BANGOR – Mainers are split in more ways than one over a proposed property tax cap, according to a poll released exclusively to the Bangor Daily News on Thursday. Overall, Maine voters were evenly divided over the issue with 47 percent in favor and 46… Read More
BANGOR – A new poll released Thursday indicates that Question 2 – the referendum to ban bear trapping and hunting with bait and dogs – is behind, with just a small portion of the electorate undecided. Of voters who said they were certain about their… Read More
BANGOR – As he started to get out of his legally parked car on Harlow Street, Kevin Witham was stunned a week ago as a logging truck nearly ripped the door from its hinges.The driver didn’t stop and may not have known he hit the vehicle, causing an… Read More
BANGOR – Ever since Osram Sylvania announced two years ago that it would be moving its Bangor-based operations to Mexico, the light bulb manufacturer has been preparing for its departure by asking some of its employees to train the people who will take their jobs south of the… Read More
In a story Oct. 6 about Tiger Woods’ wedding, The Associated Press reported erroneously that Oprah Winfrey was among the guests. Winfrey was not invited and did not attend the wedding, according to her production company, Harpo. Read More
BANGOR – Great Northern Paper Inc. fraudulently transferred several of its properties to its owners, Inexcon Maine, for use to secure $3.1 million in loans from Katahdin Federal Credit Union, a federal bankruptcy judge ruled this week. But the Millinocket-based credit union may have acted… Read More
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Bank of America said Thursday it will cut about 4,500 jobs, or about 2.5 percent of its work force, beginning this month as a result of its merger with FleetBoston Financial Corp. Maine will see few of the cutbacks, with only 12… Read More
WASHINGTON – The Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council released a ranking of the states Thursday that put Maine 46th in the country in terms of the costs elected officials impose on entrepreneurs, small businesses and their employees. The ranking was determined by the group’s “Small… Read More
AUGUSTA – Although most taxpayers have long since filed their 2003 federal income tax returns, the Internal Revenue Service says nearly 12,000 Maine taxpayers still face the Oct. 15 late-filing deadline. The IRS reminded taxpayers who received an additional extension in August that they should… Read More
BANGOR – Paul Cook, owner of the new Antique Marketplace and Cafe, announced this week that the store will open today, with grand opening festivities continuing throughout the weekend. Cook said the two-floor, 15,000-square-foot marketplace is located at 65 Main St. in downtown Bangor, across… Read More
WASHINGTON – The National Federation of Independent Business, the nation’s largest small-business group, has named Sen. Susan Collins a “guardian of small business” for her voting record in the 108th Congress on behalf of small-business owners. The group said she had a 100 percent NFIB… Read More
LAS VEGAS – Peter M. Carlino, chairman and chief executive officer of Penn National Gaming Inc., has been named “Best Performing CEO” for 2004 by HVS Executive Search, a leading human resources consulting firm dedicated to the gaming, lodging and restaurant industries. Penn National plans to build the… Read More
PORTLAND – The U.S. Department of Labor has announced a National Emergency Grant of $367,350 to assist dislocated workers in Maine. The grant will help approximately 50 workers laid off due to the closing of Tartan Textile Inc. in Portland. The money will provide for… Read More
A week or so ago, someone removed the Democratic campaign signs from the roadside in front of my house. I lost my Damon and Pingree signs, but fortunately was able to retrieve my Kerry-Edwards sign from the ditch. I understand that I am one of… Read More
The first presidential debate has drawn a clear line between George W. Bush and John Kerry on what the United States should do about North Korea’s nuclear weapons program. Except for the continuing war in Iraq, it is probably the worst security threat facing this country. Under the… Read More
Perhaps to demonstrate once and for all that Democrats have not lost sight of the big themes for which they traditionally have stood, the Maine party this week did not appeal a Superior Court decision on whether independent Ralph Nader’s name would appear on the ballot. Instead, its… Read More
After reading for several weeks in the BDN about the dire consequences of the Palesky Tax Cap initiative one would wonder why anyone in their right mind would vote for it. I must say that I am disappointed in the BDN in not bringing its readers the other… Read More
Reading the article regarding the struggle Yvonne and Norman Thibeault have had in trying to obtain custody of their grandchildren makes me wonder how many other children are in the custody of this system? It’s always been my belief that DHHS works in protecting our… Read More
As a political independent and a professional economist, I have over the last 30 years had the privilege to consult on environmental policy with the World Bank, the United Nations, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection among other organizations. During that time… Read More
John Kerry reminds me of what ex-Washington, D.C. mayor Marion Barry said of Jesse Jackson when Jesse was going to run against him for mayor. Barry for better or worse had been running D.C. and knew what was involved. He said, “Jesse can’t run anything but his mouth.”… Read More
The Maine Economic Research Institute (MERI) recently held a symposium here in Bangor. MERI’s board is composed of Maine business people from all-sized companies, and they are pledged to improve the economy of Maine. They do this by following economic trends, by tracking legislation with potential economic impact… Read More
I was not surprised to read Angus King’s endorsement of John Kerry. In many ways they are a lot alike. On principle: when it came time to run for governor, King flip-flopped on Maine Democrats and became an Independent to avoid a primary with Joe Brennan, which King… Read More
ROCKLAND – Lawyers for a Bowdoinham man serving a life sentence for the 1988 murder of a 12-year-old girl have asked a judge to grant them access to material in Maine’s DNA databank. In a motion filed this week in Knox County Superior Court, lawyers… Read More
AUGUSTA – Hybrid cars could become more common on Maine’s roads if the state Board of Environmental Protection approves a new clean vehicle quota considered Thursday afternoon. The board held a public hearing on whether to adopt a zero-emissions vehicle program, designed in California and… Read More
BANGOR – An Indian Island man who initially pleaded not guilty to two counts of gross sexual assault and one count of criminal restraint by a parent changed his plea Thursday to guilty in Penobscot County Superior Court. Bert Francis, 45, was indicted in May… Read More
BANGOR – In an effort to get unused prescriptions and over-the-counter medications out of circulation, a Bangor-area coalition is offering a series of drug drop-off opportunities for senior citizens. The first such opportunity came Thursday morning at the Penquis Community Action Program’s annual recognition banquet for foster grandparents. Read More
JACKMAN – It was a very surprised kindergarten teacher who stood up in the middle of his pupils during a special assembly Thursday at Forest Hills Consolidated School and accepted the 2004 Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award. With his 16 pupils applauding wildly, Rob… Read More
If he craned his neck just right, Penobscot County Sheriff Glenn Ross probably could have looked out his office window and seen 22-year-old Ryan Rideout teetering on the edge of the four-story building in downtown Bangor. In case he missed him the first time, he… Read More
MILO – Mayo Regional Hospital in Dover-Foxcroft has started planning for a new building to house Milo Family Practice. The Hospital Administrative District 4 board of directors in September endorsed the finance committee’s recommendation that a grant application be filed to fund a new medical… Read More
BANGOR – The Penquis Community Action Program Penobscot Breast and Cervical Coalition is sponsoring four free women’s health screening days in honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Women between the ages of 40 and 64 who have limited or no insurance coverage and meet… Read More
DOVER -FOXCROFT – The Penquis Community Action Program recently received a $7,500 grant for the Young Entrepreneurs’ Society after school program. The grant, contributed by the Maine Community Foundation Saxifrage Fund, enables YES to include middle school pupils from Penquis Valley Middle School and Piscataquis… Read More
BANGOR – The Resource Development Center and Penquis Community Action Program is accepting applications for the voucher program to help income-eligible families pay for child care expenses. The vouchers can be used in a variety of child care settings, including family child care, child care… Read More
LIMESTONE – James Barrett is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in nursing at the University of Maine at Fort Kent. He’s at a place in life he didn’t think was possible 12 months ago when he was homeless in Massachusetts. In the past 12 months, the… Read More
Rockland District Court Cases Sept. 28-Oct. 1, 2004 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 () { //… Read More
AUGUSTA – U.S. Agriculture Department officials on Tuesday gave Maine a $645,236 financial bonus for improving the state’s food stamp participation rate. As he received a check during a ceremony in his office, Gov. John Baldacci called the federal nutritional program “an important lifeline” to… Read More
Belfast District Court Cases Sept. 27-Oct. 1, 2004 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 () { //… Read More
SHIRLEY – The local Department of Transportation garage will be mothballed this winter as part of a state reorganization plan. Despite concerns aired by Greenville municipal officials earlier this year when the reorganization plan was announced, the plan is proceeding. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define… Read More
Waldo County Superior Court 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
HOULTON – With little discussion about the matter on Wednesday evening, Aroostook County commissioners unanimously agreed to support a resolution opposing the 1 percent tax cap referendum. In voicing their disfavor, the group cited figures showing that the county would lose at least 30 percent… Read More
MOUNT DESERT – Cardboard recycling will be mandatory beginning Jan. 3 in the five towns in the Acadia Disposal District. Only corrugated cardboard will be recycled, according to a vote of the district board of directors Thursday. It must be clean and flattened. Haulers will… Read More
AUGUSTA – A controversy is swirling across the country regarding pet vaccinations, and, once again, Maine is in the forefront in enacting proactive legislation. A new rule that more clearly aligns the timing of vaccinations with the recommendations of veterinary experts and vaccine manufacturers will… Read More
HOULTON – A January decision by Aroostook County commissioners to hire four extra people to staff the Aroostook County Jail has paid off, Sheriff Jim Madore told the group on Wednesday evening. At the meeting, Madore explained that despite some unforeseen circumstances in the beginning… Read More
SANGERVILLE – Three men on a bird hunting trip escaped injury on Wednesday when their vehicle hit a rock and rolled over on Route 23. Joseph Panichella, 32, of Newton, Mass., had been northbound on Route 23 when he apparently fell asleep at the wheel… Read More
BANGOR – City councilors adopted a resolve last week calling for increased weight limits on the section of Interstate 95 north of Augusta. In recent discussion of the issue, city officials have said they consider the issue important to the region from both a safety… Read More
BENEDICTA TOWNSHIP- Tucked away in the heart of this small, quiet community, Benedicta Elementary School has long been one of the focal points of the town. Parents say that the school provides their children with a quality education and a host of lasting friendships. Next… Read More
Court news Houlton District Court 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… Read More
BROOKSVILLE – Buyer beware. Purchasers of land in Harborside should be aware that if the property is near the former Callahan Mine site, it’s sitting next to a federal Superfund cleanup site. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes =… Read More
DOVER-FOXCROFT – Money Matters, an eight-week course for people who want to learn how better to handle their finances, will be held 6-9 p.m. Mondays, starting Oct. 18, at SeDoMoCha Middle School. The course is offered through the University of Maine Cooperative Extension and SAD… Read More
GUILFORD- A public forum on the potential impact of a yes vote on the Palesky measure will be held at 7 p.m. Oct. 20, at Piscataquis Community Middle School. Read More
Newport police are looking for a purse-snatcher who robbed an elderly woman Wednesday night. An 80-year-old woman was getting into her car at the Irving gas station on Route 100 when at 7 p.m. a teenage male grabbed her purse from her hands and ran… Read More
BELFAST – The Waldo County General Hospital Aid will sponsor an American Red Cross blood drive from 2 to 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 15, at the Masonic Lodge on the corner of Northport Avenue and Wight Street. Those who want to donate must be 17,… Read More
CALAIS – To many voters, the Palesky tax cap appears to spell relief. The citizen initiative led by Carol Palesky and the Maine Taxpayers Action Network seeks to cap property taxes at $10 for $1,000 of 1996-97 assessed value and would impose other restrictions. googletag.cmd.push(function… Read More
HERMON – School staff and police on Thursday evacuated Hermon High School and canceled classes after a bomb threat was found written on a note in a restroom. The note, found at 10:45 a.m. in a boys restroom, was written on a piece of paper… Read More
BANGOR – When it comes to some issues, county departments and agencies across the state don’t always agree, but under a new organization, they may have a single, stronger voice. Representatives of county departments, from communications to corrections officers and emergency management agency officials to… Read More
ELLSWORTH – A 38-year-old Hancock man was injured Thursday afternoon in a motorcycle accident on Bayside Road. According to Officer Jeremy Cox of the Ellsworth Police Department, John Crawford was traveling north on his motorcycle on Bayside Road just past Beechland Road at about 4:20… Read More
ROCKLAND – A fire Wednesday at Fisher Engineering resulted in an estimated $25,000 in damage. The fire likely was caused by careless disposal of smoking materials, Fire Lt. Mikial Mazzeo said. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = [];… Read More
BELFAST – The Belfast Public Health Nursing Association will hold its first immunization clinic from 9 to 11 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 12, in the Education Center at Waldo County General Hospital. The clinic will be for those considered to have a high risk of contracting… Read More
CAMDEN – The Camden Fire Department will hold an open house from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 9, at the fire station. The event, to coincide with the final day of Fire Prevention Week, will include educational activities, fire safety information, refreshments and prizes. Read More
ROCKPORT – Dr. Stephen Chaney, a professor at the University of North Carolina, will be the featured speaker for the Fall Midcoast Wellness Series at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 10, at the Samoset Resort. The forum, sponsored by Shaklee consultant and Camden-Rockport-Lincolnville Chamber of Commerce… Read More
BLUE HILL – A support group for people with Parkinson’s disease, their families and caregivers and those in related health fields will meet from 2 to 4 p.m. the third Wednesday of each month at Parker Ridge Retirement Community. The next meeting, on Oct. 25,… Read More
CUSHING – The Cushing Historical Society will hold its last meeting of the season at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 14, with a special lecture by state historian Earle G. Shettleworth Jr. Shettleworth’s talk will be on the life of British expatriate Samuel Peter Rolt Triscott,… Read More
BELFAST – Women, Work and Community is offering a workshop on career exploration. The workshop will begin at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12, at the Troy Howard Middle School and will resume at the same time and place for the next three weeks. Registration is… Read More
Waldo County Superior Court 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
Air National Guard Airman 1st Class Patrick D. Skall has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. During the six weeks of training, the airman studied the Air Force mission, organization and military customs, performed drill and ceremonial marches,… Read More
BAR HARBOR – If you didn’t like the new parking rules in the downtown business district this summer, the council had good news and bad news this week. By unanimous vote, the council directed its advisory parking committee to come up with a new plan… Read More
Hurricanes and flooding in the Southeast have hampered blood supplies which now are critically short at a time when they are needed most, according to officials with the American Red Cross Blood Services New England Region. With so much destruction from hurricanes and flooding, people… Read More
PORTLAND – Green Party vice presidential candidate Pat LaMarche urged her fellow party members on Thursday to “vote their conscience” in the Nov. 2 presidential election – but, it is hoped, to do so without helping President Bush. LaMarche, who is David Cobb’s running mate,… Read More
Penobscot Theatre Guild has entrusted the success of a first fund-raiser of this type to the right person. Nancy Ziegenbein of Bangor, our resident expert on coach trips for local nonprofits, reports PTG is hosting a bus trip to Portland Stage, where attendees will enjoy… Read More
AUGUSTA – The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland canceled a state lawmaker’s talk on prescription drugs for the elderly after his opponent told them he had taken a pro-choice stance on abortion. Rep. Arthur Lerman, D-Augusta, said his invitation to a ladies guild meeting Tuesday… Read More
Free trees are available to anyone who joins the National Arbor Day Foundation in October. The sugar maple, scarlet oak, sweetgum, red oak, silver maple, white dogwood, Washington hawthorn and red maple trees were selected for the Trees for America campaign because of their colorful… Read More
PORTLAND – Determining the outcome of the race for the White House won’t be the only thing on voters’ minds when they head to the polls in November. Some in Maine are already thinking about referendums for 2005. Four groups working on a variety of… Read More
NEWARK, N.J. – To hardy hikers, the Appalachian Trail beckons as a 2,174-mile trek over alternately narrow, winding, rock and dirt paths, up and down mountains, across streams and through forests primeval. But for tenderfoots and touring bikes, there is the East Coast Greenway. googletag.cmd.push(function… Read More
PORTLAND – The state supreme court on Thursday ordered a new trial for a Lewiston man convicted of murdering a Bates College student during a street brawl, ruling that jurors were potentially prejudiced by an inflammatory phrase emblazoned on the defendant’s T-shirt. The Maine Supreme… Read More
BANGOR – Addressing a small group of area business leaders Thursday, Gov. John Baldacci spoke about the importance of local-level interventions to improve the social, economic and medical health of Maine communities. “When things don’t happen in Washington or even in Augusta, they have to… Read More
PORTLAND – The number of women seeking shelter appears to have spiked upward, and officials are trying to figure out why. A Point-In-Time survey of homelessness on April 26 showed Portland shelters had 156 men and 111 women. There were only 53 women in shelters… Read More
FRYEBURG – Fryeburg Fair-goers have been having a hard time making calls on their cell phones this week because too many people are using the airwaves. With only one telecommunications tower serving Fryeburg, the airwaves are being jammed by the extra phone traffic from the… Read More
BOSTON – A Maine urologist who cooperated with federal authorities after pleading guilty to health care fraud for billing insurance companies for free samples of a drug used to treat prostate cancer was sentenced Wednesday to one year of probation. Dr. Joel Olstein, 58, of… Read More
Milton Bradley of the Los Angeles Dodgers was suspended for the final five games of the regular season for an angry outburst, one of many such incidents in his career. An idiot fan had thrown a bottle on the field some 20 feet from Bradley. Read More
HAMPDEN – The rivalry between the Hampden and Bangor boys soccer teams is one of the fiercest around. Add in the lure of all-important Heal Points, and Thursday night’s game at the Weatherbee Complex took on even more importance. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot… Read More
They aren’t sure where they will be racing next year. But Farmingdale’s Johnny Clark and Cherryfield’s Andy Santerre aren’t going to worry about it for the time being. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner =… Read More
The University of Maine Black Bears and the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux are two of the marquee men’s hockey programs in Division I. Hockey East member Maine is 258-95-46 over the past 10 seasons while North Dakota, a longtime Western Collegiate Hockey Association… Read More
ORONO – Pat Pa’u is an imposing figure on the defensive line for the University of Maine football team. At 6-foot-5, 255 pounds, the senior tackle from Ayer, Mass., is a force with which to be reckoned. Pa’u (pronounced pow) is one of the primary… Read More
COLLEGE At Machias 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
As the temperature inevitably drops each fall, Maine’s gridirons begin their annual descent from plush green to frosty mud. And with that change, so, too, does the game itself change, a fact that may be in evidence during Week 6 of the high school football… Read More
Alfond Arena’s radio broadcast booth will be more crowded than usual Friday and Saturday nights as Bangor all-sports radio station WZON (620 AM) tries something different. The Sports Zone’s regular broadcast crew will grow from two to three announcers as former University of Maine goaltender… Read More
With the University of Maine men’s basketball team expected to be one of the toughest teams in the America East conference this season, the Black Bears figured it was a good time to play one of their toughest schedules as well. Adding a road game… Read More
MAINE vs. NORTH DAKOTA Time, site: Friday, 8 p.m.; Saturday, 7 p.m.; Alfond Arena, 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())… Read More
WATERVILLE – Daniel Klernan and Bobby Abendroth each had a goal and an assist as the Colby White Mules edged the University of Maine-Farmington 2-1 in men’s soccer Thursday. Brian Davidson had four saves on 20 shots for 3-2-2 Colby. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define… Read More
VAN BUREN – Megan Lajoie netted two goals as the Van Buren Crusaders blanked Wisdom of St. Agatha 3-0 in girls soccer action Thursday. Amber Martin added a goal and Jessica LaPlante an assist for 6-5-1 Van Buren. Lisa Levasseur and Kristen Vaillancourt stopped all… Read More
ROCKLAND – Britt Reed scored off a pass to the post from Skye Ellis with 19:57 left to give the Belfast Lions a 1-0 win over Rockland in a battle of field hockey unbeatens Thursday afternoon. Britt Cummings crossed the ball to Ellis to set… Read More
LEE – Rick Kim and Jake Kang each had a goal in a 2-0 boys soccer win over Bangor Christian for the Lee Academy Pandas Thursday. Pete Pickering and Aaron Coulombe had assists for 10-1 Lee Academy. Chris Kang made eight saves on 13 shots. Read More
Some view the blues as depressing. Charlie Musselwhite would beg to differ. The veteran harmonica player sees the musical style as uplifting, and said that’s why the blues are globally popular. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = [];… Read More
With the second presidential debate set to air tonight and the election itself less than four weeks away, several movies focusing on each candidate either have hit theaters, are about to hit theaters or are now available on video and DVD. Four are reviewed here:… Read More