Crime/Public Safety

Ice Jams Lead to Flooding Concerns, Evacuations

(Howland)  Ice jams on the Piscataquis River this week prompted officials to go door to door in Maxfield on Wednesday, asking people to evacuate and to continue to watch for changes in water levels that could quickly lead to dangerous flooding.  According to Central Maine Highlands Fire and EMS, water began to subside in the early evening and no homes were affected.  Officials opened the Howland Community Center for anyone impacted.  Crews from various agencies remained on standby throughout the night  Wednesday in order to monitor the mile-long jam.

Fatal House Fire

(Winn)  The Lincoln Fire Department on Thursday responded to a house fire on Route 168 in Winn.  The fire was called in shortly before 1:30 a.m., and firefighters arrived to find five occupants had escaped but an elderly female was unaccounted for.  The woman’s body was recovered later that morning and taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for positive identification.  The other occupants of the home suffered smoke inhalation and were taken to a hospital in Lincoln for evaluation, treated and released.  The cause of that fire remains under investigation.  

Turner Man Seeks Information on Person Who Shot His Dog

(Turner)  A Turner man is hoping to learn who shot his dog this week.  Kevin Nichols says he let his dog, Zeke, outside his Lower Street home around 4 p.m. Wednesday.  Nichols’s son said the dog became sick, and Nichols and his wife found a puncture wound in front of the dog’s hip.  X-rays showed a pellet had traveled through Zeke’s stomach and lung, causing extensive damage and resulting in the kindest measure being to end his suffering.  The Nichols adopted Zeke from a shelter as a puppy and have had him for nine years.  They say the family is devastated.  NewsCenter Maine reports Zeke’s owners are asking neighbors to check their cameras for suspicious activity on March 18th, particularly between 4:10 and 4:30.  Anyone with information is asked to call the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office.  

Body of Missing 19 Year Old Recovered

(Orono)  The body of a 19 year old who went missing in January was recovered this week from a retention pond near the Orono apartment where he lived.  Authorities say Chance Lauer apparently went for a walk and fell through the ice on the pond.  Officials urge folks as spring arrives to be aware of their  surroundings.  Warming temperatures mean ice is thinning, rivers may be impacted by ice jams, and flooding is possible.  

Local Politics

Maine Senate Passes Labor and Delivery Bill

(Augusta)  The Maine Senate this week unanimously passed a bill  requiring hospitals to provide at least 120 days’ notice before closing or changing the level of care for maternity or newborn services.  Senator Nicole Grohoski said the bill was informed by the closure of the MDI Hospital’s Labor and Delivery Unit, as well as other recent closings of birthing units.  The Senator added that while LD 2189 does not change the reality for the MDI region, it gives both patients and the state more time to react to and potentially prevent additional closures.

City of Ellsworth Rewrite Project

(Ellsworth)  If you live or work in Ellsworth and have an interest in local development, zoning, or future land use policy, you’ll want to put Tuesday, April 14th on your calendar.  The City is hosting a public workshop to give residents an overview of the Comprehensive City Ordinance Rewrite Project.  City officials say community perspectives are a critical part of the ordinance-development process, and the workshop will make participation accessible, informative,and collaborative.  The workshop is scheduled for 6 p.m. April 14th in City Council Chambers. You can also review the materials on the City website and submit comments to ordinance at ellsworth maine dot gov.

Ellsworth Files Complaint Against Maine Organics

(Ellsworth)  The City of Ellsworth this week filed a complaint against composting facility Maine Organics.  The complaint alleges ongoing violations of the city’s odor ordinance.  Despite the city enacting the ordinance last spring, they say within months, Maine Organics had prompted more than two dozen odor-related complaints.  The Ellsworth American reports three notices of violation were sent, but that owner Joshua Wellman failed to respond or clean up the property.  Some residents say the City needs to own at least some of the blame because they approved the location of the company, knowing the type of business and the issues that go with it. The complaint is scheduled to be heard before the District Court in Ellsworth on April 8th.  

Economy

Electricity Rates Continue Upward

(Undated)  Between 2014 and 2024, Maine saw the third highest electric rate increases in the country.  According to the Maine Monitor, two recent energy reports show divergent views about how to curb those costs, even though experts say they’ll likely continue trending upward.  The reports reflect the state’s divergent political views, with one favoring the Democratic position, suggesting the state’s path of embracing renewable energy resources to blunt the increases; the other purporting that developing more renewables would be the most expensive and least reliable option, a view most often touted by Republicans.  At any rate, voters are urged to pay close attention to candidates’ energy proposals, as those in the know say they’re likely to be a major point of conflict in the coming race for Governor.

Maine Downtown Center Visits Ellsworth

(Ellsworth)  Ellsworth was visited by some very special guests this week.  Representatives from the Maine Downtown Center, which supports downtown revitalization efforts, first stopped by the Ellsworth Historical Society to talk about a recently received REvitalizME grant to restore the Old Hancock County Sheriff’s Home and Jail.  Then it was on to Heart of Ellsworth headquarters for their Annual Accreditation Site Visit, the nonprofit’s first since receiving national accreditation in 2024.  The Maine Downtown Center is a program of Maine Development Foundation, serving as the State Coordinator for the National Main Street Center.  Learn more and sign up for their newsletter at M D F dot org.

Amazon Warehouse Planned for Hermon

(Hermon)  Online retail giant Amazon is reported to be in the process of buying property along Outer Hammond Street in Hermon.  Plans approved by the Hermon Planning Board last year indicate a 60K square foot warehouse type building at the site of the former Bangor Drive-In, which closed for good in 2022.  Hermon town officials remain mum on the project and say any forthcoming information will come from Amazon.

Education

Surry Students Engaged in “Making a Difference”

(Surry)  At Surry Elementary School this month, it’s all about making a difference.  The Ellsworth American reports six different class projects are simultaneously working on “Make a Difference March”.  From Kindergarteners mapping out improvements they’d like to see on the playground – a sandbox tops the list – to upper grades working on water quality in the community, isolation among the elderly, and the shrinking window for sugar maple tapping, the students work to identify an issue, brainstorm ways to fix them, and construct a viable solution or outcome.  The school has partnered with the Institute for Humane Education to create the schoolwide community service initiative.

Ellsworth to Rebuild School Track

(Ellsworth)  When it comes to rebuilding the school track, Ellsworth has decided to “run with it”.  The $750K project will replace lingering repairs at the facility located at Ellsworth Elementary Middle School, where the current track reportedly “trips up” users with its numerous safety concerns, including widening cracks and a slippery surface.  As a result, the Bangor Daily News reports the school department currently limits the track to hosting one high school meet per year.  The track was installed in 1988 and has been resurfaced just once since then.  The cost also includes upgrades to the soccer fields.  Work is expected to begin this spring and continue through the summer.

Environment

Spring Arrives

(Undated)  Happy first official day of Spring here in the Northern Hemisphere.  While some may not think so, temps in the 40’s today will feel pretty good after those weeks in the teens during January.  Astronomical spring here arrives at 10:46 this morning and signals the date and time the sun crosses the celestial equator going south to north – in other words, if you were standing on the imaginary line we call the equator, the sun would pass directly overhead on its way north.  One more bit of trivia for you, the length of day and night is nearly equal today in all parts of the world, and, according to almanac dot com, the equinoxes are the only two times of the year when the sun rises due east and sets due west for all of us on earth.  Cheers!

Human Interest

Ellsworth Public Library Presents “The Inquisitor”

(Ellsworth)  This year marks the 250th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.  Countless heroes who remain largely unknown had a hand in the developing nation’s growth in diversity, equality, and women’s rights.  One such person – former Texas  Congresswoman Barbara Jordan, whose sharp intellect and moral clarity transformed U.S. politics.  The first female keynote speaker at the 1992 Democratic National Convention, her voice demanded accountability while privately facing struggles she kept largely to herself. Jordan’s televised opening statement at the House Judiciary Committee hearings during impeachment proceedings against then-President Nixon brought her national acclaim.   If today’s political climate has you concerned, come be inspired by her story Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Ellsworth Public Library.  We’ll be there and can’t wait to share her uplifting story with you!

National News 03/20/26

Pentagon Seeks Additional $200B for Iran War

(AP)  The Pentagon is seeking an additional $200B for the Iran War.  The Associated Press reports the amount is sure to raise eyebrows in Congress, which must approve such an appropriation.  The extraordinarily high number comes on top of extra funding for the Defense Department approved last year in President Trump’s so-called “Big Tax Cuts” bill.  Lawmakers have not authorized the war, and Congress is showing growing unease with the military operation’s lack of direction and as the nation’s debt has now surged past a record $39 Trillion dollars.

Democratic Lawmakers Storm Out of  Epstein Briefing

(AP)  Democratic lawmakers this week stormed out of a closed-door briefing on the Epstein files by Justice Department leaders, saying they will push to force Attorney General Pam Bondi to answer questions under oath about the case that continues to plague the Trump Administration, in spite of the distraction of the Iran War.  Bondi defended her handling of the Epstein files, saying Justice Department officials are proud of their work. That’s in spite of the fact that no high officials whose names appear in the files up to a million times have even been investigated.  

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