Crime/Public Safety

Bucksport Police Department Achieves Honor

(Bucksport)  They’re just the sixth Maine agency to achieve the prestigious honor.  The Bucksport Police Department recently received the FBI-LEEDA Agency Trilogy Award!  Director Sean Geagan, Deputy Chief David Winchester, and Sergeants Darrin Moody and Dan Harlan completed the FBI LEEDA Trilogy, which includes Supervisor Leadership Institute, Command Leadership Institute, and Executive Leadership Institute.  The award recognizes law enforcement agencies whose entire command staff has completed the three core leadership institutes and highlights a department’s commitment to advanced leadership, professional growth, and community service.  Bucksport is only the second department in the State of Maine to complete the Agency Trilogy this year.  

Maine Towns to Share $4M for Safety Infrastructure

(Maine)  Three Maine towns will share $4M from the USDA Rural Development for upgrades to their public safety departments.  MaineBiz reports the Hancock County town of Surry is receiving $492K to purchase a new fire engine.  The town’s current fire engines, built in 1985 and 1992, don’t meet current standards and lack some safety features and adequate tank  capacity.  Surry took delivery of one new fire engine last December.  A second truck, 75% funded by the USDA grant, could take up to twelve months to arrive.  Other towns receiving funding include the Penobscot County town of Springfield, which will receive $750K to finance construction of a new town office with fire station, and the Oxford County town of Brownfield, which will receive $2.9M to construct a new public safety building.

Civil Engineer Sues ICE

(Portland)  A civil engineer in Portland is suing federal immigration agents who arrested him earlier this year.  The Portland Press Herald reports Juan Sebastian Carvajal-Munoz is in the country legally on an H-1B visa for work.  His attorneys say agents broke his car window, pulled him out, left his car running in the middle of the street, and held him for an entire day during a federal siege back in January.  Carvajal-Munoz is suing five federal agents who were employed or contracted with ICE at the time and who allegedly played a role in his arrest.  Backed by attorneys from the ACLU and others, Carvajal-Munoz is seeking damages for “physical, mental, financial, and reputational” harm.

Local Politics

Beals Elects New Tax Collector and Treasurer

(Beals)  The town of Beals has a new tax collector and treasurer.  The Maine Monitor reports residents elected Stacy Trussell in a 43-to-nothing vote at the annual town meeting on Friday.  Trussell is a retired IRS analyst with a background in identity theft, fraud, and data breaches.  She said she was surprised no one had stepped up to fill the role held by Terry Beal the past 20 years.  Beal had tried to retire a year earlier, but until this month, no one had stepped forward to replace her, leading to concern the town might be absorbed by neighboring Jonesport if unable to fill the position.  Trussell moved to Beals with her husband from New Hampshire last year.

Beals Discusses Options for $10K Donation

(Beals)  The town of Beals had a big decision to make at last week’s annual town meeting – what to do with an anonymous donation of $10K to support town stipends.  According to The Maine Monitor, Selectman Glenda Beal said the donor wanted to be sure the town didn’t feel the need to raise taxes in order to pay someone what a position was worth.  That likely stemmed from the fact the town had struggled to find a replacement for their retiring treasurer.  As the town had already voted to raise salaries, officials said the gift will be applied to the more than $46K being raised for municipal salaries.

Maine Legislature Passes Ban New Data Center Development

(Augusta)  The Maine Legislature this week passed a controversial measure that would temporarily prohibit new data center development for more than a year.  The Portland Press Herald reports the bill was sent to Governor Janet Mills for final approval.  If signed into law, it could be the first statewide ban on data center development in the country.  Data centers have become controversial, largely because they reportedly use excessive amounts of water and electricity.  

School Funding

(Augusta)  Lawmakers in Augusta this week passed the first reform of the state’s school funding formula since its creation in 2005.  The Portland Press Herald reports the current system has been widely criticized, with educators from across the state showing up at a public hearing in March in support of the reform bill.  School district leaders called the measure an overdue first step in fixing a system they say is both inequitable and underfunded.  Governor Janet Mills is expected to sign the bill into law, which would change the EPS formula by accounting for local poverty rates in state funding calculations and modernizing outdated regional adjustments.

Education

COA President to Step Down

(Bar Harbor)  College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor will be on the hunt for a new President soon.  Current President Sylvia Torti said the decision to step down at the end of this school year was a deeply personal one that will allow her to return to Utah, her home of more than 30 years.  Torti, who has served as President for two years, said she will work closely with the Board of Trustees in the coming months to support a smooth and steady transition.  The Trustees will recommend the appointment of COA Vice President of Institutional Advancement, Lynn Boulger, to serve as interim President, a matter to be voted on at the Board’s Spring meeting on Saturday.

Environment

Hummingbird Migration

(Maine)  It won’t be long until we see those magical tiny hummingbirds returning to New England.  Experts say they’ve been spotted in New York and generally arrive in New England in early May.  According to hummingbird central, the winged wonders can travel as far as 23 miles in one day; although during migration as they cross the Gulf they may cover up to 500 miles at a time.  Their average speed in direct flight is between 20 and 30 miles per hour; up to three times that fast during courtship dives.  During migration, a hummingbird’s heart beats up to 1,260 times a minute, and its wings flap 15 to 80 times per second.  Sources recommend a 4 to 1 water to sugar ratio, and say spare the red coloring.  Check with your local garden center about plants that attract and feed them.

Osprey Sightings

(Deer Isle)  Osprey have begun their return to the Pine Tree State.  As we reported earlier, the raptors have been spotted at nests in Lamoine and on MDI.  Word now that the pair that nest on the Deer Isle-Sedgwick bridge have returned for the season.  You can see their nest high atop the tower as you cross the bridge to the island, a pretty sweet vantage point from which to dive for fish.

Maine Wildlife Park Reopens

(Gray)  The Maine Wildlife Park in Gray is now open for the 2026 season.  The park is open seven days a week, including holidays, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  Families, nature lovers, photographers and others can meet and learn about the park’s wildlife – which features more than 30 species of Maine critters that can’t be returned to their habitats, either because they were orphaned or injured or because they are human-dependent – raised, sometimes illegally, in captivity.  You can get passes ahead of time through the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

Infrastructure

City of Ellsworth Spring Cleaning

(Ellsworth)  The City of Ellsworth reminds residents that spring cleaning continues with street sweeping efforts that began on March 30th.  Crews are working both during the day and overnights.  Streets are currently being swept on the west side of the High Street area – Foster, Washington, Deane, Pine, Spruce, Hancock, Elm, and Franklin Streets.  You can find a schedule of both day and nighttime work at ellsworth maine dot gov.  Work is expected to continue through the end of May.

Human Interest

Ellsworth Announces Volunteer Appreciation Week

(Ellsworth)  The City of Ellsworth has designated April 19th through the 25th as Volunteer Appreciation Week, in conjunction with the National week of recognition.  Rain Perez has been named the City’s Volunteer of the Year for her dedication to community service, including weekly volunteer work at the Ellsworth Public Library.  She also serves as a Library Trustee, supports Friends of the Library book sales, and volunteers with organizations, including Ellsworth Rainbow Girls and Ellsworth Pride. The City has named Franklin Savings Bank as the Volunteer Business of the Year.  They say the bank has been a strong supporter of community events, including Heart of Ellsworth activities, while investing in local scholarships and initiatives that support businesses, students, and residents.  Both awards will be presented during Monday night’s City Council Meeting.

National News  04/16/26

Iran War Update

(AP)  U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned yesterday that the United States is preparing to ramp up economic pain on Iran by levying secondary sanctions on financial institutions that do business with the Middle Eastern nation.  Bessent called the measure the “financial equivalent” of the bombing campaign. The Associated Press reports that earlier in the  day, President Donald Trump claimed China had agreed not to provide weapons to Iran, a report China’s Foreign Ministry denies.  Meanwhile, the commander of Iran’s joint military command on Wednesday threatened to halt all trade in the Gulf region unless the U.S. lifts its blockade on Iranian ports.

Senate Rejects War Powers Resolution

(AP)  The Republican led Senate on Wednesday rejected the latest Democratic attempt to halt President Trump’s war in Iran, turning aside a resolution that would require the U.S. to withdraw focus from the conflict until Congress authorizes further action.  The Associated Press reports the 47-52 vote was the fourth time this year the Senate has voted to cede its war powers to the president, in a war Democrats say is illegal and unjustified.  But GOP lawmakers are also anxious for the conflict to end, with some Republicans making clear they’re eyeing future votes that could become an important test for the President should the war drag on.

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