Maine Culture Beat Picks: Wabanaki Land Returns: A major step in restoring ancestral territory reached the halfway mark, with the Mi’kmaq Nation completing a 3,400-acre acquisition near Bridgewater as part of a broader 50,000-acre effort. Alewife Comeback: Conservation work is paying off in Benton, where alewives return in huge numbers and the annual festival celebrates a remarkable rebound after decades of decline. Trans Sports Ruling Fallout: Massachusetts leaders are reacting sharply to the Supreme Court’s transgender sports decision, with Gov. Healey and AG Andrea Campbell condemning its impact on students. Community Through Water: A photo series, “Water for the People,” captures how hot days turn public water into shared, phone-free joy across Maine and beyond. Berlin’s French-Canadian Roots: In Berlin, language and local speech still carry French-Canadian heritage—“Franglais” included. Arts & Family: Sandglass Theater brings “Oma” (knitting as storytelling) to Rockland’s Safe Harbor Gazebo as part of the Family Sunshine Series. Local Arts Talk: Sam Cady speaks July 13 about Cicely Aikman at Bartlett Woods in Rockland. Education in Flux: Central Maine faces shrinking student populations and school closures, reshaping what communities can sustain.