Crime/Public Safety

Bomb Threat Closes MaineHealth Pen Bay

(Rockport)  A reported bomb threat forced a Friday morning closure of MaineHealth Pen Bay Hospital in Rockport to incoming patients and employees.  The Pen Bay Pilot reports the hospital received a call about 5:15 a.m. reporting the potential threat. The hospital immediately enacted security protocols and worked with law enforcement to assess the situation and sweep the facility.  Area EMS providers were alerted to divert to other medical facilities, while incoming employees waited at a gas station across the street.  The hospital was cleared and reopened about 6:35 a.m. 

Local Politics

King Introduces Legislation to Protect Veterans

(Maine)  Maine has one of the highest rates of veterans per capita in the country.  Senator Angus King says those who answered the call to serve the country deserve assurance the benefits on which they rely are keeping pace with inflation.  With that in mind, King is co-sponsoring bipartisan legislation to ensure veterans an annual cost-of-living adjustment that would align disability compensation and survivor benefits with the same increases applied to Social Security.  The Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2026 would help veterans maintain the financial stability they earned through their service.

Recall Effort Targets Five on Ellsworth City Council

(Ellsworth)  A recall effort is targeting five Ellsworth City Council members, following a vote to censure councilor Steve O’Halloran.  An investigation revealed serious charges of intimidation of several city employees who reported feeling threatened and bullied by O’Halloran’s actions, including allegations O’Halloran went to at least one employee’s house and took pictures without permission.  It’s not the first time O’Halloran has faced accusations of wrongdoing. In 2023, Council voted not to cite him after he agreed to change his approach to personnel issues. The recall seeks to remove five of seven councilors – Nancy Smith, Marinna Smith, Tabatha White, Carol Patterson-Martineau and Chair Patrick Lyons, but not a sixth member, Patrick Shea, who often sides with O’Halloran but who at a May 22nd meeting argued strongly with the majority that city employees should not be subjected to the kind of intimidation of which O’Halloran was accused.  According to the Bangor Daily News, the recall effort is being led in part by John Linnehan, who has repeatedly run unsuccessfully for a seat on City Council.  The group needs to collect 1,279 signatures, 20% of local voters, by June 26th in order to secure the recall election.

Beals Residents to Hold Special Town Meeting Tuesday

(Beals)  Residents of the Washington County town of Beals are scheduled to hold a special town meeting tomorrow night (June 2nd) in order to consider a $1.6M budget for Beals Elementary School.  According to The Maine Monitor, the amount exceeds Maine’s new Essential Programs and Services allocation by close to $900K and is $109K higher than the current 2025-26 budget.  The School Committee cites decreased enrollment, increased state valuation, and small school size – currently 30 K-8 students, for the proposed increase. Selectmen say taxpayers have raised concerns about continuing operation of the elementary school, but Superintendent Joseph Swain said there’s no guarantee closing the school would save the town money.

Economy

Maine National Guard Seeks to Sell Calais Armory

(Calais)  The Maine National Guard has submitted a proposal to the state’s Attorney General’s office to sell the Calais armory.  The Maine Monitor reports the sale could advance the city’s longstanding effort to buy the building.  Renovated in 2016, the armory was last appraised at $575K, although a final sale price wasn’t disclosed.  Calais City Manager Mike Ellis said the building’s central location and recent repairs make it well suited for city administration and the Police Department, with renovations possibly making it feasible to house the Fire Department there, as well. 

Ellsworth Public Library Spring Appeal

(Ellsworth)  $25 barely buys a meal and dessert these days, but will go a long way in supporting one of Ellsworth’s most valuable resources.  It’s spring appeal time at the Ellsworth Public Library.  Last year, there were more than 73,000 visits to the library – enough to fill Fenway Park twice!  Every day, people visit to find books, attend programs, use technology, connect with others, or simply spend time in a welcoming space.  You can donate through the QR code on the library’s social media pages, drop off a check, or visit ellsworthlibrary.net.

Education

Local Head Start Welcomes Community Leaders

(Deer Isle/Stonington)  A pair of community leaders recently visited the local Head Start Classroom in Deer Isle-Stonington.  Students in the Pre-K classroom introduced themselves, shared their interests, and listened attentively to Stonington Economic and Development Director Linda Nelson and Jason Parent, CEO of Community Action in Aroostook, Washington, and Hancock Counties, which oversees the Head Start program.  The two say the youngsters proudly shared their projects, shared in a sing-a-long, and sent their visitors off with handmade thank-you cards.  ACAP leaders say such strong community partnerships play a crucial role in the success of such early childhood programs.

Environment

Meteor Likely Source of Loud Boom Across New England

(NE)  You may have been going about your business shortly after 2 Saturday afternoon when you were startled by a loud boom.  Scientists say the sound, reported largely in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, was likely a meteor entering the earth’s atmosphere just off the coast of The Bay State.  The U.S. Geological Survey reports the boom was most likely caused by a bolide, a meteor that explodes in the atmosphere because of the incredibly high speed at which it enters, sometimes creating a bright flash.  Satellite imagery does show a bright flash in the area around 2:11, the time the boom was reported on Saturday afternoon.  If you felt your house shake, it’s not a surprise. According to NASA, the energy released at the breakup of the meteor was equivalent to 300 tons of TNT.

Health

Dental Clinic to Fill Need in Waldo County

(Belfast)  A newly opened dental practice in the Waldo County town of Belfast will fill a critical need in the area, according to MaineBiz.  Penobscot Community Health Care has opened the Seaport Dental Center. The dental facility is equipped with 8 dental chairs, and will provide routine, preventative, and walk-in emergency treatment to patients, regardless of ability to pay.  The facility does accept MaineCare and offers a sliding-fee scale program for uninsured and low-income individuals.  

Human Interest

Heart of Ellsworth Board  President Finalist for MaineBiz Volunteer of the Year

(Ellsworth)  Heart of Ellsworth Board President Karin Otto has been recognized as a finalist for Volunteer of the Year through the MainBiz Community Impact Awards.  The nonprofit says since stepping into her role as Board President, Otto has brought strategy, care, expertise, and a whole lot of heart to Heart of Ellsworth, contributing 936 volunteer hours to the organization in 2025 alone.  Winners will be recognized on Wednesday, June 10th at a luncheon in Portland, with finalists featured in the June 15th issue of MaineBiz.

Waterfall Arts Nominated for Campaign Excellence Award

(Belfast)  Belfast’s Waterfall Arts has been nominated for a Campaign Excellence Award through the MaineBiz Community Impact Awards.  The awards honor nonprofit leaders and organizations that make a lasting difference across the state, while also celebrating those who meaningfully support, collaborate with, and invest in Maine’s nonprofits.  Waterfall Arts is a vibrant community center that offers classes and workshops in glassblowing, printmaking, clay, and other mediums, along with staging gallery exhibits.  Winners will be recognized on Wednesday, June 10th at a luncheon in Portland, with finalists featured in the June 15th issue of MaineBiz.

June a Month of Change at Versant Power Astronomy Center

(Orono)  June promises to be a month of change at the Versant Power Astronomy Center on the UMaine campus in Orono.  The 7 p.m. Friday night show looks at how ancient civilizations searched for meaning through temples and monuments aligned with the sky – that’s God, Science, and Our Search for Meaning.  The 2 p.m. Sunday family program is The Great Solar System Adventure.  Don’t let your kids’ education lapse over the summer – treat them to this journey through space to discover the planets, beauty, and danger in this fun family program.  The 4 p.m. music show on Sundays features Fleetwood Mac:  Tangle in the Dome.  Take advantage of these programs early this month!  The planetarium will be closed June 15th through July 9th for carpeting and seat replacement, thanks to the center’s generous donors.  Tickets at the door or at astro.umaine.edu.

Ellsworth American to Hold The Weekly Buzz

(Ellsworth)  You’re invited to join members of The Ellsworth American staff every Friday in June at Chloe’s Cafe to discuss the week’s stories and the issues affecting Hancock County.  Reporters and others will be on hand at Chloe’s beginning at 10 a.m. beginning this Friday, June 5th.  They say grab a treat, grab a seat, and share your thoughts on the issues that matter to you.  By the way, congratulations to Chloe’s on being named the new Ellsworth Chamber Business of the Year in 2026 at last week’s Chamber dinner and awards program.

National News 06/01/26

Federal Judge Orders Trump’s Name Off Kennedy Center

(Undated)  A federal judge has ordered the Trump name to be stripped from the Kennedy Center, ruling only Congress has the authority to rename the building, which was created by an act of Congress in 1964 as a living memorial to the late President John F. Kennedy.  In addition, the judge blocked the administration’s plan to shut the center down for two years for what Trump called a “complete rebuilding”. Trump immediately took to social media to blast the decision, reportedly writing he has “no interest in continuing” unless free to do things his way.  Trump previously fired the Kennedy Center Board and installed his own replacements.  Since then, numerous creative groups and touring productions – including the Broadway tour of Hamilton –  have refused to perform at the Center, with ticket sales plummeting roughly 50%, and more than 40% of tickets going unsold, compared to historically robust seasons where over 90% of seats were sold or issued.  

Trump to Headline “The Great American State Fair”

(Washington, DC)  With most of the acts that signed up for the upcoming celebration of America’s 250th Anniversary having dropped out, citing partisan politics, organizers say President Trump will now headline the festivities.  Trump took to his Social Media platform, Truth Social, on Saturday to say he was thinking of bringing “the man who some say is the Greatest President in History, (in all caps) The Goat Donald J. Trump, to take the place of these highly paid Third Rate ‘Artists’”.  The celebration is slated to kick off on Wednesday, June 24th.

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