AUGUSTA – A proposal to repeal Maine’s recently enacted gay rights legislation is ready for circulation by petitioners opposed to the pending law, state elections officials indicated Wednesday. If anti-gay rights referendum organizers gather sufficient petition signatures by June 28, statewide voters would be asked:… Read More
    The District Attorney’s Office incorrectly included the name of a Steuben man on a list of Hancock County grand jury indictments that appeared in Wednesday’s paper. Robert J. Clifford, 48, was not indicted and his name should not have appeared on the list. Read More
    WEST DES MOINES, Iowa – The 29 lotteries, including the Maine State Lottery, that participate in the Powerball game have voted to make changes that will boost the average jackpot size but decrease the chance of winning. Starting Aug. 29, the beginning jackpot will increase… Read More
    It seems a can’t-lose proposition: Ask voters to ban same-sex marriages and they consistently endorse the idea, from the South to the West. Kansas on Tuesday became the latest and 18th state to pass a constitutional amendment barring gay marriage. With conservatives pushing to define… Read More
    ORONO – A Portland lawyer involved in the controversial same-sex marriage case in Massachusetts said Wednesday that the issue wasn’t one that was going to go away anytime in the future. Encouraging those in attendance to get involved in gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender –… Read More
    American Skiing Co. will pay President and Chief Executive B. J. Fair a $400,000 salary to run the company, which owns eight resorts, including two in Maine. Fair will be eligible for an annual bonus, doubling his salary. He received a $25,200 bonus for signing the agreement after… Read More
    ORONO – Though Maine’s paper mills are not as prominent in the state’s economy as they used to be, they have not reached a point of no return, paper industry executives agreed Wednesday at a conference at the University of Maine. Still, some important changes… Read More
    PORTLAND – Scotia Prince’s operators on Wednesday blamed city officials for the cancellation of ferry service between Portland and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, saying the city failed to eliminate mold problems in its international passenger terminal. The city responded by severing its 35-year relationship with the… Read More
    FORT KENT – The recreational use of northern Maine forests has been decreasing during the last 10 years, and no one seems to know why, except that interests are changing, the executive director of the North Maine Woods told students at the University of Maine at Fort Kent… Read More
    Tourism officials from around New England are meeting this week to plan ways to attract more foreign visitors. Held each year in one of the six New England states, this year’s tourism summit has drawn a record number of attendees, including 40 tour operators who have been visiting… Read More
    An annual percentage rate of 520 percent is apparently not good enough for the payday loan operators. They want to be able to charge up to 910 percent on an annual basis for Mainers who live paycheck to paycheck and need cash in the meantime. The industry has… Read More
    Equipped with aging boats and helicopters, the Coast Guard in 1997 developed a replacement program and aimed to upgrade its fleet within 20 years. After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the Coast Guard’s work has grown substantially and it was asked to revise its equipment replacement program. Read More
    One positive thing that will result from the Terri Schiavo case will be the great number of right- wing Christians who will be coming out against the death penalty. After all those statements about the sanctity of life, and how each human life must be… Read More
    Do you suppose Dubya, given his illustrious Air National Guard service, felt the slightest twinge of guilt presenting the Medal of Honor (posthumously) to the family of Sgt. 1st Class Paul Ray Smith on Monday? Rodney L. Hanscom googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var… Read More
    I would like to remind those American Indians who were disappointed with the results of the voting in Perry, that said no to the proposed liquefied natural gas facility at Pleasant Point, that there is a profound American Indian aphorism that says: “We have not inherited the Earth… Read More
    The March 26-27 edition of the Bangor Daily News helped meet traditional Native American tests for sustainable living – one being that one’s actions can be considered righteous if such actions could be said to have a positive effect upon one’s descendants seven generations into the future. Read More
    I can understand how Patricia Cammack (BDN letter, March 23) would get the impression she did from reading the article, “SAD 63 budget increase projected” (BDN, March 11), but the information in that article at best was confusing. On March 10, the Financial Advisory Committee… Read More
    Some people are starting to sing the praises of the United States for potentially bringing democracy to the Middle East, and it will be wonderful if that happens, provided we like who is elected. But I don’t believe the rest of the world will ever treat us the… Read More
    In her op-ed piece (BDN, March 24), Stephanie Seguino, chair of the University of Vermont Department of Economics, opines that Social Security is not in a crisis, but it is wise to be “prudent” about the future. Her idea of prudence is to eliminate the cap on Social… Read More
    “The Jewish invention of the prophetic commitment to justice – also central to both Christianity and Islam – is one of the great moral moments in history. … It set in motion a prophetic tradition based on the belief that God had imparted this love of justice because… Read More
    World Health Day is celebrated every year on April 7. It is a unique opportunity to think about our individual health status. Do you know what one factor will predict your health status more than your age, income level, employment status, racial or ethnic group, or educational level?… Read More
    BANGOR – Two canoeists were rescued from the rushing, icy current of the Kenduskeag Stream on Wednesday night by state game wardens using a hovercraft after rescue efforts on the ground and in the air were delayed. The two canoeists, identified as Patrick and Daniel… Read More
    AUGUSTA – Baldacci administration officials said Wednesday evening that Maine Agriculture Commissioner Robert Spear was hospitalized with an infection in Cuba, where he had traveled on a trade mission over the weekend. Gov. John Baldacci said he had spoken to Spear’s wife and that Spear’s… Read More
    MILBRIDGE – Jasper Wyman & Son, the state’s second-largest grower of wild blueberries, has told the attorneys for four environmental groups that threatened to sue the company that it will cease aerial spraying of pesticides on its blueberry fields. The announcement Wednesday was the company’s… Read More
    Editor’s Note: Doug Kesseli is the BDN’s police and National Guard reporter. He recently had the opportunity to try a unique training device used by Guard personnel and area police agencies. BANGOR – In a training room at the 101st Air Refueling Wing, light beams… Read More
    Carl Engelmann estimates he has been flooded 10 or 12 times since he bought his house beside the Penobscot River in Greenbush in 1983. So like river dwellers throughout Maine, he has learned to be watchful of the rising water each spring, to monitor its… Read More
    ORONO – University of Maine interim President Robert Kennedy has spent the past year forging relationships with people and agencies in the state and beyond and now is ready to capitalize on them, he said Wednesday. “Relationships are critically important in terms of fund raising… Read More
    BANGOR – Three days after jet fuel was found at a Bangor International Airport treatment facility, officials are still unsure of its source. “We don’t know what it is,” Airport Director Rebecca Hupp said Wednesday, after dyes placed in water outlets this week failed to… Read More
    BANGOR – A former University of Maine student learned the hard way that the Pine Tree State is really just one big small town. A teller at the University Credit Union that was robbed Monday told investigators she thought she had taken classes at UM… Read More
    ORRINGTON – Parents of a Center Drive School pupil reportedly injured during an ambulance service demonstration in 2002 have filed a lawsuit against the town, its volunteer ambulance service, Center Drive Elementary School and Union 91. Orrington residents Kevin and Carrie Harvey are asking for… Read More
    HOLDEN – The SAD 63 budget is increasing, but so is the state subsidy, resulting in a decrease in the amount local residents in the district’s three communities will have to pay, Superintendent Louise Regan and Business Manager Yvonne Mitchell said Tuesday. The overall expense… Read More
    BANGOR – The planning board on Tuesday night approved the following development proposals: . Mecaw Road Developers LLC received preliminary subdivision plan approval to create a nine-lot subdivision off Mecaw Road, on a 12.5-acre parcel straddling Bangor and Hampden. Five of the proposed lots are… Read More
    WINTERPORT – Proposed legislation aimed at modifying the system for implementing the state’s academic standards is good news for SAD 22, the curriculum director said Wednesday. Among other things, the legislation would give school systems more time to develop the local assessments that measure whether… Read More
    SURRY – Voting for the annual town meeting will move from the fire station to the elementary school this year and for the first time will take place on a weekend. Balloting for town officials will be held from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday… Read More
    CALAIS – Park on the sidewalk, get a ticket. Park in a handicapped zone, pay a fine. 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
    MACHIAS – A representative of the Marion transfer station board of directors told Washington County commissioners Wednesday about the board’s plan to build a landfill on a 5,000-acre site in Township 14 south of Cathance Lake, near Routes 191 and 86. The active portion of… Read More
    A Steuben woman injured last week in a car accident on Route 1 in Gouldsboro remained hospitalized this week while local police officers continue investigating the crash. Janis Brady, 61, was in critical condition Wednesday at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, where she has… Read More
    CAMDEN – The popular skate park on Knowlton Street may find a new home next door. The Camden Teen Center wants to adopt the jumps, ramps and other equipment, and the Select Board has endorsed the idea. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes… Read More
    BANGOR – A Bucksport man was sentenced Wednesday in U.S. District Court to 10 years in federal prison on drug charges. Gregory Panther, 45, pleaded guilty in December to conspiracy to distribute OxyContin. He was arrested at his home in June. googletag.cmd.push(function () { //… Read More
    ROCKLAND – A permit to reconstruct Grapes Restaurant, which was destroyed by arson Dec. 24, has been approved by the Army Corps of Engineers. In late March the Corps said it would require the property owners to obtain a general permit to rebuild on the… Read More
    HOULTON – The SAD 29 superintendent said earlier this week that he continues to work with officials both in and out of the district to address problems of declining enrollment at the high school. Superintendent Steve Fitzpatrick made the announcement to the SAD 29 board… Read More
    HOULTON – Town councilors will host a discussion next week on whether to broadcast all municipal board meetings on the town’s public access station. Town Clerk Cathy O’ Leary confirmed Wednesday that the issue is on the agenda to be discussed at the council meeting… Read More
    Aroostook County Superior Court Cases Feb. 1-28, 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] googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define… Read More
    Fall 2004 semester dean’s list University of New England, Biddeford 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
    LITTLETON – Officials are still toiling away at an ordinance they will use to regulate the use of sludge, Town Manager Jennifer Gogan said Wednesday. At a special town meeting in January, residents voted 33-11 to approve a 180-day moratorium on spreading sludge. Since then,… Read More
    FORT KENT – An American Red Cross blood drive will be held from noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 12, in the Sports Center of the University of Maine at Fort Kent. The annual event is sponsored by the UMFK Student Nurses’ Organization, Northern Maine… Read More
    FORT KENT – The University of Maine at Fort Kent has signed on as a cooperative partner in “Operation Community Support,” a cooperative effort to complement the Maine Army National Guard military family assistance program with local resources for families of citizen soldiers serving overseas. Read More
    PRESQUE ISLE – The Recreation and Parks Department is offering the following courses: . Water Safety Instructor, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday, April 18; Wednesday, April 20; Saturday, April 23, and Saturday, April 30, at the indoor pool. Participants must be at least 16 years old. Read More
    FORT KENT – Northern Maine Medical Center will hold a nutrition shopping tour with NMMC dietitian Connie McLellan 6 -8 p.m. Wednesday, April 20, at Paradis Shop ‘n Save. Call 834-4187 or e-mail partnership@nmmc.org to register for this event. Read More
    FORT KENT – An Alpha One community presentation on adaptive technologies and funding sources will be held in two locations Friday, April 29. The first presentation will be 1:30-3:30 p.m. in the Inservice Room at Northern Maine Community Medical Center. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define… Read More
    ASHLAND – The guidance office at Ashland Community High School is accepting applications for the King-Thomas Scholarship. Eligibility is limited to members of the Class of 2005 and any alumni pursuing postsecondary study. This marks the fourth year of the King-Thomas awards, made possible through… Read More
    PRESQUE ISLE – The Aroostook County Branch of the American Red Cross will hold the following programs at the branch office at 141 State St.: . Mass care for disaster volunteers, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, April 9. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes… Read More
    Noel Rosa will be the featured UMFK Coffee House performer at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 27. With his different percussive style of guitar playing and down-to-earth style of speaking, Noel has been entertaining audiences around the country. UMFK students extend an invitation to the public… Read More
    BANGOR – A former Palmyra man made his initial appearance Wednesday in 3rd District Court facing a charge that alleges he stole items from a local grocery store, pushed a security officer and threatened him with a weapon. Eric White, 21, now a transient, said… Read More
    BANGOR – A plane carrying 250 U.S. Marines heading home from duty in the Middle East was delayed at Bangor International Airport Wednesday after the plane developed mechanical problems. The Omni Air International flight carrying the Marines arrived about 2:40 a.m. Wednesday, but a pre-flight… Read More
    BANGOR – Bangor and surrounding communities continue to show strong economic performance, a report released this week suggests. “Things are looking good,” Rod McKay, Bangor’s community and economic development director, said Wednesday, a day after the city released the 2004 edition of its annual economic… Read More
    HOWLAND – Economy. Whether it’s next year’s budget or plans to build a new secondary school, board members and staff at SAD 31 want to deliver as much bang for the buck as they can get. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes =… Read More
    NEWPORT – Newport selectmen renewed the liquor license of Lucky’s Tavern on Wednesday night, but not without a stern warning to owner Paul LaChance. Lucky’s came under fire at the March 16 selectmen’s meeting after complaints surfaced regarding LaChance’s management style. But since LaChance had… Read More
    Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, N.Y. Winter quarter dean’s list 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
    Caribou District Court Cases March 1-31, 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] googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot… Read More
    CALAIS – It’s tough enough being a potential mother, but being exposed to stormy weather makes it doubly hard. That’s what it has been like for mom eagle for the past few weeks. “She sat through rain, snow and cold weather,” Maurry Mills, Moosehorn National… Read More
    BANGOR – A second university system trustee has resigned in protest of legislation that critics say threatens plans to reorganize Maine’s universities and undermines the board’s authority. Donald McDowell’s letter of resignation, effective immediately, arrived at the governor’s office Wednesday. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define… Read More
    There are some special people among our readers who should be proud of themselves after participating in the Healthy Hancock’s Lose and Win program. Iris Simon of Maine Coast Memorial Hospital in Ellsworth reports a Celebration of Success was held recently for those folks at… Read More
    PITTSFIELD – Margaret Gannon, 64, of Palmyra was taken Wednesday morning to Sebasticook Valley Hospital in Pittsfield with a wrist injury after a two-vehicle crash on North Main Street. Gannon was driving north on North Main Street in a 1999 Dodge Neon when she was… Read More
    PITTSFIELD – The Skowhegan CareerCenter will present a workshop on job search basics 2-4 p.m. Friday, April 15, at the Pittsfield Public Library. Job search basics include resumes, interviews and how to structure a job search. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes =… Read More
    BANGOR – A forum titled “Learn to Protect Yourself Against Identity Theft” will be held at 9:30 a.m. Friday, April 29, at Spectacular Events Center. The event is sponsored by the U.S. Postal Service, the U.S. Secret Service, the Maine U.S. Attorneys Office and Penobscot… Read More
    As of April 14, the Bangor Daily News Calendar will cease to exist in its present form. The changes are being made to make room for stories, photos and columns about health and family life in Maine. Bean suppers and other public meals have shifted… Read More
    BANGOR – The Husson College Eagles scored just seven runs in their North Atlantic Conference-opening doubleheader against defending champ Thomas College of Waterville Wednesday. But it was enough for a sweep as starting pitchers Chris Sargent and Travis Tripp and relievers James Gray and Jon… Read More
    One by one, they strode to the lectern Tuesday. One by one, they shared fish stories with lawmakers. And one by one, anglers and conservationists said how important brook trout are to Maine, and how vital it is to protect the speckled beauties. The bill… Read More
    PORTLAND – All-Pro defensive lineman Richard Seymour will be among six players from the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots who will participate in Friday’s Heroes Celebration Parade in downtown Portland. Seymour, fellow defensive linemen Ty Warren and Jarvis Green, center Dan Koppen, offensive lineman… Read More
    COLLEGE Melissa Henderson 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
    BANGOR – It was a memorable day for the Brawn family Wednesday. For the first time in their lives, Husson College junior outfielder-DH Sean Brawn played against his older brother Scott, a catcher-DH for Thomas College of Waterville. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var… Read More
    NEW BRITAIN, Conn. – Greg Creek, Matt McGraw and Joe Hough each hit a solo home run in the second game, helping the University of Maine baseball team earn a doubleheader sweep of Central Connecticut State on Wednesday at Balf-Savin Field. The Black Bears held… Read More
    Almost four weeks and 38 inches of snow ago, Hadlock Field looked more like an Olympic skiing venue than a baseball park. Yet just a day before the Portland Sea Dogs’ scheduled season-opening game, the team was not only ready to play ball, but given… Read More
    BANGOR – The funeral Mass for Pope John Paul II will be televised in full on WLBZ Channel 2 starting at 4 a.m. Friday, the station announced. The morning news broadcast will be available to watch online, on either www.wlbz2.com, or www.wcsh6.com. Read More
    What will be the legacy of Pope John Paul II? “Bringing the church’s views in line with modern medicine.” 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;… Read More
    BANGOR – New at the Bangor Public Library in 1956 were “Beyond Doubt: a record of psychic experience,” by Mary LeBeau; “Freedom in Contemporary Society,” by Samuel Eliot Morison; and “The Dead Sea Scriptures,” by Theodor H. Gaster. All three are still listed in the… Read More
    ORONO – Think Maine in springtime and cherry blossoms are probably the last thing that comes to mind, but one has been picked right from our midst. Sarah Gamble has been named the Cherry Blossom Princess for the state of Maine, and this week she… Read More
    BANGOR – “Going, going, gone!” That will be the call of veteran charity event auctioneer Tom Cavanaugh as bidders vie for any one of many items featured during the Bangor Garden Show Saturday Night “Live” Auction at 5 p.m. Saturday, April 9, at the Bangor Civic Center. The… Read More
    BANGOR – Bangor Public Library will provide several events during April vacation. . Kids for Kids, 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 19, will afford the opportunity to meet baby goats at the library. Got Goats 4-H members will bring kids and bottles and talk about goats’… Read More
    BANGOR – Service by and to young women was the theme during a recent meeting of Frances Dighton Williams Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution. Samantha Duranko of Bangor, state president of the Children of the American Revolution for the past year, reported on her… Read More
    Want to share something through School News? E-mail it to weekly @bangordailynews.net, or mail it to The Weekly, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor, ME 04402; or drop it off at the front desk of the Buck Street entrance at the Bangor Daily News, 491 Main St., Bangor. Read More
    Coaching awards The Maine Track and Cross Country Coaches Association selected the following coaches as Coach of the Year in their respective sports at the annual association clinic on March 26: googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = [];… Read More
    The Maine Games, an Olympic-style sports festival, kicked off the opening of the registration season with its first event of 2005. On March 26, the Maine Games-Maine State Powerlifting Championships were held in Brewer. This marked the first time that the Maine Games were held out of the… Read More
    10 years ago – April 7, 1995 (As reported in the Bangor Daily News) 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
    ORONO – The Bangor Symphony Orchestra invites the public to the annual “Springing” Dinner Auction at 5 p.m. Sunday, April 17, at Wells Commons, University of Maine, after the BSO’s classical concert. The Bangor Symphony board of directors is collecting an assortment of items, including… Read More
    Got something for Community News? E-mail it to weekly@ bangordailynews.net, or mail it to The Weekly, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor, ME 04402; or drop it off at the front desk of Buck Street entrance of the Bangor Daily News, 491 Main St., Bangor. googletag.cmd.push(function () {… Read More
    New business? Expansion? Promotions? E-mail information to weekly@bangordailynews.net, or mail it to The Weekly, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor, ME 04402; or drop it off at the front desk of the Buck Street entrance of the Bangor Daily News, 491 Main St., Bangor. Bangor googletag.cmd.push(function () {… Read More
    Colleges University of Maine 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
    Real estate transfers recorded with town of Glenburn in 2004: To Matthew and Erin Grier, Syracuse, N.Y., from Ann-Marie and Randy Knowles, Glenburn, July 8, 332 Cedar Breeze North, $195,000. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var… Read More