PORTLAND (WGME)– A ballot initiative seeking to prevent transgender students from playing girls sports in Maine may not be on the November ballot after all.

A Maine Deputy Secretary of State now says the initiative no longer has enough valid signatures.

Facing time constraints, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows initially validated 72,000 of the nearly 80,000 signatures gathered in support of the “Protect Girls Sports” ballot initiative. As a result, the Secretary of State approved the referendum for the November ballot.

But after a challenge to more of those signatures, including some with invalid dates and others that appear to be signed by the same person, a judge ordered a closer examination of the petitions. Chief Deputy Secretary of State Katherine McBrien says they’ve now found more than 4,800 additional invalid signatures.

“Because the number of valid signatures is now short of the required number by 532 signatures, I find the petition to be invalid,” McBrien said.

“It seems like this group didn’t follow the rules,” Gia Drew of Equality Maine said

Drew says there’s also evidence that some petition tables were unmanned while people were signing.

“Very obvious by the evidence that was presented that the folks who were doing this didn’t do that job,” Drew said.

At this point, the referendum is still approved for the November ballot. Bellows has yet to issue a final ruling.

Protect Girls Sports in Maine says it is now reviewing the deputy’s recommendation.

“We are continuing our defense of the Protect Girls Sports ballot measure and will be filing our objections to the recommended decision before the May 23 deadline.”

“We’re confident that the petition-gathering process was well done,” Protect Girls Sports in Maine attorney Tim Woodcock said. “And we’re confident that in the end, petition signatures that were gathered were done in sufficient number to withstand this challenge.”

At last count, only two transgender students were playing girls sports in Maine.

“There are far more pressing issues, I think, than a trans kid playing sports. I do think this is a political move by some folks to drive their base out to vote, which I think is short-sighted, narrow-minded and puts kids in harm’s way,” Drew said.

Bellows plans to hold a news conference on Tuesday, where she will announce her decision on the Protect Girls Sports in Maine referendum.

BOSTON (WHDH) – The Massachusetts Fallen Heroes Memorial put on its annual rededication ceremony honoring service members and those they left behind Friday ahead of Memorial Day on Monday.

Dan Magoon, Executive Director of The Massachusetts Fallen Heroes Memorial, said its a solemn day that can educate the community about local heroes. Magoon said the ceremony is about “making sure that the next generations, and America as a whole, understands what happens behind the scenes and the sacrifices that are made.”

United States flags were laid out in Boston’s Seaport, each standing as a reminder of those who sacrificed for the country. The ceremony also features the unveiling of memorial panels with the names of service members lost to war, but no new names were added this year.

A woman who lost her brother in the war in Afghanistan said remembrance is important every year.

“I think its different not having new names that we’re adding,” said Lindsey Bazigian. “And personally, I think it gives us an added weight to make sure we’re remembering and still continue to carry on their legacy and say their names.”

Gold Star families also laid out roses for the fallen.

Keavin Duffy, who lost his brother in the war in Iraq in 2008, said that his grief connects him to others and its a feeling that never truly goes away.

“It’s a funny thing because you continue to carry with it even 18 years later,” Duffy said. “It’s something like New England weather, where you don’t know when it’s going to pop up.”

Organizers hope the event encourages everyone to never forget those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

“That’s the best thing we can do, continue to say their names, continue to educate, and really make it about that service and sacrifice,” said Magoon.

The flags will remain displayed until Tuesday.

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Following the arrest of more than 50 people after a “takeover” at Hampton Beach in New Hampshire during the hot weather on Tuesday, the police chief tells WBZ-TV his department is seeking to charge those who organized the event.

Flyers posted on various social media sites advertised a “Hampton Beach Takeover.” The result was that on Tuesday, thousands of kids, many of them high school seniors skipping school, congregated at Hampton Beach.

When the skies opened and it started rain around 4:30, the group of teens ran onto Ocean Boulevard, where police say that fights broke out. Fifty people were arrested for charges, including alcohol possession and disorderly conduct.

Beach takeovers like this are not uncommon. WBZ-TV has covered several similar situations on Revere Beach in Massachusetts.

Local Hampton business owner Kristen Statires said this has become an annual issue, happening on the first hot weather day of every season since the pandemic.

“And the police know about it, we know about it, so we were expecting it. Like we knew it was going to happen,” she said.

When the kids ran into the street, she closed her shop doors and shut down for the day.

In a phone call with WBZ, Hampton Police Chief Alex Reno said his department already knows the two groups of people behind organizing the beach takeover, and plans to file the appropriate charges. 

“It would be an aggressive move on the police’s part, but it would certainly send a message,” said WBZ legal analyst Jennifer Roman.

Reno said his department was continuing to gather evidence and is working with law-enforcement partners across New England and even at the federal level to determine the appropriate charges before issuing arrest warrants. The hope is that charging the organizers creates a deterrent for any future similar behavior.