Crime
Temporary public defense director selected amid major reform, barebone budget
On the same day the Maine Commission on Indigent Legal Services selected a new interim director, Gov. Janet Mills’ $8.4 billion budget excluded funds for public defense reforms that lawmakers say are needed.
Maine’s COVID-19 vaccination rate among highest per population in US
State CDC director warns it’s a “matter of time” before the variant strain of COVID-19 is detected in Maine.
Chasing Maine: The Road Warriors
Snowstorms are a way of life in Maine. Clearing the streets before dawn requires a massive effort. Hop on board with Portland’s plow team road warriors to see how it’s done.
‘All We Can Save’ anthology advocates new paths to climate action
Women leaders offer insights and inspiration for tackling the intertwined social, environmental and political challenges we face.
Giving thanks to those who support independent journalism
Over 400 people contributed to the Maine Monitor’s 2020 Sustainability Campaign, capping a year of growth, change and impact journalism at the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting.
Maine’s public defense agency acknowledges it didn’t enforce rules on attorney qualifications
The Maine Commission on Indigent Legal Services is nearing a vote on a sweeping overhaul of requirements for attorneys who represent the poor. Members were stunned to learn existing rules for protective custody cases have not been enforced for nearly a decade.
Together, to the compassionate end
A pastor and his wife, both suffering from COVID-19, were together through the final moments of a half-century marriage because of the efforts of a loving doctor and a do-what-it-takes Houlton hospital.
The rise of angels during a hellish year
In a time of astonishing goodwill and soul-crushing loss, ordinary Mainers have done extraordinary things to help others get through the pandemic.
Maine CDC deploys first direct-care volunteers in pandemic to fill staffing gap in Deer Isle
The number of people enrolled in the Maine Responds Emergency Health Volunteer System has more than doubled during the COVID-19 pandemic, from 1,300 to 3,100.
Budget Breakdown: Public defense initiatives miss governor’s biennium budget
Once seen as a critical first hurdle to clear, the Maine Commission on Indigent Legal Services is now pivoting to building confidence in a fraught system as Gov. Janet Mills bypasses adding new funds for defense reforms to her biennium budget proposal.
