William P. Davis
Director of Research & Innovation
- 207.990.8250
- wdavis@bangordailynews.com
BDN DEVELOPMENT (blog)
We’re hiring! Data geeks and news hackers
on Dec. 09, 2013, at 12:48 p.m.
We’re looking for data analysts and coders to join the BDN’s new Research & Innovation Department. The BDN is dedicated to rethinking how “legacy” media operate. If you enjoy working on multiple projects with different focuses in quick succession you’ll enjoy working here. We want people who understand how to build …
BDN DEVELOPMENT (blog)
Google Drive to WordPress (to InDesign), refined
on Aug. 28, 2013, at 11:44 a.m.
It’s been a while since I’ve posted here. We’ve been busy refining our existing systems in the newsroom and tackling inefficiencies in other departments. At the BDN, we often try to drill down to what is really necessary and important, as opposed to what is traditional but not valuable, by …
VIDEO
Fire guts Bangor home; witnesses report seeing lightning strike
BANGOR, Maine — Two people were displaced and a house was gutted after a fire behind the Main Street Shaw’s late Monday night. Witnesses reported seeing lightning strike before the fire started, according to neighbor Randy Bessette. The residents, who were living in a camper behind the house at the …
From the community
Documentary chronicles Maine-built ship Raw Faith that sank in 2010
SeaWorthy Productions is pleased to announce the release of the feature documentary RawFaith with its premier screening at the Maine International Film Festival on July 19 and 20. Filmed over seven years, the story of RawFaith is spun from the deck of a home built 88 foot Galleon. Built by …
LePage fundraising slows as Cutler, Michaud trumpet energy ‘to change the leadership in Augusta’
AUGUSTA, Maine — Two candidates preparing to face off against incumbent Republican Paul LePage in the 2014 governor’s race raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in the first half of 2013, while LePage saw his fundraising efforts slip. LePage raised $123,000 in the first half of 2013, bringing his total …
VIDEO
Maine coders spend weekend hacking local government
BANGOR, Maine — On the nicest days of the year so far, 20 programmers in Bangor spent the weekend inside, donating time to hack projects for their local governments. The projects in Bangor included a tool to track the location of city vehicles such as snow plows and street sweepers …
Hackers tackle City of Bangor’s problems
Civic-minded coders worked all weekend, including through Saturday night, to find solutions to problems posed by the city of Bangor.
VIDEO
Astronauts fresh from space touch down in Bangor on their way home
BANGOR, Maine — Two astronauts who returned Monday from the International Space Station touched down briefly in Bangor on Tuesday as they made their way from Kazakhstan to Houston. Canadian Chris Hadfield, who served as commander for the space station’s Expedition 35, tweeted at 8:15 p.m.: “Back in North America! …
Calais woman hits turkey, shattering windshield, on I-95 in Sidney
A woman driving a Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck that she just bought hit a wild turkey while driving in the southbound lane of Interstate 95 in Sidney on Saturday. The turkey shattered her windshield, but the driver, Jessica McCook of Calais, was uninjured. McCook was heading to Augusta to meet …
Bangor man charged with murder in death of woman who lived with him
BANGOR, Maine — Police arrested a local man on a charge of murder Monday in connection with the death of the woman who lived with him, calling it a case of domestic violence. David Coon, 50, who lives at 23 Jefferson St., is accused of killing Sherry Clifford, 49, who …
Plane makes emergency landing, takes off on Maine Turnpike
A Maine Warden Service plane made an emergency landing on the Maine Turnpike in Litchfield, and then took off again after refueling while Maine State Police stopped traffic.
VIDEO
Maine Warden Service plane resumes flight after making emergency landing on Maine Turnpike
LITCHFIELD, Maine — A small Maine Warden Service plane made an emergency landing on the Maine Turnpike in Litchfield on Friday morning after it reportedly ran out of fuel, according to the Maine Turnpike Authority. A little over two hours later, after the plane was refueled and police stopped traffic, …
Maine State Police providing detective, informational support to Boston investigation
AUGUSTA, Maine — A state police detective has been in Boston assisting officials with the investigation into the terrorist attack at the Boston Marathon, and Maine State Police has provided intelligence to investigators when asked, according to Col. Robert A. Williams, head of the state police. “We have a person …
Report: President passes on Maine lobster, chips, pie at Senate luncheon
President Barack Obama apparently passed on Maine lobster, potato chips and blueberry pie at a Senate luncheon last week catered by Sen. Susan Collins. The president met with Senate Republicans on Thursday for a wide-ranging policy discussion over lunch, according to The Hill. The luncheon’s menu was decided by …
Bangor police charge 6 with OUI over St. Paddy’s weekend
BANGOR, Maine — Police in Bangor charged six people with operating under the influence over St. Patrick’s Day weekend, including a woman police say was involved in a three-car hit-and-run accident and a man accused of hitting vehicles while trying to leave his parking spot at a local pub. The …
Tuesday storm could drop 14 inches or more of snow on Portland area, northern Maine
Editor’s Note: This story was posted in March 2013, and is not about a current storm. For information about the storm forecast to hit the Eastern U.S. in Nov. 2013, click here. GRAY, Maine — A storm expected to arrive late Monday night could drop up to 14 inches of …
POLL QUESTION
Ousted founder of Portland charter school says he owns ideas, cuts off access to documents, email
PORTLAND, Maine — The Portland charter school founder who was ousted Thursday as executive director has cut off the board’s access to its website, email and documents, according to the board’s vice chairman. “He has locked us out,” Allison Crean Davis, vice chairman of Baxter Academy’s board of directors, told …
Man knocked off pier into Portland bay during storm, officials say
PORTLAND, Maine — A man is being treated for hypothermia after he spent at least five minutes in the ocean after being knocked off a pier into Portland’s Casco Bay during Saturday’s historic storm, according to officials. The man, whose boat was docked at the pier, fell into the ocean …
VIDEO
Portland gets record snowfall, but Gorham has deepest snow with 35.5 inches
PORTLAND, Maine — Portland has broken its snowfall record by more than 4 1/2 inches, and will see even more accumulate as the day progresses, according to the national weather service. Portland Jetport was reporting 31.9 inches of snow as of 2 p.m. The record was broken when the reading …
How much did LePage go off script? Compare his prepared remarks to what he actually said
Gov. Paul LePage is well-known as an off-the-cuff speaker, and even in a major address like Tuesday’s State of the State, LePage really only used his prepared remarks as a guide. Maine’s governor doesn’t use a TelePrompTer as is common for most politicians. (President Barack Obama rarely speaks without a …
Eastern Maine Medical Center facing $7 million shortfall
Ex-UMaine football player accused of stabbing same woman he attacked in Orono in 2012
The Holy Grail in Maine? History Channel researcher’s theory touches off fresh debate about Phippsburg artifacts
Mining metals from Maine landfills? Burgeoning effort is already worth millions
Can LePage’s ‘right-to-work’ plan grow Maine’s economy?
Maine GOP dismisses Medicaid compromise that meets its own demands
Maine’s lobster industry might not last forever. Then what?
Hunger pangs: When groceries are a luxury, and aid groups can’t keep up
Coin jars
Prosecutor explains plea bargain for UMaine football player accused of 2012 domestic violence assault
Bangor stations to televise Maine hockey playoff games on Friday, Saturday nights
UMaine officials defend school’s handling of 2012 incident involving football player now accused of murder
Actor Patrick Dempsey, Jackson Laboratory to receive Maine awards
LePage’s plan to get tough on drug abuse needs to be more than a campaign speech
Forty to one — the symbolism of maple sugaring, finding the richness of life
Happy Birthday to me!
A new baby, a new direction for ‘Counter Culture’, and a desire for simplicity