Bangor’s homeless students / Angus King’s gun control bill / Down East wind development

Bangor’s homeless students / Angus King’s gun control bill / Down East wind development

Today is Friday. Temperatures will be in the low 40s to low 50s, with increasing cloudiness across the state. See what the weather for the rest of the day will be here.

Here’s what we’re talking about in Maine today.

Angus King unveils gun control bill after Lewiston mass shooting

The bill would limit high-capacity magazines, ban bump stocks and create a gun buyback program, among other measures.

Lewiston shooting victims hire law firms behind Sandy Hook and Sutherland Springs settlements

The families have hired Maine firms Berman & Simmons and Gideon Asen along with National Trial Law and Koskoff, Koskoff & Bieder PC.

Maine GOP senator will lead New Hampshire libertarian group

Eric Brakey, an Auburn Republican who has advocated for libertarian ideas during his time in the Legislature, will not seek reelection in 2024.

Mainers could wait longer for mail if Hampden processing facility closes

In a letter, U.S. Sen. Susan Collins gave an example of how mail often travels great distances with the two existing mail processing facilities.

Bangor’s number of homeless students plummets

There are 24 homeless students across Bangor’s schools, with the greatest number at Bangor High School and James F. Doughty Middle School.

Orrington residents to choose if they want to limit where sex offenders live

The debate started when some residents learned that the town did not already restrict where registered sex offenders could live.

Penobscot County proposes a $2.3M budget increase

Funding for the 2024 county budget will come from a municipal tax increase of 8.5 percent.

How small Aroostook stores are competing with mega-retailers

Despite cheaper online goods, some merchants say they’re seeing solid sales because they sell items large retailers don’t.

Wind developer to start erecting turbines in western Washington County

The Downeast Wind development will include 30 sites located in the town of Columbia and parts of the state’s Unorganized Territory.

Midcoast town may temporarily ban large retail stores after one is proposed

The moratorium is a response to the recent proposal by a developer to build an unspecified retail store in Lincolnville Center.

WanaBana applesauce pouches are tainted with lead, FDA warns

As of Nov. 22, there have been a total of 52 reports of illness among young children who ate the contaminated applesauce.

Former northern Maine basketball stars thriving as collegiate teammates

Hometown heroes Brady Saunders of Brewer and Madden White of Nokomis are now turning heads at the University of Southern Maine.

He committed to play for Northeastern, but this hockey defenseman chose UMaine instead

Brandon Chabrier is thriving in Orono as a valuable member of the Black Bears’ defense corps.

Indiana women’s basketball rallies in 4th quarter to beat UMaine

UMaine lost, but for 35 minutes, the Black Bears went toe-to-toe with the nation’s 17th-ranked Indiana University Hoosiers.

Maine hunter bagged a 202-pound buck in his backyard

For Sam Chaplin, it’s not about the thrill of the hunt or getting a deer trophy, but procuring his own meat.

‘North Woods Law’ warden no longer works for department

Jeremy Judd had been on paid administrative leave since Nov. 3.

These are the questions that keep ornithologists up at night

“Identifying birds would be a lot easier if they would just stick to one plumage. But for some reason, the birds feel they must confuse us,” BDN birder Bob Duchesne writes.

In other Maine news …

Maine child welfare caseworkers continue to report ‘deteriorating’ situation

Mainers no longer have to disconnect old heat systems to get heat pump rebates

Brewer Woman gets 2 ½ years for fraud and illegal gun purchase

Tractor-trailer rolls over on I-95 in Etna

Dexter school evacuated over threat

Driver seriously injured in tractor-trailer crash in Dover-Foxcroft

Bath high school is considering later start time

Man found dead in Fairfield

Renys plans to open new location in Waterville

Western Maine transit drivers win union election

3 killed in wrong-way crash on Maine Turnpike in Portland

Westbrook death ruled homicide

Stolen tiny home recovered in Newfield