Morning Update: What you need to know in Maine today

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QUOTE OF THE DAY

“The ceilings upstairs are quite low and I wonder sometimes how the Flagg boys lived up there … They would’ve had to duck to go through the doorframes.”

— Mindy Hitchcock, who with her fiance had unknowingly purchased the childhood home of Cooper Flagg in Newport in 2023.

TODAY’S TOP STORIES

Artificial intelligence-generated child sexual abuse images have hit Maine. Police can’t investigate. Across the country, 43 states have outlawed sexual deepfakes, and 28 banned AI-generated child sexual abuse material.

Graham Platner’s rivals are starting to hit him on Israel and Palestine. Platner responded to criticism of his high school writings by pointing to his three tours of Iraq as a Marine and one tour for the Army in Afghanistan.

What would happen if Washington County’s government runs out of money? County officials are seeking voter approval of an $11 million bond to cover a budget gap after years of mismanagement.

They had no idea the Newport house they bought was Cooper Flagg’s childhood home. When the doorbell on a couple’s Newport home rang, they never expected to see the basketball phenom standing on their front porch.

NEWS FROM AROUND THE STATE

• Maine House speaker’s home receives bomb threat in what police call ‘not an isolated event’
• Maine expands access to COVID vaccines as feds put up barriers
• Hundreds gather across Maine to honor Charlie Kirk
• Stephen King apologizes for Charlie Kirk comment that sparked outrage
  Former site of longtime Bangor hardware store for sale
• Carmel arrests turn up drugs and firearms
• Caribou library goes mobile to reach readers during renovation
• Houlton’s new limit on criticizing town staff may violate 1st Amendment, experts say
• A new company plans to revive an iconic Maine seafood plant
• 4 candidates seek 2 seats on Bucksport Town Council
• Trooper tries to rescue driver after car plunges into Gardiner stream
• LifeFlight of Maine helps rescue hiker in New Hampshire
• New athletic dome and turf fields coming to Hampden after location change
• Hermon football deals Wells its first loss since 2023
• ‘I’m going to take that risk all day’: 4th down call pays off
• Stonehill stuns UMaine football, wins with late touchdown pass
• Former UMaine pitcher set to make Major League debut with Twins

MAINE IN PICTURES

Volunteers on Friday painted a green heron, one of five birds showcased on Bangor’s newest mural. Bangor Beautiful and Maine Audubon partnered to transform the 430-foot concrete retaining wall on Broadway and York Street into public art featuring five large-scale murals by East Machias artist Alison Brynn Ross. The five birds on the mural are a loon, kestrel, chickadee, woodcock and green heron. Credit: Linda Coan O’Kresik / BDN

FROM THE OPINION PAGES

Kamiwan and Paul Oliver hold hens from their flock of chickens in front of the coop they built. Credit: Courtesy of the Institute for Justice / Maine Public

“If Mainers can keep chickens so that they aren’t a nuisance to their neighbors, they should be free to do so.”

Opinion: We’re standing up for Maine’s ‘right to food’ amendment

LIFE IN MAINE

Look out for these unusual events at this year’s Common Ground fair. Here’s a sampling of the unique, topical and eccentric offerings you can catch at this year’s Common Ground Fair, which starts Friday.

Maine fall turkey season opens Monday. The season will run through Nov. 7.

Maine has spiders that can hiss and jump. Male spiders will turn up the volume during mating season by rubbing their legs while sitting in a pile of dry leaves to amplify the sound.