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Top Maine Democrat Says Platner Will Have ‘No Role’ in Picking Next Nominee

A leading state party official said that Graham Platner’s team had “repeatedly” tried to “put their thumb on the scale,” but he would not influence how the party chose a new Senate candidate.

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Jul 7 • 9:39 PM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com
These Maine Democrats Might Replace Graham Platner in the Senate Race

Mr. Platner has not yet withdrawn from the race after a rape allegation, but Democrats in the state and nationally are already exploring potential alternatives.

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Jul 7 • 6:53 PM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com
Graham Platner's ruined campaign in Maine adds pressures for Democrats

Platner had entered the race as an outsider and was seen as riding a progressive, anti-establishment wave of support.

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Jul 7 • 5:57 PM EDT • Politics • latimes.com
If Platner stays on ballot ‘the seat is gone’ for Democrats: Political analyst

Pressure mounts on Graham Platner (D) to exit the Maine senate race amid allegations of sexual assault he denies. NBC News reporters Sahil Kapur and Jon Allen discuss the political fallout for Platner and where the race goes from here. Jessica Taylor, Senate and Governors Editor for the Cook Political Report, talks about Democrats’ chances to flip the Senate without Maine.

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Jul 7 • 4:43 PM EDT • Politics • nbcnews.com
High-Signal Publisher
Platner’s three-day vetting job comes back to haunt Dems as rape allegation rocks Senate bid

Democratic operatives paid only $6,250 for a rushed background check on Graham Platner, missing a Nazi tattoo, rape allegations, and Reddit posts.

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Jul 7 • 4:24 PM EDT • Politics • foxnews.com
Maine Democrats jockey to replace Graham Platner as he faces pressure to drop out

As of Tuesday morning, Platner remained undecided about whether to drop out of the race and wants to see a replacement nominee who shares his vision, according to a source.

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Jul 7 • 3:40 PM EDT • Politics • nbcnews.com
High-Signal Publisher
Who will replace Graham Platner if he drops out? Here's how Democrats could pick a new Maine Senate nominee.

Democrats have a brief window of time to replace Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner on the ballot if he drops out of the race amid a sexual assault allegation.

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Jul 7 • 3:13 PM EDT • Politics • cbsnews.com
High-Signal Publisher
Sanders says Platner should drop out of Maine's US Senate race

Sen. Bernie Sanders says Maine U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner should step aside after a sexual assault allegation.

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Jul 7 • 2:12 PM EDT • Politics • spectrumlocalnews.com
Sen. Bernie Sanders says Graham Platner should drop out of the race after sexual assault allegation

Sanders, Platner's longtime backer, joined the chorus Tuesday saying that he spoke with Platner and that "in light of these very serious allegations, I have recommended that he step aside.”

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Jul 7 • 12:50 PM EDT • Politics • pbs.org
Bernie Sanders calls on Graham Platner to drop Senate bid

The senator from Vermont has been a key backer of the insurgent Democratic candidate in Maine.

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Jul 7 • 12:45 PM EDT • Politics • washingtonpost.com
Analysis | What Graham Platner’s rise and unraveling reveal about the politics of 2026

In their rush to find a strong candidate to run again Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), Democrats should have more thoroughly vetted their party's nominee.

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Jul 7 • 12:40 PM EDT • Politics • washingtonpost.com
Why Democrats need Graham Platner to go away

A lot of people called for Graham Platner to drop out of Maine’s Senate race Monday night, after a rape allegation surfaced against the Democratic nominee. But relatively few of them were Republicans.

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Jul 7 • 11:24 AM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
Democrats begin pulling Platner endorsements after Maine Senate candidate faces sexual assault allegation

Graham Platner denied the allegation on Monday, but said he would be considering next steps for his campaign.

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Jul 7 • 10:08 AM EDT • Politics • pbs.org
Court: Religious schools can’t be exempt from Maine’s nondiscrimination laws

Religious schools accepting public funds are required to follow Maine laws that protect against discrimination based on faith, gender identity and sexual orientation, a federal court has ruled.

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Jul 7 • 7:30 AM EDT • Politics • spectrumlocalnews.com
Medicaid funding is resuming for Planned Parenthood, Maine provider

Planned Parenthood and two smaller regional abortion providers are resuming billing Medicaid for services other than abortion after being cut off for most of a year.

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Jul 7 • 7:21 AM EDT • Politics • spectrumlocalnews.com
Key Democratic figures call on Graham Platner to ‘immediately’ withdraw from Senate race

Maine’s party leadership calls for Platner to withdraw after after sexual assault allegation emerges

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Jul 7 • 6:15 AM EDT • Politics • theguardian.com
PACs should ease up on the political propaganda in Maine

We are witness to millions of dollars being thrown at ads, as Maine struggles.

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Jul 7 • 4:00 AM EDT • Politics • pressherald.com
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Norman businesses face thousands in losses as storms leave them in the dark

"It's a total loss." Norman restaurants say storms knocked out coolers and freezers, costing one business about $10,000 as their doors remained shut.

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Jul 6 • 7:10 PM EDT • Business • koco.com
Platner Faces Growing Democratic Calls to Drop Out

Even supporters like Representative Ro Khanna of California called on the Democratic nominee to exit the Maine Senate race after a report that he had sexually assaulted a woman.

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Jul 6 • 6:41 PM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com
Graham Platner's New Scandal and Authenticity's Limits

He said there wouldn’t be any more scandals, but a new Politico report threatens to end his Senate campaign in Maine.

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Jul 6 • 6:37 PM EDT • Politics • theatlantic.com
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Top Platner ally turns on him after bombshell rape allegation rocks campaign: 'Red line'

Rep. Ro Khanna withdrew his endorsement and called on Graham Platner to drop out after a sexual assault allegation surfaced against the Maine candidate.

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Jul 6 • 6:35 PM EDT • Politics • foxnews.com
Tamara Keith and Carrie Dann on Platner facing calls to drop out of Maine Senate race
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Jul 6 • 6:30 PM EDT • Politics • pbs.org
Who Might Replace Graham Platner if He Drops Out of the Maine Senate Race?

Graham Platner can be replaced on the ballot if he withdraws in the next week. If he does, Maine Democrats would face an uncertain two-week race to choose a replacement.

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Jul 6 • 6:26 PM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com
Democrats begin pulling Platner endorsements

Politico reports that a woman has accused Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner of sexual assault.

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Jul 6 • 5:06 PM EDT • Politics • spectrumlocalnews.com
Graham Platner says he's "taking the time to reflect on the best path forward" as sexual assault allegation emerges

A Maine woman told Politico that Graham Platner entered her home in late 2021 and forced himself on her. Platner denies the allegation.

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Jul 6 • 4:44 PM EDT • Politics • cbsnews.com
High-Signal Publisher
Maine Senate candidate Platner says campaign is deciding 'best path forward' after new sexual assault allegation

A woman who previously dated Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner said he drunkenly forced her to have sex after she told him to stop, according to a new Politico report.

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Jul 6 • 4:35 PM EDT • Politics • pbs.org
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Woman accuses Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner of sexual assault

Democratic candidate for Senate, who has faced series of scandals, denies allegation reported by Politico

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Jul 6 • 4:11 PM EDT • Politics • theguardian.com
Woman who dated Graham Platner says he sexually assaulted her

The Maine Democrat denied the allegations and said, “Any accusation of non-consensual behavior is categorically untrue.”

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Jul 6 • 3:18 PM EDT • Politics • politico.com
How Investors Are Reacting To Caesars Entertainment (CZR) Expanding Tribal-Linked Online Casinos And Digital Wallets In Maine

In June 2026, Caesars Entertainment announced it had expanded its partnership with three Wabanaki Nations to pursue a 2026 launch of three branded online casino platforms in Maine, pending regulatory approvals, integrated with Caesars Sportsbook, Caesars Rewards, and its Universal Digital Wallet. The agreement not only broadens Caesars’ digital footprint but also ties online gaming growth directly to tribal workforce development and long-term community funding commitments across the Wabanaki...

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Jul 6 • 1:10 PM EDT • Entertainment • finance.yahoo.com
NFIB June jobs report: Small business job openings rebound from lowest level since May 2020

The June jobs report from the NFIB shows that the Small Business Employment Index remained essentially flat, at 100.2.

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Jul 6 • 5:26 AM EDT • Business • roi-nj.com
Indian shares likely to open higher on strong business updates from lenders

Indian shares are set to open with a positive tone on Monday as investors react to quarterly business updates from key ​lenders and companies, while crude oil prices remained below $72 per ‌barrel.

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Jul 5 • 10:27 PM EDT • Business • reuters.com
Maine group revives push for universal health care ballot initiative

Advocates are hoping to gather enough signatures to get a question about publicly funded health care on the November 2027 ballot.

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Jul 3 • 9:00 AM EDT • Health • themainemonitor.org
What Caesars Entertainment (CZR)'s Wabanaki iCasino Expansion and Bearish Zacks Rank Mean For Shareholders

In late June 2026, Caesars Entertainment Inc. announced it had expanded its partnership with three Wabanaki Nations in Maine to cover potential online casino gaming, adding three branded iGaming platforms that integrate with Caesars Rewards and its Universal Digital Wallet, subject to regulatory approvals. At the same time, the company faced sharply weaker analyst sentiment, including a very large downward revision to current-year earnings estimates that pushed it onto the Zacks Rank #5...

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Jul 3 • 6:33 AM EDT • Entertainment • simplywall.st
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Platner will prioritize public health, which Collins helped to dismantle

A new television ad (paid for by “America First International Assistance”) portrays Sen. Susan Collins as protecting Maine from the Ebola virus by funding millions in scientific research. While the ad may have historical truth concerning her record (the footage appears to be several years old), Sen. Collins is a member of the Republican Senate […]

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Jul 3 • 4:55 AM EDT • Health • pressherald.com
Wimbledon clings onto fashion traditions, with a twist

Amid fast-changing fashion trends, Wimbledon has remained a bastion of "classy" style, with players and attendees donning their finest whites at the London tennis tournament which some say is reminiscent of traditional British high society.Going to Wimbledon is "fascinating" as it gives "an insight into what the past of British society looked like," according to Daniel-Yaw Miller, a sports and fashion journalist.

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Jul 3 • 1:06 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Small Business Job Openings Rebound

Texas Border Business AUSTIN, Texas – NFIB’s June Jobs Report shows that the Small Business Employment Index remained essentially flat, registering 100.2 in June after measuring 100.3 in May. This is the fourth consecutive month the Index declined. The current reading is below the 2025 average of 101.2 but still slightly above the historical average of 100.0. In June, […]

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Jul 2 • 3:40 PM EDT • Business • texasborderbusiness.com
Tufts University and Bigelow Laboratory Partner to Expand Marine Science Training

Tufts University and Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences have launched a partnership offering graduate students a Marine Science specialization through the Sea Change Semester, combining coursework with hands-on research voyages and laboratory training in Maine.

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Jul 2 • 11:04 AM EDT • Science • ecomagazine.com
New Collaboration between Tufts University and Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences Boosts Experiential Opportunities for Graduate Students

Tufts University is advancing this mission through a new collaboration with Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences in East Boothbay, Maine, giving graduate students direct access to immersive real-world ocean research.

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Jul 1 • 9:55 PM EDT • Science • newswise.com
Lil Wayne a no-show for concert that was supposed to kick off his tour

The performance in Bangor, Maine, was set to be the first of his 20 Years of Carter Classics shows.

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Jul 1 • 7:13 PM EDT • Entertainment • yahoo.com
Lil Wayne a no-show for concert that was supposed to kick off his tour

Rapper Lil Wayne was scheduled to perform Tuesday in Bangor, Maine. But the show ended after opening act 2 Chainz and a DJ performed.

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Jul 1 • 7:13 PM EDT • Entertainment • ew.com
Augusta Popeyes briefly closed for health code violations

The restaurant, which opened in May on Western Avenue, was permitted to reopen on Saturday after it was closed a day earlier.

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Jul 1 • 5:12 PM EDT • Health • centralmaine.com
Maine high court considers trans signature debate

The debate Wednesday focused on Bellows’ obligation to balance the U.S. Constitution, the Maine Constitution and a 2022 federal consent order requiring Maine to allow nonresidents to circulate petitions.

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Jul 1 • 1:59 PM EDT • Politics • spectrumlocalnews.com
The Odds: Maine Senate race
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Jul 1 • 9:43 AM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
Preparing your business for new shipping, packaging requirements

Any business using packaging and shipping material in Maine should familiarize itself with new compliance obligations and fees on the horizon, our guest contributor recommends.

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Jul 1 • 9:15 AM EDT • Business • mainebiz.biz
Environmental artist talks science comics, the Gulf of Maine and animal sexuality

In her debut work of nonfiction,‘Poking the Squid,’ Perrin Roosevelt Ireland, artist-in-residence at the New York Aquarium, looks at animal life with a feminist lens.

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Jul 1 • 7:00 AM EDT • Science • pressherald.com
Control of the Senate Is Up for Grabs, Times/Siena Polls Find

Republicans are defending seats in Alaska, Iowa, Maine, North Carolina, Ohio and Texas as they try to maintain their majority. Democrats are competitive in all six states — but not leading in enough to take the chamber.

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Jul 1 • 5:03 AM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com
Cade Cavalli blames Willson Contreras' brush by in Nationals-Red Sox dustup; Sox say Cavalli yelled 'Sit down, boy' at Contreras

Contreras was ejected, and Cavalli remained in the game to pitch a 1-hit gem in a Nationals win.

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Jul 1 • 12:12 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Fox News Poll: Maine Senate race is tight, with concerns about both candidates

Susan Collins holds a slim 3-point lead over Graham Platner in Maine, but a 15-point enthusiasm gap among Democrats keeps the race competitive.

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Jun 30 • 3:26 PM EDT • Politics • foxnews.com
Maine high court to hear appeal ballot initiative case

Oral arguments are set for 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Capital Judicial Center in Augusta.

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Jun 30 • 10:00 AM EDT • Politics • spectrumlocalnews.com
Oregon Health Authority agrees to $630,000 settlement with ousted equity director

The sum includes more than $400,000 in back pay that the director would have received if she had remained at the agency until this year.

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Jun 30 • 9:00 AM EDT • Health • oregonlive.com
Henry Winkler says 'there's a string between' him and his 'Happy Days' costar Ron Howard

Winkler and Howard costarred on the '70s sitcom, and they've remained close in the decades since.

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Jun 29 • 6:41 PM EDT • Entertainment • ew.com
4 Sectors Attracting Seed Funding in Digital Entertainment

Digital entertainment is navigating a paradox. Overall venture capital flowing into gaming dropped sharply through 2025 and into 2026, yet seed-stage deal activity has remained surprisingly resilient across a handful of focused verticals

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Jun 29 • 8:38 AM EDT • Entertainment • finsmes.com
Building Business: New hotel taking shape on Portland's Monument Square

Zachau Construction is transforming the former Fidelity Trust building into a 101-room luxury hotel, for Jim Brady’s Fathom Cos.

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Jun 29 • 7:00 AM EDT • Business • mainebiz.biz
Platner Has Slight Edge Over Collins in Tight Maine Senate Race, Poll Finds

The Maine race, which both parties see as key to winning control of the Senate, is extremely close as the sprint to fall begins, a Times/Portland Press Herald/Siena poll found.

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Jun 29 • 4:00 AM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com
Efzimfotase alfa demonstrated improvements in bone health in treatment-naïve pediatric patients with hypophosphatasia achieving median difference of 1.67 vs placebo in RGI-C Score at week 25 in MULBERRY Phase III trial

Positive results from the MULBERRY Phase III trial showed that efzimfotase alfa (ALXN1850), an investigational enzyme replacement therapy, demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in bone health in children (2 to

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Jun 28 • 3:45 PM EDT • Health • astrazeneca-us.com
Maine targets three initiatives for initial use of federal rural health funds

The Mills administration says it's decided how it will spend nearly half of the $190 million it's received this year through the federal Rural Health Transformation Fund.

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Jun 28 • 7:00 AM EDT • Health • mainepublic.org
New business brings hat bar experience to Mineral County

Haley Nelson started her business in November 2023 in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. Since moving to Montana, she has remained busy fulfilling online custom orders and shipping hats to customers across the country.

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Jun 28 • 3:00 AM EDT • Business • dailyinterlake.com
Caesars Entertainment (CZR) Expands In Maine Online Gaming, Is The Stock Already Fully Valued?

Caesars Entertainment expands digital footprint with Wabanaki Nations partnership Caesars Entertainment (CZR) is extending its partnership with three Wabanaki Nations to include online casino gaming in Maine, targeting a potential 2026 iGaming launch, subject to regulatory approvals. See our latest analysis for Caesars Entertainment. Caesars Entertainment shares have climbed over recent months, with a 90 day share price return of 16.79% and year to date gain of 28.14%. However, the 5 year...

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Jun 27 • 11:20 AM EDT • Entertainment • simplywall.st
Caesars Entertainment hopes to bring online gambling to Maine
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Jun 26 • 8:30 PM EDT • Entertainment • wgme.com
This Week's 10 Must-Read Stories on Women in Politics: Title IX Anniversary, AI's Anti-Women Bias and Ranked-Choice Voting Victories

Weekend Reading on Women’s Representation is a weekly compilation of stories about women’s representation in politics, on boards, in sports and entertainment, in judicial offices and in the private sector in the U.S. and around the world—with a little gardening and goodwill mixed in for refreshment! Published every Friday. —This week marked the 54th anniversary of Title IX. —As the Taliban approaches the five-year mark of its return to power this August, a rare protest in western Afghanistan last week laid bare both the brutality of its rule and the resilience of those living under it. —A woman will replace Eric Swalwell in California … but for not two more months. —A study of 133 AI systems found that 44 percent demonstrated gender bias, and more than a quarter showed both gender and racial bias. ... and more.

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Jun 26 • 6:02 PM EDT • Politics • msmagazine.com
Making Our Own Luck

We are cross-posting a piece that former NIH official Kris Willis wrote for Macroscience. Kris is now the President and Founder of the Woodley Park Institute, for which I’m a board member. Picking winners or hedging bets? Federal science agencies have long wrestled with the question of how to ensure their billions of dollars of grants and contracts result in maximum benefits for Americans. On the surface, it might seem that a goal-oriented, interventionist style of management would be the best policy: prioritize our most pressing problems and distribute funding accordingly.This top-down strategy creates a unique hazard, though: bad choices can send resources in the wrong direction, resulting in slow progress that impedes the delivery of tangible benefits to citizens. Moreover, if decision makers pursue an applied advance when the underlying scientific principles remain poorly understood, they risk costly failures and a loss of support for the research enterprise at large. Examples include Nixon’s 1971 War on Cancer, undertaken on the premise that a cure could be achieved in less than a decade, the drive to build an operational commercial fusion plant by the mid-1990s, and the National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease, which failed to produce the effective treatments and prevention strategies promised by 2025. The contrasting laissez-faire approach is to hedge your bets. If the path to an advance is impossible to predict, then the wisest choice might be to distribute funding to as widely as possible. The main risk of this strategy is that spreading funding thinly may limit the resources available to the most promising research, resulting in the same negative outcomes as the interventionist approach: limited support for the most promising topics, slow progress, and delayed returns. In reality, at science agencies like the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health, program managers navigate between these two extremes, setting some funds aside to target high-priority areas and using the rest to cover the widest possible range of meritorious proposals. This middle path seems like the most rational way to proceed, but it still requires making choices. How much should be set aside for high priority topics? What should those topics be? How should we define merit? Expert opinion can provide a helpful guide, but leading experts can have remarkably different opinions about what matters and what should be prioritized. Moreover, experts and administrators alike can be risk averse, giving an edge to high-profile, well-established concepts. What’s really needed is a data-driven framework to help guide decision-making, one that doesn’t simply repackage prestige or incumbency. Recognizing breakthroughs years in advance Many breakthroughs fail to attract funding or recognition at the earliest stages of development. Katalin Karikó, for example, spent years struggling to win grants for work on mRNA that would eventually win her and Drew Weissman a Nobel Prize. Similar stories can be told about Jim Allison’s groundbreaking studies leading to the development of cancer immunotherapy, Stan Pruisner’s demonstration that prions can self-replicate without DNA, or Robin Warren and Barry Marshall’s proof that Helicobacter pylori, not stress, causes ulcers. Yet at some point, the scientific community recognizes and responds to transformative breakthroughs like these. How does that change happen? And what if science funders could identify the areas that are on the cusp of a breakthrough? Those questions led my collaborators and me to study how scientists responded to past breakthroughs. Based on patterns in that data, we developed a means of predicting future breakthroughs, using biomedicine as a proof of concept. It’s worth taking a moment to describe how our approach works. Briefly, our prediction process begins by grouping the 18 million or so peer-reviewed papers in PubMed, the authoritative database of biomedical research, into roughly 50,000 unique topics. A small subset of these topics are so widely acclaimed as breakthroughs that they have been recognized with a major prize like a Nobel or a Lasker Award. We theorized that studying the development of these outliers over time, especially before they gained acclaim, was the key to identifying future instances of them. After defining topics, we chose 21 representative breakthroughs and asked what they looked like before they won prestigious prizes. To answer that question, we re-ran our topic-mapping algorithm repeatedly, winding back the clock one year each time, stringing together the years to follow the progress of each field as it grew and advanced. We found that in each case, the years leading up to a discovery followed a pattern: a burst of papers on a new, rapidly evolving topic, many of which quickly became influential. These characteristics—the percent of papers that are new, the percentage of papers that are brought in from other topics, and the influence of each individual paper—can all be measured separately for any given topic. Together, they act as a predictive signal that is detectable an average of five years before a transformative discovery is made, and up to thirty years before the discovery receives a major prize. Scanning the current research landscape for topics that display this signal allows us to predict what work will likely produce a future breakthrough. Each year we analyzed includes four or five signals, a number that appears to have remained constant across a twenty year time frame. In their classic work on the sociology of science, Bruno Latour and Steve Woolgar established that the desire to participate in a major discovery is an important motivator for scientists as they consider whether they should take up (or abandon) a research problem. Although further work is needed, the simplest explanation for our results is that this behavior is widespread enough to detect at scale. A foundational advance, or something like it, draws the attention of scientists and causes them to change the direction of their research. They vote with their feet, staking their own reputation and careers by publishing on and citing the new idea. That upswell of interest is the foundation of our breakthrough signal. What kind of research does our model identify as a breakthrough? After building a model based on the patterns in our 21 preselected breakthroughs, we tested it by identifying all early signals of discovery from 1994 through 1997. Of the 18 signals we found in that time period, 17 can be traced forward in time to a breakthrough. Examples include super-resolution fluorescence microscopy (see the image above), the directed evolution of proteins and enzymes (Chemistry Nobel, 2018), and sequencing the human genome (National Medal of Science, 2008). The discovery of the role of leptin signaling in obesity is a particularly interesting case study. Around 1950, scientists noticed the existence of a type of lab mouse that suffered from a unique inherited form of obesity. When given the freedom to choose their own diet, these mice ate more than normal and preferred food that was high in fat. Researchers had few clues as to why the animals overate; early experiments pointed to the existence of a soluble ob factor found circulating in the bloodstream that regulated appetite, but its identity was unknown. In 1994, Jeffrey Friedman and colleagues identified and sequenced the ob gene, noting that the protein it encoded appeared to fit the profile of a circulating factor. A year later, a trio of high-profile publications demonstrated that ob was a hormone that regulated body weight and fat deposition by regulating appetite. One of these was co-authored by Friedman, who christened it leptin from the ancient Greek word for thin. Using our model, the data from 1996 make it clear this advance would become a breakthrough. Scientists had flocked to study the biology of the new hormone, generating the flurry of new papers and citations required to produce a signal. One of these demonstrated that serum leptin concentrations reflected the amount of adipose tissue in the human body, providing clinical validation of the earlier mouse studies. Before the identification of leptin, scientists were unable to point to a specific molecule that controlled appetite and adiposity, so that it was impossible to rule out non-physiological causes of obesity; its characterization fundamentally changed our concept of weight gain. In 2010, Friedman and fellow pioneer Douglas Coleman were awarded a Lasker for the discovery. Our work also identifies breakthroughs in clinical practice and behavioral and social sciences, even though these areas are less likely to draw the attention of major prize committees. One example that falls into this category is the introduction of endovascular aneurysm repair, a minimally invasive surgical procedure for the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysm, a leading cause of death among Americans over the age of 65. Relative to the previous standard of care, it reduces in-hospital mortality by almost four-fold. In 2017, Timothy Chuter received the American College of Surgeons’ prestigious Jacobsen Innovation award for his multiple refinements to the technique. Another under-recognized breakthrough identified by our model is the development of standardized survey instruments to assess the quality of life for HIV+ patients. The antiretroviral cocktails introduced in the mid-1990s reduced AIDS mortality, but treatment came with serious side effects. The new evaluations showed that patients whose disease progressed had worse physical functioning than Americans with other chronic diseases, while those who were asymptomatic maintained a health-related quality of life on par with the overall US population. This evidence made it possible for patients and activists to argue that even in the absence of a total cure, and in spite of the side effects, alleviation of symptoms was a worthwhile priority for clinicians. My colleagues and I have failed to identify any significant recognition for the physicians and health policy experts who pioneered this advance, although in 2016, researchers called for the World Health Organization to set targets for good health-related quality of life as part of its framework to end the AIDS pandemic. From forecasting to funding How should science funders use our predictions? Any serious discussion of what we should do with this new capability needs to begin with an understanding of its limitations. We can’t (and shouldn’t) invest all of our resources in the small number of topics predicted to produce breakthroughs. Innovative new fields are born from existing ones; they rarely arise de novo. If funders don’t maintain a diverse portfolio, the breakthroughs of tomorrow will have no antecedents. Think of this as eating the seed corn, or killing the goose that lays the golden egg. There are also multiple goals of funding beyond basic scientific discovery, including translating discoveries into clinical practice, developing new technologies, supporting economic development, and training new scientists. The investments needed to accomplish these goals are likely different from those required to support emerging breakthroughs. Finally, we must be aware that we may not capture every instance of a breakthrough. The concept is fuzzy, and not every significant discovery is recognized with a major award. Further, breakthroughs are rare, meaning that our dataset is, by necessity, small. This makes formal estimates of accuracy challenging. Although our overall success rate appears to be high, any one signal may turn out to be a false positive. We found one apparent example: the development of the third generation COX-2 inhibitors, Vioxx and Celebrex, which were much celebrated in the early 2000s as effective but non-addictive pain relievers, meets all the algorithmic criteria of a breakthrough. Five years after it received FDA approval, researchers demonstrated that Vioxx was associated with serious cardiovascular complications, and the manufacturer voluntarily pulled the drug from the market. Celebrex remains available, although like other NSAIDs, it carries an FDA warning for increased cardiovascular risk. Decision makers who were overly focused on the breakthrough potential of this research might have wasted substantial resources nurturing an area that ultimately proved to be a failure—but so would those who relied on expert opinion at the time. That said, the potential benefits of funding the next mRNA vaccine or cancer immunotherapy years earlier than we might have are large. When we can’t assume the outcome of an action, it’s worth conducting an experiment. Can targeted support for areas that are poised to produce a breakthrough increase the return on scientific investment without cannibalizing future advances? With the necessary administrative infrastructure in place, conducting this experiment would be straightforward. First, identify all the breakthrough signals between 2018 and 2023, select half at random, and commit to a decade of investment. For biomedicine, a six year window should yield about 30 topics with the potential to produce a breakthrough. Providing strong support to half of these might be accomplished for $300 million a year. That’s roughly half of the recent annual budget of the NIH Common Fund or around 20% of the fiscal year 2025 budget for ARPA-H. After five years, then again at ten, compare to see which group — the one that was actively managed, or the control — produced more breakthroughs, and on what timescale. Although we used biomedicine as an example, the same experiment could just as well be run for physics, materials science, or any other discipline. Any attempt to undertake such an experiment should keep three points top of mind. First, we can predict the topic of future breakthroughs, but the people and vision for how to move the work forward are still important. In practice, this means success requires active program managers with the expertise to develop the science and the authority to do so, including by recruiting investigators. Second, we would be wise to learn from the failures of past attempts to fund transformative research. High among these are funding modestly repackaged work, confusing the genuinely novel with the merely unfamiliar, and relying too much on incumbent investigators. All of these risks can be mitigated by thoroughly and intelligently integrating high quality data into portfolio management. Finally, we need to have patience. Even with strong funding support, producing a breakthrough takes time. If supporting breakthroughs is the best way to nurture the birth of new fields, we also need to accurately describe and properly manage the other two stages, so that we invest wisely throughout the productive lifetime of ideas and divest once they reach the point of diminishing returns. We would benefit from more study of all of these phases, especially the transition from one to another. More research could answer questions like: When does a breakthrough become an established field? How do the availability of funding, the size and characteristics of the available workforce, and the accumulation of evidence that disagrees with prevailing models affect a field’s decline? Exactly how do old ideas give birth to new ones, and can we speed up the process? The more we understand about the dynamics of scientific progress, the better we can maximize the odds that our curiosity leads to results. I’d call that finding a way to make our own luck.

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Jun 25 • 4:48 PM EDT • Science • goodscience.substack.com
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Governor Mills Celebrates Groundbreaking for Youth Mental Health Treatment Facility in Saco

Saco, MAINE-- Governor Janet Mills today participated in a groundbreaking ceremony for Sweetser's new youth psychiatric residential treatment facility. Governor Mills and the Legislature secured more than $5 million to help build the treatment facility.

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Jun 25 • 1:18 PM EDT • Health • maine.gov
Graham Platner backs legal maneuver using Maine law to rein in political spending

Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Graham Platner wants to overturn the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling that enabled corporations and other outside groups to spend unlimited money on elections by any means possible. He supports a constitutional amendment and ethics rules on the high court, which the Sullivan oyster farmer included in his latest policy rollout […]

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Jun 25 • 1:12 PM EDT • Politics • mainemorningstar.com
How Caesars’ Expanded Tribal iGaming and Community Partnership Could Shape Caesars Entertainment (CZR) Investors’ Outlook

In June 2026, Caesars Entertainment Inc. announced that it had expanded its partnership with three Wabanaki Nations in Maine to cover online casino gaming, aiming to launch Caesars Palace Online Casino, Caesars Sportsbook & Casino and Horseshoe Online Casino in 2026, subject to regulatory approval and integrated with Caesars Rewards and a universal digital wallet. A distinctive element of this agreement is Caesars’ commitment to employ and train tribal members while providing financial...

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Jun 25 • 1:11 PM EDT • Entertainment • simplywall.st
Spent 3 days at Acadia National Park; biggest mistakes we made

We spent a few days exploring Acadia National Park in Maine. Next time we go, we'll make reservations and avoid mistakes like packing the wrong shoes.

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Jun 25 • 11:41 AM EDT • Business • businessinsider.com
Protests at Sen. Collins’s office on Dobbs anniversary

Members of Indivisible Maine and supporters of Graham Platner gathered outside Sen. Susan Collins’ office on Wednesday to criticize her comment that she does “not regret” supporting Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination.

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Jun 25 • 9:10 AM EDT • Politics • spectrumlocalnews.com
Immigrant-led residential care businesses in Maine launch new coalition

The group consists of 30 agencies who provide Medicare services to Mainers with intellectual disabilities and autism.

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Jun 25 • 8:21 AM EDT • Business • pressherald.com
Abortion rights fight underscores key themes in Maine’s U.S. Senate race

Four years ago today, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade. In the majority of that decision was Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine had voted to confirm after he had told her the landmark decision was “settled law.”

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Jun 24 • 7:45 AM EDT • Politics • spectrumlocalnews.com
Inside the “simple job” in government Platner held before Senate run

Platner once said the office of harbormaster of Sullivan, Maine, might've been his ceiling in politics.

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Jun 24 • 5:30 AM EDT • Politics • bostonglobe.com
Travy Awards: Vote for the top plays of the spring sports season

With the season in the books, WMTW sports anchor Travis Lee has revealed the winners for the top plays made in Maine high school spring sports.

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Jun 23 • 4:16 PM EDT • Sports • wmtw.com
Lead Maine petitions DHHS to adopt new Medicaid rules

Libby emphasized that neither initiative would cut benefits or eligibility for MaineCare, the state’s Medicaid program that spends more than $1.4 billion a year and serves 400,000 Mainers.

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Jun 23 • 1:45 PM EDT • Politics • spectrumlocalnews.com
While Mainers still reeling from health insurance hikes, insurers propose more

Kennebunkport resident Kristin Fuhrmann-Simmons saw her family’s health insurance costs increase ten-fold after Congress last year failed to extend pandemic-era tax credits for plans purchased on the marketplace. Next year, she’s facing another potential 20% increase, this time due to a proposed hike by her insurance provider. “I didn’t know that the cost of care […]

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Jun 23 • 11:45 AM EDT • Health • mainemorningstar.com
South Portland dog park/bar closes after 4 months of business

A Maine restaurant and bar that included an indoor dog park has closed less than five months after it opened for business.

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Jun 23 • 10:31 AM EDT • Business • wmtw.com
Maine state workers ready to settle contract dispute

In a statement, the Mills administration said four other state employee unions have already agreed to a 2% increase in January of this year, followed by another 2% raise next month.

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Jun 23 • 6:37 AM EDT • Politics • spectrumlocalnews.com
Hospital must pay $23M jury verdict after radiologist misses spinal cord injury on CT

Plaintiff attorneys believe this is the largest non-death-related malpractice payout in the history of Maine, with Brewer-based Northern Light Health system on the hook for the damages.

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Jun 23 • 2:33 AM EDT • Business • radiologybusiness.com
Indian shares set to pause after oil-led rally

Indian shares were set to open flat on Tuesday, with analysts expecting a phase of consolidation in the absence of fresh triggers after gains in six out ​of seven sessions, while sentiment remained constructive on easing Middle East tensions.

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Jun 22 • 10:33 PM EDT • Business • reuters.com
The primaries are over. Here's what's next for Maine politics.
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Jun 22 • 7:05 AM EDT • Politics • wgme.com
University of Utah Health operating normally as Bonneville Fire burns nearby

University of Utah Health officials said that despite the Bonneville Fire burning east of Salt Lake City above the campus, clinics remained open and continued t

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Jun 21 • 10:52 PM EDT • Health • kutv.com
Maine forest groups warn Pingree that federal cuts could endanger research, forest health

Maine forestry groups emphasized that any reductions of U.S. Forest Service research and staffing would have consequences across the state and region. U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree gathered state agencies and other forestry organizations for a roundtable discussion in Portland on Thursday about the impact of recent changes at the Forest Service and their concerns about […]

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Jun 19 • 10:51 AM EDT • Health • mainemorningstar.com
Dunlap wins Democratic nomination for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District

The seat is open following the surprise decision in November by U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, a Democrat, not to seek reelection.

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Jun 19 • 7:13 AM EDT • Politics • spectrumlocalnews.com
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Charles, Pingree advance to Maine’s fall governor’s race

Charles, an attorney and president of a Washington D.C.-based lobbying firm, said he believes Maine is “ready for change.”

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Jun 19 • 7:05 AM EDT • Politics • spectrumlocalnews.com
Herring Gut Coastal Science Center welcomes two new members to Advisory Council

PORT CLYDE — Two distinguished leaders in environmental science and communications have been appointed to Herring Gut Coastal Science Center's Advisory Council: Claire Parsons and Melissa Waterman. The Advisory Council provides strategic guidance and expertise to support Herring Gut's mission of educating students and communities about the connections between Maine's waters, environment, and economy.

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Jun 19 • 6:00 AM EDT • Science • penbaypilot.com
Pingree and Charles will compete for Maine governor and Dunlap gets Democratic nod for US House

Democrat Hannah Pingree and Republican Bobby Charles will compete to become Maine’s next governor | 830 WCCO

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Jun 19 • 2:22 AM EDT • Politics • audacy.com
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Matt Dunlap Wins Democratic House Primary in Maine’s Swing District

Mr. Dunlap, a progressive Democrat, is set to face former Gov. Paul LePage, a Republican, in a competitive general election in November.

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Jun 19 • 2:06 AM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com
Chinese scientists create record-smashing brain implant electrode array

Breakthrough recorded neural activity with high clarity and remained safely functional for 18 months without a drop in performance.

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Jun 18 • 6:00 PM EDT • Science • scmp.com
Dem Senate hopeful under fire for resurfaced comments calling cops 'opportunistic cowards'

Graham Platner's anti-law enforcement Reddit posts resurfaced as the far-left populist seeks to unseat Sen. Susan Collins in Maine's Senate race.

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Jun 18 • 12:05 PM EDT • Politics • foxnews.com
Health services deal value holds steady in 2026 with higher bar for investment: PwC

The number of health services deals dipped in the first half of 2026 but deal value "remained resilient" as strategic acquirers and dealmakers "reprice risk," according to a midyear outlook report | The number of health services deals dipped in the first half of 2026 but deal value "remained resilient" as strategic acquirers and dealmakers "reprice risk," according to a midyear outlook report from PwC.

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Jun 17 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • fiercehealthcare.com
'Not sustainable': The real impact of RVU cuts in electrophysiology

Despite a substantial increase in demand for electrophysiologists, payments for their services have remained stagnant.

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Jun 16 • 5:00 PM EDT • Business • cardiovascularbusiness.com
A vague Iran deal leaves more questions than answers

Trump hailed the document as a breakthrough after months of negotiations. Yet its broad contours remained unclear over a day after the deal was announced.

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Jun 15 • 6:37 PM EDT • Politics • latimes.com
Nearly half a billion dollars in ads projected in Maine election

Most of the spending will target the crucial U.S. Senate race between Democrat Graham Platner and Republican Susan Collins, according to AdImpact.

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Jun 15 • 3:38 PM EDT • Politics • mainepublic.org
Platner's support reflects a changing party in the Trump era

Democrats are rallying behind Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner despite a series of controversies that might have derailed a Democratic campaign during the height of the #MeToo movement.

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Jun 15 • 8:38 AM EDT • Politics • spectrumlocalnews.com
Can Iraola release the real Wirtz?

Florian Wirtz arrived at Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen last summer amid great fanfare in a then-British record £116m deal - but remained an enigma as he fell far short of expectations. Liverpool still have huge hopes for a gifted attacking player who has only just turned 23, which means one of Andoni Iraola's main tasks is to find a settled position for the German to release the talent he demonstrated before moving to Anfield. This is why Iraola will have been intrigued by what he saw from Wirtz in Germany's 7-1 win against Curacao in their opening World Cup game.

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Jun 15 • 6:15 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
After a lifetime in politics, a former Maine congressman finds his biggest fight at home

Mike Michaud avoided scandal for nearly 50 years in state and federal politics. So how did he wind up in one in a small northern Maine town?

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Jun 15 • 1:00 AM EDT • Politics • bangordailynews.com
After a lifetime in politics, a former Maine congressman finds his biggest fight at home

Mike Michaud avoided scandal for nearly 50 years in state and federal politics. So how did he wind up in one in a small northern Maine town?

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Jun 15 • 1:00 AM EDT • Politics • bangordailynews.com
New poll reveals how politics reshaped trust in U.S. public health

A Harvard Chan/de Beaumont national poll of 2,205 U.S. adults found CDC trust dropped to 50% one year into new federal public health leadership, while state and local health agencies remained more trusted.

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Jun 14 • 10:28 PM EDT • Health • news-medical.net
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New poll reveals how politics reshaped trust in U.S. public health

A Harvard Chan/de Beaumont national poll of 2,205 U.S. adults found CDC trust dropped to 50% one year into new federal public health leadership, while state and local health agencies remained more trusted.

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Jun 14 • 10:28 PM EDT • Politics • news-medical.net
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Kennedy Center exterior remains covered after Trump’s name is removed

Large striped tarps remained on the Kennedy Center’s exterior Sunday, prompting confusion and frustration from some visitors to the renowned arts venue after President Donald Trump’s name was removed over the weekend.

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Jun 14 • 7:21 PM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
Mainers are turning to plants for health care as conventional treatment is harder to get

Maine companies sell herbal supplements, tinctures and other products made from plants, and Mainers also make their own products at home.

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Jun 14 • 1:00 AM EDT • Health • bangordailynews.com
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Dead Gowns, Stancioff to perform in Blue Hill

Working Loose will host an “intimate evening performance featuring two of Maine’s most celebrated emerging artists: Dead Gowns and Louisa Stancioff,” on Sunday, June 28, at 7 p.m., a press

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Jun 13 • 4:00 PM EDT • Entertainment • ellsworthamerican.com
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Platner's 'deranged' response to Musk becoming a trillionaire sparks online outrage: 'Loserthink'

Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner faces conservative backlash after posting about Elon Musk becoming the world's first trillionaire.

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Jun 13 • 6:58 AM EDT • Politics • foxnews.com