Egg Price-Fixing Fallout: The DOJ and a coalition of states reached major settlements with Cal-Maine Foods, Versova/Centrum and Hickman’s Egg Ranch, alleging they manipulated an egg price benchmark; the deals include $3.3 million in penalties and required donations of 53 million eggs to food banks, with new rules aimed at preventing repeat conduct. Energy Costs in Northern Maine: Three Aroostook-area towns—Madawaska, Frenchville and St. Agatha—are banding together to tackle rising utility bills, exploring options like regional utility coordination to lower rates for residents, especially seniors on fixed incomes. Maine Utility Oversight: U.S. Sen. Angus King urged federal regulators to scrutinize NextEra’s $66.8 billion bid for Dominion Energy, warning the merger could give one firm too much control over electricity markets. Workplace Safety Tragedy: The co-owner of the Robbins lumber mill in Searsmont died from injuries after the May explosion, bringing the death toll to three, including two firefighters. Local Business & Community: Perkins Cove Books launched as Emmett’s mobile bookstore and partnered with a local coalition to run a food drive, pairing literacy outreach with direct help for families. Health Care Spending Snapshot: New data shows Lewiston Medicaid surgery claims rose to $1.62 million in 2024, up 4.7% from 2023.