BANGOR – If you use AT&T’s Lucky Dog plan to make a toll call, you may not feel so lucky when you look at your phone bill. And, according to the state’s public advocate, you can buy more telephone minutes for a buck if you don’t use 10-10-220. Read More
LEWISTON – A state agency is divided on whether Geoffrey Fisher is the father of a 3-year-old girl. One branch of the Department of Human Services regards Fisher as the father because he signed a paper claiming the girl was his child, said his attorney,… Read More
BREWER – Former gubernatorial candidate Pat LaMarche, cleared of drunken-driving charges more than two years ago, has filed a lawsuit against the Brewer police officer who arrested her in March 1999. In the lawsuit, filed last week in Cumberland County Superior Court in Portland, LaMarche… Read More
Bangor Hydro-Electric Co. says it wants to drop its plans to build a new power line through the woods in eastern Maine in favor of putting it along a major haul road as proposed by International Paper Co. IP, the largest landowner in the region,… Read More
In the Thursday, Jan. 24, edition, a listing of 4th District Court cases from Calais erroneously listed Kathy L. Stanhope, 43, of Robbinston for operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicants. The NEWS apologizes for the error. Read More
PORTLAND – Maine’s fund for retired state employees lost $10 million by investing in Enron Corp., the system’s executive director said Wednesday. While the losses are significant, they represent just over one one-thousandth of the $7 billion pension system’s assets. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define… Read More
WASHINGTON – President Bush asked Congress for $38 billion to strengthen America’s defenses against terrorism Thursday, a doubling of spending for intelligence, border security and other measures to thwart enemies who “still want to come after us.” “We’re still under attack,” Bush said. “These are… Read More
In Hohenwald, Tenn., there is a place called The Elephant Sanctuary, which takes in former circus and zoo elephants. International Paper owns 1,800 acres next to the sanctuary. IP refuses to sell the property to the sanctuary but would trade for 1,800 acres of comparable… Read More
After spending its month-long vacation trying to settle the disagreement over an economic stimulus package through blame-fixing and name-calling, Congress is back on the job and, in one chamber at least, suddenly embracing cooperation and compromise just as Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan says the stimulus may not… Read More
No doubt for some of the 500 people at Bangor High School last week hearing about a government pension offset and windfall elimination provision was something of a shock. But the pension losses, created by Social Security changes in 1977 and 1983, have been around for years and,… Read More
The reactionary Maggie Gallagher, in her Jan. 23 column, complains that the nation’s top college professors are (horrors) liberal! She exhibits the usual conservative approach that “any opinion that I agree with is insightful and well-reasoned, while any view of the world different from mine is unbalanced and… Read More
The front-page story (BDN, Jan. 18) on Maine’s failure to be the first state in the nation to implement an early-treatment program for HIV doesn’t mean it’s too late to make things right. The HIV Medi-caid waiver, experts agree, will save the state money by providing preventative treatment… Read More
Some very interesting points were raised in John Kenney’s December op-ed piece, “Does Bangor need a new $30 million auditorium?” While all his points are valid and worthy of exploration, what struck me the most was his concern for the quality of life in the neighborhood surrounding Bass… Read More
On Jan. 13, I turned on The Weather Channel to see the radar picture. It showed Houlton in the middle of the heaviest band of snow, which is what it looked like to me when I looked outside. But the “weather” in Houlton was officially reported as fog. Read More
Working to ensure that our area provides the necessary support will serve not only the needs of The Jackson Laboratory, but of Mount Desert Island and surrounding communities. All of Hancock County, and our visitors as well, will benefit from efforts to offer adequate housing, improve parking and… Read More
Landowners are threatening to post their land to protest higher fines for grossly overloaded trucks (BDN, Jan. 12). This is an immature and self-serving reaction by people who are finally being asked to do what they’re supposed to – obey a very lenient law. Current… Read More
AUGUSTA – Members of the Legislature’s Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee got their first look Thursday afternoon at proposals and recommendations for revamping the Animal Welfare Division of the Maine Department of Agriculture. Keys to the success of the recommendations are additional funding and public… Read More
BAR HARBOR – Imagine a car-free Mount Desert Island vacation. You take a plane, train or ferry to a spacious gateway terminal, where you can watch a film about Acadia National Park and collect information about sights of interest throughout Hancock and Washington counties, before… Read More
BANGOR – Joe Bornstein, whose dramatic television ads run frequently in Maine, may not have attended Thursday’s session of the Maine State Bar Association’s annual meeting, but he was certainly on the minds of lawyers who gathered to speak about the rules governing lawyers who advertise. Read More
AUGUSTA – Whenever Laura Whitcomb of Brooks wants to pick up the telephone and call a friend or relative in a neighboring town, she has to weigh how much that call really is worth to her. Does she spend her money on the toll call?… Read More
ORONO – Each University of Maine System campus should have its own unique personality so the institution can give the different regions of the state the economic and cultural boosts they need, the second candidate for UMS chancellor said Thursday. It doesn’t matter whether a… Read More
AUGUSTA – A bill that would help bee sting victims and others suffering from severe allergic shock is making its way through the political process in Augusta. The measure would allow all six levels of emergency medical technicians to carry and administer epinephrine, a hormone… Read More
BANGOR – An Industrial Forestry Forum Northeastern Technical Division meeting sponsored by the Forest Resource Association will be held from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 7, at Pilots Grill. The topic will be “Managing Your Finances During Difficult Times.” The difficult times include employee… Read More
BANGOR – The Forest Resource Association, in cooperation with the Professional Logging Contractors of Maine, invites all logging contractors, owner-operators, and equipment deals to the spring workshop titled “FRA/PLC Equipment Maintenance Roundtable.” The workshop will be held from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, April… Read More
VEAZIE – Kindergarten registration and screening for the 2002-2003 school year will be held Thursday, March 7, and Friday, March 8, at the Veazie Community School. Any parent with a child who will be 5 years old on or before Oct. 15 may call the school at 947-6573… Read More
BROWNVILLE – Felix Blinn, chair of the Brownville Republican committee, has issued an invitation to all registered local Republicans to caucus at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 11, at the Brownville Town Office. The main purpose of the biennial caucus is to allow registered voters who… Read More
ELLSWORTH – Hancock County’s drug awareness program has become another casualty of the county’s budget restrictions, but not at the hands of those who have raised concerns about the program in recent years. Sheriff Bill Clark, who in the past has defended the county’s D.A.R.E. Read More
BLUE HILL – The school committees from Blue Hill and Brooksville will meet next week to discuss the possibility of combining the middle school grades of the two schools within the next two years. It may be a sign of things to come, not only… Read More
Knox County Superior Court William M. Davis, 25, Pemaquid, theft, jail 48 days; assault, concurrent jail 48 days; assault on officer, dismissed. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i = 0;… Read More
ELLSWORTH – Police say they have a suspect but have not yet made any arrests in the theft of three vehicles from two auto dealers in the past week. A 1998 Chevrolet truck reported stolen Monday was recovered Tuesday on Martin Road in Sullivan, according… Read More
CASTINE – The Castine Woman’s Club will hold a business meeting at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 5, at Emerson Hall on Court Street. A bag lunch meeting will begin at 12:15 p.m., with speakers at 1 p.m. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes… Read More
GOULDSBORO – Raymond Jones has announced he is running as a Republican candidate for state representative from District 132. The district includes Eastbrook, Gouldsboro, Hancock, Lamoine, Osborn, Sorrento, Trenton, Waltham and Winter Harbor, as well as the unorganized territory of Township 8. googletag.cmd.push(function () {… Read More
PALMYRA – Only a single member of the public attended a hearing Wednesday night on a $400,000 housing rehabilitation grant that could provide low-income loans for Palmyra residents. Several planning board members were invited and attended; a candidate for selectman, Amy Beem, attended; but only… Read More
PITTSFIELD – A blaze initially reported to be a fully involved structure fire on Mill Street Thursday night was discovered to be a burning truck camper. The fire, reported about 8:45 p.m., destroyed the camper, but Pittsfield firefighters at the scene said they did not… Read More
UNITY – The Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association will host two short courses at the Common Ground Education Center in Unity centered on marketing organic produce. Introduction to Organic Farming will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 9 and 13,… Read More
WATERVILLE – The Colby College department of theater and dance will present the premiere performance of “The Maroni Notebook,” a drama written and directed by Richard Sewell, professor of theater and dance. The work is Sewell’s final production after 28 years of teaching at Colby. Read More
FORT KENT – Normand E. Cyr remembers the opening of People’s Benevolent Hospital in 1952 as a major convenience for the residents of the St. John Valley. The hospital was the forerunner of the Northern Maine Medical Center. The facility changed its name in 1975… Read More
PRESQUE ISLE – The flames of historic preservation were burning brightly Wednesday night as more than two dozen members of the Presque Isle Historical Society and other residents lobbied the City Council to keep the city’s old fire station for a museum. “The fire-police station… Read More
HOULTON – The Houlton Fair Association has signed country singer Lorrie Morgan to perform at this year’s Houlton State Agricultural Fair. Fair Association President Debbie Nisbett said the agreement with Morgan was signed Tuesday. The 41-year-old singer from Tennessee will perform one show at 7:30… Read More
FRENCHVILLE – The Northern Aroostook Regional Incinerator Facility board of directors on Thursday morning approved its annual budget of $820,000. NARIF processes solid waste for Madawaska, Fort Kent and Frenchville, three owner communities, and St. Agatha, a service town. Each town pays a share of… Read More
Houlton District Court Robert D. Root, 55, Danforth, night hunting, $,1,000, jail three days. 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
PRESQUE ISLE – The Aroostook Literacy Coalition and local adult education programs are cooperating with the Maine Potato Board to offer an eight-session computer course to growers and their employees. The classes will begin from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 29, at the Presque… Read More
HOULTON – SAD 29-70 Adult Education announces an eight-night fly-tying course beginning Thursday, Jan. 31, at the Hodgdon High School and a class on Adobe Photo Shop for photo and computer image manipulation skills Monday, Jan. 28, at the Houlton Higher Education Center. For information and to register,… Read More
BANGOR – Local black history and Maine’s role in the anti-slavery movement will be commemorated during a celebration that will help launch Black History Month, observed nationally each February. Among the highlights of the event will be presentations on local black history and the Underground… Read More
MACHIAS – The University of Maine is preparing to take applications for a $2,000 scholarship to be given to a Maine high school senior who is a member of his or her school’s Envirothon team. Seniors whose school does not have an Envirothon team cannot… Read More
CARMEL – The Horseback Road saga took another turn this week when two residents filed a lawsuit against the town in Penobscot County Superior Court. Earle McSorley and Sharrlyn Parsons filed suit against the town, claiming that the refusal by the Board of Selectmen to… Read More
MEDWAY – If residents want the school system to participate in an area school consolidation study, they will have to petition the town to raise the money. During the school board’s meeting on Tuesday, a resident urged the board to consider funding of the study. Read More
MEDWAY – Paul Farrington quit school just before his 18th birthday and enlisted in the Navy. Some 57 years after the rest of the Class of 1945 graduated from Medway High School, Farrington has received his diploma, thanks to a new Maine law allowing schools… Read More
An Eddington man who police said was the sole occupant of a stolen car when they caught up with it early Thursday morning claimed that another man had been behind the wheel and had forced him to drive before fleeing. The blue 2001 Saturn bearing… Read More
FRANKFORT – Residents voted overwhelmingly to set the town on a path toward taking the West Winterport Dam by eminent domain. Of those who gathered at the Frankfort Elementary School for Wednesday night’s special town meeting on the matter, 28 voted in favor of the… Read More
CUSHING – A fire Wednesday night at a Pleasant Point Road home destroyed a small amount of laundry and a clothes dryer and resulted in smoke damage inside. The incident occurred at around 8:30 p.m. at the home of Allison Martin, Deputy Fire Chief Peter… Read More
WISCASSET – The Lincoln County Historical Association has a new executive director who will be responsible for caring for two properties that are on the National Register of Historic Places. The association recently welcomed Margaret M. Sheils of Brunswick. She will take care of the… Read More
WALDOBORO – A local teen-ager is attending the Presidential Classroom Scholars Program this month in Washington, D.C. Dominik Lobkowicz of Waldoboro, a student at the Maine School of Science and Mathematics in Limestone, was chosen to attend the prestigious program for high school juniors and… Read More
ROCKLAND – New Hope for Women, a nonprofit organization that assists victims of domestic abuse, will offer Safe Home training next month. The nine hours of training will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Feb. 4, 5 and 12. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define… Read More
DOVER-FOXCROFT – The free lead poisoning workshop that had been scheduled for Jan. 24 has been rescheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 31, at Penquis CAP, 50 North St. The workshop is hosted by Penquis CAP Child Development and the Penquis CAP Family… Read More
PRESQUE ISLE – The City Council continued its discussion Wednesday night of how to deal with nude entertainment issues. The city has no ordinance governing nude entertainment, although the issue has come up periodically every time there is a rumor in town that a business… Read More
MACHIAS – Starting next month, the state Bureau of Motor Vehicles photo licensing unit will be located at the Telecommunications Center, 1 Stackpole Road, in the Machias Industrial Park. The unit is moving from the Machias town office, but the times remain the same. googletag.cmd.push(function… Read More
MACHIAS – The Washington County Extension Association is seeking nominations for the 2002 Norman Duzen Volunteer Award. Each year, Extension presents the award to a volunteer from Washington County who has contributed to the lives of county people. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var… Read More
MONTICELLO – Game Warden Lt. Mike Marshall of Monticello was honored recently by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund as its officer of the month. Marshall is featured on the NLEOMF Web site and will be featured on the NLEOMF calendar in December 2003… Read More
AUGUSTA – A special election to fill a state Senate seat left open by the death of Sen. Joel Abromson of Portland will be held March 5, state election officials said Wednesday. Political parties will have until Feb. 12 to select their candidates for the… Read More
ALFRED – A Kennebunk woman faces up to two years in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of reckless conduct linked to a collision nearly two years ago that killed a retired schoolteacher. Amanda Spaulding, 20, entered her plea Tuesday in York County Superior… Read More
BANGOR – A drug kingpin from Massachusetts who supplied at least three local dealers arrested in a widely publicized motel bust two years ago in Bangor was sentenced to 110 months, about nine years, in prison this week. Anibal Aquino, 23, also known as “Mickey,”… Read More
AUGUSTA – A partnership between the Augusta Mental Health Institute and Dartmouth Medical School, which was announced earlier this week by Gov. Angus King, will begin modestly, King’s mental health commissioner said. But as it develops, the partnership could make the state mental hospital in… Read More
AUGUSTA – Sally Schofield, the Chelsea woman accused of murdering a foster child in her care, testified Thursday that police pressured her into answering questions on the night 5-year-old Logan Marr died. The pretrial testimony in Kennebec County Superior Court marked Schofield’s first public comments… Read More
BOSTON – Two members of an Attleboro religious sect have won another reprieve from an order to send them to jail for refusing to turn over their newborn baby. A single justice of the state Supreme Judicial Court ruled late Thursday that a contempt order… Read More
AUGUSTA – Gov. Angus King, State Treasurer Dale McCormick and Charles J. Spies, chief executive officer of the Finance Authority of Maine, announced new opportunities for Maine families to save and invest for college. Maine families with an adjusted gross income of $50,000 or less… Read More
BANGOR – Millions of America’s seniors are now eligible for free glaucoma screenings, according to U.S. Rep. John Baldacci. Under the provisions of recently implemented Medicare reforms, screenings are now covered for individuals considered to be at high risk, including those with a family history of glaucoma or… Read More
Some 5,600 Central Maine Power customers lost electricity Thursday because of a problem linked to the cross arm of a transmission pole. By 8 p.m., power had been restored to 1,900 customers, CMP spokesman Kevin Elwell said, and it was expected that the remaining 3,700… Read More
CONCORD, N.H. – A fisherman from Maine has been sentenced to six months in prison and fined for illegally selling thousands of pounds of cod fillets. The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Boden Hughes, 23, of Kittery, Maine, and other crew members of the fishing boat… Read More
PORTLAND – The chairwoman of the Maine Democratic Party took a swipe Thursday at President Bush’s economic policies, saying they have led to rising unemployment and a return to deficit spending. Gwethalyn Phillips made it plain that her critique was a pre-emptive strike intended to… Read More
BANGOR – Basketball coaches sit up late at night pondering the situation Husson’s Warren Caruso found himself in against bitter Maine Athletic Conference rival St. Joseph’s College on Thursday night. Down two. Thirty seconds to play. Do you shoot early? Or do you play for… Read More
Tim Whitehead went 0-4 against the University of Maine Black Bears at Tsongas Arena as the head coach of the University of Massachusetts-Lowell’s River Hawks. Now, as the first-year interim head coach of the Black Bears, he hopes that trend continues as the two Hockey… Read More
BANGOR – The Eastern Maine cheerleading competition at the Bangor Auditorium on Saturday will be held in two sessions with a morning/afternoon session for Classes B and D and an afternoon/evening session for Classes A and C. The Class B meet will open the competition… Read More
PRESQUE ISLE – Tina Picard and Morgan Saucier combined to make eight of 10 free throws down the stretch to help Northern Maine Technical College hold on for a 62-59 women’s basketball victory over New Brunswick Bible Institute. Becky Chamberlain poured in 23 points to pace… Read More
BANGOR – When traditional Maine Athletic Conference rivals Husson vs. Saint Joseph’s meet on the basketball court, the intensity and emotion are a notch higher than most regular-season games. So when the once-beaten Monks and the sub-.500 Braves squared off Thursday night, few who witnessed… Read More
BELFAST – A strong defensive effort in the second quarter and a fine offensive performance in the third quarter led to a pointworthy victory for the Belfast girls basketball team Thursday evening. The Lions forced Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference rival Rockland into eight second-period turnovers… Read More
ORONO – Joel Griffeth scored 11 of his 17 points in the second half to help Caribou beat Orono 52-48 in boys basketball action Thursday night. Derek Sinclair’s 17 points, Jeff Miller’s 10, and John Saucier’s 11 rebounds and four blocked shots led Orono. googletag.cmd.push(function… Read More
CASTINE – Erin Lovely poured in 26 points to lead Thomas College to a 71-55 women’s basketball victory over Maine Maritime Academy Thursday night. Tonya Cray chipped in with 17 points for the Terriers of Waterville. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes =… Read More
DEER ISLE – Meghan Wiberg scored all seven of Deer Isle-Stonington’s fourth-quarter points to help the Mariners edge the George Stevens Academy Eagles 35-33 in schoolgirl basketball action Thursday night. Wiberg tossed in a game-high 21 points to pace the winners. googletag.cmd.push(function () { //… Read More
LIMESTONE – Ashley Brooker pumped in a game-high 21 points to help the Limestone Eagles soar past the Wisdom Pioneers 82-24 in schoolgirl basketball action Thursday night. Tracy Weatherhead tossed in 14 points for Limestone/Maine School of Science and Math. Nikki Michaud notched 10 points… Read More
Sharon Versyp will have to add a shooting guard to her list of University of Maine women’s basketball recruits for the upcoming season. Freshman Kelly Manning, whom Versyp recruited as a shooter last year, has been forced to leave the team because of knee problems. Read More
MEN’S HOCKEY Maine vs. UMass-Lowell 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 () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes… Read More
BANGOR – The voices on the “Voice of Maine” morning radio show sound a little different from last month. That’s because Clear Channel Communications of Austin, Texas, the company that owns WVOM-FM (103.9), decided to switch hosts and broadcast its morning call-in show from Augusta… Read More
Rose Red violates the first law of real estate. The gargantuan mansion at the heart of the ABC miniseries “Stephen King’s Rose Red” (9 p.m. Sunday, Monday and Thursday) has a great location, right in the midst of Seattle, and yet most wouldn’t want to… Read More
Ah, the rock star life – the music, the stage, the crowds, the work? Perhaps work isn’t a word often associated with musicians or the music biz. Nevertheless, rocking the world is, indeed, work. For most artists, the journey to fame, fortune and rock glory… Read More
When a 1903 geological expedition arrived in China, its leader, geologist Bailey Willis, realized he was without the services of a mapmaker. He quickly called on R. Harvey Sargent, a native of Sargentville, a village in the Hancock County town of Sedgwick that was named… Read More
In theaters SNOW DOGS, directed by Brian Levant, written by Jim Kouf, Tommy Swerdlow, Michael Goldberg, Mark Gibson and Philip Halprin, loosely based on the book “Winterdance” by Gary Paulsen, 99 minutes, rated PG. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var… Read More