Nicholas McCrea
Reporter
Nick McCrea covers Orono and Old Town from the Bangor bureau.
Former Bangor police chief bows out of sheriff’s race after cancer returns
BANGOR, Maine — A former Bangor police chief who announced plans to run for the Penobscot County sheriff’s seat earlier this month has withdrawn from the race after learning cancer has resurfaced in his lungs. “Out of fairness to the citizens of Penobscot County, I need to drop out of …
EMMC expands plans for medical office building, seeks more land from city of Bangor
BANGOR, Maine — Eastern Maine Medical Center was worried its 30,000-square-foot medical office building planned for just off Maine Avenue wouldn’t have enough space for all the practitioners it wants to add, so the hospital is going bigger. Last summer, Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems purchased 2.4 acres of land in …
Bangor panel supports takeover of abandoned properties
BANGOR, Maine — The finance committee on Wednesday night recommended that the city take over a pair of abandoned properties in the ongoing effort to crack down on absentee owners shirking their taxes. A 9,000-square-foot apartment building at 147 Court St., next to Coe Park, and an empty lot at …
$25 rent proposal for Bangor Farmers’ Market sparks heated council debate
BANGOR, Maine — Members of the City Council spent nearly 40 minutes Tuesday night arguing about whether to charge the Bangor Farmers ’ Market $25 per year to set up shop in a place it used for free in its past two seasons. The market, which made its debut two …
Small businesses call for MaineCare expansion; detractors say Maine can’t swallow expense
BANGOR, Maine — Small-business owners and community members called on legislators to override Gov. Paul LePage’s veto and ensure expanded MaineCare during a Maine Small Business Coalition press conference Wednesday in Bangor. Expansion supporters have said accepting federal money to support the Medicaid expansion would bring about 4,000 new jobs, …
More new retail, restaurant space proposed on Stillwater Avenue
BANGOR, Maine — A Bangor commercial real estate developer hopes to build a restaurant and retail space near Bangor Mall Cinemas 10. Carol Epstein, a partner in ERG Realty, LLC, which owns the property including the theater and its surrounding land, said Tuesday that ERG wants to build a 2,200-square-foot …
POLL QUESTION
Bangor considering takeover of abandoned properties on Court, Larkin streets
BANGOR, Maine — Officials have targeted a building on Court Street and a vacant lot on Larkin Street for acquisition by the city as part of a continuing effort to reduce the number of abandoned properties in Bangor. City councilors will discuss whether the city should take possession of 147 …
Maine woman recounts knife attack in California that left her and a friend injured
BANGOR, Maine — Friends of a Maine woman and her friend who police say were victims of a random attack at a hotel last month while they were visiting California are raising money to help the women cover their medical expenses. Crystal Wiley, 27, a Bangor and Glenburn native who …
Bangor shop that sold educational, developmental toys going out of business
BANGOR, Maine — A Harlow Street shop that sold developmental and educational toys will close its doors next month, the owners announced Thursday. “We’re disappointed,” said Nancy Roe, who owns Robert O. Cupcake Toys alongside her husband, Mark. “We were hoping that it would be a viable business, but apparently …
Brewer’s State Street to be resurfaced this summer
BREWER, Maine — State Street in Brewer will get a much-needed resurfacing this spring, but much of the work should take place during the evening and night to avoid snarling up traffic during peak hours, according to the city engineer. During a meeting Tuesday night, city councilors authorized an agreement …
United Airlines coming back to Bangor, offering seasonal flights to Chicago
BANGOR, Maine — More than 20 years after leaving Bangor, United Airlines is coming back to provide nonstop seasonal services to Chicago O’Hare International Airport, a Bangor International Airport official announced Monday. “It’s great to have United back in this market, especially with a destination such as Chicago,” Airport Director …
Attorney general finds state trooper justified in shooting Old Town man who stabbed girlfriend to death
AUGUSTA, Maine — A Maine State Police trooper was justified when he shot and killed a 28-year-old Old Town man last fall, just hours after the man stabbed his pregnant girlfriend to death, Maine’s attorney general has concluded. Christopher Ouellette called 911 around 6 p.m. Oct. 9 and told dispatchers …
Dr. Records moving from basement of Orono building to Bangor location
ORONO, Maine — Don Menninghaus is feeling a little run down these days as he moves tens of thousands of vinyl albums from Orono, the base of his record business for 30 years, to Bangor. Menninghaus, 61, is relocating Dr. Records from its basement home underneath Verve in Orono to …
Dentist purchases Schooners building in Brewer, plans office space, restaurant
BREWER, Maine — A local dentist has purchased the Schooners Seafood and Steakhouse building and plans to convert the second floor of the structure into office space and lease the lower level to a restaurant, he said Thursday. Schooners quietly closed its doors on Sunday, according to Dr. Brad Rand, …
Harvest Moon Deli to set up shop in downtown Bangor
BANGOR, Maine — In a few months, downtown Bangor will have another new lunch option, courtesy of an expanding Orono sandwich shop. Keith Manaker, owner of Harvest Moon Deli, announced Monday he will expand his restaurant to 72 Columbia St., the former site of Montes International Catering. Montes closed in …
VIDEO
Experts worry about effect of dropping hundreds of addicted Mainers from treatment
BANGOR, Maine — On the first day of 2014, hundreds of Mainers were removed from their methadone and Suboxone treatment regimens after losing MaineCare coverage, prompting concern among addiction treatment experts and addicts that many former methadone patients will end up back on street drugs, in prison or dead. MaineCare …
Beefing up Bangor: Council chairman has 38 ideas to attract entrepreneurs, families to Queen City
BANGOR, Maine — The City Council chairman wants more people living and working in Bangor, and he has 38 ideas for how to make that happen. Ben Sprague is fond of quoting a legendary statesman who said Maine was losing too many young people to opportunities outside their home state. …
Hollywood Casino general manager retiring; Penn National promotes replacement from West Va.
BANGOR, Maine — John Osborne, general manager of Hollywood Casino, is retiring after five years in Bangor and more than 30 years in the gambling industry. Osborne, 56, said Friday that he plans to leave for Florida with his wife, Janet, the day after his retirement becomes official on Feb. …
VIDEO
More than 3 years, $57 million later, officials celebrate modernized Bangor federal building
BANGOR, Maine — This week marked the 50th anniversary of a senator from Maine’s unprecedented announcement that she would run for the United States presidency. Half a century later, the Bangor federal building that carries Margaret Chase Smith’s name hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of its $57 …
Bangor police Special Response Team holds training session in Bangor Daily News building
BANGOR, Maine — Bangor police officers swept through vacant portions of the Bangor Daily News building Wednesday preparing for the worst. The department’s Special Response Team trains twice per month and is constantly looking for new venues so members experience new situations each time, according to Sgt. Jason Stuart. “No …
Terrorism not ruled out in disappearance of Malaysia Airlines jet with 239 aboard
Texas city officials call potential Millinocket pellet mill producer ‘an asset’
Danby Flashback!
McAuley’s Allie Clement, Bonny Eagle’s Dustin Cole receive state’s Miss, Mr. Basketball awards
Clement sparks West A/B girls by East at McDonald’s senior games; each region wins two games
Maine coach says his future ‘out of my hands’ after team ousted by Stony Brook in league quarterfinal
UMaine women’s turnaround season ends with quarterfinal OT loss to Hartford
Grade’s overtime goal lifts Falmouth by St. Dominic for second straight Class A hockey state title
The Navy’s 2014 Spouse Survey misses some things
Mrs. Peel goes rabbit hunting, or, learning how to pull the trigger