For the Heart   

For Your Heart this fifth week of Winter: When anger arises, become intimate with it. Anger is a gift, it gives us valuable information. Hold it, cherish it. Use it wisely, skillfully. Don’t waste it. Using mindfulness, what is Wise Action? 

~~Nancy Hathaway  Center for Studying Mindfulness

From Marian Wright Edelman – Prayers for Our Nation’s Young People

O God, forgive and transform our rich nation where small babies die of cold quite legally.

O God, forgive and transform our rich nation where small children suffer from hunger quite legally.

O God, forgive and transform our rich nation where toddlers and schoolchildren die from guns sold quite legally.

O God, forgive and transform our rich nation that lets children be the poorest group of citizens quite legally.

O God, forgive and transform our rich nation that lets the rich continue to get more at the expense of the poor quite legally.

O God, forgive and transform our rich and powerful nation which thinks security rests in missiles and bombs rather than in mothers and in babies.

O God, forgive and transform our rich nation for not giving You sufficient thanks by giving to others their daily bread.

O God, help us never to confuse what is quite legal with what is just and right in Your sight.

Help us to stand together to make America just and right for all Your children.

More Actions Today if You Have the Bandwidth

Call Collins, King, Pingree and/or Golden and ask them to speak out against Trump’s intention to invade Greenland. Go here for a simple script for this call and to learn more about the issue. To learn more about this issue check out Gil Duran’s substack in which he outlines the Tech Billionaires who support Trump on this issue, and what the obsession with Greenland is.

ICE related ActionsFrom the Maine People’s Alliance: Next week (on Thursday, Jan. 29, at 1 pm) the Maine legislature’s Judiciary Committee will hold a public hearing on an emergency bill, LD 2106 “An Act to Prohibit the Disclosure of Nonpublic Records Without Proper Judicial Review” to make sure ICE can’t enter private spaces in hospitals, schools, and childcare centers (learn more here . We need people to testify in support of this bill – in writing, on Zoom or in person – so sign up here if you’re interested and an MPA organizer will be in touch!

ICE is here primarily in Lewiston and Portland. They won’t talk about their “mission” and the Bangor Daily News reports increased arrests in both towns. To familiarize yourself with all the ways they can be resisted, check out this comprehensive toolkit from South Carolina (thank you Lisa), which shows how they managed an ICE incursion there. Think about what your risk tolerance is and then activate – you could get ICE verifier and de-escalation training, you could support NO Mask in Maine legislation, you could help your local organizers bring food to families who are not leaving home right now, and, offer to take their kids to school. Lots of resources below. If you see what you identify as an ICE vehicle in your town call the ICE Watch hotline in Maine:207 544 998. 

ICE Masks Off. Let’s support legislation to this effect in Maine. Talk with your local rep or senator about this. It will require some finagling to get this into this emergency session, but it surely qualifies as an emergency! Ask Gov. Mills to put this bill in, which she can do regardless.

Call or email Senator King to filibuster more funding for ICE in the upcoming appropriations bill. Appropriations bills need 60 votes to overrule a filibuster. No extra funding for ICE. Call Collins to ask her to deny requests for more funding for ICE in the upcoming appropriations bill.

Call or write King, Collins, Golden or Pingree and ask them to speak out about the  deployment of violent ICE agents to American cities and states and now in Maine. They are terrorizing our people, and not in any way making our country safer. Demand a full investigation of ICE killings, refuse to pass extra appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security which funds ICE, and call for the Impeachment of Kristi (Cowboy Hat) Noem.  For more information and a script for your call go to 5calls.org.

Activate Maine has an ICE toolkit including links to sign up for ICE verifier and de escalation trainings.If you want to get more involved check out 

this training manual for becoming an ICE verifier.

The Maine ACLU has a page on preparation for ICE invasion: go here.
Finally, Consider volunteering and/or donating to one of the worthy immigrant support organizations listed below: 

 Capital Area New Mainers Project, Mainers for Humane Immigration, Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, (all Maine based), and the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, go here to donate to the Capital Area New Mainers Project. 

ACA Related Actions

If you have a story about how the ACA tax extension health care cuts will affect you directly or someone you know please contact Esther at the MPA. Personal stories matter!

Call Collins and King and ask them to support the ACA tax extension bill coming from the House with no amendments. This bill has stalled in the Senate because Republicans want to add an abortion amendment.  For more information on the ACA go here. For a full toolkit on how to support action on this go here.

Force the release of all the Epstein Files. Call or email Pingree or Golden and ask them to support the inherent contempt charges against Attorney General Pam Bondi which House Members  Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Ro Khanna (D-CA) are threatening to draft.  If passed, inherent contempt charges would allow the House to bypass the courts and force Bondi to either release the files or face personal consequences such as imprisonment. (Go to 5calls.org for more on this action)Boycott: Being a consumer is one of the greatest powers we have as members of a capitalist economy. There are numerous boycotts going on, some of which we have listed below –  pressure on companies can work – as noted above Spotify is not running ICE recruitment ads, and Avelo is not running deportation flights.  For a complete list of ICE related boycotts go to Icelist. This link is dead because people think the Russians took down this site after a whistleblower released the names of 4500 immigration law enforcement personnel. For the full story go here.

Help Protect Trans Youth:Transequality reports that 58 transgender persons have been either murdered or died by suicide since the regime rolled out its cruel rhetoric and anti-trans policies. “Trump is now beginning the process of banning gender-affirming care for transgender youth through a rulemaking process, thus sidestepping Congress and the legislative process entirely. The proposed rule, RIN 0938-AV87, would bar any hospital system that participates in Medicaid or Medicare from offering gender-affirming care to transgender youth, regardless of whether that care is paid for with federal funds or privately. You can leave a public comment here. Note that public comments really are public, so if you have a reason to protect your anonymity, do it.” (Thank you to Shelley for this action)

Mutual Aid

ActivateMaine has created a site, SNAP Into Action: “a statewide effort to help those who are affected by the freezing of benefits due to the Government shut down.”  Even though the Government is “open” now, hunger issues continue for people around the country. Activate Maine also has a Mutual Aid page with lots of resources.

Heating Assistance:  If you have friends, neighbors, or need support for Heating Assistance, Li Heap funds have been authorized for Maine, Click here to learn more about applying for LIHEAP assistance. Collins and King were  involved in pushing that this money get released after the Government shutdown.

Insurance Crisis:  If the ACA tax cuts do not go through, tens of thousands of us will have to choose between health care premiums and food or rent.  If you have a personal story along these lines please contact Esther at the Maine People’s Alliance who is collecting personal testimony to support the passage of the ACA tax cuts. Call King and Collins to support the House bill just passed on the ACA tax extensions.

Arts and Politics!

If you live near Skowhegan check out Kevin James Studios at 127 Water Street for a whole gallery of resistance art!  (Let me know if you know of other art galleries showing political art and I will list them here.)

Research!

Learn more about Chenoweth’s 3.5% rule – go to one or more of these links: Wikipedia:    BBCHarvard:

The Resource Alliance . (Thank you Beth for these links!)

GOT MORE TIME? HERE ARE SOME MORE ACTIONS  (just pick one!)

• Indivisible leader Leah Greenberg asks us to support organizations leading the fight against Racism today, such as our friends at the Transformative Justice Coalition and Black Voters Matter Fund, who are each organizing to protect and advance Black political power and voting rights in this crucial moment.
• Join the Maine People’s Alliance in bringing your story to our Congresspeople: Are your insurance rates going up? Did you lose SNAP benefits – the MPA wants to hear your story and use it to fight for Mainers in the ongoing shutdown budget battle. Fill out this form and tell your story here. 
• Consider volunteering and/or donating to one of the worthy immigrant support organizations listed below:  Capital Area New Mainers Project, Mainers for Humane Immigration, Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, (all Maine based), and the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, go here to donate to the Capital Area New Mainers Project.

State Wide Actions

• From the Maine People’s Alliance: Next week (on Thursday, Jan. 29, at 1 pm) the Maine legislature’s Judiciary Committee will hold a public hearing on an emergency bill, LD 2106 “An Act to Prohibit the Disclosure of Nonpublic Records Without Proper Judicial Review” to make sure ICE can’t enter private spaces in hospitals, schools, and childcare centers (learn more here . We need people to testify in support of this bill – in writing, on Zoom or in person – so sign up here if you’re interested and an MPA organizer will be in touch!  
• More ICE resistance: Check in with organizations in Lewiston and Portland to see how you can help. Activate Maine has an ICE toolkit including links to sign up for ICE verifier and de escalation trainings. Get trained to field, verify, and document potential community ICE sightings and provide trusted, reliable information on ICE activity to immigrant communities.  Here is the number for the ICE Watch hotline in Maine: 207 544 998
• Support the Plug-In Solar Bill LD 1730  (An Act to Make Small, Portable, Plug-in Solar Generation Devices)  Energy, Utilities & Technology  Public Hearing:  Here is a list of talking points and more info.
• Home Depot Actions: Sign the petition that is demanding that Home Depot stop complying with ICE, personalize this letter to Home Depot corporate headquarters making the same demand, for more actions such as going to your local Home Depot and delivering a letter to the manager go to Ice Out of Home Depot. 
• Mid Maine Indivisible has a great weekly newsletter – To sign up: go here. Indivisible Bangor has a great daily newsletter and actions go here to sign up. If you are in the Mid Coast area consider joining Audacity – learn more here. The Bold Coast Civic Alliance has a newsletter as well as the Hancock County Democrat.   Cumberland County Indivisible newsletter go here.  Greater Portland Indivisible, go here. We are developing a great ecosystem for resistance communications in Maine.

For Maine State Legislative Calendar day by day go  here

For links to US Legislative Calendars go here

Check complete bill listing  here.                                                     
Find the text of any bill here                                                                                      

Instructions for testifying are here 

LOCAL ACTIONS: 

 Join Mid Maine Indivisible(Kennebec and Somerset Counties) Please join us if you are in the Mid Maine area.  To sign up: go here. 

There is a community member who is looking to provide home cleaning services in the Waterville area for $25 an hour. Send an email with subject “Cleaning” to get in contact for scheduling! You would be providing income for a local mother with an infant son to care for.   

Are you interested in helping New Mainers learn/improve their English?  To sign up for English tutoring or any of our other volunteer opportunities, please visit: Capital Area New Mainers Project (CANMP) to fill out a volunteer interest survey. An English Learning option at the Waterville library at 1:00 on Mondays is also an option for volunteers. Contact CANMP for the details. You can also Donate to the Capitol Area New Mainers Project’s rapid response fund. CANMP is actively helping those affected by ICE abductions, both with legal funding and other financial support for family members.

The Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition and partners have organized an ICE watch Hotline  in Maine. They need volunteer hotline operators to answer phones from Mainers concerned about ICE sitings. They are looking for folks fluent in one or more of the following: Spanish, French and Portugese. 207-544-9989

First Saturday of Each Month: Somerset Stands Up Rallies 2:30–Margaret Chase Smith Bridge, downtown Skowhegan. Bring your signs, American flags, your voice, your friends, families and neighbors for this peaceful gathering of concerned residents of Somerset County. 

Sunday, January 25th : 1:00 (and every Sunday): Stop the Killing, (ICE, Venezuela, USAID closing, ACA extensions dropped, etc.)
Tuesday, January 27th: 12:00-1:00 (and every Tuesday) Old Location at Tesla Charging Stations at Elm Plaza, Waterville  Stand with us to remind the traffic that we need to WAKE UP and start resisting the authoritarian take over of our Government. We have been at this location since Tuesday, Feb. 4th? 2025!

Wednesday, January 28th: (and every Wednesday) 12:00-1:00 Waterville,  Corner of Main and Chaplin St. Grandmothers for Reproductive Rights, GRR! demonstrates every Wednesday across from Resolve, the local anti-abortion center. Please join us in assuring all Mainers have access to safe, legal, shame-free reproductive health care including abortions and contraceptive care. For more info please contact Elayne Richard  at recordconnection@gmail.com 

SOLIDARITY

*Consider supporting Graham Platner. He is an electrifying speaker, with good positions on the important issues. Volunteer here. Go to Mobilize to find the events you can take part in this week.

However, Mills is a good alternative to support if she wins the primary in June. We must oust Collins!*If you would like to join Maine People’s Alliance Federal Lobby Group, please contact Jim Parakilas at jamesparakilas@gmail.com. We meet Mondays at 2 pm on Zoom. 

With great appreciation for all the engagement everywhere!  As always, throw a little sand in their gears!  ~~Emanuel

---

It’s a piece of cake to email or call with these links!

The names of our senators and representatives listed below are links that go right to their official congressional contact form pages. The telephone numbers are links that should open your phone app to call that number. It’s that easy!

Senator Angus King             
DC: (202) 224-5344
Augusta: (207) 622-8292 

Senator Susan Collins         
DC: (202) 224-2523 
Augusta: (207) 622-8414
Bangor: (207) 945-0417

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree      
DC: (202) 225-6116
Portland: (207) 774-5019  
Waterville: (207) 873-5713  

Congressman Jared Golden         
DC: (202) 225-6306 
Bangor: (207) 249-7400
Caribou: (207) 492-6009 
Lewiston: (207) 241-6767

Find your State Representative: 
By name: Here
By district: Here

Find your State Senator:
By name: Here
By district: Here

Our government in Augusta:

Governor Janet Mills
Email Governor Mills
Call (207) 287-3531

Secretary of State Shenna Bellows
Contact Secretary Bellows
Call (207)626-8400

Attorney General Aaron M. Frey
Contact Mr. Frey
Call (207) 626-8800

Questions or comments? Contact George!

Good Morning Folks, Indivisible Mid Maine had a “Stop the Killing” vigil which got wide coverage on local news. Consider organizing a vigil with your local group, and make it striking visually. Ps. As our list of action grows, Gmail may shorten the email. You can ask it to include the whole email, but check to make sure you are getting the full email.

Top Action to Take Today: 

• ICE is here primarily in Lewiston and Portland. They won’t talk about their “mission” and the Bangor Daily News reports increased arrests in both towns. To familiarize yourself with all the ways they can be resisted, check out this comprehensive toolkit from South Carolina (thank you Lisa), which shows how they managed an ICE incursion there. Think about what your risk tolerance is and then activate – you could get ICE verifier and de-escalation training, you could support NO Mask in Maine legislation, you could help your local organizers bring food to families who are not leaving home right now, and, offer to take their kids to school. Lots of resources below. If you see what you identify as an ICE vehicle in your town call the ICE Watch hotline in Maine: 207 544 998. 

More Actions Today if You Have the Bandwidth

Call Collins, King, Pingree and/or Golden and ask them to speak out against Trump’s intention to invade Greenland. Go here for a simple script for this call and to learn more about the issue. To learn more about this issue check out Gil Duran’s substack in which he outlines the Tech Billionaires who support Trump on this issue, and what the obsession with Greenland is.

ICE related Actions

ICE Masks Off. Let’s support legislation to this effect in Maine. Talk with your local rep or senator about this. It will require some finagling to get this into this emergency session, but it surely qualifies as an emergency! Ask Gov. Mills to put this bill in, which she can do regardless.

Call or email Senator King to filibuster more funding for ICE in the upcoming appropriations bill. Appropriations bills need 60 votes to overrule a filibuster. No extra funding for ICE. Call Collins to ask her to deny requests for more funding for ICE in the upcoming appropriations bill.

Call or write King, Collins, Golden or Pingree and ask them to speak out about the  deployment of violent ICE agents to American cities and states and now in Maine. They are terrorizing our people, and not in any way making our country safer. Demand a full investigation of ICE killings, refuse to pass extra appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security which funds ICE, and call for the Impeachment of Kristi (Cowboy Hat) Noem.  For more information and a script for your call go to 5calls.org.

Activate Maine has an ICE toolkit including links to sign up for ICE verifier and de escalation trainings.If you want to get more involved check out 

this training manual for becoming an ICE verifier.

The Maine ACLU has a page on preparation for ICE invasion: go here.
Finally, Consider volunteering and/or donating to one of the worthy immigrant support organizations listed below: 

 Capital Area New Mainers Project, Mainers for Humane Immigration, Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, (all Maine based), and the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, go here to donate to the Capital Area New Mainers Project. 

ACA Related Actions

If you have a story about how the ACA tax extension health care cuts will affect you directly or someone you know please contact Esther at the MPA. Personal stories matter!

Call Collins and King and ask them to support the ACA tax extension bill coming from the House with no amendments. This bill has stalled in the Senate because Republicans want to add an abortion amendment.  For more information on the ACA go here. For a full toolkit on how to support action on this go here.

Force the release of all the Epstein Files. Call or email Pingree or Golden and ask them to support the inherent contempt charges against Attorney General Pam Bondi which House Members  Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Ro Khanna (D-CA) are threatening to draft.  If passed, inherent contempt charges would allow the House to bypass the courts and force Bondi to either release the files or face personal consequences such as imprisonment. (Go to 5calls.org for more on this action)Boycott: Being a consumer is one of the greatest powers we have as members of a capitalist economy. There are numerous boycotts going on, some of which we have listed below –  pressure on companies can work – as noted above Spotify is not running ICE recruitment ads, and Avelo is not running deportation flights.  For a complete list of ICE related boycotts go to Icelist. This link is dead because people think the Russians took down this site after a whistleblower released the names of 4500 immigration law enforcement personnel. For the full story go here.

Help Protect Trans Youth:Transequality reports that 58 transgender persons have been either murdered or died by suicide since the regime rolled out its cruel rhetoric and anti-trans policies. “Trump is now beginning the process of banning gender-affirming care for transgender youth through a rulemaking process, thus sidestepping Congress and the legislative process entirely. 

The proposed rule, RIN 0938-AV87, would bar any hospital system that participates in Medicaid or Medicare from offering gender-affirming care to transgender youth, regardless of whether that care is paid for with federal funds or privately. You can leave a public comment here. Note that public comments really are public, so if you have a reason to protect your anonymity, do it.” (Thank you to Shelley for this action)

Support the right of our troops to disobey illegal orders:   Defiance.org, in partnership with WhistleblowerAid.org, has launched Phase One of what it planned to be an ongoing effort to help members of our military obey lawful orders, recognize manifestly illegal ones, and know where to turn to understand the difference.  This campaign includes: Geo-targeted public service announcements, online and via social media; Billboards near key U.S. military installations ; Information about confidential, independent support available through Whistleblower Aid.

Mutual Aid

ActivateMaine has created a site, SNAP Into Action: “a statewide effort to help those who are affected by the freezing of benefits due to the Government shut down.”  Even though the Government is “open” now, hunger issues continue for people around the country.

Heating Assistance:  If you have friends, neighbors, or need support for Heating Assistance, Li Heap funds have been authorized for Maine, Click here to learn more about applying for LIHEAP assistance. Collins and King were  involved in pushing that this money get released after the Government shutdown.

Insurance Crisis:  If the ACA tax cuts do not go through, tens of thousands of us will have to choose between health care premiums and food or rent.  If you have a personal story along these lines please contact Esther at the Maine People’s Alliance who is collecting personal testimony to support the passage of the ACA tax cuts. Call King and Collins to support the House bill just passed on the ACA tax extensions.

Arts and Politics!

If you live near Skowhegan check out Kevin James Studios at 127 Water Street for a whole gallery of resistance art!  (Let me know if you know of other art galleries showing political art and I will list them here.)

GOT MORE TIME? HERE ARE SOME MORE ACTIONS  (just pick one!)

• Indivisible leader Leah Greenberg asks us to support organizations leading the fight against Racism today, such as our friends at the Transformative Justice Coalition and Black Voters Matter Fund, who are each organizing to protect and advance Black political power and voting rights in this crucial moment.
• Join the Maine People’s Alliance in bringing your story to our Congresspeople: Are your insurance rates going up? Did you lose SNAP benefits – the MPA wants to hear your story and use it to fight for Mainers in the ongoing shutdown budget battle. Fill out this form and tell your story here. 
• Consider volunteering and/or donating to one of the worthy immigrant support organizations listed below:  Capital Area New Mainers Project, Mainers for Humane Immigration, Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, (all Maine based), and the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, go here to donate to the Capital Area New Mainers Project.

State Wide Actions

• Provide testimony to support LD 1383 for this Wednesday’s Hearing “An Act to Require State Divestment from Perpetrators of International Human Rights Violations.” Go here to submit testimony or to sign up for the hearing.  It is at 10:00 at the State and Local Government Committee. This bill prohibits Maine from investing its funds from any companies, entities, persons or financial institutions that are “associated with” a “perpetrator state”. For more details see the attachment below. The Maine Coalition for Peace and Human Rights is responsible for this campaign, see their  one page toolkit  here, and write a letter to your state legislative representatives.
• More ICE resistance: Check in with organizations in Lewiston and Portland to see how you can help. Activate Maine has an ICE toolkit including links to sign up for ICE verifier and de escalation trainings. Get trained to field, verify, and document potential community ICE sightings and provide trusted, reliable information on ICE activity to immigrant communities.  Here is the number for the ICE Watch hotline in Maine: 207 544 998
• Support the Plug-In Solar Bill LD 1730  (An Act to Make Small, Portable, Plug-in Solar Generation Devices)  Energy, Utilities & Technology  Public Hearing:  Here is a list of talking points and more info.
• Oppose Huge Energy Sucking AI Data Centers in Maine. Lewiston denied an AI Center this past Wednesday, (Thanks to Azalea for this information!)
• Home Depot Actions: Sign the petition that is demanding that Home Depot stop complying with ICE, personalize this letter to Home Depot corporate headquarters making the same demand, for more actions such as going to your local Home Depot and delivering a letter to the manager go to Ice Out of Home Depot. 
• Mid Maine Indivisible has a great weekly newsletter – To sign up: go here. Indivisible Bangor has a great daily newsletter and actions go here to sign up. If you are in the Mid Coast area consider joining Audacity – learn more here. The Bold Coast Civic Alliance has a newsletter as well as the Hancock County Democrat.   Cumberland County Indivisible newsletter go here.  Greater Portland Indivisible, go here. We are developing a great ecosystem for resistance communications in Maine.

Find Your State Senator: By name:

Here , By district: Here

Find your State Representative: By name: Here , By District:Here

New:

For Maine State Legislative Calendar day by day go  here

For links to US Legislative Calendars go here

Check complete bill listing  here.                                                     
Find the text of any bill here                                                                                      

Instructions for testifying are here 

LOCAL ACTIONS: 

 Join Mid Maine Indivisible(Kennebec and Somerset Counties) Please join us if you are in the Mid Maine area.  To sign up: go here. 

There is a community member who is looking to provide home cleaning services in the Waterville area for $25 an hour. Send an email with subject “Cleaning” to get in contact for scheduling! You would be providing income for a local mother with an infant son to care for.   

Are you interested in helping New Mainers learn/improve their English?  To sign up for English tutoring or any of our other volunteer opportunities, please visit: Capital Area New Mainers Project (CANMP) to fill out a volunteer interest survey. An English Learning option at the Waterville library at 1:00 on Mondays is also an option for volunteers. Contact CANMP for the details. You can also Donate to the Capitol Area New Mainers Project’s rapid response fund. CANMP is actively helping those affected by ICE abductions, both with legal funding and other financial support for family members.

The Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition and partners have organized an ICE watch Hotline  in Maine. They need volunteer hotline operators to answer phones from Mainers concerned about ICE sitings. They are looking for folks fluent in one or more of the following: Spanish, French and Portugese. 207-544-9989

Wednesday, January 21st: (and every Wednesday) 12:00-1:00 Waterville,  Corner of Main and Chaplin St. Grandmothers for Reproductive Rights, GRR! demonstrates every Wednesday across from Resolve, the local anti-abortion center. Please join us in assuring all Mainers have access to safe, legal, shame-free reproductive health care including abortions and contraceptive care. For more info please contact Elayne Richard  at recordconnection@gmail.com 

First Saturday of Each Month: Somerset Stands Up Rallies 2:30–Margaret Chase Smith Bridge, downtown Skowhegan. Bring your signs, American flags, your voice, your friends, families and neighbors for this peaceful gathering of concerned residents of Somerset County. 

Sunday, January 25th : 1:00 (and every Sunday): Stop the Killing, (ICE, Venezuela, USAID closing, ACA extensions dropped, etc.)
Tuesday, January 27th: 12:00-1:00 (and every Tuesday) Old Location at Tesla Charging Stations at Elm Plaza, Waterville  Stand with us to remind the traffic that we need to WAKE UP and start resisting the authoritarian take over of our Government. We have been at this location since Tuesday, Feb. 4th? 2025!

SOLIDARITY

*Consider supporting Graham Platner. He is an electrifying speaker, with good positions on the important issues. Volunteer here. Go to Mobilize to find the events you can take part in this week.

However, Mills is a good alternative to support if she wins the primary in June. We must oust Collins!*If you would like to join Maine People’s Alliance Federal Lobby Group, please contact Jim Parakilas at jamesparakilas@gmail.com. We meet Mondays at 2 pm on Zoom. 

With great appreciation for all the engagement everywhere!  As always, throw a little sand in their gears! Emanuel

 “Get in good trouble, necessary trouble, and help redeem the soul of America,”  “Your vote matters. If it didn’t, why would some people keep trying to take it away?”  John Lewis

---

It’s a piece of cake to email or call with these links!

The names of our senators and representatives listed below are links that go right to their official congressional contact form pages. The telephone numbers are links that should open your phone app to call that number. It’s that easy!

Senator Angus King             
DC: (202) 224-5344
Augusta: (207) 622-8292 

Senator Susan Collins         
DC: (202) 224-2523 
Augusta: (207) 622-8414
Bangor: (207) 945-0417

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree      
DC: (202) 225-6116
Portland: (207) 774-5019  
Waterville: (207) 873-5713  

Congressman Jared Golden         
DC: (202) 225-6306 
Bangor: (207) 249-7400
Caribou: (207) 492-6009 
Lewiston: (207) 241-6767

Find your State Representative: 
By name: Here
By district: Here

Find your State Senator:
By name: Here
By district: Here

Our government in Augusta:

Governor Janet Mills
Email Governor Mills
Call (207) 287-3531

Secretary of State Shenna Bellows
Contact Secretary Bellows
Call (207)626-8400

Attorney General Aaron M. Frey
Contact Mr. Frey
Call (207) 626-8800

Questions or comments? Contact George!

Good morning. ICE is now in Maine in several cities. The newsletter will be sporadic for the next few weeks, so be sure to check out our Blue Sky and Instagram accounts for current info.

Following this newsletter is today’s Emanuel’s Daily Action Email from Augusta – the daily action along with a link to his great list of important actions and information. Today’s call to action asks us to call our reps in Washington to ask them to speak out against the reckless and dangerous talk about invading and taking Greenland.

Three new actions from Hancock County Democrats: Action 197 – Walkout on January 20th (TODAY!) (1/15), Action 198 – Defund ICE (1/16), and Action 199 – Maine legislation 1/19-1/23 (1/18). More Hancock County Democrats actions are found here.

Also, a new action from the Bold Coast Civic Alliance, Bold Coast Civic Alliance (1/16), on how to stop ICE and keep ICE out of Maine. More BCCA actions here.

A lot of research goes into these additional actions, so be sure to read them!

And THANK YOU to supporters who have been donating to our ActBlue fund! Planning events and maintaining the website and email list take money, so these donations are appreciated!

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Current News:

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Weekly vigils are happening here in the Bangor area!

*****

TODAY!
Tuesdays
Weekly Vigil at the Federal Building in Bangor – 11:00 am

(This Tuesday Protest celebrated one year and was mentioned in Robert Hubble’s Substack on 1/7/2026!)

*****
Wednesdays
Weekly Orono Vigil in the town center,
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm.  
*****
NEW WEEKLY THURSDAY VIGIL!
At the Federal Building in Bangor
3:00 p.m.

Based on the success of last week’s protest, this is now happening every Thursday to keep Trump’s lawlessness and outrages before the public.
*****
Fridays
Bangor Visibility Brigade

The week finishes with two highway overpass actions! There is the Visibility Brigade on the Essex Street I-95 overpass at the new time of 3:00 p.m. Learn more here. Tell them you read about it here!

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Governor Mills’ Statement on Potential Federal Law Enforcement Operations in Maine

Governor Mills issued a statement recently concerning ICE activity here in Maine.

Click here to see her statement on Vimeo.

*****

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Upcoming Events:

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Come See the New Dunlap for Congress Office!
THIS Friday, 1/23/26

“Join us for the opening of our campaign office! Come meet Matt Dunlap, connect with fellow volunteers and supporters, and help us kick off the campaign by signing petitions and getting involved. We’ll share campaign updates, talk about how you can help, and start building momentum together. Hope to see you there!”

Register here on the Mobilize site.

Date: Friday, January 23, 2026

Event begins: 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm; 

Location: Matt Dunlap For Congress Offices 
275 Main Street, ME 04468
Between Center Street and Middle Street
Here We Go Map

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Jordan Wood in Orono! Town Hall at the Orono Public Library!
Thursday, 1/29/26

About this event

Orono! Democratic House Candidate Jordan Wood is coming to meet you. We’ll be at the Orono Public Library. Come out to meet Jordan, learn why he’s the strongest candidate to defeat Paul LePage, and hear about what his plans as your next Congressman: sweeping campaign finance reform, passing the Ultra-Millionaire Wealth Tax, enacting universal childcare and addressing the affordability crisis head on.

Bring your friends and family!

Register here on the Mobilize site.

Date: Thursday, January 29, 2026

Event begins: 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm; 
Doors Open: 5:15 pm

Location: Orono Public Library 
39 Pine St Orono, ME 04473
Here We Go Map

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Food AND Medicine
Annual Meeting 
Saturday, 1/31/26 
9:00 am – 1:00 pm
with lunch at noon (lots of fun!)

FAM’s 2026 Annual Meeting, in person is best, but you can also Zoom if needed; the Zoom link will be shared prior to the meeting to those who register for the Zoom. RSVP is required to attend. FAM members will have an opportunity to elect new board members and vote on proposed bylaws changes. 

FAM membership is NOT required to attend, so if you aren’t a member but want to get to know us better, come to the meeting. We love to meet new people!

The program will start promptly at 9am, and we’ll have lunch together at Noon. 

Location: The Food AND Medicine Solidarity Center in Brewer
20 Ivers Street
Brewer, ME 04412

Here We Go Map Here.

RSVP Here!

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Other News:

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Write a letter to the editor!

Letters to the editor are published regularly in the local newspapers from Mainers who support the brutal tactics of the authoritarian Trump regime. Write a letter to set the record straight. Click the button to go to the Bangor Daily News “Submit a letter or column” page, the Portland Press Herald “Letters to the editor” page, and the “Letter to the Editor” page at the Ellsworth American.

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As mentioned in the BCCA Special Edition action, Indivisible has a toolkit to help us relay the message to Stop Trump’s War in Venezuela:

“The Trump administration is dragging us into war with Venezuela. On the night of January 2, they launched an attack that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Maduro. 

“Now Trump has declared that the US will “run” Venezuela and control oil production until a transition of power can take place. He is disregarding national sovereignty and forcing a regime-change all without authorization from Congress and without citing evidence of a legitimate threat to the United States. 

“And it’s all in service of his own authoritarian ambitions. If he’s not stopped, Trump will continue this power grab, escalating violence in the region and putting US service members and civilians in danger unnecessarily. 

“We need Congress to check this regime’s lawless violence, or there’s no telling where this will end. The Constitution states clearly that war powers belong to Congress—not the White House. 

“Every Member of Congress must do everything in their power to stand up to Trump and prevent war with Venezuela.”

Go to Take Action: Stop Trump’s War in Venezuela to see what you can do.

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How Maine Politicians Reacted to Trump’s Illegal Actions in Venezuela

From the Bangor Daily News article, “How Maine politicians reacted to the capture of Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro,” by Michael Shepherd on January 3, 2026. See it here. You will need a paid account to read it, but here are some important excerpts:

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins

The Republican senator said in a statement that she was personally briefed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, saying Maduro was “a narco-terrorist and international drug trafficker who has been indicted twice in U.S. courts and who should stand trial in this country.”

“Congress should have been informed about the operation earlier and needs to be involved as this situation evolves,” she said.

Gov. Janet Mills

Mills, who is running for the Democratic nomination to face Collins in 2026, said on X that Trump was moving the U.S. “closer to a costly, unnecessary, and unjustified war” in part because he knows Republicans in Congress won’t hold him accountable.

Graham Platner

The progressive military veteran facing Mills in the primary had one of the most aggressive lines against Trump’s move, noting Collins’ vote in the Senate against a war powers resolution on Venezuela. He reacted to a Trump video touting the invasion by saying he watched friends die in Iraq in the wake of similar speeches.

“From Iraq to Venezuela, you can count on Susan Collins to enable illegal foreign wars,” he said on X.

U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree

Trump’s move is “a breathtaking abuse of power,” the Democrat from Maine’s 1st District said in a statement. While she called Maduro “a ruthless dictator,” she said Trump does not have the power to pursue regime change without congressional approval.

“This reckless move risks destabilizing an already fragile region, puts millions of civilians at risk, and further isolates us from our friends and allies,” she said.

State Auditor Matt Dunlap

The Democratic candidate for the 2nd District called Trump’s move “absolutely reckless” in a statement.

“In a functioning democracy, this kind of reckless, unilateral action would be condemned across party lines,” he said. “Instead, one party is bending over backwards to justify it.”

Jordan Wood

Wood, a former Democratic political operative who ran for the U.S. Senate before switching into the 2nd District race, said on social media that “no president can unilaterally take us to war.”

“Yes, Maduro is a lawless dictator, but that does not give Trump permission to invade,” he said.

~~~~

Also, from Senator Angus King:

His podcast conversation with Senator Jon Tester on Saturday

Saturday’s statement

His interview with CNN News Central this morning

Please call your representatives in Washington. Go to Take Action: Stop Trump’s War in Venezuela to see what you can do.

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CBS News and the 
60 Minutes CECOT Story

In case you missed it, we want to share with you the CBS 60 Minutes story that was to have aired on December 21st, 2025. The Trump-friendly CBS News editor-in-chief axed this story that was about the administration sending Venezuelans to the maximum security prison in El Salvador. It was not broadcast in our country, but was available in Canada and was available on the Internet Archives site here, but has since been removed from that specific location. It is still available here, also on the Internet Archives.

Please see issue no. 5 in the BCCA action (12/29) for more details on the state of CBS News and their collaboration with the Trump administration.  This Wikipedia article also has good information, including background discussing the Paramount-Skydance merger.

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Join Indivisible Bangor!

Do you want to become more involved? Would you like to help with the website and communications? How about helping to organize events, such as rallies and visibilty actions or be a peacekeeper? Or do you just want to keep up with what we’re doing?  Sign up to volunteer with Indivisible Bangor! Your level of involvement is up to you!

Weekly member meetings are on Zoom with in-person meetings on the first Wednesday of the month. Please click the link below to sign up and we’ll help you with the process of becoming a member of Indivisible Bangor!

New members, and current members, too, are invited to join one of our monthly Zoom informational meetings, which will resume after the holidays!

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Donate to a Food Bank or Pantry

The shutdown is over, but the need is not. There are still cuts to programs that help people with food and other needs.

Please DONATE to a local food pantry- food, personal items, and even cash.  Faith Linking in Action maintains a database of all food pantries and free meals– organized by both location and day of the week– in the Bangor area. Check it out here.

Also, ActivateMaine has created a site, SNAP Into Action: “a statewide effort to help those who are affected by the freezing of benefits due to the Government shut down.” If you know of any food drives that are happening, please visit this site to add it to the database!

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The Maine ICE Watch Hotline

The purpose of the hotline is to protect immigrant families by providing accurate, real-time information about ICE and Border Patrol activity and connect Maine families to resources and support services during a time of heightened enforcement and targeting of immigrants and refugees.

Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition ICE Watch Resource Hub.

Read more about it here in this Newscenter Maine article.

(207) 544-9989

Other Ways to Take Action­ (Courtesy of Indivisible Cumberland County: Maine’s ICE Watch Hotline Training: Get trained to field, verify, and document potential community ICE sightings and provide trusted, reliable information on ICE activity to immigrant communities. Action Alert on LD 1917: Contact Governor Mills and tell her to sign into law this bill to protect Maine’s immigrant communities, workforce, public safety, and future!  Donate to the Maine Solidarity Fund: Fund pools resources from across communities into a shared fund we can draw from immediately when urgent needs arise.  NO I.C.E. for Maine: Learn more about this effort to reign in ICE.

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Make Some Calls!

It’s mentioned a few times in these newsletters about calling your representatives in Washington, D.C. It’s one of the most important things we can do and it’s so easy!

Write Some Emails!

If you are more comfortable with sending emails to our Maine congressional delegation in Washington, click the links/buttons. This is a good option if you have lengthy comments or questions.

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We are on Blue Sky, Instagram, and Facebook!

Follow us! Invite your friends! Comment! You’ll be glad you did!

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We have an easy way to donate to Indivisible Bangor. Drop off your returnable bottles and cans to Ohio Street Redemption in Bangor and tell them to put it on the account of Indivisible Bangor. They’ll add the money to our kitty, mail out a regular check, and the money goes to our bank account to help with our expenses! You can find them here!

****Be sure the attendant writes down “Indivisible Bangor” because several donations have not been credited. Thank you!****

And you can donate here, too! Donations help pay for supplies, website, outreach, and to fund the many upcoming actions in Maine.

Thank you for all you do! – George and Indivisible Bangor

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Emanuel’s Daily Call to Action:

AcAction Tuesday January 20th: Call Our Congressional Representatives to Demand Action Against Invading Greenland + Consider Joining the National Walkout Today at 2 pm

Good Morning Folks, we are headed into a cold snap. This makes it a bit harder for ticks, and ICE. As the temperature drops keep your spirits up by knowing you are not alone and the resistance is growing. Ps. As our list of action grows, Gmail may shorten the email. You can ask it to include the whole email, but check to make sure you are getting the full email.

Top Action to Take Today: 

• For those of you at work, at school, or in a building, consider joining the  National Walk Out today, at 2 pm. This is part of the Women’s March efforts. Walk out in silence, take 5 minutes to silently review the preciousness of our Democracy and what each of us is doing to maintain it. Walk back in in silence. Full scale Women’s March events are planned in Augusta and Northeast Harbor.
• Call Collins, King, Pingree and/or Golden and ask them to speak out against Trump’s intention to invade Greenland. Go here for a simple script for this call and to learn more about the issue. To learn more about this issue check out Gil Duran’s substack in which he outlines the Tech Billionaires who support Trump on this issue, and what the obsession with Greenland is.

For “More Actions Today if You Have the Bandwidth” from Emanuel’s Daily Call to Action (1/20), click here.

With great appreciation for all the engagement everywhere!  

As always, throw a little sand in their gears! 

~~Emanuel

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It’s a piece of cake to email or call with these links!

The names of our senators and representatives listed below are links that go right to their official congressional contact form pages. The telephone numbers are links that should open your phone app to call that number. It’s that easy!

Senator Angus King             
DC: (202) 224-5344
Augusta: (207) 622-8292 

Senator Susan Collins         
DC: (202) 224-2523 
Augusta: (207) 622-8414
Bangor: (207) 945-0417

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree      
DC: (202) 225-6116
Portland: (207) 774-5019  
Waterville: (207) 873-5713  

Congressman Jared Golden         
DC: (202) 225-6306 
Bangor: (207) 249-7400
Caribou: (207) 492-6009 
Lewiston: (207) 241-6767

Find your State Representative: 
By name: Here
By district: Here

Find your State Senator:
By name: Here
By district: Here

Our government in Augusta:

Governor Janet Mills
Email Governor Mills
Call (207) 287-3531

Secretary of State Shenna Bellows
Contact Secretary Bellows
Call (207)626-8400

Attorney General Aaron M. Frey
Contact Mr. Frey
Call (207) 626-8800

Questions or comments? Contact George!

More Actions Today if You Have the Bandwidth

ICE related Actions

ICE Masks Off. Let’s support legislation to this effect in Maine. Talk with your local rep or senator about this. It will require some finagling to get this into this emergency session, but it surely qualifies as an emergency! Ask Gov. Mills to put this bill in, which she can do regardless.

Call or email Senator King to filibuster more funding for ICE in the upcoming appropriations bill. Appropriations bills need 60 votes to overrule a filibuster. No extra funding for ICE. Call Collins to ask her to deny requests for more funding for ICE in the upcoming appropriations bill.

Call or write King, Collins, Golden or Pingree and ask them to speak out about the  deployment of violent ICE agents to American cities and states and now in Maine. They are terrorizing our people, and not in any way making our country safer. Demand a full investigation of ICE killings, refuse to pass extra appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security which funds ICE, and call for the Impeachment of Kristi (Cowboy Hat) Noem.  For more information and a script for your call go to 5calls.org.

Activate Maine has an ICE toolkit including links to sign up for ICE verifier and de escalation trainings.

The Maine ACLU has a page on preparation for ICE invasion: go here.
Finally, Consider volunteering and/or donating to one of the worthy immigrant support organizations listed below:  Capital Area New Mainers Project, Mainers for Humane Immigration, Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, (all Maine based), and the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, go here to donate to the Capital Area New Mainers Project. 

ACA Related Actions

If you have a story about how the ACA tax extension health care cuts will affect you directly or someone you know please contact Esther at the MPA. Personal stories matter!

Call Collins and King and ask them to support the ACA tax extension bill coming from the House with no amendments. This bill has stalled in the Senate because Republicans want to add an abortion amendment.  For more information on the ACA go here. For a full toolkit on how to support action on this go here.

Force the release of all the Epstein Files. Call or email Pingree or Golden and ask them to support the inherent contempt charges against Attorney General Pam Bondi which House Members  Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Ro Khanna (D-CA) are threatening to draft.  If passed, inherent contempt charges would allow the House to bypass the courts and force Bondi to either release the files or face personal consequences such as imprisonment. (Go to 5calls.org for more on this action)Boycott: Being a consumer is one of the greatest powers we have as members of a capitalist economy. There are numerous boycotts going on, some of which we have listed below –  pressure on companies can work – as noted above Spotify is not running ICE recruitment ads, and Avelo is not running deportation flights.  For a complete list of ICE related boycotts go to Icelist. This link is dead because people think the Russians took down this site after a whistleblower released the names of 4500 immigration law enforcement personnel. For the full story go here.

Help Protect Trans Youth:Transequality reports that 58 transgender persons have been either murdered or died by suicide since the regime rolled out its cruel rhetoric and anti-trans policies. “Trump is now beginning the process of banning gender-affirming care for transgender youth through a rulemaking process, thus sidestepping Congress and the legislative process entirely. 

The proposed rule, RIN 0938-AV87, would bar any hospital system that participates in Medicaid or Medicare from offering gender-affirming care to transgender youth, regardless of whether that care is paid for with federal funds or privately. You can leave a public comment here. Note that public comments really are public, so if you have a reason to protect your anonymity, do it.” (Thank you to Shelley for this action)

Support the right of our troops to disobey illegal orders:   Defiance.org, in partnership with WhistleblowerAid.org, has launched Phase One of what it planned to be an ongoing effort to help members of our military obey lawful orders, recognize manifestly illegal ones, and know where to turn to understand the difference.  This campaign includes: Geo-targeted public service announcements, online and via social media; Billboards near key U.S. military installations ; Information about confidential, independent support available through Whistleblower Aid.

Mutual Aid

ActivateMaine has created a site, SNAP Into Action: “a statewide effort to help those who are affected by the freezing of benefits due to the Government shut down.”  Even though the Government is “open” now, hunger issues continue for people around the country.

Heating Assistance:  If you have friends, neighbors, or need support for Heating Assistance, Li Heap funds have been authorized for Maine, Click here to learn more about applying for LIHEAP assistance. Collins and King were  involved in pushing that this money get released after the Government shutdown.

Insurance Crisis:  If the ACA tax cuts do not go through, tens of thousands of us will have to choose between health care premiums and food or rent.  If you have a personal story along these lines please contact Esther at the Maine People’s Alliance who is collecting personal testimony to support the passage of the ACA tax cuts. Call King and Collins to support the House bill just passed on the ACA tax extensions.

Arts and Politics!

If you live near Skowhegan check out Kevin James Studios at 127 Water Street for a whole gallery of resistance art!  (Let me know if you know of other art galleries showing political art and I will list them here.)

GOT MORE TIME? HERE ARE SOME MORE ACTIONS  (just pick one!)

• Indivisible leader Leah Greenberg asks us to support organizations leading the fight against Racism today, such as our friends at the Transformative Justice Coalition and Black Voters Matter Fund, who are each organizing to protect and advance Black political power and voting rights in this crucial moment.
• Join the Maine People’s Alliance in bringing your story to our Congresspeople: Are your insurance rates going up? Did you lose SNAP benefits – the MPA wants to hear your story and use it to fight for Mainers in the ongoing shutdown budget battle. Fill out this form and tell your story here. 
• Consider volunteering and/or donating to one of the worthy immigrant support organizations listed below:  Capital Area New Mainers Project, Mainers for Humane Immigration, Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, (all Maine based), and the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, go here to donate to the Capital Area New Mainers Project.

State Wide Actions

• Provide testimony to support LD 1383 for this Wednesday’s Hearing “An Act to Require State Divestment from Perpetrators of International Human Rights Violations.” Go here to submit testimony or to sign up for the hearing.  It is at 10:00 at the State and Local Government Committee. This bill prohibits Maine from investing its funds from any companies, entities, persons or financial institutions that are “associated with” a “perpetrator state”. For more details see the attachment below. The Maine Coalition for Peace and Human Rights is responsible for this campaign, see their  one page toolkit  here, and write a letter to your state legislative representatives.
• Consider joining the National Walk Out on January 20th, at 2 pm. There is one in Augusta and one in Northeast Harbor for the 20th. You can create your own! See more info. in the attached action document from Abbie Mcmillen.
• More ICE resistance: Check in with organizations in Lewiston and Portland to see how you can help. Activate Maine has an ICE toolkit including links to sign up for ICE verifier and de escalation trainings. Get trained to field, verify, and document potential community ICE sightings and provide trusted, reliable information on ICE activity to immigrant communities.  Here is the number for the ICE Watch hotline in Maine: 207 544 998
• Support the Plug-In Solar Bill LD 1730  (An Act to Make Small, Portable, Plug-in Solar Generation Devices)  Energy, Utilities & Technology  Public Hearing:  Here is a list of talking points and more info.
• Oppose Huge Energy Sucking AI Data Centers in Maine. Lewiston denied an AI Center this past Wednesday, (Thanks to Azalea for this information!)
• Home Depot Actions: Sign the petition that is demanding that Home Depot stop complying with ICE, personalize this letter to Home Depot corporate headquarters making the same demand, for more actions such as going to your local Home Depot and delivering a letter to the manager go to Ice Out of Home Depot. 
• Mid Maine Indivisible has a great weekly newsletter – To sign up: go here. Indivisible Bangor has a great daily newsletter and actions go here to sign up. If you are in the Mid Coast area consider joining Audacity – learn more here. The Bold Coast Civic Alliance has a newsletter as well as the Hancock County Democrat.   Cumberland County Indivisible newsletter go here.  Greater Portland Indivisible, go here. We are developing a great ecosystem for resistance communications in Maine.

For Maine State Legislative Calendar day by day go  here

For links to US Legislative Calendars go here

Check complete bill listing  here.                                                     
Find the text of any bill here                                                                                      

Instructions for testifying are here 

LOCAL ACTIONS: 

 Join Mid Maine Indivisible(Kennebec and Somerset Counties) Please join us if you are in the Mid Maine area.  To sign up: go here. 

There is a community member who is looking to provide home cleaning services in the Waterville area for $25 an hour. Send an email with subject “Cleaning” to get in contact for scheduling! You would be providing income for a local mother with an infant son to care for.   

Are you interested in helping New Mainers learn/improve their English?  To sign up for English tutoring or any of our other volunteer opportunities, please visit: Capital Area New Mainers Project (CANMP) to fill out a volunteer interest survey. An English Learning option at the Waterville library at 1:00 on Mondays is also an option for volunteers. Contact CANMP for the details. You can also Donate to the Capitol Area New Mainers Project’s rapid response fund. CANMP is actively helping those affected by ICE abductions, both with legal funding and other financial support for family members.

The Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition and partners have organized an ICE watch Hotline  in Maine. They need volunteer hotline operators to answer phones from Mainers concerned about ICE sitings. They are looking for folks fluent in one or more of the following: Spanish, French and Portugese. 207-544-9989Tuesday, January 20th: 12:00-1:00 (and every Tuesday) Old Location at Tesla Charging Stations at Elm Plaza, Waterville  Stand with us to remind the traffic that we need to WAKE UP and start resisting the authoritarian take over of our Government. We have been at this location since Tuesday, Feb. 4th? 2025! 

Wednesday, January 21st: (and every Wednesday) 12:00-1:00 Waterville,  Corner of Main and Chaplin St. Grandmothers for Reproductive Rights, GRR! demonstrates every Wednesday across from Resolve, the local anti-abortion center. Please join us in assuring all Mainers have access to safe, legal, shame-free reproductive health care including abortions and contraceptive care. For more info please contact Elayne Richard  at recordconnection@gmail.com 

First Saturday of Each Month: Somerset Stands Up Rallies 2:30–Margaret Chase Smith Bridge, downtown Skowhegan. Bring your signs, American flags, your voice, your friends, families and neighbors for this peaceful gathering of concerned residents of Somerset County. 

Sunday, January 25th : 1:00 (and every Sunday): Stop the Killing, (ICE, Venezuela, USAID closing, ACA extensions dropped, etc.)

SOLIDARITY

*Consider supporting Graham Platner. He is an electrifying speaker, with good positions on the important issues. Volunteer here. Go to Mobilize to find the events you can take part in this week.

However, Mills is a good alternative to support if she wins the primary in June. We must oust Collins!*If you would like to join Maine People’s Alliance Federal Lobby Group, please contact Jim Parakilas at jamesparakilas@gmail.com. We meet Mondays at 2 pm on Zoom. 

With great appreciation for all the engagement everywhere!  As always, throw a little sand in their gears! 

~~~Emanuel

“But there is one constituency that shares Trump’s Arctic fever: tech billionaires. Writing for the New Republic, Casey Michel exposes how a handful of tech oligarchs have a deep interest in Greenland’s natural resources.”  Gil Duran

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It’s a piece of cake to email or call with these links!

The names of our senators and representatives listed below are links that go right to their official congressional contact form pages. The telephone numbers are links that should open your phone app to call that number. It’s that easy!

Senator Angus King             
DC: (202) 224-5344
Augusta: (207) 622-8292 

Senator Susan Collins         
DC: (202) 224-2523 
Augusta: (207) 622-8414
Bangor: (207) 945-0417

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree      
DC: (202) 225-6116
Portland: (207) 774-5019  
Waterville: (207) 873-5713  

Congressman Jared Golden         
DC: (202) 225-6306 
Bangor: (207) 249-7400
Caribou: (207) 492-6009 
Lewiston: (207) 241-6767

Find your State Representative: 
By name: Here
By district: Here

Find your State Senator:
By name: Here
By district: Here

Our government in Augusta:

Governor Janet Mills
Email Governor Mills
Call (207) 287-3531

Secretary of State Shenna Bellows
Contact Secretary Bellows
Call (207)626-8400

Attorney General Aaron M. Frey
Contact Mr. Frey
Call (207) 626-8800

Questions or comments? Contact George!

Good afternoon! Today we remember the good work of the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. and how important it is to continue his work today in the face of authoritarian oppression.

ICE is now in Maine in several cities. The newsletter will be sporadic for the next few weeks, so be sure to check out our Blue Sky and Instagram accounts for current info.

Following this newsletter is today’s Emanuel’s Daily Action Email from Augusta – the daily action along with a link to his great list of important actions and information. Today’s call to action has more requests about ICE here in Maine.

Three new actions from Hancock County Democrats: Action 197 – Walkout on January 20th (tomorrow!) (1/15), Action 198 – Defund ICE (1/16), and Action 199 – Maine legislation 1/19-1/23 (1/18). More Hancock County Democrats actions are found here.

Also, a new action from the Bold Coast Civic Alliance, Bold Coast Civic Alliance (1/16), on how to stop ICE and keep ICE out of Maine. More BCCA actions here.

A lot of research goes into these additional actions, so be sure to read them!

And THANK YOU to supporters who have been donating to our ActBlue fund! Planning events and maintaining the website and email list take money, so these donations are appreciated!

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Current News:

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Weekly vigils are happening here in the Bangor area!

*****

Tuesdays
Weekly Vigil at the Federal Building in Bangor – 11:00 am

(This Tuesday Protest celebrated one year and was mentioned in Robert Hubble’s Substack on 1/7/2026!)

*****
Wednesdays
Weekly Orono Vigil in the town center,
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm.  
*****
NEW WEEKLY THURSDAY VIGIL!
At the Federal Building in Bangor
3:00 p.m.

Based on the success of last week’s protest, this is now happening every Thursday to keep Trump’s lawlessness and outrages before the public.
*****
Fridays
Bangor Visibility Brigade

The week finishes with two highway overpass actions! There is the Visibility Brigade on the Essex Street I-95 overpass at the new time of 3:00 p.m. Learn more here. Tell them you read about it here!

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Governor Mills’ Statement on Potential Federal Law Enforcement Operations in Maine

Governor Mills issued a statement recently concerning ICE activity here in Maine.

Click here to see her statement on Vimeo.

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Upcoming Events:

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Come See the New Dunlap for Congress Office!
Friday, 1/23/26

“Join us for the opening of our campaign office! Come meet Matt Dunlap, connect with fellow volunteers and supporters, and help us kick off the campaign by signing petitions and getting involved. We’ll share campaign updates, talk about how you can help, and start building momentum together. Hope to see you there!”

Register here on the Mobilize site.

Date: Friday, January 23, 2026

Event begins: 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm; 

Location: Matt Dunlap For Congress Offices 
275 Main Street, ME 04468
Between Center Street and Middle Street
Here We Go Map

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Jordan Wood in Orono! Town Hall at the Orono Public Library!
Thursday, 1/29/26

About this event

Orono! Democratic House Candidate Jordan Wood is coming to meet you. We’ll be at the Orono Public Library. Come out to meet Jordan, learn why he’s the strongest candidate to defeat Paul LePage, and hear about what his plans as your next Congressman: sweeping campaign finance reform, passing the Ultra-Millionaire Wealth Tax, enacting universal childcare and addressing the affordability crisis head on.

Bring your friends and family!

Register here on the Mobilize site.

Date: Thursday, January 29, 2026

Event begins: 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm; 
Doors Open: 5:15 pm

Location: Orono Public Library 
39 Pine St Orono, ME 04473
Here We Go Map

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Food AND Medicine
Annual Meeting 
Saturday, January 31 
9:00 am – 1:00 pm
with lunch at noon (lots of fun!)

FAM’s 2026 Annual Meeting, in person is best, but you can also Zoom if needed; the Zoom link will be shared prior to the meeting to those who register for the Zoom. RSVP is required to attend. FAM members will have an opportunity to elect new board members and vote on proposed bylaws changes. 

FAM membership is NOT required to attend, so if you aren’t a member but want to get to know us better, come to the meeting. We love to meet new people!

The program will start promptly at 9am, and we’ll have lunch together at Noon. 

Location: The Food AND Medicine Solidarity Center in Brewer
20 Ivers Street
Brewer, ME 04412

Here We Go Map Here.

RSVP Here!

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Other News:

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As mentioned in the BCCA Special Edition action, Indivisible has a toolkit to help us relay the message to Stop Trump’s War in Venezuela:

“The Trump administration is dragging us into war with Venezuela. On the night of January 2, they launched an attack that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Maduro. 

“Now Trump has declared that the US will “run” Venezuela and control oil production until a transition of power can take place. He is disregarding national sovereignty and forcing a regime-change all without authorization from Congress and without citing evidence of a legitimate threat to the United States. 

“And it’s all in service of his own authoritarian ambitions. If he’s not stopped, Trump will continue this power grab, escalating violence in the region and putting US service members and civilians in danger unnecessarily. 

“We need Congress to check this regime’s lawless violence, or there’s no telling where this will end. The Constitution states clearly that war powers belong to Congress—not the White House. 

“Every Member of Congress must do everything in their power to stand up to Trump and prevent war with Venezuela.”

Go to Take Action: Stop Trump’s War in Venezuela to see what you can do.

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How Maine Politicians Reacted to Trump’s Illegal Actions in Venezuela

From the Bangor Daily News article, “How Maine politicians reacted to the capture of Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro,” by Michael Shepherd on January 3, 2026. See it here. You will need a paid account to read it, but here are some important excerpts:

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins

The Republican senator said in a statement that she was personally briefed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, saying Maduro was “a narco-terrorist and international drug trafficker who has been indicted twice in U.S. courts and who should stand trial in this country.”

“Congress should have been informed about the operation earlier and needs to be involved as this situation evolves,” she said.

Gov. Janet Mills

Mills, who is running for the Democratic nomination to face Collins in 2026, said on X that Trump was moving the U.S. “closer to a costly, unnecessary, and unjustified war” in part because he knows Republicans in Congress won’t hold him accountable.

Graham Platner

The progressive military veteran facing Mills in the primary had one of the most aggressive lines against Trump’s move, noting Collins’ vote in the Senate against a war powers resolution on Venezuela. He reacted to a Trump video touting the invasion by saying he watched friends die in Iraq in the wake of similar speeches.

“From Iraq to Venezuela, you can count on Susan Collins to enable illegal foreign wars,” he said on X.

U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree

Trump’s move is “a breathtaking abuse of power,” the Democrat from Maine’s 1st District said in a statement. While she called Maduro “a ruthless dictator,” she said Trump does not have the power to pursue regime change without congressional approval.

“This reckless move risks destabilizing an already fragile region, puts millions of civilians at risk, and further isolates us from our friends and allies,” she said.

State Auditor Matt Dunlap

The Democratic candidate for the 2nd District called Trump’s move “absolutely reckless” in a statement.

“In a functioning democracy, this kind of reckless, unilateral action would be condemned across party lines,” he said. “Instead, one party is bending over backwards to justify it.”

Jordan Wood

Wood, a former Democratic political operative who ran for the U.S. Senate before switching into the 2nd District race, said on social media that “no president can unilaterally take us to war.”

“Yes, Maduro is a lawless dictator, but that does not give Trump permission to invade,” he said.

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Also, from Senator Angus King:

His podcast conversation with Senator Jon Tester on Saturday

Saturday’s statement

His interview with CNN News Central this morning

Please call your representatives in Washington. Go to Take Action: Stop Trump’s War in Venezuela to see what you can do.

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CBS News and the 
60 Minutes CECOT Story

In case you missed it, we want to share with you the CBS 60 Minutes story that was to have aired on December 21st, 2025. The Trump-friendly CBS News editor-in-chief axed this story that was about the administration sending Venezuelans to the maximum security prison in El Salvador. It was not broadcast in our country, but was available in Canada and was available on the Internet Archives site here, but has since been removed from that specific location. It is still available here, also on the Internet Archives.

Please see issue no. 5 in the BCCA action (12/29) for more details on the state of CBS News and their collaboration with the Trump administration.  This Wikipedia article also has good information, including background discussing the Paramount-Skydance merger.

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Join Indivisible Bangor!

Do you want to become more involved? Would you like to help with the website and communications? How about helping to organize events, such as rallies and visibilty actions or be a peacekeeper? Or do you just want to keep up with what we’re doing?  Sign up to volunteer with Indivisible Bangor! Your level of involvement is up to you!

Weekly member meetings are on Zoom with in-person meetings on the first Wednesday of the month. Please click the link below to sign up and we’ll help you with the process of becoming a member of Indivisible Bangor!

New members, and current members, too, are invited to join one of our monthly Zoom informational meetings, which will resume after the holidays!

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Donate to a Food Bank or Pantry

The shutdown is over, but the need is not. There are still cuts to programs that help people with food and other needs.

Please DONATE to a local food pantry- food, personal items, and even cash.  Faith Linking in Action maintains a database of all food pantries and free meals– organized by both location and day of the week– in the Bangor area. Check it out here.

Also, ActivateMaine has created a site, SNAP Into Action: “a statewide effort to help those who are affected by the freezing of benefits due to the Government shut down.” If you know of any food drives that are happening, please visit this site to add it to the database!

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The Maine ICE Watch Hotline

The purpose of the hotline is to protect immigrant families by providing accurate, real-time information about ICE and Border Patrol activity and connect Maine families to resources and support services during a time of heightened enforcement and targeting of immigrants and refugees.

Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition ICE Watch Resource Hub.

Read more about it here in this Newscenter Maine article.

(207) 544-9989

Other Ways to Take Action­ (Courtesy of Indivisible Cumberland County: Maine’s ICE Watch Hotline Training: Get trained to field, verify, and document potential community ICE sightings and provide trusted, reliable information on ICE activity to immigrant communities. Action Alert on LD 1917: Contact Governor Mills and tell her to sign into law this bill to protect Maine’s immigrant communities, workforce, public safety, and future!  Donate to the Maine Solidarity Fund: Fund pools resources from across communities into a shared fund we can draw from immediately when urgent needs arise.  NO I.C.E. for Maine: Learn more about this effort to reign in ICE.

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Make Some Calls!

It’s mentioned a few times in these newsletters about calling your representatives in Washington, D.C. It’s one of the most important things we can do and it’s so easy!

Write Some Emails!

If you are more comfortable with sending emails to our Maine congressional delegation in Washington, click the links/buttons. This is a good option if you have lengthy comments or questions.

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We are on Blue Sky, Instagram, and Facebook!

Follow us! Invite your friends! Comment! You’ll be glad you did!

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We have an easy way to donate to Indivisible Bangor. Drop off your returnable bottles and cans to Ohio Street Redemption in Bangor and tell them to put it on the account of Indivisible Bangor. They’ll add the money to our kitty, mail out a regular check, and the money goes to our bank account to help with our expenses! You can find them here!

****Be sure the attendant writes down “Indivisible Bangor” because several donations have not been credited. Thank you!****

And you can donate here, too! Donations help pay for supplies, website, outreach, and to fund the many upcoming actions in Maine.

Thank you for all you do! – George and Indivisible Bangor

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Emanuel’s Daily Call to Action:

Action Monday January 19th: Provide Testimony to Support LD 1383 Divestment from Perpetrators of International Human Rights Violations

Good Morning Folks, on a Martin Luther King Monday.  One of the requests he made of us in his demand that we stay non-violent, was to hate the conditions that created the people we see as enemies, not the people themselves. Find a Martin Luther King Day celebration near you. Ps. As our list of action grows, Gmail may shorten the email. You can ask it to include the whole email, but check to make sure it is not doing this.

Top Action to Take Today: 

• Provide testimony to support LD 1383 for this Wednesday’s Hearing “An Act to Require State Divestment from Perpetrators of International Human Rights Violations.” Go here to submit testimony or to sign up for the hearing.  It is at 10:00 at the State and Local Government Committee. This bill prohibits Maine from investing its funds from any companies, entities, persons or financial institutions that are “associated with” a “perpetrator state”. For more details see the attachment below. The Maine Coalition for Peace and Human Rightsis responsible for this campaign, see their  one page toolkit  here, and write a letter to your state legislative representatives.

For more state legislation coming up this week see Abbie McMillen’s run-down attached below.

For “More Actions Today if You Have the Bandwidth” from Emanuel’s Daily Call to Action (1/19), click here.

With great appreciation for all the engagement everywhere!  

As always, throw a little sand in their gears! 

~~Emanuel

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It’s a piece of cake to email or call with these links!

The names of our senators and representatives listed below are links that go right to their official congressional contact form pages. The telephone numbers are links that should open your phone app to call that number. It’s that easy!

Senator Angus King             
DC: (202) 224-5344
Augusta: (207) 622-8292 

Senator Susan Collins         
DC: (202) 224-2523 
Augusta: (207) 622-8414
Bangor: (207) 945-0417

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree      
DC: (202) 225-6116
Portland: (207) 774-5019  
Waterville: (207) 873-5713  

Congressman Jared Golden         
DC: (202) 225-6306 
Bangor: (207) 249-7400
Caribou: (207) 492-6009 
Lewiston: (207) 241-6767

Find your State Representative: 
By name: Here
By district: Here

Find your State Senator:
By name: Here
By district: Here

Our government in Augusta:

Governor Janet Mills
Email Governor Mills
Call (207) 287-3531

Secretary of State Shenna Bellows
Contact Secretary Bellows
Call (207)626-8400

Attorney General Aaron M. Frey
Contact Mr. Frey
Call (207) 626-8800

Questions or comments? Contact George!

More Actions Today if You Have the Bandwidth

ICE related Actions

ICE Masks Off. Let’s support legislation to this effect in Maine. Talk with your local rep or senator about this. It will require some finagling to get this into this emergency session, but it surely qualifies as an emergency! Ask Gov. Mills to put this bill in, which she can do regardless.

Call or email Senator King to filibuster more funding for ICE in the upcoming appropriations bill. Appropriations bills need 60 votes to overrule a filibuster. No extra funding for ICE.

Call Collins to ask her to deny requests for more funding for ICE in the upcoming appropriations bill.

Call or write King, Collins, Golden or Pingree and ask them to speak out about the  deployment of violent ICE agents to American cities and states. They are terrorizing our people, and not in any way making our country safer. Demand a full investigation of ICE killings, refuse to pass extra appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security which funds ICE, and call for the Impeachment of Kristi (Cowboy Hat) Noem.  For more information and a script for your call go to 5calls.org.

Activate Maine has an ICE toolkit including links to sign up for ICE verifier and de escalation trainings.

The Maine ACLU has a page on preparation for ICE invasion: go here.
Finally, Consider volunteering and/or donating to one of the worthy immigrant support organizations listed below:  Capital Area New Mainers Project, Mainers for Humane Immigration, Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, (all Maine based), and the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, go here to donate to the Capital Area New Mainers Project. 

ACA Related Actions

If you have a story about how the ACA tax extension health care cuts will affect you directly or someone you know please contact Esther at the MPA. Personal stories matter!

Call Collins and King and ask them to support the ACA tax extension bill coming from the House with no amendments. This bill has stalled in the Senate because Republicans want to add an abortion amendment.  For more information on the ACA go here. For a full toolkit on how to support action on this go here.

Force the release of all the Epstein Files. Call or email Pingree or Golden and ask them to support the inherent contempt charges against Attorney General Pam Bondi which House Members  Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Ro Khanna (D-CA) are threatening to draft.  If passed, inherent contempt charges would allow the House to bypass the courts and force Bondi to either release the files or face personal consequences such as imprisonment. (Go to 5calls.org for more on this action)Boycott: Being a consumer is one of the greatest powers we have as members of a capitalist economy. There are numerous boycotts going on, some of which we have listed below –  pressure on companies can work – as noted above Spotify is not running ICE recruitment ads, and Avelo is not running deportation flights.  For a complete list of ICE related boycotts go to Icelist.

Help Protect Trans Youth:Transequality reports that 58 transgender persons have been either murdered or died by suicide since the regime rolled out its cruel rhetoric and anti-trans policies. “Trump is now beginning the process of banning gender-affirming care for transgender youth through a rulemaking process, thus sidestepping Congress and the legislative process entirely. 

The proposed rule, RIN 0938-AV87, would bar any hospital system that participates in Medicaid or Medicare from offering gender-affirming care to transgender youth, regardless of whether that care is paid for with federal funds or privately. The rule must first go through a 60-day public comment period, which ends no later than 5pm on February 17th 2026. During a comment period, rules can be challenged, delayed, and fought, but only if people show up and refuse to let it move forward quietly.  You can leave a public comment here. Note that public comments really are public, so if you have a reason to protect your anonymity, do it.” (Thank you to Shelley for this action)

Support the right of our troops to disobey illegal orders:   Defiance.org, in partnership with WhistleblowerAid.org, has launched Phase One of what it planned to be an ongoing effort to help members of our military obey lawful orders, recognize manifestly illegal ones, and know where to turn to understand the difference.  This campaign includes: Geo-targeted public service announcements, online and via social media; Billboards near key U.S. military installations ; Information about confidential, independent support available through Whistleblower Aid.

Mutual Aid

ActivateMaine has created a site, SNAP Into Action: “a statewide effort to help those who are affected by the freezing of benefits due to the Government shut down.”  Even though the Government is “open” now, hunger issues continue for people around the country.

Heating Assistance:  If you have friends, neighbors, or need support for Heating Assistance, Li Heap funds have been authorized for Maine, Click here to learn more about applying for LIHEAP assistance. Collins and King were  involved in pushing that this money get released after the Government shutdown.

Insurance Crisis:  If the ACA tax cuts do not go through, tens of thousands of us will have to choose between health care premiums and food or rent.  If you have a personal story along these lines please contact Esther at the Maine People’s Alliance who is collecting personal testimony to support the passage of the ACA tax cuts. Call King and Collins to support the House bill just passed on the ACA tax extensions.

Arts and Politics!

If you live near Skowhegan check out Kevin James Studios at 127 Water Street for a whole gallery of resistance art!  (Let me know if you know of other art galleries showing political art and I will list them here.)

GOT MORE TIME? HERE ARE SOME MORE ACTIONS  (just pick one!)

• Join the Maine People’s Alliance in bringing your story to our Congresspeople: Are your insurance rates going up? Did you lose SNAP benefits – the MPA wants to hear your story and use it to fight for Mainers in the ongoing shutdown budget battle. Fill out this form and tell your story here. 
• Consider volunteering and/or donating to one of the worthy immigrant support organizations listed below:  Capital Area New Mainers Project, Mainers for Humane Immigration, Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, (all Maine based), and the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, go here to donate to the Capital Area New Mainers Project.

Statewide Actions

• Testify through letter, zoom, or in person on LD 1383, and LD 838 which establishes a Maine Clean Energy Authority.  A few more interesting bills in the attached action letter from Abbie McMillen. 
• Consider joining the National Walk Out on January 20th, at 2 pm. There is one in Augusta and one in Northeast Harbor for the 20th. You can create your own! See more info. in the attached action document from Abbie Mcmillen.
• More ICE resistance: Check in with organizations in Lewiston and Portland to see how you can help. Activate Maine has an ICE toolkit including links to sign up for ICE verifier and de escalation trainings. Get trained to field, verify, and document potential community ICE sightings and provide trusted, reliable information on ICE activity to immigrant communities.  Here is the number for the ICE Watch hotline in Maine: 207 544 998
• Support the Plug-In Solar Bill LD 1730  (An Act to Make Small, Portable, Plug-in Solar Generation Devices)  Energy, Utilities & Technology  Public Hearing:  Here is a list of talking points and more info.
• Oppose Huge Energy Sucking AI Data Centers in Maine. Lewiston denied an AI Center this past Wednesday, (Thanks to Azalea for this information!)
• Home Depot Actions: Sign the petition that is demanding that Home Depot stop complying with ICE, personalize this letter to Home Depot corporate headquarters making the same demand, for more actions such as going to your local Home Depot and delivering a letter to the manager go to Ice Out of Home Depot. 
• Mid Maine Indivisible has a great weekly newsletter – To sign up: go here. Indivisible Bangor has a great daily newsletter and actions go here to sign up. If you are in the Mid Coast area consider joining Audacity – learn more here. The Bold Coast Civic Alliance has a newsletter as well as the Hancock County Democrat.   Cumberland County Indivisible newsletter go here.  Greater Portland Indivisible, go here. We are developing a great ecosystem for resistance communications in Maine.

Find Your State Senator: By name:

Here , By district: Here

Find your State Representative: By name: Here , By District:Here

New:

For Maine State Legislative Calendar day by day go  here

For links to US Legislative Calendars go here

Check complete bill listing  here.                                                     
Find the text of any bill here                                                                                      

Instructions for testifying are here 

LOCAL ACTIONS: 

 Join Mid Maine Indivisible(Kennebec and Somerset Counties) Please join us if you are in the Mid Maine area.  To sign up: go here. 

Indivisible MidMaine is sponsoring an MLK day event today- Indivisible Mid Maine Remembers and Honors Dr. King – Monday January 19th, 1-4 at the Playhouse at Waterville Station (the old RailRoad Square building). The event is full.

Later that day Waterville’s One Million Rising Group will be meeting to support one another in our activism – whatever form that takes.  If you want to join us please email Emanuel or Jeanine.

There is a community member who is looking to provide home cleaning services in the Waterville area for $25 an hour. Send an email with subject “Cleaning” to get in contact for scheduling! You would be providing income for a local mother with an infant son to care for.   

Are you interested in helping New Mainers learn/improve their English?  To sign up for English tutoring or any of our other volunteer opportunities, please visit: Capital Area New Mainers Project (CANMP) to fill out a volunteer interest survey. An English Learning option at the Waterville library at 1:00 on Mondays is also an option for volunteers. Contact CANMP for the details. You can also Donate to the Capitol Area New Mainers Project’s rapid response fund. CANMP is actively helping those affected by ICE abductions, both with legal funding and other financial support for family members.

The Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition and partners have organized an ICE watch Hotline  in Maine. They need volunteer hotline operators to answer phones from Mainers concerned about ICE sitings. They are looking for folks fluent in one or more of the following: Spanish, French and Portugese. 207-544-9989Tuesday, January 20th: 12:00-1:00 (and every Tuesday) Old Location at Tesla Charging Stations at Elm Plaza, Waterville  Stand with us to remind the traffic that we need to WAKE UP and start resisting the authoritarian take over of our Government. We have been at this location since Tuesday, Feb. 4th? 2025! 

Wednesday, January 21st: (and every Wednesday) 12:00-1:00 Waterville,  Corner of Main and Chaplin St. Grandmothers for Reproductive Rights, GRR! demonstrates every Wednesday across from Resolve, the local anti-abortion center. Please join us in assuring all Mainers have access to safe, legal, shame-free reproductive health care including abortions and contraceptive care. For more info please contact Elayne Richard  at recordconnection@gmail.com 

First Saturday of Each Month: Somerset Stands Up Rallies 2:30–Margaret Chase Smith Bridge, downtown Skowhegan. Bring your signs, American flags, your voice, your friends, families and neighbors for this peaceful gathering of concerned residents of Somerset County. 

Sunday, January 25th : 1:00 (and every Sunday): Stop the Killing, (ICE, Venezuela, USAID closing, ACA extensions dropped, etc.)

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It’s a piece of cake to email or call with these links!

The names of our senators and representatives listed below are links that go right to their official congressional contact form pages. The telephone numbers are links that should open your phone app to call that number. It’s that easy!

Senator Angus King             
DC: (202) 224-5344
Augusta: (207) 622-8292 

Senator Susan Collins         
DC: (202) 224-2523 
Augusta: (207) 622-8414
Bangor: (207) 945-0417

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree      
DC: (202) 225-6116
Portland: (207) 774-5019  
Waterville: (207) 873-5713  

Congressman Jared Golden         
DC: (202) 225-6306 
Bangor: (207) 249-7400
Caribou: (207) 492-6009 
Lewiston: (207) 241-6767

Find your State Representative: 
By name: Here
By district: Here

Find your State Senator:
By name: Here
By district: Here

Our government in Augusta:

Governor Janet Mills
Email Governor Mills
Call (207) 287-3531

Secretary of State Shenna Bellows
Contact Secretary Bellows
Call (207)626-8400

Attorney General Aaron M. Frey
Contact Mr. Frey
Call (207) 626-8800

Questions or comments? Contact George!

Good Morning Folks, what a week.  Two wins – Susan Collins voted for the War Powers Resolution as one of three Republican Senators to do so. Thank you for your calls to her, and a Federal Judge allowed California to redistrict to offset Texas pro Republican redistricting. Ps. As our list of action grows, Gmail may shorten the email. You can ask it to include the whole email, but check to make sure it is not doing this.

Top Action to Take Today: 

Call or email Janet Mills and thank her for her strong statement to the Feds yesterday. Ask her to submit legislation to this session that requires Federal agents to have masks off and name badges when they are in Maine.

Call or email Senator King to filibuster more funding for ICE in the upcoming appropriations bill. Appropriations bills need 60 votes to overrule a filibuster.

Activate Maine has an ICE toolkit including links to sign up for ICE verifier and de escalation trainings.

The Maine ACLU has a page on preparation for ICE invasion: go here.
Finally, Consider volunteering and/or donating to one of the worthy immigrant support organizations listed below: 

 Capital Area New Mainers Project, Mainers for Humane Immigration, Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, (all Maine based), and the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, go here to donate to the Capital Area New Mainers Project. 

More Actions Today if You Have the Bandwidth

ICE Masks Off. Let’s support legislation to this effect in Maine. Talk with your local rep or senator about this. It will require some finagling to get this into this emergency session, but it surely qualifies as an emergency! Action #1 above asks Gov. Mills to put this bill in, which she can do regardless.

If you have a story about how the ACA tax extension health care cuts will affect you directly or someone you know please contact Esther at the MPA. Personal stories matter!

Call Collins and King and ask them to support the ACA tax extension bill coming from the House with no amendments. This bill has stalled in the Senate because Republicans want to add an abortion amendment.  For more information on the ACA go here. For a full toolkit on how to support action on this go here.

Call or write King, Collins, Golden or Pingree and ask them to speak out about the  deployment of violent ICE agents to American cities and states. They are terrorizing our people, and not in any way making our country safer. Demand a full investigation of ICE killings, refuse to pass appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security which funds ICE, and call for the Impeachment of Kristi (Cowboy Hat) Noem.  For more information and a script for your call go to 5calls.org.

Force the release of all the Epstein Files. Call or email Pingree or Golden and ask them to support the inherent contempt charges against Attorney General Pam Bondi which House Members  Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Ro Khanna (D-CA) are threatening to draft.  If passed, inherent contempt charges would allow the House to bypass the courts and force Bondi to either release the files or face personal consequences such as imprisonment. (Go to 5calls.org for more on this action)Boycott: Being a consumer is one of the greatest powers we have as members of a capitalist economy. There are numerous boycotts going on, some of which we have listed below –  pressure on companies can work – as noted above Spotify is not running ICE recruitment ads, and Avelo is not running deportation flights.  For a complete list of ICE related boycotts go to Icelist.

Help Protect Trans Youth:Transequality reports that 58 transgender persons have been either murdered or died by suicide since the regime rolled out its cruel rhetoric and anti-trans policies. “Trump is now beginning the process of banning gender-affirming care for transgender youth through a rulemaking process, thus sidestepping Congress and the legislative process entirely. 

The proposed rule, RIN 0938-AV87, would bar any hospital system that participates in Medicaid or Medicare from offering gender-affirming care to transgender youth, regardless of whether that care is paid for with federal funds or privately. The rule must first go through a 60-day public comment period, which ends no later than 5pm on February 17th 2026. During a comment period, rules can be challenged, delayed, and fought, but only if people show up and refuse to let it move forward quietly.  You can leave a public comment here. Note that public comments really are public, so if you have a reason to protect your anonymity, do it.” (Thank you to Shelley for this action)

Support the right of our troops to disobey illegal orders:   Defiance.org, in partnership with WhistleblowerAid.org, has launched Phase One of what it planned to be an ongoing effort to help members of our military obey lawful orders, recognize manifestly illegal ones, and know where to turn to understand the difference.  This campaign includes:

 Geo-targeted public service announcements, online and via social media; Billboards near key U.S. military installations ; Information about confidential, independent support available through Whistleblower Aid.

Mutual Aid

ActivateMaine has created a site, SNAP Into Action: “a statewide effort to help those who are affected by the freezing of benefits due to the Government shut down.”  Even though the Government is “open” now, hunger issues continue for people around the country.

Heating Assistance:  If you have friends, neighbors, or need support for Heating Assistance, Li Heap funds have been authorized for Maine, Click here to learn more about applying for LIHEAP assistance. Collins and King were  involved in pushing that this money get released after the Government shutdown.

Insurance Crisis:  If the ACA tax cuts do not go through, tens of thousands of us will have to choose between health care premiums and food or rent.  If you have a personal story along these lines please contact Esther at the Maine People’s Alliance who is collecting personal testimony to support the passage of the ACA tax cuts. Call King and Collins to support the House bill just passed on the ACA tax extensions.

Arts and Politics!

If you live near Skowhegan check out Kevin James Studios at 127 Water Street for a whole gallery of resistance art!  (Let me know if you know of other art galleries showing political art and I will list them here.)

GOT MORE TIME? HERE ARE SOME MORE ACTIONS  (just pick one!)

• Join the Maine People’s Alliance in bringing your story to our Congresspeople: Are your insurance rates going up? Did you lose SNAP benefits – the MPA wants to hear your story and use it to fight for Mainers in the ongoing shutdown budget battle. Fill out this form and tell your story here. 
• Consider volunteering and/or donating to one of the worthy immigrant support organizations listed below:  Capital Area New Mainers Project, Mainers for Humane Immigration, Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, (all Maine based), and the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, go here to donate to the Capital Area New Mainers Project.

Statewide Actions

• Consider joining folks demonstrating in Auburn in solidarity against the upcoming ICE incursion: 12 – 1, Court Street, Longley Bridge.
• Consider joining the National Walk Out on January 20th, at 2 pm. There is one in Augusta and one in Northeast Harbor for the 20th. You can create your own! See more info. in the attached action document from Abbie Mcmillen.
• More ICE resistance: Check in with organizations in Lewiston and Portland to see how you can help. Activate Maine has an ICE toolkit including links to sign up for ICE verifier and de escalation trainings. Get trained to field, verify, and document potential community ICE sightings and provide trusted, reliable information on ICE activity to immigrant communities.  Here is the number for the ICE Watch hotline in Maine: 207 544 998
• Support the Plug-In Solar Bill LD 1730  (An Act to Make Small, Portable, Plug-in Solar Generation Devices) Hearing was  January 6, 2026,  Energy, Utilities & Technology  Public Hearing:  Here is a list of talking points and more info.
• Oppose Huge Energy Sucking AI Data Centers in Maine. Lewiston denied an AI Center this past Wednesday, (Thanks to Azalea for this information!)
• Ask your local Maine Representative and Senator to support LD 1383 “An Act to Require State Divestment from Perpetrators of International Human Rights Violations.” This bill prohibits Maine from investing its funds from any companies, entities, persons or financial institutions that are “associated with” a “perpetrator state”. For more details see the attachment below. The Maine Coalition for Peace and Human Rightsis responsible for this campaign, see their  one page toolkit  here, and write a letter to your state legislative representatives.
• Home Depot Actions: Sign the petition that is demanding that Home Depot stop complying with ICE, personalize this letter to Home Depot corporate headquarters making the same demand, for more actions such as going to your local Home Depot and delivering a letter to the manager go to Ice Out of Home Depot. 
• Mid Maine Indivisible has a great weekly newsletter – To sign up: go here. Indivisible Bangor has a great daily newsletter and actions go here to sign up. If you are in the Mid Coast area consider joining Audacity – learn more here. The Bold Coast Civic Alliance has a newsletter as well as the Hancock County Democrat.   Cumberland County Indivisible newsletter go here.  Greater Portland Indivisible, go here. We are developing a great ecosystem for resistance communications in Maine.

Find Your State Senator: By name:

Here , By district: Here

Find your State Representative: By name: Here , By District:Here

New:

For Maine State Legislative Calendar day by day go  here

For links to US Legislative Calendars go here

Check complete bill listing  here.                                                     
Find the text of any bill here                                                                                      

Instructions for testifying are here 

LOCAL ACTIONS: 200 people on the bridge this past Sunday in Waterville for ICE OUT for Good!

 Join Mid Maine Indivisible(Kennebec and Somerset Counties) Please join us if you are in the Mid Maine area.  To sign up: go here. 

Indivisible MidMaine is sponsoring an MLK day event that has limited seating – Indivisible Mid Maine Remembers and Honors Dr. King – Monday January 19th, 1-4 at the Playhouse at Waterville Station (the old RailRoad Square building). The event will include the viewing of a documentary, discussion, and the opportunity to donate winter clothing for folks who need it. To sign up go here, remember, space is limited! Join us and help build the Mid Maine community of resisters.

Later that day Waterville’s One Million Rising Group will be meeting to support one another in our activism – whatever form that takes.  If you want to join us please email Emanuel or Jeanine.

There is a community member who is looking to provide home cleaning services in the Waterville area for $25 an hour. Send an email with subject “Cleaning” to get in contact for scheduling! You would be providing income for a local mother with an infant son to care for.   

Are you interested in helping New Mainers learn/improve their English?  To sign up for English tutoring or any of our other volunteer opportunities, please visit: Capital Area New Mainers Project (CANMP) to fill out a volunteer interest survey. An English Learning option at the Waterville library at 1:00 on Mondays is also an option for volunteers. Contact CANMP for the details. You can also Donate to the Capitol Area New Mainers Project’s rapid response fund. CANMP is actively helping those affected by ICE abductions, both with legal funding and other financial support for family members.

The Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition and partners have organized an ICE watch Hotline  in Maine. They need volunteer hotline operators to answer phones from Mainers concerned about ICE sitings. They are looking for folks fluent in one or more of the following: Spanish, French and Portugese. 207-544-9989First Saturday of Each Month: Somerset Stands Up Rallies 2:30–Margaret Chase Smith Bridge, downtown Skowhegan. Bring your signs, American flags, your voice, your friends, families and neighbors for this peaceful gathering of concerned residents of Somerset County. 
Sunday, January 18th : 1:00 (and every Sunday): Stop the Killing, (ICE, Venezuela, USAID closing, ACA extensions dropped, etc.)
Tuesday, January 20th: 12:00-1:00 (and every Tuesday) Old Location at Tesla Charging Stations at Elm Plaza, Waterville  Stand with us to remind the traffic that we need to WAKE UP and start resisting the authoritarian take over of our Government. We have been at this location since Tuesday, Feb. 4th? 2025! 

Wednesday, January 21st: (and every Wednesday) 12:00-1:00 Waterville,  Corner of Main and Chaplin St. Grandmothers for Reproductive Rights, GRR! demonstrates every Wednesday across from Resolve, the local anti-abortion center. Please join us in assuring all Mainers have access to safe, legal, shame-free reproductive health care including abortions and contraceptive care. For more info please contact Elayne Richard  at recordconnection@gmail.com Resist the Regime, Impeach the Imposters, Thursday, January 15th:  Fairfield Benton Bridge 3-4 pm:

Thursday, January 22nd:  Fairfield Benton Bridge 3-4 pm: Resist the Regime, Impeach the Imposters, Stop the War on Venezuela, ICE OUT for GOOD SOLIDARITY

*If you are involved in any actions relating to ICE, discipline is incredibly important. No screaming, heckling, baiting the agents – they are ill-trained, often poorly educated, and have guns. Maintain non-violent composure and don’t give them the violence they are looking for.

Read Joyce Vance’s post “Don’t Take the Bait” on this.

*Consider supporting Graham Platner. He is an electrifying speaker, with good positions on the important issues. Volunteer here. Go to Mobilize to find the events you can take part in this week.

However, Mills is a good alternative to support if she wins the primary in June. We must oust Collins!
*If you would like to join Maine People’s Alliance Federal Lobby Group, please contact Jim Parakilas at jamesparakilas@gmail.com. We meet Mondays at 2 pm on Zoom. 

With great appreciation for all the engagement everywhere!  As always, throw a little sand in their gears! 

~~Emanuel

In the time of Trump, “Don’t take the bait” is a rule that’s almost as important as “Do not obey in advance.”  Joyce Vance

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It’s a piece of cake to email or call with these links!

The names of our senators and representatives listed below are links that go right to their official congressional contact form pages. The telephone numbers are links that should open your phone app to call that number. It’s that easy!

Senator Angus King             
DC: (202) 224-5344
Augusta: (207) 622-8292 

Senator Susan Collins         
DC: (202) 224-2523 
Augusta: (207) 622-8414
Bangor: (207) 945-0417

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree      
DC: (202) 225-6116
Portland: (207) 774-5019  
Waterville: (207) 873-5713  

Congressman Jared Golden         
DC: (202) 225-6306 
Bangor: (207) 249-7400
Caribou: (207) 492-6009 
Lewiston: (207) 241-6767

Find your State Representative: 
By name: Here
By district: Here

Find your State Senator:
By name: Here
By district: Here

Our government in Augusta:

Governor Janet Mills
Email Governor Mills
Call (207) 287-3531

Secretary of State Shenna Bellows
Contact Secretary Bellows
Call (207)626-8400

Attorney General Aaron M. Frey
Contact Mr. Frey
Call (207) 626-8800

Questions or comments? Contact George!

Good morning! Donald Trump’s ICE agents appear to be on their way to Maine. They have not given any details, not even to our governor, Janet Mills, but the thinking is that they will be targeting Portland and Lewiston. We have information in this newsletter, including Governor Mills’ statement. ~~George

Following this newsletter is today’s Emanuel’s Daily Action Email from Augusta – the daily action along with a link to his great list of important actions and information. Today’s call to action has more requests about ICE here in Maine.

Two new actions from Hancock County Democrats: Action 195 – EXIT the big tent of hate (1/12), that lists various things we can do to counter the big tent of hate that is the current Republican party, and Action 196 – ICE is coming (1/14), that discusses that ICE is expected in Portland, Maine, very soon and what we can do about it. 

Please be sure to check out Action 196 Addendum, too, for more information on ICE here in Maine.

As for ICE here in our state of Maine, the ACLU of Maine has a page addressing this here: Preparing for and Responding to Immigration Enforcement Activity in Maine.

Also, a new actions from the Bold Coast Civic Alliance, Bold Coast Civic Alliance (1/12), discussing several items of action, including opposing Trump’s fuel economy rollbacks, supporting efforts to impeach Kristi Noem, and demanding the immediate cessation of ICE raids in American cities. More BCCA actions here.

A lot of research goes into these additional actions, so be sure to read them!

And THANK YOU to supporters who have been donating to our ActBlue fund! Planning events and maintaining the website and email list take money, so these donations are appreciated!

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Current News:

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Weekly vigils are happening here in the Bangor area!

*****

Tuesdays
Weekly Vigil at the Federal Building in Bangor – 11:00 am

(This Tuesday Protest celebrated one year and was mentioned in Robert Hubble’s Substack yesterday, 1/7/2026!)

*****
Wednesdays
Weekly Orono Vigil in the town center,
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm.  
*****
TODAY!
NEW WEEKLY THURSDAY VIGIL!
At the Federal Building in Bangor
3:00 p.m.

Based on the success of last week’s protest, this is now happening every Thursday to keep Trump’s lawlessness and outrages before the public.
*****
Fridays
Bangor Visibility Brigade

The week finishes with two highway overpass actions! There is the Visibility Brigade on the Essex Street I-95 overpass at the new time of 3:00 p.m. Learn more here. Tell them you read about it here!

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Governor Mills’ Statement on Potential Federal Law Enforcement Operations in Maine

Governor Mills issued a statement yesterday concerning ICE activity here in Maine.

Click here to see her statement on Vimeo.

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Upcoming Events:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TONIGHT!
ICE Out of Maine:
Organizing Call

On Thursday, January 15th at 5:30 PM, No ICE for ME will hold an organizing call to discuss what support is needed for immigrant communities, current conditions with ICE, and strategies and tactics to move forward with our goal to remove ICE from our state. In light of the latest escalations by ICE, this initial call will focus on aligning our efforts, sharing information about ongoing campaigns, and identifying concrete ways to move together toward large-scale mobilization.

Participants will hear brief reports on current work and upcoming actions, including efforts related to ICE Watch, the Solidarity Fund, and the Cumberland County Commissioners, before transitioning to a broader discussion about coalition-building across the state.

Date: Thursday, January 15 – TONIGHT
Time: 5:30-7:00 PM

An agenda and additional meeting details will be shared soon. We hope you’ll mark your calendar and plan to participate.

In solidarity, No ICE for ME

Start: Thursday, January 15, 2026 at 5:30 PM EST

End: Thursday, January 15, 2026 at 7:00 PM EST

Event Type: Virtual
A virtual link will be communicated before the event.

Host Contact Info:  noiceforme@proton.me
No ICE for ME is a grassroots organization working to end ICE activity in Maine.

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Candlelight Vigil for
MSNA Nurses 
Tomorrow January 16th
3:00 pm -5:30 pm 
at Cascade Park

Come out and show your support for our nurses, who have been in tough negotiations with Northern Light (EMMC). Help show Northern Light EMMC that our nurses’ needs are important, as are our patients and we’re ready to stand with MSNA as they fight for what’s right.

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Team Dunlap Weekend of Action!
This Weekend, 1/17 & 1/18

Help Matt Dunlap get on the ballot this weekend. Come on down to Dunlap headquarters to sign the petition or to help gather signatures!

Saturday, January 17
Sunday, January 18

Both days have these two shifts:
9:00 am-12:00 pm
1:30 pm – 4:30 pm

Head over to HQ at 275 Main Street in Old Town.

Here We Go Map Here!

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Join a Community Conversation with Maine Legislators
Saturday, January 17, 2026

Join Eastern Area Agency on Aging for Supporting Older Mainers: A Legislative Conversation, an engaging and interactive event designed for agency participants, older adults, caregivers, volunteers, staff, and local legislators. This community-centered conversation provides legislators an opportunity to hear directly from those with lived experience and from the staff and volunteers who support them, and to learn more about the needs of older Mainers and caregivers in our region. Legislators will share their priorities and connect one-on-one with constituents in a respectful, focused setting centered on aging-related issues.

The event will feature informal networking, guided tours of the Durgin Center, interactive program demonstrations, remarks from legislators and AARP Maine, and time to enjoy a complimentary lunch together while continuing the conversation.

Event Details

Saturday, January 17

11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

EAAA’s Durgin Center, 274 State Street, Brewer

Registration is required (Registration Closes this Friday, Jan. 9)

Please reserve your spot by visiting: EAAA.org/legislativeconversation

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Faith Linking in Action’s
2026 Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration
Sunday, January 18, 2026

Faith Linking in Action will host a Martin Luther King Day gathering featuring singer/educator Reggie Harris and artist Bob Shetterly on Sunday afternoon, January 18. 

Join them at the First United Methodist Church in Bangor at 3:00 p.m. Contact Faith Linking in Action for more information!

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2026 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast
Monday, January 19, 2026

The Greater Bangor Area Branch NAACP is hosting our annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast at a new location, Jeff’s Catering & Event Center in Brewer, ME on 01/19/2026.  

This year’s keynote speaker is Darmita Wilson, Northern Light Health Vice President of Medical Education and Research.  

Join us for good food and inspiring speeches.  Individual, business, and organizational sponsorships gratefully accepted!

Please visit https://www.bangornaacp.org/dr-martin-luther-king-jr-breakfast for more information and tickets! Thank you!

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Come See the New Dunlap for Congress Office!
Friday, 1/23/26

“Join us for the opening of our campaign office! Come meet Matt Dunlap, connect with fellow volunteers and supporters, and help us kick off the campaign by signing petitions and getting involved. We’ll share campaign updates, talk about how you can help, and start building momentum together. Hope to see you there!”

Register here on the Mobilize site.

Date: Friday, January 23, 2026

Event begins: 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm; 

Location: Matt Dunlap For Congress Offices 
275 Main Street, ME 04468
Between Center Street and Middle Street
Here We Go Map

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Jordan Wood in Orono! Town Hall at the Orono Public Library!
Thursday, 1/29/26

About this event

Orono! Democratic House Candidate Jordan Wood is coming to meet you. We’ll be at the Orono Public Library. Come out to meet Jordan, learn why he’s the strongest candidate to defeat Paul LePage, and hear about what his plans as your next Congressman: sweeping campaign finance reform, passing the Ultra-Millionaire Wealth Tax, enacting universal childcare and addressing the affordability crisis head on.

Bring your friends and family!

Register here on the Mobilize site.

Date: Thursday, January 29, 2026

Event begins: 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm; 
Doors Open: 5:15 pm

Location: Orono Public Library 
39 Pine St Orono, ME 04473
Here We Go Map

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Food AND Medicine
Annual Meeting 
Saturday, January 31 
9:00 am – 1:00 pm
with lunch at noon (lots of fun!)

FAM’s 2026 Annual Meeting, in person is best, but you can also Zoom if needed; the Zoom link will be shared prior to the meeting to those who register for the Zoom. RSVP is required to attend. FAM members will have an opportunity to elect new board members and vote on proposed bylaws changes. 

FAM membership is NOT required to attend, so if you aren’t a member but want to get to know us better, come to the meeting. We love to meet new people!

The program will start promptly at 9am, and we’ll have lunch together at Noon. 

Location: The Food AND Medicine Solidarity Center in Brewer
20 Ivers Street
Brewer, ME 04412

Here We Go Map Here.

RSVP Here!

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Other News:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As mentioned in the BCCA Special Edition action, Indivisible has a toolkit to help us relay the message to Stop Trump’s War in Venezuela:

“The Trump administration is dragging us into war with Venezuela. On the night of January 2, they launched an attack that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Maduro. 

“Now Trump has declared that the US will “run” Venezuela and control oil production until a transition of power can take place. He is disregarding national sovereignty and forcing a regime-change all without authorization from Congress and without citing evidence of a legitimate threat to the United States. 

“And it’s all in service of his own authoritarian ambitions. If he’s not stopped, Trump will continue this power grab, escalating violence in the region and putting US service members and civilians in danger unnecessarily. 

“We need Congress to check this regime’s lawless violence, or there’s no telling where this will end. The Constitution states clearly that war powers belong to Congress—not the White House. 

“Every Member of Congress must do everything in their power to stand up to Trump and prevent war with Venezuela.”

Go to Take Action: Stop Trump’s War in Venezuela to see what you can do.

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How Maine Politicians Reacted to Trump’s Illegal Actions in Venezuela

From the Bangor Daily News article, “How Maine politicians reacted to the capture of Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro,” by Michael Shepherd on January 3, 2026. See it here. You will need a paid account to read it, but here are some important excerpts:

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins

The Republican senator said in a statement that she was personally briefed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, saying Maduro was “a narco-terrorist and international drug trafficker who has been indicted twice in U.S. courts and who should stand trial in this country.”

“Congress should have been informed about the operation earlier and needs to be involved as this situation evolves,” she said.

Gov. Janet Mills

Mills, who is running for the Democratic nomination to face Collins in 2026, said on X that Trump was moving the U.S. “closer to a costly, unnecessary, and unjustified war” in part because he knows Republicans in Congress won’t hold him accountable.

Graham Platner

The progressive military veteran facing Mills in the primary had one of the most aggressive lines against Trump’s move, noting Collins’ vote in the Senate against a war powers resolution on Venezuela. He reacted to a Trump video touting the invasion by saying he watched friends die in Iraq in the wake of similar speeches.

“From Iraq to Venezuela, you can count on Susan Collins to enable illegal foreign wars,” he said on X.

U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree

Trump’s move is “a breathtaking abuse of power,” the Democrat from Maine’s 1st District said in a statement. While she called Maduro “a ruthless dictator,” she said Trump does not have the power to pursue regime change without congressional approval.

“This reckless move risks destabilizing an already fragile region, puts millions of civilians at risk, and further isolates us from our friends and allies,” she said.

State Auditor Matt Dunlap

The Democratic candidate for the 2nd District called Trump’s move “absolutely reckless” in a statement.

“In a functioning democracy, this kind of reckless, unilateral action would be condemned across party lines,” he said. “Instead, one party is bending over backwards to justify it.”

Jordan Wood

Wood, a former Democratic political operative who ran for the U.S. Senate before switching into the 2nd District race, said on social media that “no president can unilaterally take us to war.”

“Yes, Maduro is a lawless dictator, but that does not give Trump permission to invade,” he said.

~~~~

Also, from Senator Angus King:

His podcast conversation with Senator Jon Tester on Saturday

Saturday’s statement

His interview with CNN News Central this morning

Please call your representatives in Washington. Go to Take Action: Stop Trump’s War in Venezuela to see what you can do.

---

CBS News and the 
60 Minutes CECOT Story

In case you missed it, we want to share with you the CBS 60 Minutes story that was to have aired on December 21st, 2025. The Trump-friendly CBS News editor-in-chief axed this story that was about the administration sending Venezuelans to the maximum security prison in El Salvador. It was not broadcast in our country, but was available in Canada and was available on the Internet Archives site here, but has since been removed from that specific location. It is still available here, also on the Internet Archives.

Please see issue no. 5 in the BCCA action (12/29) for more details on the state of CBS News and their collaboration with the Trump administration.  This Wikipedia article also has good information, including background discussing the Paramount-Skydance merger.

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Join Indivisible Bangor!

Do you want to become more involved? Would you like to help with the website and communications? How about helping to organize events, such as rallies and visibilty actions or be a peacekeeper? Or do you just want to keep up with what we’re doing?  Sign up to volunteer with Indivisible Bangor! Your level of involvement is up to you!

Weekly member meetings are on Zoom with in-person meetings on the first Wednesday of the month. Please click the link below to sign up and we’ll help you with the process of becoming a member of Indivisible Bangor!

New members, and current members, too, are invited to join one of our monthly Zoom informational meetings, which will resume after the holidays!

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Donate to a Food Bank or Pantry

The shutdown is over, but the need is not. There are still cuts to programs that help people with food and other needs.

Please DONATE to a local food pantry- food, personal items, and even cash.  Faith Linking in Action maintains a database of all food pantries and free meals– organized by both location and day of the week– in the Bangor area. Check it out here.

Also, ActivateMaine has created a site, SNAP Into Action: “a statewide effort to help those who are affected by the freezing of benefits due to the Government shut down.” If you know of any food drives that are happening, please visit this site to add it to the database!

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The Maine ICE Watch Hotline

The purpose of the hotline is to protect immigrant families by providing accurate, real-time information about ICE and Border Patrol activity and connect Maine families to resources and support services during a time of heightened enforcement and targeting of immigrants and refugees.

Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition ICE Watch Resource Hub.

Read more about it here in this Newscenter Maine article.

(207) 544-9989

Other Ways to Take Action­ (Courtesy of Indivisible Cumberland County: Maine’s ICE Watch Hotline Training: Get trained to field, verify, and document potential community ICE sightings and provide trusted, reliable information on ICE activity to immigrant communities. Action Alert on LD 1917: Contact Governor Mills and tell her to sign into law this bill to protect Maine’s immigrant communities, workforce, public safety, and future!  Donate to the Maine Solidarity Fund: Fund pools resources from across communities into a shared fund we can draw from immediately when urgent needs arise.  NO I.C.E. for Maine: Learn more about this effort to reign in ICE.

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Make Some Calls!

It’s mentioned a few times in these newsletters about calling your representatives in Washington, D.C. It’s one of the most important things we can do and it’s so easy!

Write Some Emails!

If you are more comfortable with sending emails to our Maine congressional delegation in Washington, click the links/buttons. This is a good option if you have lengthy comments or questions.

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We are on Blue Sky, Instagram, and Facebook!

Follow us! Invite your friends! Comment! You’ll be glad you did!

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We have an easy way to donate to Indivisible Bangor. Drop off your returnable bottles and cans to Ohio Street Redemption in Bangor and tell them to put it on the account of Indivisible Bangor. They’ll add the money to our kitty, mail out a regular check, and the money goes to our bank account to help with our expenses! You can find them here!

****Be sure the attendant writes down “Indivisible Bangor” because several donations have not been credited. Thank you!****

And you can donate here, too! Donations help pay for supplies, website, outreach, and to fund the many upcoming actions in Maine.

Thank you for all you do! – George and Indivisible Bangor

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Emanuel’s Daily Call to Action:

Action Thursday January 15th: For the Heart + Get Ready to Support Our Immigrant Population In Light of Upcoming Federal Incursion

Good Morning Folks, the mayors of Lewiston and Portland have issued  announcements regarding the ICE incursion, so it appears to be public now. I have got some new links that I hope work for ICE Verifier Trainings below. Ps. As our list of action grows, Gmail may shorten the email. You can ask it to include the whole email, but check to make sure it is not doing this.

Top Action to Take Today: 

Call or email Janet Mills and ask her to take whatever protective measures she can take in light of the ICE incursion. 

Second, Consider getting trained to be an ICE verifier. There is a training you can sign up for this Saturday January 17th,

Time: Jan 17, 2026 03:00 PM Eastern Time  join here Password: 839338.  Or call by phone  Meeting ID: 881 9721 8089; 1 646 931 3860.You also need the de-escalation training. If you see ICE action call the Hotline at 207 544 9989. 

Activate Maine has an ICE toolkit including links to sign up for ICE verifier and de escalation trainings.

The Maine ACLU has a page on preparation for ICE invasion: go here.
Finally, Consider volunteering and/or donating to one of the worthy immigrant support organizations listed below: 

 Capital Area New Mainers Project, Mainers for Humane Immigration, Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, (all Maine based), and the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, go here to donate to the Capital Area New Mainers Project.

For “More Actions Today if You Have the Bandwidth” from Emanuel’s Daily Call to Action (1/15), click here.

For the full text edition of the dailies from earlier this week, click here for 1/12 and here for 1/13.

With great appreciation for all the engagement everywhere!  

As always, throw a little sand in their gears! 

~~Emanuel

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It’s a piece of cake to email or call with these links!

The names of our senators and representatives listed below are links that go right to their official congressional contact form pages. The telephone numbers are links that should open your phone app to call that number. It’s that easy!

Senator Angus King             
DC: (202) 224-5344
Augusta: (207) 622-8292 

Senator Susan Collins         
DC: (202) 224-2523 
Augusta: (207) 622-8414
Bangor: (207) 945-0417

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree      
DC: (202) 225-6116
Portland: (207) 774-5019  
Waterville: (207) 873-5713  

Congressman Jared Golden         
DC: (202) 225-6306 
Bangor: (207) 249-7400
Caribou: (207) 492-6009 
Lewiston: (207) 241-6767

Find your State Representative: 
By name: Here
By district: Here

Find your State Senator:
By name: Here
By district: Here

Our government in Augusta:

Governor Janet Mills
Email Governor Mills
Call (207) 287-3531

Secretary of State Shenna Bellows
Contact Secretary Bellows
Call (207)626-8400

Attorney General Aaron M. Frey
Contact Mr. Frey
Call (207) 626-8800

Questions or comments? Contact George!

For the Heart   

For Your Heart this fourth week of Winter: What is this moment inviting me to do?

~~Nancy Hathaway  Center for Studying Mindfulness

“For Renee Nicole Good Killed by I.C.E. on January 7, 2026.”

by Amanda Gorman

They say she is no more, 

That there her absence roars, 

Blood-blown like a rose. 

Iced wheels flinched & froze. 

Now, bare riot of candles, 

Dark fury of flowers, 

Pure howling of hymns.  

If for us she arose, 

Somewhere, in the pitched deep of our grief, 

Crouches our power, 

The howl where we begin, 

Straining upon the edge of the crooked crater 

Of the worst of what we’ve been.  

Change is only possible, 

& all the greater, 

When the labour

& bitter anger of our neighbors 

Is moved by the love  

& better angels of our nature.  

What they call death & void, 

We know is breath & voice;  

In the end, gorgeously,  

Endures our enormity.   

You could believe departed to be the dawn 

When the blank night has so long stood. 

But our bright-fled angels will never be fully gone, 

When they forever are so fiercely Good.

More Actions Today if You Have the Bandwidth

ICE Masks Off. Let’s support legislation to this effect in Maine. Talk with your local rep or senator about this. It will require some finagling to get this into this emergency session, but it surely qualifies as an emergency!

If you have a story about how the ACA tax extension health care cuts will affect you directly or someone you know please contact Esther at the MPA. Personal stories matter!

Call Collins and King and ask them to support the ACA tax extension bill coming from the House with no ammendments. The Senate will be voting on the Tax Credit Extension this week. For more information on the ACA go here. For a full toolkit on how to support action on this go here

Call Collins and Thank Her For Voting in Favor of  moving the  War Powers Resolution forward and ask her to vote FOR the Resolution when the Vote is Called:  Indivisible has an action kit on this – for a letter template to send to your Senators and other strategies go here. For a script for calls go here.

Call or write King, Collins, Golden or Pingree and ask them to speak out about the  deployment of violent ICE agents to American cities and states. They are terrorizing our people, and not in any way making our country safer. Demand a full investigation of ICE killings, refuse to pass appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security which funds ICE, and call for the Impeachment of Kristi (Cowboy Hat) Noem.  For more information and a script for your call go to 5calls.org.

Force the release of all the Epstein Files. Call or email Pingree or Golden and ask them to support the inherent contempt charges against Attorney General Pam Bondi which House Members  Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Ro Khanna (D-CA) are threatening to draft.  If passed, inherent contempt charges would allow the House to bypass the courts and force Bondi to either release the files or face personal consequences such as imprisonment. (Go to 5calls.org for more on this action)Boycott: Being a consumer is one of the greatest powers we have as members of a capitalist economy. There are numerous boycotts going on, some of which we have listed below –  pressure on companies can work – as noted above Spotify is not running ICE recruitment ads, and Avelo is not running deportation flights.  For a complete list of ICE related boycotts go to Icelist.

Help Protect Trans Youth:Transequality reports that 58 transgender persons have been either murdered or died by suicide since the regime rolled out its cruel rhetoric and anti-trans policies. “Trump is now beginning the process of banning gender-affirming care for transgender youth through a rulemaking process, thus sidestepping Congress and the legislative process entirely. 

The proposed rule, RIN 0938-AV87, would bar any hospital system that participates in Medicaid or Medicare from offering gender-affirming care to transgender youth, regardless of whether that care is paid for with federal funds or privately. The rule must first go through a 60-day public comment period, which ends no later than 5pm on February 17th 2026. During a comment period, rules can be challenged, delayed, and fought, but only if people show up and refuse to let it move forward quietly.  You can leave a public comment here. Note that public comments really are public, so if you have a reason to protect your anonymity, do it.” (Thank you to Shelley for this action)

Ask our Senators and Congressional Representatives to demand a resignation or begin impeachment proceedings for Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Defense.  For more information on this go here.  The Impeachment bill is  H. Res. 935. They should demand his immediate resignation NOW. Articles of Impeachment are on the way for RFK Jr. as well. (Thanks to Dave for this information.)

Support the right of our troops to disobey illegal orders:   Defiance.org, in partnership with WhistleblowerAid.org, has launched Phase One of what it planned to be an ongoing effort to help members of our military obey lawful orders, recognize manifestly illegal ones, and know where to turn to understand the difference.  This campaign includes:

 Geo-targeted public service announcements, online and via social media; Billboards near key U.S. military installations ; Information about confidential, independent support available through Whistleblower Aid.

Mutual Aid

ActivateMaine has created a site, SNAP Into Action: “a statewide effort to help those who are affected by the freezing of benefits due to the Government shut down.”  Even though the Government is “open” now, hunger issues continue for people around the country.

Heating Assistance:  If you have friends, neighbors, or need support for Heating Assistance, Li Heap funds have been authorized for Maine, Click here to learn more about applying for LIHEAP assistance. Collins and King were  involved in pushing that this money get released after the Government shutdown.

Insurance Crisis:  If the ACA tax cuts do not go through, tens of thousands of us will have to choose between health care premiums and food or rent.  If you have a personal story along these lines please contact Esther at the Maine People’s Alliance who is collecting personal testimony to support the passage of the ACA tax cuts. Call King and Collins to support the House bill just passed on the ACA tax extensions.

Arts and Politics!

If you live near Skowhegan check out Kevin James Studios at 127 Water Street for a whole gallery of resistance art!  (Let me know if you know of other art galleries showing political art and I will list them here.)

GOT MORE TIME? HERE ARE SOME MORE ACTIONS  (just pick one!)

• Join the Maine People’s Alliance in bringing your story to our Congresspeople: Are your insurance rates going up? Did you lose SNAP benefits – the MPA wants to hear your story and use it to fight for Mainers in the ongoing shutdown budget battle. Fill out this form and tell your story here. 
• From Linda:  I testified in support of LD 99 in 2020 and was thrilled that it was passed into law. LD 99 requires MainePERS to divest from all fossil fuel investments. The MainePERS Board was given until December 31, 2025, to comply with this law and has made almost no forward motion. If you would like to sign our petition in support of divesting, it would be appreciated.
• Consider volunteering and/or donating to one of the worthy immigrant support organizations listed below:  Capital Area New Mainers Project, Mainers for Humane Immigration, Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, (all Maine based), and the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, go here to donate to the Capital Area New Mainers Project.

Statewide Actions

• More ICE resistance: Check in with organizations in Lewiston and Portland to see how you can help. Activate Maine has an ICE toolkit including links to sign up for ICE verifier and de escalation trainings. Get trained to field, verify, and document potential community ICE sightings and provide trusted, reliable information on ICE activity to immigrant communities.  Here is the number for the ICE Watch hotline in Maine: 207 544 998
• Support the Plug-In Solar Bill LD 1730  (An Act to Make Small, Portable, Plug-in Solar Generation Devices) Hearing was  January 6, 2026,  Energy, Utilities & Technology  Public Hearing:  Here is a list of talking points and more info.
• Oppose Huge Energy Sucking AI Data Centers in Maine. Lewiston denied an AI Center this past Wednesday, (Thanks to Azalea for this information!)
• Ask your local Maine Representative and Senator to support LD 1383 “An Act to Require State Divestment from Perpetrators of International Human Rights Violations.” This bill prohibits Maine from investing its funds from any companies, entities, persons or financial institutions that are “associated with” a “perpetrator state”. For more details see the attachment below. The Maine Coalition for Peace and Human Rightsis responsible for this campaign, see their  one page toolkit  here, and write a letter to your state legislative representatives.
• Home Depot Actions: Sign the petition that is demanding that Home Depot stop complying with ICE, personalize this letter to Home Depot corporate headquarters making the same demand, for more actions such as going to your local Home Depot and delivering a letter to the manager go to Ice Out of Home Depot. 
• Mid Maine Indivisible has a great weekly newsletter – To sign up: go here. Indivisible Bangor has a great daily newsletter and actions go here to sign up. If you are in the Mid Coast area consider joining Audacity – learn more here. The Bold Coast Civic Alliance has a newsletter as well as the Hancock County Democrat.   Cumberland County Indivisible newsletter go here.  Greater Portland Indivisible, go here. We are developing a great ecosystem for resistance communications in Maine.

Find Your State Senator: By name:

Here , By district: Here

Find your State Representative: By name: Here , By District:Here

New:

For Maine State Legislative Calendar day by day go  here

For links to US Legislative Calendars go here

Check complete bill listing  here.                                                     
Find the text of any bill here                                                                                      

Instructions for testifying are here 

LOCAL ACTIONS: 200 people on the bridge this past Sunday in Waterville for ICE OUT for Good!

 Join Mid Maine Indivisible(Kennebec and Somerset Counties) Please join us if you are in the Mid Maine area.  To sign up: go here. 

Indivisible MidMaine is sponsoring an MLK day event that has limited seating – Indivisible Mid Maine Remembers and Honors Dr. King – Monday January 19th, 1-4 at the Playhouse at Waterville Station (the old RailRoad Square building). The event will include the viewing of a documentary, discussion, and the opportunity to donate winter clothing for folks who need it. To sign up go here, remember, space is limited! Join us and help build the Mid Maine community of resisters.

Later that day Waterville’s One Million Rising Group will be meeting to support one another in our activism – whatever form that takes.  If you want to join us please email Emanuel or Jeanine.

There is a community member who is looking to provide home cleaning services in the Waterville area for $25 an hour. Send an email with subject “Cleaning” to get in contact for scheduling! You would be providing income for a local mother with an infant son to care for.   

Are you interested in helping New Mainers learn/improve their English?  To sign up for English tutoring or any of our other volunteer opportunities, please visit: Capital Area New Mainers Project (CANMP) to fill out a volunteer interest survey. An English Learning option at the Waterville library at 1:00 on Mondays is also an option for volunteers. Contact CANMP for the details. You can also Donate to the Capitol Area New Mainers Project’s rapid response fund. CANMP is actively helping those affected by ICE abductions, both with legal funding and other financial support for family members.

The Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition and partners have organized an ICE watch Hotline  in Maine. They need volunteer hotline operators to answer phones from Mainers concerned about ICE sitings. They are looking for folks fluent in one or more of the following: Spanish, French and Portugese. 207-544-9989

Thursday, January 15th:  Fairfield Benton Bridge 3-4 pm:Resist the Regime, Impeach the Imposters, Stop the War on Venezuela, ICE OUT for GOOD
First Saturday of Each Month: Somerset Stands Up Rallies 2:30–Margaret Chase Smith Bridge, downtown Skowhegan. Bring your signs, American flags, your voice, your friends, families and neighbors for this peaceful gathering of concerned residents of Somerset County. 
Sunday, January 18th : 1:00 (and every Sunday): Stop the Killing, (ICE, Venezuela, USAID closing, ACA extensions dropped, etc.)
Tuesday, January 20th: 12:00-1:00 (and every Tuesday) Old Location at Tesla Charging Stations at Elm Plaza, Waterville  Stand with us to remind the traffic that we need to WAKE UP and start resisting the authoritarian take over of our Government. We have been at this location since Tuesday, Feb. 4th? 2025! 

Wednesday, January 21st: (and every Wednesday) 12:00-1:00 Waterville,  Corner of Main and Chaplin St. Grandmothers for Reproductive Rights, GRR! demonstrates every Wednesday across from Resolve, the local anti-abortion center. Please join us in assuring all Mainers have access to safe, legal, shame-free reproductive health care including abortions and contraceptive care. For more info please contact Elayne Richard  at recordconnection@gmail.com
  SOLIDARITY

*Consider supporting Graham Platner. He is an electrifying speaker, with good positions on the important issues. Volunteer here. Go to Mobilize to find the events you can take part in this week.

However, Mills is a good alternative to support if she wins the primary in June. We must oust Collins!

*If you would like to join Maine People’s Alliance Federal Lobby Group, please contact Jim Parakilas at jamesparakilas@gmail.com. We meet Mondays at 2 pm on Zoom. 

With great appreciation for all the engagement everywhere!  As always, throw a little sand in their gears! Emanuel

“We will not march back to what was, but move to what shall be: a country that is bruised but whole, benevolent but bold, fierce and free.”  Amanda Gorman

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It’s a piece of cake to email or call with these links!

The names of our senators and representatives listed below are links that go right to their official congressional contact form pages. The telephone numbers are links that should open your phone app to call that number. It’s that easy!

Senator Angus King             
DC: (202) 224-5344
Augusta: (207) 622-8292 

Senator Susan Collins         
DC: (202) 224-2523 
Augusta: (207) 622-8414
Bangor: (207) 945-0417

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree      
DC: (202) 225-6116
Portland: (207) 774-5019  
Waterville: (207) 873-5713  

Congressman Jared Golden         
DC: (202) 225-6306 
Bangor: (207) 249-7400
Caribou: (207) 492-6009 
Lewiston: (207) 241-6767

Find your State Representative: 
By name: Here
By district: Here

Find your State Senator:
By name: Here
By district: Here

Our government in Augusta:

Governor Janet Mills
Email Governor Mills
Call (207) 287-3531

Secretary of State Shenna Bellows
Contact Secretary Bellows
Call (207)626-8400

Attorney General Aaron M. Frey
Contact Mr. Frey
Call (207) 626-8800

Questions or comments? Contact George!

Good morning! I am still on the road, but I have some time to catch up on all sorts of items, including new actions and new events. ~~George

Following this newsletter is today’s Emanuel’s Daily Action Email from Augusta – the daily action along with a link to his great list of important actions and information. Today’s call to action is discussion the possibility of an ICE action here in Maine.

Two new actions from Hancock County Democrats: Action 195 – EXIT the big tent of hate (1/12), that lists various things we can do to counter the big tent of hate that is the current Republican party, and Action 196 – ICE is coming (1/14), that discusses that ICE is expected in Portland, Maine, very soon and what we can do about it. More HCD actions here.

As for ICE here in our state of Maine, the ACLU of Maine has a page addressing this here: Preparing for and Responding to Immigration Enforcement Activity in Maine.

Also, a new actions from the Bold Coast Civic Alliance, Bold Coast Civic Alliance (1/12), discussing several items of action, including opposing Trump’s fuel economy rollbacks, supporting efforts to impeach Kristi Noem, and demanding the immediate cessation of ICE raids in American cities. More BCCA actions here.

A lot of research goes into these additional actions, so be sure to read them!

And THANK YOU to supporters who have been donating to our ActBlue fund! Planning events and maintaining the website and email list take money, so these donations are appreciated!

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Current News:

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Weekly vigils are happening here in the Bangor area!

*****

Tuesdays
Weekly Vigil at the Federal Building in Bangor – 11:00 am

(This Tuesday Protest celebrated one year and was mentioned in Robert Hubble’s Substack yesterday, 1/7/2026!)

*****
TODAY!
Wednesdays
Weekly Orono Vigil in the town center,
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm.  
*****

NEW WEEKLY THURSDAY VIGIL!
At the Federal Building in Bangor
3:00 p.m.
*****
Fridays
Bangor Visibility Brigade

The week finishes with two highway overpass actions! There is the Visibility Brigade on the Essex Street I-95 overpass at the new time of 3:00 p.m. Learn more here. Tell them you read about it here!

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ICE Out for Good in Maine – Recap

We had a great turnout of Mainers supporting Renee Nicole Good and calling for the end of ICE and their terrorizing tactics across the country.

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Upcoming Events:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TONIGHT!!!
IN-PERSON Bystander Intervention Training
6:00 pm -7:30 pm

Learn evidence-based approaches to safely intervene, de-escalate, and support targets when you witness hate in our community.

FREE EVENT! REGISTRATION REQUIRED, SPACES LIMITED! Presented by Dr. Jacquelyn Gill, who is certified by Frameshift Consulting.

Light refreshments will be served. If transportation or childcare is a barrier, please contact: FAM@foodandmedicine.org

Tonight, 1/14/26, from 6:00 pm -7:30 pm
Location: The Food AND Medicine Solidarity Center in Brewer
20 Ivers Street
Brewer, ME 04412

Here We Go Map Here.

Sign up here on Eventbrite.

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Candlelight Vigil for
MSNA Nurses 
FRIDAY January 16th
3:00 pm -5:30 pm 
at Cascade Park

Come out and show your support for our nurses, who have been in tough negotiations with Northern Light (EMMC). Help show Northern Light EMMC that our nurses’ needs are important, as are our patients and we’re ready to stand with MSNA as they fight for what’s right.

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Team Dunlap Weekend of Action!
This Weekend, 1/17 & 1/18

Help Matt Dunlap get on the ballot this weekend. Come on down to Dunlap headquarters to sign the petition or to help gather signatures!

Saturday, January 17
Sunday, January 18

Both days have these two shifts:
9:00 am-12:00 pm
1:30 pm – 4:30 pm

Head over to HQ at 275 Main Street in Old Town.

Here We Go Map Here!

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Join a Community Conversation with Maine Legislators
Saturday, January 17, 2026

Join Eastern Area Agency on Aging for Supporting Older Mainers: A Legislative Conversation, an engaging and interactive event designed for agency participants, older adults, caregivers, volunteers, staff, and local legislators. This community-centered conversation provides legislators an opportunity to hear directly from those with lived experience and from the staff and volunteers who support them, and to learn more about the needs of older Mainers and caregivers in our region. Legislators will share their priorities and connect one-on-one with constituents in a respectful, focused setting centered on aging-related issues.

The event will feature informal networking, guided tours of the Durgin Center, interactive program demonstrations, remarks from legislators and AARP Maine, and time to enjoy a complimentary lunch together while continuing the conversation.

Event Details

Saturday, January 17

11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

EAAA’s Durgin Center, 274 State Street, Brewer

Registration is required (Registration Closes this Friday, Jan. 9)

Please reserve your spot by visiting: EAAA.org/legislativeconversation

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Faith Linking in Action’s
2026 Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration
Sunday, January 18, 2026

Faith Linking in Action will host a Martin Luther King Day gathering featuring singer/educator Reggie Harris and artist Bob Shetterly on Sunday afternoon, January 18. 

Join them at the First United Methodist Church in Bangor at 3:00 p.m. Contact Faith Linking in Action for more information!

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2026 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast
Monday, January 19, 2026

The Greater Bangor Area Branch NAACP is hosting our annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast at a new location, Jeff’s Catering & Event Center in Brewer, ME on 01/19/2026.  

This year’s keynote speaker is Darmita Wilson, Northern Light Health Vice President of Medical Education and Research.  

Join us for good food and inspiring speeches.  Individual, business, and organizational sponsorships gratefully accepted!

Please visit https://www.bangornaacp.org/dr-martin-luther-king-jr-breakfast for more information and tickets! Thank you!

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Come See the New Dunlap for Congress Office!
Friday, 1/23/26

“Join us for the opening of our campaign office! Come meet Matt Dunlap, connect with fellow volunteers and supporters, and help us kick off the campaign by signing petitions and getting involved. We’ll share campaign updates, talk about how you can help, and start building momentum together. Hope to see you there!”

Register here on the Mobilize site.

Date: Friday, January 23, 2026

Event begins: 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm; 

Location: Matt Dunlap For Congress Offices 
275 Main Street, ME 04468
Between Center Street and Middle Street
Here We Go Map

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Jordan Wood in Orono! Town Hall at the Orono Public Library!
Thursday, 1/29/26

About this event

Orono! Democratic House Candidate Jordan Wood is coming to meet you. We’ll be at the Orono Public Library. Come out to meet Jordan, learn why he’s the strongest candidate to defeat Paul LePage, and hear about what his plans as your next Congressman: sweeping campaign finance reform, passing the Ultra-Millionaire Wealth Tax, enacting universal childcare and addressing the affordability crisis head on.

Bring your friends and family!

Register here on the Mobilize site.

Date: Thursday, January 29, 2026

Event begins: 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm; 
Doors Open: 5:15 pm

Location: Orono Public Library 
39 Pine St Orono, ME 04473
Here We Go Map

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Food AND Medicine
Annual Meeting 
Saturday, January 31 
9:00 am – 1:00 pm
with lunch at noon (lots of fun!)

FAM’s 2026 Annual Meeting, in person is best, but you can also Zoom if needed; the Zoom link will be shared prior to the meeting to those who register for the Zoom. RSVP is required to attend. FAM members will have an opportunity to elect new board members and vote on proposed bylaws changes. 

FAM membership is NOT required to attend, so if you aren’t a member but want to get to know us better, come to the meeting. We love to meet new people!

The program will start promptly at 9am, and we’ll have lunch together at Noon. 

Location: The Food AND Medicine Solidarity Center in Brewer
20 Ivers Street
Brewer, ME 04412

Here We Go Map Here.

RSVP Here!

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Other News:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As mentioned in the BCCA Special Edition action, Indivisible has a toolkit to help us relay the message to Stop Trump’s War in Venezuela:

“The Trump administration is dragging us into war with Venezuela. On the night of January 2, they launched an attack that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Maduro. 

“Now Trump has declared that the US will “run” Venezuela and control oil production until a transition of power can take place. He is disregarding national sovereignty and forcing a regime-change all without authorization from Congress and without citing evidence of a legitimate threat to the United States. 

“And it’s all in service of his own authoritarian ambitions. If he’s not stopped, Trump will continue this power grab, escalating violence in the region and putting US service members and civilians in danger unnecessarily. 

“We need Congress to check this regime’s lawless violence, or there’s no telling where this will end. The Constitution states clearly that war powers belong to Congress—not the White House. 

“Every Member of Congress must do everything in their power to stand up to Trump and prevent war with Venezuela.”

Go to Take Action: Stop Trump’s War in Venezuela to see what you can do.

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How Maine Politicians Reacted to Trump’s Illegal Actions in Venezuela

From the Bangor Daily News article, “How Maine politicians reacted to the capture of Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro,” by Michael Shepherd on January 3, 2026. See it here. You will need a paid account to read it, but here are some important excerpts:

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins

The Republican senator said in a statement that she was personally briefed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, saying Maduro was “a narco-terrorist and international drug trafficker who has been indicted twice in U.S. courts and who should stand trial in this country.”

“Congress should have been informed about the operation earlier and needs to be involved as this situation evolves,” she said.

Gov. Janet Mills

Mills, who is running for the Democratic nomination to face Collins in 2026, said on X that Trump was moving the U.S. “closer to a costly, unnecessary, and unjustified war” in part because he knows Republicans in Congress won’t hold him accountable.

Graham Platner

The progressive military veteran facing Mills in the primary had one of the most aggressive lines against Trump’s move, noting Collins’ vote in the Senate against a war powers resolution on Venezuela. He reacted to a Trump video touting the invasion by saying he watched friends die in Iraq in the wake of similar speeches.

“From Iraq to Venezuela, you can count on Susan Collins to enable illegal foreign wars,” he said on X.

U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree

Trump’s move is “a breathtaking abuse of power,” the Democrat from Maine’s 1st District said in a statement. While she called Maduro “a ruthless dictator,” she said Trump does not have the power to pursue regime change without congressional approval.

“This reckless move risks destabilizing an already fragile region, puts millions of civilians at risk, and further isolates us from our friends and allies,” she said.

State Auditor Matt Dunlap

The Democratic candidate for the 2nd District called Trump’s move “absolutely reckless” in a statement.

“In a functioning democracy, this kind of reckless, unilateral action would be condemned across party lines,” he said. “Instead, one party is bending over backwards to justify it.”

Jordan Wood

Wood, a former Democratic political operative who ran for the U.S. Senate before switching into the 2nd District race, said on social media that “no president can unilaterally take us to war.”

“Yes, Maduro is a lawless dictator, but that does not give Trump permission to invade,” he said.

~~~~

Also, from Senator Angus King:

His podcast conversation with Senator Jon Tester on Saturday

Saturday’s statement

His interview with CNN News Central this morning

Please call your representatives in Washington. Go to Take Action: Stop Trump’s War in Venezuela to see what you can do.

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CBS News and the 
60 Minutes CECOT Story

In case you missed it, we want to share with you the CBS 60 Minutes story that was to have aired on December 21st, 2025. The Trump-friendly CBS News editor-in-chief axed this story that was about the administration sending Venezuelans to the maximum security prison in El Salvador. It was not broadcast in our country, but was available in Canada and was available on the Internet Archives site here, but has since been removed from that specific location. It is still available here, also on the Internet Archives.

Please see issue no. 5 in the BCCA action (12/29) for more details on the state of CBS News and their collaboration with the Trump administration.  This Wikipedia article also has good information, including background discussing the Paramount-Skydance merger.

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Join Indivisible Bangor!

Do you want to become more involved? Would you like to help with the website and communications? How about helping to organize events, such as rallies and visibilty actions or be a peacekeeper? Or do you just want to keep up with what we’re doing?  Sign up to volunteer with Indivisible Bangor! Your level of involvement is up to you!

Weekly member meetings are on Zoom with in-person meetings on the first Wednesday of the month. Please click the link below to sign up and we’ll help you with the process of becoming a member of Indivisible Bangor!

New members, and current members, too, are invited to join one of our monthly Zoom informational meetings, which will resume after the holidays!

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Donate to a Food Bank or Pantry

The shutdown is over, but the need is not. There are still cuts to programs that help people with food and other needs.

Please DONATE to a local food pantry- food, personal items, and even cash.  Faith Linking in Action maintains a database of all food pantries and free meals– organized by both location and day of the week– in the Bangor area. Check it out here.

Also, ActivateMaine has created a site, SNAP Into Action: “a statewide effort to help those who are affected by the freezing of benefits due to the Government shut down.” If you know of any food drives that are happening, please visit this site to add it to the database!

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The Maine ICE Watch Hotline

The purpose of the hotline is to protect immigrant families by providing accurate, real-time information about ICE and Border Patrol activity and connect Maine families to resources and support services during a time of heightened enforcement and targeting of immigrants and refugees.

Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition ICE Watch Resource Hub.

Read more about it here in this Newscenter Maine article.

(207) 544-9989

Other Ways to Take Action­ (Courtesy of Indivisible Cumberland County: Maine’s ICE Watch Hotline Training: Get trained to field, verify, and document potential community ICE sightings and provide trusted, reliable information on ICE activity to immigrant communities. Action Alert on LD 1917: Contact Governor Mills and tell her to sign into law this bill to protect Maine’s immigrant communities, workforce, public safety, and future!  Donate to the Maine Solidarity Fund: Fund pools resources from across communities into a shared fund we can draw from immediately when urgent needs arise.  NO I.C.E. for Maine: Learn more about this effort to reign in ICE.

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Make Some Calls!

It’s mentioned a few times in these newsletters about calling your representatives in Washington, D.C. It’s one of the most important things we can do and it’s so easy!

Write Some Emails!

If you are more comfortable with sending emails to our Maine congressional delegation in Washington, click the links/buttons. This is a good option if you have lengthy comments or questions.

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We are on Blue Sky, Instagram, and Facebook!

Follow us! Invite your friends! Comment! You’ll be glad you did!

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We have an easy way to donate to Indivisible Bangor. Drop off your returnable bottles and cans to Ohio Street Redemption in Bangor and tell them to put it on the account of Indivisible Bangor. They’ll add the money to our kitty, mail out a regular check, and the money goes to our bank account to help with our expenses! You can find them here!

****Be sure the attendant writes down “Indivisible Bangor” because several donations have not been credited. Thank you!****

And you can donate here, too! Donations help pay for supplies, website, outreach, and to fund the many upcoming actions in Maine.

Thank you for all you do! – George and Indivisible Bangor

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Emanuel’s Daily Call to Action:

Action Wednesday, January 14th: ICE is Coming to Southern Maine – Get Prepared + Get Engaged

Good Morning Folks, it looks like ICE is coming to Southern Maine within the next 10 -14 days. Targets will likely be immigrant communities in Lewiston and Portland. Think Minneapolis. Ps. As our list of action grows, Gmail may shorten the email. You can ask it to include the whole email, but check to make sure it is not doing this.

Top Action to Take Today: 

Given the likely reality that several hundred ICE and Border Patrol agents will invade Southern Maine soon, there are some things you can do to prepare. First, call Janet Mills and ask her to take whatever protective measures she can take in light of this incursion. Second, Consider volunteering and/or donating to one of the worthy immigrant support organizations listed below: 

 Capital Area New Mainers Project, Mainers for Humane Immigration, Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, (all Maine based), and the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, go here to donate to the Capital Area New Mainers Project. 

If you want to be more involved, take Maine’s ICE Watch Hotline Training: Get trained to field, verify, and document potential community ICE sightings and provide trusted, reliable information on ICE activity to immigrant communities. NO I.C.E. for Maine (noice4me): Learn more about this effort to reign in ICE. Here is the number for the ICE Watch hotline in Maine: 207 544 9989.

Finally check out Joyce Vance’s substack on whether or not States can require ICE and Border Patrol to have Masks Off. Let’s support legislation to this effect in Maine. Talk with your local rep or senator about this. There may be a bill already in the works.

For “More Actions Today if You Have the Bandwidth” from Emanuel’s Daily Call to Action (1/14), click here.

For the full text edition of the past two dailies from Emanuel, click here for 1/12 and here for 1/13.

With great appreciation for all the engagement everywhere!  

As always, throw a little sand in their gears! 

~~Emanuel

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It’s a piece of cake to email or call with these links!

The names of our senators and representatives listed below are links that go right to their official congressional contact form pages. The telephone numbers are links that should open your phone app to call that number. It’s that easy!

Senator Angus King             
DC: (202) 224-5344
Augusta: (207) 622-8292 

Senator Susan Collins         
DC: (202) 224-2523 
Augusta: (207) 622-8414
Bangor: (207) 945-0417

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree      
DC: (202) 225-6116
Portland: (207) 774-5019  
Waterville: (207) 873-5713  

Congressman Jared Golden         
DC: (202) 225-6306 
Bangor: (207) 249-7400
Caribou: (207) 492-6009 
Lewiston: (207) 241-6767

Find your State Representative: 
By name: Here
By district: Here

Find your State Senator:
By name: Here
By district: Here

Our government in Augusta:

Governor Janet Mills
Email Governor Mills
Call (207) 287-3531

Secretary of State Shenna Bellows
Contact Secretary Bellows
Call (207)626-8400

Attorney General Aaron M. Frey
Contact Mr. Frey
Call (207) 626-8800

Questions or comments? Contact George!