Crime/Public Safety/Drugs

Deputy Luke Gross Honored

(Trenton)  First responders gathered along Route 3 in Trenton early yesterday to pay respects and remember Hancock County Sheriff’s Deputy Luke Gross on the fifth anniversary of his End of Watch.  Deputy Gross was responding to a motor vehicle crash on Route 3 when he was struck by another vehicle and lost his life in the line of duty.  The road was closed for a short time at 5 a.m. yesterday to honor Luke, his family, friends, and fellow first responders who continue to carry his memory.

Scholarship to Honor Motorcycle Crash Victim

(Sullivan)  It’s always tragic when a young life is lost too soon.  Incredibly, Mainers always find a way to turn such tragedy into something positive.  Twenty-nine-year-old Ricky Ryan died August 7th when his motorcycle collided with another vehicle on Route One in Hancock, leaving behind a wife, three children, and one on the way.  Ryan was a long-time cook at Tracey’s Seafood in Sullivan, where staff are like family.  To honor his memory, Tracey’s has announced the Ricky Ryan Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship will be awarded annually to a senior from Sumner Memorial High School who has worked in the restaurant industry while attending school, and who plans to continue their education or career training after graduation.  The restaurant will collect donations at their business and through yearly fundraising efforts. Follow them on FB to learn more or to contribute.

Economy

Hospital Spending in Maine Almost Back to Pre-Pandemic Levels

(Maine)  Hospital spending on staff is finally evening out after the massive financial strain of contract and travel labor during the Covid-19 years.  The Maine Monitor reports, while contract labor costs quadrupled during the height of the pandemic, aggressive workforce investments have helped restore hospital budgets by reducing reliance on temporary staff.  The Maine Hospital Association notes during the pandemic, hospital labor expenses grew from 62% of total operating costs to over 70% by 2022, with supply-and-demand spikes and hourly rates for contract registered nurses – often on the front lines – skyrocketing from roughly $65 to $250 per hour in some facilities.  Currently, the average staff vacancy rate sits at just under 15% on average, making recruitment and retention spending a top priority.

Developer Building Homes in Ellsworth

(Ellsworth)  When it comes to addressing a housing shortage, developers in Ellsworth are doing their part. A local developer is building twelve new two-story, single family homes off the Bucksport Road, just past Forest Ridge Campground.  All 12 properties are strictly designated as long-term rentals, rather than short-term vacation rentals or properties for immediate sales.  Another developer received approval to build a 36-unit development off Beals Avenue for mixed-income/workforce housing, although that project has faced delays due to market funding gaps.  And still a third has proposed a multi-unit townhouse development closer to Eastward Lane and High Street targeted as long-term rentals.  In addition, the City has partnered with Heart of Ellsworth and other nonprofits to study the feasibility of using empty spaces downtown as potential workforce housing.

Stitch Downeast Opens in Milbridge

(Milbridge)  It will be a truly “soft opening” at the Grand Opening of Stitch Downeast in Milbridge!  Tomorrow (Friday) from 10 to 5, owner Kathleen Morgan will officially open the doors to her wonderful shop at 31 Kennedy Highway in Milbridge.  Bring your project and take a seat in their sitting corner, where you can work with yarns and maybe SHARE a yarn or two and talk WIP’s (that’s “Works in Progress”!) with fellow fiber lovers!  Drop your name in their raffle basket for a chance to win a special prize.  The shop carries shawl pins, Amano yarns, and hand-dyed yarns by Home Spun Girls, local artisans who help support the local economy!  Check it all out tomorrow in Milbridge!

Loaves & Fishes to Hire Executive Director

(Ellsworth)  Thanks to a major donation from a key supporter, Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry in Ellsworth is launching a search for a senior-level Executive Director to help take them to the next stage in their journey of ending food insecurity in Hancock County.  They say under the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill”, people are struggling more than ever with persistently high prices for food, fuel, and other necessities, leading to the need for an on-staff leader to further the pantry’s mission.  The Board is working with Starboard Leadership Consulting, an experienced firm serving nonprofits and businesses, to provide strategic guidance and recruiting support.

Apply for Historic Community Buildings Grant

(Yarmouth)  There’s just one month left to apply for an Historic Community Buildings Grant through Maine Preservation.  In 2024, voters approved $10M for the preservation and restoration of historic community buildings owned by nonprofits and government entities.  In Round 1 of the program, the MHP Commission awarded more than $2.14M.  Round 2 is now open, with applications due on October 23rd.  Take advantage of the chance to secure funding for the preservation or restoration of a deserving building in your community.  Applications at mainepreservation.org.  

Health

MDI Hospital Construction Remains on Schedule

(MDI)  Construction of the new main entrance at MDI Health remains on schedule for completion this fall, with a soft opening planned for late October.  The Hospital says in the coming weeks, construction crews will continue exterior work on the Main Entrance, adding that no utility or traffic disruptions are expected over the next month. Once the entrance opens, vehicle traffic will enter directly from Main Street.  Meanwhile at the rear of the hospital, work continues on the Emergency Department expansion, which will include a new covered pedestrian entrance, a dedicated ambulance bay, and space for future surgical expansions.  A parking attendant is currently stationed at the temporary pedestrian access to the Emergency Department in order to ensure safety during ongoing construction.  

Infrastructure

City of Ellsworth Moves Forward with Bayside Road Reconstruction

(Ellsworth)  The City of Ellsworth has awarded an engineering firm close to $270K to design the reconstruction of a nearly two mile stretch of Bayside Road, funded through a 50/50 cost-share partnership with the Maine Department of Transportation.  According to The Ellsworth American, the stretch from Main Street to Beechland Road carries up to 10K vehicles a day, not including seasonal tourism traffic.  The project will address shoulder washouts, drainage failures, cracking, and other issues, along with traffic operations, and pedestrian and bicyclist accessibility.  Construction could begin as early as next fall and is estimated to take between 12 and 18 months.

Stillwater Bridge Closure

(Old Town)  The temporary Stillwater River Bridge in Old Town will close for several nighttime hours between September 27th – that’s Sunday – and October 2nd.  The Bangor Daily News reports the closures will allow work crews to safely winterize the temporary bridge structure.  Drivers should plan for nighttime delays or use alternate routes during overnight hours on those dates.  On August 13th, a portion of the new, replacement Llewellyn Estes Bridge collapsed during a concrete deck pour, injuring three construction workers.    

Human Interest

19 States Ratify End to Daylight Savings Time

(USA Today)  This week we mentioned Daylight Savings Time, which begins in the early morning hours of November 1st here in Maine.  According to USA Today, those hoping this would be the year that finally ends could be in for a disappointment.  Despite support from President Trump, dozens of states, and a bipartisan majority in the House, the “Sunshine Protection Act” continues to be stalled in the Senate; and unless Congress acts fast – is that an oxymoron? – we’re stuck again this year. In total, 19 states, including Maine – the only New England State to do so –  have enacted laws to make Daylight Savings Time permanent; but the laws can’t go into effect until Congress allows it at the federal level.  Under current federal law, states can opt to observe permanent standard time, as have Arizona and Hawaii, but cannot do the same with Daylight Savings.  

Ribbon Cutting to Celebrate Sculpture Trail

(Ellsworth)  Celebrate some unique stone cutting with a ribbon cutting to kick off this year’s Art of Ellsworth: Maine Craft Weekend. Now in its ninth year, Heart of Ellsworth has once again coordinated the four-day festival highlighting Downeast regional craft, public art, and hands-on workshops. Kick off the weekend as they celebrate the purchase and permanent placement of Celeste Roberge’s “Chaise Gabion”, September 30th, from 2-3 p.m. on the Ellsworth Public Library lawn.  On October 1st beginning at 5 p.m., explore models, sketches and tools at the Schoodic International Sculpture Symposium, open in the gallery at 16 State Street.  And on October 3rd, meet the sculptors at the Union River Sculpture Trail trailhead from 1 to 4 to explore stone, ask questions, and even try a few techniques yourself!  Maine Craft Weekend is a statewide celebration, and Ellsworth is a Featured City, so don’t miss out.  Find a complete schedule at heartofellsworth.org.

Maine Preservation Names 2026 Most Endangered Historic Places

(Maine)  Maine Preservation has released its 2026 list of Most Endangered Historic Places; and two of the four named are in Washington County – Wild Blueberry Land in Columbia Falls, and the Historic Tombs of Hillside Cemetery in Eastport.  They say nominations for at-risk buildings came in from across the state.  The endangered list is meant to amplify local preservation efforts to save such significant places as the unlikely pair of tombs in Eastport and the 26-foot-tall geodesic dome and the important lessons it holds about the state’s iconic blueberry. For a comprehensive list of endangered places and to learn ways you can help, visit mainepreservation.org.  

Friday is “Nine to Five” Day

(Undated)  Plan now to put on your big hair, your sparkliest clothes, your fanciest nails, and your high heeled boots – tomorrow is September 25th, or 9-2-5.  No better day to celebrate the late Dolly Parton with a donation to your favorite charity, a kind word to a neighbor, or by reading a book to a child.  Tributes continue to pour in for the self-effacing country crooner who used her fame and fortune to help others.  Nashville International Airport is in the process of being renamed to honor the country music legend, and we’re kind of hoping 9-2-5 becomes a permanently special day, and an ongoing annual reminder to be a good human.  

National News 09/24/26

Trump Defends Removing Journalists

(NYTimes)  In a courthouse filing Tuesday, White House officials said President Trump had determined that CNN, MS NOW and Politico had breached standards of conduct, leading to their expulsion from the White House Grounds.  According to the New York Times, the filing alleges the news outlets “trafficked in verifiable falsehoods about national security and other issues” and added, “Access to the White House is a privilege – not a right”. A judge on Wednesday upheld the ban for now. The filing gives the outlets until Friday to contest the decision; which is likely a moot point, since all the major networks have banded together in support of CNN and the others banned, and are refusing to cover White House Press briefings.

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