Crime/Public Safety/Drugs

Preventative Measures Underway at Site of Roque Bluffs Tragedies

(Roque Bluffs)  Officials are taking steps to provide protective infrastructure at a public boat ramp in Roque Bluffs, where a 61 year old woman and her two grandchildren died inside a submerged vehicle on September 19th.  NewsCenter Maine reports the vehicle was inadvertently driven down the steep, pitch-black boat launch into the water. Two other women died in a similar accident at the exact same location in 2013.  Safety measures include placing a temporary barrier at the boat ramp to block motorists, installation of a permanent security gate that will be closed and locked when the public landing is not in active use, and adding flashing warning lights and high-visibility signs to explicitly warn drivers the road ends directly into the bay.

The Messenger Offers Microchipping for Pets

(Harrington)  Many of us consider our pets to be family.  Even if you keep them safe indoors, stories abound about a furry companion escaping through an open door or window, on a cross-country move, even on a trip to the vet.  Fortunately, many of those escape artists have been reunited with their owners thanks to microchipping.  So it’s good news to learn The Messenger Animal Rescue in Harrington is now offering microchipping for pets in their community.  And that peace of mind is just $25 per pet, including implantation and lifetime registration.  Visit The Messenger Animal Rescue on FB for more details.  

Bear Sightings Prompt Restrictions at Town Garage

(Mount Desert)  Nothing cuter than a mama bear and her two cubs – unless they’re making a mess by getting into your garbage.  That’s been the case lately at the Mount Desert Town Garage, which has removed its dumpsters at night and restricted public access.  The area is now open to the public from 7 to 3 daily, and temporary barricades are in place at entryways after hours in order to dissuade bears from using the site as a food source.

Economy

Penobscot Provisions Plans for Thanksgiving

(Penobscot)  A reminder that if you live in or near Penobscot and are in need of food, the pantry at the old fire station on Bridges Point Road is fully stocked and available 24/7.  Heather at the pantry says they’ll be putting together ten complete Thanksgiving meals this year  … with everything from turkey to pie.  They’re on social media if you’d like to get your name in.  Also, they say they SO love and appreciate food donations, but ask that donors please check expiration dates – they are unable to stock expired food, so it just gets tossed.  Thanks to everyone who is caring for our neighbors, especially in these tough economic times.  

Ellsworth Hotel to Open This Month

(Ellsworth)  The new Home2Suites by Hilton on the Downeast Highway in Ellsworth is set to open this month.  According to the hotel’s website, the 83-room accommodations are  booking reservations beginning October 21st.  The Bangor Daily News reports the continued rise in tourism to Acadia and a freeze on new lodging developments in Bar Harbor have brought more overnight visitors to Ellsworth. Bar Harbor-based Witham Family Hotels began construction on the four-story extended-stay brand in June 2025.  Its completion has created about 30 new full-time jobs.  

New Program to Help Those Eligible with Electric Bills

(Augusta)  The lights may shine a little brighter this year for low-income Maine households struggling with electric bills. A new state program will use existing information from programs such as SNAP, TANF, and MaineCare to automatically enroll those households in a program that provides discounts on electric bills.  According to NewsCenter Maine, the program has more than $40M in funding for the 2026-27 program year.  Eligible CMP and Versant customers should see monthly discounts on their electric bills.  The automatic enrollment is intended to reach more eligible households by eliminating the need for customers to provide documentation directly to their utility.

Rising Costs Make Job Hunting Daunting

(Maine)  The rising costs of fuel, materials, and other goods is making life tough these days, affecting even the quest to find employment here in Maine. Last July, the Siena Research Institute for the Maine Trust for Local News received responses from 824 Mainers who confirmed the job market in the Pine Tree State is daunting for many. According to the Portland Press Herald, 51% of respondents rated their ability to get suitable employment as “only fair” or “poor”, and 41% rated their ability to make a living wage as “not very likely” or “not at all likely”.  Even for those who find decent work, the cost of housing – average rent ranges from $1700 to $2000 per month – continues to put obtaining middle class status out of reach for many.

Shelter Funding

(Ellsworth)  Facilities in Ellsworth, Bangor, and Orland are among a dozen winter warming shelters across the state that will share close to $3M in funding to support safe, heated spaces this winter. The Portland Press Herald reports the funds will provide a total of 474 beds for individuals experiencing homelessness or housing instability during dangerous winter weather.  Healthy Acadia was awarded funds for 35 beds in Ellsworth.  Most locations say they plan to keep their doors open through April.  The shelter funding is a piece of broader winter preparedness efforts, including MaineHousing’s HEAP Program and the Energy Crisis Intervention Program, both of which help with emergency heating needs.

First National Bank Partners with WindowDressers

(PBP)  Speaking of winter heating help, WindowDressers, a nonprofit dedicated to warming homes and saving energy, is partnering with First National Bank to sponsor three community builds in Belfast, Orono, and the Rockland/Camden area this fall.  First National will be providing both financial and volunteer support for each. The sponsorship will support WindowDressers’ Special Rate Program, which the Pen Bay Pilot reports offers low- or no-cost insulating window inserts to households struggling financially with heating costs and other basic needs.

Education

Woodlawn Booking Next Year’s School Field Trips

(Ellsworth)  Teachers of grades 3 through 6, Woodlawn is now registering field trips for the 2026-27 school year.  A day at Woodlawn means a visit to the Black House Museum, discovering what life was like in the 1800s, learning about transportation before automobiles, and experiencing forest ecology and nature journaling on the beautiful trails. For more information, visit woodlawnellsworth.org and click on the “learn” tab.

Mount Desert Warrant Committee Rejects School Reorganization

(MDI)  The Mount Desert Warrant Committee weighed in on a proposed school district reorganization this week, voting unanimously to recommend voters reject the plan when it goes to the ballot next month.  The Mount Desert Islander reports residents have expressed the most concern about potentially losing governing power in the new model, as school district leadership would be consolidated into one board.  The Bar Harbor Warrant committee and Town Council, as well as the Tremont Select Board, have all voted to recommend rejection of the proposed plan.

ECMI Rebrands Itself

(Ellsworth)  The Ellsworth Community Music Institute is singing a new tune!  Now known as “Field Note”, the Ellsworth American reports the new name was inspired by the natural sounds of a morning in Maine and was chosen to give the organization a name more reflective of its growth and geographic region.  The rebranding coincides with a move from the Moore Community Center to a brand-new downtown facility at 6 State Street, significantly increasing the school’s visibility and room for its large student waitlist.  The new facility includes four soundproofed practice rooms with wall-to-wall windows, a recording studio, and an intimate performing space that accommodates up to 50 people.  Field Note offers private instrumental and vocal lessons and group classes in classical, rock, jazz, and songwriting, for students from young children to adults.

Infrastructure

Additional Repairs Planned for Seawall

(Seawall)  Seawall Road in Southwest Harbor will be closed for up to 28 days, beginning this Saturday as the Maine Department of Transportation begins implementing a $916K permanent highway rehabilitation and resilience project.  The project covers a nearly half mile section starting just south of Beaver Lodge Lane.  The upcoming detour will cut off easy access to the Acadia National Park Seawell Campground, with emergency services to take longer detours around the loop connecting SW Harbor and Tremont.  The road, also known as 102A, was heavily damaged by storms in 2024, cutting off critical access to businesses in an all-important tourist season, but a group of six local contractors stepped up in July that year, volunteering their time, services, and equipment for a temporary fix while waiting for MDOT’s construction.

National News 10/02/26

Renee Good’s Family Sues ICE Agent, Government Officials

(NYTimes)  The family of Renee Good, who was fatally shot by ICE agents in Minnesota during the Trump Administration’s immigration crackdown, on Thursday filed two federal lawsuits – one against the officer who shot her and several top officials in the Trump administration.  According to The New York Times, the lawsuits accuse agent Jonathan Ross of having placed himself at risk by standing in front of Good’s car during a confrontation on January 7th and unjustifiably using deadly force. In addition to Ross, the suit names as defendants former secretary of homeland security Kristy Noem, border czar Thomas Homan, former ICE Director Todd Lyons, former Senior Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino, and Stephen Miller, the top White House official overseeing Trump’s immigration policy.  

Fat Prairie Dog Week

(Wyoming)  Backpack may hold the crown for this year’s Fat Bear Week at Katmai in Alaska, but the staff at Devil’s Tower National Monument say they aren’t about to let Alaska have all the glory.  This week the Wyoming tourist attraction sponsored Fat Prairie Dog Week.  While prairie dogs in the park don’t hibernate, they do pack on the pounds to get through the winter when food is scarce.  You’ll find an adorable picture of one of the roly poly competitors on my FB page as a reminder that maybe a winter gym membership isn’t such a bad idea.  

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