AUGUSTA – The Maine House of Representatives voted 82-60 Tuesday in favor of a bill to allow the Passamaquoddy Indian Tribe to install slot machines at their proposed harness racing track in eastern Maine. The bill now goes to the Senate and faces at least… Read More
    A story about the Bangor Waterworks project on Page A1 of Tuesday’s newspaper should have said that the development partnership, Waterworks LLC, comprises Shaw House Development Inc. and the National Equity Fund’s low-income housing credit program. The other entities listed were project participants. Read More
    RICHMOND, Va. – The Bush administration, the Defense Department and the Maine Bureau of Liquor Enforcement are among the winners of the 2007 Jefferson Muzzle awards, given Tuesday by a free-speech group to those it considers the most egregious First Amendment violators in the past year. Read More
    VERONA ISLAND – The Penobscot Narrows Bridge and Observatory has been named one of four finalists for the 2007 Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award presented by the American Society of Civil Engineers. “The Maine Department of Transportation is pleased to be considered for such a… Read More
    WASHINGTON – Ford Motor Co. said Tuesday it was recalling more than 500,000 Ford Escape sport utility vehicles after receiving reports of engine fires linked to corrosion on antilock brake connectors. Ford said the recall involved 444,880 Escapes from the 2001-2004 model years in the… Read More
    The tax burden in Maine continues to be one of the highest in the nation. At the risk of oversimplifying, it seems that if we are going to change that, we need to reduce taxes. To reduce taxes we will need to control state spending. Read More
    While President Bush and Congress struggle over how to finish up two wars in some satisfactory fashion, it’s time to begin thinking about what’s next. Public and congressional opposition to the Iraq war has been mounting, but it has focused mainly on its management. Most… Read More
    By buying prescription records and combining them with medical association data on physicians, pharmaceutical firms, according to a former drug representative in a news story last year, have “our greatest tool in planning our approach to manipulating doctors.” And that, a Bangor cardiologist recently told the Legislature’s Health… Read More
    Repeatedly, we have been lied to by George W. Bush and his administration. It becomes more evident every day that this administration is corrupt to the core and willing to do anything to achieve its goals, which include world domination, perpetual war, and enfeebling of the Constitution. Read More
    Some people in this country think we should bring our troops home. This would be very disastrous. Do we want another Holocaust in Iraq, seeing innocent men, women and children slaughtered because they sided and fought with our honorable and courageous men and women? People… Read More
    Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins made Maine families proud during the Senate budget debate over children’s health coverage. Sens. Snowe and Collins took a courageous vote against an amendment that threatened funding for MaineCare, which provides dependable and essential health coverage for nearly 15,000… Read More
    It appears we have another athletic director at the University of Maine who probably has dollar signs as top priority and no affinity to the alumni and public. Remember the athletic director who opposed Larry Mahaney building the dome? googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot… Read More
    In a recent article, “Specialty license plate eyed for breast cancer” (BDN, March 23), Rep. Meredith Strang Burgess, R-Cumberland, introduced a bill for a special pink license plate to support breast cancer awareness. The first thing you may presume is that I, being a guy, who by the… Read More
    A Bangor Daily News editorial on April 5 calls for the review of Maine’s economic development incentive programs. This recommendation follows a 2006 report by the Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability that found Maine’s incentive programs are lacking in oversight and accountability. Some… Read More
    Greetings from Europe, that part of the world where the families of at least 96 out of every 100 of you originated. Regardless of the demonizing President Bush attempted again this week of folks who came to the United States looking for better lives, virtually… Read More
    BANGOR – Drivers using Interstate 95 in Bangor should allow some extra travel time or consider alternate routes today and Thursday, according to the Maine Department of Transportation. Deteriorated concrete on the underside of several of the overpasses along I-95 must be removed, according to… Read More
    CALAIS – They’ve been talking about it for more than three decades, and finally construction on a $120 million international bridge that will connect Maine with New Brunswick has begun. But the grass-roots Baileyville group Friends of Magurrewock plans to file a lawsuit today in… Read More
    BANGOR – Someone in the back of Bangor Auditorium started clicking a clipboard Tuesday afternoon. Other students joined in. Soon the clatter drowned out all conversation. It is a tradition at the Maine State Math Meet, something the students do when they are bored, restless… Read More
    AUGUSTA – Transportation officials unveiled a draft 20-year plan Tuesday that focuses on investment in key corridors that are tied to economic growth. The draft plan outlines $10.6 billion in improvements for roads, bridges, rails, ports and air service. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot… Read More
    ELLSWORTH – Local firefighters worked quickly Tuesday afternoon to stamp out a fire before it could spread from the small auto repair shop on Route 1 where it started. Ellsworth firefighters responded to reports of an active fire shortly after 3 p.m. at Acadia Muffler,… Read More
    A strong-arm robbery occurred Monday night when two people reportedly approached a Bangor woman on Cedar Street, assaulted her and took her purse. The victim had a swollen wrist, scratches and missing hair as a result of the encounter with the two suspects, one of… Read More
    STEUBEN – Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” will be screened at the Henry D. Moore Parish House at 6 p.m. Friday, April 13. The film focuses on the effects of global warming and what may happen in the future if efforts to curb it are… Read More
    WARREN – The Warren Day Committee is looking for anyone interested in being considered as entertainment for the Warren Day Parade. The committee meets at 6 p.m. April 15, May 6 and June 10, at 314 Easter Road in Warren. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define… Read More
    CASTINE – The Castine Woman’s Club will hold its annual fashion show at 3 p.m. Tuesday, April 24, at the home of Dr. and Mrs. John Macdonald at 36 Latour St. The Woman’s Club is open to all women. The group raises funds for community… Read More
    WALDOBORO – The Waldo Theatre will present the final performance of the musical “Babes in Arms” this weekend. The performances are at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, April 13 and 14, at the Waldo Theatre. The last performance will be at 2 p.m. Sunday, April… Read More
    BAR HARBOR – The George B. Door Museum is offering its workshop “Skulking for Salamanders” from 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 25. April 25 is believed to be the night that the amphibians head to the breeding grounds. After the breeding, masses of jelly-coated… Read More
    BAR HARBOR – Poet Carl Little will read some of his work at 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 17, at the College of the Atlantic’s McCormick Lecture Hall as part of the Human Ecology Forum. Little has been called surreal and engaging because of his works… Read More
    BAR HARBOR – Bahman Baktiari, director of research and academic planning at the University of Maine’s William S. Cohen Center for International Policy and Commerce, is giving a speech called “Implications of the Sectarian Conflict in Iraq” at 4 p.m. Monday, April 16, at the College of the… Read More
    BAR HARBOR – A night of humor will be on tap when students present “Fandango” at 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 17, at the College of the Atlantic’s Gates Center. Afghani dance, African percussion, Bible rapping and a mixture of comedy and improvisation are on the… Read More
    CALAIS – National business expert Jon Schallert will conduct two one-day workshops as part of Maine’s Destination Business Seminar from 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. May 2 and 3 at Portland’s Eastland Hotel and Bangor’s Four Points Sheraton, respectively. The workshops are designed to help… Read More
    LINCOLNVILLE – The Breezemere Bottom Boys, a Maine bluegrass and gospel band, will perform at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 14, at the Coffee House Concert in the United Christian Church. Refreshments will be served and everyone is welcome. Donations will be accepted at the door. Read More
    ELLSWORTH – Police are searching for a yellow Ford Mustang and the duo that allegedly stole packages of DVD videos from the Hannaford supermarket on High Street on Tuesday morning. According to Officer Rick Roberts of the Ellsworth Police Department, an employee of the supermarket… Read More
    GLENBURN – After serving the town for 12 years, Councilor Mark Lagasse is stepping down. He presented the council with a letter of resignation on March 19. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false;… Read More
    PITTSFIELD – Administrators at Maine Central Institute heard some thoughtful suggestions from a small group that attended a meeting Monday night designed to help parents understand changes in the school’s dress code. Only 10 parents attended out of a potential 900. googletag.cmd.push(function () { //… Read More
    DOVER-FOXCROFT – Because winter has not released its grip on Maine, three organizations agreed Tuesday to help former Moosehead Manufacturing Co. employees with their home fuel costs. Representatives of the Bangor Savings Bank Foundation, the United Way of Eastern Maine and Maine Community Foundation announced… Read More
    BUCKSPORT – The school committee on Monday reconsidered its previous vote on a contract with the Orland school department, and, though some of the details of the pact had changed, the vote did not. Committee members approved the contract by the same margin as they… Read More
    PITTSFIELD – Standing outside the new Sebasticook Valley Federal Credit Union building just off Interstate 95, you get a sense of tradition. The gray, cedar-shingled New England-style building stands at the gateway to Pittsfield. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var… Read More
    PRESQUE ISLE – Northern Maine Community College will host a “Natural Balance Hoof Care Clinic” Saturday, April 28, through Monday, April 30, at the Northern Maine Community College campus and at the Horse-Talk Equestrian Center in Caribou. The workshop will be led by Gene Ovnieck… Read More
    PRESQUE ISLE – The Administrative Professionals Conference will be held 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday, April 26, in Edmunds Conference Center at Northern Maine Community College. NMCC and the Presque Isle Area Chamber of Commerce will sponsor the event, which is dedicated to rewarding, refocusing and… Read More
    PRESQUE ISLE – The fourth annual Tools ‘N Trades conference will be held Wednesday, April 25, at Northern Maine Community College. The conference is designed to encourage girls to consider careers in fields traditionally dominated by men. Session topics will range from carpentry and metal… Read More
    PRESQUE ISLE – Open studios will be held every Saturday at Wintergreen Arts Center in the Aroostook Centre Mall. The events include “Cereal, Cinema and Slippers,” a movie morning for children with a screening of “Charlotte’s Web,” Art Recycling Day on Earth Day, Saturday, April… Read More
    PRESQUE ISLE – An appliance replacement program established by the Maine Public Utilities Commission is available in Aroostook County. The program is designed to help low-income households reduce residential electricity costs by repealing inefficient and unsafe electrical appliances. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var… Read More
    MILO – Residents are working hard to raise $25,000 which will be matched by an anonymous donor for after-school activities. To date, $4,352 has been raised toward that goal. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner… Read More
    BREWER – The city’s small-business assistance program will continue Wednesday evening with a workshop on financing programs for business owners and entrepreneurs. The workshop is free of charge. It will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. in council chambers at Brewer City Hall, 80… Read More
    DOVER-FOXCROFT – Prevent Euthanasia Through Sterilization will holds its annual yard sale from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, April 14, at the Dover-Foxcroft fire station. Donations will be accepted. To arrange for pickup or drop-off, call Phyllis at 564-8072 or Mary at 564-8092. googletag.cmd.push(function… Read More
    ELLSWORTH – Walkers and sponsors are needed for the seventh annual Beth C. Wright Walk for Life to be held Saturday, May 19, at Addison Town Hall. Each participant will choose between a 5-mile walk or a 2-mile walk. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. Read More
    CASTINE – The Maine Maritime Academy’s chapter of Students in Free Enterprise will offer the collaborative educational program “JA in a Day” from 8 a.m. to 1:40 p.m. Thursday, April 12, to pupils at Leonard Middle School in Old Town. The program is designed to… Read More
    BAR HARBOR – The College of the Atlantic’s George B. Dorr Museum of Natural History is holding several activities with its Turtle Travels Exhibit to teach about the reptile during April school vacation. Interactive games, images, participatory text, artifacts, a turtle’s-eye view of life and… Read More
    MILLINOCKET – Stearns High School will be open but in lockdown mode with a strong police presence today because school officials found a “nonspecific threat” of violence dated April 11, Police Chief Donald Bolduc said Tuesday. Bolduc would not confirm the nature of the threat,… Read More
    MILLINOCKET – Robert Cote is probably the only businessman in the Katahdin region who really doesn’t want to see any more snow until next winter. The project manager’s work for Sullivan & Merritt Inc. of Bangor building the bathhouse for Millinocket’s $1.4 million outdoor community… Read More
    Lubec Consolidated School Third 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
    BENEDICTA – Benedicta residents who are concerned about the future of the Benedicta Elementary School will have a chance to meet with state Department of Education officials during a public hearing on April 25. Richard Moreau, director of state schools for the unorganized territories, said… Read More
    HOULTON – With its newest member seated, the board of directors of the Shiretown Development Corp. elected officers during its annual meeting Monday evening. All nine members, including Galen Wilde, the newest director, were present for the meeting. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var… Read More
    PRESQUE ISLE – Aroostook County teachers no longer have to drive to Orono or Portland to get a master’s degree in education. Instead, they can head to Fort Kent or Presque Isle, and sometimes they can just sit at their home computers. googletag.cmd.push(function () {… Read More
    Army Pvt. Joseph C. Brauneis graduated from the Infantry One Station Unit Training at Fort Benning, Columbus, Ga. Brauneis is the son of David Brauneis of New Sweden and Ginny Nilson of Seward, Neb. Read More
    FORT KENT – The University of Maine at Fort Kent will host the Maine Criminal Justice Academy Law Enforcement Pre-Service Program from Monday, May 14, to Friday, June 1. The course is required by the state as the minimum level of training for any law… Read More
    CARIBOU – The first organizational meeting for coed softball will be held at 7 p.m. and for men’s softball at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 24, at the Caribou Recreation Center, Bennett Drive. Representatives of teams that want to participate in summer leagues should attend the… Read More
    LIMESTONE – The town of Limestone has approved a tax increment financing plan for Loring Commerce Center in connection with a 55-megawatt cogeneration project. The financing plan requires Loring BioEnergy to pay the town a series of reduced property tax payments, which will rise incrementally… Read More
    FORT KENT – The second annual Fort Kent French Film Festival will be held Friday, April 27, through Tuesday at the Century Theater. All films will be shown in French with English subtitles. The following films will be shown: googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot… Read More
    AUGUSTA – Grants have been awarded to help preserve significant historical collections in 18 communities through a joint project of the Maine State Archives and the Maine State Museum. The recipients were announced Thursday by Matthew Dunlap, secretary of state; Jim Henderson, state archivist; and… Read More
    At the end of May, members of the eighth-grade class at Mountain View School in Sullivan will make their way to New York City for their class trip. Before that thrilling experience in The Big Apple can come to pass, however, they need assistance in… Read More
    A pair of eagles has failed to hatch their eggs in a coastal tree in Hancock County in an effort that has been captured by a 24-hour camera that streams video onto the Internet. Biologists on Tuesday declared the nesting attempt a failure after confirming… Read More
    NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Michael Skakel plans to call his cousin Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his celebrity trial attorney as witnesses for an appeal of his murder conviction that starts next week on a claim that two other men may have committed the crime. Read More
    The grass-roots group Friends of Magurrewock plans to file a lawsuit in federal court today against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to stop construction of a $120 million international bridge in neighboring Calais. The group maintains that the Calais site is environmentally destructive and… Read More
    AUGUSTA – Gov. John Baldacci on Tuesday praised state lawmakers for working in “an overwhelmingly bipartisan fashion” as he signed a $295 million state borrowing package that will go to voters in three parts. The bond package, which received a unanimous recommendation from the Appropriations… Read More
    ORONO – The State Celebration of Destination Imagination, a scholastic contest held last weekend at the University of Maine that attracted hundreds of students from around the state, produced the following results: Teams with a G advance to Global Finals in Knoxville, Tenn. googletag.cmd.push(function ()… Read More
    AUGUSTA – The Maine House held a moment of silence and passed a resolution Tuesday in memory of Rep. Abigail Holman, a first-term lawmaker who was killed in a skiing accident during the weekend. Gov. John Baldacci has ordered that the U.S. and Maine flags… Read More
    PROSPECT – Motorists can expect minor traffic delays near the Penobscot Narrows Bridge this week as crews from Maine Department of Transportation install a temporary traffic light at the junction of Routes 1 and 174. The new light will be activated and stopping traffic by… Read More
    AUGUSTA – The Maine Human Rights Commission met Monday and found no reasonable grounds in the following complaints: . John Young Jr. of Madawaska vs. SAD 33 of Frenchville. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner… Read More
    LEWISTON – The Pine Tree Piano Competition will be held from 1 to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, April 28, at the Olin Arts Center at Bates College. The statewide event is open to students whose teachers are members of the Maine Music Teachers Association. These students… Read More
    It has been a long-awaited day. The Fenway Park debut of Boston Red Sox righthander Daisuke Matsuzaka today will receive the media attention usually reserved for playoff games. It will be particularly monitored in Japan where it will be the wee hours of the morning. Read More
    ROCKLAND – Daryle Weiss, who guided a struggling Rockland football program back to respectability during the last six years, has resigned as the Tigers’ head coach and as the school’s athletics/activities director, effective at the end of the current school year. Weiss cited professional reasons… Read More
    RANGELEY – Saddleback Ski Resort in Rangeley will offer free skiing this Sunday, the last day of the season. It will do so as a “Thank You” for the very positive response it has experienced to the many recent improvements made to the mountain. Saddleback… Read More
    SEARSPORT – Wyman Boxing Club of Stockton Springs will host a series of bouts at Searsport District High School on Saturday. Promoter Skeets Wyman said 11 bouts are on the evening’s card. Five of the boxers are from the Wyman club and the others are… Read More
    COLLEGE Ellen Sevigny 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 = [[300,250]];… Read More
    BIDDEFORD – The University of New England’s Nor’Easters used a one-hitter from Sarah Hamel and a sixth-inning rally to sweep a doubleheader from Curry College, 6-0 and 7-5 in college softball action Tuesday. In the first game, Lisa Baillargeon hit an RBI double, RBI single… Read More
    Michel Leveille, who led the University of Maine hockey team to the Frozen Four and was a first team RBK American Hockey Coaches Association Eastern All-American, has signed a free agent tryout contract with the Toronto Marlies and reported to the AHL team Tuesday night, according to Maine… Read More
    Maine attractions Maine-made food producers fared well at the 23rd annual New England Products Trade Show. In the Specialty Food category, Fort Fairfield-based Robin’s Chocolate Sauce received first place for Tropical Dark Chocolate Sauce, while Naturally ME of Richmond was awarded second place for Vegan,… Read More
    WASHINGTON – Senate supporters of embryonic stem cell research refused to take another no for an answer Tuesday, advancing politically popular legislation that is assured of passage, yet doomed for the second straight year to a veto that Congress cannot override. “This bill eventually will… Read More