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This newsletter is sponsored by Coastal Enterprises Inc., Koo & Patricia Yuen, IDEXX, cPort Credit Union, MaineHousing, Maine Health Access Foundation, Hannaford, The Sam L. Cohen Foundation, and DHHS Office MaineCare Services. |
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Welcome to Maine Public News Connect Episode 181 is out today in Portuguese, Somali, French, English, and Spanish with additional newsletters in Arabic and Khmer. View all via the links below, or on Facebook, YouTube, and mainepublic.org. News Connect is also available on WhatsApp! Click to join for direct access links to weekly episodes. Visit mainepublic.org/connect to sign up for this newsletter, with options in each language, straight to your inbox. Subscribe, and help us spread the news! A big thanks to our sponsors for making this program possible. Today is Friday, December 6, and below are the week's top stories. |
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We are happy to partner with the following community media stations in Maine. News Connect will be broadcast on: Channel 3 in South Portland on Mondays at 8 PM, Tuesdays at 2 AM, Wednesdays at 8 AM, and Thursday sat 2 PM; Channel 22 in Berwick on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at 6 PM. Channel 5 in Portland on Fridays at 10 PM, Mondays at 7 AM and 8 PM, Wednesdays at 2 PM, and Thursdays at 3 AM. Channel 1301 in Mt. Blue on Fridays at 5:00 PM and 11 PM EST, Saturday at Noon, and Sunday at 8 AM. |
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Climate Change Lawsuit Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey is accusing huge oil and gas companies of knowingly selling fossil fuels that hurt the environment. And he wants them to pay for the damage from a warming climate caused by burning their products. In a complaint filed last week, Frey said corporations including British Petroleum and Exxon misled consumers in order to keep selling harmful fuels. Maine is the latest state to sue oil companies in state court, following California, Vermont and Massachusetts. The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected oil companies' attempts to get the cases moved to federal court. Electricity Costs Many Maine households are struggling to pay electric bills, according to a new state report. About 100,000 low-income Maine customers spend 8% of their income on electricity, twice the proportion considered affordable, according to a council that monitors electric rates. The report recommends dedicating Maine’s $15 million a year in tax revenue to support low income households. The council also recommends further investigating Maine's competitive electricity provider market in an effort to lower prices. International Students International student enrollment jumped 18% last year across Maine's colleges and universities, part of a nationwide post-pandemic rebound.A record 1.1 million international students were enrolled in the U.S. for the 2023-2024 school year. Just over 2,007 of those were studying in Maine. International enrollment at the University of Maine is up about 25% compared to 2020. School officials say the top countries of origin include Canada, Ghana and India. The report also finds Maine's international students contributed more than $80 million to the state's economy. Despite the enrollment jump, Maine still has one of the lowest numbers of international students in the country. New Farmers A new report finds that Maine has one of the highest percentages of new farmers of any state in the country, even as the average age of farmers in the state continues to rise. More than a third of farms and ranches in Maine are operated by new and beginning producers, meaning they've operated a farm or ranch for less than a decade. That's the third highest percentage in the country. Maine Farmland Trust, which supports farmers around the state, said Maine has robust network of organizations helping new farmers access land, develop business plans, and secure funding. At the same time, nearly 40% of farmers in the state are 65 and older. Maine Farmland Trust and other groups are trying to bridge the gap between older farmers looking to retire and newcomers struggling to access land. Maine Public is looking for your feedback. To fill out our short survey, visit mainepublic.com/newsconnect. |
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Thanks for tuning in. You can watch for free in all our languages on Facebook, YouTube, and mainepublic.org – and on community access television across the state. If you enjoy the program, feel free to like, comment, and share. Sign up for direct links to the videos in your preferred language through our Newsletter and WhatsApp groups. New episodes and newsletters are available every Friday. We want to hear from you! Please reach out with any thoughts or story ideas. See you next time. |
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The translator-presenter team includes Paola, Victoire, and Tamara. The reporting for News Connect is compliled by Ari Snider via Report for America, and edited by Mark Simpson and the Maine Public News Department. The newscast videos are produced by Brian Bechard, with Rebecca Conley, and overseen by Cory Morrissey. News Connect was created by as part of the Connecting Communities initiative. |
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Questions about Maine Public News Connect can be directed to Cory Morrissey Email: [email protected] |
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We have News Connect posters available! If you would like a print copy for your organazation, please contact: [email protected] |
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Maine Public News Connect has been made possible by individual supporters, businesses, and foundations from across Maine, and by Koo & Patricia Yuen, IDEXX, cPort Credit Union, MaineHousing, Hannaford, and DHHS Office MaineCare Services, all organizations dedicated to making a difference in Maine. |
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To support Maine Public and the News Connect program, please reach out for sponsorship and advertising opportunities. |
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