Crime/Public Safety

Woman, Children Found Dead in Submerged Vehicle

(Roque Bluffs) The bodies of a Mount Desert woman and her two grandchildren were discovered yesterday in a submerged vehicle in Pond Cove in Roque Bluffs.  Officials tell Downeast Digest 61 yo Sharon Bukulmez was last seen about 8:30 Saturday evening after leaving a family get together in Jonesboro.  Bukulmez and her grandchildren, 5 yo Kinsley Grubb and 3 yo Sawyer Grubb of Bar Harbor, were on their way to Machias. State Police attempted to locate the victims and found Bukulmez’s cell phone pinged near a boat ramp at the end of Schoppee Point Road in Roque Bluffs. The car was found about 7 a.m. Sunday morning.  The bodies of the victims were taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.  Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

Body Found on Katahdin

(Baxter State Park)  The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has confirmed, authorities last Monday retrieved a body from Mount Katahdin and brought it to their office for identification.  The information was not released until late last week, and details remain sparse regarding the person’s identity or circumstances that may have led to his or her death.  According to hikers in the area, strong winds up to 100 mph were gusting around the time of the discovery.  More than 60 people have lost their lives to the mountain since record keeping began in 1933,  including a father and daughter from New York who lost their lives in a fall while attempting to traverse icy terrain on the peak in June 2025.

Penobscot Wildfire Spurs Creation of Protection Plan

(Castine)  An August 29th wildland fire near Dunbar and Castine Roads that burned more than five acres and required a broad regional response over multiple days has spurred Penobscot, eight other towns, and Isle au Haut to partner in an 18-month initiative to draft the Blue Hill Peninsula Community Wildfire Protection Plan.  The plan is backed by a $225K federal appropriation for the U.S. Forest Service secured by Senators Susan Collins and Angus King.  Penobscot Bay Press reports core goals include property assessments, educating homeowners on clearing flammable brush and other hazards near homes, improving rural water availability, and training residents on evacuation routes and mutual aid response protocols.

Local Politics

Nurses on Nationwide Tour Stop in Bangor

(Bangor)  A group of healthcare professionals representing National Nurses United made a stop in Bangor on Saturday as part of a nationwide tour to help raise awareness of the devastating effects of the Trump administration’s “One Big Beautiful Bill”, particularly on rural hospitals.  Joined by members of the Maine State Nurses’ Association, the group warned four Maine hospitals are especially vulnerable to the proposed federal healthcare cuts because of their reliance on Medicare and Medicaid funding.  The four – in Presque Isle, Brunswick, Lewiston, and York – reportedly serve more than a million patients a year.  NNU President Jamie Brown told the crowd gathered at Cascade Park, when the H.R. 1 cuts go into effect after the midterms, critical funding will virtually dry up, impacting facilities and the patients they serve.  The group urged voters to contact their legislators and push for action.

Economy

Heating Oil Costs Near 2022 Record 

(Maine)  It could be a long cold winter for many here in Maine.  Fuel costs 74% more than at this point last year, according to the Maine Department of Energy Resources, and the war in Iran is likely to put even more pressure on the market.  Statewide, the average price per gallon of heating oil is $5.77.  That’s  just shy of the record $5.92 per gallon set in 2022.  Kerosene prices have also risen, with local assistance programs reporting an historic surge in the number of families seeking help.  The Portland Press Herald notes Maine is the most heating oil reliant state in the country, with about half of all households depending on the resource to warm their homes through the state’s long winters.

Local NonProfits Profit from BHB&T’s “Casual for a Cause”

(Bar Harbor)  Rockland-based Island Institute, Common Good Soup Kitchen, and Schoodic Institute are among nonprofits who profited from this quarter’s “Casual for a Cause”, a Bar Harbor Bank & Trust program that encourages employees to dress casually on Fridays in exchange for a bi-weekly payroll deduction.  Participants then vote on community organizations to receive those funds.  More than $500K has been donated since the program’s inception in 2018.

Maine Low on List of Best States for Business

(CNB)  When it comes to doing business in Maine, there’s good news and bad news.  The bad news?  In CNBC’s annual “Top States for Doing Business” rankings, the Pine Tree State came in at number 35.  On the plus side, that’s up eight spots from Maine’s 2025 ranking.  The state ranks high for quality of life, coming in at Number 2; but it continues to fall behind in areas such as the cost of doing business (44th) and infrastructure (47th).  MaineBiz asked readers to weigh in on the number one thing that would improve business competitiveness.  Respondents cited, respectively,  lower energy and utility costs, reduced taxes on employers, more affordable housing, and speeding up permitting and approvals.  

First National Bank Grants

(Ellsworth)  Eligible nonprofits are invited to apply for First National Bank’s new Dream First Community Grant.  The $5K grants will support food security programming led by an eligible nonprofit, municipality, or school serving Hancock, Washington, Lincoln, Knox, Waldo, or Penobscot County.  Applications are being accepted through October 31st. at the link you’ll find on First National Bank’s FB page.

Environment

Dam Replacement Could Lead to Reinvigorated Salmon Population on Narraguagus River

(Cherryfield)  The Narraguagus River and its tributaries are some of the wildest in Maine.  The Pen Bay Pilot reports the waterway harbors shady refuges for fish, and the rocky bottom offers nesting spots for eggs.  But Atlantic salmon, an endangered species, has been missing, largely due to past construction of a dam that prevents them from spawning.  A current dam replacement project has environmentalists keeping their fingers crossed for the salmon’s return.  It’s hoped a nature-like set of stair-stepping pools will still slow the ice jams that once flooded Cherryfield but provide a passageway for salmon, river herring, shad, and other migrating fish.  The project got underway in June and is expected to be completed this November.  

Health

Age Friendly Coastal Communities Initiative

(Blue Hill)  Evaluating how training local volunteers to assist seniors is the goal of the Maine Community Connectors program, a pioneering initiative on the Blue Hill Peninsula that has recently served as a focal point for forming statewide social policy.  Penobscot Bay Press reports the project, spearheaded by Healthy Peninsula and known as the Age Friendly Coastal Communities Program, actively serves nine rural coastal towns to help older residents age safely, with dignity, and remain independent in their own homes.  Utilizing intergenerational connection, paramedicine, outreach, and practical assistance, the initiative aligns its local plan with major global and national frameworks, unlocking resources through AARP, the World Health Organization and others.

Human Interest

Cider Pressing at Jonathan Fisher House

(Blue Hill)  Nothing says “fall” like the annual cider pressing at the Jonathan Fisher House in Blue Hill.  Join them October 11th from Noon until 2 for orchard and house tours, an historical cooking demo, kids’ activities and more!  Bring your apples to press … and be sure to treat yourself to tales of Blue Hill’s first country parson who was also an artist, scientist, mathematician, surveyor, and writer of prose and poetry who bound his own books, made buttons and hats, designed and built furniture, and reported for the local newspaper!

National News 09/21/26

Merriam Webster Adds 1,400 New Words and Definitions

(ABC News)  “Glow up”, “cuffing season” (hint: we’re currently in it), and “promposal” are among 1400 new words and definitions recently added to the Merriam Webster Dictionary.  The list includes familiar food words like “cake pop”, “bao”, and “shishito” and even “Superfood” to denote nutrient rich foods such as broccoli and blueberries (from Maine, of course!).  Naturally, there’s the influence of technology, with words and phrases such as “Vibe coding” and “AGI” – short for that ever-controversial Artificial General Intelligence.  According to ABC News, the dictionary standard doesn’t add a term simply because it’s trending, but after editors find evidence a word or meaning has become widely used over time.  

Game On! Finalists Announced for the National Toy Hall of Fame

(ABC News)  It’s Game On! as our favorite toys vie for a place in this year’s National Toy Hall of Fame competition.  ABC News reports Tickle Me Elmo, Bingo, and the lowly playground slide – that metal weapon on which we all burned our – well, you know!  But, oh, the hours of fun!  This year’s finalists also include cuddly Care Bears, and games old and new – Yahtzee, Mahjong, Bop It!, and the Pokemon Trading Card Game.  The three 2026 winners will join 90 others enshrined in the National Toy Hall of Fame, alongside Cabbage Patch Kids, Hot Wheels, and Mr. Potato Head.  Want to have a say in who’s selected?  Weigh in at museumofplay.org and scroll down to vote … but be aware voting ends this Wednesday.  

Corn Mazes Honor Dolly Parton

(ABC)  Nearly 20 farms across the United States and Canada are featuring Dolly Parton’s likeness in their corn mazes this year in order to benefit her Imagination Library.  ABC News reports one such maze of maize is in an expansive field next to Twins BBQ in Brookfield, Connecticut.  Owner Danielle Gallop attended a corn maze convention last year at Dollywood and was taken by the star’s integrity, ethics, and generosity.  So, in May they began planning their maze to honor the crooner, obviously having no idea the beloved singer would pass away in August.  Gallop says this year, visitors are dressing up with Dolly Parton shirts, boots, and sometimes big hair – which by the way, she says, is the trickiest part of their maze because of all the little tips of Dolly’s big hair which lead visitors astray – something Dolly herself would never do.

Trump Says Arch a Matter of National Security

(NYTimes)  In an effort to justify yet another monument to his legacy in Washington, DC, President Donald Trump yesterday said his planned 250-foot triumphal arch would be built to host a large number of drones, snipers, and ammunition. In effect, the arch would house an arsenal and military staging ground in the midst of the nation’s capitol.  The NY Times reports the administration has been rushing in recent days to burden taxpayers with yet another Trump monument, like the White House ballroom, he claims is needed in order to protect himself and his entourage.  Architects, historians, and veterans warn such an arch will disrupt the historical area and views between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.  A group of Vietnam War veterans has sued to stop construction, illegal without Congressional approval.

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