Crime/Public Safety

Arrests Made in Norway Fires

(Norway)  The Maine State Fire Marshal’s Office Friday was investigating three separate fires that occurred in the early morning hours in the town of Norway.  WMTW reports the three fires flared up between 2 and 3 a.m. and all happened within a half-mile of each other.  On Friday afternoon, officials said they had arrested 34 yo Richard Hodge of Norway and charged him with arson in one of the incidents.  A home in the same area burned in February.  Authorities say they are continuing to investigate.

Oakland Home Explosion

(Oakland)  Officials suspect a propane gas leak was the cause of an explosion that leveled a home in Oakland on Thanksgiving Day.  66 year old Cliff Hannon was inside the Lakeview Drive house when the explosion occurred.  He was LifeFlighted to Maine Medical Center in serious condition.  Properties on either side of the home were damaged as well.  

Local Politics

Maine Joins Others in Demanding Answers Regarding Use of Voter Data

(Augusta)  Maine’s Shenna Bellows last week joined nine other Secretaries of State in demanding answers from the U.S. Departments of Justice and Homeland Security regarding the use of voter data.  Maine is one of multiple states that received a demand for an unredacted voter registration list earlier this year.  Bellows refused to provide the personally identifying information, saying the DOJ hasn’t shown any compelling reason for wanting the sensitive voter information of every American and that “complying with the unreasonable demands would put the privacy and data security of nearly a million Mainers at risk.” 

Economy

Discounted Park Passes on Sale

(ANP)  Looking for the perfect stocking stuffer?  Beginning today, Acadia National Park Passes are on sale for half price through the month of December – or until they sell out.  Single user passes are $35, half the usual $70 cost, and can be purchased at the Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce, the Sand Beach Entrance Station inside the park, and various locations on and off the island – check with your local Chamber or Town Office.  Senior and lifetime passes are also available, but are not part of the discounted sale.

Foreign Visitors to Pay More for National Park Passes

(Undated)  Visitors from abroad who want to visit the United States’ most popular national parks will soon have to pay more to explore.  Beginning January 1, the U.S.Department of the Interior will charge non-residents $250 for an annual pass; or $100 per person.  A press release noted the move was part of President Trump’s efforts to “put American families first.”

Funding for HEAP Program Released

(AP)  Some $3.6B in delayed funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LiHEAP, was released to states and tribes on Friday, almost a month behind schedule. The Associated Press reports the federal funding helps low-income households pay to heat  their homes.  Even as the weather turned sometimes bitter here in New England, the funding was held up due to the government shutdown, which ended November 12th.  States typically receive their allocations the first of November.  About 68% of LiHEAP households also rely on SNAP benefits for food, making the shutdown period even more of a hardship for those in need.

New Ellsworth Pizza Shop

(Ellsworth)  Dan Baldridge of Lamoine is fulfilling a lifelong dream of opening his own pizza shop.  Danny’s Pizza is replacing the former Dragonfire space at the Mill Mall.  The Bangor Daily News reports the 54 yo Baldridge is no stranger to the area restaurant industry – he’s run kitchens in Bar Harbor for various owners for years, but Danny’s will be Baldridge’s first solo venture. While he plans to offer subs, soups, and salads, Baldridge says pizza will be the main offering. A post on FB said the Mill Mall location opened Friday to an enthusiastic crowd.  

Maine Grind Building in Ellsworth Sells

(Ellsworth)  A prominent downtown Ellsworth building has sold for close to a million dollars.  The Bangor Daily News reports the building at 192 Main Street, known as the Maine Grind Building, sold November 21st to a Hampden entity.  The building once housed the popular Flex-It Cafe, art and photography studios, and offices, but was bought by health products company Desert Harvest in 2020. That company quickly took over the entire building, but moved to Colorado after just a few years, leaving the space empty since November 2024.  No word yet on future plans for the 11,000 square foot brick building. 

Postal Service Raising Prices in January

(Undated)  This year’s Christmas packages will barely make the cut.  The U.S.Postal Service plans to raise prices on some services beginning January 18th next year.  While the cost of a first-class stamp will remain the same, Priority Mail costs will go up 6.6%, Priority Mail Express costs will rise by just over 5%, USPS Ground Advantage prices will be up nearly 8%, and Parcel Select prices will be raised 6%.

Human Interest

Finding Joy

(WaPo)  The holiday season brings a lot of cheer – but often, a good deal of stress, as well.  A recent study, dubbed the Big Joy Project,  enrolled more than 17,000 people across 169 countries to receive daily joy-boosting activities, based on scientific research.  According to the study, practicing seven short practices can help us maintain the glow of the holidays.  They say seek out awe, tune into gratitude, do something kind, celebrate another person’s joy, tune in to what matters, reflect on the good you can do, and shift your perspective by rethinking difficulties and looking for the silver lining.  To sign up for a week of daily micro-acts you can do to help you get through the holidays, visit g g i a dot berkeley dot e d u.  

World Happiness Report

(WaPo)  The Annual World Happiness Report is out, and Finland once again reigns supreme as the country whose citizens are the happiest.  It’s the eighth consecutive year Finlanders have topped the list. Scientists at the Wellbeing Research Center surveyed people in more than 140 countries on their self-reported well-being.  They say the results don’t necessarily mean those high on the scale have the most joyfulness, but that there are very few UNhappy people.  Iceland, Sweden, and Norway also ranked near the top.  Citizens cited free healthcare, free education, unemployment benefits, maternity and paternity leave as signs people feel well cared for.  Having a well-functioning government was also an important factor. Indonesia tops the rankings of countries where the largest share of people made charitable donations and volunteered their time, while Jamaicans were ranked most likely to help a stranger.  The U.S. came in at number 24.   Afghanistan was last on the happiness scale at number 147.  

Maine Man Deploys to Alaska to Help with Disaster Relief

(Augusta)  A big shoutout to Maine Emergency Management Mass Care Coordinator Bill Guindon.  Guindon deployed to Alaska in October to assist with recovery efforts, following devastating flooding there.  While in Alaska, he served as a State Mass Care Deputy, helping to coordinate vital services such as sheltering, feeding, reunification, and support with those with disabilities, as well as assisting those with household pets and service animals with his compassion and expertise…proudly representing the Pine Tree State.

Beth C. Wright Accepting Trees for Trees of Hope

(Ellsworth)  The Beth C. Wright Cancer Resource Center in Ellsworth is now accepting artificial tree submissions for the Beth’s Trees for HOPE Festival, taking place December 12th and 13th at the Maine Coast Mall.  Area businesses, civic groups, decorators, and artists will work their magic with floor and tabletop trees that are then arranged to create a dazzling display for the community.  You can donate or sponsor a tree, with all proceeds going to help provide resources at no cost for individuals and families facing a cancer diagnosis.  Visit b c w c r c dot org to learn more.  

Sports

Flagg Passes James as Youngest to Score 35 Points

(ESPN)  Newport native Cooper Flagg Saturday became the youngest player to score 35 points in a game, surpassing a record held by LeBron James.  ESPN reports Flagg led an injury-hampered Dallas team to a 114-110 win over the Clippers in the process.  On Friday night, the 18 yo dished out 11 assists, the most ever by an 18 yo, in a loss to the Lakers.

National News Headlines

At least 146  people are now confirmed dead in that devastating high-rise apartment fire in Hong Kong last Wednesday.  Another 150 people remain missing in the inferno that tore through multiple buildings. More than 2300 firefighters battled the blaze, which took until Friday morning to fully extinguish.  

A magnitude 6 point 0 earthquake struck Alaska on Thanksgiving Day.  The quake was centered about 37 miles from Anchorage and shook structures more than a hundred miles away.  No reports of injuries or major damage.  Alaska is reportedly the most earthquake-prone state in the U.S.

One of the two National Guard soldiers shot in an unprovoked attack in Washington, DC has died.  20 yo Sarah Beckstrom passed away Thursday; 24 yo Andrew Wolfe remains in critical condition after the ambush.  The suspect, 29 yo Rahmanullah Lakanawal, an Afghan national, reportedly had ties to the CIA and drove to DC from Washington state to commit the heinous act.  He faces a first degree murder charge.  The Trump Administration has ordered 500 more National Guard troops to the nation’s capital.

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