Morning Update: What you need to know in Maine today

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QUOTE OF THE DAY

“We are not dangerous … It is safe to be downtown. It is safe to travel around Bangor. It is safe to visit our shops and restaurants and pubs. It is safe.”

— Bangor Police Chief Mark Hathaway, discussing the high number of intimidation calls his officers responded to in 2024, a number that was based on “flawed” reporting criteria.

TODAY’S TOP STORIES

Bangor to change how it’s reporting crime, citing the city’s “flawed” data. Weeks after a statewide report showed that Bangor had the highest crime rate in the state, police will change how they report some crimes.

Dog poop and roommate disputes: These are the cases driving up Bangor’s crime rate. Police reported around 700 intimidation cases in 2024, helping drive up the city’s crime rate even as the statewide rate fell.

Maine Democrats are skeptical about Gov. Janet Mills’ idea for $300 relief checks. “I don’t think the Legislature should ever be in a position where we’re seen as buying votes, giving out checks in an election year,” Sen. Mike Tipping, D-Orono, said.

The big property tax ideas coming from Maine’s candidates for governor. Many of their plans echo the economic populism that has swept the country since President Donald Trump returned to office.

Thousands of Maine housing units are at risk of becoming unaffordable. More than 7,600 apartments in Maine are part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Section 515 Program, but they’re at risk as mortgages mature and owners sell.

NEWS FROM AROUND THE STATE

MAINE IN PICTURES

A cross-country skier glides along the Aunt Betty Loop on Acadia National Park’s carriage roads. Credit: Courtesy of Carey Kish

FROM THE OPINION PAGES

A U.S. Marines F-35C Lightning II is staged for flight operations on the flight deck of the U.S. Navy Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in support of the Operation Epic Fury attack on Iran from an undisclosed location on March 3, 2026. Credit: U.S. Navy / Handout via Reuters

“President Trump’s lack of patience and the illusions about the effect of removing the Iranian supreme leader stand out as the principal explanation for the decision to go to war now.”

Opinion: The path to America’s war with Iran is full of impatience, incoherence and hubris

LIFE IN MAINE

This bird ID mistake happens all the time. “This is a perfect example of what makes bird identification look harder than it really is,” Outdoors contributor Bob Duchesne

We drove onto the ice. Seconds later, the truck sank. “I have one cardinal rule about spring ice. I don’t trust anyone’s word when it comes to how safe it is,” Outdoors contributor Al Raychard writes.

Wild animals you’re likely to see in Acadia National Park. Here are some Outdoors contributor Aislinn Sarnacki’s most memorable encounters.