Nicholas McCrea
Reporter
Nick McCrea covers Orono and Old Town from the Bangor bureau.Bangor acts to stop charter schools, after failed bid to start 420-student ‘Queen City Academy’
BANGOR, Maine — Bangor city councilors will consider a citywide moratorium on charter schools, arguing that having one in the city would create unnecessary competition and put a financial strain on an already strong public school system. The council will hold a first reading of the proposed moratorium during a ...
Three tornado warnings issued in Maine during Sunday afternoon storms; no confirmed touchdowns
BANGOR, Maine — Tornado warnings came and went quickly across the state as heavy storms rolled through Maine Sunday afternoon. National Weather Service forecasters in Gray and Caribou said there were no confirmed touchdowns as of 5:30 p.m. The National Weather Services issued a tornado warning around 4:30 p.m. for ...
Veazie native starts video game studio with classmates, prepares for first release
BANGOR, Maine — Ryan Casey, a 22-year-old graduate of Worcester Polytechnic Institute and John Bapst Memorial High School, says there are enough games available that allow players to shoot the bad guys and hack away at zombies. That’s why he and three college classmates made something different, something they hope ...
POLL QUESTION
Bangor’s new ban on excessive bird feeding brings relief to besieged neighborhood
BANGOR, Maine — Just about every morning, a Drew Lane resident starts his day by tossing scoops of bird feed onto his driveway and front yard. The pigeons love it. The neighbors don’t. The City Council on May 29 passed an ordinance that prohibits people from feeding birds or other ...
POLL QUESTION
After Nichole Cable’s death, are there lessons to be learned about teen social media use?
BANGOR, Maine — The Internet connects us all. It helps us learn, it prevents us from falling out of touch. It also has dangerous pitfalls. In the wake of the death of a 15-year-old Glenburn girl, police, family and friends are urging parents to pay close attention to who their ...
VIDEO
First floating wind turbine in North America hits the water in Brewer
BREWER, Maine — VolturnUS, the first offshore floating wind turbine in North America, hit the water Friday. The University of Maine’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center unveiled its new turbine at Cianbro in Brewer, where the pieces were assembled and placed in the Penobscot River. A crane lowered the turbine ...
Crews extinguish fire at Dedham home undergoing renovations
DEDHAM, Maine — About 30 firefighters from area towns battled high temperatures as they knocked down a fire in a three-story Dedham home Thursday evening. Fire crews were dispatched at 3:50 p.m. to a home on Chestnut Road near Phillips Lake after one of the residents arrived to find smoke ...
POLL QUESTION
Bangor makes cuts but still looking at nearly $1 increase in tax rate, 12 percent reduction in library funding
BANGOR, Maine — The sting of the city’s upcoming budget will be felt throughout city government and services and could stymie plans to renovate Bangor Public Library, according to city and library officials. Last week, councilors met for a budget workshop and were faced with hard decisions about how to ...
Crews preparing Bangor Auditorium for demolition
BANGOR, Maine — The iconic Bangor Auditorium and Civic Center has held its last event and is now property of Cianbro Corp., which is preparing the building for demolition. Alan Grover, the construction company’s spokesman, said crews began shutting off gas and water inside the building on Tuesday. “They’re starting ...
VIDEO
UMaine shows off new buoy-based laser system that will gauge offshore wind speeds
ORONO, Maine — A whirlwind month for the University of Maine’s offshore energy efforts continued Friday with the unveiling of a unique buoy-based system that will measure wind speeds high above the Gulf of Maine. “This is the first time in the Gulf of Maine that we’ll be able to ...
Former Bangor YMCA building sold to new dental technology school
BANGOR, Maine — The former Bangor YMCA building has been sold to a nonprofit dental technology school, according to Penobscot County records. William Buxton, one of the founders of New England Denture Center, purchased the property on May 15, according to deed documents filed with Penobscot County. The property, at ...
VIDEO
Community members rally in memory of Nichole Cable; events, fundraisers planned
GLENBURN, Maine — Community members, friends of the family and strangers are coming together, planning events to remember 15-year-old Nichole Cable of Glenburn and raising money to help other families cope with or avoid tragedies. Police have charged 20-year-old Kyle Dube of Orono with knowing and intentional murder in connection ...
Nichole Cable’s friends, family attend accused killer’s emotionally charged court appearance
BANGOR, Maine — Friends packed a Bangor courtroom Wednesday to support the family of Nichole Cable during a tense first court appearance by the 15-year-old girl’s accused killer. Some friends wore yellow T-shirts in honor of Cable. Yellow was Cable’s favorite color, according to her family. Ashley Pattershall, a sophomore ...
Family remembers Nichole “CoCo” Cable, warns of social media dangers
GLENBURN, Maine — Clutching a panda bear pillow close to her chest because it smelled like her daughter, Kristine Wiley said parents need to be vigilant about their children’s online activity. “If this saves somebody else’s child, then this won’t have happened for nothing,” Wiley said through her tears Tuesday ...
Synthetic drugs — whether Skunk, spice, or Scooby Snax — are now banned in Bangor
BANGOR, Maine — The City Council officially approved Mark Hathaway as Bangor’s 29th police chief on Monday night. Hathaway will take his new post effective Tuesday morning. The 25-year police veteran said he would be a “low-key” leader, but would always be available when called on. He said the department ...
VIDEO
Bangor officer who pulled suicidal man from bridge: “I’m not a hero. I’m just a guy doing my job.”
BANGOR, Maine — When Bangor police Officer Derek Laflin arrived on the Valley Avenue bridge Sunday night, he found a distraught man standing on the edge, staring down into the dark, shallow waters of the Kenduskeag Stream. Laflin’s first thought was “Oh, crap,” he said Monday night during an interview ...
Panhandler suspended from general assistance for failing to report income
BANGOR, Maine — A Bangor panhandler has been removed from general assistance for 120 days for failing to reveal the income, a consequence that could slow the spread of panhandling, according to the community’s public services director. During a meeting of city staff, Bangor police officials and shelter personnel earlier ...
$117 dancing license has some Maine businesses scratching heads
BANGOR, Maine — Bars, clubs and similar businesses should double-check the license collection on their walls or tell patrons to leave their dancing shoes at home, according to the state fire marshal’s office. The litany of local and state licenses have some business owners and managers confused about whether required ...
VIDEO
UMaine swimmer set to graduate after defiant battle with breast cancer
ORONO, Maine — Nicole Langlois was 20 years old when she first felt the lump in her right breast. Doctors told Langlois, then a University of Maine sophomore, the lump was just a swollen duct and sent her home. They told her it would go away. It didn’t. Two months ...
VIDEO
UMaine unveils unique base for floating wind turbine that could provide glimpse into future
ORONO, Maine — The University of Maine unveiled the floating platform of VolturnUS, a one-of-a-kind offshore wind turbine that officials hope will shape the future of energy in Maine, during a ceremony Wednesday. Later this month, the unit will be disassembled, trucked to Cianbro in Brewer, and put back together ...
Riders finish trek marred by tragic crash
Drug use continues to drive Portland, Bangor rates of violent and property crimes
University of Maine at Presque Isle grad overcomes obstacles, heads to medical school
Conservatives likely to write most remaining decisions in Supreme Court’s term
25 things to do this summer — boats, barbecue, the Bard and everything else
UMPI solar system model expanding into Canada