Crime/Public Safety

Woodland Pulp Workers Injured, One Fatally

(Baileyville)  One of the two people injured by a gas incident at Woodland Pulp in Baileyville has died.  Kasie Malcolm, a chemical engineering student who was part of a co-op program through the University of Maine, had worked at the mill since June. The Baileyville Fire Department was called to the plant shortly before 6:30 p.m. Tuesday on a report of two workers being down.  First responders worked to evacuate the plant. The injured individuals were transported to Calais Hospital with serious injuries. Malcolm died Tuesday night.  The other worker, who was not identified, remains hospitalized.  BFD reports the incident occurred inside the confines of the bleach plant at the mill.  OSHA is currently on site investigating.

Hancock County EMA Gets Grant for Body Cameras

(Ellsworth)  Municipal police departments in Hancock County will be receiving body and cruiser cameras and training in their use, thanks to federal funding awarded to the Hancock County Emergency Management Agency.  EMA Director Andrew Sankey told the Ellsworth American his agency received $2.3M in congressionally directed funding for the project.  Some law enforcement agencies in the county, including Ellsworth police and the Sheriff’s Office, have already invested in such technology.  Sankey said their eligibility under the grant is “to be determined.”

Clear Vents

(Undated)  With over a foot of snow already on the ground and the potential for more this Sunday, safety officials are reminding folks to check their outside vents.  They say when vents for furnaces, dryers, fireplaces, or water heaters are blocked by snow or ice, deadly carbon monoxide can back up into your home.  They advise checking after every storm to make sure there’s at least three feet of clearance around each vent, watch for drifting snow after heavy winds, and, they say, never ignore those CO alarms.

Doomsday Clock Moves Closer to Midnight

(ABC News)  Sounds like the world had better shape up.  ABC News reports the “Doomsday Clock” – a symbolic clock that represents how close humanity is to global catastrophe – has moved closer to midnight.  The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists announced this week the clock is now just 85 seconds from midnight, which represents the apocalypse.  The organization cited nuclear weapons, climate change, and biological threats as the three most pressing concerns for humanity. The new time is four seconds closer to midnight than the 2025 Doomsday Clock.

BIA Updates Details on Plane Crash

(Bangor)  Bangor International officials hoped to reopen the airport yesterday afternoon, but it remained closed as the investigation into Sunday’s small plane crash continued.  BIA Director Jose Saavedra told reporters at a news conference yesterday extreme weather conditions had delayed members of the NTSB and FAA and hampered the investigation.  He said the investigation centers on three main areas – the pilot, the aircraft, and the environment.  Saavedra said a preliminary report will be issued within 30 days, a final report could take 12-24 months.  Officials were meeting last night to determine whether it was feasible to reopen the airport at 9 a.m. this morning.  Saavedra asked for privacy for the victims and said they BIA officials are coordinating with other airlines regarding reopening and resuming flights.  

Local Politics

Public Hearing Set to Protect Schools, Hospitals, and Libraries

(Augusta)  A public hearing today on LD 2106. Senator Nicole Grohoski tells Downeast Digest News, the bill ensures Immigration and Customs Enforcement cannot enter Maine’s schools, daycares, healthcare facilities, or libraries without a valid judicial warrant.  The hearing is set for 1 p.m. in room 438 at the Statehouse in Augusta.  If you wish to testify in person, you’re asked to bring 20 hard copies of your testimony, along with a copy for yourself to read.  To testify online or submit testimony, visit maine legislature dot org forward slash testimony.

Authorities Arrest Faith Leaders Outside Collins’s Office

(Portland)  Police on Tuesday arrested nine faith leaders protesting outside Senator Susan Collins’s office in Portland, Maine.  The originally much larger group was asked to leave the hallway outside Collins’s office due to fire code regulations.  Most left, but nine stayed and were detained.  Protesters are calling on Collins and other Republicans to vote against a bill that would provide further funding for ICE.  Collins has called on the Trump administration to pause ICE’s aggressive tactics in Minnesota and Maine.  The Senator said she has spoken with the President and with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, saying operations should be reviewed and far more targeted in their scope, reports the Portland Press Herald.

Lawmakers Fail to Create Housing Resolution Board

(Augusta)  For the third time in almost as many years, the Portland Press Herald reports, state lawmakers have failed to create a statewide housing resolution board.  Supporters say such a  board, when manned by experts, could help ease the housing crisis by acting as a check on municipal boards.  Opponents say it would erode Maine’s longstanding tradition of local control.

Governor Mills Delivers Final “State of the State” Address

(Augusta)  In her final “State of the State” Address Tuesday, Governor Janet Mills unveiled a package of proposals aimed at addressing affordability.  The package included $300 relief checks for some 725K Mainers, to be funded by state reserves.  The Governor also proposed making the state’s free community college program permanent and spending $70M for housing construction and costs.  In a highly unusual move, about a dozen Republicans walked out of the Governor’s address midway through her talk, saying they were upset by Mills’s stance on abortion access and spending proposed using the state’s Rainy Day fund.

Education

COA Sets Date for Annual 24-Hour Challenge

(Bar Harbor)  College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor regularly tops the list of greenest colleges in the country.  Once a year, they ask for our help to bring IN some green.  This year’s 14th Annual 24-hour Challenge is set for February 10th.  They’re hoping to unlock a $125K matching gift; and, of course, they need everyone’s help.  If you’re in the area, they hope you’ll stop by the college on the 10th for a mid-winter gathering, featuring a bonfire, ice skating, hot cocoa and cider, s’mores, and to meet the staff and students and learn about their mission.  The beautiful campus borders the Atlantic at 105 Eden Street.

GSA Head of School Tapped for RSU 40 Superintendent Position

(Blue Hill)  George Stevens Academy’s Head of School Daniel Welch has been tapped to serve as Superintendent of RSU 40 in Union beginning in July.  The Blue Hill Academy won’t be searching for an interim replacement for Welch just yet, saying the School Board is considering a “pretty significant leadership structure change”.  The school will reportedly be managed by a leadership team until further plans are solidified.  

Infrastructure

MDOT to Install Signalized Light at Orland High  Crash Site

(Orland)  The Maine Department of Transportation has proposed replacing the flashing yellow light at the intersection of Route 1, Schoolhouse Road and Upper Falls Road in Orland with a fully actuated stoplight. The Ellsworth American reports the DOT said the intersection is considered a “high crash” location, noting there have been 57 crashes there since 2014.  The intersection sits at the top of a hill, so sight distance is somewhat limited from any direction.  MDOT reportedly considered creating a roundabout at the intersection some years ago, but determined it was cost-prohibitive and would have meant taking land by eminent domain.

Human Interest

Employees Step Up When Boss Delayed

(Hancock)  When the cat’s away, the mice will play?  Not always, it seems.  Especially when you have an employee as dedicated as Chloe at Fairway Auto Sales in Hancock.  Owners Tony and Nicole Murray were set to return from a vacation in Florida on Sunday.  But a tragic event forced closure of the Bangor International Airport until at least this morning, delaying their return.  Tony posted on FB, not only did Chloe manage a massive snowstorm and snow removal at the dealership, she sold and delivered six cars during their delay!  And that’s not all – she also took care of payroll, then planned to go to Wednesday’s auction to buy more vehicles.  Somebody raised that girl right!!!  Good job, Chloe and crew!  It’s always fun to recognize a rock star.  

Longtime Ellsworth City Clerk Passes Away

(Ellsworth)  Longtime Ellsworth City Clerk Heidi Grindle has died.  The Ellsworth American reports Grindle, who was just 50, died unexpectedly this past Monday.  Grindle lived in Surry and is survived by her husband Stanley and son Devin.  Grindle held a degree in tourism from Beal College and was initially hired as a part time, then full time secretary at the City.  She then became tax collector and assistant deputy treasurer before being appointed City Clerk in 2005, where she worked until November 2021, stepping down because of the stress of working with the public during Covid-19.  Grindle was named Clerk of the Year in 2018 by The Maine Town and City Clerks’ Association.  

National News

(AP)  In National News headlines, the Associated Press reports a partial federal shutdown seems increasingly likely, as Democrats demand major changes to ICE.  

– While the President signaled interest in easing tensions there, Minneapolis residents say they see little change on the streets.  

– And more “No Kings” protests are planned for March 28th as outrage grows following the murders of two American citizens by ICE and Customs and Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis.

(AP)  In National News headlines, President Trump continues to insist the 2020 election was stolen, despite all evidence to the contrary.  Trump said yesterday “people will soon be prosecuted” for what he claims they did in that election. Exhaustive bipartisan investigations have concluded Biden won by a large margin and have turned up no evidence of fraud that would have in any way changed the results.  In related action, the FBI on Wednesday executed a search warrant at the Fulton County elections office near Atlanta.  The warrant follows a Department of Justice lawsuit against Fulton County courts over election documents.  The Associated Press reports Georgia has long  been a central target for Trump’s false claims about the 2020 elections.

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