Abigail Curtis
Belfast Bureau
Road salt stranded at Maine port begins making its way to New Jersey
SEARSPORT, Maine — New Jersey’s crucially important 40,000 tons of road salt has started to arrive in the Garden State after spending weeks marooned at a port in Maine. The first barge piled high with salt left the Mack Point Marine Intermodal Cargo Terminal in Searsport on Friday morning and …
USDA farming census: Maine has more young farmers, more land in farms
BELFAST, Maine — Maine may be the oldest state, but it certainly attracts an outsized crop of young farmers, according to preliminary statistics released last week from the United States Department of Agriculture’s 2012 census. The number of farmers aged 34 and younger grew by nearly 40 percent in the …
New Jersey’s rock salt a little closer to leaving Maine
SEARSPORT, Maine — Some of the 40,000 tons of rock salt destined for New Jersey’s roads is one step closer to hitting the high seas Friday after being marooned for days at a Maine port. Jim Therriault of Sprague Energy, the company that owns the Mack Point Marine Intermodal Cargo …
Opponents of Searsport harbor dredging project will have chance to speak at informational meeting in Bangor
SEARSPORT, Maine — Opponents of a major dredging project in Searsport harbor plan to come out in numbers Monday night during a public information meeting held in Bangor by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The two-part project would dig up nearly a million cubic yards of sediment in order …
Fisherman to find new place for traps after lobstering banned downstream from former chemical plant
STOCKTON SPRINGS, Maine — Mercury contamination found in muscle tissue of lobsters at the mouth of the Penobscot River led to the Maine Department of Marine Resources’ decision to close a small area to fishing for at least two years. “This closure is being taken as a precautionary measure,” Patrick …
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Fireworks, cheers as island community celebrates North Haven’s historic tourney victory
AUGUSTA, Maine — As the clock ticked down the seconds Saturday morning at the Augusta Civic Center at the end of a western Maine Class D quarterfinal basketball game, it seemed like the population of an entire island held its breath. And when the buzzer sounded, the 200 or so …
Camden woman holds birthday bash for a good cause
CAMDEN, Maine — Some people really like a birthday party. Camden real estate broker Shannon Lynn Thompson is one of those people. In fact, she likes parties so much that in recent years she’s been throwing bashes on her birthday that double as successful charitable fundraisers. Last year’s contra dance …
Accused Belfast embezzler indicted this week by Waldo County grand jury
BELFAST, Maine — A Belfast woman accused by police of embezzling more than $83,000 from her family’s furniture store was among the 34 people indicted this week by the Waldo County grand jury. Lauri J. Dawson, 56, was charged with theft by unauthorized taking. She was arrested in January after …
A sweet suite for Unity students: new residence hall should be ready by fall 2014
UNITY, Maine — Between the winter carnival, the competition for the Dean’s Cup and, of course, the classes, a lot is happening these days at Unity College. Maybe that’s why more and more students of the private liberal arts college are choosing to live on campus, even though moving to …
Is Belfast becoming gentrified? Locals hope it won’t lose its gritty spirit
BELFAST, Maine — Located right next to a gleaming speciality olive oil, vinegar and wine shop and two doors down from a $300-per-night boutique hotel, the Belfast Army-Navy store on Main Street seems like a holdout from a different, grittier time. On Tuesday, men wearing Carhartt coveralls picked through the …
District attorney holds press conference to explain reason for not prosecuting in Port Clyde fatal crash
ROCKLAND, Maine — Even if the driver in the fatal Port Clyde wharf accident last August had been speeding and driving erratically on U.S. Route 1 earlier that day, it would not be enough evidence to levy criminal charges against her, according to the Knox County District Attorney. Geoffrey Rushlau …
Is diabetes a disability? Yes, according to Maine Human Rights Commission investigator
BELFAST, Maine — A former Belfast paramedic and firefighter who has diabetes has reasonable grounds to believe he was discriminated against by the city because of his physical disability, according to an investigator from the Maine Human Rights Commission. David R. Cobb of Randolph wrote in a complaint he filed …
How much will it cost to go it alone? Belfast seeks financial information about school district withdrawal
BELFAST, Maine — City officials seeking independent information about financial and educational effects of withdrawing from the embattled Regional School District 20 decided on Tuesday night to spend up to $25,000 toward that goal. The money will pay for a Portland consultant firm to estimate mock budgets for the next …
Getting shady phone calls demanding money? It’s likely to be a scammer, police say
BELFAST, Maine — Local police are warning residents to be wary about a new scam that seems to be targeting people who are living on the financial edge. Belfast Police Chief Mike McFadden said several times so far this winter, people in the city have fallen for the so-called “Green …
Searsmont celebrates 200th birthday
SEARSMONT, Maine — Two hundred years ago this week, a bustling 10-year-old community located on the banks of the St. George River in Hancock County, Mass., was officially incorporated into the town of Searsmont. Though the county and state names have changed quite a bit in the intervening centuries, Searsmont …
Winterport man calls 911 to report abuse, ends up getting arrested
WINTERPORT, Maine — A local man who called police Sunday night to report that his girlfriend had punched him in the face while he was holding their baby ended up being the one arrested, according to the Waldo County Sheriff’s Office. Derek Caron, 32, of Winterport told 911 dispatchers that …
Wisconsin woman claims Camden Harbour Inn discriminated against her and disabled husband
CAMDEN, Maine — An elderly midwestern couple who stayed in a boutique hotel in Camden last spring likely were discriminated against by the hoteliers who did not accommodate the husband’s physical disabilities, according to an investigator with the Maine Human Rights Commission. Susan and Ernest Patnode of Beloit, Wis., had …
Music of ‘Sounds of Comfort’ resonates beyond prison walls
WARREN, Maine — When the men from Sounds of Comfort pick up their instruments to play tunes about love and loss, sorrow and regret, it’s obvious from the first notes that they are singing directly from the songbook of their lives. Nathan Roy’s voice arced mournfully above the sounds of …
Ice fisherman from Raymond struck in head by stray bullet
WEST GARDINER, Maine — An ice fisherman from Raymond who was struck in the head by a stray bullet Sunday was treated at a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries and released later that day. Scott Fraley, 54, had been ice fishing with several friends on Cobbosseecontee Stream in West Gardiner when …
Two men die, several others injured in spate of weekend snowmobile, ATV crashes
DIXFIELD, Maine — Two men’s lives were lost in snowmobile crashes this weekend, and several others were injured in separate incidents. “Due to the recent fluctuations in temperature, many of the trails are icy, and riders need to slow down and remain in control. Snowmobilers operating at night are reminded …
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