It’s no secret that Portland, Maine, is a national culinary destination. With its many independent restaurants working in collaboration with Maine-based farmers, fishermen, cheese mongers, specialty purveyors, and local wine distributors, the city has earned its stellar reputation as a foodie and beverage lovers’ haven. You can experience a taste of the town’s quality-focused wines and award-winning bites at the 7th celebration of Portland Wine Week (June 10-16). Tickets are on sale now for wine tastings, lunches, brunches, dinners, and other special events such as themed wine sails, oyster and wine tastings, and floral arranging sessions — with wine, of course! Events sell out quickly so snag your tickets while still available. Prices vary per event. www.portlandwineweek.me
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The long-awaited debut of Longfellow Hotel, a new member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, has finally arrived in Portland’s historic West End. Leonardo L. Merlos
SPOTLIGHT ON LUXURY & WELLNESS IN NEW PORTLAND HOTEL
Looking for a new place to stay in Portland? The long-awaited debut of Longfellow Hotel, a new member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, has finally arrived. Located in Portland’s historic West End, the five-story, 48-key hotel includes a wellness spa, Astraea, the wellness-focused Twinflower Café (open for breakfast and lunch), and The Five of Clubs, an intimate, library-style lobby bar and lounge serving small-batch cocktails, rotating taps of local beer, and curated wines paired with charcuterie, chilled seafood, and shellfish. Guest rooms and suites juxtapose contemporary elements with traditional features like custom moldings, ceiling medallions, and wide-plank, hardwood floors. The Longfellow’s luxury house car, an all-electric 2023 BMW i7 Sedan, offers guests complimentary transportation into the Old Port district. Rates from $499. 207-800-3004, www.longfellowhotel.com
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Jazz lovers are swooning over the upcoming artists scheduled to play at the 44th Festival International de Jazz de Montréal.Victor Diaz Lamich
THERE:
ALL JAZZED UP IN MONTRÉAL
Mon Dieu! Jazz lovers are swooning over the upcoming artists scheduled to play at the 44th Festival International de Jazz de Montréal (June 27-July 5). Headliners André 3000, Robert Glasper, and Norah Jones are just a few of the more than 350 shows taking place on multiple stages in the Quartier des Spectacles, in the heart of downtown Montréal. The modern and diverse music programming spans from traditional, with big-name artists like Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Marcus Miller, to popular favorites such as Pink Martini and Jesse Cook, to hip-hop, with artists like Killer Mike and Erick the Architect. As always, the local scene is very much front and center, as are several artists from Africa, including Etran de l’Aïr, The Brother Moves On, and Vieux Farka Touré. Artists and schedules are available to view online, as is the ability to purchase tickets. Worth noting: two-thirds of the programming is free! You can also book a place to stay at a hotel or Vrbo via the website, with an interactive map showing walking distances from each accommodation to the venue site. https://montrealjazzfest.com/en
Grilling on the go just got easier (and more fashionable) with Kenmore’s 2-Burner Retro Portable Gas Grill manufactured by Permasteel.Permasteel
EVERYWHERE:
GRILLS GO RETRO ON SUMMER ADVENTURES
Grilling on the go just got easier (and more fashionable) with Kenmore’s 2-Burner Retro Portable Gas Grill manufactured by Permasteel. The grill’s compact dimensions make it perfect for beach parties, picnics in the park, tailgating gatherings, and camping trips. Made from cast aluminum, the two-burner gas grill provides 14,400 BTUs of cooking power across a 17-inch-by-14-inch surface, large enough for cooking nine burgers at the same time. A warming rack keeps things toasty until you’re ready to eat. Additional features include “push and turn” ignition, temperature gauge, side lid latches and carrying handles, and slide-out grease tray. Foldable legs are convenient for transport and storage. Compatible with both 5- and 20-pound propane gas tanks. Available in six bold colors that are sure to make you smile and wow your guests: blue, red, turquoise, pink, black, and white. $199. https://kenmoregrill.com/product/kenmore-2-burner-portable-tabletop-retro-gas-grill-turquoise
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Kari Bodnarchuk can be reached at travelwriter@karib.us.
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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As members of the Portland Maine Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gathered for a stake Christmas fireside Sunday evening, Dec. 14, they received an unexpected and joyful announcement from the First Presidency.
A house of the Lord will be constructed in Portland, Maine — the state’s first temple.
“We’re pleased to announce the construction of a temple in Portland, Maine. The specific location and timing of the construction will be announced later,” said the First Presidency statement read by Elder Allen D. Haynie, General Authority Seventy and president of the United States Northeast Area.
“This is a reason for all of us to rejoice and thank God for such a significant blessing — one that will allow more frequent access to the ordinances, covenants and power that can only be found in the house of the Lord,” the statement concluded.
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Speaking to attendees in the Portland stake center in North Yarmouth, Elder Haynie said: “In a recent meeting of the First Presidency of the Church, a decision was made that, when directed by the First Presidency, the announcement of the construction of a new temple should be made on location by a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, or a member of an area presidency.
“Such an announcement by a member of the area presidency has never occurred before,” Elder Haynie said. “Tonight will be the first time.”
On behalf of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Elder Allen D. Haynie, General Authority Seventy and president of the United States Northeast Area, announces a new temple will be built in Portland, Maine, during a stake Christmas fireside in the Portland stake center in North Yarmouth, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. | Screenshot
The Portland Maine Temple is the first house of the Lord announced by the First Presidency since President Dallin H. Oaks was set apart as the 18th President of the Church on Oct. 14, following the death of President Russell M. Nelson. No temples were announced during October 2025 general conference.
Maine is home to more than 11,000 Latter-day Saints who comprise 27 congregations. The Portland Maine Stake was created earlier this year and is one of three stakes in the state, along with the Augusta and Bangor stakes. Church members in these stakes are currently part of the Boston Massachusetts Temple district.
The stake fireside, titled “Come Let Us Adore Him,” featured a variety of musical selections and messages about the birth of the Savior Jesus Christ. Individuals and families of all ages attended the event. Elder Haynie was accompanied by his wife, Sister Deborah Haynie.
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A choir performs during the Portland Maine Stake Christmas fireside on Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in North Yarmouth, Maine. | Screenshot
Temple announcement
A new temple in Maine brings the total number of the Church’s temples — operating, under construction, or announced worldwide — to 383.
This temple announcement is a deviation from a pattern established in recent years in which leaders announce temples mostly during the Church’s semiannual general conferences.
Of the 200 temples President Nelson announced during his seven years as President of the Church, only one was announced outside of a general conference session — the Ephraim Utah Temple. President Nelson announced the Ephraim temple on May 1, 2021, in a prerecorded video shown at a press conference inside the Manti Tabernacle. In this message, President Nelson also explained modified plans for the Manti Utah Temple’s renovation.
President Thomas S. Monson, who served as the 16th President of the Church from February 2008 to January 2018, announced 45 temples during his administration — 40 of which were done in a general conference session. Prior to President Monson’s tenure, however, a majority of temples were announced outside of general conference.
More about the Church in Maine
Latter-day Saint missionaries first arrived in Maine in 1832 by canoe, crossing the Piscataqua River which forms the boundary of Maine and New Hampshire. A branch was established in Saco later that year.
In August 1837, missionaries Wilford Woodruff and Jonathan Hale arrived in the Fox Islands, today known as Vinalhaven and North Haven. By that winter, the Church established branches on both islands, with about 100 members total. Church activity slowed in Maine after 1844, when most Church members moved west to escape persecution.
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Missionary efforts and Church activities resumed in 1904, and local members hosted worship services and activities in their homes. In 1957, meetinghouses were dedicated in Portland and Bangor. The state’s first stake, the Maine Stake, was organized on June 23, 1968.
The Portland Maine Stake center in North Yarmouth, Maine, is pictured on Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
