Crime/Public Safety

MSP and FMO Investigate DV Incident and Explosive Devices Found in Trenton

(Trenton)  Maine State Police Saturday responded to a reported Domestic Violence incident in Trenton and learned a male suspect had left the Oak Point Road residence with possible hazardous explosives.  Troopers later located the suspect’s vehicle at his home on Bar Harbor Road in Trenton, secured the scene and called in investigators from the State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Maine State Police Bomb Squad.  Several improvised explosive devices and materials needed to make them were found and rendered safe by the bomb squad.  The suspect, 43-year-old Anthony Nickerson, was taken into custody without incident and faces multiple charges. The woman involved in the DV incident was uninjured. Officials say the investigation remains ongoing.  Other agencies assisting included members of the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office, Bar Harbor Police Department and local fire and rescue agencies.

Click it or Ticket Campaign

(Maine)  Click it or Ticket – that’s the theme of the US Department of Transportation’s “Seat Belts Save Lives” campaign, now through the end of May.  Although officials say buckling up should be automatic every time you enter a vehicle, they’ll be working especially diligently this month with law enforcement to ensure the message gets out to drivers and passengers.  And while in Maine, the observed seatbelt use is a little over 92%, they say recent data shows a concerning decline in that rate over the past few years … and every percentage point lost translates to more lives at risk.  Data from the Maine Department of Public Safety shows between 2023 and 2025, 46% of highway fatalities involved unbelted drivers or passengers.  

Local Politics

Town of Hancock to Hold Annual Meeting

(Hancock)  The Town of Hancock will hold its annual meeting this evening at 6:30 p.m. at the Hancock School.  Among items on the agenda, a question about funding for the Ellsworth Public Library.  The library funding would cost just $6 per capita if approved, a drop in the bucket for all the programming and resources the library offers.  We hope you’ll attend and cast your vote of support.

In Person Absentee Voting Underway

(Augusta)  Statewide absentee voting got underway Monday.for the June 9th Primary Election, with residents able to vote for candidates for U.S. Senate and House, Governor, and local races. The Secretary of State’s Office issues reminders that residents can register in person right up to the close of the polls on Election Day. You can also register by mail or online, but there are deadlines for those coming up May 19th.  The deadline to request absentee ballots from a municipal clerk in your town is by the close of business on Thursday, June 4th, unless special circumstances exist.  And in-person absentee voting may also be done from now until the close of business on Thursday, June 4th, subject to office hours by town.  

Voter Registration Requirements in Maine

(Augusta)  The June 9th Primary is less than a month away now.  In Maine, in order to vote you must be a Maine resident and a citizen of the United States.  Mainers can pre-register beginning at age 16; but only those who will be 18 or older on or before the November 3, 2026 General Election may vote in the Primary.  When registering for the first time, voters must provide proof of residency and identity.  Mainers who are unsure if they’re registered to vote should contact their municipal clerk’s office.

Economy

Heart of Ellsworth Hires Coordinator for Makerspace

(Ellsworth)  There’s a new face at Heart of Ellsworth; but Sonya Bates is anything but new to the city and surrounding communities.  Bates will serve as the new Creative Space Coordinator for the Makerspace at 16 State Street – a newly established position at a place for community engagement, and a key initiative supporting Ellsworth’s growing creative economy.  The Makerspace will now have a coordinator on site to schedule workshops, gallery exhibits, events, and rentals, ensuring the space remains a dynamic hub for artists, entrepreneurs, and others.  A College of the Atlantic graduate, Bates owned the Flour Shop Bakery in Surry and served as baking manager at Cleonice Mediterranean Bistro in Ellsworth.  She also works with Healthy Acadia as a UMaine Fellow focusing on creating welcoming, inclusive community spaces.  We’re sure she’ll be a great addition to the Downtown Ellsworth thriving arts and culture scene.

Lamoine’s Seal Cove Farm One of Five Rural Businesses to Receive USDA Funding

(Lamoine)  Lamoine’s Seal Cove Farm is one of five Maine businesses that will share a USDA investment of $1.2M aimed at strengthening agricultural, aquaculture and rural economies.  The value-added producer grants will help recipients with processing, marketing and working capital.  Seal Cove Farm received just under $68K for agricultural infrastructure improvements.  Other awardees include Calyx Farm and Graze LLC – both in Waldo County, Mere Point Oyster Company in Cumberland County, and Six River Farm in Sagadahoc County.   The grants are part of a broader USDA effort to bolster local food systems, with a particular focus on enhancing the competitiveness of Maine’s rural businesses and supporting the seafood industry.

Changes to Bucksport Tractor Supply Welcomed

(Bucksport)  Plans for a Tractor Supply Store in Bucksport were met with approval back in January.  But the company has since made welcome changes in order to address rising construction costs and concerns of residents.  The River Observer reports a proposed tractor-trailer driveway around the property has been eliminated and a tractor-trailer turnaround added behind the store.  Light poles and fixtures will be relocated on the western side of the site, with covers added to the light fixtures to lessen the impact of lights shining through the woods.  The changes will result in not having to disturb wetlands and less blasting and removal of rocks.  Construction is planned to begin in spring 2027.

Environment 

Ellsworth Downtown CleanUp Set

(Ellsworth)  Help get the City of Ellsworth ready to shine for our summer visitors!  This Saturday Heart of Ellsworth will join city leaders and volunteers in sprucing up our downtown area to put on our best face after a long, cold winter.  Help with weeding, litter removal, and general beautification to help maintain the charm of downtown Ellsworth.  You can also support the Heart of Ellsworth Design Committee by sponsoring a flower box or tree.  For a $100 donation, you can help with planting flowers and trees in the downtown area and volunteer cleaning supplies.  Plus, you’ll be recognized in their newsletter, on social media, and during their planting day if you donate by May 16th!  Become a sponsor at the link you’ll find on the Heart of Ellsworth FB page – and we hope to see you with gloves and smiles on this Saturday!

Volunteers Show Up for Card Brook Cleanup

(Ellsworth)  Let’s do some trash talking here … Forty two volunteers helped remove 800 pounds of trash during Saturday’s Card Brook Cleanup in Ellsworth.  The City reports from roadsides to waterways, participants worked side-by-side to help protect and improve one of Ellsworth’s important natural spaces.  Many businesses supported the effort with donations and volunteers, and those who helped were treated to a delicious cookout provided by the Ellsworth Moose Lodge.

Local Osprey Expecting

(Lamoine)  After the sad news this year of the two ospreys who were electrocuted on a CMP pole in Camden, there’s welcome news this week of some expectant parents.  It looks like the Lamoine osprey who nest each year above Mud Creek have three eggs, while the nest at MDI High School was showing a second egg as of Mother’s Day.  CeCe Ohmart, who monitors the Lamoine Osprey site on FB, reports eggs can remain viable from several hours up to a day, generally, without continuous warmth, while lower temperatures can slow development and prolonged heat or cold can damage the embryo.  It looks like in all the local nests, the parents are doing a fine-feathered job of trading off care of the eggs as they fish for sustenance in nearby waters.  Other research reveals osprey eggs take approximately 36 to 42 days to hatch, cracking open in sequence about 1-4 days apart.  Looks like due dates will be the 2nd or third week in June.  Stay tuned!

Human Interest

Ellsworth Public Library Presents The Grocery List

(Ellsworth)  The United States has always been a melting pot, made up of immigrants who first settled here and who still today bring their varied foods, traditions, and other cultural aspects that bridge the divisions of politics and class.  On Saturday, May 23rd, at 2 p.m., join the Ellsworth Public Library for a screening of PBS’s The Grocery List – a trip to five bustling international grocery stores in the U.S. and the communities they serve.  Audiences will observe the creation of new dishes, discover new places, explore different cultures and gain a deeper comprehension of our varied populations.  The event is free and open to all – sign up at ellsworth.libcal.org.

Play it Forward Planned at Knowlton Park

(Ellsworth)  Get ready for Ellsworth’s second annual “Play it Forward at Knowlton Park!  The date is Saturday, June 13th from 10 to 2, with the event kicking off the Knowlton Playground Replacement fundraising efforts.  The free, family-friendly day brings together local organizations, City departments and community partners for a day of fun, connection, and hands-on activities, including Touch-A-Truck featuring Police, Fire, and Public Works vehicles, face painting by Ellsworth High School National Honor Society and Student Council members, popcorn and cotton candy, library card signups and giveaways, and a special appearance by Sponge Bob and other characters!  Weather permitting, the splash pad will be open as well!  Mark your calendars now!

National News 05/12/26

Lawsuit Filed Against Repainting of DC Reflecting Pool

(CNN)  A nonprofit dedicated to preserving stewardship of historic landscapes on Monday asked a federal judge to halt the Trump administration’s painting of the Lincoln Memorial’s Reflecting Pool a bright blue. CNN reports the suit contends the project violates federal laws requiring the Department of the Interior to complete a consultation process that includes notifying the public of the plans and getting input from other federal agencies before beginning work. The Administration has run roughshod over the people’s city of Washington, DC, destroying the Rose Garden and tearing down the East Wing of the White House, removing historically accurate displays at the Smithsonian that document diversity, and garishly redecorating the Oval Office.  In the latest ode to himself, which includes putting his face on US passports and money, Trump this month unveiled a 22 foot golden statue of himself, nicknamed “Don Colossus” and  presided over and championed by a pastor at the Trump National Doral golf course in Florida.  

Trump Says Iran Ceasefire on “Life Support” 

(Iran)  President Trump yesterday said the ceasefire with Iran is on “life support” after rejecting Tehran’s latest proposal to end the war.  The President pointed to the proposal’s lack of satisfactory nuclear concessions.  The Associated Press reports the stalled diplomacy follows recent exchanges of fire between the two countries, while Iran’s chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz and the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports remain in place.  On Monday as gas prices continue to rise, Trump said he would indefinitely suspend the federal gas tax, though Congress needs to approve the move.

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