A Hollywood movie depicting the battle of Somalia, which took the life of a former Lincoln Special Forces Green Beret eight years ago, is drawing good advance reviews. But members of Master Sgt. Gary Ivan Gordon’s family, who live in Maine and Virginia, won’t be… Read More
TOWNSHIP 2 RANGE 8 – A wayward moose turned Interstate 95 into a tragic scene late Saturday afternoon, claiming the lives of a Fort Fairfield woman, her 7-month-old baby and a Millinocket man. What started as a moose-car accident ended with the three deaths, two… Read More
BANGOR – One has to assume there was a stunned silence in Justice Roland Cole’s chambers last week when minutes after a jury proclaimed 38-year-old Jeffrey Cookson guilty of two murders, his attorney stepped forward to say that another man had confessed and offered up the missing murder… Read More
BANGOR – An American Airlines promotion that gives travelers extra frequent-flier miles for every dollar they spend on Swiss Army products – including pocketknives – is not scoring any points with Gina Clark of Oakfield. Clark, who travels on American and was to fly on… Read More
PORTLAND – Rail enthusiasts turned out on a cold, rainy Saturday morning to ride the sold-out Amtrak Downeaster on its first regularly scheduled run from Portland to Boston. A day after politicians and dignitaries rode the train, there were no bands, flags or crowds as… Read More
The Office of Passenger Transportation has appointed Terry Larson, owner of Larson’s Flying Service in Houlton and the fixed-base operator at Houlton International Airport, to the state’s Aviation Advisory Committee. The committee is responsible for setting aviation policy in Maine. Read More
Throughout COMBAT’s 30-year history, disputes with mail-order companies consistently have been in the top five problem areas that prompt consumers to contact us for help. Unless you are dealing with a well known and reputable company (L.L. Bean, for example), think twice before doing catalog, phone or mail-order… Read More
Earlier this month I had the pleasure of listening to Harold Pachios speak at a World Affairs Council of Maine breakfast meeting. Pachios is the current chairman of the U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy. He spoke convincingly on the changing character of diplomacy and our need to… Read More
Business bankruptcy rarely is associated with optimism – more often than not, the long legal process it describes ends with closed doors, out-of-work employees and harmed creditors. Although the bankruptcy of the Bangor & Aroostook Railroad could go that route, it has the potential to emerge from reorganization… Read More
The 36 percent drop in the number of teen smokers over the last four years is an encouraging but unexciting statistic until you consider that the drop represents more than 10,000 Maine teen-agers. About 60 percent of smokers eventually succumb to smoking-related diseases, so it’s fair to guess… Read More
May I join in the applause for the lectures of Whitney Azoy you have been publishing [on the op-ed page] these past weeks. They are informed, scholarly and of benefit to your readers. However, I cannot agree with some of the conclusions that have been overtaken by events… Read More
Isn’t it a wonderful time of year to drive around neighborhoods and look at the beautiful displays of holiday lights in the yards? I think so too. Or thought so until I drove around with my children around 7 p.m. to show them some of the more elaborate… Read More
We have found Azoy’s essays on Afghanistan extremely interesting. The Bangor Daily News must be thanked for publishing his views of the history and problems of this troubled land. We sincerely hope there are plans to collect and reprint this insightful material to share with a larger audience… Read More
I thank Susan Young for writing about the draft memo of agreement between the staff of the Department of Conservation and the National Park Service which will allow the department to obtain the Army Corp of Engineers’ permit needed for the Churchill Dam project. I offer a few… Read More
Recently, Knox County officials have mentioned an airport group holding up construction and improvements at the Knox County Regional Airport in Owls Head. This delay is with good reason. The recent past has shown many residents and landowners that any substantial, proposed airport project must… Read More
Since Sept. 11, we have faced an unprecedented threat to our security. This new danger calls for effective responses, including identifying and prosecuting terrorists and those who help them. For these suspects, President George W. Bush has unilaterally created a new military criminal justice system. Read More
He was 6 feet 4 inches tall. The charismatic Khan Abdul Khaffar Khan (also known as Badshah Khan) was one of India’s valiant freedom fighters against the British Empire. He and his older brother, Dr. Khan Sahib, worked very closely with the leaders of the All India Congress… Read More
LEWISTON – Years before she became Maine’s youngest chief justice and the first female to take the post, Leigh Saufley was a psychology major at the University of Maine with plans to pursue a banking career. But she said her growing awareness of the plight… Read More
ORONO – The president of the Libra Foundation told the University of Maine’s newest graduates Saturday to strive for greatness, even when their good deeds go unnoticed. Owen Wells, a 1965 UMaine graduate, told graduates to set goals and that the way to “inner truth”… Read More
Anyone who cares about the future of small cities such as Rockland or Belfast has to feel good about what they see there these days – communities bustling with economic and cultural activity and, during the summer, tourists crowding the sidewalks. But there is a… Read More
As we begin another week, we count just eight days until Christmas. We’re well aware of all that must be done to make the holiday bright, cheerful and meaningful for our loved ones and, most important, those less fortunate people in our communities – those… Read More
BREWER – City officials are on a mission to clean up vacant derelict buildings and get the owners of apartment units to make needed repairs. The initiative is part of a new, stepped-up approach to code enforcement that will include, among other things, a systematic… Read More
AUGUSTA – A new study indicates Maine does very well in getting federal funds for a wide variety of programs and projects, eighth-highest among the 50 states for the federal budget year that ended Sept. 30. “Maine does very well overall,” said Matt Kane, author… Read More
BREWER – City councilors will have a long list of business to attend to during their meeting which begins at 6:30 tonight at City Hall. One issue that apparently has generated letters from residents on both sides of the matter is the proposed elimination of… Read More
Houlton District Court Jacob R. Dickinson, 15, Oakfield, operating ATV while under age, $100. 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()) {… Read More
FORT KENT – The roar of snowmobiles skimming over fields, across lakes and ponds and through the woods in northern Maine is about a month late compared to last year. The landscape is nearly bare of snow, except for some traces in areas shielded from… Read More
FRENCHVILLE – Decorating their two-story Route 162 home each year for Christmas is a labor of love for Romeo and Rita Bouchard. The brightly lit house, inside and out, has become a holiday tradition for hundreds of people who drop by to see the grand… Read More
BIDDEFORD – The Rochambeau Club, one of six area clubs raided more than a year ago, will find out soon whether it will lose its beano license and permits to hold games of chance, the club’s president said. Mark Cassette met with the State Police… Read More
ELLSWORTH – The dredging of the city’s harbor has begun, and the planning process for how the waterfront can be improved is not far behind. Work equipment and crews with Northeast Marine Towing and Construction of Penobscot arrived last week to begin dredging the city’s… Read More
ELLSWORTH – A local developer has decided to appeal the rejection of a planned apartment complex on State Street to Hancock County Superior Court. Patrick Jordan had applied to build two six-unit apartment buildings near the intersection of State and Oak streets, next to the… Read More
Mary Silverman has been named Bar Harbor branch supervisor for Union Trust Co. Silverman, though new to banking, has more than five years of retail experience, three of which were in retail management. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes… Read More
BANGOR – A Maine Driving Dynamics course is scheduled from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Jan. 31 and Feb. 7 at Bangor High School. The course will cover crash-avoidance techniques using films, classroom discussion and lectures. Those completing the course will receive a three-point credit on… Read More
BANGOR – The city’s police officers and their families are encouraging the community to remember law enforcement officers who have been killed in the line of duty by displaying a blue light in a window of their homes during the holiday season. Across the country,… Read More
HOLDEN – An early morning fire Saturday destroyed a two-story home on the Clewleyville Road but resulted in no injuries. The fire’s cause has yet to be determined. The state Fire Marshal’s Office has been notified and an investigator was expected to visit the site… Read More
Alan Burton, Cianbro’s director of safety and human resources, was elected 2002 president of the Downeast Maine chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors. Dedicated to the work force education process, the Pittsfield resident serves as chair of ABC’s Down East construction education foundation and is… Read More
BANGOR – A flame symbolizing peace and friendship made a stop in Maine Sunday on its way from Bethlehem to ground zero in New York City, the scene of widespread destruction in the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States. The idea is to spread… Read More
A Bangor man was arrested Saturday morning for operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor when police noticed that the vehicle he was driving had recently been in an accident. Police noticed John Brown, 39, driving his 1994 Chevy Astro van… Read More
ROCKLAND – The Penobscot School will hold Souper de Noel from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 19. The event will be a French Christmas dinner with teachers, students and friends. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = [];… Read More
AUGUSTA – Mainers will be getting advice Monday from Gov. Angus King on how to conserve water amid a “severe” drought that appears likely to persist in the weeks ahead. Already, the drought has forced some people to drill new wells, if they can find… Read More
SOUTH PORTLAND – Mourners overflowed the chapel at Conroy-Tully Funeral Home at a memorial service for Amy St. Laurent hours before a suspect in her death was returned to Maine. “She would much rather we celebrate her life than dwell on how it ended,” said… Read More
Knox County adopts 2002 budget Committee agrees to include salary account for administrator position
ROCKLAND – The Knox County Budget Committee has approved a spending plan for 2002 that raises slightly less money from taxes than the 2001 plan. The budget raises $4,218,313 from taxes, down from the $4,219,749 figure of the 2001 budget. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define… Read More
AUGUSTA – A state worker who wanted her workstation to be moved closer to a bathroom is going to court. Wanda Boucher is suing the Department of Human Services and her supervisor for failing to accommodate her physical disability, which she contends required her to… Read More
Belfast District Court Bijon Basu, 18, Milford, speeding 30-plus mph more than posted speed, $250. 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())… Read More
PORTLAND – Faced with an expected budget shortfall, Casco Bay Lines plans to cut its ferry schedules. Consideration of another round of rate increases also is expected in January. Islanders argued against service reductions Friday, saying residents could be left without essential transportation. googletag.cmd.push(function ()… Read More
WASHINGTON – The National Endowment for the Arts has awarded $303,000 in grants to fund projects throughout Maine, U.S. Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins announced Friday. “We are very pleased that the NEA is providing this crucial support to these deserving projects in the… Read More
Two years ago, when Brewer city employees, under the leadership of Economic Development Director Drew Sachs, launched their first holiday food drive to help those in need in their community, 250 items were collected. Last year, pupils at Brewer Middle School joined the city employees… Read More
DOVER, N.H. – A Rochester toddler already had suffered several broken bones when she was killed by at least a dozen blows to the head and abdomen, according to the medical examiner who performed her autopsy. Maine’s chief medical examiner, Dr. Margaret Greenwald, was the… Read More
VASSALBORO – The new Maine Criminal Justice Academy on Route 201 in Vassalboro will hold an open house at 3 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 18, complete with speeches and a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Speakers will include Maine Attorney General Steven Rowe, Public Safety Commissioner Michael Kelly and Vassalboro Town Manager… Read More
BUCKFIELD – A former boys basketball coach and education technician at Buckfield Junior-Senior High School has been indicted for allegedly having sex with two boys on her team. An Oxford County grand jury returned indictments against Lori Bradley for two counts of sexual abuse of… Read More
RUMFORD – Police and private detectives were investigating a case of possible sabotage at the Mead Corp. paper mill. Security at the mill was stepped up and rewards were offered for information after someone tampered with welding equipment being used by contractors from Cianbro Corp.,… Read More
LEWISTON – An 18-year-old Lewiston man was being held in the Androscoggin County Jail following his arrest in connection with an armed robbery early Saturday at a convenience store. A clerk at the Big Apple store on Main Street told police that a young male… Read More
There is no press box, no concession stands, and no public restrooms. There’s not enough seating for 1,500 fans or more at Husson College’s newly refurbished baseball field. Heck, there’s not even a professional team to watch play there, but the possibility of attending pro… Read More
BRONX, N.Y. – The University of Maine women’s basketball team may have struggled at home this season, but away games seem to be a different story. The Black Bears cruised to another road win Saturday afternoon, as sophomore Heather Ernest of Temple scored a game-high… Read More
BREWER – Defense and rebounding. When you’re executing those areas of basketball well enough, you can get away with a lousy shooting game. The Presque Isle girls had just one of those games Saturday afternoon as they shot 27.5 percent from the field. In spite… Read More
BREWER – It’s difficult to put much stock in the first game of the basketball season when you have 17 more to go, but Saturday’s game may very well prove to be a big one for the Brewer boys basketball team. The Witches stormed out… Read More
HIGH SCHOOL At Brunswick 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
HIGH SCHOOL At Dover-Foxcroft 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
DOVER-FOXCROFT – Mindy Morneault scored 15 points and Ashley Pelletier added 14 to lead the Fort Kent Warriors to a 71-57 schoolgirl basketball victory over the Foxcroft Academy Ponies Saturday. McKenzie Boucher contributed 13 for the Warriors. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes… Read More
DOVER-FOXCROFT – Dan White pumped in 22 points and Matt Carey scored 13 to lead the Foxcroft Academy Ponies to a 48-35 schoolboy basketball victory over the Fort Kent Warriors Saturday. The Ponies led just 28-24 at the end of the third, but White tallied… Read More
HOULTON – Pat Skall, Mark Caggiano and Will Toner scored unanswered third-period goals to supply the Orono Red Riots with a 4-2 high school hockey win over the Houlton-Hodgdon Blackhawks Saturday at Millar Arena. Orono’s Branislav Srnka and Houlton-Hodgdon’s Ben Carton had swapped second-period goals. Read More
ORONO – The strategic switch his Caribou Vikings made with five minutes left in Saturday’s schoolgirl basketball game wasn’t supposed to be a stall, coach Jeff Jose will tell you. And when he called timeout and made the change, he didn’t figure that the Vikes… Read More
ORONO – The University of Maine women’s hockey team pulled out all the stops in the third period of their game against Harvard University Sunday afternoon. They produced 18 of their 28 shots on goal while holding Harvard to just three. googletag.cmd.push(function () { //… Read More
A MUG-UP WITH ELISABETH: A COMPANION FOR READERS OF ELISABETH OGILVIE, by Melissa Hayes & Marilyn Westervelt, Down East Books, Camden, 323 pages, $17.95. Melissa Hayes discovered the novels of Elisabeth Ogilvie in her local library in the early 1990s. She loved the Cushing author… Read More
You would think after playing the role of Ebenezer Scrooge 19 times, Ken Stack would show signs of tedium. You might even think that those of us who have seen him do many of those performances could find him tedious in the role. But Stack proves himself an… Read More
You may know the name of Amy Bouchard Morin as someone who is involved in preserving the Franco-American heritage. Morin, whose family is from Lille in the St. John Valley, has given presentations on the Acadian needlework skills of her grandmother and mother. She also… Read More
In theaters VANILLA SKY, written and directed by Cameron Crowe. 130 minutes. Rated R. 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()) {… Read More