Articles by Larry Grard
Wiscasset High officials ‘deeply concerned’ about worst graduation rate in state
WISCASSET,Maine — The lowest four-year graduation rate in the state has Wiscasset High School and Regional School Unit 12 officials “deeply concerned,” Superintendent Alan Hawkins said. The list of the state’s high school graduation rates, made public last week, shows Wiscasset High School with the state’s worst graduation rate: 62 ...
Bath police charge teen with stealing pyrotechnic pistol, making explosives
BATH, Maine — Police probing complaints of gunfire discovered a pyrotechnic pistol stolen from the city was allegedly being used to make crude bombs. A 15-year-old boy was summoned on charges of theft and criminal use of explosives in connection with the incident. “There is no evidence that the boy ...
Maine snowmobilers hope big storm forecasts are true
WOOLWICH, Maine — The trail grooming machines are sitting idle, and have been for weeks. There’s no point starting them up, after all, if there’s no snow to groom on the trails. As a nearly-barren January for snowmobiling in Maine extends into February, and spring only six weeks away, people ...
Camden children’s author visits Bath school to launch annual reading program
BATH, Maine — “Sometimes you have to change things around before you get them just right.” Chris Van Dusen of Camden, an author and illustrator of children’s books, was speaking Monday to Fisher-Mitchell School fifth-graders in Brent Luchies’ and Tammy Baxter’s classrooms who had read one of his books. The ...
Woolwich residents recycled more, reduced trash volume by 27 tons in a year
WOOLWICH, Maine — An active Solid Waste and Recycling Committee, an informed public and a convenient system administered by Casella Pine Tree Waste has led to a significant decrease in trash tonnage and an increase in recycling. Figures released this week by the town show trash volume declined by 27 ...
Feds eye search for undetonated WWII rockets buried in Reid State Park beach
GEORGETOWN, Maine — There’s no immediate danger, but federal authorities may one day return to Reid State Park to search for more unexploded ordnance beneath Mile Beach. The ordnance is buried in sand and contains the remains of rockets used by Brunswick Naval Air Station flight crews during World War ...
Wiscasset gets terms of withdrawal from school district
WISCASSET, Maine — Months after requesting it, the town’s RSU withdrawal committee considered a formal agreement Monday to withdraw from Regional School Unit 12. In it, RSU 12 suggests July 1, 2014, as a possible date for Wiscasset to leave the school unit. Among other issues, the 34-page proposal stipulates ...
Bath police investigate burglaries; teens allegedly write their names on paper in building they broke into
BATH, Maine — Police are looking for someone who cut and stole copper piping, wiring and other items from a home being renovated at 1110 High St. Damage to the home from the thefts caused the basement to flood, police said. Bath police Lt. Stanley Cielinski said Tuesday morning that ...
Bath dog floats down Kennebec River on chunk of ice nearly an hour before rescue
BATH, Maine — Hoku knew just what to do Saturday morning as she floated down the Kennebec River on a small ice floe. Sit and wait — until security officers from Bath Iron Works were able to rescue her. The 1½-year-old black standard poodle was dry and unhurt after she ...
Judge grants Bath the right to intervene in West Bath’s $1.9M lawsuit against school district
BATH, Maine — The city of Bath has won the right to intervene in neighboring West Bath’s lawsuit against Regional School Unit 1. The ruling Tuesday by Justice Andrew M. Horton in Sagadahoc Superior Court paves the way for Bath to ally with RSU 1 officials in a dispute over ...
Phippsburg treasurer apologizes for four years of payroll errors costing the town nearly $40,000
PHIPPSBURG, Maine — Voters authorized spending up to $40,000 from surplus Wednesday to cover errors made in the processing of town payroll taxes. About 50 residents showed up for the special town meeting at the Phippsburg Elementary School gym. Lisa Wallace, the town’s treasurer and tax collector, took responsibility and ...
School district called ‘deceitful and dishonest’ by Wiscasset residents pushing for withdrawal
WISCASSET, Maine — A Regional School Unit 12 attorney has stated that Wiscasset can’t withdraw from the school unit until the 2013-14 calendar year. The town committee seeking to negotiate that withdrawal isn’t buying it. “We’re still hoping for a June vote, at the latest,” Jefferson Slack, a member of ...
Bath man arrested after allegedly stabbing another man during a fight
BATH, Maine — A Bath man faces a felony charge of elevated aggravated assault for allegedly stabbing another man several times during a dispute early Monday at Maritime Apartments. The victim’s injuries are not life-threatening, police said Monday. Charles M. Gates, 31, of Bath stands accused of elevated aggravated assault ...
Bath prepares to evict couple from condemned house; BIW workers offer to fix the roof
BATH, Maine — It might take a court order to compel Alan and Yvonne Orchard to leave their condemned home at 45 Windjammer Way. And by that time, a caring midcoast community could just have the home repaired enough so they can get it up to code. After a special ...
Town acquires $6.5 million waterfront property in Wiscasset for back taxes after marina-condo plan falls through; new developers sought
WISCASSET, Maine — The town is accepting what it calls “a creative approach for proposals” to purchase tax-acquired property worth an estimated $6.5 million. So far, no takers. In late August, the Board of Selectmen voted to take a 38-acre parcel including the former Mason Station and a portion of ...
Wiscasset street artist arrested in NYC after claiming NYPD used spy drones to monitor citizens
A street artist from Wiscasset, arrested on dozens of charges after he allegedly posted displays mocking the New York Police Department, is “laying low,” according to an associate. Bucky Turco of Animalnewyork.com — an art-inspired web site the features “art, news, culture, politics and opinion, straight from the gut of ...
Opposition rises to proposed lease of clam flats near Georgetown
GEORGETOWN, Maine — A solid majority of people attending Thursday night’s meeting of the Shellfish Conservation Commission oppose an experimental lease of clam flats on Bay Point. Chad Campbell, chairman of the Shellfish Conservation Commission, said after the meeting that three-quarters of the townspeople he polled opposed the lease to ...
Bath city councilor found dead at home
BATH, Maine — A city councilor who devoted much of her life to helping others was found dead this morning inside her residence at 36 Mechanic St., City Manager William Giroux said. Ruthe Pagurko, 63, apparently died overnight in her sleep, Giroux said. Pagurko was about to serve her eighth ...
Wiscasset codes officer escapes special town meeting with his job, barely
WISCASSET, Maine — In close voting Tuesday, residents approved four spending articles on a special town meeting warrant. Town clerk Christine Wolfe said Wednesday that 222 residents took part in the voting, which was held from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The board had approved all four articles, and the ...
Former Bangor YMCA building sold to new dental technology school
LePage delivers instant veto after hospital debt, Medicaid bill passes Senate
‘Knife war’ led to fatal stabbing at Bangor apartments in April, witness says
Bangor man charged with murder, escape from psychiatric hospital found not competent to stand trial
After 27 years, a father continues to search for his daughter, presumed dead
Why is DHHS always asking for more money?
The scramble to fill the 2nd District seat if Mike Michaud runs for governor
Maine GOP disappoints on Medicaid
Goodwin steps down as Brewer High School boys basketball coach
University of Maine hockey job has been offered to former assistant Red Gendron
Bucksport’s Cassidy Adams strikes out 19 in single game
Live Updates: UMaine baseball vs. Binghamton in America East championship round
UMaine trails Binghamton 8-2 in suspended game at America East baseball tourney
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
Maine School of Science and Mathematics alumni drawn to give back to magnet school