Crime/Public Safety/Drugs

Ellsworth Fire Department Cookout Honors 9/11

(Ellsworth)  It’s hard to believe the tragedy of September 11, 2001 happened 25 years ago.  The Ellsworth Fire Department is keeping alive the memory of the brave first responders and others who rushed in to save lives; many losing theirs in the process.  Join them on Friday, September 11th, at Ellsworth City Hall for a community cookout to honor all those whose lives were impacted that day.  They’ll be serving up food generously donated by the Ellsworth WalMart from 11 to 2.  The Ellsworth Fire Department hosts an official 9/11 memorial featuring an authentic piece of steel i-beam from the World Trade Center, on display to honor heroes and victims of that day – be sure to check it out when you stop by.

Motorcycle Deaths in Maine Now Double Last Year’s

(Maine)  Maine has now recorded twice the number of motorcycle fatalities reported for this same time last year, with 28 motorcycle-related deaths, compared to 14 as of this date in 2025.  The Maine Department of Public Safety says there is no single factor in the crashes, though recent incidents have involved other vehicles crossing into the path of motorcycles, riders leaving the roadway, at least one collision with a deer, and several instances where riders weren’t wearing helmets.  Hancock County alone recorded three fatal motorcycle crashes within just a little more than a month between July 3rd and August 7th.  

Firefighters Respond to Garage Fire

(Hancock)  The Hancock Volunteer Fire Department didn’t have long to celebrate Saturday’s Open House before they were called to duty.  Shortly after 3:30 Sunday morning, crews were called to a fire in a garage attached to a residence on Acadia Lane.  The first unit was on the scene in just nine minutes, and crews learned all the occupants were safely out of the home, but a cat was unaccounted for.  Firefighters went right to work and contained the blaze just inside the side entry door of the main residence.  While they say the garage is a total loss, the house is salvageable … and best of all, they were able to find and rescue the cat.

EMS Awards

(Augusta)  We think all first responders are heroes.  On Thursday, several will be honored, as the Maine EMS Board hosts the 2026 Maine EMS Awards Ceremony at the Maine Statehouse in Augusta.  The event recognizes EMS clinicians, partners, and organizations across the state for their achievements and contributions to emergency medical services in Maine.  Honorees include individuals and agencies that have demonstrated excellence in patient care, leadership, innovation, and service to their communities.  The event begins at 1 p.m. in the Hall of Flags at the Statehouse.

Local Politics

Bucks Harbor Cracks Down on Congestion

(Machiasport)  Local authorities are cracking down on trailer parking at Bucks Harbor in the Washington County town of Machiasport.  According to the Machias Valley News Observer, the change is due to severe congestion and blocked intersections on Pettigrow Point Road, leading the Machiasport Harbor Master and Select Board to enforce zero-tolerance rules for illegal overnight trailer parking.  They say if you plan to leave your rig overnight, you must speak with the town office or local harbormaster to request a designated staging area.  Consider yourself warned …

Surry Tax Burden Shifts

(Surry)  Residents of the town of Surry will experience a lower mill rate this year, but the Weekly Packet reports that won’t necessarily mean individual tax payments will decrease.  The Select Board says the town updated its property assessments in order to bring values closer to current market levels.  The redistribution of property values results in a lower overall mill rate for the town, set at 8.36 for 2027. But because individual payments depend on the updated valuation of each property relative to the new market baseline, that reduction doesn’t automatically mean lower tax bills for everyone.  Real estate and personal property taxes in Surry are traditionally due September 30th and March 30th.  Residents can check up-to-date amounts through the Town of Surry Tax Office. 

Economy

Jonesport Looks to Rehome Town Clock

(Jonesport)  For sale:  One slightly used town clock.  Lovingly restored and preserved in church basement.  The town of Jonesport is hoping to find a new home for the old clock originally mounted in the steeple of the Sawyer Memorial Congregational Church.  According to the Machias Valley News Observer, when the steeple was replaced a decade ago, the clock and the brass bell beneath it were removed and given to the town.  Interest in putting the clock back up has emerged … but, alas, where?  Selectman Harry Fish, Jr. said the church would allow the town to raise it on the site of the former parsonage behind Moosabec Variety, but he thinks the town should own the land on which it is erected.  Time is ticking … stay tuned.

Bangor Mall Reboot

(Bangor)  New investors are wasting no time with plans for a Bangor Mall reboot.  MaineBiz reports Bangor Marketplace and Residences, LLC is targeting a final purchase from Namdar Realty Group next month. Plans call for transforming the struggling indoor mall into a vibrant “mini city”, building 200 condominiums and assisted living facilities, and adding doctor’s offices, healthcare facilities, a grocery and convenience stores, and an outlet style shopping layout with outward facing storefronts.  The buyers are reportedly actively securing bank funding and already talking with prospective tenants, with transformation steps starting shortly after a September closing.

Historic Campground Impacted by Jonesport Waterfront Project

(Jonesport)  Sometimes a bit of loss is the price of progress.  The town of Jonesport is now working on phase two of the Henry Point waterfront project, a much needed heavy-duty pier to be built across from the breakwater.  In order to move forward with the project, the town purchased the Jonesport Campground, a more than 100 year old site enjoyed by visitors; many of whom come year after year to camp, kayak, canoe, and otherwise recreate.  The town first widened the Campground Road to give commercial fishers and harvesters better access and parking.  Moving now into the second phase, the raised pier will relieve congestion at the Jonesport Marina, which will stay dedicated for recreational use … and while it’s unclear what overall impact the project will have on the historic campground, the town says the goal is to preserve as much of it as possible while minimizing wetland impact.  Jonesport voters approved slightly more than $840K for the property purchase and matching grant funds.

Health

Dietary Habits as a Mosquito Repellent

(WaPo)  We all know the standard tips for avoiding those pesky mosquitoes – wear long sleeves, avoid pools of standing water around our homes, and use a safe repellent.  Scientists say perhaps just as effective is changing our eating habits.  Reporting in the Washington Post, experts say starchy vegetables, salty and spicy food make us more attractive to the biting beasts.  Not because of the foods themselves, but based on the chemical changes they cause to our bodies.  For example, they say spicy foods make our bodies produce more carbon dioxide.  And the carbon dioxide we exhale is how mosquitoes find us.  Same with drinking alcohol, particularly beer, which can also make us run hotter … and the pests are attracted to elevated body temperatures.  Just another reason to eat ice cream.  

Human Interest

MOFF at Knowlton Park

(Ellsworth)  Tomorrow’s the night – the Maine Outdoor Film Festival presents an evening of special films for all ages at Knowlton Park in Ellsworth, beginning at 7:30.  The 90-minute festival includes seven short films, including “Old Ladies Against Underwater Garbage”, featuring an 85 yo activist who leads a crew of fearless women determined to protect the environment, “Shaped by Land”, the story of one of the last Inuit ski guides in Greenland, where foreign operators dominate, “Wild Ride” about a group of gals at an annual Snowmobile Clinic, and “The First Traverse”, a gripping 7 minute feature that reimagines the first female traverse of New Hampshire’s Presidential range in winter.  Bring a blanket or chairs, a suggested donation of $5 to $10, and your spirit of adventure and activism.  

Tess Gerittsen Book Debuts Today

(Camden)  We became familiar with Camden author Tess Gerritsen when the Ellsworth Public Library hosted her for an author talk last year. Gerritsen shared her book series focuses on a group of retired spies living in small town Maine, and says her books are based on fact.  She says she knows of at least five CIA retirees who have lived in Camden and Rockport and has heard or read about more over the years.  The Portland Press Herald writes her latest book, The Shadow Friends, comes out today.  She’ll be appearing at The First Church in Belfast tonight at 7, along with fellow Camden author Paul Doiron, who’s also spoken at our Ellsworth library.  The 73-year-old Gerritsen, a physician-turned-author, wrote the “Rizzoli & Isles” novel series, and the characters and novels of her other books are being developed into a TV series, as well.  

Hancock County Sheriff Charities ATV Ride

(Hancock)  Great fun for a great cause!  The Hancock County Sheriff’s Charities Annual Carnival ATV ride is back.  Registration for the September 12th event is just $20, cash, check or card.  The ride rolls out of  the Acadia ATV Club at 8 a.m., but you can also hang out and dunk a deputy or enjoy food from the Wing Dingahs and Black Sheep food trucks.  The ride includes five stops, with games, cash prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places, and hidden trail prizes.  Many area businesses have stepped up as sponsors, including the Franklin Trading Post and Bar Harbor Bank & Trust.  Each year, the HCS Charities benefit area residents in need, including individual beneficiaries, and a Christmas gift program that helps both families and the elderly.   

Ellsworth City Hall Employee Appreciation Event

(Ellsworth)  There’s nothing better than knowing you’re appreciated!  On Thursday, Ellsworth City Hall will close at Noon for the Annual Employee Appreciation Picnic.  They say City employees work hard every day serving the citizens and visitors – maintaining roads and public spaces, responding to emergencies, providing essential services, and doing countless acts behind the scene that keep the community running smoothly.  Please plan ahead if you have business that requires a visit to city offices this week.  They’ll be open until Noon on the 27th and will open again for regular hours Monday, August 31st, at 7 a.m.

Technology

Data Centers Figure in Political Races

(NYT)  The question of data centers may not seem political, but the New York Times reports it has become one.  Here at home, Ellsworth, Eastport, Scarborough, and other municipalities are wrestling with the issue and proposed moratoriums. The centers are infamous for their drain on local resources, and the fight is suddenly at the epicenter of the midterm elections, with many Democrats and a growing number of Republicans campaigning against them in political ads cropping up from California to Florida.  A Gallup poll conducted in March showed 71% oppose local construction of the centers.  The fallout has been so swift that in some races, including Governor’s contests in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Florida, both major parties are airing television ads about data centers, often accusing opponents of supporting them. Politicians are walking a fine line between the importance of, they say, AI for America’s future and the drain on resources needed to sustain that future.

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