Crime/Public Safety

Propane Explosion Injures One

(Ellsworth)  Authorities are investigating after a propane explosion resulted in a person suffering serious burns in Ellsworth on Tuesday.  They say emergency responders were called to 253 North Street about 3 p.m.  The explosion involved a bus that had been converted into a recreational vehicle.  A preliminary investigation indicates the explosion originated in a cabinet beneath the propane range and was likely ignited by the electric compressor motor of a nearby refrigerator.  Two 25-pound propane cylinders were stored in the rear exterior compartment.  The sole occupant of the bus was taken to Northern Light Maine Coast Hospital.  No other information was being released as of Wednesday afternoon.  The incident remains under investigation.

Retired COA Professor Dies at Popular Swimming Hole in Acadia National Park

(Bar Harbor)  College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor is mourning the death of former professor Nancy Evelyn Andrews.  Andrews died this past weekend after experiencing a medical emergency at Echo Lake in Acadia National Park.  The popular professor was reportedly found unresponsive at the busy swimming hole near Ike’s Point boat landing on Saturday.  COA said students and members of the faculty were heartbroken by the news of her passing and that her artistry and teaching shaped the college in lasting ways, deeply impacting its film and media arts program.  It was the second death at the island’s waterways this month.  Authorities tell Downeast Digest on July 2nd, a local tour guide, 36 yo Rachel Crisp, died in what is being called a “swimming accident” in Somes Pond in Somesville.

Federal Investigators Call Baileyville Mill Incident Preventable

(Baileyville)  Federal investigators this week outlined a series of safety failures they say led to the preventable deaths of two young workers at Woodland Pulp, a papermill in Baileyville, Maine.  The Portland Press Herald reports the U.S. Chemical Safety Board’s analysis reveals the mill lacked basic alarms, tracking systems, and ventilation to protect employees from a predictable toxic gas release.  Two young workers died in that incident.  Twenty year old Kasie Malcolm, a UMaine student, and 26 yo engineer Allen Hornberger were working on the second floor of the mill in January when they were overcome by a sudden release of toxic gas.  USCS Board chair Steve Owens said, “Although our investigation is still ongoing, it is already clear that this terrible tragedy should never have happened.” 

Local Politics

Hancock County Dems Meet

(Ellsworth)  Maine Democrats will hold a statewide nominating convention a week from Saturday in order  to select a replacement for Senate candidate Graham Platner, who stepped down amid ongoing accusations of sexual impropriety.  Each county will be represented at the convention.  Hancock County Democrats will meet at Ellsworth Elementary-Middle School this Saturday, July 18th, to elect 23 delegates to attend.  The meeting is open to any Democrat in Hancock County registered as of July 9th.  Check in begins at 8 a.m., followed by a meet and greet with delegate candidates, a meeting, and voting, which will begin at 10.

Machias Enacts Marijuana Moratorium

(Machias)  Machias voters have approved a 180-day moratorium on new cannabis establishment applications.  The Machias Valley News Observer reports a six-month pause on processing and issuing new adult-use and medical permits will allow the town to review and possibly revise its 2024 Ordinance on the issue.  While the restriction temporarily prevents the town from accepting or processing new applications, current operators are allowed to continue running.  However, the moratorium freezes new businesses from entering the local market, providing time for community discussion on possibly capping the number of shops.

Economy

Hubbard Rakes Inventor Plans to Rebuild

(Jonesport)  Ike Hubbard of Jonesport is proof you can’t keep a good man down – no matter how old he is.  The 84 year old local veteran designed and handcrafted specialized blueberry rakes at his small shop on the family homestead, and had been doing so for 40 years.  Until, as Downeast Digest reported last month, his shop burned to the ground on June 29th.  According to the publication “Working Man’s Truth”, Ike lost some $100K worth of equipment.  Eight thousand dollars worth of finished rakes, ready to deliver for this season’s blueberry harvest, was also destroyed in the blaze, along with tools he’d spent a lifetime collecting.  Not even a wrench survived.  But, even at age 84, and after his whole livelihood went up in flames, Ike is ready to get back to work. American Legion Post 9 in Machias is hosting a lobster feed on August 15th to support Ike, and a GoFundMe is set up for those who can’t make it.  RSVP for the feed by August 10th at the number you’ll find with this story at downeastdigest.com.  (255-8665).  Ike, we all hope you “rake” it in and get back to work in record time.

Home Sales Jump in June

(Maine)  June brought a rise in home sales to Maine, as the state continues to see a surge in properties hitting the market.  The Bangor Daily News reports buyers closed deals on 1,556 homes last month – up over 7% from June 2025, according to the Maine Association of Realtors.  The median sales price for a home in the Pine Tree State rose a more modest 2.6% year over year to $436,000 – still far out of the range of affordability for many buyers.  The median home price fell most sharply in Knox, Lincoln, and Waldo Counties for the three month period ending June 30th.

Environment

House Passes Daylight Savings Bill

(The Hill)  The U.S. House on Tuesday voted to make Daylight Saving Time permanent nationwide.  According to The Hill, the lower chamber voted 308-177 with broad bipartisan support for the Sunshine Protection Act of 2025.  Twenty-two Republicans and 95 Democrats voted against the measure, which now heads to the Senate.  President Trump has backed the legislation, saying in a Truth Social post, “Hundreds of millions of dollars are spent every year by people, cities and states being forced to change their clocks”.  Supporters say the extended evening daylight could boost tourism and outdoor recreation.  The Senate in 2022 unanimously approved a similar measure.  But it could face opposition this time around as detractors warn it would “push winter sunrises to an absurdly late hour” and that “kids would either walk to school in the pitch black or schools would have to push back start times.”

Canadian Wildfires Cause Smoky Skies Throughout New England

(Maine)  The air resembled a fog bank, the sun glowed like an eerie red orb, and the sunset was the stuff of which award-winning photos are made… if using filters.  Yesterday’s unusual atmosphere was the result of some of the more than 830 wildfires burning across Canada on Wednesday.  ABC News reports some of the largest wildfires are burning in west-central Ontario, consuming thick forests and releasing an incredible amount of smoke, with the wind now directing that smoke into the U.S., creating dangerous air quality across the upper Midwest and Northeast through the end of the week.  Forecasters say rain on Saturday here in the Northeast should help disperse some of the haze, but persons with breathing issues should take necessary precautions.

Health

Blood Test May Predict Alzheimer’s

(AP)  Researchers on Wednesday reported a blood test could predict if apparently healthy older adults are likely to develop Alzheimer’s symptoms in the next five to ten years.  According to the Associated Press, scientists behind the new study stress it’s too soon for people to seek out the so-called p-tau217 test, which is currently used to help diagnose whether those with cognitive problems have Alzheimer’s or another disorder.  They say, however, it’s a potential tool to speed drug development by helping to identify and enroll high-risk people into studies of treatments and/or preventative strategies.

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Infrastructure

Eastport Secures Funds for Breakwater, Fish Pier Upgrades

(Eastport)  The Eastport Port Authority has been awarded a $19.7M federal BUILD grant to modernize its waterfront infrastructure.  MaineBiz reports the funding will allocate $7.5M to repair the 45-year-old fish pier and $12.2M to construct a 97-foot extension of the city’s breakwater.  According to Executive Director Chris Gardner, the crucial upgrades will prevent structural failure of the pier, protect the harbor by extending the breakwater to shield the inner harbor from storm damage, and support the local economy by protecting commercial fishing, aquaculture, and international shipping industries.  The Eastport Port Authority oversees the deepest natural seaport in the continental United States.  

Human Interest

Summer Reading

(Maine)  Winter is a great time to curl up by a cozy fire with a good book.  But summer days often give us more leisure time for reading.  MaineBiz recently polled business leaders around the state about what was on their summer reading list.  Twenty-eight percent said a biography, history, or memoir; 26% a mystery or thriller, and 13% sadly responded they don’t have time to read.  Other responses included romance, self-help, fantasy, sci-fi, and true crime novels, respectively.  

Man Who Walked Across the U.S. Returns to Maine

(Undated)  Back in March 2021, a Brigham Young University grad set out on a solo walk of thousands of miles across the United States.  Isaiah Glen Shields and his cart on wheels took us along on that journey … through deserts, forests, heat and cold … via a blog post followed by thousands.  Shields began his walk from Utah to Cape Flattery, Washington, the westernmost point of the continental U.S., then charted a course through Texas, along the Gulf Coast, and up the east coast, ending on November 13, 2022, at West Quoddy Head Lighthouse in Lubec, Maine, where he was cheered by a crowd and a banner put together by Jonesport Type, Print, & Copy that still hangs in his home in Utah. Last week, he returned to West Quoddy Head, this time with his fiancee, Julia.  Shields posted on FB it was much more emotional than he expected; but that, just like last time, “We experienced wonderful people during our too-brief trip in Maine.”  Come back anytime, Isaiah and Julia – our door is always open.

National News 07/16/26

House Republicans Unveil $95B Plan for Iran War, Fair Aid, Elections

(AP)  House Republicans on Wednesday unveiled a $95B plan centered on boosting defense, aiding farmers, and enacting stricter voter registration rules.  The Associated Press reports it’s a sequel to the massive tax and spending cut bill the President signed into law last year.  The 47-page proposal is a long-shot undertaking designed to supplement Pentagon funding for the Iran War that began in February when the Trump Administration and Israel attacked Iran, costing American taxpayers up to a billion dollars a day.  It also emphasizes Trump’s top priority of changing voter registration requirements, amid Republican concerns about the midterms and the President’s plummeting poll numbers.

President Sends Mixed Messages on ICE Traffic Stops

(AP)  President Donald Trump yesterday said Immigration and Customs Enforcement should continue traffic stops after two deadly shootings within a week; the last, the murder of a 26 yo father and legal immigrant in Biddeford, Maine, who had a Social Security number and who was authorized to work in the U.S.  The victim, Joan Sebastian Guerrero of Colombia, was also reportedly not the target of agents’ enforcement detail. The President’s directive seemed to contradict a new policy to halt most such traffic stops issued just a day prior.

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