That puts Maine behind only New York state, which topped the list, and Hawaii, in a tally of all 50 states. Alaska came in last overall.

Wastewater treatment plant operators across Maine are scrambling to meet a tight deadline imposed by the Mills administration to begin testing municipal sludge for so-called “forever chemicals” before the sludge can be used as fertilizer.

State agencies have subscribed to a program that uses personal GPS locations to analyze traffic patterns.

Both Chinese importers and Maine dealers want to see the tariffs end, in part to escape Canada’s growing influence.

The Committee on Education and Cultural affairs voted 7-5 to recommend passing the legislation. It will now go before the House of Representatives.

Labor and small business representatives were in Augusta to urge lawmakers to debate several bills that would lower the minimum wage, particularly ones that would create a lower wage for teen workers.

The vacant lot at left is 8 Lime St. The collection of buildings on the right is 9-11 Lime St. A conceptual plan presented to the Rockland City Council last week includes redevelopment of existing buildings and construction of new buildings.

Greg Dugal, director of Government Affairs for HospitalityMaine, says additional H-2B visas will help the state’s hospitality industry cope with the ongoing worker shortage. “Even though the increase of the cap does not meet the need, it is a doubling over last year and will be incredibly helpful for Maine businesses in 2019,” he said.

On Friday, Maine Public Utilities Commission staff issued a 162-page Examiners’ Report recommending approval of Central Maine Power’s 145-mile transmission line New England Clean Energy Connect project. That review focused on public interest and public benefit standards. Reviews this week by Maine Department of Environmental Protection and the Maine Land Use Planning Commission will look more closely at environmental and land use issues.

Governor Mills reappointed Jason A. Oney of Falmouth, Morten Arntzen of Norwalk, Connecticut and Arthur K. Watson, Jr. of New Canaan, Connecticut. Governor Mills also nominated Mary O. Shea of Brownfield as Student Trustee.

Members of the Waterfront Working Group give the highest priority to spending as much as $600,000 of the project.

Under questioning from Maine Sen. Angus King during his confirmation hearing to become secretary of the interior, David Bernhardt allayed concerns about the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument’s status.

The staff of Maine’s utilities regulatory commission recommended on Friday that Central Maine Power’s controversial $1 billion proposal to deliver Quebec hydropower to Massachusetts through a western Maine corridor be approved.

Downtown Waterville’s free wifi, which launched in August, has served more than 124,000 users in seven months.

A court decision affirming that the so-called “intertidal zone” is part of privately held shorefront landownership, rather than public property, could hamper the commercial rockweed industry along Maine’s coast.

The list, released Wednesday by the nonprofit trade group, puts Gorham-based Lone Pine Brewing, in the No. 5 spot, and Westbrook-based Mast Landing Brewing Co. as No. 24.

Governor Janet Mills announced today that she has nominated six people to the University of Maine and the Maine Community College System Boards of Trustees.

A small, new Maine State Police motorcycle unit that began with an “out of nowhere” request from former Gov. Paul LePage nearly a year ago will be rolled out formally in April.

Proposals to allow Maine cities and towns to enshrine local-option sales taxes have momentum in 2019, but they’re facing the same problems that have stopped them in the past amid opposition from business groups and some progressives.