In his last start for the New Haven Rock Cats – back on May 30 – Matt Kinney threw the ball between 93 and 97 miles an hour for five innings. In the sixth, he felt a bit stiff. And over the next few days,… Read More
Junior goalie Alfie Michaud, who spearheaded the University of Maine’s run to the NCAA hockey championship in April, is expected to sign a contract with the Vancouver Canucks soon. “I don’t know if it’s done yet, but I know they’ve talked, and they were close,”… Read More
What’s Holyoke’s point? In regard to John Holyoke’s column about Cindy Blodgett (BDN, June 5-6), I found myself wondering, “What is the point?” This “tear down” philosophy some writers try desperately to disguise as insightful or poignant truly limits the individual and clearly exposes a… Read More
Skowhegan American Legion baseball coach Don Finley had planned his team’s summer. The Zone 1 schedule had even been printed, complete with the games the Log Drivers were to play. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var… Read More
America East athletic administrators have determined that in order to maintain a high level of intensity and interest in its championsconference must get away from holding them at predetermined sites. That was one of the recommendations made during the recent league meetings in Florida. googletag.cmd.push(function… Read More
Moose can be seen virtually everywhere in Maine. Stray animals have even been known to take a stroll into some of the state’s largest cities. Unfortunately for many drivers, the huge animals often are an unwelcome sight in the middle of the road, where they… Read More
Since the turn of the century, and for as long as students from the Penobscot Nation on Indian Island have attended Old Town High, the school has used an Indian as a mascot for its sports teams. And just as high schools, colleges and professional… Read More
High school AT PROVIDENCE, R.I. New England Interscholastics BOYS (Maine finishers) Shot put: 3. Jason Beedy (Mountain Valley) 53-6, 5. Rudy DiPietro (Westbrook) 52-9, 14. Mike Johnston (Piscataquis) 49-4 1/4; Discus: 4. Jason Beedy (Mountain Valley) 153-7, 17. Andre Dubois (Lewiston) 137-1; Javelin: 11. Jamie… Read More
NASHUA, N.H. — Inconsistencies in state law have prompted prosecutors to drop charges against a Roman Catholic high school teacher. Brother Shawn McEnany, 35, had been accused of violating a 1989 law that bars those convicted of sexually assaulting children from working or volunteering with… Read More
What a difference one can of food — or $1 — can make, especially when many people give to help the less fortunate. Once again, the Bangor Area Homeless Shelter benefited from the support offered by the local staff of J.C. Penney at the Bangor… Read More
AUGUSTA — Authorities say words can be effective in preventing teen-agers charged with bias crimes from offending again. Maine Attorney General Andrew Ketterer’s civil rights enforcement office has been sending letters to juvenile offenders, their parents and school officials in all but the most serious… Read More
MACHIAS — A former marine patrol officer who calls himself a “Pro-God Anti-Christ” is incompetent to stand trial on his seventh charge of criminal trespass, a Washington County Superior Court judge has ruled. Justice Margaret Kravchuk ordered 49-year-old Leigh MacKeen committed to the custody of… Read More
SOMEWHERE IN THE MEDITERRANEAN — Life is no bed of sea anemones for the freshmen cadets aboard the training ship State of Maine. “I live with 14 guys in one room,” said Nick St. Pierre of Ellsworth. The room is about 15 by 20 feet,… Read More
ORLAND — A convicted rapist was recuperating under guard at a Bangor hospital Monday from at least one gunshot wound he received in a brief gun battle with three Hancock County deputies this weekend. Richard Burdick, 49, underwent surgery Sunday and was expected to recover… Read More
FAIRFIELD — Nancy Marcoux scoffs when she hears the politicians and all of the other people in business suits boast about Maine’s economy. Every other Thursday, in the first-floor hallway of an old Catholic grammar school, she sees the rows of chairs full of people… Read More
BANGOR — When lawmakers revised the formula for distributing state aid for public education from kindergarten through high school, they had a few goals in mind. But to hit those targets, money needed to shift from certain groups of schools to others. In simplest terms,… Read More
PORTLAND — Navy officials are trying to encourage more cooperation with business and academic researchers to stimulate technological advances that could be used to boost national defense. “It’s a new thrust we have,” said Rear Adm. Paul Gaffney II, chief of naval research for the… Read More
UNITY — The Maine Green Independent Party convention will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 19, at the new fairgrounds of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, Crosby Brook Road off Route 220. All Greens are welcome to join in the potluck luncheon… Read More
Dear Jim: We have central air-conditioning and a window unit in my workshop, too. Neither of them cool as well as when they were new. Are there any simple tune up items that I can do myself? — Sean L. Dear Sean: There are several… Read More
An altercation between a Bangor police officer and an assailant in Brewer resulted in an arrest and an injured officer. At 4:05 a.m. Monday, Bangor Police Officers James Hassard and Brian Nichols were dispatched to a First Street residence, where a man had reportedly broken… Read More
SOUTH PORTLAND — A UNUM Corp. policyholder battling the denial of her disability claim was ushered out of a public hearing Monday after a toy gun fell from a T-shirt that she tried to present to the insurer’s chief executive. Dr. Judy Morris, an emergency… Read More
BANGOR — Instead of the apocalypse, prepare for another ice storm. Mainers are used to disruptive winter weather, and the millennium bug should be no worse, according to officials from the state’s banking industry. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var… Read More
BANGOR — While the owner of one exotic dance business spent Monday afternoon in court trying to keep her financial records sealed, another has closed her doors, saying the city’s regulations pose “too many `hoops to jump through.”‘ Penobscot County Superior Court Justice Jeffrey Hjelm… Read More
AUGUSTA — Ireland is an example of an area that hit rock bottom, then turned itself into an economic powerhouse. But the chief financial officer of a major computer company based in Dublin said it’s unlikely his company would place an office with highly skilled workers in Maine. Read More
Hard to believe it’s been six years since this country was gripped by health care fever. While the rift between those who saw that new Clinton couple in the White House as visionaries or meddlers was deep and wide, there was, amid those hardened positions, general agreement that… Read More
This column should not be read without large doses of hot, black coffee immediately available. The state of Maine’s strategic plan for adult mental health services in this area is a topic whose importance is inversely proportional to its interest as material for the morning… Read More
When two Montreal professors wandered into Merrill Furniture in Ellsworth last year to buy upholstered chairs for their vacation home in Brooksville, they sank into two recliners — and into an unexpected quandary. “They were torn between comfort and appearance,” said Robert Merrill, owner of… Read More
WASHINGTON — Drugstore chains are tearing down historic landmarks as they target the reviving centers of small towns for new stores, the National Trust for Historic Preservation complained Monday. Topping the organization’s annual list of the 11 most endangered sites in the United States was… Read More
A story in Monday’s MaineDay regarding the Caribou School Department’s 1999-2000 budget contained some errors. Although the budget is up 3.36 percent, the amount to be raised in taxes to fund the proposed budget will remain the same as last year. Also, cost of living raises for department… Read More
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Type 2 diabetes, long thought to be a disease that only affected adults, is being diagnosed in startlingly high numbers of children, doctors say. Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness, kidney failure and amputations in the United States and kills 180,000… Read More
After a booming decade, it’s understandable that the home health care part of the Medicare system would be in need of some fine-tuning. Leave it to the federal government to turn necessary adjustments into crisis. The good idea behind home-based care for the ill elderly… Read More
CLEMATIS FOR ALL SEASONS, by John Feltwell, Firefly Books, 1999, 128 pages, paperback, $19.95. If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, then “Clematis for All Seasons” is a sight to behold. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes… Read More
In the early days of summer, when the sun is intense and yielding measurable results in the vegetable garden in the way of rapid plant growth, we can step back and really appreciate the wonder of nature. Even if you’ve witnessed it dozens of times, it does seem… Read More
BAR HARBOR — George Marnik of Mount Desert Island High School has announced honor parts for the 31st commencement exercises, which were held June 11 in the Bernard Parady Gymnasium. Valedictorian was Kristin Vekasi, daughter of Mary and Jim Vekasi of Southwest Harbor. She is… Read More
BANGOR — A British man who allegedly caused the diversion of an overseas flight to Bangor International Airport last week was released Friday on $20,000 cash bail, according to federal officials. Christopher Bayes, 41, of Manchester, England, was released from the Penobscot County Jail after… Read More
BROOKS — The plight of the children of Kosovo struck a chord with elementary students in Brooks. Organized by fifth-grader Jenna Shue, the pupils of Morse Memorial School raised more than $1,000 for distribution to the Kosovo Albanian children who fled Yugoslavia this spring under… Read More
FAIRFIELD — The SAD 49 school board has approved a $16.2 million budget that calls for a 4 percent spending increase. Much of the proposed $600,000 increase will cover raises negotiated with the school district’s teachers and other employees. Insurance premiums and other fixed costs… Read More
ROCKLAND — A city man was arrested Sunday after two teen-agers were threatened with a knife when they interrupted a domestic dispute to see if the victim needed help. Terrence Eugene Winslow, 45, of Rockland was charged with criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon, according… Read More
BANGOR — Frieda Miller took her husband’s arm as he addressed the City Council on Monday evening. “I’m lost for words,” Abe Miller said. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i… Read More
GREENVILLE — As many as 4,000 people are expected in the Moosehead Lake region from Friday through Sunday as the Anah Temple Shrine of Bangor comes to the home turf of Potentate Edgar Prouty Jr. of Dover-Foxcroft. Traditionally, the summer ceremonial each June is held… Read More
STONINGTON — The Coast Guard suspended its search for the operator of a skiff that was found circling under its own power Sunday morning. Officials at the Southwest Harbor station said the search for a possible operator of the 16-foot skiff had been unsuccessful, and… Read More
BANGOR — From “Little Red Riding Hood” to “The Three Little Pigs,” wolves have gotten a bad rap throughout history. Debi Davidson, the Maine field representative for the International Wolf Center, is trying to change that. The wildlife biologist has been traveling around the state… Read More
BANGOR — The U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved a low-interest loan of $861,560 for Hancock County Homes Founda- tion. The funds are available through the department’s Rural Development Agency and will be used to upgrade and improve housing for senior citizens. googletag.cmd.push(function () {… Read More
EAST FRANKLIN — A man who participated in the U.S. space program will address the Franklin Historical Society on “Apollo’s Success — Was It Skill or Luck?” at 7:30 tonight. The talk by David Hoag of Cambridge, Mass., will be at the society’s museum building… Read More
I enjoyed the letter from Stephanie Lachance (“Pay for the roads,” BDN, June 7). She’d better do her homework and check out just what trucks pay for registration, insurance, etc., to have the privilege of driving up and down the road to earn a living to pay for… Read More
Golly, but Wayne O’Leary (BDN commentaries, June 9-10) comes up with a nifty idea to save Social Security: Raise taxes on the higher-paid employees and their employers! Let’s see, there is more of us than there is of them, so that ought to fly. Why couldn’t I have… Read More
After reading the commentary, “Stricter controls needed on guns” (BDN, May 19), I would like to provide Michael Moore a glimpse of gun culture in Switzerland. In accordance with the Swiss constitution, every Swiss male serves in the militia and keeps his arms at home,… Read More
What is a teacher? This is a question many have asked themselves. Being a junior in high school, I have given this question a great deal of thought. To me a teacher is someone who is not only going to teach me what is in the books but… Read More
Molly Ivins (BDN, June 11) wants to hear from non-members of the National Rifle Association. I don’t belong to the NRA and don’t own a gun but I believe I should. Everyone has a right to defend himself, and I’m a fair shot. We had… Read More
PRESQUE ISLE — A local man was treated Monday at The Aroostook Medical Center after the car he was driving hit a concrete post at the Aroostook Centre Mall, according to Presque Isle police. Jason Philbrook, 20, was driving a 1992 Oldsmobile in the mall… Read More
ORONO — Townspeople here moved one step closer to a countywide emergency dispatch system Monday night as the Town Council voted 6-0 to consider dissolving the town dispatch center and entering into contract talks with the Penobscot Regional Communications Center in Bangor. Citing the inevitability… Read More
PITTSFIELD — Honor parts have been announced for Maine Central Institute. Valedictorian is Evan Sposato, son of Trudy Ferland and Royce Sposato of Pittsfield, and salutatorian is Barbara Kitchin, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gary Kitchin of Detroit. Commencement exercises were held on June 13. Read More
GREENVILLE JUNCTION — Work resumes Wednesday on 3.69 miles of Routes 6 and 15 in Big Squaw Township, between Greenville Junction and Jackman, the Maine Department of Transportation has announced. The project area begins a half-mile north of the Squaw Mountain Road and extends north… Read More
HINCKLEY — Work has begun on roadside guardrails at more than 40 locations on U.S. Route 201 from Hinckley to Caratunk, the Maine Department of Transportation has announced. Work will be in six geographical areas, with the first from Fairfield to Skowhegan and a single… Read More
ST. ALBANS — The 16-year-old driver of a 1997 Ford was charged with failing to stop for a stop sign late Sunday afternoon at the intersection of Route 23 and Melody Lane when his car collided with another. The teen-ager from Pittsfield was not indentified… Read More
ROCKLAND — A lawyer Monday argued that a Machiasport man who was convicted of killing his neighbors in a shooting captured partly on videotape did not receive an adequate defense during his 1991 trial. Richard Uffelman’s new attorney, Bill Maselli, made the argument during a… Read More
EAGLE LAKE — Local voters approved a $902,782 budget to fund local government and education during their annual town meeting on Saturday. About 40 people attended the yearly session, according to Town Manager James Nadeau on Monday. The meeting was moderated by state Rep. John… Read More
HOULTON — It’s been 20 years since students walked the grounds of the now defunct Ricker College. The echoes of their footsteps will be heard Thursday when Higher Education in Southern Aroostook, a symposium to explore the community college concept in the region, is held… Read More
I would like to give a real-world response to the east-west highway concerns raised by the Coalition for Sensible Energy (CSE). The No. 1 reason for business failure is ignoring changes in the market, whether it is delivery of services, speed of delivery, type of… Read More
CALAIS — There hasn’t been a rush to challenge the three school committee members whose seats are up for grabs at a special election July 20. The election will decide if school committee members Leah McLean, Dan Lacasse and Peter Leon should lose their seats… Read More
HOULTON — Some members of the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians will be eating better next year, thanks to a grant from the Philip Morris Companies Inc. PMC, together with First Nation’s Development Institute, a nonprofit organization that helps Indian communities gain economic self-sufficiency, awarded… Read More
CALAIS — Bogus $20 bills and some bungling have landed three people in jail. Charged in connection with passing the counterfeit bills are Bridget Newman, 23, of Baring; her ex-boyfriend, Robert McKenney 42, of Bangor; and a friend, John Gagner, 20, of Baileyville. googletag.cmd.push(function ()… Read More
BELFAST — Not too long ago the city had Waldo County’s only traffic light. City Hall is now contemplating the prospect of adding its fourth. The latest roadway to be targeted for traffic controls is Route 3 as it heads west from Belfast. Consulting engineers… Read More
TRENTON — Voters will again be asked to consider funding the expansion of school facilities, but not before cost-saving modifications to the original plans are made. The Trenton school building committee has been researching ways to trim the proposed expansion project since voters rejected the… Read More
BATH — The trial of a Calais man accused of killing his 4-week-old daughter last year and stuffing her body into a cardboard box is scheduled to begin today in Sagadahoc County Superior Court. Thomas St. Yves, 36, is charged with manslaughter and abuse of… Read More
WALDOBORO — Town meeting voters passed a $2 million budget, defeating only one question asking to close a portion of Old County Road. Two residents had requested the road be closed to traffic because of garbage dumping on the narrow way, according to a municipal… Read More