WALTHAM, Mass. – It’s that time of year again on the Bentley campus. Dorms are closed, parking lots are empty and almost all of the 3,100 students are on spring break. Then, there’s the women’s basketball team. Coach Barbara Stevens has many rules, but one… Read More
Three area girls were named to the Maine Select 14 Festival hockey team. Sarah Benjamin of Orono, Erin Lemire of Bucksport, and Penobscot’s Jeanna LeClerc were chosen in Lewiston last week. They will play in the Yankee Conference Festival in New Haven, Conn. Read More
WATERVILLE – Colby College women’s ice hockey standout Barbara Gordon had her jersey retired in a postseason ceremony held Wednesday, March 5. The Glendale, Calif., native finished her career as Colby’s all-time points leader with 222 and is only the second player in school history… Read More
It’s unofficially official: Cindy Blodgett of the University of Maine has wrapped up the NCAA Division I scoring title for the second straight season. Blodgett, who capped her junior year with a 34-point performance in Saturday’s 88-79 NCAA Women’s Tournament loss to Louisiana State, poured… Read More
Sugarloaf/USA Monday was as full of old favorites as a national downhill event could be. You would never know this winter season has been a desperate one for the U.S. Ski Team. This season has not been one for fanfare and top finishes for the… Read More
ORONO – The University of Maine baseball team can finally hold its head up after a spring trip. The previous three spring trips, in which the Bears loaded up their schedule with national powers, produced two wins and 56 losses. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define… Read More
When I saw the ball bearings disappear under the fallen autumn leaves, I knew the day’s ride was over. Twenty-five years later I still don’t know what possessed my friend to tear apart his free wheel on a remote dirt road that September day. I suppose this botched… Read More
FORT MYERS, Fla. – On a brilliant Saturday afternoon, a sellout crowd at City of Palms Park watches the Boston Red Sox battle 85-degree heat and the St. Louis Cardinals. Travel 2 1/2 miles down dusty Edison Avenue to the Red Sox minor league complex… Read More
Rather than stick with coverage of the final seconds of Saturday night’s NCAA Tournament West Regional playoff game, Bangor television station WABI (Channel 5) violated one of its own unofficial rules and dropped live coverage of a game in progress in favor of another event. Read More
ALFRED — An East Corinth man accused of attacking a Kezar Falls woman after a night of drinking has been acquitted of rape and attempted murder but found guilty of aggravated assault. Frank Cunningham, 35, remained in jail Tuesday while awaiting sentencing March 28 in… Read More
CARIBOU — The use of seat belts was credited with saving drivers from serious injury Tuesday morning in Caribou when a car ran into the rear of a truck. Stephen Richards, 41, of Caribou was going east on Fort Street when he failed to stop… Read More
ROCKLAND — While NBC’s “Today” show trains its cameras on legendary artist Andrew Wyeth, the Wyeth family is fixing its sights on Lucy Farnsworth’s backyard. “Today” show publicist Erica Proto said a television film crew will arrive today in the Rockland area and visit the… Read More
HEBRON — As a student at Hebron Academy, Robert W. Messer earned mostly A’s and was editor of the school newspaper and yearbook before graduating in 1905. “Das,” as Messer was called, loved the kind of jelly rolls the private school still serves in its… Read More
AUGUSTA — The Maine State Bar Association mobilized Tuesday to oppose a proposal to establish a family division within the state court system. Chief Justice Daniel Wathen, who last month made the plan the centerpiece of his State of the Judiciary address before the Legislature,… Read More
Kindergarten registration for the 1997-98 school year is being held at the following schools: SAD 63, Dedham School Department, and Airline CSD 8: googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i =… Read More
BURLINGTON — This tiny town couldn’t convince the Maine Department of Transportation to provide summer maintenance for a 4-mile section of road. But officials plan to take their case to a higher authority. Today, the Legislature’s Transportation Committee will review a bill, LD 297, An… Read More
BUCKSPORT — She may not be doing backflips just yet, but friends and family are turning cartwheels over an Orrington teen’s recovery. A few weeks before Christmas, high school senior Danielle Blaylock suffered broken ribs and a collapsed lung when her car slid on black… Read More
WASHINGTON — The Senate soundly rejected a proposed constitutional amendment Tuesday that would have let Congress set spending and contribution limits on campaigns for federal office. `What we have before us today is an effort to cut a chunk out of the First Amendment and… Read More
AUGUSTA — The author of aquaculture legislation which would prevent Maine fish from leaving the farm with their heads on says he’s willing to put the controversial bill on hold, but not for long. “I’m encouraged. Not ecstatic, but encouraged,” Rep. Albion Goodwin of Pembroke… Read More
WASHINGTON — State authorities must provide hearings before removing prisoners from some release programs, the Supreme Court ruled today in an Oklahoma case. The unanimous decision said Ernest Eugene Harper was entitled to a hearing because the program he was in “was a kind of… Read More
SHERMAN — There was little voter interest in the annual meeting Monday. Only 107 out of 740 registered voters turned out for municipal elections during the day. Only 47 attended the evening portion of the meeting. “It’s pitiful,” said Town Manager Debra O’Roak, commenting on… Read More
WASHINGTON — The Coast Guard’s top official acknowledged Tuesday that the investigators handling the Portland Harbor oil spill last September committed a big mistake by not performing an alcohol test on the pilot of the ship that crashed. “It appears to be an error; it… Read More
FRENCHVILLE — The town of Frenchville will receive $300,000 from the Community Development Block Grant program for housing renovation this summer. David Potter, the town’s community development director, said the grant will allow the renovation program for 15 to 17 homes, mostly inhabited by senior… Read More
BOSTON — Who was Leonardo da Vinci? Attempts at answering this complex question are the focus of an exclusive U.S. exhibit at the Boston Museum of Science from now until Sept. 1, with an interactive show devoted to one of the most notable figures of the Renaissance. Read More
PORTLAND — Maine’s highest court Tuesday upheld mandatory screening of medical malpractice claims prior to litigation but set new ground rules on how a screening panel’s unanimous findings are presented at trial. The screening process was established 11 years ago to speed up the resolution… Read More
To anyone who has yet to jump into the world of high technology, Hermon High School looks like an impressive collection of video screens, fiber-optic cable and blinking banks of computers. To those familiar with the hardware, however, the school is something more: it is a model for… Read More
The legendary reporter Edward R. Murrow once said the mission of the news media is to hold up an “honest mirror” to reflect events in the world without fear or favor. Murrow also advised that we should judge the news media not only by what… Read More
AUGUSTA — Advocates for the mentally ill and police are at odds over legislation that would require hospitals to notify local police when “potentially violent” mental patients are released. Sen. John Benoit’s proposal was supported by the Maine Chiefs of Police Association, which said it… Read More
Heating oil prices in Maine continued to fall this week, dropping another 1 cent per gallon. It marks the seventh week that prices have declined from what had been a season high of $1.06 in January. This week’s price also is the lowest price for… Read More
FRANKLIN — An article to set aside $25,000 from surplus toward constructing a new fire station is among the decisions voters will make at their annual town meeting this Saturday at the Franklin Community Center. First Selectman Bruce Carter says the present firehouse on Route… Read More
Sepia-toned photographs of people in Victorian clothes are displayed in the Frankfort home of Mark and Sharon Brown. A visitor might assume they are portraits of the Browns’ ancestors, but closer inspection of one photo reveals that the woman pictured is Sharon Brown, dressed in an authentic reproduction… Read More
AUGUSTA — A man charged with stealing hundreds of Christmas gifts collected for needy children has pleaded guilty to burglary. Michael Burton, 30, of Augusta will be sentenced at a later date. Prosecutors say they would like to see him sent to the state prison… Read More
Maine government seems to have learned some important lessons with the failure two years ago of CarTest, the automobile emissions testing program. The King administration now is trying to meet new federal laws through an aggressive common-sense pitch to federal regulators and by finding alternatives to the emissions… Read More
Caribou District Court: Janet P. Ballard, 32, Caribou, operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor, $1,000, 30 days in jail, license suspended for four years. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner… Read More
BROOKS — Knowing a good thing when they have one, for the 30th year in a row voters at Monday’s town meeting elected John Mollison first selectman. Aside from his 30 years in the top seat, Mollison spent two years as third selectman. The venerable… Read More
ALTON — Voters here will consider their municipal budget and the town’s first cemetery ordinance during the annual town meeting. The action begins at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 29, in the municipal building. Town Treasurer Ron Borja said local officials have developed a flat budget… Read More
In the late ’60s, while the Vietnam War raged, the secretary general of the United Nations, U Thant, stated that “If the American people knew the truth about the Vietnam War, they would stop it.” A huge “if” indeed, since the government strenuously withheld the truth from its… Read More
ORONO — If a meeting Tuesday at the University of Maine is any indication, Maine residents generally support the purchase of more public land but disagree on what types of property should be bought. About 50 people attended the second of three public meetings to… Read More
GREENVILLE — Mid-Maine Health Systems of Waterville would be willing to transfer ownership, assets and liabilities of the Charles A. Dean Memorial Hospital and nursing home to another health organization if that was the desire of the community and the hospital’s board of directors. Scott… Read More
AUGUSTA — The parties went their separate ways in the battle of the budget Tuesday, with the Democratic majority batting down amendment after amendment proposed by Republicans and maverick Democrats. In a preliminary vote, the House voted 72-64 along party lines to accept the $3.8… Read More
ABBOT — Abbot residents gave their approval at the annual town meeting Monday to use up to $62,000 to have one-half mile of Route 16 reconstructed. The project will be accomplished in cooperation with the Maine Department of Transportation. The $62,000 will be payable to… Read More
PALMYRA — For two full days in April, traffic on Route 2 in Palmyra will be rerouted and the “old iron bridge” across the Sebasticook River will be closed. The aging truss-style bridge will be moved upstream and reopened. The project is part of construction… Read More
DOVER-FOXCROFT — Police here are investigating a shooting incident in which a Newport man shot a Palmyra man in the buttocks. Lt. Scott Arno said Officer Peter Rancourt received a complaint about 7 p.m. Monday that someone had been shot while sitting in a motor… Read More
DOVER-FOXCROFT — The Foxcroft Academy music department will present a variety show at 7 p.m. April 5 in the FA gymnasium to benefit the music department’s New York trip. Admission is $3 for adults, and $2 for students and senior citizens. A public spaghetti supper… Read More
DOVER-FOXCROFT — A proposal to renovate space in the Superior Court building in an effort to consolidate the District and Superior court operations was presented Tuesday to Piscataquis County commissioners. Robert Miller, regional court administrator, said his plan was to move the District Court operation… Read More
EAST CORINTH — Residents at a packed annual town meeting Tuesday night elected a new fire chief, following the recommendation of the town’s Volunteer Firefighters Association. Scott Bragdon will lead the volunteers after defeating former chief Steve Foster by a 73-59 ballot vote. Bragdon was… Read More
GUILFORD — It didn’t take long for Guilford residents to approve a 31-article warrant at Monday’s annual town meeting. Re-elected to office were Michelle Nichols as town clerk, Keith Doore and Peter Martell as selectmen and Pam Goulette and Melissa Douglass as SAD 4 directors. Read More
ST. ALBANS — Voters in St. Albans will return to town meeting on April Fools’ Day to correct omissions from the annual town meeting warrant of March 1. The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. According to Town Manager Larry Post, the annual budget included… Read More
OLD TOWN — You know the test scores have got to be good when the superintendent makes sure the press gets a copy. This year’s edition of the Maine Educational Assessment Test for eighth-graders showed that test takers from J.A. Leonard Middle School racked up… Read More
Freedom for dogs will be eliminated if LD 698, An Act to Require that Dogs be Kept on Leashes, is enacted. The summary of the bill reads as follows: “Any dog, except when used for hunting, must be tied or kept on a leash at all times, even… Read More
A computer needn’t be a scary thing. That’s the message of “e-maine,” a new program on utilizing computers from Maine Public Television. The 13-part series will air at 7:30 p.m. Saturdays, beginning March 22, and will repeat at 11 a.m. Sundays. googletag.cmd.push(function () { //… Read More
Most of us have seen the bumper sticker that states that “It will be a great day when schools have all the money they need and the Air Force has to hold a bake sale to buy a bomber.” The recent scandal involving a possible $41 billion surplus… Read More
The quid pro quo system of doing business is what politics is all about. No matter how we long for good government, we have the distasteful pure unadulterated partisan politics that results in anything but government for the people and by the people. As odorous as quid pro… Read More
I am a 22-year-old African-American male residing in Bangor. I want to let everyone know I am angry and very frustrated. There are a few things I want to understand and that you, the people of Maine, need to understand. I was wondering if the city of Bangor,… Read More
What in the world were you thinking by putting a picture of a kid with a needle in his tongue on the front page, March 14? I always read the Bangor Daily News while I’m eating my breakfast. This morning I almost lost it. Thre… Read More
Portland to get new phone option> CMP-backed MainCom Services to provide local network to businesses
AUGUSTA — A Central Maine Power Co. subsidiary is teaming up with a Missouri firm to install a $20 million telecommunications network in the Portland area, Gov. Angus King said Tuesday. The new network will target large business customers and offer rates from 10 to… Read More
CARIBOU — The city’s former mayor, Lee Doody, and his wife were injured Tuesday when their snowmobile collided with a car on outer York Street, according to police. Doody, 68, was operating a 1994 Ski-Doo on ITS 83, which crosses York Street. Riding with him… Read More
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Toasting the day with a glass of grape juice may be an especially good start for the heart. A study found that 8 or 10 ounces a day of the purple variety has a potent effect on the blood cells called platelets,… Read More
BANGOR — A warden investigator from Kennebunk who was credited with breaking up a major poaching ring has been named Maine’s warden of the year. Thomas Santaguida, who works out of the Maine Warden Service office in Gray, was honored Tuesday at the agency’s annual… Read More
LINCOLN — Take airplane pulleys, hydraulic disc brakes, spring gas cylinders, the talents of a dozen high school students and the result is a new type of exercise machine and a state championship in the National Engineering Design Challenge. On April 5, five members of… Read More
WASHINGTON — For more than a year, Medicare has promised a better appeals system for elderly patients denied care by their HMOs. Now a federal judge is trying to take the problem out of the government’s hands. In a recent ruling, a federal district judge… Read More
BELMONT — Voters at Monday’s town meeting adopted a land use ordinance by a better than 2-to-1 margin. Administrative Assistant Clyde Wellman said the ordinance was approved by a vote of 37-15. The new ordinance conforms to the requirements of the comprehensive plan the town… Read More
PORTLAND — A Windham, N.H., man who allegedly assaulted and handcuffed a Windham, Maine, woman whom he met over the Internet has been ordered to appear in court April 21. David A. Livingston, 44, was arrested Monday on misdemeanor charges of assault and theft. He… Read More
MONTICELLO — With almost no discussion, residents made quick work of the 52-article town warrant Monday night, taking less than a minute to move, second and vote on just about every item. During municipal elections held earlier in the day, voters returned two incumbent members… Read More
It seems as though every day the taxpayer is bombarded with how much money is spent on incarcerating criminals vs. how little is spent on education. That is like comparing apples and oranges. Lest I be misunderstood, I feel that way too little is spent on education, while… Read More
LINCOLN — Officials suspect a fire that tore through a trailer here Monday could have been caused by a propane torch used to thaw frozen water pipes. State fire marshals who inspected the property Tuesday backed up Lincoln Fire Chief Burt Weed’s suspicions about the… Read More
CAMDEN — The Camden sixth-grader who brought two handguns to school last week could face criminal charges and yearlong expulsion, police and school officials said Tuesday. The 12-year-old boy took two .22-caliber pistols to Mary E. Taylor Middle School last Wednesday. One of the pistols… Read More
LIMESTONE — The loss of federal funds and cuts in state aid for education in Limestone are calling for severe cuts in personnel and programs. Many townspeople are unhappy with the proposed cuts. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes… Read More
PRESQUE ISLE — A 16-year-old Presque Isle boy suspected of stabbing another boy in the chest was released Tuesday into the custody of his parents after a brief District Court appearance. Although officials have not publicly released his name, local residents say the juvenile’s name… Read More
CALAIS — The search for a new president for the Washington County Technical College has been narrowed to four candidates, and one of them is now serving as the school’s interim president. The Maine Technical College System this week released the resumes of the four… Read More
A colorful clown lies sprawled on his side next to the wall, an elephant propped precariously on its nose behind him in the Bangor Civic Center. Real balloons, stacked to the ceiling, are contained by dividers while wooden balloons, on the floor, await fresh coats… Read More
FAIRFIELD — Everything is ducky in Fairfield. About 100 mallards’ worth of ducky. Twice a day, rain or shine — you can almost set your watch by it — a flock of wild ducks parades across Fairfield’s Main Street for pizza. Traffic stops. Everyone smiles. Read More
CUSHING — Voters at town meeting Tuesday refused to take steps toward more complicated municipal management. On Monday at the polls, voters rejected, 61-45, a $20,000 measure to create a town building addition fund. The measure was intended as a prerequisite to establishing a central… Read More