LINCOLNVILLE, Maine — As the sun beat down Wednesday afternoon on the tiny, rocky beach at the mouth of the Ducktrap River, a few children swam and played under the watchful eyes of their parents and grandparents. The scene appeared idyllic, but according to a report released Wednesday by the Portland-based advocacy group Environment Maine, there's a problem with the state's beaches that can't always be seen by the naked eye.

The state could buy 233 miles of northern Maine freight rail tracks slated for abandonment within several weeks if it and track owner Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway agree on a price, officials said Wednesday.

The Maine Department of Labor is doing away with paper unemployment checks.

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced Tuesday that 18 states and the District of Columbia are the finalists for more than $3 billion available in the second round of funding in the Race to the Top program. Maine, which had requested $75 million in its application, was not among them.

As one voracious non-native fish bears down on the Great Lakes, notorious mussels are spreading across the West. Frustrated state officials say it’s time for the federal government to play a bigger role in stopping the spread of invasive species.

Utah is not the only state where lawmakers are attempting to address illegal immigration — which is traditionally a federal issue handled by Congress.