Of all the signs of spring now being posted on a daily basis, which do you consider to be the most unmistakable? Back along, the most prevalent reply to that question would have been, “Robins.” But owing to the mild winters of recent years, the symbolism of the… Read More
    MADISON, Wis. – It has been almost a year since North Dakota was eliminated from the NCAA hockey tournament but center Jason Blake and his teammates still The three-time Western Collegiate Hockey Association champions are in the West Regional playoffs this weekend, having hoped last year to be… Read More
    While relaxing at home with her family, University of Maine women’s basketball coach Joanne Palombo-McCallie will have a big decision to make this weekend. Palombo-McCallie, who interviewed for the vacant head coaching position at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., Tuesday, said she has not been… Read More
    WORCESTER, Mass. – Their assignment was so simple, it consisted of just two words. Stop Hugo. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i = 0; i < slot_sizes.length; i++) { if… Read More
    DEDHAM – The Penobscot Fly Fishers will hold their monthly dinner on Wednesday, April 7 at the Lucerne Inn, on Rt. 1A in Dedham. Social time begins at 6 p.m. with dinner and speaker Jim Kaiser to follow. Kaiser is the kayak manager for Old… Read More
    AUGUSTA – The Maine Department if Inland Fisheries and Wildlife announced two items of interest Friday for local sportsmen. First, the DIFW reminds sportsmen that the deadline for moose permit applications is Thursday. Mailed permit applications must be postmarked no later than April 1, or… Read More
    Sugarhouses around the state will be open to visitors to mark Maine Maple Sunday. Hours vary, but all events are planned Sunday, March 28. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i… Read More
    AUGUSTA — The Department of Conservation, not lawmakers, should develop a plan to fix management problems on the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, a legislative committee decided Friday. Even though it was clear much of the discussion was about the leadership of waterway manager Tim Caverly, his name was never… Read More
    All I know about Kosovo is what I read in the papers. And the more I read about Kosovo, and the NATO air raids now in their fourth day over Yugoslavia, the less focused the whole picture becomes. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var… Read More
    SACO — Fresh Samantha Inc., the fast-growing company that makes healthful fruit juices with funky cartoon labels, is worried that its not-so-natural sounding address conveys an image of smokestacks and chain-link fences. Because the address, 84 Industrial Park Road, is printed on every bottle, company… Read More
    AUGUSTA — Corrections Commissioner Martin Magnusson on Friday described how his department will create a first-class juvenile corrections system at the Maine Youth Center. “Many of these improvements are under way, but the perception is that nothing good is happening,” Magnusson said of the troubled… Read More
    AUGUSTA — The Maine Principals’ Association has named 141 Maine high school students as recipients of its 1999 MPA Principal’s Award. Award winners and principals will attend an honors luncheon at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 3, at the Bangor Civic Center. The students include: Adam… Read More
    NORTH HAMPTON, N.H. — A crime ring that targeted Beanie Babies stolen from shops in Maine and at least two other states has been broken up with two arrests, police say. Police said the stolen Beanie Babies were being sold at a small store on… Read More
    An experimental program in three northern Maine counties has dramatically increased the number of poor families going to doctors’ offices instead of hospital emergency rooms for treatment of minor illnesses, say state officials. The managed-care program, called PrimeCare, has helped about 11,500 Medicaid recipients in the three counties… Read More
    PORTLAND — Sen. Olympia Snowe is pushing for lawmakers to quickly approve the nomination of former Maine Gov. Joseph Brennan to the Federal Maritime Commission. Snowe, a Republican, served in the U.S. House with Brennan, a Democrat, from 1987 to 1991. President Clinton nominated him… Read More
    WASHINGTON — The U.S. Navy has awarded a $5.5 million contract to three major contractors to assure quality control in the construction of Aegis destroyers, Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins announced Friday. Bath Iron Works — the lead shipyard in the construction of DDG-51… Read More
    WASHINGTON — Sen. Susan Collins announced Friday that the Maine Department of Human Services will receive $970,811 in grant awards from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration. The money will help to fund the HIV-AIDS program authorized by the Ryan White… Read More
    A proposed ban on smoking in restaurants is breezing through though the Legislature, driven by strong public support and the advocacy of health experts. The Maine Restaurant Association remains bitterly opposed, saying essentially that nonsmoking diners should just dine elsewhere and nonsmoking restaurant workers should find another line… Read More
    Even during this time of rock-bottom unemployment rates, Maine’s Unemployment Compensation Fund faces collapse because the years of patching and ignoring the fund’s revenue shortages can be ignored no longer. Further patching isn’t a good idea, either. Instead, the Legislature has an obligation to enact a broad reform… Read More
    SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gov. Gray Davis on Thursday banned the fuel additive MTBE, calling the controversial compound a “significant risk to California’s environment” but giving the petrochemical industry until 2002 to eliminate its use. The Democratic governor ordered the removal to begin immediately. He urged… Read More
    BETHESDA, Md. — Unable to determine exactly how risky a controversial diabetes drug is, scientists advised the government Friday to restrict how doctors prescribe Rezulin, in hopes that only diabetics who need it most will risk deadly liver damage. “This is not to be used… Read More
    I strongly encourage the people of Maine and our elected representatives to vote yes on LD 1669, the new Toxic Use Reduction Act. The beauty of this legislation is that it encourages the real experts on toxic chemicals and viable alternatives, the workers and managers in industry, to… Read More
    Mr. and Mrs. Waldo Tarbell, RR Box 110, Pembroke 04666, will celebrate their 72nd wedding anniversary on April 9. Greetings from old and new friends would be appreciated. Alice M. Quinn of Glenburn will celebrate her 90th birthday on April 9. She has lived in… Read More
    In many states, the attorney general is a political bigfoot. Bill Clinton, for example, was Arkansas attorney general before he ran for governor and worked his way up the ladder to the presidency. As the state’s legal eagle, an attorney general can grab headlines by putting crooks behind… Read More
    Former Rockland businessman and civic booster Cliff Ladd warned 30 years ago that it was only a matter of time before it would happen, and when I read a story in the Maine/New England section of last weekend’s Maine Sunday Telegram I realized that the man had been… Read More
    A remarkable number of low-income households in Maine are not getting the help they need to secure affordable rental housing. Nationwide, more than 1 million families are on waiting lists for housing assistance and most will wait years before they will be helped. Many low-income families and elderly… Read More
    Two articles in Friday’s paper incorrectly identifed the region in which Kosovo is located. The region is the Balkans. Read More
    With spring’s arrival, it almost hurts to think about autumn. However painful it may be, I know I’ll be ecstatic in September when I see my planning pay off. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner… Read More
    Violence creates more violence. This has proven true in Yugoslavia. Since NATO has started bombing, even greater numbers of ethnic Albanians are being murdered and villages are undergoing scorched earth policy, this according to news reports. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes =… Read More
    WALDOBORO — A local man will spend 37 months in federal prison for a December conviction for distribution of cocaine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Chapman said Friday that Ralph “Junior” Winchenbach, 54, of Waldoboro was convicted in U.S. District Court in Portland on the charge… Read More
    FRANKLIN — Voters at town meeting today will hear more about Y2K, the purported year 2000 computer bug, when a guest speaker addresses the community at noon. Speaker Phil Whitehawk or alternative guest Connie Bellet will lead a session about the year 2000 computer glitch… Read More
    In 1992 the Legislature mandated that hunters wear a second article of orange clothing while deer hunting. The bill had some opposition because telling people what to wear is still regarded by some as beyond the powers that “big brother” should have. But the law passed, mainly because… Read More
    In the March 24 BDN, it was reported that the United States has been told to pay U.N. dues or lose its vote in the assembly. Pardon me! It seems, when there is a crisis, the United States is the one to send the major… Read More
    In backing an increased moose slaughter (BDN, March 24), the comment by George Smith, executive director of the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine, that “we are wasting these animals” is stunning in its absurdity. Moose do not exist for our “maximum hunting opportunity,” to use the ludicrous words of… Read More
    Recently, there has been some press coverage of the Certified Logging Professional Program (CLP) that has been negative and misleading. I am a full-time logger of 21 years and in 1991 CLP offered its first classes. I took the four-day course, not a one-day course,… Read More
    I have been vehemently anti-smoking for all my adult life. Cigarettes killed my father 19 years, nine months and 17 days ago. He was very important to me, so, for that reason, as well as others, I have crusaded against if for at least that long. Read More
    BINGHAM — School officials are considering legal action against a high school student who used a program from the Internet to hack into e-mail from students and teachers. The student was suspended for a week and his computer privileges were revoked. School Administrative District 13… Read More
    FREEPORT — If a committee gets its way, being tops in class won’t mean what it once did. Based on the recommendations of a study group, Freeport High School likely will eliminate numeric rankings for its senior students, beginning with the Class of 2000. googletag.cmd.push(function… Read More
    DEER ISLE — Haystack Mountain School of Crafts recently announced that newly acquired grants from three foundations will help Maine art educators take part in a theme session planned at the international craft school during its coming season. A Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation grant… Read More
    Bangor District Court Joseph M. Barksdale, 49, Watertown, Mass., speeding, $80. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i = 0; i < slot_sizes.length; i++) { if (isMobileDevice()) { if (slot_sizes[i][0] googletag.cmd.push(function… Read More
    Last January, two women who in their professional careers have witnessed a specific lifestyle change in parenting decided to bring together some of those personally involved in that experience. The result of the meeting arranged by Barbara Kates, program developer for Families and Children Together… Read More
    Bangor District Court William Hodge, 29, Bangor, criminal trespass, jail five days, criminal threatening, jail five days, concurrent with previous sentence. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i = 0; i… Read More
    ORONO — The School of Performing Arts at the Univeristy of Maine has received a 42-volume set of music for oboe from the Robert Bloom Collection. Bloom was the solo English hornist and assistant principal oboist in the Philadelphia Orchestra and principal oboist of the… Read More
    Houlton District Court Daniel Bickford, 35, Houlton, assault, 30 days in jail, sentence concurrent with Aroostook County Superior Court case, credit for time served; violation of bail condition, 30 days in jail, sentence concurrent with Aroostook County Superior Court case; assault, 30 days in jail,… Read More
    BETHEL — It’s official. The giant snowman created by Bethel residents has earned a spot in the Guinness Book of Records. Chief snowman engineer Jim Sysko said a phone call this week from Guinness confirmed that “Angus, King of the Mountain” now holds the record… Read More
    SPRUCE HEAD — A 37-foot fishing vessel struck a rock and was taking on water off Spruce Head on Friday afternoon, but the operator managed to ground the boat before it sank. According to Petty Officer Fred Hoatlin of the U.S. Coast Guard Group in… Read More
    Dover-Foxcroft District Court Dorothy E. Morin, 29, Sangerville, 10 counts negotiating a worthless instrument, jail 90 days, all but 48 hours suspended, probation one year, restitution to all victims. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner… Read More
    Dennysville The annual town meeting Monday is expected to be a quiet one, according to selectman Ray Antone. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i = 0; i < slot_sizes.length; i++)… Read More
    JACKMAN — Residents this week elected local officials and approved a new municipal budget that is 2.6 percent less than last year’s spending package. In town elections Wednesday, incumbent Blair Van Camp was returned to office with 56 votes for a three-year term as a… Read More