AUGUSTA – County jails and state correctional facilities are short of guards, forcing consideration of a step thought politically impossible just a few years ago – consolidation of some county jails into regional facilities. “We have got a serious problem right across the state,” said… Read More
    A photo caption in some editions Monday with a picture of a child making her way through a hay bale maze at the Union Fair failed to mention one of the two groups involved in its construction. The project was in conjunction with Knox-Lincoln Soil Conservation District and… Read More
    FALLS CHURCH, Va. – General Dynamics on Monday extended its $2.1 billion tender offer for all outstanding shares of common stock of Newport News Shipbuilding Inc. to Aug. 31. General Dynamics, based in Falls Church, said it made the extension because it still is waiting… Read More
    ROCKY HILL, Conn. – Ames Department Stores Inc., which Thursday announced it was closing 47 of its 452 stores, on Monday sought protection from creditors in federal bankruptcy court. The company said its core of about 400 stores would remain open during the reorganization, its… Read More
    ROCKLAND – Five couples who claim they lost a combined $250,000 on modular homes that never were finished sued a midcoast bank Monday, alleging the lender assured them it would “hold their hand” through the financing process. The couples filed lawsuits in U.S. District Court… Read More
    Lawrence Wyman’s piece on “controlling our Energy Future” (BDN, Aug. 16) needs scrutiny. It needs more and better numbers. “For the price of a used car…”. “The payback time for your initial investment should be just under 10 years.” This data is not adequate for rational decision making. Read More
    The proposal by the U.S. Postal Service to restrict mail delivery in parts of Northern Maine and a half dozen other rural places in the nation betrays the very idea of a national delivery system. Postal officials should reverse this idea and make the needed investments to keep… Read More
    Thirty years ago, refrigerators used 1,800 kilowatt hours of electricity a year, making them the biggest power drain among home appliances. The federal government stepped in a few years later, after the ’73 oil embargo, with required efficiency standards and, by 1991, power required to run refrigerators had… Read More
    The BDN (Aug. 9) reports that a study, paid for by the radical hunting group Safari Club International and conducted by Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, whose salaries depend on the sale of hunting permits, has determined that there are more than enough moose to justify the… Read More
    I read (BDN, Aug. 16) that the Maine State Museum has acquired a 1911 Glider that was built and flown in Maine, That they have received a $12,000 grant to restore and display it, and it will be displayed at the Maine State Museum in Augusta in 2002. Read More
    The comparisons made by Jerome Nadelhaft in “Taking thoughtful aim at U.S. History” (BDN, Aug. 15), are amusing but not relevant to the Second Amendment of The Bill of Rights. I feel most would agree that the militia has evolved in the last few hundred years. Read More
    It is refreshing to see that the town of East Machias has the courage to stand up to the state and deny the placing of a salmon weir on the East Machias River. Any one of the four stated reasons the planning board cited in its refusal of… Read More
    Mr. Lynch from Virginia wrote (BDN, Aug. 15) about how much he and his wife love to come to Maine to eat lobsters on the coast and to relax by the lakes. He goes on to say that he applauds the efforts of Roxanne Quimby… Read More
    “This (human embryo research) is not about the limits of human technology. It is about the limits of human wisdom.” – Rep. David Wu, D- Ore. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for… Read More
    PITTSFIELD – The Pittsfield Police Department has been waging a quiet war against juveniles and alcohol for several months, and the effort is starting to pay off, according to Officer Nicholas Fletcher. Three weeks ago, an 18-year-old Pittsfield man, Keith Justice of Libby Street, was… Read More
    GREENVILLE – Two state biologists working on Moosehead Lake last week were hoping to gill net dozens of lake trout for research. But they scarcely needed more evidence to support their suspicion that the lake is overrun with the fish. Nonetheless, they came to the… Read More
    HOULTON – With the burning of sweet grass, an American Indian custom used to bless new buildings, a dream became reality Monday with the dedication and grand opening of the University of Maine at Presque Isle Houlton Higher Education Center. “We are celebrating the fulfillment… Read More
    ORONO – A silent auction and yard sale will be part of Orono Festival Day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, at the Town Council chambers. The event, sponsored by the youth of the Orono community, will benefit the Orono Skate Park. Read More
    Presque Isle District Court Jessica A. Bolstridge, 19, Presque Isle, failure to pay parking tickets, $35. 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
    FARMINGTON – A new booklet published by Mountain Counties Heritage will guide residents and visitors to farms around Oxford, Franklin, Somerset and Piscataquis counties. “A Guide to Farms, Farmstands, and Farmers’ Markets in the Mountain Counties of Maine” features farmers who offer their goods directly… Read More
    NEWPORT – A 21-year-old Newport man was arrested over the weekend and charged with drug trafficking, a Class B felony. John R. Hopkins was charged about 8 p.m. Saturday night after he allegedly attempted to sell drugs to a person he did not know on… Read More
    NEWPORT – Four resignations and 20 new appointments are on the SAD 48 board of director’s agenda for action tonight. The board is expected to accept the resignations of Lori Merrow, grade three teacher at St. Albans, Cassandra Keegan, educational technician at St. Albans, Valerie… Read More
    PITTSFIELD – A public hearing and council vote regarding an airport lease for a local skydiving business are scheduled for tonight by the Pittsfield Town Council. The council also will vote on two new airport hangar leases and set four upcoming public hearings on a… Read More
    PITTSFIELD – Charles B. Cianchette has been elected to the hospital board of trustees at Sebasticook Valley Hospital in Pittsfield. The SVH board is the governing body for the nonprofit community hospital, with trustees representing the towns throughout the organization’s service area. googletag.cmd.push(function () {… Read More
    NEWPORT – While not discounting the effect on Newport’s work force that the imminent closing of Ames Department Store will have, Newport officials remain optimistic about continued growth in the retail sector. The Connecticut-based chain, Ames Department Stores Inc., announced last Thursday that it is… Read More
    DEER ISLE – Salmon pens will be the topic of a public meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. tonight at the elementary school on Route 15. The East Penobscot Bay Environmental Alliance has arranged the meeting as a forum on proposed aquaculture pens that would… Read More
    LAMOINE – The Lamoine Volunteer Fire Department will hold its annual fund-raising auction at 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 24, at the Lamoine Consolidated School. The department will auction off goods and services, including gift certificates for meals, gravel and accommodations, along with new and used… Read More
    SEDGWICK – Its single engine was running when a small biplane crashed and burned, killing a local father and son earlier this month, according to a preliminary report released by the National Transportation Safety Board. On Aug. 5, a Sunday afternoon, Barry Grindle and his… Read More
    NORTHEAST HARBOR – The Mount Desert Board of Selectmen approved a pier moratorium Monday that will bar the construction, extension or renovation of all piers and floats within town boundaries for the next 180 days. The moratorium – which was first proposed last fall by… Read More
    WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services will provide nearly $1.9 million in funding for Head Start initiatives in Maine, according to U.S. Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins. “Head Start has a proven record of success in preparing children for school,… Read More
    BANGOR – Eastern Maine Diecast Association will hold its monthly meeting from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday, Sept. 10, at the Bangor Public Library. EMDA is a nonprofit organization created to promote the hobby of die cast vehicle collecting. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot… Read More
    BANGOR – The Acadia Hospital’s Speak Out for Kids campaign has 1,500 gunlocks, which it hopes to distribute free to Mainers statewide. Anyone who would like a free gunlock mailed to their home should call (888) 770-0706 between noon and 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 7. Read More
    BANGOR – The Bangor Police Department has announced promotions within its ranks. Detective Sgt. Ronald Gastia of Bangor was named lieutenant after 19 years with the department. Since December 1997, he has worked in the criminal investigation division. During his tenure, he has participated in… Read More
    AUGUSTA – The National Conference of State Legislatures named Sen. Betty Lou Mitchell, R-Etna, to serve on the Assembly on State Issue’s Education Committee. ASI, comprising several committees studying specific policy issues, serves as a major exchange forum for the ideas and information among state legislative institutions. Read More
    ORONO – Wendolyn Perkins of Brewer has accepted membership in the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and will be honored during a campus ceremony this fall at the University of Maine. Perkins is a nontraditional student entering her junior year at UM in the nursing… Read More
    BANGOR – The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded a $70,000 low interest loan to the Eagle Lake Regional Health Center to expand therapy services for the disabled, according to members of Maine’s congressional delegation. The funding, which is being made available through the USDA’s… Read More
    HUDSON – A 65-year-old Stillwater man was injured when the car he was riding in was struck broadside by a Toyota Tacoma pickup truck Monday afternoon. Just after 3:30 p.m., Alice Kalel of Stillwater was traveling east on Route 43 in a Ford Taurus and… Read More
    BANGOR – A Health and Safety Fair for families will be held from 2 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 23, at Cascade Park. Sponsored by Penquis CAP, the event will feature dental screenings, information on exercise, nutrition, water and bike safety, fire safety, fingerprinting and… Read More
    BANGOR – The Pine Tree Chapter of the American Red Cross is offering a pet first aid class. It will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 23. The course will help pet owners provide emergency care for cardiac emergencies as well as… Read More
    BANGOR – An introduction to hydraulics will be offered in evening sessions at Eastern Maine Technical College this fall. The program is designed for anyone who may operate or own a snowplow, wood-splitter, compact tractor or any other hydraulic-controlled equipment. The seminar is 60 percent… Read More
    BANGOR – Norumbega Medical Pediatrics will hold their fifth annual Children’s Safety Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8. The event will be held at the Norumbega Medical office at 68 Mount Hope Avenue. Community organizations will provide services and programs for… Read More
    GREENVILLE – Town officials are hoping the Maine Land Use Regulation Commission will act swiftly on Greenville’s permit application regarding the use of property in Moosehead Junction Township for a public works garage and recycling center. Voters in June gave selectmen the go-ahead to purchase… Read More
    CALAIS – Declining enrollments, an out-migration of young people and an escalation in property taxes have many Washington County residents wondering about the future of education Down East. Some of those issues will be addressed at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 23, during a forum with… Read More
    CAMDEN – A group of women exploring the idea of starting a pickup women’s soccer league for women 35 and older will hold a planning meeting at 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 26, at the soccer bleachers at the Camden Snow Bowl. The league would be… Read More
    SEARSPORT – “Maritime Necrology” will be the subject of a talk at the Penobscot Marine Museum at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 29. Museum trustee John Roulstone has collected statistics and stories associated with the sailors and captains from Searsport who died at sea. The stories… Read More
    ROCKPORT – Penobscot Bay Medical Center has a new harmonic scalpel, thanks to the efforts of a club formed to help the hospital. The Osprey Club, whose purpose is to make gifts of special equipment to the hospital, bought the device for the surgical services… Read More
    UNION – Katie Aho, 18, of Warren was named the 2001 Maine Wild Blueberry Queen at the Union Fair. Aho is the daughter of David and Naomi Aho. She is a 2001 graduate of Medomak Valley High School, where she participated in theater, honors chorus,… Read More
    BARNARD, Vt. – Leon Davis is a vanishing jewel of American history. At 105, the retired farmer and land surveyor is one of the last World War I veterans alive in Vermont and the nation. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]];… Read More
    AUBURN – An Auburn husband and wife have been dubbed “Angels in Adoption” for adopting four children in state custody who had been abused or neglected. Bill and Ellen County received the award from the Congressional Coalition on Adoption, a bipartisan group of 153 members… Read More
    More than 3,700 people can’t be wrong. The place to be – for fabulous food, fun and finding futures – is the Penobscot Job Corps Center seventh annual Open House from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 25, at the PJC campus, 1375 Union St. Read More
    AUGUSTA – A state report about lead exposure and a firsthand brush with the issue have convinced a Portland lawmaker to push for a law to screen more Maine children for lead poisoning. Rep. Glenn Cummings said he and fellow Portland Democratic state Rep. Ben… Read More
    SOUTH PORTLAND – Veterans in need are encouraged to attend the fifth annual Maine Homeless Veterans Stand-Down, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 15. Transportation will be provided to the Air National Guard Station in South Portland where clothing, footwear, reading glasses, toiletries, blankets and food… Read More
    WASHINGTON – Seven Maine fire departments will receive grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, all under the Assistance to Firefighters Program, according to members of Maine’s congressional delegation. Fire departments in Byron, Hartland, Hudson, Levant, Seboeis Plantation, Shapleigh and Solon are receiving the grants. Read More
    PORTLAND – A 14-year-old boy has been arrested and charged with breaking into homes and trying on women’s underwear. Portland Police Chief Michael Chitwood said at least five people have reported that somebody broke into their apartments and rummaged through their underwear. The first case… Read More
    ALFRED – One of Maine’s former Shaker villages has been designated a National Historic District. The 370-acre parcel property off Route 202, at the top of Shaker Hill Road, was once home to 200 Shakers. Now, it will be listed on the National Register of… Read More
    Changing the way we garden isn’t easy. After all, most of us garden the way our elders taught us. They learned from their forebears, who learned from their ancestors. In fact, on the whole, we garden much the same way medieval people gardened – in long, straight rows,… Read More
    Dear Jim: I have a few attic vents, but I can still feel the sun’s heat radiating from the ceiling during the afternoon. It is uncomfortably warm. What do you think of installing more standard vents or new solar vents? – John A. Dear John:… Read More
    America East coaches have chosen Boston University to repeat as the league’s women’s soccer champion. The Terriers received eight of a possible 11 first-place votes good for 118 points, beating out Hartford, which got four first-place votes and 114 points. Hofstra (97 points), Delaware (87)… Read More
    HIGH SCHOOL At Portage Hills CC 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]… Read More
    LOCAL At Old Town 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]… Read More