PORTLAND – A Superior Court judge has ruled that negotiations for a proposed liquefied natural gas facility on Passamaquoddy tribal land do not fall under Maine’s Freedom of Access Act and so do not have to be open to the public. Maine Superior Court Justice… Read More
    AUGUSTA – Describing multiple, egregious violations of the state’s Clean Election Act as “off the charts,” a state panel exceeded the recommendations of its own staff Thursday and ordered restitution and penalties of more than $60,000 against two former legislative candidates and their two political advisers. Read More
    AUGUSTA – An East Winthrop man is no stranger to the West Virginia coal mine where a dozen men died after being trapped by an explosion. John Fabbricatore’s engineer father designed the machinery that carries coal from the entrance of the Sago Mine, and the… Read More
    An article on Thursday’s Well-Being page on sugar and tooth decay contained incorrect information attributed to Dr. Jonathan Shenkin. Watering down juice does not help reduce the amount of sugar exposure of teeth. In fact, Shenkin added, parents mistakenly will give children watered-down juice throughout the day, figuring… Read More
    WASHINGTON – Federal officials Thursday put on hold a proposed revision of regulations aimed at preventing overfishing, which had been criticized by environmentalists who said they would weaken existing protections for depleted species. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said it would spend the next… Read More
    LEWISTON – A Maine native who was killed in Iraq last week saved three other soldiers who were riding with him when a roadside bomb detonated near their Humvee, family members said. Sgt. 1st Class Shawn Dostie was killed Dec. 30 during patrol operations in… Read More
    PORTLAND – Taxpayers in Maine will have three extra days to file their federal and state income tax returns this year. The Internal Revenue Service has pushed back the deadline for federal tax returns to April 18 for people in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New… Read More
    BAILEYVILLE – The 100 furloughed employees at Washington County’s largest employer, the Domtar Inc. pulp and paper mill, were back on the job this week, company officials said Thursday. The announcement of the shutdown just before Christmas came as the Montreal-based papermaker was trying to… Read More
    Bangor-area educators and businesses are teaming up for another year of the Building Bridges Program, a partnership sponsored by the Bangor Area Region Chamber of Commerce. Hundreds of educators and students have touted the program as one of the most effective educational activities they have experienced. Participating businesses… Read More
    As I read David Emery’s op-ed piece in Wednesday’s BDN, I wanted to cheer – “Right on, Dave!” Our state is teetering on the brink. Fiscal and programmatic chaos abounds. Communication between departments and within departments is reportedly broken. Ask anyone who works with the… Read More
    No one should object to President Bush’s tapping of domestic phone calls and e-mail messages when the other end of the conversation appears to be a known al-Qaida agent, if the president had acted within the law. That sort of eavesdropping might have alerted him to the 2001… Read More
    Maine in the past couple of years has either produced or purchased several studies that exhort development officials to emphasize high-end tourism and to do so in a regional way. The Piscataquis County Economic Development Council and the county’s commissioners have been building capacity for this kind of… Read More
    I would like to thank you for the Jan. 2 political cartoon by Jim Borgman depicting two people at a mailbox with catalogs in their arms and basically insinuating how useless catalogs are. It shows a man holding several catalogs and ironically one of them… Read More
    In Washington County, 21 of 30 elementary schools and four of seven high schools will close if the Maine Department of Education implements plans described in a recently distributed Select Panel Report. These numbers derive from 2004-2005 data posted on the DOE Web site and the DOE Panel… Read More
    The world is a beautiful place but when greed and profit come before human life the world changes. The government does what-ever it wants regardless of the consequences. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner =… Read More
    I wanted to take a moment to thank Gov. Baldacci for pushing through the low-income heating assistance. The federal government failed to help low-income families with high home heating prices. Instead the federal government cut services to the poor to pay for a tax cut for the wealthy. Read More
    I am so pleased that Congress shook their finger at the oil company executives a few months ago. They really gave them the “what for.” For a brief period gasoline prices dropped back to almost $2 a gallon. We heard all sorts of excuses, from… Read More
    After investigating a truck transporting waste to the West Old Town Landfill that tipped over last week in downtown Bangor, the Department of Environmental Protection has deemed that the load wasn’t in violation of any solid waste laws. “We’re not looking into it any further,”… Read More
    GREENVILLE – Life in this gateway to the North Maine Woods could be affected significantly by Plum Creek Timber Co.’s proposed development and conservation plan for the Moosehead Lake region. The company wants to develop, over time, three campgrounds, about 1,000 residential lots, sporting camps… Read More
    So here’s the job offer. Adult male or female for position requiring patience, maturity, bravery, compassion, authority and good marksmanship. Must pass written test, psychological test, polygraph and physical test. Must be willing to work weekends, nights and holidays and work mandated overtime when necessary. Read More
    As next week’s confirmation hearings of Supreme Court nominee Judge Samuel A. Alito approach, Maine is taking center stage in the debate with national groups targeting the state’s moderate Republican senators, both of whom support abortion rights – expected to be a central issue in the hearings –… Read More
    BRADFORD – Three men and a teenager were arrested early Thursday morning after they broke into a convenience store for the second time in two hours, stealing thousands of dollars in cigarettes and other items, according to authorities. Charles Michaud Jr., 19, of Stetson, Michael… Read More
    GREENVILLE – The future of the municipal landfill is unknown, but town officials are preparing estimates in the event its operation can continue. Unresolved groundwater contamination and litter problems that occurred while the facility was under a contractor’s control caught the eye of the Department… Read More
    PLYMOUTH – A pair of small, family-owned group homes that have provided mental health and other support services to girls ages 7 to 18 since April 2000 were sold recently to Bangor-based PROTEA Behavioral Services, which is investigating expansion of the facilities. Tom and Priscilla… Read More
    LINCOLN – Police Officer Richard York knows that come summer, he can always count on seeing town youths and families swimming in Mattanawcook Lake, sunning themselves on the beach or playing on the basketball courts at Prince Thomas Park. One other thing he says he… Read More
    PRESQUE ISLE – The way Melanie Stewart sees it, there’s nothing stopping the Nordic Heritage Center from becoming a major skiing attraction. The center, located on Fort Fairfield Road in Presque Isle, boasts a lodge, miles of world-class cross-country ski trails, lights for night skiing… Read More
    WESTFIELD – Local municipal officials are asking residents with town business to go to Mars Hill or wait for service until next week because the town office is closed until Monday. The town’s first selectman, Richard Watson, said Thursday that the town office has been… Read More
    BREWER – When Eastern Fine Paper Co. closed its doors two years ago, it was such a surprise to workers that cups were left half-filled with coffee and Christmas decorations remained on the walls. Many of the mill’s remaining 240 workers had spent decades making… Read More
    WASHINGTON – The state’s two senators sent a letter to R. David Paulson, acting director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, on Thursday asking him to declare a disaster in Aroostook County because of the recent blizzard. U.S. Sens. Olympia J. Snowe and Susan Collins… Read More
    BAILEYVILLE – Heads up police work by a reserve officer led to the arrest Tuesday of a 16-year-old male juvenile for aggravated trafficking in marijuana, police said Thursday. Police Chief Phil Harriman said the Baileyville juvenile was charged with aggravated trafficking in Schedule Z drugs… Read More
    THOMASTON – A green Honda station wagon stolen two weeks ago in Camden was found Wednesday at Stubby’s service station on Route 1 near Route 131. The vehicle, owned by Ben Fernald, 22, of Fort Kent, was towed to the Camden Police Department, according to… Read More
    Waldo County Superior Court, Belfast Cases Jan. 5, 2006 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
    BANGOR – A Brewer man with a history of drug abuse was sentenced Thursday in Penobscot County Superior Court to four years in prison for breaking into an office at a local hospital. Cory L. Fling, 30, pleaded guilty in September to two counts of… Read More
    VEAZIE – The former Veazie Variety gas station and convenience store was auctioned off Thursday for $295,000. The winning bidders are three men who intend to continue operating the site as a store and gas station, but also intend to have “many extras” available to… Read More
    AUGUSTA – The Task Force to Study Maine’s Homeland Security Needs will conduct public meetings in Presque Isle, Saco and Bangor beginning today. While each regional panel discussion will have a specific focus, the meetings will also provide an opportunity for public comment on other… Read More
    BREWER – A sparkling, 8 1/2-foot-tall sea monster is expected to rear its head on Brewer’s side of the river next month to celebrate the fourth annual Penobscot River Winterfest. “Everybody likes the ice sculptures, and this year it’s going to look like a shipwreck… Read More
    Eleven different airport hangars at Dexter Municipal Airport were burglarized Wednesday night or early Thursday morning. Airport manager Roger Nelson discovered the break-ins Thursday morning. Locks were pried off the doors to gain entry into the buildings, according to Dexter Police Chief Art Roy. It is not known… Read More
    The Penobscot County Transitional Team is hosting a panel discussion titled “Coping with Job Loss,” to discuss how former Eastern Fine Paper Co. employees dealt with losing their jobs when the company closed two years ago. The breakfast panel discussion is at 9 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 21, at… Read More
    DOVER-FOXCROFT – A veteran educator from New Hampshire has been hired as Foxcroft Academy’s headmaster. Dr. Raymond P. Webb, 52, dean for academic affairs at Kimball Union Academy, Meriden, N.H., will begin his new duties this summer. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes… Read More
    SOUTHWEST HARBOR – The American Red Cross and the U.S. Coast Guard are holding a blood drive from 1 to 6 p.m. Monday at the Legion Hall. Maine hospitals need more blood than they have been getting and there is just a 1.4-day supply of… Read More
    ELLSWORTH – Children are invited to bring their favorite stuffed teddies to the Ellsworth Public Library’s annual Teddy Bear Picnic at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 21. The event, which is sponsored by the Friends of the Library, will include stories, songs, crafts and refreshments. Participation… Read More
    CALAIS – Business owners, beware! Sen. Kevin Raye, R-Perry, is warning business owners of a misleading mailing that offers for sale labor law posters that already are available free of charge from state and federal agencies. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes =… Read More
    Last month, when I was reporting on organizations’ “holiday wish lists,” I wrote Spruce Run Association in Bangor “serves approximately 150 women and children each year,” which is accurate as far as it went, but I should have added that it serves those specific individuals “in its shelter.”… Read More
    AUGUSTA – Maine has been awarded $9 million by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide housing opportunities to homeless people across the state. More than $5.2 million distributed through the Maine State Housing Authority includes Emergency Shelter Grants that provide operating… Read More
    BANGOR – A band of snow that fell across much of Maine Thursday was enough to make some roads slick and cause numerous accidents. Early predictions had 2-3 inches of snow falling in Maine, with the coastal regions getting a little bit more. googletag.cmd.push(function ()… Read More
    BANGOR – True love cost a couple three weeks in jail apiece and a separation that could last a lifetime. Martin Ellis Crossno, 33, of Union, S.C., was sentenced Thursday in U.S. District Court to 21 days in jail for smuggling his Canadian fiancee into… Read More
    PORTLAND – The Gulf of Maine is home to more than 3,300 marine species, or roughly 1,300 more than scientists thought less than a decade ago, according to a new study. The Gulf of Maine Register of Marine Species, a census of marine life across… Read More
    ORONO – University of Maine junior left wing Brent Shepheard certainly wasn’t upset when 2005 came to an end. The first half of the current season was a nightmare for the rugged Shepheard. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes… Read More
    Could there be a deeper field for this year’s Eastern Maine schoolboy basketball tournament that begins in six short weeks than the boys Class D ranks? Midway through the 2005-06 season, no fewer than 10 teams still harbor the realistic goal of not only earning… Read More
    ELLSWORTH – The Ellsworth boys basketball team has ridden the offense of junior guards Corey Dewitt and Demetrios Katsiaficas to a quick start in the Big East Conference Class B ranks this season. But the Eagles used a balanced approach Thursday night in a 62-46… Read More
    Todd Claus, who managed the Portland Sea Dogs to the Eastern League championship series last year, will return to the Sea Dogs’ dugout in 2006. Claus led the Sea Dogs to a 76-66 record last season, capturing the Eastern League’s Northern Division title. Read More
    HIGH SCHOOL Bangor boys 128 and Brewer 43 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
    MAINE vs. UMASS LOWELL Time, site: Friday, 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()) { if… Read More
    NEW YORK – The New York Islanders will be without backup goalie Garth Snow for up to four weeks after the 12-year NHL veteran sprained ligaments in both knees. The 36-year-old Snow was diagnosed Thursday with medial collateral ligament sprains in both knees. He was… Read More
    WASHBURN – Tabitha Blakney and Chelsea McLaughlin each scored six points as the Washburn Beavers outscored the Central Aroostook Panthers 15-3 in overtime to earn a 57-46 high school girls basketball win Thursday night. Rashell Saucier led Washburn with 16 points and Alex Bird netted… Read More
    EASTPORT – Brandon Tomah poured in a game-high 26 points lead the undefeated Calais boys basketball team to a 97-50 victory over the Shead Tigers in high school action Thursday. Adam Knowles added 21 points, including three 3-pointers, for the Blue Devils. googletag.cmd.push(function () {… Read More
    BANGOR – Brock Bradford netted a game-high 28 points to lift the Bangor Christian boys basketball team to a 62-58 win over Lee Academy in high school action Thursday. Matt Denbow scored 14 points while Josh Frost added 13 points for the Patriots. Colby Robinson… Read More
    NEW YORK – Bode Miller knows he puts his life at risk when he skis drunk, but the outspoken Olympic favorite admits he may try the dangerous activity again. “Talk about a hard challenge right there. … If you ever tried to ski when you’re… Read More
    BRUNSWICK – Eileen Flaherty scored 20 points and Marisa Berne added 18 more to lead the host Bowdoin College Polar Bears past UMaine-Farmington 85-44 in women’s basketball action Thursday. Justine Pouravelis chipped in with 14 for the winners. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var… Read More
    When you think of an open mike night at a bar or coffee shop, you may think of a guy sitting on a stool with an acoustic guitar, strumming along to his latest song about how his girlfriend dumped him, or worse – covering the Dave Matthews Band. Read More
    In theaters BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN, directed by Ang Lee, written by Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana, 134 minutes, rated R. Starts tonight, Railroad Square Cinema, Waterville. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var… Read More
    Editor’s Note: In Sound Advice, the first Friday of every month, veteran NEWS entertainment writer Dale McGarrigle and former British music-press writer Adam Corrigan and a revolving stable of NEWS writers review new albums from across the musical spectrum. “Confessions on a Dance Floor” (Maverick/Warner)… Read More
    The Rev. Daniel Webster thought things couldn’t get much worse after he bailed his 16-year-old daughter out of jail for selling – but not smoking – marijuana. So, when his brother-in-law disappears with the $3 million earmarked for a school, the Episcopal priest seeks help not from God,… Read More