown K-12 Products
RSU 54/MSAD 54
Somerset County Farm to School Initiative
The Good Crust
Good Grains on the Go
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.
Copyright 2026 WABI. All rights reserved.
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.
Copyright 2026 WABI. All rights reserved.
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