Good morning. Temperatures will be in the 40s and 50s with rain throughout the state.
Here’s what we’re talking about in Maine today.
Crickets that taste like cotton candy and other edible insects are fueling major growth plans for a Lewiston company
–Entosense, whose owner said it is the largest seller of insect products in the United States, plans to expand its Lewiston operation, including the addition of space to raise crickets there. While children seem to prefer cotton candy crickets, other popular flavors include Italian lasagna, Indian curry, lemon meringue, mango habanero, orange creamsicle, Mexican mole, sun dried tomato, jalapeno garlic and white cheddar. The company also sells grasshoppers for human consumption and hopes to resume selling edible scorpions.
Maine’s ‘Polite Bandit’ offered a hostage juice and cookies. Now, he’ll be featured on ‘Dateline.’
–It was while serving prison time in Pennsylvania that Brian Scott Witham of Waterville met a man with whom he would go on a multi-state crime spree that would land them a spot on Friday’s edition of “Dateline.” Witham and his accomplice attempted to extort money from bank and credit union executives in Connecticut and Tennessee.
UMaine will soon get the world’s largest 3D printer and use wood-based plastic to make boat molds
–Come October, the largest 3D printer in the world will be installed at the University of Maine in Orono. One of its first uses will be to print a boat mold that boat builders can use. The substance behind the 3D printing operation will be a wood-based plastic developed at UMaine.
A midcoast school district faces layoffs and tax increases from a perfect storm budget year
–A state aid overpayment coupled with significant special education cost increases and higher debt payments have left Regional School Unit 13 officials trying to balance cuts — including likely layoffs — and tax increases.
A land trust has bought the Blue Hill Peninsula’s 2nd-largest forest
–The Blue Hill Heritage Trust purchased 2,031 acres of the Meadowbrook Forest for just under $700,000 on April 26. The trust will manage the Blue Hill Peninsula’s second largest single chunk of forest as a recreation and nature preserve under new ownership.
After historic basketball victory, Caribou brothers pursue another state championship
–Parker Deprey and Sawyer Deprey are all smiles when the topic turns to the lingering celebration they helped create after Caribou High School ended its five-decade state championship drought in boys basketball two months ago. But now they’re setting their sights on another state championship in a different sport for the spring season.
Watch this: Purple sandpipers blend into the Maine coast, but these tips will help you spot them
—BDN columnist Bob Duchesne is back this week to show you how to spot one of Maine’s “most unusual shorebirds.” Purple sandpipers hang out on the rocks and forage right on the water line, which can make them difficult to spot since their coloring helps them blend in almost seamlessly.
In other news…
Maine
Marissa Kennedy’s mother shares more details of alleged abuse before child died
After Thomas College students speak out about sexual misconduct, provost tells faculty to stay quiet
Lewiston police officer died from a fentanyl overdose
Bangor
Searchers find body of missing Hermon man
5 charts and maps that show where the opioid epidemic stands in the Bangor region
How Stephen King’s love of baseball helped generations of young Bangor athletes
Business
Maine signs new deal for ‘seed-to-sale’ marijuana tracking system
Feds: Maine’s economic growth slowed substantially in 4th quarter of 2018
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Politics
Janet Mills’ first veto aims to stop a Republican’s effort to limit ethanol in gasoline
Maine Senate backs vaccine religious exemption, throwing fate of mandate bill into doubt
Angus King says William Barr is acting more like Trump’s lawyer than the people’s lawyer
Opinion
We heard from William Barr. Now it’s Mueller’s turn.
William Barr works for the American people, not Trump
Mommy bloggers and the internet regulation debates
Sports
Nothing builds camaraderie for the UMPI softball team like riding the bus for 6,754 miles
UMaine softball team hosts Stony Brook in final regular-season series
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