AUGUSTA – A standing-room-only public hearing came to life Monday morning when Jack Nicholas, commissioner of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, outlined his proposal to reduce state funding to the department’s Office of Substance Abuse. The proposed OSU cuts would trim a… Read More
FRANKFORT – A woman was killed Monday when fire moved swiftly through her 21/2-story home, trapping her on the second floor while her legal guardian suffered burns trying to save her. Investigators said it could be weeks before they will be able to determine the… Read More
AUGUSTA – The Land for Maine’s Future program failed to complete negotiations on land purchases by the end of 2004 and now will have to get legislative approval to spend the remaining $4.5 million of a $50 million bond package approved by voters in 1999. Read More
WASHINGTON – President Bush proposed a $2.57 trillion budget Monday that would erase scores of programs and slice Medicaid, disabled housing and many more, but still worsen federal deficits by $42 billion over the next five years. In one of the most austere presidential budgets… Read More
An Abbot man who left late last month to spend a month helping victims of the Dec. 26 earthquake and tsunami in Sumatra has found destruction beyond anything he could ever imagine. “The smell of death was heavy in the air, and as far as… Read More
A State section story in some editions Monday incorrectly reported that Rockland police Chief Alfred Ockenfels was not certified to estimate visually the speed of vehicles. Ockenfels says he was certified. — googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes =… Read More
BATH – President Bush’s budget proposal released Monday calls for cutting spending on stealthy destroyers to be built at Bath Iron Works, raising the specter of future job cuts unless some of the funding can be restored. The budget mirrors a Navy recommendation leaked last… Read More
CALAIS – Pastor Dianne Graham believes in the goodness of people, and that faith was confirmed yet again when people from across Maine sent her nearly 1,000 colorful, cuddly stuffed toys. In a few weeks, the toys will be sent to children a world away,… Read More
BANGOR – It takes businesses almost as long to settle disputes in Maine courts as it takes to bring a murderer to justice. That’s because Maine’s court system is not keeping pace with the speed at which today’s business world must move, state supreme court… Read More
DETROIT – Ford Motor Co. is recalling 358,857 Focus cars because their rear passenger doors may not latch properly, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and a Ford spokeswoman said Monday. The recall affects four- and five-door Focus cars from the 2000-2002 model years. All… Read More
INDIANAPOLIS – WellPoint Inc. said Monday its fourth-quarter profit dropped nearly 12 percent primarily because of expenses related to debt retirement and the merger that created the nation’s largest health insurance company. For the three months ending Dec. 31, profit fell to $184.5 million, or… Read More
I read Dr. Erik Steele’s column, “Abortion consent or coercion?” (BDN, Feb. 1), with great concern. Steele claims one of his greatest concerns is that a woman would be subjected to misinformation under the new law. He cites the increased risk of breast cancer following… Read More
We as a nation claim to be supporting our troops and looking up to them for the job that they have to do to keep us a free country. Yet, the Department of Veterans Affairs isn’t and never has been funded by our government, as it should be. Read More
Gov. Baldacci and the Legislature deserve our praise for enacting property tax reform in spite of the campaign to stonewall the bipartisan effort. Several jilted operatives have taken their attacks to the media. Yet, Maine people recognize the conservatives’ effort as a smoke screen to… Read More
During the bear referendum debate it was pointed out by supporters of the referendum that Maine is the only state that still allows trapping of bears in leghold traps. So, what, crowed the anti-referendum people, the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine amongst them, Maine is independent,… Read More
It’s too bad the children’s soapbox derby race that has been held in Brewer for the past nine years has been forced to relocate. The reasons that contribute to this decision are costs of street closures and security. In searching for a new workable site… Read More
The details of President Bush’s budget for fiscal year 2006 will be debated in depth over the next several months. For now, the public should look at it broadly – as a warning. The budget accurately reflects the danger of a growing deficit and rising demand for mandatory… Read More
In his State of the State speech last month, the governor promised incentives to encourage the purchase and use of solar energy systems in Maine homes and businesses. The governor’s push to use domestic, clean energy supplies is welcome, but it must be tempered with the realization that… Read More
Nothing evokes more visceral fear than natural disaster. The unexpected death of a family member reminds us that we cling to life by tenuous, often incomprehensible threads. Tsunamis raise the ante. They wipe away entire communities in an instant. Not only are individual lives lost but also everyone… Read More
CONCORD, N.H. – The president’s proposal to cut home heating aid to the poor is getting a cool response from officials in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. Program administrators say the prospect of nearly $200 million less in federal heating aid for the country leaves… Read More
BANGOR – A legal dispute between an abused men’s hot line and the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence could be headed for trial after a Maine Superior Court justice last month denied the coalition’s motion to dismiss the discrimination lawsuit. The Domestic Abuse Helpline… Read More
AUGUSTA – Four more years? That’s the question lawmakers here could ask voters to answer this November if they approve a plan to extend legislative term limits from eight years to 12 years. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes… Read More
HAMPDEN – Minute Maid is telling the truth about the health benefits of its orange juice, high school students here learned recently after analyzing the popular breakfast beverage during chemistry class. “I’m drinking 128 percent of my vitamin C – want some?” Hampden Academy 11th-grader… Read More
ORONO – Over the past decade, farmers and foresters have learned that complying with federal protections on Atlantic salmon in Maine’s rivers involves much more than not killing fish. Logging, road building and irrigation can adversely affect fish habitat, creating a rift between those concerned… Read More
AUGUSTA – Sex offenders fell under the scrutiny of the Legislature’s Criminal Justice Committee on Monday when the panel devoted most of its workday to a handful of bills designed to make life tougher for those convicted of sex crimes. Various pieces of legislation have… Read More
I have to admit I didn’t know much about the phenomenon called eBay, the hugely popular online auction Web site, until the boxes started arriving at my house a couple of years ago. There were a few heavy boxes, each addressed to my son, the… Read More
BREWER – A credit union became the third planned development on newly opened Dirigo Drive after the Planning Board approved a 3,300-square foot branch office site plan on Monday night. Brewer Federal Credit Union gained approval, with 11 minor conditions, to build a second financial… Read More
HAMPDEN – Nearly 6 miles of public roads remain unpaved in Hampden. Among the worst of them is Fowler Road, which turned to mush after a recent thaw and generated complaints from residents. On the Town Council’s agenda Monday night was a discussion about if… Read More
BANGOR – An Exeter woman accused of stealing more than $300,000 from a Surry forester was indicted Monday by the Penobscot County grand jury in connection with bouncing checks from the personal account into which she allegedly deposited the embezzled funds. Cecelia G. White, 40,… Read More
ST. ALBANS – Two men were arrested Monday afternoon after a high-speed chase through St. Albans followed by a foot chase through wet woods. Eric McCarthy, 21, of St. Albans was charged with operating after suspension, driving to endanger, illegal attachment of plates, operating an… Read More
MILFORD – Imprudent speed was cited as leading to an accident Saturday when a pickup truck left Route 2 and crashed into a garage after striking water lines and a utility pole guy wire. The driver, Andrea Bond, 24, of Milford, and her passenger, Robert… Read More
BURNHAM – An elderly man from Canada escaped serious injury Monday morning when his vehicle rolled over on Interstate 95 and he was trapped inside for an hour. A good Samaritan came to his assistance, however, and made all the difference. googletag.cmd.push(function () { //… Read More
PITTSFIELD – In an attempt to keep up with increasing state and federally mandated academic standards, SAD 53 is proposing creating a school only for kindergartners. Under the proposal, one of the district’s underused schools would be dedicated to 5-year-olds by creating a kindergarten center… Read More
DOVER-FOXCROFT – Town officials were given the go-ahead Monday during a special town meeting to apply for and accept, if funded, a $400,000 Community Development Block Grant to extend public water to Pleasant River Lumber Co. The business assistance grant would allow the town to… Read More
Dover-Foxcroft District Court Cases Jan. 8-Feb. 1, 2005 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
BELFAST – In response to an outpouring of criticism about its decision to evict the Belfast & Moosehead Lake Railroad from the city-owned rail yard, the City Council will hold a public comment session tonight for people who want to express their views on the matter. Read More
CALAIS – Representatives of seven towns and the unorganized territories agreed to explore ways that Washington County residents could take part in a collection day for household hazardous waste, hopefully sometime this summer. At Monday’s bimonthly meeting of the executive board of the Washington County… Read More
FORT KENT – So many people turned out for the first of three auditions for the Aroostook County Idol competition at the University of Maine at Fort Kent Friday night that as many as 200 were turned away when UMFK’s Fox Auditorium was packed. The… Read More
FRENCHVILLE – A smelly issue caused by a Canadian chicken manure composting facility has become so bad for this small northern Maine community that an international gathering has been called for later this month. Residents have complained that smells from the plant along the St. Read More
BANGOR – A Plymouth teen was sentenced Monday in U.S. District Court to 33 months in prison for her role in a scheme to smuggle OxyContin from Canada with her boyfriend. U.S. District Judge John Woodcock spoke sternly to Amy Cray, 19, before he accepted… Read More
Two people were summoned on Saturday for two camp break-ins at Greenwood Pond that occurred earlier that day. Travis Quimby, 18, and Derek Shaw, 19, both of Madison, are expected to make their initial court appearances on March 28 in 13th District Court. The burglars broke in and… Read More
THORNDIKE – The site plan proposed for a new kindergarten-through-12th-grade school for SAD 3 received unanimous approval in a straw poll Monday night. The vote is a step required by the state Department of Education. Residents of the district approved the plan, 131-0. googletag.cmd.push(function ()… Read More
BANGOR – Investigators continued Monday to recover much of the more than $8,000 in property, including firearms, stolen from two Bangor homes late last week. The investigators said they expect charges to be filed. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var… Read More
BANGOR – The official record in the West Old Town Landfill case now is more than 4 inches thick. The Maine Attorney General’s Office has added 11 documents to the record in the case against the state Board of Environmental Protection. googletag.cmd.push(function () { //… Read More
The Piscataquis Regional YMCA’s board of directors voted unanimously recently to eliminate the position of executive director, effective April 30. “This decision was based solely on budgetary issues,” Dr. John Clark, board president, said this week in a prepared statement. “The ‘Y,’ while financially stable, cannot currently afford… Read More
A delegation of 10 educators visited Dexter Regional High School on Friday, Jan. 28, to observe some of the new and innovative changes that have taken place at the school over the past few years. The visitors included principals, teachers and guidance councilors from Aroostook and Washington county… Read More
BLUE HILL – Citing improved water quality, the Maine Department of Marine Resources has reopened a portion of Salt Pond to shellfish harvesting after a closure of more than a year. A portion of the pond on the western shore remains closed to harvesting. googletag.cmd.push(function… Read More
ACADIA NATIONAL PARK – A Bangor man cross-country skiing Sunday in Acadia was struck by a snowmobile but was not seriously injured, according to a park ranger. David Edson, age unavailable, was hit by the snowmobile as he and the sled were rounding a corner… Read More
ACADIA NATIONAL PARK – Although the 2005 operating budget is higher than it was last year, the park still faces ongoing budget constraints because of increased personnel costs, Acadia officials said Monday. Acadia’s primary administrators told the park’s advisory commission that Congress has mandated a… Read More
CALAIS – Kathleen Staples loves children and even has four of her own. So how appropriate that she would be chosen as the Calais Free Library’s children’s librarian. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner =… Read More
CALAIS – A Department of Justice initiative in Washington County is seeking a host or partner agency that will allow the work of the program to continue for the next five years after its federal funding ends Sept. 30. Keeping Children Safe Downeast is a… Read More
BANGOR – A woman rescued a few days before Christmas from her boyfriend’s burning home in Lee was indicted Monday by the Penobscot County grand jury for arson. April J. Avery, 45, apparently attempted suicide by setting a Christmas tree ablaze on Dec. 20 in… Read More
AUGUSTA – A Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Old Orchard Beach has agreed to pay $2,600 in fines and surcharges to settle a case with the state over smoking violations, officials said Monday. The post admitted to 100 counts of allowing public smoking and… Read More
Diagnosed with Hepatitis C in 1996, WERU radio personality Charlie Oldham of Lincolnville has been on the waiting list for a liver transplant since 2003. However, with his condition deteriorating rapidly, he is now scheduled to receive part of his sister’s liver in April. googletag.cmd.push(function… Read More
HANCOCK – A local man was killed and five people injured in a four-car accident Monday night on Route 1. Police were not releasing the names of those involved. All were from the Hancock area, according to State Trooper Cliff Peterson. googletag.cmd.push(function () { //… Read More
WASHINGTON – The nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association has presented a Friend of the National Parks award to all four members of Maine’s congressional delegation for their pro-park voting records in the last Congress. Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins and Reps. Tom Allen and… Read More
AUGUSTA – A Sanford lawmaker is sponsoring a bill to bring back the death penalty in domestic-violence murder cases in Maine. Republican Sen. Jonathan Courtney said it’s time for the state to get tougher on domestic violence by imposing the ultimate penalty on people convicted… Read More
It’s not unusual for music groups to take the name of historical figures they admire or whose own work they hope to emulate in some way. Think of the Miro String Quartet, named after surrealist painter Joan Miro. Or the Cassatt String Quartet, an all-women group whose muse… Read More
Let’s get this straight. If the news reports are correct, Gov. John Baldacci claimed in 2003 he would use “no gimmicks” to buoy the state budget. Yet he leased out the state’s liquor retail operations during that budget cycle to secure $125 million. This year,… Read More
The gentleman sits in his Bangor home with several small jewelry boxes on the coffee table in front of him. He pulls out three gold bracelets, each crowded with charms – medals with birth dates, a tiny calendar, a ballerina, a church, a dog. But his favorite is… Read More
Don’t let the tranquility of Stacey Van Dyne’s kitchen and living room fool you. Behind the white picket fence door of the snowman cupboard, in the small drawers of the apothecary chest and in a room down the hall of the house in Orrington lurk the dyes, fabrics,… Read More
Dear Jim: I am trying to live my life as efficiently as possible to save money and the environment. There seem to be so many different efficiency ratings. How can I evaluate which appliances are most efficient? – Bob M. Dear Bob: Using the most… Read More
As I waddled through the breakfast line on Saturday morning, I finally figured out a way to partially weasel my way out of the Egg Ride … and 903 eggs worth of discomfort. Or so I thought. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes… Read More
ORONO – In the wild, black bears are deceptively fast and dangerous when they’re on the run. Likewise, the University of Maine Black Bears are most menacing to basketball opponents when they can get out and run the floor. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot… Read More
When Pete Caruso coached boys varsity basketball at Forest Hills of Jackman, Washburn District High School, Piscataquis Community High School of Guilford, and Foxcroft Academy, he was considered a stickler for details. If you came up against one of Pete’s clubs, you better be ready… Read More
BANGOR – Former Bangor Lumberjacks general manager Curt Jacey can take the “former” out of his title now. Jacey, who has been the G.M. of the Lumberjacks for the last two seasons, will be back in the same position for the Lumberjacks’ second consecutive season… Read More
When it comes to high school rivalries, games between neighboring Calais and Woodland are as heated as any. The Calais girls basketball team logged a key win Friday night when they beat the Dragons 46-36 in a game that could mean more than bragging rights… Read More
NEW YORK CITY-University of Maine-Farmington junior Adam Stair finished sixth in the 21st Century USATV National Mens’ One-Mile racewalk championship Friday with a time of 6:54.93. The Farmington native is returning to competition after a prolonged medical hiatus and is hoping to be back in championship form within… Read More
COLLEGE Jimmy Howard 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
HIGH SCHOOL At Old Town 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
Linebacker Robert Admire was one of the 26 players who signed a National Letter of Intent to attend the University of Maine on a football scholarship Wednesday. But the fact the Catawissa, Pa., native is coming to Maine was announced more than a week ago… Read More
MAINE vs. NEW HAMPSHIRE Time, site: Tuesday, 7:30 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()) { if (slot_sizes[i][0]… Read More
HODGDON – Collette Sloat scored 10 points and grabbed 15 rebounds to power the Hodgdon Hawks past the Limestone Eagles 48-39 in schoolgirl basketball action Monday. Kayla Fleming had 10 points and 10 rebounds for Hodgdon and Andrea Blanchette added 10 points. googletag.cmd.push(function () {… Read More
MACHIAS – Skylar Richardson’s basket with 50 seconds left put Shead of Eastport up and Lauretta Ricker finished off Machias by making five of six free throws to help Shead win 47-42 in girls basketball action Monday. Richardson and Ricker both finished with 13 points. Read More
MILLINOCKET – Dexter’s unbeaten Tigers withstood a 22-13 Stearns scoring run to post their 16th win of the girls basketball season: 41-36 Monday night. Mallory Ames scored 13 points for undefeated Dexter, while sister Ashley Ames added 12. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var… Read More
BRUNSWICK – Kyle Petrie scored 20 points and grabbed 17 rebounds to lead the Bowdoin College Polar Bears to an 80-54 men’s basketball victory over the Maine Maritime Academy Mariners Monday night. Andrew Hippert chipped in with 16 points and Jordan Fliegel added 15 for… Read More
CARIBOU – Snowmobilers have a chance this weekend to help raise money for sexual assault victims and services in Aroostook County, and they can do it by riding with two race car drivers, one a champion in the NASCAR Busch North Series. Andy Santerre, 2004… Read More
Attempted coyote control has failed I read Tom Hennessey’s most recent column (BDN, Feb. 5-6) on Maine’s problems with coyotes with the same sort of bemusement that I usually reserve for listening to stories of the tooth fairy or Santa Claus. I realize the tellers… Read More