Articles by Terry Karkos
Gray woman gives birth in driveway by herself
RUMFORD, Maine — Steve Bronish got the surprise of his life Friday morning when his daughter gave birth to a baby girl while standing in her Gray driveway. At 5:18 a.m., by herself, Abigail Cain delivered her own baby, Danica AnnMarie Cain, who weighed 7 pounds, 5 ounces and measured …
Missing snowmobiler found in Byron camp
BYRON, Maine — A snowmobiler missing for several hours Saturday morning was found OK at a local camp, Roxbury Selectman Mike Worthley said Saturday night via Facebook. Worthley said the snowmobiler went riding at 1 a.m. Saturday and was later reported missing. Members of the Maine Warden Service set up …
Tire falls off logging truck, destroys car and injures motorist in Rumford
RUMFORD, Maine — A local woman was injured Friday afternoon when her car was destroyed by one of two tires that came off a loaded logging truck on Route 2, police said. Constance Breton, 58, suffered minor injuries and complained of pain, Sgt. James Bernard said at the scene. She …
New fishing rules for 2014 include allowances for year-round fishing in some ponds and lakes
RUMFORD — The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife continues work to simplify its fishing rulebook, now available at most town offices. Additionally, there are six significant changes listed in the 2014 magazine-format book. The general law for lakes and ponds in the southern and eastern counties now allows …
Rumford town manager ‘disappointed’ with mill’s machine shutdown after $1.1 million tax reduction
RUMFORD, Maine — Town Manager Carlo Puiia said Tuesday that he is disappointed that NewPage Corp. will shut down its No. 12 paper machine indefinitely by mid-February. Ron Hemingway, president of the Local 900 United Steelworkers, told the Sun Journal that “around 120 people” may be affected by that shutdown. …
Two Peru men facing drug trafficking charges
PERU — State police arrested two local men Thursday afternoon on felony drug trafficking charges. Trooper Jason Wing charged Corey Noel Beale, 33, of 100 Pleasant St. and Dwight F. Millett, 26, of 71 Pleasant St. with unlawful trafficking in scheduled drugs. They were taken to Oxford County Jail in …
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Community honors beloved Jay coach, educator battling cancer
JAY, Maine — Melting snow plopped loudly to the ground late Sunday morning as town officials surprised Randy Easter during a dedication ceremony to him at the end of Lavoie Street Extension. Easter is a beloved longtime running, race-walking and skiing coach and educator for Jay schools. He was diagnosed …
New high-end alpine ski shop opens in Bethel
BETHEL, Maine — A new alpine-based ski shop recently opened for the season on Route 2 between Bethel and Sunday River Ski Resort in Newry. Sport Thoma is an 8,300-square-foot store at 288 Mayville Road. It is owned by Peter and Nancy Kailey, a Sunday River founding family. The Kaileys …
Youths organize fun run to save Rumford ski area
RUMFORD, Maine — Three River Valley youths took matters into their own hands late last month after learning that their favorite ski hill was being closed due to a funding crisis. Alarmed, Curtis Gauvin, 14, of Rumford, and sisters Avery Sevigny, 11, and Rylee Sevigny, 10, both of Mexico, quickly …
Rumford selectmen OK animal shelter deal, get update on Black Mountain
RUMFORD, Maine — Selectmen approved an animal sheltering services contract Wednesday night with a local provider and discussed matters pertaining to the July 23 municipal budget vote. They also heard an update about Black Mountain of Maine ski area. An executive session for a personnel matter was tabled until the …
Otisfield town meeting voters OK petition opposing transportation of tar-sands oil
By Terry Karkos, Sun Journal on June 30, 2013, at 1:14 p.m.
OTISFIELD, Maine — Voters approved a $1.4 million municipal budget at the annual town meeting Saturday morning in just three hours. They also OK’d every article in the 25-article warrant that sought approvals, including two citizen-initiated petitions. One opposed the possible transport of tar-sands oil through Otisfield and Maine; the …
Black Mountain owner closes Rumford ski area
RUMFORD, Maine —The Maine Winter Sports Center, which has owned and operated Black Mountain in Rumford since 2003, has announced its intention to close the alpine mountain, effective immediately. “The timing is unfortunate coming off our best season ever,” Andy Shepard, president and chief executive officer the MWSC, stated in …
Budget angst brews unrest at Rumford board meeting
RUMFORD, Maine — Budget angst and unrest over taxes is giving selectmen heartburn. Emotions roiled at a meeting this past week when newly re-elected Selectman Brad Adley said it had been “an interesting week,” of which selectmen spent more than eight hours cutting the budget. “It really sucked and I …
Burglary, theft charges pending against West Paris man shot by state trooper
WEST PARIS — A young man who was shot three times by a Maine State Police trooper Saturday night remained hospitalized at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston on Thursday. A nursing supervisor said Tuesday that James Reynolds, 18, of Sumner Road was listed in critical condition. Since then, his …
Riding lawnmower catches fire, burns Rumford garage
RUMFORD, Maine — Rumford and Mexico firefighters were sent to a tractor and structure fire on Route 2 late Saturday afternoon. But when they arrived, the tractor, a small riding lawnmower, had been pulled away from a garage at 1086 Route 2 and flames on the garage wall were extinguished. …
Woman suffers injuries in 3-vehicle Rumford crash
RUMFORD — A Rhode Island woman in town for a wedding this weekend was injured Friday afternoon in a three-vehicle crash on Route 108 at the Congress Street intersection, police said. Cynthia Conant-Arp, 65, of Warwick, R.I., complained of a neck injury and was taken by Med-Care Ambulance to Rumford …
Dixfield teen riding atop car roof pinned under it after rollover
MEXICO, Maine — A Dixfield teenager who was riding on a car roof Thursday afternoon on Thad White Road was pinned under the car when it rolled into a drainage ditch, police said. Firefighters from Mexico, Rumford and Dixfield lifted the rear of the car and held it up, allowing …
‘Fatigue failure’ in 65-year-old engine part caused Durham doctor’s fatal plane crash
Fatigue failure of an engine part that was more than 65 years old caused a Durham doctor to fatally ditch his antique plane in the ocean near Portland Head Light in Cape Elizabeth last summer. The 1946 Stinson Voyager was flying over the ocean along the coast on June 24 …
Three Maine lakes ranked nationally for bass fishing
Maine is getting a reputation for offering good bass fishing, but it’s not well-known across the nation. That could soon change. More than 270 bass tournaments were scheduled through Nov. 10, as of Thursday, and three lakes made Bassmaster Magazine’s nationwide list this year for the 100 Best Bass Lakes. …
Rumford board learns how paper mill is assessed, hears pitch for zip line park
By Terry Karkos, Sun Journal on May 03, 2013, at 5:59 a.m.
RUMFORD, Maine — Selectmen met with the Board of Assessors and their industrial appraiser Thursday night to learn how they determine the tax assessment for the NewPage paper mill. NewPage officials initially asked selectmen recently for a tax break, but were told that’s not something selectmen can do. They were …
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!
Mike Michaud can stand up for papermakers and Maine’s high-tech future
Maine coach says his future ‘out of my hands’ after team ousted by Stony Brook in league quarterfinal
Clement sparks West A/B girls by East at McDonald’s senior games; each region wins two games
Rivalry renewed: New-look Yankees should contend with Red Sox for AL East title
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
Blackfish or Blacklist? Part II