AUGUSTA – In a stinging rebuke, the federal government has found the state’s educational testing system does not meet federal standards and has docked Maine 25 percent of its administration funding. Maine Commissioner of Education Susan Gendron called the reduction in funding “significant,” and pledged… Read More
AUGUSTA – The state ethics commission rejected a request Friday by independent gubernatorial candidate John Michael for public funding of his campaign after a staff investigation concluded a “pattern of fraud,” was evident in the collection of the $5 qualifying contributions required for certification. Michael… Read More
BANGOR – Michael Demmons, the Carmel man who police say was brutally murdered last weekend by a Bangor man, had been threatened with death at least twice before by the same man, according to court documents. In both circumstances, Demmons had been trying to protect… Read More
The white pine swayed in the early evening winds as biologist Chris DeSorbo carefully, cautiously positioned himself on the edge of a massive nest built into the tree’s crown. It had taken DeSorbo about 10 minutes to climb the 75-foot tree. Now came the more… Read More
The source of a 1964 photo of U.S. Sen. Margaret Chase Smith that accompanied a story Friday about the 50th anniversary of the interstate highway system was misattributed. The photo was courtesy of the Maine Department of Transportation. Read More
AUGUSTA – Telephones – both cells and landlines – as well as television, radio and the Internet are all integral to most Americans’ daily lives. For the first time in a decade, Congress is rewriting the laws that govern telecommunications and two Maine lawmakers are in the middle… Read More
House votes Democratic Reps. Michael Michaud and Tom Allen 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
For many of you, biking may be just a great way to get exercise. However, for some of us, using the combination of a bike and the bus system is the primary way we get to church, jobs, stores or events that we wish to attend. Read More
In the decade since the end of welfare, Maine, like many states, has learned that it could move many more families than it expected from assistance to work. Its caseload in that time has fallen by more than half. It has also learned that state support – training,… Read More
Everybody knows at least the first line of Longfellow’s poem about the village blacksmith: “Under the spreading chestnut tree, the village smithy stands.” But many may not be aware that the chestnut tree has gone the way of the elm, wiped out by blight. The… Read More
Thank you, Renee Ordway, for the great column on adopting older children (BDN, June 23). There are many wonderful older children, in DHHS custody, currently waiting for an adoptive family. Like the child, Robert, profiled in Ordway’s column, these children have the hope and desire… Read More
The caption of Thursday’s editorial cartoon, “Rallying around the flag keeps our minds off of gay marriage!” missed the mark. Heightening anxiety about flag desecration and gay marriage is camouflage this administration is using “to keep our minds off of” the most serious issues that… Read More
The Senate rejected the flag amendment by one vote. There were speeches about the desecration of the flag, protecting American ideals and the flag represents freedom and sacrifice. Has Congress asked themselves what Native Americans have to say about the flag? Have they asked the… Read More
By all accounts, the American Birding Association convention that was based in Bangor June 18-25 was a tremendous success. Around 600 birding enthusiasts visited Maine from all over the country, filling three hotels and dropping hundreds of thousands of dollars into Bangor’s economy. There are… Read More
Since a majority of our congressional representatives in both parties have voted to continue waging the war in Iraq indefinitely, thus expressing our democratic will, I advocate that the universal military draft should be re-instituted. Though the facts regarding this war are clear, their interpretation… Read More
Todd Benoit’s column in last weekend’s Bangor Daily News misunderstands my recent statements regarding George W. Bush, Chandler Woodcock and this fall’s gubernatorial election. Perhaps Benoit is correct that my statement was phrased clumsily and felt “off the shelf.” I can accept that and I take it as… Read More
Let’s say that climate change is not the dreary result of humankind, a phenomenon that will intensify floods, hurricanes, pestilence and disease before we improve our gas mileage. Let’s say climate change is a house for sale, an old one, with a sag in the living room floor,… Read More
In his radio address to Americans on July 4, 1942, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt called for vigilance and a nose-to-the-grindstone work ethic amidst the national hour of darkness that was the early stages of World War II. “To the weary, hungry, unequipped Army of the… Read More
A recent e-mail that appears to have been sent out by Bangor Savings Bank to its customers may look authentic, but it is the latest of continual attempts by scammers to con information out of unsuspecting e-mail users, according to banking officials. The practice, known… Read More
AUGUSTA – A new analysis by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston found little for New England as a whole to crow about, but its unflattering Maine highlights provoked a new round of election year debate over just how bad the state’s economy has been. Read More
Despite the intensifying summer sun, some homeowners are already thinking about winter – specifically how to pay for heating oil when the snow flies again. Talk of heating oil hitting $3 per gallon this winter has many homeowners enrolling in fixed-price plans this summer even… Read More
BANGOR – Federal employees at Bangor International Airport no longer will have the option to belong to a union after a nationwide vote held Friday. Flight service station employees at the Bangor airport and 57 other locations voted 598-431 against maintaining representation through the National… Read More
BELFAST – After a half-year of angst over a budget shortfall that has grown to an estimated $1 million, the Belfast-area school board and Superintendent Bob Young say they have reached “an orderly and amicable conclusion” to their relationship: Young will leave SAD 34 effective Aug. 31. Read More
CARIBOU – The bruins that spent several days in a backyard tree 10 days ago are back. Actually, they never left, but they have not made a nuisance of themselves in the last week or so. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes =… Read More
Unlike other young soldiers who might prefer to engage in a bit of carousing while on leave, U.S. Army Spc. Chuck Ford chose to go back to the small town of Fairfield when he left the fighting in Iraq last March for a couple of weeks of R&R. Read More
A fast-track plan to change the way Maine delivers mental health services through the Medicaid program has hit a significant speed bump. Now, instead of implementing the potentially cost-saving measures of a privately managed care system this summer, policymakers will have until July 2007 to make the change. Read More
With only $7.1 million raised, the Gardner Land Co. has given The Trust for Public Land five more months to fund the $14 million Katahdin Lake Project deal and complete a land swap that would add the lake to Baxter State Park, officials said Friday. Read More
A light fog surrounded 25 teens in Dedham on Tuesday morning as they hammered, sawed and nailed. The light rain didn’t dampen their enthusiasm for the job at hand, however, or for their week of summer vacation in Maine. For about the past 20 years,… Read More
Islesboro Central School Fourth quarter honor roll 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
GREENBUSH – A large section of the southbound lane on U.S. Route 2 was barricaded Friday morning by the Maine Department of Transportation after officials discovered a 1-inch-wide crack that had formed overnight. On Thursday, the DOT noticed that a 200-foot-long section of embankment between… Read More
Raymond Perkins, 85, was presented Thursday with an honorary firefighter belt in recognition of 55 years of service at the Orrington Fire Station. “That’s the first time I’ve seen Raymond as surprised as he was,” Michael Spencer, Orrington’s fire chief, said Friday by phone. Spencer presented the award… Read More
OLD TOWN – An announcement of a potential buyer for the Georgia-Pacific Corp. mill may come as early as next week, according to the governor’s office. “Things are going well, and we are finishing final discussions,” Crystal Canney, spokeswoman for Gov. John Baldacci said Friday,… Read More
BANGOR – As Fire Chief Jeff Cammack gazed Friday morning through the open garage doors of Central Fire Station on Main Street, the intercom buzzed and a voice dispatched a single engine to the scene of a minor fuel spill. Walking calmly across the concrete… Read More
Patricia is a unique, insightful and creative 13-year-old girl. She is friendly, bubbly and has a wonderful sense of humor. She is a hard worker who makes honest attempts to meet her responsibilities. Patricia enjoys outdoor activities such as boating, swimming, fishing and kayaking. She… Read More
Knox County Superior Court Cases June 12-26, 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
Sumner Memorial High School, Sullivan Fourth quarter honor roll 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
MACHIAS – All classroom teachers in Washington County are eligible to take advantage of the course “Assessing and Teaching Struggling Readers in the Classroom,” offered by the Washington County Consortium this summer. The course is related to a Maine Department of Education grant awarded to… Read More
CALAIS – A report prepared by the Maine Chiefs of Police Association that roundly criticizes police Chief Michael Milburn and the city finally drew discussion at the City Council meeting Thursday night, months after the report was begun. Joseph L. Rogers, director of public safety… Read More
Narraguagus High School Fourth quarter honor roll 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
BLUE HILL – The Tree of Life food pantry has received a $25,000 donation from the Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation that moves the organization closer to meeting its $300,000 goal for the addition to its South Street building. The grant comes as the pantry… Read More
BLUE HILL – The 16th annual Blue Hill Pops will be held at 7:30 Monday, July 3, in the George Stevens Academy gym. Performers include A-Train Jazz Quintet with Friends and the Bay School Singers. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]];… Read More
TENANTS HARBOR – The Jackson Memorial Library will hold its annual book fair all day Saturday, July 15, at the library on Main Street. Fiction, garden, poetry and cookbooks will be on sale along with CDs and DVDs. There also will be a raffle table… Read More
ROBBINSTON – A 23-year-old Calais man who was doing a favor for a friend went off the road Thursday and crashed into a tree. Joshua Pinney was taken to Calais Regional Hospital and later transferred to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor. Hospital officials said… Read More
Calais District Court Cases June 2-15, 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]… Read More
Fort Kent District Court Cases April 22 – June 20, 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
Fort Kent District Court Cases April 22 – June 20, 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]… Read More
ASHLAND – Residents of SAD 32, a five-town school unit along Route 11, passed a $3,354,107 budget in municipal voting Wednesday. Superintendent Roland K. Caron said Friday that four of the five towns approved the budget overall. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes… Read More
BANGOR – The birthday party looked like a wet one early on, but the skies cleared Friday night in time for kids to take a dive into and make a splash in 50-year-old Dakin Pool. More than 80 people brought their appetites and their swim… Read More
Schenck High School, East Millinocket 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 – The following are meetings and other activities for the week ahead. All will take place in the council chamber on the third floor of City Hall unless otherwise indicated. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = [];… Read More
THOMASTON – It’s not all about the fireworks or the parade. Thomaston’s Fourth of July celebration is traditionally about community spirit. And each year, one or more of its residents who have been examples of that spirit are honored as the grand marshal or marshals… Read More
BAR HARBOR – The town will ring in the Fourth of July with gusto and plenty of lobsters, organizers of this year’s festivities said. The annual parade, which winds its way through downtown, will feature 80 floats, Shriners zipping around in miniature vehicles, and special… Read More
Calais District Court Cases June 2-15, 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 () { // Define… Read More
Washburn District High School 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
LINCOLNVILLE – The planning board wants to meet with an attorney before it again takes up the application by GridCom and Unicel to construct a 190-foot cellular telephone tower off U.S. Route 1 near the Camden line. The board denied the application in March, citing… Read More
Two community drug-abuse prevention groups are turning heads across the state and nation because of the success of their grass-roots efforts – accomplished with hardly any funding – to tackle the issues of drug abuse in their region. Representatives from the Community Alcohol and Drug… Read More
Wisdom High School, St. Agatha 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
FORT FAIRFIELD – The Spudcycle Classic 2006 will be held Sunday, July 16. Adult races begin at 10 a.m. at the Blockhouse on Main Street and end at Hillcrest Estates. Children’s races will be held at 9 a.m. at the school. googletag.cmd.push(function () { //… Read More
MADAWASKA – A newcomer to the Madawaska school committee was elected chairman of the group Thursday night as the committee looks to hire a permanent superintendent. Yves Dube, elected last month, was attending his first session Thursday when he was nominated and elected to head… Read More
MACHIAS – All classroom teachers in Washington County are eligible to take advantage of a course, “Assessing and Teaching Struggling Readers in the Classroom,” offered by the Washington County Consortium this summer. The course is related to a Maine Department of Education grant awarded to… Read More
TOWNSHIP 2, RANGE 8 – Christian Tremblay probably never knew what killed him. Tremblay, 53, of Laval, Quebec, in the Montreal suburbs, was driving north on Interstate 95 on Thursday, heading for Baxter State Park, when his Volkswagen Jetta hit a moose a few hundred… Read More
BANGOR – One of two teen passengers involved in a crash that killed the teen driver Wednesday was listed in fair condition Friday. A spokeswoman for Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor reported the condition of Danielle Harriman, 16, of Liberty, but said the hospital… Read More
The jurisdiction of the city’s animal control office will shift from the city clerk’s office to the police department, effective July 1, City Clerk Patti Dubois said Wednesday. The move is designed to relieve the clerk’s office of having to deal with law enforcement issues. It also will… Read More
WALDO – A Pennsylvania teen flown to a Bangor hospital after the car in which he was riding pulled into the path of an oncoming pickup has died from his injuries. Maine State Police Trooper Luke Cunningham said Friday that David Willett, 18, of Philadelphia… Read More
BAILEYVILLE – A vehicle that was seen “swerving within its lane” just before it struck and killed a New Brunswick man last month was impounded by police shortly after the June 18 accident. A Maine State Police trooper recently conducted an autopsy of the 1992… Read More
Starting on Sunday, July 2, and continuing through Monday, July 17, year-round and summer residents and visitors can, when they eat out, help the less fortunate of Hancock County. The second annual “Dine, Donate and Support” fundraiser for Emmaus Homeless Shelter in Ellsworth is being… Read More
AUGUSTA – In a written ruling Friday, the Maine Department of Public Safety, Liquor Licensing Division, upheld the Newport selectmen’s March 1 denial of Lucky’s Tavern and Restaurant’s liquor license. The decision came nine weeks after an April 14 hearing during which police and other… Read More
BANGOR-BREWER Greater Bangor Kiwanis Clubs will sponsor the annual Fourth of July Parade beginning at 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 4, at the junction of Wilson Street and Acme Road, not far from the Brewer Auditorium in Brewer. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes… Read More
Author Terry Tempest Williams has spent the better part of two decades exploring her beliefs in the intimate relationship between the natural and spiritual. A Westerner by birth and by choice as an adult, Williams often focuses her writings on the people and landscapes of… Read More
Carter Braxton was born in Virginia on Sept. 10, 1736. You’re probably not as familiar with his name as you are with the names of John Hancock, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes =… Read More
BANGOR – The toughest vote Harold “Brownie” Brown ever cast in his 72 years was not for president or governor or his state representative. Voting last week to place a moratorium on the ordination of gay and lesbian bishops in the Episcopal Church was very… Read More
With forecasts calling for brighter weather, Maine braced for heavy traffic Friday at the start of a long Fourth of July weekend that typically marks the beginning of the peak summer tourist season. Maine Turnpike officials said the influx of northbound visitors Friday could put… Read More
Maine’s seemingly unending rain in June did more than put a damper on tourism and construction work: It hit the wallets of farmers and livestock raisers who are paying more for hay. The month ending Friday has been the third-wettest June on record in Maine,… Read More
Daryl Boyington laughs, maybe a bit self-consciously, when asked what prompted him to take up weightlifting and powerlifting. “Well, I don’t know if you want to call it small man’s syndrome or whatever, but I think I knew I was never really going to be… Read More
Happy Fourth and let’s hope the sun actually makes an appearance. The bunting will be hung and the flags will be unfurled with a little extra touch around ballparks of many different baseball leagues this holiday. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes =… Read More
Corey Poulin, who won the Maine Amateur Golf Championship last year after several tries, has embarked on a career as a playing pro. It has turned out to be an enlightening experience. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes =… Read More
BUCKSPORT – James Potter hit a home run, a double and a single to drive in six runs to lead Bucksport to a 10-7 victory over Ellsworth in District 3 ages 11-12 Little League all-star action Friday. Tyler McAllian had two singles and two RBIs… Read More
BANGOR – Scott Hackett hit a home run and a single with an RBI and three runs scored to help lead the Bangor Comrades to a 12-3 American Legion baseball victory over the Waldo Wildcats at the Winkin Complex Friday. Kyle Leeman hit a double… Read More
PORTLAND – Former Deering of Portland and University of Maryland forward Nik Caner-Medley, who was not picked in Wednesday night’s NBA draft, has been invited to play for the Detroit Pistons in the upcoming NBA Vegas Summer League scheduled for July 6-14 in Las Vegas. Read More
I did my best to contribute to the economy of Washington and Hancock counties last weekend. With the weather really lousy (fog and rain) Friday and Saturday, my kayak sat on the roof of my car for a ride to South Addison via the Black Woods and back… Read More
While trolling for landlocked salmon in late May, a sport and his guide came upon a cow moose swimming across the lake’s narrows, a short stretch 200 yards or so wide. Considering the cow was only about halfway across, the sport couldn’t believe his eyes when its humped… Read More
This week I’d just like to share various bird-care tips I’ve picked up over the years. Many people have expressed concern that feeding birds alters their behavior, causing them not to migrate when they should. Although there is some truth in this, it is not… Read More
UNITY – Josh Childs picked up his second straight win Thursday night in the Geo and Sons Teen Thunder division. Childs is the division’s first repeat winner of the 2006 season. Luke Coleman finished in third while Michael Frisbie Jr. placed fourth. googletag.cmd.push(function () {… Read More
Make it early, make it accurate, and beat The Post. That’s the motto of New York’s Daily News. No matter how slow of a news day it is, or how big the story is, newspapers work on deadlines and when 10:30 p.m. rolls around, reporters… Read More
Erin Smith removes the padlock from a small, narrow shed and wheels her baby, a Harley-Davidson Sportster, down the ramp. Her vanity plate reads “GIDI UP,” and the stable in which she boards her iron horse was built for one, not two. A couple years… Read More
Whoever said diamonds are a girl’s best friend never owned a motorcycle. Just ask Tammy Mills. Last Christmas, a long, slender package beckoned her from under the tree. It was just the right size for the new chrome pipes for her Harley she’d been hinting… Read More
“The Last Samurai: Blu-ray”: With Sony at last entering into the new high-definition DVD market with the release of the Samsung Blu-ray BD-P1000 ($999), the competition is on between the two new formats – Sony’s Blu-ray technology, which boasts greater storage capacity and true 1080p resolution, and the… Read More
Pat Cody was working on a sudoku puzzle in the Times of London when the black-and-white grid of numbers began to resemble a familiar pattern. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i… Read More
The principal value of a private garden is to teach patience and philosophy, and the higher virtues – hope deferred, and expectations blighted, leading directly to resignation, and sometimes, to alienation. – Charles Dudley Warner, 1888, “My Summer in the Garden” Well, Mr. Warner did… Read More
A couple of weeks ago, Phillida Mirk of Camden asked about how to make white chocolate behave itself in cake frosting. I was the wrong person to ask because I have not had luck with it either. It always turned out grainy, stiff, and miserable. But bless Helen… Read More
“Like sand through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives.” These immortal words, pronounced by the late McDonald Carey, used to signal the opening of the soap opera “Days of Our Lives,” every morning at 9 a.m. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot… Read More