Crime/Public Safety

10-Year Old Rescued from Androscoggin River

(Turner)  A 10 year old boy who was swept away by river currents Saturday evening was rescued after he was able to stop himself by clinging to rocks in the swift-moving rapids.  WMTW reports multiple agencies responded to a call that came in shortly before 8:30 pm. near Howes Corner Road in Turner.  A Turner Fire Department water rescue team coordinated with the Greene Fire Department’s water rescue boat to bring the boy to safety within 30 minutes of the initial 9-1-1 call.  The Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office reminds folks to be aware of how dangerous rivers can become and says even seemingly calm water can be moving faster than expected.

Second Firefighter Passes Away from Injuries Suffered in Searsmont Fire

(Searsmont)  A second firefighter has passed away from injuries suffered in that devastating fire and explosion last month at Robbins Lumber in Searsmont. Seventy-six year old Searsmont Assistant Fire Chief Wayne Woodbury passed away Sunday morning at Maine Medical Center in Portland.  27 yo Andrew Cross, a volunteer with Morrill Volunteer Fire Department, lost his life the day of the blaze. The investigation into that incident remains ongoing.  

Bangor Grandmother Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter in Death of Grandson

(Bangor)  Three adults have now pleaded guilty to charges related to the death of 10 yo Braxtyn Smith.  Authorities say the boy suffered months of abuse while living with his parents in the Bangor area before he passed away after being taken to a hospital in February 2024.  Records indicate the boy was underweight for his age, with defendants revealing his parents regularly zip-tied him to door knobs and chairs and withheld food.  On Friday, Braxtyn’s grandmother, who often visited the house, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in his death.  Braxtyn’s father pleaded guilty to murder on Thursday.  His mother pleaded guilty to manslaughter in February of this year.  All three are scheduled for sentencing at a later date.

Brewer Woman Killed in Rollover Crash

(Newburgh)  A 58 yo Brewer woman was killed Saturday in a rollover crash on I-95 in Newburgh.  Authorities tell Downeast Digest Darcel Geiser was northbound in the passing lane at mile marker 174 when her vehicle left the roadway and rolled several times.  They say Geiser was not wearing a seatbelt and had to be extricated from the vehicle.  Geiser was pronounced dead at the scene.  The crash remains under investigation.

Local Politics

Maine Declines Invitation to Trump’s “Great American State Fair”

(Augusta)  Maine will not take part in President Trump’s “Great American State Fair”, joining several other states that have also declined the administration’s invitation to the event.  A spokesperson for the state of Maine cited scheduling conflicts during peak tourist and travel season.  Officials from Illinois, Oregon, Washington, Massachusetts, and North Carolina have also turned down the invitation, citing high costs and other priorities.  The two-week event gets underway June 25th.  

Economy

Developer Pulls Out of Paper Mill Project in Jay

(Jay)  Plans for a data center to be built at the site of the former paper mill in Jay are off because the developer has backed out of the project.  That’s the word from town officials, who say the owner of the property that once housed the mill is pursuing conversations with other interested parties.  The news comes weeks after Governor Janet Mills vetoed a bill that would have put a temporary moratorium on data centers because of the proposed project in Jay that she said would have benefitted the area. The project was expected to create 800 construction jobs and 100 permanent ones in the town, whose economy was devastated by the mill’s closure.  But data centers are controversial because of their reported excessive use of area resources, including water and electricity.

New Owner of Flex-It Plans More Changes

(Ellsworth)  The new owner of Flex-It Cafe and Bakery in Ellsworth is already making some changes and has plans for more.  Saylor DesJardin has expanded hours to include evenings seven days a week, added to the menu, and plans to rename the venue Jardin’s Java.  Other future plans include offering homemade bagels and installing a hood vent to support future expansion.  DesJardin credits SBDC, the Small Business Development Center, with helping her shape a business plan, understand financing options, navigate licenses and permits, and evaluate the pros and cons of buying an established business.

Education

Penobscot County Teacher of the Year Finalist Earns National Recognition

(Hampden)  Ben Johnson, the 2025 Penobscot County Teacher of the Year and a finalist for 2026 Maine State Teacher of the Year, has earned another prestigious recognition, this time from the American Classical League for his outstanding contributions to Latin education through innovative technology-based learning resources.  Johnson teaches Latin and AP Seminar to high school students at Hampden Academy.  This most recent honor recognizes Johnson’s own platform, LatinTutorial.com, and the accompanying YouTube channel, which has grown to more than 125K subscribers worldwide. It features hundreds of videos Johnson has written, filmed and edited himself, helping students navigate Latin grammar, literature, and Roman culture and supporting teachers who use the resources to supplement classroom instruction.

Environment

Deer, Dog Ticks Currently Abundant in Maine

(Maine)  Mainers can barely walk outside without finding a tick or two crawling on them right now.  Griffin Dill, manager at the UMaine Cooperative Extension Tick Lab told the Portland Press Herald that’s because the two most prominent ticks in Maine – the deer tick and the dog tick – are both in the adult stage of their life cycles, giving the impression we’re inundated.  Last year, the state reported a record more than 4200 cases of Lyme.  Many sources tell us how to protect ourselves and how to remove an attached tick, which can then, for a small fee, be submitted to the Tick Lab for testing.  Dill says with climate change, the deer tick has expanded its range, and cases of Lyme are now being reported in all the state’s 16 counties but are most prevalent along the coast, especially in Midcoast Maine.

Feds Propose Opening Fish Hatcheries to Hunting

(Ellsworth)  Federal officials have proposed opening two national fish hatcheries in Hancock County to public hunting for the first time.  The Bangor Daily News reports the Craig Brook National Fish Hatchery in Orland and the Green Lake National Fish Hatchery in Ellsworth, both of which raise endangered Atlantic salmon, are the only Maine properties on a federal list of more than 100 in 32 states that could be opened to or expanded for fishing or hunting under a Trump administrative directive. The proposal would lead to about 95% of National Wildlife Refuge System lands to hunting and fishing.  The plan would cost each of the Hancock County hatcheries more than $50K a year in annual operating costs.

Human Interest

Comfort Cases Pajama Drive Begins Today

(Ellsworth)  The Pajama Drive for Comfort Cases gets underway today.  Comfort Cases are backpacks filled with brand new items – a stuffed toy, a book, personal care items, and more – designed to make children’s transition to foster care less frightening.  New pjs in all sizes – infant through teens, for boys and girls, are welcome.  You can drop them off between now and August 15th at Alberta’s Salon in Ellsworth or at 766 Eastside Road in Hancock.  

Where in the World Winner

(Baileyville)  We closed out our “Where in the World is Sonnie?” Saturday – just for the summer – with a delightful surprise.  First, we had a record 150-plus correct entries – more than double our previous record.  And then, our winner, Betty West of Baileyville, just happened to be celebrating her birthday Saturday, even as we drew her name!.  Betty tells us she grew up in Milbridge, last week’s location, so we’re pretty sure she’ll be enjoying that $25 gift card to Chipman’s Wharf!  Thanks so much to everyone who’s joined us on our adventures by playing!  We’ll be back in the fall with more adventures and more chances to win gift cards from our wonderful local businesses!

Ellsworth Public Library Reschedules The Grocery List

(Ellsworth)  The Ellsworth Public Library has rescheduled the screening of the IndieLens film The Grocery List for June 23.  The library will be partnering with local restaurant Conscious Cafe, with the video screened as part of their regular community dinner series on Tuesdays.  The Grocery List explores cultural connections by taking viewers inside five different international grocery stores across the U.S.  The first two docu-films of the series, The Inquisitor and The Librarians, drew overflow crowds and lively conversation.  For more information, visit ellsworth library dot net.

National News 06/15/26

Judge Orders Exhibits Restored at National Parks

(Undated)  A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to restore exhibits on slavery and climate to national parks by the Fourth of July, honoring the country’s 250th birthday.  U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley issued the ruling on Friday, giving the administration just 21 days to restore exhibits Trump called “inherently racist, sexist, oppressive, or otherwise irredeemably flawed” and had stripped from national parks and monuments across the country.  The ruling is a blow to the Trump administration’s March 2025 executive order that sent the Department of the Interior on a scorching censorship quest, scouring more than 430 national parks sites of verifiable history and science and anything that didn’t match the President’s “preferred narrative.”

Trump Name Removed from Kennedy Center

(Washington, DC)  Workers gathered at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC on Friday to remove the Trump name from its facade.  An official from the Center told a federal judge on Saturday that all references to President Donald Trump inside, outside, and online have been removed from the Kennedy Center, in compliance with a court order that demanded removal by noon on Saturday.  The ruling declared Congress gave the Center its name and only Congress can change it.  The removal was done behind draped scaffolding, reportedly ordered by Trump to prevent a public display of the stripping of his name from the building. Nonetheless, a crowd gathered in the rain to cheer the restoration of the Center’s facade.  They were treated to a double rainbow as the restoration progressed.

Knicks Win First Championship in 53 Years

(New York)  And as you no doubt know by now, the New York Knicks won their first NBA championship in 53 years Saturday night.  Fans filled Times Square following the victory, in which the Knicks roared back from a 16 point deficit to beat the Spurs in San Antonio in Game 5 of the Finals.  The City will officially celebrate the team on Thursday with a parade and a ceremony at City Hall.

© 2026 Downeast Digest.  All rights reserved.