Editor’s Note: These articles are the kickoff of a New England Futures Project aimed at identifying 21st century challenges facing the six-state region. Citizen reaction and participation, leading to a shared regional agenda, are key to the project. Comments are welcome at www.newenglandfutures.org. Journalists Neal Peirce and Curtis… Read More
OLD TOWN – Four bald eagles lay on a conference room table, eyes closed, their talons stuck in a lifeless grip. Plastic bags wrapped like a blanket around the sides of the enormous birds. Yet even in death, the eagles remain majestic and imposing creatures. Read More
AUGUSTA – The once ubiquitous pay phone might make a return in Maine, but with a twist – free calls. On Thursday, the Maine Public Utilities Commission will hold a public hearing on a rule change that would allow it to direct phone companies to… Read More
? ATLANTA – In stories last week about the death of Coretta Scott King, The Associated Press erroneously reported the date of her death. She died on Monday, not Tuesday, according to a family spokesman and her death certificate. Read More
Dear Jim: Our monthly utility bills are killing our budget and we just got a big water bill. We have stained old toilets which should be replaced with new water-saving ones. What toilet options are available? – Jerry M. Dear Jerry: Flushing toilets is one… Read More
Editor’s Note: These articles are the kickoff of a New England Futures Project aimed at identifying 21st century challenges facing the six-state region. Citizen reaction and participation, leading to a shared regional agenda, are key to the project. Comments are welcome at www.newenglandfutures.org. Journalists Neal Peirce and Curtis… Read More
Q. In the Monday paper you had an article about attic moisture. Dr. Dick Hill indicated in the article that one should not use a humidifier under any circumstances. Was this just in reference to the attic moisture issue, or did he mean not ever? I was under… Read More
Electronic commerce, namely shopping on the Internet, has grown logarithmically as an industry and everything imaginable under the sun is easily available for sale from Delta Air Lines tickets to L.L. Bean clothing to Old Town canoes. These and many more goods and services are readily available at… Read More
How many fathers, members of the National Guard, are going to Iraq? How many have died leaving fatherless children? And why is the National Guard, formed to help their states and others in times of natural disaster, being sent to fight a war overseas? But… Read More
Steve Clark’s comments on wind turbines (“Wind turbines would industrialize mountains,” BDN op-ed, Jan. 30) made real sense to me. More reasonable thought must go into this idea. It is folly to rip up our wonderful mountains for such a small return on investment. Wind… Read More
A Feb. 2 letter to the editor criticized Garrett and Alexandra Conover for breaking a number of rules while on the Allagash Wilderness Waterway during their “Winter Walk for the Wilds 2006.” The writer also criticized the Bureau of Parks and Lands for not providing firmer protection for… Read More
The votes of Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins on Jan. 31 in favor of putting Samuel Alito on the Supreme Court have become a distinct contradiction to their claim to be “moderate” Republicans. Their moderate image over the years has been earned, to be… Read More
Anyone who needs to be reminded that some of our legislators are totally out of touch with average citizens’ needs only to hear the proposal to substantially raise the governor’s salary, almost tripling it. Maine is a poor state. It has a relatively small population. Read More
New England fisheries regulators, who met in Portland last week, approved a further reduction in the number of days groundfishermen can go out to sea. There is a better way to manage the country’s fisheries without forcing fishermen to sit at home. A quota system, coupled with a… Read More
When Pentagon officials next month present Congress with their plan for the military for the next two decades, a top question from lawmakers should be why the Pentagon believes the military is adequately equipped and staffed for its many missions when two recent reports suggest otherwise. Congress must… Read More
I would like to make a few comments in regard to the Jan. 20 article, “Sportsman urges more marketing.” As an avid outdoorsman and owner of a fly fishing business, I couldn’t agree more with Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine Executive Director George Smith’s assertion… Read More
Last June I met with workers from a factory in the Las Mercedes Free Trade Zone in Managua that produces Faded Glory jeans for Wal-Mart. Many had just been fired for taking part in a strike demanding that the company meet its promises to its workers. Read More
Every other week, one can find another news article arguing that Maine has a highly unfavorable business climate. The data to support this claim are often based almost entirely on statistics from the Tax Foundation and other anti-tax organizations. They typically define a state’s economic well-being primarily on… Read More
Contrary to common perception, it’s not out-of-state tourists on their way to Mount Desert Island who are clogging the midcoast’s U.S. Route 1 corridor during the summer. Interviews with more than 800 drivers and passengers last July and August – part of a Department of… Read More
MADAWASKA – Rain dampened the snowmobile trails, icicles hung from handlebars and mist blurred windshields on Sunday, but the spirit of people attending the 10th International Snowmobile Festival was anything but wet, organizers said Sunday. More than 550 people, most from away, registered for the… Read More
BLUE HILL BAY – U.S. Coast Guard officials called off search efforts Saturday after the owner of a boat found adrift near Bar Island called by cell phone and let them know he was fine, but stranded on another island about a mile away. With… Read More
AUGUSTA – A bipartisan panel’s recommendation to fund a shortfall in highway funding is drawing opposition from both parties, with Republican leaders upset that most of the plan calls for borrowing $60 million. “I don’t think that is going anywhere in my caucus,” House GOP… Read More
PLEASANT POINT – A man who in a very short time did much to change the lives of his people before he died at the age of 60 in a tragic automobile accident was honored recently with the establishment of a memorial foundation in his name. Read More
CAMDEN – The National Toboggan Championships had everything necessary for a successful event – everything except snow and ice. Temperatures in the mid-40s melted the ice on a portion of the 400-foot chute and there were puddles on the frozen pond below, meaning competitors ended… Read More
PITTSFIELD – A grass-roots group consisting of educators, alumni and parents will meet with Maine Central Institute administrators Tuesday night to begin a partnership they hope will result in a safer and more productive learning environment for their children. Grumbles of dissatisfaction have been heard… Read More
HERMON – Late last year, town officials decided to “tweak” their law enforcement contract with Penobscot County, but this and other changes have been as much about getting back to basics as they are about making strides forward. “I think we’re headed in the right… Read More
CAMDEN – In September 1987 when he published the first issue of Maine Boats & Harbors magazine, John Hanson made two mistakes. The first was bad timing. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false;… Read More
EAST MACHIAS – Rodney Merritt, a corporal with the Washington County Sheriff’s Department, wants to be the county’s top law enforcement officer. Merritt, who has worked for the county for about 17 years, is running for sheriff of Washington County as a Republican. googletag.cmd.push(function ()… Read More
FORT KENT – The 10th Mountain Division Lodge venue of the Maine Winter Sports Center was just too close to not take the time to visit it while in northern Maine. Two Austrian biathlon coaches who ventured to Fort Kent on Saturday were as impressed… Read More
FORT KENT – Maine’s commissioner of economic development told members of the Greater Fort Kent Area Chamber of Commerce on Friday night that job numbers, income growth and friendliness toward business are all improving. Jack Cashman referred to reports published by the Wall Street Journal… Read More
CARIBOU – The owner of a home that was destroyed by fire Saturday was treated for facial burns at a local hospital and released. Jeremiah Michaud was treated for minor burns to the left side of his face at Cary Medical Center in Caribou, according… Read More
PITTSFIELD – Fire destroyed a mobile home Saturday, sending the woman who lived there to the hospital briefly. Terry Girroir was treated at Sebasticook Valley Hospital in Pittsfield and later released, a hospital official said Sunday. While he didn’t know what injuries she suffered, Capt. Read More
BANGOR – Cost-saving video arraignments could be coming to Penobscot County as early as this summer, but county officials said there is still much to be fleshed out before it goes live. “I think it certainly is something we should pursue and we should work… Read More
FORT KENT – An insurance man who has given countless hours of volunteer time to community projects was named Fort Kent’s Citizen of the Year on Friday night at the annual meeting of the Greater Fort Kent Area Chamber of Commerce. George Dumond was cited… Read More
CALAIS – It could become the first and only tribally owned liquefied natural gas facility in the country, and the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Indian Township hopes that this city will be its partner. At a joint meeting of the Calais City Council and planning board… Read More
Ellsworth District Court Cases Dec. 29, 2005-Jan. 30, 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
The Bangor Police Department is looking for information regarding three cars that were burglarized Saturday while parked outside Sawyer Arena off Thirteenth Street. According to police reports, at around 5 p.m. Saturday three vehicles had windows smashed and cash, credit cards, cell phones and purses… Read More
AUGUSTA – Gov. John Baldacci and Attorney General Steven Rowe will help to open a forum Monday on teen dating violence, a problem state officials say affects one in four relationships between high school students. The forum at Winthrop High School coincides with the start… Read More
PORTLAND – Friends and relatives of three New England fishermen who were killed in a high-seas collision said they’re angry and disappointed that U.S. authorities dropped a request to extradite three Russian sailors who were being held in Canada. The captain and two crewmen from… Read More
BOSTON – A group of Boston-area scientists has come up with what they say is a better way of tracking and estimating fish populations, which in turn could change the way fishery regulators manage the resource. The new sonar technique is able to scan for… Read More
AUGUSTA – Passamaquoddy tribal leaders armed with 61,000 petition signatures say their proposal to the Maine Legislature is a peace offering: Vote for a proposed racetrack casino in Washington County and avoid a high-profile referendum. The Senate, which already rejected the “racino” proposal on a… Read More
SCARBOROUGH – You don’t have to be a fisherman to catch lobsters anymore. At a neighborhood store in this Portland suburb – and at restaurants and bars in more than a dozen states – customers can plunk down $2 for a chance to catch their… Read More
The prison sentence of a Washington, D.C., political consultant who testified against a Bangor man in a phone-jamming trial last year has been reduced from five months to three. In Concord, N.H., U.S. District Judge Joseph A. DiClerico Jr. on Thursday reduced the prison sentence… Read More
BETHEL – David Luxton awoke to the sound of shattering glass as a car smashed into his porch during the night. Less than 48 hours later, another car spun around and hit the porch, knocking it off its foundation. All told, vehicles careening out of… Read More
BOSTON – The 1st Circuit Court of Appeals last week granted a Waterville man a new trial in his lawsuit against an insurance company over the loss of his sailboat. The three-judge panel overturned a ruling handed down in April by U.S. District Judge John… Read More
Camden Hills High School placed 11 wrestlers in the championship round and came away with five individual winners Saturday as the Windjammers annexed their 12th consecutive Eastern Maine championship in the Class B title meet held at Caribou High School. Camden Hills scored 212 points… Read More
ORONO – A desperate team energized by seven forwards returning from a one-game suspension proved to be too much to overcome for the University of Maine men’s hockey team Saturday night. The University of New Hampshire built a 5-1 lead on goals from players who… Read More
HOWLAND – It wasn’t too long ago that Dexter was the team that rained on everyone’s parade. Coaches would watch their wrestlers put forth quality efforts and see a few make their way into the championship finals and score a respectable number of points. Then… Read More
HIGH SCHOOL At UMaine 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] googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var… Read More
COLLEGE At Waterville 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 Fierce Chase Trails, Monson 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
COLLEGE At Providence, R.I. 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
BURLINGTON, Vt. – Calvin Elwell of Brooks and Travis Wyman of Stockton Springs from the Wyman Boxing Club both advanced to the finals in the 29th Vermont Golden Gloves Tournament at Memorial Auditorium next weekend. Elwell, 20, defeated Gordon Berry of the Gamache Boxing Club… Read More
LEWISTON – Boothbay High School senior Lauren Forgues and her brother, eighth-grader Matthew Forgues, walked away with the 3,000-meter and 1,600-meter open racewalk titles, respectively, at Bates College on Sunday. The mixed gender races saw Lauren Forgues capture the 3,000-meter in a time of 15… Read More
NEWTON, Mass. – Freshman Jenny Rollins converted one of two free throws with three seconds remaining Sunday to lift Husson College of Bangor to a 51-50 North Atlantic Conference women’s basketball victory over Mount Ida and help the Eagles complete a weekend sweep. Husson beat… Read More
NEWTON, Mass. – Phil White and Buddy Leavitt registered double-doubles Sunday to pace Husson College of Bangor to an 88-62 North Atlantic Conference men’s basketball victory over Mount Ida. Lasell defeated Husson 62-59 on Saturday. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]];… Read More
PRESQUE ISLE – Rockland resident John Macone spent Friday at the Nordic Heritage Center during the Biathlon World Junior Championships taking a look at something he helped start. Macone was one of the people who recommended that biathlon be included in the 1960 Olympic Games in Squaw Valley,… Read More
HOULTON – Ryan Hill went three-for-three from the foul line in the fourth quarter and Houlton converted five of six in the period en route to a 53-49 upset victory over Central of Corinth in boys basketball action on Saturday. Doug Hagerman paced the winners… Read More
ELLSWORTH – Kyle Staples scored five of his 15 points in the fourth quarter and Robin Daley also tossed in 15 points to lead Mount Desert Island to a 61-59 double-overtime victory over archrival Ellsworth in boys basketball action on Saturday. Andrew Veilleux added 10… Read More
BANGOR – Dylan George scored a career-high six goals to power the Bangor Rams to a 9-4 high school hockey victory over the Edward Little Red Eddies Saturday at Sawyer Arena. Ben Silver scored a goal and assisted another for the 8-6 Rams while Matt… Read More
VESTAL, N.Y. – Binghamton University shot 53 percent from the floor Sunday afternoon while cruising to an 84-56 America East men’s basketball victory over the University of Maine at the Events Center. The Bearcats put together a 15-2 scoring run midway through the first half… Read More
VESTAL, N.Y. – The University of Maine women’s basketball team flirted with an upset Saturday afternoon, but Binghamton weathered a second-half charge to beat the Black Bears 69-64 in America East action at the Events Center. Despite making the trip with only eight players, including… Read More
Hang onto your hats. The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour is back, and it’s coming to a venue near you. The ever-popular and often sold-out film festival showcases movies – some as short as 30 seconds and some as long as 25 minutes –… Read More
Editor’s Note: Maine Bound is a column featuring new books written by Maine authors or set in the Pine Tree State. THE NARROWS, by Alexander C. Irvine; Del Rey-Ballantine Books, 2005; 342 pages, trade paperback, $13.95. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes =… Read More
A foot of dry, powdery stuff may thrill skiers and snowboarders. But for builders of snow people, nothing beats sticky snow – 3 or 4 inches of big, fat, wet flakes easily rolled round and round a white-layered lawn or field. In no time, with… Read More
The headline was stark. No question marks or other editorial dilly-dallying softened the blow. “Barbarism in Maine,” declared New England Magazine in its January 1906 issue. The piece beneath it publicized the shocking truth about the Pine Tree State’s coastal degenerates. A wave of concern… Read More
In theaters THE MATADOR, written and directed by Richard Shepard, 97 minutes, rated R. 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
Every few years I have to mention “Redcoats at Castine,” the book read to my sixth-grade class in Sangerville by our teacher, Alice Littlefield Mossler. Though the Penobscot Expedition was not a successful one for the rebels, it remains a fascinating part of the Revolutionary War. Read More