Articles – 2018
Huge number of Maine public records have likely been destroyed; Emails and documents from the King and Baldacci administrations are likely gone forever or nearly impossible to access; Maine Sunday Telegram; FRONT PAGE; 30 December 2018; AUGUSTA, MAINE, p. A1
Maine native wanted by Putin feels liberated; Kyle Parker was one of the key players behind the Magnitsky Act, a set of sanctions against Russians accused of gross human rights violations; Portland Press Herald; FRONT PAGE; 24 December 2018, NORTHPORT, MAINE, p. A1
Falmouth native dives into climate fight; Years of training have driven Noah Oppenheim’s focus toward the sea. Now he’s assisting West Coast crab fishermen in an innovative lawsuit; Maine Sunday Telegram; FRONT PAGE; 16 December
2018; PORTLAND, MAINE, p. A1
Gulf of Maine’s 3rd-warmest year on record harms puffins, turtles and kelp; The effects on species that thrive in cold waters provide glimpses of the damage that rising ocean temperatures can do, but the federal and state response remains weak; Portland Press Herald; FRONT PAGE; 6 December 2018, PORTLAND, MAINE, p. A1
George H.W. Bush, president with deep Maine connections, dies at 94; The 41st president will be remembered as a conservative moderate who embarked on his time in office with a sense of steady stewardship; Maine Sunday Telegram; FRONT PAGE; 2 December 2018; KENNEBUNKPORT, MAINE, p. A1
More Than a Pirate, a Rebel With a Democratic Spirit; Decades before the American Revolution, Blackbeard and his pirates revolted against unjust conditions imposed by shipowners and captains; New York Times, OPINION, 23 November 2018, BATH, NORTH CAROLINA, p. A27
With boots firmly planted in Japan, L.L. Bean kicks up growth; Here’s the inside story of the Freeport company’s improbable and sustained success in one of the world’s toughest retail markets for outsiders; Maine Sunday Telegram; FRONT PAGE; 18 November 2018; TOKYO, JAPAN, p. A1
Maine’s pioneering ranked-choice election likely to catch on nationally; Voting experts say the fact that it went smoothly bodes well for broader adoption; Maine Sunday Telegram; FRONT PAGE; 18 November 2018; PORTLAND, MAINE, p. A1
The Midterms Highlighted America’s Dangerous Regional Divides; The United States looks more and more like a set of different nations divided by geography; Washington Monthly; POLITICAL ANIMAL; 14 November 2014; FREEPORT, MAINE
Pro-offshore oil group chaired by LePage is run by energy lobbyists; The energy industry staffs a governors’ coalition that Maine’s governor rescued from dissolution; Maine Sunday Telegram; FRONT PAGE; 28 October 2018; PORTLAND,
MAINE, p. A1
Terry Hayes: Count me out of ‘us versus them’ politics; Separated from her siblings as a child, she grew familiar with division. So when her political party embraced tribalism, the governor candidate chose a new course; Maine Sunday Telegram; FRONT PAGE; 30 September 2018; AUGUSTA, MAINE, p. A1
Alan Caron: Longtime builder of coalitions first had to rebuild himself; ‘I lifted myself out of a series of accidents,’ says the independent whose grit shaped him into a community organizer and revered political mind; Maine Sunday Telegram; FRONT PAGE; 23 September 2018; FREEPORT, MAINE, p. A1
Janet Mills’ mission: Break yet another glass ceiling; Informed by an influential family and an esteemed role model, a longtime Maine Democratic leader has come prepared with decades of public service as she seeks the governor’s job; Maine Sunday Telegram; FRONT PAGE; 16 September 2018; FARMINGTON, MAINE, p. A1
Shawn Moody: Self-made millionaire runs on authenticity; The Republican who hopes to follow in the current governor’s footsteps banks on his proven entrepreneurial ability and a life story built on success; Maine Sunday Telegram; FRONT PAGE; 9 September 2018 GORHAM, MAINE, p. A1
The Maps That Show That City vs. Country Is Not Our Political Fault Line; The key difference is among regional cultures tracing back to the nation’s colonization; New York Times, OPINION, 30 July 2018, FREEPORT, MAINE
A Maine man appears on Putin’s list of Americans he’d like Trump to let Russia interrogate; Kyle Parker, who grew up in Old Town, was central to the drafting of the Magnitsky Act, which sanctions Russian human rights abusers; Portland Press Herald; FRONT PAGE; 21 July 2018, PORTLAND, MAINE, p. A1
Collins says justice’s respect for precedent will protect Roe v. Wade. Experts disagree; Maine’s Republican senator pins her support of a Supreme Court nominee on ‘settled law,’ but her reasoning withers under scrutiny. Maine Sunday Telegram; FRONT PAGE; 8 July 2018 ,PORTLAND, MAINE, p. A1
Collins to judge Trump’s Supreme Court pick without ‘litmus tests’ such as Roe v. Wade support; Her spokeswoman says Maine’s Republican senator believes the landmark abortion ruling is settled law, and she won’t use the issue to disqualify a candidate to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy; Portland Press Herald; FRONT PAGE; 29 June 2018, PORTLAND, MAINE, p. A1
Pingree describes ‘heartbreaking’ scenes, families in cages at Texas border facilities; The Maine representative and 24 Democratic colleagues inspect facilities where separated parents and children are being held; Maine Sunday Telegram;
MAINE & NEW ENGLAND; 24 June 2018; PORTLAND, MAINE, p. B1
Rep. Poliquin co-sponsors bill directing administration to reunify children with families; The Republican representing Maine’s 2nd District signs onto the Family Reunification Act, which would require Homeland Security to use ‘all necessary means’ to reunite families ‘at the earliest possible date.’; Portland Press Herald; NATION; 23 June 2018, PORTLAND, MAINE, p. A6
Rep. Pingree to visit Texas facilities where children separated from parents are detained; The Maine congresswoman will join a group of more than 20 Democratic colleagues at the U.S.-Mexico border Saturday; Portland Press Herald; NATION; 21 June 2018, PORTLAND, MAINE, p. A12
Bar Harbor residents approve purchase of vacant ferry terminal; Many feared that a cruise ship pier would be built if the town didn’t buy the property instead; Portland Press Herald; BUSINESS; 14 June 2018, PORTLAND, MAINE, p. C1
Lone Portland passenger study made assumptions, overestimated economic impact; The 2009 analysis based its conclusions on every ship arriving at full occupancy, used general scenarios for excursion spending and didn’t ask about
party size; Portland Press Herald; PIER PRESSURE; 11 June 2018, PORTLAND, MAINE, p. A6
Long-touted economic benefits of cruise ships far overstated; A close look at a 2009 study shows passenger spending in Portland was overestimated by at least half, providing a flawed basis for decisions by Maine ports on accommodating the rising number of visits; Portland Press Herald; PIER PRESSURE; 11 June 2018, PORTLAND, MAINE, p. A1
‘No discharge zone’ fight comes to Acadia region; In New England, only Maine allows ships to release treated sewage in most coastal waters, and cruise lines have fought local bans; Maine Sunday Telegram; PIER PRESSURE; 10 June 2018
HANCOCK, MAINE, p. A7
Some in Maine fear cruise-ship tourism has gone overboard; Bar Harbor, where passenger traffic has risen 257% since 2003, epitomizes the quandary facing coastal communities: How to weigh economic benefits against a fragile quality of
life; Maine Sunday Telegram; PIER PRESSURE; 10 June 2018 BAR HARBOR, MAINE, p. A1
Bill to fix problems at Acadia, allow clamming, advances in Senate; A US Senate panel endorses the legislation, which awaits approval by the full Senate;Portland Press Herald; LOCAL & STATE; 18 May 2018, PORTLAND, MAINE, p. B3
Where Do You Draw the Line?; Secessionist movements are on the rise in the U.S., but ignoring regional histories is a disaster waiting to happen; Medium; BALKANIZED AMERICA, 18 May 2018; FREEPORT, MAINE
Sens. King, Collins push for more research on ocean warming in Gulf of Maine; A letter to the head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration comes after a Portland Press Herald report on record-warm water flowing into the gulf’s main entrance; Portland Press Herald; FRONT PAGE; 1 May 2018, PORTLAND, MAINE, p. A1
Deep current of record-breaking warm water causes concerns for the Gulf of Maine; In the once-chilly currents that feed the highly productive gulf, Canadian researchers have measured record-high temperatures that could endanger the ecosystem; Portland Press Herald; FRONT PAGE; 24 April 2018, PORTLAND, MAINE, p. A1
Barbara Bush dies at 92: Longtime Maine resident was a literacy icon, wife and mother of presidents; The former first lady, who died Tuesday, was one of the most popular and respected in history, a fierce defender of her husband and family, a tireless advocate for adult literacy and a lifelong lover of Maine’s rocky coast; Portland Press Herald; FRONT PAGE; 18 April 2018, KENNEBUNKPORT, MAINE, p. A1
How ranked-choice voting effort became a partisan flash point; Meant to reduce polarization, Maine’s ballot-box initiative has created a chasm, though some say both parties could prosper; Maine Sunday Telegram; FRONT PAGE; 8 April 2018 ,PORTLAND, MAINE, p. A1
Maine TV stations among outlets airing ‘fake stories’ segment scripted by corporate owner; Following orders from Sinclair Broadcasting, WGME’s anchors read the ‘must run’ promo, which also airs on WPFO, warning viewers about ‘one-sided news stories plaguing our country.’; Portland Press Herald; BUSINESS; 3 April 2018, PORTLAND, MAINE, p. C1
Maine’s radical democratic experiment; An unpopular governor and a voter uprising are leading to historic political reforms that could reverberate across the country; Politico Magazine; LETTER FROM MAINE; 27 March 2018; AUGUSTA, MAINE
U.S. House passes bill to fix territorial, jurisdictional problems around Acadia; The measure supported by Maine’s four-member Congressional delegation resolves rules about where the national park can expand and allows harvesters to work tidal flats next to park land; Portland Press Herald; LOCAL & STATE; 13 March 2018, PORTLAND, MAINE, p. B2
Dispute over traffic project escalates as Wiscasset reports new threat from the state; Maine’s Department of Transportation says it won’t create off-street parking to make up for spots lost on Main Street if it has to follow local ordinances, the town says in a court filing; Portland Press Herald; FRONT PAGE; 9 March 2018, PORTLAND, MAINE, p. A1
Proposed tariffs on Canadian steel could backfire on Maine; Steel and aluminum tariffs pinch manufacturers, but the biggest potential threat is in the way Canadians retaliate; Portland Press Herald; FRONT PAGE; 7 March 2018, PORTLAND, MAINE, p. A1
In Maine, a push in Legislature could lead to a rewrite of the U.S. Constitution; Two resolutions mirroring a secretive group’s model ask the state to join 28 others in calling for a convention – the first since 1787 – that could remake how the government works; Portland Press Herald; FRONT PAGE; 1 March 2018, PORTLAND, MAINE, p. A1
U.S. too passive, vulnerable to elections cyberthreat, Sen. King says; We should announce how we’ll retaliate now as a way to deter attacks, he says, while also discussing President Trump, immigration, improved prospects for gun control and more; Portland Press Herald; FRONT PAGE; 26 February 2018, PORTLAND, MAINE, p. A1
Maine’s Matt Dunlap gets classified briefing on election vulnerabilities; The state’s elections face little risk, the Maine secretary of state says, because they rely on a low-tech system that has no connection to the internet; Portland Press Herald; LOCAL & STATE; 21 February 2018, PORTLAND, MAINE, p. B1
LePage scuttled state’s settlement with Wiscasset in traffic dispute, attorney says; The governor rejected a compromise in the controversial Route 1 project that would allow some on-street parking, a key concern of local businesses; Portland Press Herald; FRONT PAGE; 15 February 2018, PORTLAND, MAINE, p. A1
Trump budget would kill funds for many programs in Maine; From public broadcasting and home heating aid to conservation and legal services for the poor, the president’s spending plan would have a broad impact if approved by Congress; Portland Press Herald; FRONT PAGE; 13 February 2018, PORTLAND, MAINE, p. A1
The American Nations, Trumpism and the 2016 Elections; Donald Trump offered something novel on the campaign trail, and it paid big dividends within two regional cultures and the Electoral College map; Medium; BALKANIZED AMERICA, 1 February 2018; FREEPORT, MAINE
Property owner offers to pay Wiscasset’s legal expenses in fight over state traffic plan; Ralph H. Doering III hopes to keep town officials from compromising with MDOT to avoid high court costs in a lawsuit over controversial changes to the village center; Portland Press Herald; LOCAL & STATE; 1 February 2018, PORTLAND, MAINE, p. B3
Pingree backs bill to ban states from blocking municipal high-speed internet projects; The federal legislation would overturn laws in 17 states and prevent a reintroduction of such a measure in Maine; Portland Press Herald; FRONT PAGE; 29 January 2018, PORTLAND, MAINE, p. A1
Critics decry LePage’s choice of Nestle Waters manager for environmental board; If confirmed, Mark Dubois, the company’s public face in Maine, will serve on the panel that rewrites DEP rules, judges permit applications and acts as an appeals court; Portland Press Herald; FRONT PAGE; 24 January 2018, PORTLAND, MAINE, p. A1
Speeding ships, missing calves increase anxiety over right whales; U.S. and Canadian officials are scrambling to protect the endangered whales after at least 17 died last year in New England and the Maritimes; Maine Sunday Telegram;
FRONT PAGE; 21 January 2018 ,PORTLAND, MAINE, p. A1
What it means for Maine if federal government shuts down; Acadia National Park would close and heating assistance for the poor could be affected, but with few federal employees and facilities, most Mainers may not notice a short shutdown; Portland Press Herald; FRONT PAGE; 18 January 2018, PORTLAND, MAINE, p. A1
LePage’s support for offshore drilling may undermine effort to exempt areas off Maine; Governor is at odds with state’s congressional delegation, which is backing a bill to stop the Trump administration’s plan; Maine Sunday Telegram; FRONT PAGE; 14 January 2018 ,PORTLAND, MAINE, p. A1
Trump administration says it will destroy voter data collected by commission; The move by the White House is the latest round in a legal fight over the bid by Maine’s secretary of state to gain access to working documents of the defunct voter fraud commission; Portland Press Herald; FRONT PAGE; 12 January 2018, PORTLAND, MAINE, p. A1
Maine secretary of state asks court to secure documents of Trump’s now-defunct voter fraud commission; Matthew Dunlap’s move is the latest in a battle over the transparency of the presidential panel; Portland Press Herald; LOCAL & STATE; 10 January 2018, PORTLAND, MAINE, p. B1
Trump refuses to release documents to Maine secretary of state despite judge’s order; Matthew Dunlap accuses the Justice Department of ‘contempt for the rule of law’ in its response regarding a judge’s order on voter fraud commission papers; Maine Sunday Telegram; FRONT PAGE; 7 January 2018 ,PORTLAND, MAINE, p. A1
COLIN WOODARD is a New York Times bestselling author and award-winning journalist. He is the author of six books that have been translated into a dozen foreign languages and inspired an NBC television drama. He is currently Director of Nationhood Lab at the Pell Center for International Relations and Public Affairs at Salve Regina University. As State and National Affairs Writer at the Portland Press Herald and Maine Sunday Telegram he won a 2012 George Polk Award and was a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize in 2016. He is a contributing editor at POLITICO and his work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Economist, Smithsonian and dozens of other major publications.