Local Politics

Washington County Manager Reinstated

(Machias)  In a unanimous vote Wednesday morning the Washington County Commissioners voted to reinstate County Manager Renee Gray.  Commissioners David Burns and Billy Howard voted to terminate Gray without cause on July 2nd.  At a July 9th Commissioners’ meeting the following week, Gray was ordered by a visibly angry Commissioner Burns to vacate her office after Gray’s attorney presented a series of charges against the two commissioners and the county in regards to her firing.  The court backed Gray, issuing a temporary restraining order and blocking her dismissal.  However, Gray had still been denied access to her office and responsibilities until this week when a reported contempt of court threat loomed.  

Bar Harbor Residents Appear to Support Enhanced Parking Program

(Bar Harbor)  Two hours of free parking each week for Bar Harbor residents?  Yes, please, say most, judging by applications received by city staff.  The Mount Desert Islander reports Town Council last month voted to adopt a proposal that gave residents the chance to apply for a parking coupon – good for up to two hours of free parking each week.  By August 18th, close to 200 people had applied.  It’s unclear what impact the coupons will have on overall revenue generated by the town’s seasonal parking meters – more than $4M during the five and a half months of FY2026 – but city officials say any losses will likely be offset by an approved increase in parking fees from $4 to $6 at premium parking spots in town.  Outside the downtown hub, rates will remain at $2 an hour.

Education

Warrant Committee Rejects AOS Reorganization Plan

(Bar Harbor)  The Bar Harbor Warrant Committee roundly rejected a proposed AOS 91 school reorganization plan this week, citing fears regarding loss of local control, increased costs, and diluted voting power.  The Mount Desert Islander reports the goal of the state-approved plan is to dissolve individual municipal school districts within the MDIRSS/AOS 91 systems, unifying them into a single Regional School Unit.  Proponents say it would eliminate administrative redundancies and other costs, but those opposed cite financial projections indicating Bar Harbor would pay more under the RSU format while still managing its own bond repayments.  The Bar Harbor Town Council will vote on its recommendation early next month. Voters will then have the final say when they go to the polls in November.

Woodlawn Homeschool Program Informational Fair

(Ellsworth)  Back to school is on everyone’s minds these days, including the folks at Woodlawn in Ellsworth.  On Tuesday, September 1st, families are invited to their Homeschool Informational Fair from 1 to 3 p.m. at The Barn.  Fourteen local organizations will be on hand to help you get connected and discover the array of educational programs offered in the area.  Throughout the year, Woodlawn  schedules school tours and activities for public, private and homeschool youth, educators, and their families.

Environment

Skywatchers Could Be Treated to Rare Double Feature

(Undated)  Skywatchers tonight could be treated to a rare double feature – a partial lunar eclipse of the blood moon will coincide with a geomagnetic solar storm, possibly creating conditions for simultaneous viewing of the Northern Lights.  Astronomers say the best time to catch both events at the same time is around maximum eclipse, when the sky is at its darkest.  For us here in Maine, that’s 12:12 a.m. Friday morning.  Up to 20 U.S. states could see the auroras, depending on the storm’s final strength.  They say look north for the aurora, south for the moon.  Faint northern lights that are difficult to see with the naked eye can often be captured using a phone camera’s night mode.  

MDEP Files Suit Against Orrington Chemical Plant Owner

(Orrington)  The former Holtrachem site along the Penobscot River in Orrington is one of Maine’s most contaminated sites.  That’s according to a news release from the Department of Environmental Protection, which this week filed a complaint against owner Mallinckrodt US.  The former Holtrachem site was a chloralkali manufacturing facility that made chemicals commonly used in the pulp and paper industry.  The suit claims the company has not met remediation standards required in DEP’s 2008 order.  Two Notices of Violation were issued to the company last year.

Health

Shaw Institute Studies Impact of Environmental Plastic and Brain Health

(Blue Hill)  Thanks to a grant from the National Institutes of Health, the Shaw Institute in Blue Hill is collaborating on a project researching how micro and nanoplastics may accumulate in the aging human brain … and whether their presence is associated with Alzheimer’s Disease.  Lead researchers at Arizona State University first had to determine whether microplastics could reliably be detected and measured in human brain tissue.  Dr. Charles Rolsky and the team at the Shaw Institute are cross-checking results across various analytical techniques by breaking down and measuring tissue in order to ensure what is being reported is real plastic.

Infrastructure

High Street Corridor Study

(Ellsworth)  Pedestrian and bicycle safety were the focus of a study presented at a City of Ellsworth meeting Tuesday night.  The final designs from a study focusing on the busy High Street stretch included feedback from residents and stakeholders on the four main areas of a 2.25 mile section of High Street between the intersections of Main and Myrick Streets, along with options for the future of the commercial corridor.  Recommendations include maintaining two lanes of traffic in either direction and keeping Beals Avenue open to traffic from High Street.  Also, incorporating multi-use paths along the road, greenery, and crosswalks with signals.  City Manager Charlie Pearce said the City will next seek input from City Council, the Maine DOT, and other partners before going further with future grants. The work to this point presented was funded by a federal grant and so far has cost the City zero out of pocket.

EMEC Outage Planned

(Calais)  A planned power outage is scheduled today affecting EMEC co-op members on Route One outside Calais, including Robbinston, Perry, and parts of Charlotte in Washington County.  The Co-op says it must cut power to a couple of sections of line in order to accommodate a Maine culvert replacement.  They say the process would normally require an outage lasting several hours, but linemen will do some switching to keep power on to most of those affected.  The first brief outage is expected around 9 this morning, and the second later in the day.  Members are asked to limit energy use between the outages in order to help maintain reliable service.

Human Interest

Name That Lobster

(Blue Hill)  The Shaw Institute in Blue Hill wants your help in naming their rare, one-in-two-million blue lobster.  They narrowed down more than 100 community submissions to just six choices, including Blucifer, Gordon Bleu, and Clawde, spelled c-l-a-w-d-e.  Cast your vote soon at shawinstitute.org.

Big Jim Enjoys Summer in Searsport

(Searsport)  While students and educators head back to school this week and next, one famous icon has about six more weeks of vacation in Searsport.  We’re talking about the historic statue known as Big Jim. The nearly 40-foot tall legend was dismantled and restored this year after half a century of watching over the coast outside Gouldsboro.  Originally created in 1959 to celebrate Maine’s sardine industry, the statue then became a lobsterman for a time, symbolizing the hardworking coastal communities of the Schoodic Peninsula.  After meticulous restoration, Big Jim spent the summer on display outside the Penobscot Marine Museum, where he’ll remain until mid October when he returns to his original post at what’s now Bold Coast Seafood in Prospect Harbor.

National News 08/27/26

Meta to Pay $17B Settlement

(AP)  Meta on Wednesday agreed to pay a $17B settlement and include stronger child-safety measures to its Facebook and Instagram platforms.  The Associated Press reports the landmark legal settlement ended a trial over teen social media addiction and settled claims filed by 47 states, including Maine.  Advocates cheered the new protections, including default time limits and the disabling of features such as “like” counts.  However, Sacha Haworth, Executive Director of The Tech Oversight Project noted, “We cannot truly protect all children and teens until these protections are required on every platform and are permanent – that’s something only Congress can do.”

Tributes to Dolly Parton Poured In

(Undated)  Tributes to the late Dolly Parton spread across the nation and the world following news of her death on Tuesday.  The Empire State Building was lit up in pink at 9:25 (or Nine to Five), The King’s Guard at Buckingham Palace played a special rendition of the song in her honor, flags in Maine and across the nation were ordered to fly at half staff for the next week, and fans, politicians, and fellow musicians and actors flooded social media with heartfelt tributes, focusing on the country crooner’s use of her massive wealth for good – she gave a million dollars to help fund a COVID vaccine – and the lesson she left that all people, no matter their color, creed, or sexual orientation, are worthy of acceptance.  

Tim Curry Dies

(AP)  In related news, actor Tim Curry, who played the flamboyant Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, died Wednesday at the age of 80.  Curry also terrified a generation as Pennywise the Clown in the 1990 television miniseries adaptation of the Stephen King novel.  Curry suffered a severe stroke in 2012 that left him partially paralyzed.  Sources say he died peacefully at his Los Angeles home.

Dolly Parton Leaves Song in Time Capsule

(Undated)  In typical Dolly fashion, the Queen of Country Music left us one more gift of song.  Parton recorded a secret song, entitled “My Place in History” and placed it inside a time capsule at her theme park, not to be opened until 2045, on what would have been her 99th birthday.  According to E! News, the wooden “Dream Box” time capsule is on display behind glass at the DreamMore Resort near her park.  One thing that’s not a secret, her place in history is unmatched for her music, her Imagination Library, and proof that a smart, powerful woman can leave behind a legacy of acceptance and kindness, as well. 

Nepal Flooding Leaves Death, Devastation

(Nepal)  At least 160 people were killed and hundreds of others, many of them tourists, were missing in Nepal and Tibet Wednesday, after massive floods crashed through river valleys and destroyed settlements.  The New York Times reports most of the dead were in Nepal, where there was no rain, so the floods hit unexpectedly.  As many as 400 tourists, including three Americans, are among those reported missing.

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