Welcome to the “Evening Briefing,” a comprehensive look at daily news in Maine. Produced by the Spectrum News Maine team and through partnerships with the state’s top news organizations, the Evening Briefing aims to create stronger Maine communities through a commitment to transparency and carefully reported, factual local journalism.
Here are the top stories for Friday, Nov. 18, 2022.
TODAY’S TOP STORIES
Recounts requested for three Maine legislative seats
Recounts in two Maine House districts and one Senate district will likely be conducted in the coming weeks ahead of the Legislature’s Dec. 7 swearing-in day. Even if the recounts change the outcome of individual elections, they will not change the balance of power in the Maine House or Senate.
Lobster rules to protect whales will wait 2 years, judge says
A federal judge has ruled that new lobster fishing restrictions designed to conserve rare whales will be delayed until 2024 to give the government time to design them. The ruling Thursday by U.S. District Judge James Boasberg came on the heels of his July ruling that new, stronger rules are needed to protect the North Atlantic right whale from extinction.
Maine Democrats nominate Talbot Ross to be first Black House Speaker
Maine House Democrats have nominated Rep. Rachel Talbot Ross to be the next House Speaker, a history-making choice if she is confirmed next month. Talbot Ross, of Portland, is poised to be the state’s first Black lawmaker to serve as House Speaker.
Maine’s U.S. senators are hoping that a bipartisan effort to prevent future attempts to overturn a presidential election during the ceremonial counting of Electoral College votes will get across the finish line before the end of the year.
Bangor Daily News: Maine yacht maker will pay off student loans for new employees
In hopes of attracting more qualified workers, a yacht manufacturer is working with a Maine boat building school to help finance education. Hinckley Yachts, which employs more than 250 people in Hancock County, hopes to add roughly another 25 to 40 positions to its manufacturing and service sectors in Maine in the coming year.
Maine's evening forecast: A chilly weekend ahead.
Bundle up! The weekend will be brisk and chilly.
While Saturday and Sunday will feature plenty of sunshine under mostly clear skies, temperatures will be cold.
We’ll have the winds pick through the weekend with breezy conditions on Sunday.
NATIONAL HEADLINES
Garland names special counsel to lead Trump-related probes
More Twitter workers flee after Musk's 'hardcore' ultimatum
North Korea test-fires ICBM with range to strike entire U.S.
World Cup organizers to ban alcoholic beer sales at stadiums
Lake-effect snow paralyzes parts of western, northern NY
Spectrum News Maine digital journalists Susan Cover and Sean Murphy contributed to this report, along with the Bangor Daily News, the Portland Press Herald, Sun Journal, CentralMaine.com, the Maine Monitor and the Associated Press.