Abigail Curtis
Belfast Bureau
Record-breaking low March temps make spring feel a long way away
BELFAST, Maine — Just two weeks before the spring equinox, temperatures around the state dipped as low as 19 degrees below zero Wednesday — and the long, cold winter is starting to take a toll, psychological and otherwise, on weather-weary Mainers. “We’re all done with winter,” Sandi Roman of Belfast, …
Hit-and-run crash during storm puts Belfast police on lookout for blue Ford truck
BELFAST, Maine — Police searched this week for a vehicle that was involved in a hit-and-run crash on Cedar Street almost two weeks ago that left a pickup truck demolished. Paint chips left on the totaled truck show that the damage was done by a blue Ford Explorer with a …
Skateboard enthusiasts trying to keep in-town Belfast park open
BELFAST, Maine — Fourteen years ago, the Belfast skateboard community finally found a home when the Eric R. Overlock Skatepark was constructed in a corner of the Washington Street parking lot. The money for the skatepark, then considered state-of-the-art, came from a donation from credit card giant MBNA, and for …
Searsport man accused of sexual abuse of teen girl
SEARSPORT, Maine — A Searsport man was arrested and charged with sexual abuse of a minor last week after a police investigation that began in mid-February. Joshua Sykes, 35, is alleged to have abused a 15-year-old girl in January 2013, according to Chief Dick LaHaye of the Searsport Police Department. …
Ex-employee accused of stealing 30-pack of beer from Searsport store
SEARSPORT, Maine — A local man who allegedly stole a 30-pack of Bud Light from his former place of employment was arrested and charged this week in connection with the crime. Benjamin Roy, 47, was charged on Monday with burglary, theft by unauthorized taking or transfer and criminal trespass in …
Texting tip program lets midcoast teens anonymously report underage drinking, drug use
THORNDIKE, Maine — Police are hoping that a new anonymous tip line might help teenagers reach out for help when they believe a friend or a classmate is doing something dangerous. “Nobody likes to be told on for doing something bad, but what it boils down to is us trying …
Unity College mourns death of Don Mortland, its first faculty member
UNITY, Maine — The Unity College community this week is mourning the death of a founding faculty member, who many said was instrumental to the small college’s success. Don Mortland, 87, of Searsport and Unity, was a writer and Maine history buff, but most of all he was a teacher …
CAMPAIGN 2014
‘Back-to-the-land’ movement makes its mark on Waldo County politics
BELFAST, Maine — Thousands of Democrats gathered around the state Sunday to caucus and kick off the 2014 campaign season with speeches, plates of cookies and nomination papers to sign. In Waldo County, the party meetings also featured one man who wore a plaid shirt and woolen vest and who …
‘It’s not as scary and sickening anymore:’ Bucksport baby’s plight captures hearts of a community
BUCKSPORT, Maine — New parents Nicole and Benjamin Bustard of Bucksport embarked on an emotional roller coaster a few days after their son was born on Jan. 20. Baby Eli, who was born a month early, had an unusually low body temperature and suddenly was lethargic and unresponsive. Something wasn’t …
As the ocean gets warmer, are the lobsters heading to cooler northeast waters?
ROCKPORT, Maine — In the ocean off Rhode Island, fisherman Rodman Sykes has noticed far fewer cold-water species like lobster and more warm-water species like mahi-mahi and electric rays cruise by his boat in recent summers. “There’s been an awful lot of changes,” he told a roomful of fishermen and …
Western Maine man arrested after standoff, allegedly sending threats to relative
PERU, Maine — A western Maine man was arrested early Sunday morning after the peaceful end to an hours-long standoff with the Maine State Police. Corey Taylor, 40, of Peru had threatened a relative by text message and email Saturday night, according to Maine Public Safety spokesman Stephen McCausland. The …
Maine man arrested on California charges of sex crimes against child
HARMONY, Maine — A Maine man was arrested this weekend after police learned that he is wanted in California on charges of sex acts against a child. Nathanael Basch, 29, of Harmony was taken into police custody Saturday night, according to Detective Sgt. Jason Richards of the Maine State Police …
POLL QUESTION
State gears up to address looming lobster problem: the high number of inactive lobstermen
ROCKPORT, Maine — Lobster fishing, the most lucrative commercial fishery in Maine with last year’s catch valued at $364.5 million, has a secret. That is that nearly a third of the 6,000 people who hold Maine lobster licences are not actively fishing and catch almost nothing. Almost half of the …
Elver harvesters a ‘renegade’ fishery? Not this year, fishermen are cautioned by state officials
ROCKPORT, Maine — With big money changing hands over tiny glass eels, Maine’s elver fishermen have developed a bad reputation in other Atlantic states as renegades. On Saturday afternoon, state officials told a packed room of elver harvesters at the annual Maine Fishermen’s Forum that they needed to change that …
Just-opened Monroe General Store is old-fashioned but gives new life to small farming town
MONROE, Maine — At a little after 11 a.m. one day last week, the women working at the otherwise quiet Monroe General Store were busy tossing pizza dough, getting sandwich fixings ready and otherwise preparing for the coming lunchtime rush. And just in time, too. As noon crept closer, the …
More charges filed against Belfast woman who allegedly lost her temper at credit union
BELFAST, Maine — The Belfast mom whom police say came unglued while waiting in a credit union’s drive-through line on Saturday, Feb. 22 — allegedly pounding on the locked doors, yelling at tellers and trying to strike a police officer with her car — is facing more charges. Deanna Lenfest, …
Belfast business owner charged with home repair fraud
BELFAST, Maine — After a lengthy investigation, police have charged the owner of a Belfast garage door sales and installation company with home repair fraud. The probe, which resulted in a Class D charge of fraud, targeted Michael Mortell, 51, of Belfast, who runs WinsMor Garage Door Co. Inc. on …
‘Deadliest Catch’ reality TV star hauls in big audience at Rockport fishing talk
ROCKPORT, Maine — They fish for different crustaceans on different oceans 4,000 miles apart, but the lobstermen of Maine and Captain Keith Colburn of the reality television show “Deadliest Catch” clearly have a lot in common. Colburn, who made friends with some lobstermen while biking down the Maine coast last …
Belfast man burned while trying to put out grease fire
BELFAST, Maine — An East Waldo Road man was injured Wednesday evening while trying to put out a grease fire in his kitchen. William Daggett, who is in his 60s, was taken to Waldo County General Hospital to be treated for burns to his right arm, hand and face. Officials …
Police: Belfast woman frustrated waiting for diaper money berates teller, tries to run down officer
BELFAST, Maine — A Belfast woman who reportedly lost her cool after waiting for five minutes in Downeast Credit Union’s drive-through line Saturday morning was arrested after trying to use her car to strike the police officer who responded to the teller’s calls for help. Deanna Lenfest, 34, of Belfast …
Madawaska couple who won $3 million Megabucks jackpot not planning any big changes
Bangor man charged with manslaughter in connection with baby’s death
Police seek help finding suspect who stole car, crashed it on I-395 Thursday morning in Bangor
Cate Street changes ‘whole nature’ of Millinocket pellet plant proposal
Downtown Bangor construction project to start in April could cause headaches for businesses
Why have Maine Democrats made school reform a partisan issue?
Drive-by charity is not the answer
Michaud should reconsider his free sophomore year at Maine universities
University of Maine nixes WABI offer to televise Hockey East playoff game Saturday night
Attendance bump, positive reviews mark basketball tourney debut at Cross Insurance Center
State’s Mr., Miss Basketball awards sport rich history
More disciplined Roberts helps spark turnaround by UMaine women’s basketball team
From cookies to transportation, hospitality rules at biathlon in Presque Isle
From Maine to Georgia: Deep thoughts from a quick trip.
Movie Sex and the Countertop Heave