Maine Year of Youth in Agriculture - 2025

WHEREAS, the agricultural industry is a foundational element of Maine’s economy, heritage, and culture, contributing to food security, rural prosperity, and environmental stewardship across our state; and

WHEREAS, Maine’s youth play a crucial role in ensuring the future resilience and innovation of the agricultural sector, with young leaders emerging as advocates for agriculture, conservation, forestry, and local food systems; and

For Holiday Gift Ideas, Visit MaineMade.com

Hello, this is Governor Janet Mills, and thank you for listening.

Well, with two important holidays, Christmas and Hanukkah, right around the corner, it's clear that we're in the full swing of the holiday season already. I know that Maine people are looking forward to enjoying time with friends and family this time of year, and I am as well.

But hey, if you haven't finished your holiday shopping yet, or if you're a bit of a last minute shopper like I am, I want to take the opportunity to encourage you to shop local this holiday season here in Maine. You know, Maine is home to more than 150,000 small businesses. That's 99% of all businesses in our state. Many of them are retail businesses that sell local Maine made products. These businesses and their producers are the cornerstones of our downtowns, the employers of our friends and family members, and a big driver of our economy. They need your business.

I guarantee you, no matter who you're shopping for, you can find the perfect gift made right here in Maine and sold right here in Maine. And if you need a little inspiration or information, our state's Maine Made program is a great place to start. All you have to do is visit MaineMade.com. That's MaineMade.com.

Look,  everything from tea blended in small batches in Bar Harbor or salsa mixed with spirits produced in Presque Isle, clay earrings handcrafted in Portland or artisan soap made in Fort Kent, coffee beans roasted in Kingfield, or baskets and blankets, puzzles, toys, specialty foods and snowshoes. All kinds of things are produced right here in Maine.

The guide that's online, our MaineMade.com guide, is a good resource for you to find local products that are made and sold all across our state. Check it out. You'll find some pretty meaningful and interesting gifts.

Personally, I'm going to be hanging out at American Roots to look for fleece vests. I'm going to be looking at my local bookstore in Farmington, as well as Sherman's bookstores up and down the coast to find the perfect gift or book for friends and family. I'll probably head out to Stonewall Kitchen to find some good blueberry jam, or L.L. Bean to find those boots made in Maine. And Reny's, well, almost everything is at Reny's. Coffee by Design in Portland, and New Balance shoes, and Sea Bags carry those strong carrying bags made from recycled canvas and sail material. Very interesting stuff.

So shop in Maine. When you buy local, you'll not only make somebody you care for feel special with a very interesting and great gift, but you'll be supporting Maine small businesses and the thousands of people they employ and supporting our economy in the process. You'll be helping people who make these things and their families, people who spend hundreds of hours maybe crafting jewelry, or making toys and specialty foods and whatnot, help them remain vibrant as well.

I hope you'll join me in supporting Maine's small businesses this year. And as always, be sure to check in on your neighbors and be kind to one another, this season and every season.

This is Governor Janet Mills wishing you a happy and healthy holiday season, and thank you for listening.

Resolution of the AMHI Consent Decree

Hello, this is Governor Janet Mills, and thank you for listening.

Back in 1990, a major class action lawsuit was brought on behalf of former residents of the Augusta Mental Health Institute, or AMHI, now known as Riverview, following the tragic deaths of ten patients and numerous complaints about the treatment of patients at that institution.

As a result of that lawsuit, eventually the State of Maine and the parties entered into a Consent Decree - that is a legally binding agreement with the Court System.

The agreement was to fix the problems at AMHI and, over time, to establish and maintain a community based mental health system that meets the individual needs of Maine people with serious and persistent mental illness. That was the beginning of a long and a much needed process to improve Maine's mental health system.

This Consent Decree has lasted for 34 years, through five different governors, seven different attorneys general, several different Court Masters who oversee the Decree, and several Superior Court judges. But now I'm pleased to say, this week, finally, we reached a full resolution of the Consent Decree matters. And thanks to the investments by my Administration and the Legislature, and the work of many partners, that case has been dismissed.

My Administration has been working to increase accessibility, availability, quality, and the consistency of behavioral health services in Maine since I took office. That includes investing more than $260 million in our behavioral health system. Among many other things, we've increased access to community based services and medication management services.

We've improved response times for the Maine Crisis Response Line and the Maine Mobile Crisis Response Teams. The Crisis Response Line, or 988, is a phone number that individuals or families who are experiencing a mental health crisis can call for help. The  Mobile Crisis Response Teams are teams of specialists who are deployed to individuals experiencing a mental health crisis to identify that person's needs and develop appropriate interventions.

This past October, the Court Master who oversees the Consent Decree - that's former Maine Supreme Court Chief Justice Daniel Wathen - informed Maine's Superior Court that the State of Maine has achieved substantial compliance with the Decree's standards. No parties objected and the Superior Court agreed and dismissed the Consent Decree.

Look, that Consent Decree has forced change on Maine society and our institutions. It has touched the lives of countless Maine people and provided services to people who didn't know where to turn before. It's touched the lives of the original plaintiffs and their families and their loved ones and those in need of quality care over many decades now. While our work is not done, I welcome this successful resolution of the Consent Decree and I think now about the ten people who lost their lives those many years ago. And I think of their families and loved ones.

And I think of the many people across the state of Maine who continue to need mental health services. It is said that on average, one out of five people have a mental health need. And now we have ways to provide help and for them to get help. We all know families across the state with individuals, children, siblings who have persistent mental illnesses, and now it's time they got help in their communities.

I'm proud of this accomplishment, terminating the Consent Decree. I'm grateful to the partners who worked with my administration to achieve this positive result. We all remain committed to strengthening our mental health system in the years to come so that every individual in Maine may reach his or her full potential and be a fully contributing member of our society.

This is Governor Janet Mills, and thank you for listening.

Margaret Chase Smith Day - December 14

WHEREAS, born in Skowhegan on December 14, 1897, Margaret Chase Smith proudly served Maine and the nation as a distinguished leader until her death on May 29, 1995; and

WHEREAS, first elected to the House of Representatives in 1940, Margaret Chase Smith became the first woman in the history of our country to be elected to the United States Senate in her own right in 1948, an election that also marked the first time a woman was elected to both houses of Congress; and

Chester Greenwood Day - December 21

WHEREAS, Chester Greenwood was born on December 4, 1858 to Zina and Emily Greenwood, who raised their six children on a farm in Farmington, Maine; and

WHEREAS, Chester Greenwood was an avid ice-skater on local, frozen ponds, and struggled as a teenager to keep his ears warm in the winter; and

WHEREAS, that struggle inspired Greenwood to ask his grandmother to sew cloth pads onto a wire ring that he could wrap around his head, thereby inventing modern earmuffs and keeping countless ears warm throughout history; and

Wishing all Maine People a Very Happy Thanksgiving

Hello, this is Governor Janet Mills and Happy Thanksgiving weekend!

Like many Maine people, this holiday season, I am so looking forward to a big meal, to turkey, and pumpkin pie, squash, and maybe even green bean casserole. I’m looking forward to sharing time with my daughters and my grandchildren, my brothers and sister, and to pausing at the end of a very busy year to rest and reflect on things for which I am grateful.

This Thanksgiving, I am grateful that our state is blessed with people who love and care for one another. People who extend a helping hand when neighbors need it most – like when Maine people demonstrated such simple acts of kindness, compassion, and generosity during the big winter storm about a year ago that hit so many communities across our state.

This year, I’ll also be enjoying time with friends and neighbors and visiting veterans at Togus facility in Augusta. Let’s not forget people who don’t have family nearby and who may feel isolated.

We’re known for our independence here in Maine, and we are certainly strong, we pride ourselves on that, but we also know we can rely on each other and should rely on each other, and should ask for help in times of need. This holiday season will be time of joy for many people, but it is important for us to remember that some people may be struggling this time of year – some of our active duty servicemen and women will be unable to come home for the holidays, some people are mourning the loss of a loved one who will be missing from the table this year, I’ll be missing my brother David and my eldest daughter, some people may be struggling to make ends meet, and some may not have close friends or family to celebrate with and may be feeling alone even in the company of others.

As we begin this holiday season, let’s hold our family and friends, loved ones and neighbors close, be grateful for the kindness, compassion, and strength of the people of this state.

Let us take this time to appreciate life’s blessings and welcome others to our tables, large and small, to our homes wherever they may be, and into our hearts with generosity and grace. I’ll be welcoming grandchildren to my house and looking forward to hugging them with all my heart, thanking the Good Lord for their presence in my life.

I wish all Maine people and their loved ones a very Happy Thanksgiving holiday. And with peace and gratitude, this is Governor Janet Mills and thank you for listening.

Civil Air Patrol Day - December 1

WHEREAS, Civil Air Patrol (CAP) was founded on December 1, 1941 in order to mobilize the nation’s civilian aviation resources for national defense; and

WHEREAS, CAP is now the official civilian auxiliary and Total Force Partner of the United States Air Force; and

WHEREAS, CAP’s three primary missions of Aerospace Education, Cadet Programs and Emergency Services are accomplished by volunteers serving America’s communities, saving lives, and shaping futures; and

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