Patrick Whittle, Author at The Rapid City Post

FILE - This image provided by NOAA shows a North Atlantic right whale in the waters off New England on May 25, 2024. (NOAA via AP, File)

One of the world’s rarest whales that makes the Atlantic its home grows in population

October 21, 2025

Scientists have reported an encouraging trend in the population growth of the North Atlantic right whale. A report released Tuesday by the North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium says the population now stands at an estimated 384, up eight from the previous year. This marks four years of slow growth following a 25% decline from 2010 to 2020. Conservation measures, especially in Canada, have been crucial. Despite ongoing threats to the giant animals, there are signs of recovery, with 11 calves born this year. Experts remain cautiously optimistic about the whale’s future, highlighting the importance of sustained conservation efforts.

Faulty engineering led to implosion of Titan submersible headed to Titanic wreckage, NTSB finds

October 15, 2025

The National Transportation Safety Board says faulty engineering led to the implosion of an experimental submersible that killed five people on the way to the wreck of the Titanic. The NTSB made the statement Wednesday in its final report on the hull failure and implosion of the Titan submersible in June 2023. Everyone on board the submersible died instantly in the North Atlantic when Titan suffered a catastrophic implosion as it descended to the wreck. The NTSB report says the faulty engineering of the Titan did not meet necessary strength and durability requirements.

A gray seal swims, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025, off the coast of Brunswick, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Republicans try to weaken 50-year-old law protecting whales, seals and polar bears

October 11, 2025

One of the U.S.’s longest standing pieces of environmental legislation, credited with helping save rare whales from extinction, is the subject of an effort for cutbacks from Republican lawmakers who now feel they have the political will to do so. The Marine Mammal Protection Act, enacted 1972, protects whales, seals, polar bears and other sea animals, and it places restrictions on commercial fishermen and shippers. The legislation has long been a target of conservatives and industry members who now seek to remove key pieces of it. A GOP-led bill is in the works to do just that. Conservation groups adamantly oppose the changes and say they will erase years of hard won gains for jeopardized species

FILE - Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, speaks at a news conference, Nov. 1, 2022, at the State House, in Augusta, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)

Maine’s moderate US House member will face a Democratic primary challenge during reelection fight

October 6, 2025

Maine’s state auditor and former secretary of state, Matt Dunlap, has announced he will challenge Democratic Rep. Jared Golden in the midterm primary. Golden, a moderate Democrat, represents Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, a politically diverse area that has supported President Donald Trump in recent elections. Dunlap accuses Golden of being too accommodating to Trump and vows to fight more aggressively for the state’s interests. The winner of the primary is expected to face Republican former Maine Gov. Paul LePage in 2026. This district is crucial for Democrats as it could determine control of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Scientists find new bite-resistant wetsuits can reduce shark bite injuries

September 26, 2025

Australian scientists have tested bite-resistant wetsuits by letting sharks bite them at sea. The study shows these suits can help keep swimmers safe. While fatal shark bites are rare, increased shark sightings have people looking for protection. Researchers at Flinders University tested four materials and found they all reduced damage from shark bites. The materials don’t prevent bites but can lessen injuries compared to standard wetsuits. Newer designs offer flexibility for activities like surfing and diving. Experts say these suits are promising for those in shark-prone areas but caution is still needed.

FILE - A woman visits a makeshift memorial outside Sparetime Bowling Alley, the site of a mass shooting, Oct. 28, 2023, in Lewiston, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)

Maine mass shooting survivors refile lawsuit after Pentagon watchdog report cites Army negligence

September 25, 2025

The survivors and family members of victims of the deadliest mass shooting in Maine history have refiled their lawsuit against the U.S. government following a new U.S. Department of Defense watchdog report that faults the U.S. Army for a high rate of failure to report violent threats by service members. Eighteen people were killed in Lewiston on October 2023 when Robert Card opened fire at a bowling alley and a bar and grill. Dozens of survivors and relatives sued the federal government earlier this month on grounds that the Army could have stopped Card, a reservist, from carrying out the shootings. The amended lawsuit was filed Tuesday.

FILE - Attorney General Pam Bondi speaks during a news conference at the Department of Justice headquarters in Washington, Wednesday, April 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)

Maine principals fight DOJ request for student names in transgender athlete case

September 11, 2025

A Maine principals’ group is resisting a U.S. Department of Justice subpoena seeking the names of all students playing interscholastic sports. The DOJ aims to ban transgender athletes from participating. President Donald Trump’s administration sued Maine in April for not complying with an executive order barring transgender athletes. The subpoena’s full scope is sealed, but it includes requests for all athletic rosters. The principals’ association has asked a judge to reject the subpoena, citing concerns about privacy. The federal government argues the information is relevant to the case. Maine and the federal government have clashed over this issue since February.

Invasive, disease-carrying tick found in Maine, the farthest northeast it has been spotted

September 9, 2025

Researchers say they have confirmed the presence of an invasive species of tick in Maine for the first time, marking the farthest northeast in the U.S. where the pest has been discovered. The University of Maine and state conservation officials say Monday they confirmed the presence of the Asian longhorned tick in the state in July. The tick is native to east Asia, where it is capable of spreading tickborne infections such as spotted fever. The tick was first confirmed in the United States in New Jersey in 2017 and it has since spread to more than 20 states, clustering mostly around the eastern third of the country.

FILE - Vanessa Shields-Haas, a nurse practitioner, walks from the lobby toward the examination rooms at the Maine Family Planning healthcare facility, July 15, 2025, in Thomaston, Maine. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Maine clinics denied Medicaid funds during lawsuit after Trump cuts to abortion providers

August 25, 2025

A judge has denied a request from a network of Maine clinics to force the federal government to restore Medicaid funding. Monday’s ruling came as the clinics are opposing efforts by President Donald Trump’s administration to prevent federal funds from reaching abortion providers. Trump’s policy and tax bill blocked Medicaid money from going to Planned Parenthood. It also prevented funding from reaching Maine Family Planning. Planned Parenthood is the country’s largest abortion provider, while Maine Family Planning is a much smaller organization. Maine Family Planning clinics provide family planning and primary care to about 8,000 people in one of New England’s poorest and most rural states. Planned Parenthood is also challenging the funding cut.

Great white sharks are going north. Here’s what the numbers say

August 24, 2025

New data shows that great white sharks are spending more time in the chilly waters off New England and Atlantic Canada. That means boaters, beachgoers and fishermen who spend time in the northern waters are learning to live with the sharks made famous 50 years ago by the movie Jaws. Sightings of the apex predators are up in places like Maine, where they were once very rarely spotted. Scientists link the white shark sightings to increased availability of the seals the sharks feast on, and say beachgoers are generally very safe from shark bites.

FILE - In this undated photo provided by Old Orchard Beach Police Department, Officer Jon Luke Evans receives his police badge. (Old Orchard Beach Police Department via AP, File)

Maine police officer arrested by ICE agrees to voluntarily leave the country

August 18, 2025

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement says a Maine police officer arrested by immigration authorities has agreed to voluntarily leave the country. ICE arrested Old Orchard Beach Police Department reserve Officer Jon Luke Evans, of Jamaica, on July 25, as part of the agency’s nationwide effort to step up enforcement. Officials with the town and police department have said federal authorities previously told them Evans was legally authorized to work in the U.S. An ICE representative reached by telephone told The Associated Press on Monday that a judge has granted voluntary departure for Evans.

Maine clinics hope to get blocked Medicaid funds restored as they sue Trump administration over cuts

August 13, 2025

A network of clinics that provides health care in Maine is expected to ask a judge to restore its Medicaid funding while it fights a Trump administration effort to keep federal money from going to abortion providers. President Donald Trump’s big tax bill blocked Medicaid money from flowing to Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion provider. The same parameters also stopped funding from reaching Maine Family Planning, a much smaller provider that provides care in one of the poorest and most rural states in the Northeast. Maine Family Planning filed a federal lawsuit last month seeking to restore reimbursements.

Great white shark is seen near popular beaches in Maine, sparking a warning from police

August 12, 2025

Reports of a large great white shark near popular beaches in Maine have prompted a warning to beachgoers. The marine resource officer in Scarborough, south of Portland, received a report of a 10- to 12-foot shark on Monday. The shark was seen near Crescent Beach State Park, Higgins Beach, and Pine Point Beach. Commercial clam fisherman David Lancaster captured drone footage of the shark. He described the sight as “magnificent.” Scarborough police said they were sharing the footage Tuesday for public awareness. White sharks are not commonly seen off Maine, but sightings have increased in recent years. Fatal shark bites are exceedingly rare.

The State House is seen in Augusta, Maine on June 9, 2011. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)

Maine can’t enforce foreign election interference law that appeals court calls unconstitutional

August 11, 2025

Maine can’t enforce a voter-approved foreign election interference law that a federal appeals court says likely violates the Constitution by limiting political donations. Voters in the state overwhelmingly approved a referendum that bans foreign governments and companies with 5% or more foreign government ownership from donating to state referendum races. The law has been on hold pending federal lawsuits from utilities companies and media organizations that raise constitutional challenges about it. The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston says it affirms a lower-court ruling that the law likely violates the First Amendment.

Community Service Officers from the Old Orchard Beach Police Dept. patrol on bicycles, Tuesday, July 29, 2025, in Old Orchard Beach, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Maine police chief says officer arrested by ICE is missed by colleagues and was eligible to work

July 30, 2025

Officials in a Maine town where immigration authorities arrested a police officer say the officer was a trusted member of the force who is missed by his colleagues. Old Orchard Beach officials are also expressing frustration with lack of information about the case from the federal government. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Old Orchard Beach Police Department reserve officer Jon Luke Evans, of Jamaica, on July 25. Old Orchard Beach Police Chief Elise Chard said Wednesday that Evans was federally approved to work in the country in May, and that the town and police department haven’t received any information about Evans’ case and his current whereabouts.

ICE says detained Maine police officer overstayed visa. The chief says he cleared a federal check

July 29, 2025

The chief of police in a resort town in Maine has called for an investigation into the arrest by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement of one of its officers. The chief says the officer was federally approved to work in the country in May. ICE on Friday arrested Old Orchard Beach Police Department reserve officer Jon Luke Evans, of Jamaica. The agency says Evans was illegally present in the U.S. and unlawfully attempted to purchase a firearm. ICE says Evans legally entered the U.S. in September 2023 and violated the terms of his admission by overstaying his visa. Old Orchard Beach Police Chief Elise Chard says federal officials authorized Evans to work.

Crawford Pond is seen Wednesday, July 9, 2025, in Union, Maine. Police are investigating the murder of a woman last seen paddleboarding on the pond. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Prosecutors seek to try 17-year-old as an adult in Maine paddleboarder’s death

July 21, 2025

Prosecutors in Maine say they will seek to try a 17-year-old charged with murder in the death of a paddleboarder as an adult. The body of 48-year-old Sunshine “Sunny” Stewart of St. George was found this month on Crawford Pond in Union. Stewart went missing while paddleboarding before her killing, and her death sent shockwaves through the local community. Police charged Deven Young, of Frankfort, Maine, with murder in the death of Stewart last week. The Office of the Maine Attorney General said Monday it will attempt to try Young as an adult.

17-year-old charged with murder in paddleboarder’s killing at a pond in rural Maine

July 18, 2025

Authorities in Maine have charged a 17-year-old with murder in the death of a paddleboarder on a rural pond. Sunshine Stewart was found dead this month on Crawford Pond in Union, a popular summer spot. A medical examiner determined the 48-year-old died from strangulation and blunt force trauma. Police arrested the teen on Wednesday in Union. The state attorney general’s office announced the charge on Friday. Court documents identify the teen as Deven Young of Frankfort, Maine. The investigation remains active, with police seeking witnesses who saw Stewart paddleboarding on July 2. Friends remember Stewart as independent and adventurous.

Police arrest teen in connection with a paddleboarder’s killing in a pond in rural Maine

July 17, 2025

Police in Maine say they have arrested a 17-year-old state resident in connection with the killing of a paddleboarder who went missing on a rural pond. The body of 48-year-old Sunshine Stewart, of Tenants Harbor, was found earlier this month on Crawford Pond in Union, about 80 miles north of Portland. Maine State Police say a teenager was taken into custody without incident in Union on Wednesday night. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in August determined Stewart’s cause of death was strangulation and blunt force trauma.

FILE - State Rep. Laurel Libby, R-Auburn, speaks with a colleague, Feb. 14, 2023, at the State House in Augusta, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)

Maine and a GOP lawmaker who ID’d a transgender athlete online agree lawsuit is now moot

July 7, 2025

Attorneys for the state of Maine and a conservative lawmaker who identified a transgender student athlete online are in agreement that the lawmaker’s lawsuit over her loss of voting rights is now moot. Republican state Rep. Laurel Libby identified the athlete in a viral social media post that brought attention to the issue of transgender teens participating in sports. Maine’s Democratic-controlled House of Representatives censured Libby for violating the House code of ethics and blocked her from speaking and voting on the floor. Libby sued, and the Supreme Court ruled in May that the Maine legislature must count her votes. Lawmakers voted in June to halt the restrictions. Libby says Monday she won’t contest the state’s argument the lawsuit is moot.

The Rev. James Talbot is shown in Suffolk Superior Court Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2005, in Boston. (Matt Stone/The Boston Globe via AP, Pool)

Convicted former Catholic priest exposed by Spotlight investigation dies at 87

May 30, 2025

James Talbot, a former Catholic priest convicted of sexually assaulting boys in Maine and Massachusetts after he was exposed by The Boston Globe, has died. He was 87. Talbot appeared on a list provided by the religious order of northeastern Jesuits who faced credible allegations of sexual abuse of a minor. Jesuits USA East confirmed on Friday that Talbot died on Feb. 28 at a hospice center in St. Louis. Talbot was one of the subjects of an investigation into priest sex abuse by The Globe’s Spotlight team that won a Pulitzer Prize in 2003. The reporting was later adapted into the movie “Spotlight.”

Patrick Whittle.