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Tue, Mar 10, 2026

The Maine Wire

Bagshaw Warns Maine Education Leaders Are “Playing Chicken” With Title IX — and Taxpayers May Pay the Price

Bagshaw Warns Maine Education Leaders Are “Playing Chicken” With Title IX — and Taxpayers May Pay the Price

AUGUSTA, Maine — Rep. Barbara Bagshaw (R-Windham), is warning that state education leaders are steering Maine toward a costly showdown with the federal government, one that could strip schools of millions in federal dollars, shift the bill onto property taxpayers, and leave lawmakers debating bureaucracy and “parental rights” fights while student test scores continue to slide.

Waterville Crash Leaves Pedestrian Dead, Shuts Down Upper Main Street Near Big Apple

Waterville Crash Leaves Pedestrian Dead, Shuts Down Upper Main Street Near Big Apple

WATERVILLE, Maine — A pedestrian was killed Sunday after a vehicle left Upper Main Street and crashed into another vehicle at the gas pumps of The Big Apple Convenience Store, Waterville police said. 

Police and Waterville Fire Department/Rescue responded around 11:20 a.m. to 364 Main St. for the crash, according to a department statement. Investigators said a motor vehicle traveling east on Main Street left the roadway, struck a vehicle parked at the gas pump, and hit a pedestrian in the parking lot. The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene. 

Virginia Schools Maine On How To Deal With ICE-protesting Students: Suspend, Not Mollycoddle

Virginia Schools Maine On How To Deal With ICE-protesting Students: Suspend, Not Mollycoddle

When students walked out of Maine schools recently, allegedly protesting immigration enforcement, they did so with complete impunity.

But when the same thing happened in Virginia last week, school officials suspended more than 300 kids.

In the Prince William County protest, some kids walked more than two miles to a nearby shopping center.

School officials confirmed 303 students were suspended for leaving school grounds without permission.

Compare that punitive action to Camden, Maine where a recent obscenity-laced ice protest prompted administrators to do nothing more than inform students of the “expectation that they be respectful and peaceful during their protest.”

In Maine the concern of school officials was more over worried parents videotaping and later publicizing the protest than the students leaving school.







Maine Bridge Sculpture From Old Steel Beams Isn’t Passing Muster With Outraged Art Critics

Maine Bridge Sculpture From Old Steel Beams Isn’t Passing Muster With Outraged Art Critics

161 likes, 16 comments - townofbrunswick on February 18, 2026: "🌉 A Piece of Brunswick History Will Live On While the original Frank J. Wood Bridge connecting Brunswick and Topsham has been replaced, its story isn’t ending—it’s being reimagined. 🎨 The nonprofit Brunswick Public Art is planning a unique public art installation that will incorporate pieces of the original bridge into a new sculpture at the site. This project will honor the bridge’s long-standing role in connecting our communities and preserving an important piece of local history. The sculpture will be designed by Seattle-based artist Laura Haddad (a Bowdoin College alum) and constructed by Tom Drugan, bringing both national experience and local connection to the project. 💡 The estimated 0,000 project will be fully funded through private fundraising by Brunswick Public Art, and once completed, the sculpture will become a permanent public asset owned by the Town of Brunswick. This is an exciting opportunity to preserve a meaningful piece of our past while creating something new for future generations to enjoy. Stay tuned for updates as this project moves forward! #BrunswickME #fjwbridge".

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University of Southern Maine Cancels Palestinian Conference That Featured Jew Hater Francesca Albanese

University of Southern Maine Cancels Palestinian Conference That Featured Jew Hater Francesca Albanese

A public outcry over an anti-Semitic speaker has killed a University of Southern Maine conference that was to feature a U.N. adviser who has been highly critical of Israel, according to a Jewish news outlet.

The cancellation was reported by Jewish News Syndicate, which calls itself “the fastest-growing news agency covering Israel and the Jewish world.”

The seminar, which was slated for February 28th, had Francesca Albanese on the guest list.

She has been sanctioned by the U.S. government for her anti-semitic rhetoric.

“The school told Jewish News Syndicate that it had ‘terminated the agreement for the use of USM facilities for the Consequence of Palestine conference after learning that one of the event’s speakers is sanctioned by the federal government and appears on the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s office of foreign assets control’s specially designated nationals and blocked persons list,” the news outlet reports.

That “legally prohibits any U.S. person or entity from exchanging any goods or services with those on the list,” the university told the Jewish news service.

Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, called Israel the “common enemy of humanity” at a recent Qatar forum featuring Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal.

Maine’s Catholic Bishop Calls For Statewide Unity During Lent; Sexual-Abuse Victims Say He’s Out Of Touch

Maine’s Catholic Bishop Calls For Statewide Unity During Lent; Sexual-Abuse Victims Say He’s Out Of Touch

The state’s top Catholic is calling for a “commitment to prayer” amid a continually unfolding sexual-abuse controversy.

“If we as a diocese truly repent, truly believe, truly turn to the Father, then something happens,” Bishop James Ruggieri said. “Our parishes will become even more alive. Our charity will become more credible. Our witness becomes even more compelling. And our unity becomes visible.”

But the leading Maine advocates for victims of priestly sexual abuse are calling Ruggieri out, claiming his words fall short.

Voice Of The Faithful In Maine see the bishop’s Ash Wednesday homily’s excerpt calling for “forgiveness to replace resentment” as ironic.

“Why is he refusing to meet with two baptized Catholics?” asked Paul Kendrick of Freeport.

Kendrick is co-founder of the abuse advocates group seeking what it describes as “reparations and justice for victims of childhood sexual abuse.”

The organization is calling on the bishop to meet with them to discuss their concerns.

Kendrick and co-founder Michael Sweatt of North Yarmouth have unsuccessfully sought a meeting with Rev. Steven Wright of Falmouth.

They say they want to talk with Wright about greater involvement of the lay parish in running the church as well as a private matter that they haven’t discussed publicly.

Wright has canceled two meetings with Kendrick and Sweatt and the bishop has told all diocese priests not to meet with them.

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