SURRY – A dead bird found in Surry on Aug. 7 has tested positive for the West Nile virus. The crow is the second confirmed case of the virus in Maine this year, Department of Human Services spokesman Newell Augur said Friday. googletag.cmd.push(function () {… Read More
WASHINGTON – Nazi fighters pounced from the clouds on the U.S. B-24 bomber, Problem Child as it struggled to return home after a bombing run deep inside enemy territory June 24, 1944. The luck that had carried William Hathaway and his fellow crew members this… Read More
BUCKSPORT – Officials from the International Paper Co. have begun discussions with union leaders to voluntarily eliminate up to 100 positions at the mill here. The talks are part of an ongoing effort between labor and management to improve the overall performance at the mill… Read More
AUGUSTA – The lone lawmaker who almost succeeded at pushing a comprehensive tax reform bill through the last Legislature is taking a dim view of ongoing efforts by a special tax panel to find a remedy for Maine’s old tax volatility problem. State Rep. Bernard… Read More
George Schaefer’s summer began like that of most other teen-agers. He got a part-time job at a place where he could study a profession he might want to pursue as a career. Now, as summer comes to a close, the 16-year-old no longer is being… Read More
A story about an automobile accident in Howland that ran in Monday, Aug. 12, editions incorrectly identified one of the injured victims. The 11-year-old injured was a boy named Christian Whitney. He remains hospitalized with a fractured skull and collapsed lung, according to his father. Read More
While Bangor City Councilor David Nealley says he favors a balance between preservation and development near the Penjajawoc Marsh, his early departure from the Board of Environmental Protection hearings on Aug. 9 suggests he may not understand the permitting process. In the Aug. 10-11 edition of the Bangor… Read More
Trade officials from the United States and Canada are preparing to resume talks in two weeks on the long-standing softwood lumber dispute between the two countries. Industry groups on both sides of the multi-billion-dollar argument over subsidies and tariffs are urging their representatives to be tough; there is… Read More
From the time the Experience at Sea crew began two months of rigorous training a year ago to the end of their arduous nine-month voyage last spring, the innovative group-home program for teen-age boys in foster care built an impressive following of influential supporters. Glowing statements of support… Read More
I agree with Susan Jacoby (BDN oped, Aug. 12) that we talk about rape more than we did 30 years ago before the feminist movement. There is room, however, for still more improvement in how we treat those who have experienced rape. A stranger abducted… Read More
I can’t figure out what Barbara Worcester meant in her Aug. 9 letter when she referred to Chellie Pingree as an “obstructionist.” It doesn’t seem as though Pingree would have been elected majority leader of the Maine Senate if she really were a person who couldn’t put together… Read More
Chellie Pingree’s attacks on Republican Sen. Susan Collins’ successful prescription drug legislation are prime examples of how ineffective she would be as a U.S. senator. Collins’ plan will bring lower-priced generic prescription drugs to the market sooner, and will save those users in excess of $60 billion over… Read More
Now that the votes are in for the new state quarter, those like myself, in northern Maine, will have to start telling the tourists who do come up here that there are no lighthouses in Aroostook County (insert sarcastic tone here). Once again, the south is promoted and… Read More
The state of Maine recently enacted stronger animal welfare laws against willful, aggravated animal abuse. Yet, the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife permits and promotes coyote snaring, which causes strangulation, swollen, hemorrhaging heads, broken teeth and bones as well as other major injuries. Why… Read More
Bravo for your editorial (BDN, Aug. 12) on “the TV tax.” Indeed, our Federal Communications Commission, and other powers that be, are engaged in an “epochal meddling in consumer choice.” And it must be stopped. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]];… Read More
After cranking out a take-no-prisoners critique of a court ruling out west that deemed the Pledge of Allegiance to be unconstitutional because it contains the words “under God,” yr. fthfl. crspndt. took a beating in the resulting mail from bleeding-heart liberals, atheists, agnostics, the occasional flaming feminist and… Read More
Maine schoolteachers have had a busy summer. In addition to such typical off-season recreations common to the profession as waiting tables, painting houses and taking tickets at tourist attractions, many have been in school, at work writing something called a Local Comprehensive Assessment System. Popularly known as LCAS,… Read More
Wouldn’t it be a wonderful thing,” gushed our secretary of defense on Aug. 9, “if Iraq were similar to Afghanistan, if a bad regime was thrown out, people were liberated, food could come in, borders could be opened, repression could stop, prisons could be opened? I mean, it… Read More
BURLINGTON, Vt. – Dairy farmers made more money last year than in any year but one since 1979, an annual study found. The Northeast Dairy Farm Summary for 2001 analyzed the bottom line of 511 dairy farmers from throughout the Northeast as well as their… Read More
PORTLAND – Maine was the top seafood-harvesting state in the Northeast for the eighth year in a row in 2001. The National Marine Fisheries Service reported Friday that last year’s fish and shellfish harvest in the 10-state region from Maine to Virginia totaled more than… Read More
LONG ISLAND – Thousands of people come to Maine each summer to rent cabins in the Maine woods and along the coast. Curtis VanBrocklin wants to rent out cabinlike houseboats in Casco Bay so people have that camp experience – on the water instead of… Read More
Every spring, an awareness blitz is undertaken to educate employers about the intricacies of Maine’s child labor laws. Trade organizations tell their members about what is and is not permissible when it comes to employing children, and the state Department of Labor sends out notifications that a booklet… Read More
ALBANY, N.Y. – Ames Department Stores Inc. agreed Friday to modify its sales policies to better protect customers as its stores go out of business, announced New York state Attorney General Eliot Spitzer. The attorneys general from New York and six other states, including Maine,… Read More
BREWER – The city has revised its animal control ordinance, effective Sunday. Key changes for pet owners include: 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
CALAIS – It was just a week: not much time for teachers trying to grasp a 10,000-year-old culture. But when they finished a special Native American Studies course last Sunday, some of the 20 men and women who participated described it as a life-changing experience. Read More
One of the reasons American kids are getting fatter each year, say researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is that only about a quarter of them walk or ride their bicycles to school. The lack of physical exercise worries health officials, of… Read More
BANGOR – The Queen City became an impromptu port of call Friday morning for the 165-foot passenger ship American Eagle after rough weather caused the coastal cruise to make an unplanned detour up the Penobscot River. Scheduled for a seven-day cruise starting and ending in… Read More
HAMPDEN – The Hampden entrepreneur whose handling of a loan application left a family of five homeless, and nearly resulted in a second family’s becoming homeless, has been ordered to appear at a hearing before state officials to respond to allegations that she has been doing business without… Read More
MACHIAS – The violence young children see on television or witness in their communities can harm them, but violence is most toxic when it occurs in a child’s home, according to a national child violence expert. “Young children depend on parents for emotional security and… Read More
Marshall L. Stone, a former Bangor Daily News managing editor known for his staunch commitment to editorial independence, and whose barbed Column One often jabbed his own newspaper and other powerful Maine institutions, died Friday at an Ellsworth health care facility at the age of 81. Read More
BREWER – Gray skies threatening rain could not dampen the spirits of developers and dignitaries as a long-awaited residential care facility opened at Taylor Drive on Friday. Though still unfinished, Woodlands of Brewer, a 20,000-square-foot assisted living facility, officially opened its doors at 10:30 a.m. Read More
CORINTH – Fire damaged a mobile home Friday on the Tate Road with rescuers carrying two dogs from the home. One dog required resuscitation with CPR. Inside the home, the residents tried to extinguish the flames with a garden hose. Called at 3:01 p.m. and… Read More
HUDSON – Authorities seized marijuana plants and recovered a stolen six-wheel ATV on Thursday night as part of a search warrant at a home on Route 221. An anonymous tip earlier Thursday led investigators with the marijuana eradication team of the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Department… Read More
BLUE HILL – Selectmen Friday ordered Blue Hill Mountain Leasing to come up with a plan to repair damage done while it was creating an access road to the top of Blue Hill Mountain. The selectmen gave the company one month to develop the mitigation… Read More
GOULDSBORO – A local man has been hired as the new town manager. Bradford Vassey, 57, of South Gouldsboro was formally hired Thursday night at the selectmen’s meeting. Vassey, who started in his new post Friday, does not have any experience as a municipal employee,… Read More
BAR HARBOR – Friends of Acadia’s 13th annual gala benefit Aug. 10 at Wildwood Stables took in $235,000 in winning bids, ticket sales, cash donations and sponsorships, according to organizers. More than 300 guests participated in the evening’s silent auction of 77 items. googletag.cmd.push(function ()… Read More
SEAL HARBOR – Wildwood Stable in Acadia National Park has been chosen by Rand McNally as one of its 28 Best of the Road spots in the United States. “We sent our editors all across America,” said Rand McNally editor Laurie Borman. “We then combed… Read More
LAMOINE – An empty horse trailer was considered a total loss after it came loose from a truck that was towing it Thursday afternoon. Bonnie Moretto, 50, of Lamoine was driving south on Route 184 around 5:30 p.m. when the two-horse trailer separated from Moretto’s… Read More
BLUE HILL – A bronze sculpture honoring a Penobscot Indian matriarch soon will adorn the lawn at the Blue Hill Historical Society. Molly Molasses, a Wabanaki born in a Penobscot camp around 1775 near Bangor, will be immortalized in a bronze bust to be presented… Read More
PALMYRA – Two juveniles have been arrested and an adult questioned, and there are likely to be more arrests as a result of the investigation of a burglary earlier this month at The Pharmhouse, a music and clothing store on Route 100 in Palmyra. In… Read More
PITTSFIELD – A Peltoma Avenue resident was injured late Thursday night when he apparently fell asleep and crashed his van, just nine doors from his home. Ernest Bryant, 65, told police at the scene that he had been up all day and the night before… Read More
NEWPORT – The Maine Department of Transportation will hold a public hearing on the replacement of Durham Bridge in Newport after regular business at the Newport Board of Selectmen’s meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 21. Representatives from the DOT will discuss the details of… Read More
PITTSFIELD – For the first time, a Pittsfield resident is appealing to the Town Council a citation served by the Pittsfield police chief. David Lyons of Weeks Road was cited jointly July 22 by code enforcement officer Claude Rounds for violation of the state’s junkyard… Read More
PITTSFIELD – For far too long, those who have worked quietly behind the scenes have largely gone unrecognized by town officials and, often, by the community at large. Town Manager Kathryn Ruth hopes to change that beginning next week with the first-ever council recognition of… Read More
CARIBOU – Following the advice of the municipal attorney, the Caribou City Council this week decided not to take action on two petitions submitted by a group of five residents. The petitions sought to set the property tax rate for Caribou at $21 per $1,000… Read More
HOULTON – State and federal environmental officials are waiting for the results of recent soil tests before beginning cleanup of a former salvage yard next to the Houlton Grange. Soil test samples were taken last month at the Green Street site and Brian Beneski, an… Read More
BANGOR – A broken water main sent water flowing down Third Street between Buck and Lincoln streets Friday night and flooded some neighboring basements Friday night. “I should have thought about building an ark,” said one neighbor just before she waded through the ankle-deep water… Read More
Christian, 11, is a handsome, charming boy with brown hair, blue eyes and freckles. Creative, artistic and athletic, Christian is described by people who know him as a “great kid” who is fun to be around. Christian enjoys working on art projects, singing, and athletic… Read More
GUILFORD – Ever since the municipal landfill was closed more than 20 years ago, residents in this mill town have been disposing of their garbage at a transfer station that was never approved or permitted by the Department of Environmental Protection. A complaint filed by… Read More
The following divorces have been granted in 5th District Court in Belfast on grounds of irreconcilable marital differences: Marvin Jacobs and Julianna Jacobs, both of Belfast, married at Northport on Oct. 17, 1992. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes… Read More
SPRUCE HEAD – The U.S. Coast Guard was searching off the coast of Spruce Head Friday night for a possible downed ultralight plane after witnesses reported seeing a plane descend toward the water. Authorities weren’t sure if they had a downed plane or not and… Read More
CAMDEN – Area law enforcement agencies are still searching for a man who allegedly threatened another man with a knife at the town’s public landing. Police Chief Phil Roberts said Friday that an arrest warrant was issued Aug. 9 for Troy Woodman, 20. Woodman’s last… Read More
ROCKLAND – The following divorces were granted in 6th District Court in July on grounds of irreconcilable marital differences: Brian Hagley, Huntington, W.Va., and Jacquelyn Hagley, Rockland; married March 20, 1999, at Belfast; Jacquelyn Hagley to change name to Jacquelyn St. Clair. googletag.cmd.push(function () {… Read More
DEXTER – At the top of a hill tucked in a small corner off Maple Street lie Dexter’s roots. There is no sign to identify the property, and, before this week, there was little evidence the plot of land was actually a cemetery that contained… Read More
DOVER-FOXCROFT – The Maine Highlands Guild, a new arts marketing organization, will sponsor a series of open houses later this month and next to recruit members. “We’re trying to promote the cultural heritage for the region,” Tracy Michaud Stutzman, executive director of the guild, said… Read More
MONSON – There will be some picking and grinning on tap at this town’s first Music Fest on Sunday. Four groups and a soloist will perform under a tent from noon to 6 p.m. at the Vainio field on the Blanchard Road to raise funds… Read More
DOVER-FOXCROFT – The book discussion group of Dover-Foxcroft will discuss Ann B. Ross’ “Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind” at 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 26, at the Thompson Free Library at East Main Street. For more information, call Nancy Grant at 564-3098. Read More
SKOWHEGAN – The Maine Historic Preservation Commission has announced the Dudley’s Corner School House has been entered in the National Register of Historic Places. The one-room building was the center of government and religion in the area for several decades, according to MHPC director Earle… Read More
UNITY – Unity College will be host to a Day of Service from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14, to improve water quality in Lake Winnecook, improve playgrounds, expand walking trails and paint an elementary school. Projects for the event will be scattered… Read More
RANGELEY – University of Southern Maine behavioral ecologist Chris Mahar will present a free program dealing with woodchucks from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25, at the Wilhelm Reich Museum at Dodge Pond Road. For more information, call 864-3443. Read More
MACHIAS – A Washington County Superior Court judge agreed Friday to allow two former star basketball players to have supervised contact with each other when they attend a Bangor business college this fall. Morgan Drew and Sarah Snider appeared in Superior Court on Friday and… Read More
HARRINGTON – Schools in SAD 37, including Narraguagus High School and the five elementary schools – D.W. Merritt, Cherryfield, Columbia Falls, Harrington and Milbridge – will open on Tuesday, Sept. 3. All elementary pupils will be in attendance on that day. Only incoming freshmen will… Read More
MACHIAS – The group project of the 2002 Discovery Arts Program at the University of Maine at Machias is on display at the Merrill Library on campus through the end of August. Instructor Cristina Jordan Mugford said the 13 children who attended the weeklong program,… Read More
MACHIAS – A 22-year-old Baileyville man who last month ran from the courthouse rather than be sentenced, was sentenced Friday to four years in prison for his part in a botched burglary at an elderly Princeton couple’s home. Michael MacKenzie, who led police on a… Read More
People residing in the five-county area served by the United Way of Eastern Maine might not think about bringing a book to the grocery store, but that is just what you are being asked to do. What started as a fund-raiser in one store has… Read More
TURNER – A 21-year-old New Jersey man was killed in a one-car accident Thursday night. The Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Department said Timothy Smith was killed when the 1981 BMW in which he was a passenger became airborne, struck some trees and landed on its roof… Read More
RAPID CITY, S.D. – A Maine couple asked Thursday to be sent back home to face charges in connection with the beating death of a Canadian military musician. Benjamin L. Humphrey, 29, a South Dakota native now living in Brunswick, Maine, and his girlfriend, Aimee… Read More
LUBEC – The search for four Canadian boaters who were lost in the fog near the U.S.-Canadian border is over. The boaters, who spent Thursday night on the water, are all safe, according to U.S. Coast Guard officials. The 22-foot motorboat Deal Maker, out of… Read More
The Episcopal bishop of Maine will participate in a special worship service next month when the Washington National Cathedral recognizes the state’s leaders and residents. Nearly 250 worshippers from Maine are expected to visit the cathedral for the event, during which the Maine state flag… Read More
The Rev. Stephanie Salinas was directing movers and trying to unpack boxes at her new Bangor home. Just when the newly ordained minister thought she was making headway, the doorbell would ring and there would be a few more boys gathered on her front steps. Read More
PORTLAND – The U.S. Air Force has named part of a Persian Gulf base for a Maine serviceman who became the first to die in the U.S. overseas campaign against terrorism. Located in Qatar, “Camp Andy” is a tent encampment with a plaque honoring Air… Read More
PORTLAND – Three women who say they were sexually abused by the same now-deceased priest told their stories to Bishop Joseph Gerry on Thursday, and they praised the bishop for expressing empathy and understanding. After the closed-door meeting, the survivors had kind words for the… Read More
STARKS – The organizer of the annual Hempstock festival must have sharp mathematical and organization skills to avoid going to jail for violating an ordinance that limits the number of people at parties. Don Christen is holding the marijuana advocacy event even though the town… Read More
BANGOR – It’s easy to take umpires for granted. If they do a good job, nobody notices and if they make the wrong call, everybody notices. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for… Read More
BANGOR – Saturday’s Senior League World Series championship game will have a true international flavor as Latin American champion Curacao will meet United States South region champ Boynton Beach, Fla. Curacao defeated West champ San Pedro, Calif., 8-2 to extend its winning streak to four… Read More
PORTLAND – When Ryan Ouellette took his first look at a leader board Friday, on the 17th hole, “all I saw was single digits [under par].” Except for the double-digit number next to his name. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]];… Read More
I’m a skeptic by nature, an honest-to-goodness cynic on those days that I’m operating on too little sleep, not enough caffeine, too much caffeine, too few hot dogs, or too much bile. That’s why my expectations for the Senior League World Series were modest. And… Read More
BAY LEAGUE All-Stars 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
Portland’s Ian Crocker finished second in the 100-meter butterfly at the U.S. Nationals being held in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Friday. Crocker’s time of 52.64 was just off the pace of Michael Phelps of Baltimore’s 53.85. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes =… Read More
CARRABASSETT VALLEY – Two junior golfers each registered a hole-in-one in Thursday’s Alden MacDonald Junior Invitational Tournament at the Sugarloaf/USA Golf Club. Neil Lyons and Nick Estabrook of Bangor, both 17, each recorded aces in the 12th annual event. Lyons scored his ace on No. 11 and Estabrook… Read More
CHARLIE’S MAINE OPEN PORTLAND – Final results of Charlie’s Maine Open played at the par 72 (36-36) Riverside Municipal Golf Course (a- indicates amateur). googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i… Read More
HOLE-IN-ONE Kevin McPhee 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
LIMESTONE – Shanna McGary’s second goal of the game at 3:29 of the second overtime Friday gave Hodgdon a 2-1, double-overtime soccer victory over Limestone the team’s mutual season opener. Hodgdon had taken the 1-0 lead 6:13 into the second half when McGary scored her… Read More
There’s a dilemma that every outdoor enthusiast faces this time of year. Everywhere that you want to go to enjoy the peace and quiet of the great outside looks like the line at the ticket sellers window at a soon-to-be, sold-out rock concert. This is… Read More
A large cloud was passing overhead, so my fishing buddy and I sat patiently at either end of the boat and waited for better light. We had anchored in a stump-strewn cove of a favorite bass lake and were spot casting top-water plugs to feeding smallmouth. Just after… Read More
It’s hard to find an advocate for milfoil. Boaters, fishermen and camp owners all fear the noxious weed. But when state regulators start considering the problem of invasive fish, the issue becomes as muddled and snarled as that infamous plant. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define… Read More
MARS HILL – A recent grant from the Portland-based Libra Foundation will allow Big Rock, one of two Alpine ski areas owned by the Maine Winter Sports Center, to make a number of enhancements to enrich skiers’ enjoyment on the slopes. By the start of… Read More
I try to make at least one whale-watching trip every summer. I enjoy seeing these great, mysterious mammals in their element. But there is also a bonus for us who are interested in birds: where there are whales, there are also seabirds. In fact, the presence of birds… Read More
Kids do it. Their parents do it. Even grandparents do it. They sit at the breakfast table and read cereal boxes. Even youngsters who can’t read stare at it. And that is what inspired a Hermon woman’s invention of the Study Buddy. googletag.cmd.push(function () {… Read More
KINGMAN – New England native Dick Stokes started carving using wood scraps he found in debris created by Hurricane Bob in 1991. “It’s been a hobby mostly,” said Stokes, who will show off some of his creations at the National Folk Festival from 5 to… Read More
Kenneth Noland: “Themes and Variations, 1958-2002,” through Oct. 13 at the Farnsworth Art Museum, Main Street, Rockland. 596-6457. Walking into the Kenneth Noland exhibit at the Farnsworth is like getting a 64-pack of Crayola crayons for the first time. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot… Read More
STONINGTON – A teacher, a writer, an elected official, local business owners, recent college graduates, year-round inhabitants and seasonal residents ranging in age from 18 to 80 made up the 17-member cast of “The Laramie Project.” The fact that the performers were locals, coupled with… Read More
Some of us never got into the Elvis thing. We were so “into” James Brown, The Temptations, Joe Tex and Wilson Pickett that we thought Elvis was just a burlesque of black music. The Memphis phenomenon died 30 years ago today, in case you missed the news. Read More
Q: I’ve never quite figured out when it’s appropriate to harvest garlic. Do you have any idea? D.L., Swanville A: A general rule of thumb to use: Harvest when leaves have started to die back and only five or six green leaves remain. Garlic should… Read More