Crime/Public Safety/Drugs

Child Passenger Safety Week

(Maine)  September 20th through the 26th is National Child Passenger Safety Week.  Law enforcement agencies are placing special emphasis on drivers double checking and making sure children are in the right seats and that seats are installed correctly.  They say moving a child to the next type of car seat (rear-facing, forward-facing, or booster) before they are ready leaves them vulnerable in a crash. A study of more than 1500 car seat checks from July 2018 to June 2026 found there was a 76% misuse rate. If you’re unsure, agencies will be offering free car seat check events throughout the state during the week, including at UMaine Machias on September 26th from 10 until 2.  

Momo’s Cheesecakes Venmo Controversy

(Ellsworth)  Who doesn’t love Momo’s cheesecakes, the honor system delicious dessert stop on Washington Junction Road in Ellsworth?  There’s only one Momo’s … or is there?  Unfortunately, another bakery calling itself Momo’s Cheesecakes has a Venmo account that our Momo’s says has received a lot of payments clearly meant for the Ellsworth eatery.  They say they’ve requested the money be sent back to them and hope the other organization will do the right thing and pay them back!  The Ellsworth Momo’s cautions they put their logo on EVERYTHING … so if you don’t see their sign or logo, please don’t send payment through.  Check their FB page for more details.  And be sure you get … and pay for … the “real” thing!

Local Politics

Legislators Celebrate Centenarian, Participate in Pirate Days

(Maine)  Maine State Legislators from both parties were busy this past week celebrating Mainers and local Maine events.  Republican Senator Marianne Moore got into the swashbuckling spirit by donning festive gear and meeting constituents at the Eastport Pirate Festival parade, delighting onlookers by rocking her tricorn hat, dabloon-worthy dress, and black boots.  Meanwhile, Democratic Senator Nicole Grohoski and fellow Dems honored Castine resident Doris Russell, who celebrated her 100th birthday on Sunday.  Russell became active in politics at the young age of 14, working for Wendell Wilkie, who challenged FDR for the Presidency in 1940.  She’s continued giving a lifetime of public service, and still reads a book a week, telling Grohoski there’s no secret to a long life – you either use it or lose it.

Lubec Selectmen Chair Meets  Residency Requirement

(Lubec)  The Board of Selectmen last week received a legal opinion affirming Chair Carol Dennison does meet residency requirements.  The town’s attorney wrote, “the evidence reviewed overwhelmingly suggests that Ms. Dennison is a qualified voter in the town of Lubec and maintains a place of principal residence (there).”  Former board member Dan Daley had challenged Dennison’s eligibility because she owns a home in Lubec but lives with her husband at his home in Trescott.  But the attorney found Dennison maintains her property on School Street in Lubec as a voting residence, which Maine law defines as “a place a person has established as a fixed and principal home to which they intend to return when temporarily absent”.  While the decision didn’t sit well with everyone, Dennison noted she is in Lubec every day and is the only one who can come and go from the Lubec residence.

States Sue Over Trump Green Card Policy

(Maine)  Maine joins a coalition of 22 states and the District of Columbia that on Monday sued the Trump administration over what they called a “catastrophic” new policy that would make it more difficult for immigrants to obtain green cards if they rely on public benefits.  According to The NY Times, the suit argues the policy, set to take effect on Friday, would hurt immigrant families by forcing them to either turn away from public assistance programs for basic needs or risk being denied green cards in the future.  It also argues the policy will harm not only hard-working families, but also states and municipalities by straining emergency rooms and reducing participation in food stamps, which would drain money from local businesses that depend on federal benefits.

Economy

EPL Hosts Personal Finance Workshop

(Ellsworth)  Do you find yourself struggling to create a budget?  Wondering how to raise your credit score?  Are you concerned about identity theft and/or managing debt?  These are all topics that will be covered at a free financial workshop series to be held at the Ellsworth Public Library, in collaboration with Key Bank.  The first class is Thursday, September 24th, at 5:30 p.m., where participants will learn to set goals and apply strategies to manage day to day spending.  Other topics will be discussed at once-a-month workshops October through December.  While there’s no cost, registration is required at ellsworthlibrary.net, where you’ll also find more details on class dates, times, and topics.

City of Ellsworth Craft/Vendor Fair

(Ellsworth)  Less than two weeks until the Ellsworth Community Craft Fair – Saturday, September 26th, from 8 to 2 at the Ellsworth Elementary Middle School.  Do all your holiday shopping in one place, with tons of amazing handmade treasures.  But the event is about more than just great crafts. All proceeds from vendor table reservations directly support the City’s General Assistance Fund, which supplies Backpacks for Kids for the upcoming academic year and Christmas for Kids, that helps families in need experience the joy of the holidays. Mark your calendars, shop, and help make a difference – again, that’s September 26th from 8 to 2 at Ellsworth Elementary Middle School.

Home Prices Up, Sales Down in August

(Maine)  Home sales were down about 10% in August, even as home prices in Maine rose by a little over 4%.  According to the Maine Association of Realtors, the median sales price for a home in Maine hit $424,550 last month.  MaineBiz reports price increases varied by county, but the rapid escalation of the past few years has cooled.  During the highest sales volume period – June through August – prices saw the greatest uptick in Hancock County – up 18.54% from the same period last year.  Six counties, including Washington, Knox, and Lincoln, saw either no price increase or a slight decrease during the peak summer sales period.

Ten-Town Initiative to Address Housing Shortage 

(Blue Hill)  An initiative spearheaded by ten Downeast towns is tasked with identifying strategies to address regional workforce, senior, and family housing shortages.  Penobscot Bay Press reports the group dubbed Housing Opportunities on the Peninsula, or HOOP, includes Blue Hill, Brooklin, and Brooksville, Castine, Deer Isle, and Orland, and Penobscot, Sedgwick, Stonington, and Surry.  The project, funded by a municipal housing grant, recently hosted public planning sessions to transition from regional housing studies to concrete implementation and building toolkits.  Goals include diversifying the local housing supply and tackling municipal constraints such as high demand and construction hurdles.

Education

University of Maine Students Provide Care in Peru

(Peru)  A group of UMaine nursing students had a life changing experience this summer when they traveled to a rural mountain village in Peru to provide healthcare.  They say many children in the villages had little experience with healthcare beyond routine immunizations; so building trust was a first priority.  Over eight days, the students cared for more than 150 people across two communities in the northern Amazonas region.  The students said they were shocked by how different the living conditions were in the villages – surviving without so many of the “necessities” we take for granted, including limited infrastructure, unsafe drinking water, and a lack of plumbing and refrigeration.  Before the trip, the students learned medical Spanish, then worked alongside interpreters to make a lasting difference.

Environment

Library Card Holders Get Free Day at Maine State Parks

(Ellsworth)  That library card you hold just earned you another perk – a free day at Maine State Parks this Saturday, September 19th.  The Maine State Library and Maine State Parks invite you to simply show your Maine library card at the entrance to any participating Maine State Park on Saturday, and enjoy the day outdoors.  Pack a picnic, take a hike, explore with the family, or simply find a peaceful spot to read.  And don’t forget to sign up for a library card at the Ellsworth Public Library this month for your chance to win one of multiple $50 gas cards.  Already have an EPL card?  Sign up a friend, and you’ll both be entered. September is Library Card Sign up month – it’s your passport to adventure, mystery, romance, history, museums; and this Saturday, state parks!

Lights Out for Bird Migration

(Undated)  Fortunately, here in Maine we’re blessed with dark skies, and some say that’s for the birds.  It’s peak fall migration season, and BirdCast says most small songbirds migrate at night, using the stars and moon to navigate.  Bright city lights and skyglow pull birds off course, causing exhaustion and fatal window strikes.  They say fall migration waves can involve hundreds of millions of our feathered friends crossing the U.S. in a single night.  How to help?  Experts advise turning off floodlights, porch lights, and signs after 11 p.m., with all non-essential lights off from dusk to dawn during critical migration periods.  Also, close those window and door blinds to keep light from spilling into the night sky.  You can find more tips and monitor real-time migration maps by signing up at birdcast.org.

Human Interest

Common Ground Fair Celebrates 50 Years

(Unity)  This year’s Common Ground Fair will celebrate a half-century of rural living, local food, and community.  Organized by the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, or MOFGA, the Common Ground Fair runs September 25th through 27th at the fairgrounds in Unity, Maine.  Special events this year include a 50 Years T-shirt parade, with prizes for the oldest volunteer shirt, a memorial bulb planting to honor loved ones who helped shape the fair’s history, a special exhibition hall display featuring 50 years of photos, artifacts, and fair memorabilia.  Check out more and plan your visit on the link you’ll find on the fair’s FB page.

National News 09/15/26

Trump Erases Limits on Climate Pollution from Power Plants

(NYT) Generation of electricity is the second largest source of carbon dioxide and other planet-warming gases in the United States.  Still, the NY Times reports, the Trump administration Monday was expected to announce the U.S. will no longer limit the planet-warming pollution power plants pump into the air while burning coal and gas. The shift by the EPA completes the administration’s dismissal of the most consequential climate policies of Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama.  The move is expected to face legal challenges; but if it survives, it could also prevent future administrations from regulating greenhouse gas emissions from power plants.  

Trump-Appointed Kennedy Center Board Claims Bankruptcy Imminent

(WaPo)  The Trump-appointed board of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts says the center is on the brink of bankruptcy and could close as early as today unless Trump’s name is put back on its facade, ensuring his fundraising efforts.  A special meeting was set for today at which the board will consider two resolutions aimed at addressing the crisis. The Board is expected to recommend closing the center immediately and plans to make clear Trump’s support hinges on getting public credit for his involvement.  Ticket and fundraising efforts, once robust, have plummeted since Trump ousted prior board members and installed a group guaranteed to bend to his will.  

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