PORTLAND – A judge’s ruling that reversed the secretary of state’s decision to accept spending cap petitions was headed to the state supreme court with the filing of an appeal Wednesday in Kennebec County Superior Court. Justice Donald Marden’s ruling Tuesday would block a statewide… Read More
    When David Sparks managed Olympia Snowe’s first congressional campaign in 1978, he hardly could have imagined what lay ahead in the world of Maine politics. The cyberworld, that is. Now, at the helm of Republican David Emery’s 2006 bid for governor, Sparks – like nearly… Read More
    The hours of the Bangor Garden Show, scheduled for this weekend, were published incorrectly in the official program, The Weekly and the Bangor Daily News. The correct times are: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday; and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Read More
    DEMOCRATS John Baldacci, Bangor www.baldacciforgovernor.com 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
    ORONO – A Fortune columnist who spoke Wednesday about globalization discussed what it may be for future generations of American workers. Geoffrey Colvin, senior editor at large for the national business magazine, said the question is not so much whether America can compete in the… Read More
    A legislative committee rightly reconsidered its four-way vote on preserving land around Katahdin Lake and came out strongly in favor of a compromise to divide the parcel in two with hunting allowed on one part. This is a good compromise that should be approved by the House and… Read More
    The best that can be said about new vehicle fuel economy rules issued by federal regulators last week is that the largest sport utility vehicles will finally have to meet gas mileage standards, no matter how meager. On the bad side, buried in the voluminous rules is language… Read More
    I would like to inform people of the Bangor, Brewer and surrounding areas of a wonderful and informative program offered by the Brewer Police Department. It is called the Citizens Police Academy and its purpose is to increase citizens’ knowledge and understanding of the police department, as well… Read More
    In his April 1-2 column on the Taxpayer Bill of Rights, or TABOR, Todd Benoit asked the following of Maine’s tax burden: “It is killing us, right?” Although somewhat tongue in cheek, Benoit highlights a common perception held in Maine. The perception is that we… Read More
    Regarding Gov. Baldacci’s signing of the three mercury bills to curb mercury pollution; we are pleased the legislators and governor have enacted anything that will keep mercury out of us and the environment. However, we do question what good it does for the Natural Resources… Read More
    The photo of the derailed boxcars in your April 4 State section reminded me of the old adage, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” I have walked a lot of the tracks in and around Bangor, and for the most part they are in hard shape. Read More
    Recently the Legislature’s Joint Standing Committee on Natural Resources voted unanimously to support a bill that protects significant wildlife habitats including vernal pools and waterfowl, shorebird and wading bird habitat. Vernal pools are an important wetland habitat for a number of species and serve as food sources for… Read More
    George Washington warned that “overgrown military establishments” are “inauspicious to liberty.” President Eisenhower again warned that “the military-industrial complex” threatens “our liberties” and our “democratic processes.” For decades these admonitions have been ignored by our government and overlooked by the public. Today, we have, not… Read More
    I have been a registered Republican since the early 1950s, as has my wife Dot. In fact, our dedication to the Grand Old Party was such that we used to ride our horses around our Buckingham Township, Pa., neighborhood with Republican candidates’ bumper stickers on their backsides. Now,… Read More
    HAMPDEN – SAD 22 will receive state money either to build a new high school or renovate Hampden Academy within the next five years, Superintendent Rick Lyons announced Wednesday. “This is the culmination point for what we’ve been advocating for over the last 14 years,”… Read More
    PORTLAND – A former Rockland man will have to register as a convicted sex offender for 10 years instead of for life, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court unanimously ruled Wednesday. The justices found that the state had waited too long before trying to correct a… Read More
    MILLINOCKET – Town councilors and East Millinocket selectmen expressed satisfaction Wednesday with a proposed compromise on a state-engineered $14 million land swap that would leave a portion of a 6,000-acre plot around Katahdin Lake open to hunters. They have yet to discuss it as groups,… Read More
    “New England” Stones 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
    BANGOR – Staff from nine different landscape companies in central Maine were furiously shoveling fertilizer and planting greenery Wednesday at the Bangor Auditorium, in preparation for the 16th annual Bangor Garden Show this weekend. “Landscapers literally put thousands of dollars into this,” Katherine Guerin, executive… Read More
    For more than 70 years the two massive locomotives have rested on a spit of land between Eagle and Chamberlain lakes, their hulking presence a landmark to veteran travelers of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway and a delightful curiosity to newcomers who happen upon them for the first time. Read More
    OLD TOWN – Workers were back Wednesday making muffins and other bakery items at LaBree’s Bakery after a fire the night before sent smoke throughout the wholesale bakery operation and prompted the evacuation of about 40 people. “There was fairly heavy smoke throughout the building,”… Read More
    DOVER-FOXCROFT – SAD 68 directors have reviewed a proposed $9.1 million spending plan for 2006-2007, reflecting an 8 percent increase over this year. While expenditures have increased, three of the district’s four towns will see a reduction in their assessments because the district expects to… Read More
    OLD TOWN – Two Bennoch Road businesses were broken into sometime late Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning with the burglar getting away with an unspecified amount of money. Police said hundreds of dollars were taken from the offices of H.E. Sargent Inc. and the… Read More
    DOVER-FOXCROFT – The Foxcroft Academy student art sale will be held 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Saturday, April 29, Foxcroft Academy’s Plouff Conference Room. Items include furniture decorated with student interpretations of famous artists, pottery, matted paintings, and plaster masks. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var… Read More
    BREWER – The Brewer Republican Committee will meet, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 12, at City Hall. Membership in the committee is open to all registered Republicans in the city of Brewer, and all interested Republicans are invited to attend. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot… Read More
    DEXTER – The Dexter PTO will host a Meet the Candidates night, 7-9 p.m. April 12, at the Dexter Middle School cafeteria. Pat LaMarche, Peter Mills, Chris Miller, and Alex Hammer are the gubernatorial candidates scheduled to speak. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var… Read More
    WATERVILLE – As manufacturing jobs no longer are able to sustain Maine’s economy, state leaders are touting the creative economy – that sector of business that is thinking outside the box and in new ways – as the pathway to a new economic stability. “In… Read More
    Gov. John Baldacci attended Colby College’s 55th annual Institute for Leadership on Wednesday to present the 2006 Governor’s Awards for Business Excellence. “This year’s winners represent a diverse group,” he said. “All five go above and beyond the call of duty for their employees and… Read More
    ELLSWORTH – A former choir director on Mount Desert Island suspected of molesting an 11-year-old boy was among 32 people indicted this week by a Hancock County grand jury. Thomas E. Wallace, 41, of Bar Harbor is charged with unlawful sexual contact, endangering the welfare… Read More
    HARRINGTON – Peter Doak, the Narraguagus High School principal known as a strong disciplinarian, will retire his position as of June 30. But he doesn’t plan to stop working. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner… Read More
    MACHIAS – Like 1,200 other communities across the country – and in about 30 within Maine – area professionals are speaking up this month on the perils of teenage drinking. For lower Washington County towns, the time and place is 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April, 11,… Read More
    ORONO – Some University of Maine System trustees today will consider recommendations from faculty, administrators, staff and students about how to carry out the university system’s strategic plan, Vice Chancellor Elsa Nunez said Wednesday. While updating members of the University of Maine faculty senate about… Read More
    BANGOR – City officials began the process Wednesday of weighing two proposals for the reuse of 107 Maine Ave., which until recently served as the headquarters of the University of Maine System chancellor and his staff. One of the proposals was submitted by Liz and… Read More
    DEXTER – SAD 46 directors inched closer to building a new elementary/middle school Wednesday when they voted unanimously to enter into a purchase option agreement with a Route 94 landowner. That move this week came after about five years of discussions, studies and meetings. googletag.cmd.push(function… Read More
    SKOWHEGAN – A Somerset County grand jury indicted 20 people Wednesday on charges ranging from gross sexual assault to operating after revocation. All those indicted will appear in Somerset County Superior Court at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 3. They included: googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define… Read More
    BANGOR – A federal jury on Tuesday found a Fairfield man guilty of lying on two separate applications to purchase guns from a Winslow firearms dealer, despite his having been told by a state judge that he could not possess them. Steven Lemieux, 42, faces… Read More
    OLD TOWN – Three University of Maine students lost their off-campus housing Wednesday afternoon when fire burned a bedroom in their Stillwater Avenue apartment. The fire apparently started when a lamp overheated, catching draperies on fire and spreading along the wall and into the ceiling,… Read More
    ROCKLAND – Union Station Grille is on a fast track now that the planning commission has given a green light to the proposed restaurant at the Rockland train station. Local chef Royce Wright will lease a portion of the old brick train station for a… Read More
    BELFAST – The city is finally moving ahead with plans to convert Belfast Common from an open expanse to a city park. The City Council on Tuesday approved an improvement plan proposed by the parks and recreation committee that will add trees, shrubbery, picnic areas… Read More
    CAMDEN – The Select Board will consider a municipal budget that is up 1.6 percent over the current year’s spending plan at a special meeting Tuesday. The budget proposed for 2006-07, which the board will have to endorse for it to go before residents at… Read More
    BANGOR – A federal jury on Tuesday found a Fairfield man guilty of lying on two separate applications to purchase guns from a Winslow firearms dealer, despite his having been told by a state judge that he could not possess them. Steven Lemieux, 42, faces… Read More
    BAILEYVILLE – Domtar pulp and paper mill officials said Wednesday that the plant would be shut down from May 1 until May 6 as part of its annual maintenance schedule. Company officials said there was nothing unusual about the shutdown and the plant would be up and running… Read More
    Dover-Foxcroft District Court Cases March 16 – April 4, 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
    BELFAST – After three hours behind closed doors with its attorney Tuesday night, the SAD 34 board voted to deliver a letter to Superintendent Bob Young expressing the board’s concerns about the district’s looming $834,000 budget shortfall. The board directed him to present a plan… Read More
    LIMESTONE – A joint investigation by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Aroostook County Sheriff’s Office has resulted in the arrest of a Limestone woman for trafficking in prescription drugs. Sheriff’s deputies assigned to the Limestone contract patrol provided information to MDEA agents who… Read More
    MACHIAS – A 42-year-old Pleasant Point man entered a guilty plea Monday in Washington County Superior Court to two counts of assault and one count of bail violation in connection with an incident involving his girlfriend. Joseph Mitchell Jr. is expected to be sentenced on… Read More
    PRESQUE ISLE – The Geological Society of Maine is coming to Aroostook County for the first time in its 32-year history and local organizers are hoping to make the visit memorable. The society, a nonprofit organization of academic and professional geologists, has never held its… Read More
    MADAWASKA – The social, medical and legal ramifications of underage drinking were discussed by more than 100 Madawaska-area residents and officials Tuesday night at a town hall meeting on “Preventing Underage Drinking.” Maine Attorney General Steven Rowe, a national proponent of curbing underage drinking, led… Read More
    Congratulations and a hearty, healthy “well-done” to everyone who participated in the 10-week Healthy Hancock Lose and Win program based on the book, “The Town that Lost a Ton.” The success of this year’s program was celebrated last week, with team members and guests gathering… Read More
    MERCER – Three men were injured, one of them critically, when the pickup truck they were in crashed into a logging truck early Wednesday morning on Route 2. Keith Gould, 24, of Hartland was initially taken to a Skowhegan hospital, but because of the extent… Read More
    LEWISTON – Five months after organizers said au revoir to Lewiston’s annual Festival de Joie, plans are in the works for a new festival to celebrate the city’s French heritage. If all goes as planned, the first Festival Franco-Fun will be held from Aug. 3-6… Read More
    SINCLAIR – Jessica Page, the 15-year-old girl from Sinclair who had been missing since March 25 was found Wednesday night in an apartment in Stillwater. Aroostook County Sheriff James Madore said the girl was being held on a Department of Human Services order while awaiting… Read More
    AUGUSTA – A new Maine law will expand protections for some dependent students. The bill signed Tuesday by Gov. John Baldacci requires insurers that cover certain dependent children only if they are students to continue coverage for students who are unable to remain in school… Read More
    AUGUSTA – Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap encouraged all Hurricane Katrina evacuees from New Orleans who have temporarily relocated to Maine to contact the Louisiana secretary of state’s office in order to participate in the coming Orleans Parish elections. Elections postponed in the aftermath of… Read More
    My heart goes out to the mother from Caribou hoping her son can find a doctor to prescribe Suboxone for his opiate addiction. Currently there are only 40 doctors statewide qualified to prescribe, and as she said, they are each limited to 30 patients each. Anyone familiar with… Read More
    After spending the last couple of weekends on the road for work and otherwise, I’ve come to the conclusion that there are a lot of rude folks out there. There was the airline employee at Logan Airport who I’m sure purposely left my bag in… Read More
    Every teacher heading out for spring break should take along sunscreen – and a copy of Frank McCourt’s most recent book, “Teacher Man.” It’s not McCourt’s best work – his powerful “Angela’s Ashes,” a memoir of his childhood in Limerick, Ireland, won the Pulitzer Prize;… Read More
    On Tuesday night, a few dozen folks with varied ties to the Allagash River met in a Bangor conference room to share opinions on proposed revisions to the Allagash Wilderness Waterway management plan. The result of this latest public hearing, unfortunately, was predictable. googletag.cmd.push(function ()… Read More
    In the last five to 10 years, runners such as Judson Cake, Louie Luchini, Emily LeVan and Cassie Hintz have kept Maine on the map as a marquee running state. All that the Pine Tree State has been missing since 1984, the year Mainer Joan… Read More
    Maine Governor John Baldacci and Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle have made a friendly wager on Thursday night’s Frozen Four hockey game between the University of Maine and the University of Wisconsin. If Wisconsin wins, Doyle will get four Atlantic lobsters and a gallon of Maine milk. If Maine… Read More
    As the University of Maine softball team heads into its second straight America East weekend and conference home opener, it’s clear what has powered the Black Bears this year. Maine pitchers, especially senior Sarah Bennis and redshirt freshman Jenna Balent, are leading the league with… Read More
    MILWAUKEE – If there is one University of Wisconsin player who has a lot of knowledge about the University of Maine’s impressive hockey tradition it is junior center Andrew Joudrey. Joudrey is from Bedford, Nova Scotia and was a Black Bear fan growing up. googletag.cmd.push(function… Read More
    NCAA Semifinals Maine vs. Wisconsin 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
    BRUNSWICK – Eddie Skeffington had two hits and two RBIs to lead the University of Southern Maine to a 6-4 college baseball victory over Bowdoin on Wednesday. Chris Burleson added an RBI single for the Huskies of Gorham while Nick Vardaro also drove in a… Read More
    CALAIS – The city’s methadone clinic was one year old Wednesday and the staff at Discovery House celebrated. After more than a year of meetings and conferences, the privately owned clinic opened its doors last April. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes =… Read More
    ACADIA NATIONAL PARK – Backcountry rangers are battling a scourge that is wreaking havoc on the park’s trails and ecosystems. This enemy is not quiet, like an invasive plant species, or a longtime plague, such as forest fires. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var… Read More
    AUGUSTA – A bill to increase the minimum wage to $7 an hour by Oct. 1, 2007, ran into trouble Wednesday when the House voted 74-66 for an amendment that reduced the increase and delayed its implementation. After defeating an identical amendment presented by Rep. Read More
    AUGUSTA – Legislation establishing a new crime of “environmental terrorism” was dealt a setback Wednesday when a House vote to enact fell short. Representatives’ 73-67 vote against approval leaves the bill’s prospects in question. The bill seeks to create a new Class C crime of… Read More
    AUGUSTA – Legislation prompted by record-high gasoline prices after last year’s Gulf Coast hurricanes is on its way to final passage after being amended by Maine lawmakers. The bill initially targeted price increases of 15 percent or more during abnormal market disruptions. googletag.cmd.push(function () {… Read More
    AUGUSTA – A bill designed to simplify the procedure for clubs that decide whether to allow smoking is moving closer to final enactment. The House on Wednesday gave its final approval to a bill that would allow club smoking policy to be decided by a… Read More
    AUGUSTA – Gov. John Baldacci signed legislation Wednesday allowing Chebeague Island to separate from the town of Cumberland as of July 1, 2007. Cumberland’s Town Council has adopted a secession agreement with Great Chebeague and several other islands. Chebeague also will leave School Administrative District… Read More
    AUGUSTA – Motorists who park in spaces marked for the disabled will be paying bigger fines. Gov. John Baldacci has signed into law a bill doubling the minimum fine for parking in a disability parking space or an access aisle to $200. Maximum fines are… Read More
    Alive & Well’s Live Call-In show associated with Women’s Week will be held 5-7 p.m. today on WLBZ NewsCenter 2 on the topic of women’s heart health. Co-anchor Donna Gormley will be joined by Dr. Alice Passer, Dr. Chae Choi and Rebecca Henry, RN, MSN, who will answer… Read More
    “How do you think the Red Sox are going to do this season?” “So marvelous we won’t be able to stand it. It’ll be a repeat of 2004. We will not jinx them this year. They’ve got it all!” googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot… Read More
    BREWER – In 1981 JoAnn Pike noticed people in her Auburn neighborhood going hungry and decided she needed to do something about it. So at night, under cover of darkness, Pike and some friends began going to Dumpsters behind stores where they recovered food that… Read More
    ORONO – Two students from John Bapst Memorial High School in Bangor brought home titles as State Scholastic chess champions on March 25 at the University of Maine. Ray Solinger won the championship section, and Ben Amaral was tops among high school students with a… Read More
    BANGOR – Keep Bangor Beautiful is sponsoring its first annual birdhouse building contest as a special feature of the 16th annual Bangor Garden Show, Friday-Sunday, April 7-9, and at preview night, Thursday, April 6, at the Bangor Auditorium and Civic Center. A wedding-themed Penobscot District of State Garden… Read More
    ORONO – The Maine Masque, the University of Maine’s student-run theater group, will present a pair of David Mamet plays April 12-15 in Hauck Auditorium. The plays – Mamet’s rough-edged breakthrough “American Buffalo” and his newer, classically coarse “Boston Marriage” – will be presented in… Read More
    Schools ‘Brigadoon’ at John Bapst 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
    T-ball, baseball BANGOR – The Bangor Y is accepting registrations for T-ball for children ages 4 to 6, and minor league baseball for children ages 6 to 8. T-ball participants will meet 5:10-6:10 p.m. beginning Monday, April 24. Baseball participants meet 6:15-7:15 p.m., also beginning… Read More
    Services for Lent BANGOR – Maundy Thursday services with communion, with pastor Robert Bailey, 7 p.m. April 13, Forest Avenue Congregational Church. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i = 0;… Read More
    (As reported in the Bangor Daily News) 10 years ago – April 6, 1996 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
    OLD TOWN – Several cadets from the Old Town High School Army Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps Program traveled to Augusta on March 22 to receive honors from the 122nd Maine Legislature. The cadets were recognized on the floor of the House of Representatives for achieving Honor Unit… Read More
    BANGOR – The John Bapst Memorial High School Jazz Band took second place in the Division III State Jazz Competition held March 18 in Newport. In addition, Bapst senior Ryan Lena of Orono was awarded an Outstanding Musicianship Award for solo performance on violin. By… Read More
    Honored loan specialist BANGOR – Dean R. Churchill, business and cooperative loan specialist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Rural Development, will receive the 2006 U.S. Small Business Administration Financial Services Champion Award for Maine. Michael Aube, state director, USDA-RD, nominated Churchill for the award. googletag.cmd.push(function… Read More
    Purple Heart award CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – Capt. Jonathan Towle, the grandson of Louise Towle of Bangor and the late Frederick Towle, has received the Purple Heart and the Aerial Heroism medal for “heroic achievement in military flight” on Nov. 11, 2004, in support of… Read More