Crime/Public Safety

Lincoln Structure Fire

(Lincoln) Crews in Lincoln battled a structure fire for more than eight hours in the pre-dawn cold on Wednesday.  The blaze was called in around 1 a.m., and firefighters were still on the scene shortly before 10 yesterday morning.  Route 2  was closed overnight, and RSU 67 schools had a two hour delay due to traffic disruptions caused by the fire.  No injuries were reported, but the home was deemed a total loss.

Two Arrested Following Fight in Parking Lot

(Sullivan)  A fight in the parking lot of a business in Sullivan this week resulted in the arrest of a man from Gouldsboro.  The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office reports deputies were called to the business about 8:45 Monday night and separated the parties involved.  An ensuing investigation led to the arrest of one of the parties involved.  They say 36 yo Nathaniel Church was taken into custody on an outstanding warrant for failing to appear in court.  Church was taken to the Hancock County Jail.  

Mount Desert Fire Chief Mike Bender to Retire

(Mount Desert)  Chief Mike Bender has covered a lot of fires in his 40 year career, but says his passion for the fire service, “is as strong now as when I began this journey in 1985”.  Bender sent a letter to the Select Board this week, announcing his retirement from the Mount Desert Fire Department as of November 2nd, following four decades of service.  The Mount Desert Islander reports members of the board voiced their appreciation for his long years of dedication, calling his retirement “hard to accept”.

Hancock Man Arrested After Attempting to Flee Traffic Stop

(Hancock)  A Hancock man was arrested after he attempted to flee a traffic stop Tuesday morning on US 1 in Hancock.  The Hancock County Sheriff’s Department tells Downeast Digest, a deputy attempted to stop 40 yo Ellis Martin, who took off on foot.  Martin was located a short time later attempting to hide inside the Tideway Market.  He was arrested for Operating After Revocation, Violation of Conditions of Release, and Attaching False Plates.  Officers say Ellis had six prior convictions for OAR and was on six sets of active bail conditions.  Ellis was booked into the Hancock County Jail and his vehicle towed.  

Economy  

Belfast Officials Move to Resolve Property Violations

(Belfast)  Officials in Belfast are moving to court in order to resolve a trio of long-running property violations they say pose potential health and safety risks.  The Midcoast Villager reports the Belfast City Council this week voted to authorize the formal action.  The properties in question are at 17 Back Searsport Road, 284 Swan Lake Avenue, and 35 Oak Hill Road and involve campers with illegal hookups being used as year-round residences, sanitation, safety and other concerns.  They say they’ve attempted to work with property owners, with some violations dating back to 2022.

City Cuts of Power to Portion of Bangor Mall

(Bangor)  The City of Bangor this week cut off power to a portion of the Bangor Mall, forcing some of the few remaining stores there to close. The move comes after the City repeatedly called on the Mall’s owner, Namdar Realty Group, to make repairs, particularly to the roof of the building which leaks in multiple places.  Bangor officials reportedly told Namdar if repairs weren’t completed by January 30th, one wing of the mall would be shut down; and that the entire mall would be closed if repairs aren’t completed in the next two weeks.  Namdar issued a statement saying snow on the roof made conditions hazardous for construction workers, and also blamed difficulty finding contractors to do the work.  They say they do now have a contractor and have committed several hundred thousand dollars to completing those roof repairs.

Infrastructure

Newbury Neck Improvements Sought

(Surry)  The Surry Select Board has proposed a plan to raise the surface of Newbury Neck at Carrying Place Beach.  The Ellsworth American reports the project would raise the road from 8.9 to 15 feet in order to prevent a repeat of washouts experienced during astronomical high tides and storms such as those that damaged the road in 2023 and 24.  Voters will be asked to approve the construction project at the April 11th town meeting. If approved, the Select Board would be authorized to accept close to $3M in anticipated congressionally directed funding from FEMA. Total cost of the project is estimated to be just under $3,700,000.

Human Interest

Whoopie Pie Festival in Running for USA Today Award

(Dover-Foxcroft)  Massachusetts has the Boston Pizza Festival, Georgia the Peach Festival, Indiana the Pierogi Fest, and Oregon the Chocolate Festival.  All of these and more are up against the sweetest festival of all – the Maine Whoopie Pie Festival – for the title of USA Today’s Best Specialty Food Festival.  Twenty festivals are nominated in one of the publication’s “10 Best” contests.  The Whoopie Pie Festival (June 13th this year in Dover-Foxcroft)  features more than a hundred vendors, contests, and favorite flavors baked by the best of the best from across New England.  Take that, Wisconsin Cheese Curd Festival.  Cast your vote for Maine at 10 (the numeral 10)  best dot u s a today dot com.

U.S. National Toboggan Championships Begin Friday

(Camden)  While all eyes will be on Milan’s Winter Olympics, some seasonal athletes will be competing much closer to home.  Tomorrow marks the beginning of the U.S. National Toboggan Championships held at the Camden Snow Bowl.  The Pen Bay Pilot reports it’s the 35th year for the event that Sports Illustrated called, “a cross between an Alice in Wonderland costume ball and a family reunion.”  Some five thousand visitors are expected, with more than 400 teams in themed costumes competing on Saturday and Sunday.  For a schedule of the weekend’s events, visit toboggan nationals dot com.

Bangor-Based NonProfit Named Beneficiary of TD Beach to Beacon 10K

(Bangor)  The Bangor-based non-profit Dirigo Reads has been named beneficiary of this year’s TD Beach to Beacon 10K in Cape Elizabeth. Co-founder Dan Cashman said the $30K gift from TD Bank will be transformative in their efforts to promote literacy across the state.  Every month of the school year, the volunteer-run organization provides a new book to every first grader in a Maine public school.  So far, more than 3,500 books have been distributed to about a third of all Maine first graders.  MaineBiz reports about 100 schools currently participate in the program. Founded by Maine native and 1984 Olympic Marathon winner Joan Benoit Samuelson, the Beach to Beacon 10K annually draws some 6500 runners, making it Maine’s largest road race. This year’s event is set for August 1st.  

National News

Partial Government Shutdown Looms

(Washington, DC)  Congress averted a long government shutdown this week, but another one is on the horizon unless Democrats strike a deal with the President and Republicans over new restrictions on federal immigration authorities.  According to the Washington Post, Democrats are demanding Republicans agree to accountability measures to rein in members of ICE and other agencies, following outcry over the unlawful murders of at least three U.S. citizens.  Among their demands, tighter rules governing the use of warrants, independent investigations of alleged misconduct, a ban on masks for federal immigration agents, and a requirement of body cameras.

Renee Good’s Brothers Speak at Hearing

(Washington, DC)  The brothers of Renee Good, the 37 yo mother gunned down by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in Minneapolis as she drove away from a protest on January 7th, spoke at a hearing Tuesday on Capitol Hill.  Luke and Brent Ganger were moved to tears as they remembered Good, whose death they said the family hoped “would bring about change in the country, but so far it has not.”  Several others offered equally emotional testimony as they described violent encounters with federal agents, some of whom were peacefully protesting; others, innocent bystanders. The forum was sponsored by two Democrats.  No Republicans chose to attend.

Homan to Pull Some Agents from Minnesota

(MN)  The Administration on Wednesday said it was reducing the number of immigration enforcement officers in Minnesota after state and local officials agreed to cooperate by turning over arrested immigrants.  Border Czar Tom Homan, who replaced the reportedly antagonistic Greg Bovino, did not give a timeline for the reductions.  Homan said a widespread withdrawal will only occur after people “stop interfering with federal agents carrying out arrests”; but protestors say those arrests need to involve criminals, and not immigrants who are here legally and are being held without due process..

ICE Backlash

(Undated)  We’ve been telling you about the move by the Trump Administration to buy up large industrial buildings in multiple states to serve as “detention centers”, which are currently unregulated because of the government’s refusal to allow Congressional oversight as required by law.  The Washington Post reports at least one Canadian company is taking a stand.  The Jim Pattison realty company said it will not proceed with a transaction to sell an industrial building in Ashland, Virginia to ICE, following backlash from Canadian politicians, including calls to boycott the firm.  

Pentagon Issues Warning to Boy Scouts

(Washington)  The Pentagon yesterday issued a warning to Scouting America, formerly known as the Boy Scouts.  Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, said the organization risks losing its long-held partnership with the U.S. military unless it rapidly implements “core value reforms”.  The demand stunned critics, who pointed out Hegseth, a former television personality who served in Iraq, faced allegations of sexual misconduct, financial mismanagement, and excessive drinking in his nomination hearing.  He was narrowly confirmed by the Senate with a tie-breaking vote by Vice President J.D. Vance.

Doberman Wins Best in Show at Westminster

(Westminster)  Give that girl a treat!  Penny the Doberman strutted away with the Best in Show honor at Tuesday night’s Westminster Dog Show in New York.  The show featured 2500 dogs across 212 breeds.  Announcers praised the four-year-old’s “perfect stance” and arched neck.  

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