Maine Department of Labor will hold a Wage & Hour Compliance no-cost training, April 1, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., at the Rockland CareerCenter.

This course is designed for human resource or benefits professionals, accountants, business owners, managers, or payroll supervisors.

"Labor laws can be complex," said MDOL, in a news release,

PORT CLYDE — Herring Gut Coastal Science Center invites the community to beat the winter chill at its Winter Open House on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This free, drop-in event is open to all ages and offers hands-on learning, exploration, and seasonal fun.

On Thursday, February 26, the City of Rockland will host a Safe Routes to South School Community Workshop. The workshop will take place from 6 to 7:30 p.m., in the Gymnasium at the South Elementary School, 30 Broadway in Rockland.

The public is invited to attend the workshop to help the City plan for better bike and pedestrian access to the South School.

A city-wide parking ban in Rockland will be in effect from 10 p.m. tonight, February 10, until 8 a.m. tomorrow, February 11.

"Please use the Winter St. and MacDougal parking lots during this time," said the City, in a parking ban notification. "Guests of 250 Main may park in Harbor Park along the stage. Thank you for helping us keep Rockland safe!"

The Maine Arts Commission has launched Make it Maine, a new community crowdfunding initiative developed in partnership with Patronicity, a national civic crowdfunding platform, according to the Commission, in a news release.

"The program empowers residents, artists, and community organizations to bring creative, community-centered projects to life by raising funds locally and engaging their communities directly," said the Commission.

Central Maine Power (CMP) transformed its Augusta headquarters into a real-life Super Nintendo game as employees and Make-A-Wish Maine surprised seven-year-old Khloe Drew and her family with a dream trip to Super Nintendo World in Orlando, Florida. Khloe was diagnosed with leukemia in 2024. 

University of Maine Cooperative Extension will host a webinar on managing insect pests in cut flower production on Monday, March 2, from 6 - 7:15 p.m.

“Managing Pests in Cut Flowers” will help growers protect cut flower crops from pest damage that can lower quality and reduce sales, according to UMaine Extension, in a news release.

The session will be led by Jason Lilley, assistant Extension professor of sustainable agriculture and maple industry educator with University of Maine.

ROCKPORT — This March, Maine Coast Heritage Trust (MCHT) invites all ages to learn about making maple syrup from scratch (sap) at Aldermere Farm’s Sugar Shack, 70 Russell Ave in Rockport. 

"Cabin fever setting in?" said MCHT, in a news release. "Looking for a sweet pick-me-up?"

Individuals may register for one or more hands-on sessions to learn about the syrup-making process: identifying sugar maples, tapping trees, collecting sap, and running the evaporator.

Town of Montville Cemetery Committee is one of 14 community groups across Maine receiving a Maine Semiquincentennial Commission grant. The grants aim to support communities, organizations, and institutions in commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

ORLAND — After a quarter-century at the helm of WERU Community Radio, General Manager Matt Murphy has announced his intention to retire in 2026.

“For 25 years I have had the honor, privilege, and joy of serving as General Manager of WERU,” said Murphy, in a WERU Board of Directors news release. “I feel the time has come for me to pass the torch on to the next generation of leadership of this great organization.”

The Belfast Area Chamber of Commerce will hold the 30th anniversary of Arts in the Park on Friday and Saturday, June 27 and 28, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Steamboat Landing Park on Belfast’s waterfront.

Arts in the Park is free and open to the public, and is produced by the Belfast Area Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the City of Belfast.

Feb. 4, 2026 update: A revision has been made to the Vision and Planning Order for the Flanagan Center based on community feedback and to provide clarity on the intent of Phase 1 Visioning and Comparative Analysis, according to Mayor Adam Lachman. The revised order can be found at the bottom of this article. 

United Midcoast Charities (UMC) will host the next session in its LEARN@UMC workshop series on February 11, from 9 to 10:30 a.m., at the UMC office in Camden. The workshop will offer hands-on, expert-led training designed to help small and rural nonprofits build fundraising capacity and access tools that are often out of reach due to geography and cost.

The Knox County Maine Republican Committee February meeting is being held on February 12, at 6 p.m., at the committee's headquarters, 336 Limerock Street, in Rockland.

The guest speaker this month is Representative Laurel Libby with Lead Maine.

There will be light refreshments and announcements.

Backyard chicken keeping in Maine is taking off, and Rockland’s Good Tern Co-op and Clement Hill and Fern Axelson of Fern Hill Farm are inviting the community to be part of it.

"Building on the success of past workshops, Fern Hill Farm, a small personal homestead in Thomaston, is proud to announce an updated free Backyard Chicken Keeping 101 class for 2026," said a Good Tern news release.

SEARSPORT — A Waldo County volunteer from Searsport, Kathleen Perkins, has been announced as the Girl Scouts of Maine (GSME) Volunteer of the Month of February.

"Perkins is currently a volunteer within the Mountain2Sea Service Unit where her unwavering commitment exemplifies the core values of Girl Scouts, making a significant impact on girls across the state," said GSME, in a news release.

Maine Water employees once again came together to support local communities by collecting and donating more than 140 winter coats this season. 

Maine Water’s Coats for Kids program is an employee-funded program to purchase brand new coats for families in need this winter. This year, employees’ contributions purchased 146 new winter coats, according to Maine Water, in a news release. 

NORTHEAST HARBOR — Maine Seacoast Mission was recently awarded a $50,000 grant from the Evelyn S. and K.E. Barrett Foundation to support two youth education programs operating in Maine’s rural communities. "Journey" serves Washington County teens while the "Teaching & Learning Collaborative" (TLC) works with children aged five to 13 living on outer, unbridged islands.  

PenBay Showcase & Job Fair will take place Wednesday, March 25, 2026, from 1 to 5 p.m., at the Samoset Resort, in Rockport.

The PenBay Showcase & Job Fair is a regional business and nonprofit showcase, designed to bring together organizations from across the Midcoast to promote their work, connect with the community, and strengthen the local economy, according to PenBay Collaboration, in a news release.