Articles by Kathryn Skelton
Colgan: Jobs recovery expected in 2016
The year 2013 is off to a promising start — but don’t get used to it. Charlie Coglan said he’s hoping for nine months in a row with modest job growth, a streak Maine hasn’t seen since 2007. Ahead of his state forecast for the New England Economic Partnership conference ...
Job openings on the rise as Maine slowly climbs back from recession
Two weeks ago, Pete Waterman spray painted a large plywood sign and propped it on his lawn near a bunch of tractors. “Good help wanted.” “To me, ‘help wanted’ didn’t quite explain what I was looking for,” said Waterman, a fourth-generation dairy farmer in Sabattus. “I wanted to let people ...
Peter Vigue to speak at annual dinner honoring Lewiston-Auburn companies
LEWISTON — The Twin Cities will honor businesses big and small and hear from Cianbro chairman and CEO Peter Vigue at the 32nd annual Lewiston-Auburn Economic Growth Council annual dinner Thursday, May 16. Vigue has been promoting the creation of an east-west highway in Maine. The dinner and program is ...
Project to create 150 new jobs on Lisbon Street in Lewiston
By Kathryn Skelton, Sun Journal on May 02, 2013, at 3:12 p.m.
LEWISTON, Maine — Jason Levesque walked inside the old McCrory’s for the first time and stepped on a dead pigeon. An engineer’s report questioned how the building was still standing. Brunswick, a half-hour away, had turn-key space available for nearly $1 million less. None of that deterred him. After working ...
Litchfield-area school district plans public forum after four bomb threats in a week
WALES, Maine — After four bomb threats in one week — and three student confessions — school officials are planning a public forum for parents in Litchfield, Sabattus and Wales to answer any lingering questions. RSU 4 Superintendent Jim Hodgkin said he planned to tell parents the date of the ...
Moving on after Boston: Maine runners say they’ll race again; local officials looking for lessons
Paula Rousseau couldn’t believe the number of people on the sidelines offering pizza, beer and licorice to runners in the Boston Marathon. She and running partner Barbie Clement laughed. They had trained in snow all winter for this. Beer could wait. When they passed college students holding up signs that ...
Oak Hill schools face bomb threats on 2 consecutive days
WALES, Maine — A bomb threat cleared Oak Hill High School on Tuesday morning shortly after RSU 4 Superintendent Jim Hodgkin returned from Oak Hill Middle School, fresh from talking to those students about a threat that closed that school Monday. At 10:30 a.m., Hodgkin was awaiting the arrival of ...
More rail for Auburn: Bond money extends tracks at intermodal facility
AUBURN — Officials will cut the ribbon Wednesday for the ceremonial construction start of a rail line at the intermodal facility that will help freight service now and allow freight and passenger rail to coexist in the future, according to Bob Thompson, executive director at the Androscoggin Valley Council of ...
Downeaster plans train to Lewiston-Auburn, eventually
LEWISTON, Maine — The rail authority that manages the Downeaster is working on a blueprint for its future, to be unveiled later this year, that includes bringing passenger rail service to Lewiston-Auburn. Patricia Quinn, executive director of the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority, is encouraging about the plan, even ...
Auburn Manufacturing expands, builds business on heat
MECHANIC FALLS, Maine — From its early beginnings on the second floor of the town library, Auburn Manufacturing has grown from one product line and two employees to two facilities and 50 workers. President and CEO Kathie Leonard said the key is making things and never giving up. “Innovation follows ...
Maine mulls a new strategy to tap into New Hampshire liquor sales bonanza
HALLOWELL, Maine — Animated, with thick round glasses, salt-and-pepper hair and a tall, lean frame, Gerry Reid could pass for a professor in the Harry Potter universe. His last job was in tequila, as managing director at Jose Cuervo International, where he oversaw new product development, sales and marketing, and ...
Fast-moving fire destroys first floor of Lewiston building, leaving family homeless
LEWISTON, Maine — A fast-moving grease fire destroyed the first floor at 101 Pine St. early Saturday afternoon, leaving at least one family of four homeless. Fire Inspector Paul Ouellette said police received a call for help at about 1:15 p.m. A woman in the apartment had been heating oil ...
VIDEO
Buckfield company makes official White House Easter eggs
BUCKFIELD, Maine — At the end of a dirt road, in a nondescript cinder block mill, Wells Wood Turning & Finishing makes tool handles, drawer knobs, toy parts and dabbles in bunny business. For six years, the company has quietly made the official collectible White House Easter eggs. For 2012, ...
50 years later: The Maine girl who had finger reattached
LEWISTON — Fifty years ago the Kenneys were off on a Sunday drive to the ocean when Marie and 1-year-old Joyce had to stop to use the bathroom. The Topsham service station had just gotten new, heavy automatic doors. When those doors closed, they severed an inch of little Joyce’s ...
College students pitch in with free tax help for Lewiston-Auburn residents
LEWISTON, Maine — One man was so excited he told Abdisalan Mohamed Ali that he’d go on vacation. Another couple didn’t realize they could still claim their college-age daughter — more money in their pockets. “Some don’t even know they can get the earned income (tax) credit, so you teach ...
Maine may give iPads to all middle-schoolers
The state’s first-in-the-nation laptop program may be going iPad. Maine is negotiating five options for its next Maine Learning Technology Initiative contract. For the past seven years, that program has placed Apple MacBook laptops in the hands of every seventh- and eighth-grader in the state. Two new options include computer ...
Mainers make working from home work
Tanya Lippke lived in Florida, but missed home too much to stay. When she gave her notice, though, her boss wouldn’t accept it. So she moved back to Maine and worked remotely the next 9 years for the Tampa-based market research company. Now, she runs that business from her Lewiston ...
Turner man denies his Virgin Mary candy is a hoax
TURNER, Maine — A website has called “hoax” on a Turner couple who have listed a piece of candy on eBay that resembles the Virgin Mary. But Desmond Duguay says his is no doctored Dot. Duguay and his wife, Amy, discovered the orange candy a little over a week ago, ...
Maine sign manufacturer keeps up with changing tech, regulations
LEWISTON — The aluminum letters lying on their side, even tipped, stood almost as tall as a man. They would be repainted, strung with LED lights and hung 10 stories up in the air in Portland. Massive would-be half bubbles bound for the side of a Brunswick building, a foot ...
State, towns reporting sharp rise in information requests
One Boston website wanted details about any unmanned aerial drones, including how high they fly and whether they can be weaponized. A New Hampshire author planning a book asked for details about a 2008 shooting. An Auburn man questioned the dark tint on troopers’ Ford Mustang windows. He’s after those ...
Former Bangor YMCA building sold to new dental technology school
Bangor man charged with murder, escape from psychiatric hospital found not competent to stand trial
‘Knife war’ led to fatal stabbing at Bangor apartments in April, witness says
University of Maine hockey job has been offered to former assistant Red Gendron
After 27 years, a father continues to search for his daughter, presumed dead
Why is DHHS always asking for more money?
Maine GOP disappoints on Medicaid
The scramble to fill the 2nd District seat if Mike Michaud runs for governor
Governor Veto
Goodwin steps down as Brewer High School boys basketball coach
Bucksport’s Cassidy Adams strikes out 19 in single game
Live Updates: UMaine baseball vs. Binghamton in America East championship round
Lawrence, Connolly help UMaine advance to America East baseball title game
Maine Democrats stooped to the governor’s level with TV complaint
Maine’s beer industry continues to brew double-digit growth
‘All That’ actress Amanda Bynes arrested after allegedly tossing bong out apartment window on 36th floor
KahBang organizers announce film and visual arts lineup for festival