An investigation by Maine Attorney General Steven Rowe’s office has found that Department of Environmental Protection staffers violated the state’s public records law by not making available documents from private meetings with paper company officials. In response, Gov. John Baldacci announced Friday that workers will… Read More
OLD TOWN – The West Old Town Landfill soon will be known as Juniper Ridge Landfill. The city had requested that the name be changed since the landfill deal among the state, the Georgia-Pacific Corp. paper mill and landfill operator Casella Waste Systems Inc. was… Read More
MADAWASKA – Steve Plourde, Joshua Golembeski and Greg Duplisee were making fast work Friday of removing snow from a 6,300-square-foot flat roof on Main Street. Like many other enterprising young people in the St. John Valley, they have been busy this week shoveling snow off… Read More
AUGUSTA – An angry Gov. John Baldacci blasted federal officials Friday for moving forward with the new federal drug benefit program that takes effect Sunday even though the names of thousands of Mainers are not yet entered into Medicare computers. Despite a top federal official’s… Read More
Carl “Bill” Morrison shuffles slowly, purposefully working his way around his cluttered Bradford workshop, looking for something. Morrison skirts a rack full of gunstocks, dodges an oily pile of raw steel, sticks one burly paw into a well-worn cardboard box, and pulls out an unidentifiable… Read More
HAMPDEN – A group of Hampden residents opposed to the Pine Tree Landfill is working to raise money to aid in their fight to stop the proposed increase in capacity at the landfill. The Hampden Citizens Coalition is trying to raise at least $10,000 in… Read More
In a Page One story published Dec. 27 looking at the agenda for the 2006 legislative session, The Associated Press erroneously reported that lawmakers had planned to consider a bill to eliminate coyote snaring. A bill calling for a ban on the snaring program was introduced in 2003,… Read More
MEDWAY – Pat Carroll immediately sensed danger as his 18-wheel tractor-trailer topped a steep hill at 7 a.m. Friday on Route 157 at the long, gentle curve between Salmon Stream and the Penobscot River. Carroll, of Lee, later told Jeremy Williams, director of safety and… Read More
In all of the articles published in the past couple of months about the new Medicare Part D program, most have encouraged – indeed, urged – seniors to get with it and sign up. The local agencies have had seminars and workshops, seniors have been prompted to have… Read More
Once again, just like clockwork, here comes New Year’s Day. Once again, in a wave sweeping across time zones, the world will count backward from 10. Celebrants will wish each other the best and mean it, at least for as long as the cup of kindness brims. Parades… Read More
President Bush’s policy: . Cut domestic spending across the board which hurts low- and middle-income households. 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… Read More
The letter, “Bush’s plan is to win” (BDN, Dec. 19), is far from accurate and is certainly not a good analogy. First, winning is not a plan but a goal. Is President Bush being hectored by the liberal Demo-crats? Are Democrats and 60 percent of… Read More
Friday’s BDN front page photo and article of the overturned truck on Summer Street bring home once again the real dangers of having these heavily loaded vehicles use our local streets and roads instead of the interstate where they rightfully belong. Fortunately, no one was… Read More
Again your editorial (BDN, Dec. 28) speaks of senior citizens behind the wheel. I am one of the seniors who drives. I am 82 years ago and have a good driving record. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes =… Read More
What, exactly, was the point of last Tuesday’s Bangor Daily News article on poultry and eggs? After reading and re-reading it, I’m left with the conclusion that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself – that, and our increasingly industrial food system. Read More
Because a “leap second” has been added to the length of this final day of 2005 so the earth can catch up with atomic clocks that have unerringly defined universal time for several decades, the new year will begin a second later than we had bargained for, scientists… Read More
If you were a University of Maine student 20 years ago and had doubtful taste in music, you could put on a Donovan record, hear the lyrics “For every boy there is a girl,” and know it to be treacly true. The next line in… Read More
In Mineral Spring’s sterile lab, the growing process begins with vials containing mycelium, or the white rootlike strands found underground from which mushrooms grow in the wild. A sterile culture containing the mycelium of a mushroom species and a growing medium are combined to create spawn (essentially mushroom… Read More
Just 18 months ago, Andrew Smith stood in a wind-blown lot at the Newport Business Park. It didn’t look like much – he had just broken ground for three greenhouses for his new business, Mineral Spring Mushroom Farm. An existing building was being renovated as a lab and… Read More
WILLIMANTIC – This town has closed for business. Although residents in this small community with a year-round population of 148 still can register vehicles and the streets are being plowed, there is little else available for town services. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var… Read More
BANGOR – Two of the former occupants of the Bangor Masonic Temple, destroyed nearly two years ago in a spectacular fire, have sued Dead River Co. in Penobscot County Superior Court, claiming the firm’s negligent service of the furnace caused the blaze. Bangor Council 5… Read More
ELLSWORTH – The Bar Harbor choir director sought by police on a charge of unlawful sexual conduct with an 11-year-old boy was arrested in Augusta on Friday morning and taken to the Hancock County Jail. Tom Wallace, 41, of Bar Harbor was stopped and arrested… Read More
ST. ALBANS – A special selectmen’s meeting held Friday morning was the forum for a poignant goodbye message from 27-year veteran Town Manager Larry Post, who promised: “I’ll be back.” Post’s contract was not renewed this fall by a two-man Board of Selectmen, and today… Read More
BANGOR – A Penobscot County Superior Court judge has allowed a lawsuit challenging the recent election of the board of the directors of the Friends of Fort Knox to go forward, but refused to grant a preliminary injunction that immediately would have overturned the results. Read More
NEWPORT – Police on Friday released the name of the victim of a tragic accident that occurred Thursday when a husband accidentally drove over his wife at a local truck stop. Barbara Badger, 63, of Hartland was killed when her husband, Kermit Badger, 56, also… Read More
HOULTON – For the second time in a month, town councilors are appealing to the public to participate in a survey they hope will give the community a better sense of the local work force and how to entice businesses to set up shop or expand here. Read More
A Bangor man alerted Bangor police early Friday morning that he thought his truck contained some type of explosive device. The man had given his niece and her boyfriend a ride in his truck on Thursday night. The next morning he noticed a bag in the back seat… Read More
Gov. John Baldacci will be among the state and local officials visiting Lincoln Paper & Tissue in Lincoln and Katahdin Paper Co. in Millinocket today to see how the mills are doing. State Rep. Rod Carr, R-Lincoln, Lincoln Town Manager Glenn Aho and state Sen. Elizabeth M. Schneider,… Read More
Members of the City Council’s business and economic development committee this week approved an extension of the city’s short-term lease with a company gearing up to manufacture heat pumps. During a meeting Wednesday night at City Hall, the panel, chaired by Councilor Richard Greene, agreed to extend Hallowell… Read More
School will be open Monday and students will be in classes, even though the city is observing Monday as the New Year’s Day holiday. “The prior [superintendent], Betsy Webb, put together the calendar last year,” Superintendent Daniel Lee said Friday during a call to his home. “It makes… Read More
Town Manager Jack Clukey said this week that he expected the town’s insurance claim to be settled soon for the fire that destroyed the recycling center last winter. “We are optimistic that this is going to be wrapped up in a couple of weeks,” he said. Clukey said… Read More
Although the Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Department will have extra patrols on duty for New Year’s Eve, it is expected to be a quiet evening. Sheriff John Goggin has found that motorists are a bit more cautious about drinking and driving on such a high-visibility holiday. Those who do… Read More
A 6 1/2-foot-long sardine, complete with a lighted mooring buoy in its mouth, will be lowered at midnight tonight from the Tides Institute and Museum of Art to ring in the New Year. At 11 p.m., a lighted Canadian maple leaf will be dropped in honor of Canada’s… Read More
BELFAST – When the closing of the Main Street Market put the Postal Service in a bind, the American Legion stepped up. With the market at the corner of Main and Market streets set to close its doors today, the Postal Service needed a new… Read More
Corey is a very enjoyable 14-year-old to spend time with. He has a good sense of humor and “random things make him laugh,” he says. Corey enjoys spending time with other people during both indoor and outdoor activities. His favorite sport is ice hockey, though… Read More
LITTLETON – Officials at the Southern Aroostook Agricultural Museum are celebrating some good tidings this week after learning that they had received a more than $11,000 donation from the Houlton Rotary Club to help build a barn to store antique farm equipment. The Rotary donation… Read More
ELLSWORTH – Five people were hurt Thursday night after the sport utility vehicle they were riding in rolled over on Route 180. Two of the injured remained hospitalized Friday morning. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var… Read More
SANGERVILLE – Just how to improve safety at the four-way intersection in the heart of Sangerville was discussed Thursday by about 20 residents and Commissioner David Cole of the Maine Department of Transportation. The majority of residents who attended the meeting expressed their frustrations with… Read More
BANGOR – A Greenfield man was summoned by police Friday in connection with a three-vehicle accident on Route 1A in Holden last week. Mark E. Libby, 51, faces misdemeanor charges of operating without a license, leaving the scene of an accident where personal injury occurred,… Read More
BANGOR – With several major downtown and waterfront building projects on the drawing board, the city is taking steps to ensure that the architectural character of the new construction does not clash with Bangor’s existing traditional downtown historic settings and densities. To that end, Council… Read More
Local officials happily accepted on Wednesday a $31,000 bid from a Texas firm for a poorly maintained home at 18 Water St. The property was one of two the town took over for nonpayment of taxes. The board also sold a half-acre lot on the Matthews Road to… Read More
Hundreds are expected to gather tonight in West Market Square for Bangor’s second annual New Year’s Eve ball drop. As of Friday, weather forecasts looked favorable, with temperatures in the teens and only a 30 percent chance of snow. Like last year, the low-budget affair will feature the… Read More
Residents are reminded to put their trash and recyclables out a day later than normal next week due to the New Year’s Day holiday. Because it falls on a Sunday, the New Year’s Day holiday will be observed on Monday. That means curbside trash and recyclable collections will… Read More
Residential trash pickup and the recycling schedule have changed for this week and next week because of the holidays. The Friday trash pickups will be done on Saturday for both weeks. Recycling scheduled for Jan. 6 is being conducted on Saturday, Jan. 7. Read More
The town will ring in the New Year by kicking off its yearlong bicentennial celebration with a bonfire. The event starts at 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 1, at the Orono High School parking lot. People are invited to bring written wishes for the bicentennial year to throw into… Read More
BLUE HILL – Local streets will remain open this evening for the town’s Last Night celebration. The New Year’s Eve festivities will feature dancing, musical and theatrical performances, a parade, crafts, and refreshments at various locations, including George Stevens Academy, Town Hall and the Blue… Read More
BANGOR – A New Brunswick newlywed whose honeymoon plans were thwarted last month when his stepdaughter told border agents of her mother’s plan to smuggle her new husband across the border was sentenced on Wednesday to time served. Rene Viel, 40, of St. Francois de… Read More
BAR HARBOR – A former police dispatcher allegedly has stolen more than $3,000 from the Bar Harbor Police Association’s general fund, Police Chief Nate Young said Friday. Theft of the money occurred over the last four years and was discovered in early December, according to… Read More
Looking back on what was, in so many respects, a very difficult year for all Americans, it is refreshing to recall acts of kindness and generosity that have made a difference in the lives of others. John Worthley and Luanne Zelko of Hermon, for example,… Read More
GORHAM – Phil White had 18 points, 10 rebounds, and five steals to lead Husson College to a 73-71 men’s college basketball victory over Saint Joseph’s College to win The Maine Event tournament Friday. Jason Harvey had 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Eagles,… Read More
AUGUSTA – “The Wicked Good Bridge” and “The Prosperona Bridge” are among the names that were considered for a final moniker for the new span replacing the Waldo-Hancock Bridge in eastern Maine. The new $84 million bridge, which is scheduled to open next fall, will… Read More
Tom Ewell left the Maine Council of Churches after nearly 20 years as its executive director feeling well used. “I’m leaving with such a deep satisfaction,” Ewell, a Quaker, told members of his organization this fall. “Quakers don’t say ‘you did a good job,’ but… Read More
The new executive director of the Maine Council of Churches wants to widen the circle. The Rev. Jill Saxby, named successor to Tom Ewell on Nov. 1, has a plan to carry out its agenda, including finding ways to support people at the local congregational… Read More
LINCOLN – Nelson Grant remembers how during his teenage years a cousin, Trooper Matt Grant, used to let him ride along in his state police cruiser while on patrol. The elder Grant would allow him to ask about anything he wanted to know about life or about being… Read More
Fifty years ago next weekend, radios across the land were crackling with news about five American missionaries who were missing and feared dead deep in the Amazon basin of Ecuador. The fears soon gave way to reality. Nate Saint, Jim Elliot, Pete Fleming, Ed McCully… Read More
FORT KENT – Rachel Steer woke at midnight Friday to a howling wind. So she grabbed a pair of earplugs and went back to sleep. “I knew I wouldn’t sleep a minute if I thought about all that wind and having to deal with that… Read More
‘Tis the season … for recollection, review, and resolutions. The year 2005 was a significant one in the local, regional and national telecommunications arena. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i… Read More
They lost their first three games in pool play in the New England Little League championships. But the resilient Maine champion Westbrook Little League All-Stars won their final game and a three-team tiebreaker [fewest runs allowed] to nab the final semifinal berth. googletag.cmd.push(function () {… Read More
Each year at this time, I’m tempted to say that the previous year flew by, and I can’t figure out exactly where it went. That, of course, is the conventional, tried-and-true, Happy-New-Year way of looking at things. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes… Read More
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Senior guard Ernest Turner scored 26 points as the University of Maine men’s basketball team defeated Mercer 72-64 in the consolation game of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s Dr Pepper Classic tournament on Friday night. The win lifts Maine to 4-8… 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
24th Noble Invitational Thursday and Friday 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
FORT KENT – Lanny Kraus was looking directly into near blizzard snow Friday morning at an electronic clock ticking off the seconds as he carefully controlled the start of each biathlete in the sprint competition of the Olympic trials. The veteran timer painstakingly controlled the… Read More
FORT KENT – Junior-level standout Russell Currier was pleased to get through Friday’s 10-kilometer men’s sprint at the U.S. Olympic biathlon trials. That’s because he didn’t exactly finish Thursday’s 20K men’s individual race on a high note. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes… Read More
HARRINGTON – Jeff Ramsdell scored 11 of his 19 points during a 31-12 second-quarter run as the Washington Academy Raiders of East Machias rolled to their third win of the season, 82-63 over the Narraguagus Knights in schoolboy basketball action Friday. Jared Sternbergh tossed in… Read More
LIMESTONE – Danny Hayes posted a double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds to spark the Limestone/MSSM Eagles to their first victory of the season, 69-51 over the Fort Fairfield Tigers in a schoolboy basketball game Friday. Chris Kirchner scored 19 points and Jeremy Summers… Read More
ROXBURY, Mass. – Angela Qualey had 17 points, 16 rebounds, and five assists to lead the University of Maine at Machias women’s basketball team past Fisher College 57-14 in the Fisher College Tournament Friday. Laryssa Larochelle scored 14 points for the Clippers. Kim Fenton scored… Read More
I was adding my miles from my logbook of hikes for the year when, in one of the entries I had written, a lesson revealed itself. It went like this. “Hiking imparts lessons that I sometimes get and other times, they just fly on by.”… Read More
The Penobscot Fly Fishers and Old Town Canoe have announced plans for their popular Cabin Fever Reliever. For the second year in a row the free program will be held at the Old Town YMCA on Stillwater Avenue. This year’s event will be held Jan. Read More
The new year will ring in new seasons of some reality shows, and I’ve found one that’s already hooked me with the preview DVD. If you didn’t watch the first season of “Beauty and the Geek” and you find your brain needing a rest after… Read More
Whether it is Dorothy’s ruby red shoes with the power to take her home or Cinderella’s glass slipper left on Prince Charming’s doorstep or Marilyn Monroe’s classic white stilettos, the high heel is fashion’s crown jewel. Shuffling along in a pair of Birkenstocks may be… Read More
Ah, 2005, we hardly knew ye. And yet, you left a few indelible fashion impressions. There were highs (heels included), and lows (low-rises, that is). Glitter and fur and fabulousness ruled, while Willy Wonka glasses and the universally unflattering gauchos turned heads. Not in a… Read More
Once this weekend is over, most of us will be back to something resembling normal life, only with thinner wallets and thicker waistlines. Maybe this recipe for Peasant Soup can help with both. Mim Hart in Hampden sent this along back when we asked for… Read More
So you have your small screen television, your Cheez Whiz, your saltines, your Vienna sausages, Melba Toast and Jacques Bonet “champagne method,” and you are all set for New Year’s Eve. But you know, deep down in your heart of hearts, that there is something… Read More
Last week I received an e-mail from Pat Felton, graduate of the Hancock County Cooperative Extension’s Master Gardener Program, Class of 2002, now gardening in Belfast. Her message contained questions and observations that will be great fodder for future articles. Since I am on “the pruning roll,” as… Read More