Corinna doesn’t have a downtown anymore. Its historic village center has been transformed to a Superfund site. Buildings have been razed, roads have been moved and residents have adjusted to the thousands of tons of contaminated soil piled beneath large plastic canopies. googletag.cmd.push(function () {… Read More
AUGUSTA – Glitches in a new computer system at the Department of Human Services are making life miserable for welfare recipients and stressing out dozens of state assistance workers. Ray Heathco, who works in the support and enforcement division for DHS in Lewiston, said Thursday… Read More
OTTAWA – Security concerns since Sept. 11 are changing the rules, even when it comes to old friend Canada and the world’s longest undefended border. There are no plans to post military troops along the 4,000-mile boundary from Alaska to Maine, but U.S. Ambassador Paul… Read More
LIMESTONE – In a new take on “Yankee ingenuity” scientists at the former Loring Air Force Base are steam-cleaning bedrock and taking advantage of bacteria’s natural hunger for fuel. This development of new technology is an important legacy of the Superfund program, said Mark Hyland… Read More
WASHINGTON – Sen. Trent Lott’s decision not to take the majority leader’s post had been quietly backed by Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, according to the two Maine Republicans. Both senators had come under fire this week from the Portland branch of the NAACP,… Read More
WASHINGTON – Sen. Bill Frist, R-Tenn., a hard-charging surgeon who is a favorite with the Bush administration, is poised to become the next Senate majority leader, succeeding Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss. Fellow Republican Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins both wholeheartedly support Frist for the… Read More
A letter by Linda Leavitt McCullen, a teacher at Penobscot Valley High School in Howland, was changed by a typographical error. The sentence in question should have read, “[MSAD 31] has even spent more than $200,000 of taxpayer money in the process to date.”… Read More
As he has done biennially as commissioner of education, Duke Albanese has proposed a budget for the state’s share of K-12 education with an increase that resides slightly closer to optimism than what many lawmakers might prefer. It is the right way to lean, especially given the capitol… Read More
The worst conclusion Republicans could draw from the announcement by Sen. Trent Lott yesterday that he would relinquish his role as Senate majority leader is that this is an opportunity to “get beyond” or “move past” this or any of the other euphemisms employed to allow an embarrassed… Read More
Chills went up my spine when reading about George Smith of the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine fantasizing about catching the 30-pound salmon provided by Atlantic Salmon Co. in Down East rivers (BDN, Dec. 14-15). I pray that it remains just that, a fantasy. The ecological damage wrought by… Read More
As a recent “recount survivor,” I strongly disagree with attorney Phil Merrill’s op-ed in the Dec. 4 Bangor Daily News. Merrill states that “Maine ballot law is well settled.” That may be true, however, a law that is well settled may often be misinterpreted and explained incorrectly. That… Read More
I am writing to clear up some inaccuracies in the quotations attributed to me by Deborah Turcotte in her Dec. 18 article, “Employment rate masks difficult state job market.” The Department of Labor does not use a survey of unemployment insurance claimants to “try to… Read More
For quite some time now, many news articles and pundits have tendered their questions and opinions as to the exact nature of that mysterious substance that sits atop Sen. Trent Lott’s head. We all knew it surely couldn’t be human hair. It has become quite clear lately that… Read More
This letter is directed to the person who took a layaway box from a cart in the Wal-Mart parking lot Dec. 6. By making my first priority to get my 9-month-old baby into the car, I drove off without the package. I returned 15 minutes later to find… Read More
Your Dec. 17 front page article from The Washington Post, “New tax plan may tap poor,” reveals that the Bush administration is sending a message just the opposite from that which churches are reading in their scripture lessons this Christmas Sunday, that in the words of the Magnificat,… Read More
The big news out of the Recreational Vehicles Industry Association trade show this week in Louisville, Ky., was that sales of RVs jumped a whopping 18 percent in 2002. The 300,000 units of self-contained transport sold smashes the old record, set back when Conestogas were all the rage… Read More
A great problem in the history of Christian faith has been the endless disagreement among pastors, priests, and denominations on when and where to draw the line. We’re all familiar with the image, of course – the line drawn in the sand and the moral hero who draws… Read More
The unwritten rules of the column business dictate that when the holiday at hand is Merry Christmas – if I dare be so politically incorrect as to use that lately discredited phrase – the subject matter must be of an un-heavy nature so as not to add to… Read More
More than 250,000 pounds of lobster is expected to be shipped overseas by Maine dealers in the next 10 days for Christmas and New Year’s entrees in European homes and restaurants. The holiday crunch at William Atwood Lobster Co. in Spruce Head actually started Dec. Read More
BOSTON – The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals this week ruled that Bowater Corp. failed to provide sufficient guarantees of its intentions to protect the pension rights guaranteed to workers at Great Northern Paper Co.’s Millinocket and East Millinocket mills. The ruling sent the… Read More
AUGUSTA – Speakers at a public hearing held Friday morning by the Maine Milk Commission all backed a proposed hike in the minimum price of milk paid to Maine farmers. Although farmers from Houlton to Norridgewock testified they have done everything they can to stay… Read More
BANGOR – Merrill Merchants Bancshares Inc., parent company of Merrill Merchants Bank, has declared a cash dividend of $0.11 per share on the company’s common stock. The amount represents an increase of 22 percent, or $.02 per share, over last year’s fourth-quarter dividend, according to Edwin N. Clift,… Read More
BANGOR – A former state legislator from Bangor has been tapped to head the state agency charged with overseeing regulation of many fields, from financial institutions to pharmacists, elevators to insurance. Gov.-elect John E. Baldacci on Friday nominated Robert “Buddy” Murray Jr., 43, to head… Read More
GREENVILLE – Even though the number of passengers served by the Acadian Railway was not as high as expected in its first year of operation, officials are looking forward eagerly to expanding service next year. “The people who came on the train liked it,” Randy… Read More
BREWER – Harry Boucher, 87, got some long overdue recognition Friday when U.S. Rep. John Baldacci awarded him a handful of military medals, including the Purple Heart, at a ceremony at Brewer High School. A former engine mechanic on a patrol torpedo boat during World… Read More
PORTLAND – A new report documenting some of the property-related pressures on Maine’s fishing industry found cause for concern all along the state coast. According to the Maine Coastal Program, communities from southern Maine to Down East face the loss of commercial waterfronts because of… Read More
This weekend probably will be a busy one for most people. Last-minute shopping to do, parties to attend, gifts to wrap, mistletoe to hang and holiday food to prepare. As you’re checking your list twice, would you please consider adding to it a donation to the Santa’s Helper… Read More
The last time I spoke with Greg Brooks, the Westbrook man who sold his swimming pool business nearly 20 years ago to search for treasure-laden shipwrecks in the Caribbean, he believed he had located one of the richest vessels ever lost at sea. That was… Read More
FARMINGTON – Shoppers are swarming through stores in search of last-minute gifts. But the fluffy earmuff created by Farmington’s native son apparently isn’t on many shopping lists. The old-fashioned earmuffs with the coiled band and fuzzy pads have all but disappeared from catalog pages and… Read More
WARREN – Maine State Police are investigating the death of a 16-year-old Thomaston boy who was found dead Friday morning at a friend’s house on Oyster River Road in Warren. Jacob Strout, a junior at Medomak Valley High School in Waldoboro, had spent the night… Read More
PITTSFIELD – Three people on an all-terrain vehicle, including an intoxicated operator, is a recipe for disaster, said Warden Durwood Humphrey, who investigated such an incident in Pittsfield on Thursday night. Three people were riding a Kawasaki ATV across a field in the Industrial Park… Read More
Ellsworth District Court Cases Sept. 15-Nov. 15, 2002 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… Read More
ELLSWORTH – For people used to getting water from an outdoor spigot at a city-owned facility, their usual supply is about to run dry. It is not that there is not enough water in the well that supplies the tap at the Hancock County Technical… Read More
Timothy and Tylor, 12, are healthy fraternal twins in need of a loving home where they will be adopted together. The brothers are in the Boy Scouts and both enjoy outdoor activities during all seasons. They both participate in summer camps and extracurricular sports. Tim is now interested… Read More
DEXTER – A truck stolen from a home on Dustin Street was found in southern Maine on Friday morning. Police continued to search for the suspect later that day. Daniel Zavistoski and Rebecca Roy told Dexter police that they had started their maroon 1998 GMC… Read More
GREENVILLE – A lengthy and thorough study of municipal building needs was presented this week to selectmen. After four months of study, the Municipal Building Task Force formed by selectmen gave the board a list of alternatives that would address the space needs. googletag.cmd.push(function ()… Read More
GREENVILLE – Municipal officials are fuming after having learned that the town’s new sand-salt pad is in violation of state regulations. After all, the town used a map supplied by the state Department of Environmental Protection to locate the new pad in nearby Moosehead Junction… Read More
MACHIAS – Three public hearings on proposed changes to Maine’s aquaculture lease laws have been scheduled for early January. The Maine Department of Marine Resources will conduct the hearings on Jan. 7 in Ellsworth, Jan. 8 in Eastport, and Jan. 9 in Machias. googletag.cmd.push(function ()… Read More
PITTSFIELD – A Pittsfield ballet dancer who recently competed in an elite competition in Monaco didn’t come home to Maine with a signed contract. But don’t think for a minute that Shelby Dyer didn’t win. Dyer, 17, said this week that the experience renewed her… Read More
ROCKLAND – Camden, Rockport and Rockland will see big jumps in their county tax bills, the result of substantial growth in real estate value in the three coastal communities. The Knox County budget for 2003 was approved Dec. 11. Total expenditures are $5.9 million, up… Read More
BELFAST – A pair of assaults that allegedly occurred this fall near the Belfast skate park remain under investigation by the state Attorney General’s Office as possible racial incidents, and two juveniles allegedly involved in one of them were charged with assault earlier this week. Read More
ROCKPORT – Several appliances were reported stolen from The Ledges Motel on Thursday evening. Rockport Police Chief Mark Kelley said Friday that three televisions, a refrigerator and a microwave oven were reported missing from rooms in the Route 1 motel. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define… Read More
A Bangor man remained in jail Friday night on $5,000 cash bail or $20,000 single surety after he had been charged with Class A arson after neighbors reported he was repeatedly lighting his apartment wall on fire. Christopher R. Warchol, 23, told police that he… Read More
ELLSWORTH – The Union Trust Co. has touched the lives of some special individuals this season in the spirit of giving. The company participated as a group to purchase toys and clothing to benefit children in eastern Maine through the Christmas for Kids Program. In… Read More
Young adults, between the ages of 20 and 40, who are seeking alternative ways to meet others who share common interests, are being offered that opportunity through a new program sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Bangor. Amy DeBeck, director of religious education for… Read More
CONCORD, N.H. – The New Hampshire Medical Society has joined a class action lawsuit that charges nine of the nation’s largest medical insurers with conspiring against doctors. The suit accuses the insurers of forcing doctors into unfair contracts with reduced payments, withholding payments for medical… Read More
AUGUSTA – Revised rules endorsed by the Board of Environmental Protection would give beachfront property owners a one-time opportunity to rebuild a home seriously damaged by storms. The board declined to grant any further leeway to property owners who packed a public hearing last August… Read More
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Springfield is considering buying prescription drugs for city workers and retirees in Canada in an effort to save anywhere from $100,000 to $5 million per year, city officials say. “With the budget crisis we have to explore all avenues,” city insurance director… Read More
AUGUSTA – The seventh annual Holiday Highway Safety Event was kicked off Friday by Secretary of State Dan Gwadosky and several other organizations that promote safety on Maine’s roadways. The purpose of the event is to encourage Maine residents and holiday visitors to drive safely during the holiday… Read More
BANGOR – The next Husson Business Breakfast “The Little Engine That Could,” will be held at 7:30 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 9, at Dickerman Dining Commons, Husson College. Toni Casey, director of intergovernmental affairs for the U.S. Small Business Administration, will speak at the breakfast. googletag.cmd.push(function… Read More
BUCKFIELD – A 54-year-old Sumner man was killed Thursday when he apparently missed a stop sign and slammed his van into a hill. Maine State Police said Normand Girardin was driving a plumbing-and-heating supply van on South Hill Road at about 5:30 p.m. when he… Read More
BANGOR – The Hampden Police Department, Maine State Police and Penobscot County Sheriff’s Department recently implemented LOCATER, the Lost Child Alert Technology Resource, to ensure a high level of preparedness for child abduction cases. One of the greatest challenges facing law enforcement personnel in missing-child… Read More
BANGOR – The organizers of the 65th National Folk Festival are accepting applications for food and craft vendors for the 2003 festival, which will be held from Friday, Aug. 22, to Sunday, Aug. 24, along the Bangor waterfront. Next year will mark the second of… Read More
AUGUSTA – The Maine Statewide Independent Living Council recently elected new officers and established its 2003 meeting schedule. Newly elected officers are Chair Beverly Bryan of Cape Elizabeth and Vice Chair Russell Anderson of Waldoboro. Karl Hall of Machias will continue his role as treasurer. Read More
BOSTON – The Coast Guard is seeking nominations for recipients of Gold and Silver Lifesaving Medals, the most prestigious award given for rescues at sea. Previous medal recipients have included kayaker John Caspar III, who paddled to the scene of an overturned boat to pull… Read More
PARKMAN – The Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Department received several reports Friday of vehicles that slid off slick roads, many of them in Parkman. There were no serious injuries, according to David Roberts, deputy chief of communications. “The weather has not created any more than the… Read More
BANGOR – Looking around at a roomful of people from various cultures and religions all gathered for one celebration, James Varner couldn’t help but smile. It was last Sunday evening at the Unitarian Universalist Church on Park Street, and a group – including Hindus, Christians,… Read More
Toronto Blue Jays third base coach and infield instructor Brian Butterfield used to make his young infielders watch Baltimore Orioles shortstop Mike Bordick take ground balls during infield practice. They’ll get plenty of time to watch him take ground balls this coming season after Winterport… Read More
BANGOR – Swimming coaches always like to kick off meets with a win in the 200-yard medley relay to set the tone for the competition. Senior captain Scott King helped the Bangor boys do just that in Friday’s meet against Belfast. King anchored a come-from-behind… Read More
BANGOR – Last week Bangor High School’s Aaron Gallant was an offensive force in the Rams’ win over Hampden Academy. Friday night at Red Barry Gymnasium his teammates were happy that the sophomore has a nose for defense, as well. Gallant’s block of Ryan McLellan’s… Read More
Travelling from Jacksonville, Ala., to Orono, Maine, in late December probably isn’t the ideal trip in the minds of most people, but for Jacksonville State University men’s basketball coach Mike LaPlante, it’s perfect. “It’s sort of a second homecoming for me, since I grew up… Read More
Nina Smith dispenses her bait – and assorted homespun tales and opinions – the same way: with a smile, by the dozen. You might not know Smith by name, but if you’re an angler who has discovered the four watery gems that rest between Holden… Read More
PHILADELPHIA – University of Maine sophomore running back Onyi Momah was selected to the Atlantic 10 Academic All-Conference Team. Momah collected 181 yards on 41 carries with a touchdown for the Black Bears. Read More
HIGH SCHOOL At UMaine, Orono 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 Husson College, Bangor 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
MEN’S BASKETBALL MAINE HOLIDAY CLASSIC 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
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Western Kentucky completed a remarkable turnaround by winning its first Division I-AA football championship, avenging an early loss by defeating McNeese State 34-14 Friday night. Jon Frazier ran for two touchdowns and Jeremi Johnson caught a TD pass for Hilltoppers, who were… Read More
PRESQUE ISLE – Fred Bird scored 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds to help lead the Presque Isle Wildcats to a 55-42 schoolboy basketball win over the Old Town Indians Friday night. Ben Deschene helped Presque Isle erase an eight-point first-quarter deficit by scoring 12… Read More
CORINTH – Five Central players scored in double digits to help give the Red Devils the edge for a 60-54 schoolboy basketball victory over the Searsport Vikings Friday night. Tristan Strout scored 13 points while Colby Brown added 11, including seven points in the fourth… Read More
PITTSFIELD – Matt Donar scored 14 points to lead the Erskine Academy boys basketball team to a 56-38 over Maine Central Institute Friday night. Kenny Demuth added 12 points while Josh Jones helped out with 10 points for the Eagles of South China. googletag.cmd.push(function ()… Read More
Sometimes you have to go looking for trouble, others it just lands in your lap. I promise, I haven’t been out looking, so you know this candidate drifted in from the stratosphere. Let me set the stage by saying that last summer, even when temperatures… Read More
Winter’s here. Your fishing gear is either safely stowed or haphazardly tossed in a corner somewhere. And you’ve still got the fishing bug. Well, help’s on the way. If you’ve ever played the “this is the winter I’m going to learn …” game, the Penobscot… Read More
At this time of year the Christmas spirit abounds everywhere, from the seasonal office party to the live manger scene and holiday pageantry at local churches. Santa can be found at every mall taking requests and photos with youngsters, and Salvation Army bells and buckets help spread good… Read More
As I thought about writing this column, I decided to veer away from the format I’ve been using lately and try something different. So, in keeping with the holiday spirit, here are several vignettes of bird encounters I’ve had over the years. Enjoy! googletag.cmd.push(function ()… Read More
There is a spy in your midst, ready to spread your most embarrassing secrets. The spy apparently has a mind of its own and can contact any one of your closest friends and broadcast your every word without your knowing a thing. googletag.cmd.push(function () {… Read More
He comes by sleigh. He comes by float. Once I even saw him arrive by parasail over a Caribbean beach. But whatever Santa’s conveyance or climate, he symbolizes the folk traditions of the holiday season in a big way. Big as in belly, big as in bag of… Read More
Our stout Christmas tree stands bravely beneath 92 feet of colored lights. One year, after the tree had been decorated and the lights turned on for the first time, I batted my eyelashes repeatedly at my husband and boldly asked for a mere 46 feet more of lights,… Read More