Crime/Public Safety/Drugs

Violation of Protection Order Lands Brooksville Man in Jail

(Brooksville)  An alleged Violation of Protection order in Brooksville this week landed a man in the Hancock County Jail.  The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office tells Downeast Digest officers received the complaint Monday morning.  An ensuing investigation led to the arrest of 42-year-old Ronald Weed.  No further information was forthcoming.

Owners of Orland Campground Fined

(Orland)  The owners of an Orland campground have been ordered to pay $8K in fines. According to the Bangor Daily News, The Wanderin’ Moose Campground sits on the shores of Toddy Pond in Hancock County.  The fines are the result of a multi-year dispute with Orland over the addition of 20 unsanctioned campsites the town says weren’t part of their original approved site plan.  The town alleged the campground owners violated local laws regarding cutting down shoreland-adjacent trees and installing professionally-graded sanitary waste piping and electrical hookups.  The owners, members of the Jacques family, called it overreach by the town.

Local Politics

Lubec Adopts STRs Ordinance

(Lubec)  It hasn’t been without pushback, but the Town of Lubec in August voted to adopt a Short-Term Rental Registration Ordinance.  The ordinance requires all operators of STR’s to register such properties with the town office by January 1st and each consecutive year the property is to be rented.  The yearly fee for such registration is $100 per unit.  Comments on the town FB page show most STR owners are against the ordinance, with many wanting answers about where the fees will be going.  But municipalities say they’re between a rock and a hard place, with STR’s often pushing out badly needed affordable housing and often being unregulated for noise and other violations.

Collins Casts Record Senate Vote

(Washington, DC)  Senator Susan Collins has cast 10,109 consecutive votes, not missing a single one during her three decades in office, and setting a new Senate record.  NewsCenter Maine reports Collins credits her work ethic to growing up in Aroostook County, saying her mother told her, “You cannot let a farmer down. You have to show up each and every day.”  Collins, the incumbent Republican, is running for a sixth term against Democrat Troy Jackson.

Economy

Local Diner Recognized by Explore Maine

(Bucksport)  A local diner is recognized in this week’s “Explore Maine”.  A 125-year old chocolate cake recipe from a church cookbook helped launch Sweet Cheeks Diner, whose origin story began with old family recipes during the pandemic.  Sweet Cheeks began as a bakery, adding vending machines for 24/7 delights.  Owner Jonathan Beal and co-owner Michael Roy listened to what people wanted and found the biggest request was a place to sit and actually enjoy food.  That led to the purchase of the former Glenn’s Place, and the rest is history.  The operation grew into Sweet Cheeks Diner, a 1950s style eatery, complete with a jukebox, records lining the walls, servers in poodle skirts, and retro shows like “I Love Lucy” on the TVs.  They also added trivia, live music, and other special nights.  Find them right on Route 1 in Bucksport.  They’re open for breakfast, lunch, dinner; and, of course, those famous sweets.

Schoodic Food Pantry Receives Donation for Building Expansion Project

(Gouldsboro)  Schoodic Food Pantry in Gouldsboro has announced a $50K donation from The Rice Family Legacy Fund, to be used for their Building Expansion Project.  The project will almost double the pantry’s capacity; necessary, they say, for the growing number of families who rely on its services.  Key partners who help keep their shelves stocked for the 600-plus regular local families who visit include Good Shepherd Food Bank, local farms like Darthia, and retail partners like Bayside Market.  Construction crews recently poured concrete for the new addition, with building delivery set for November 6th.

Halloween Consumer Spending

(Undated)  It’s downright scary what consumers plan to spend on Halloween, with buyers expected to dole out $13.5B. According to the National Retail Federation’s annual survey, candy remains the top purchase, with 95% of consumers planning to buy sweets … at a cost of $4.1B, decorations at $4.3B and costumes at $4.4B.  Spider-Man leads children’s costume choices, while nearly 5 million adults plan to cast spells as witches, followed by vampires – who apparently want to suck not just your blood, but your wallets dry.  And then there’s the struggle to find the purr-fect costumes for our cats (and convince them to wear them) and outfits our pups won’t bark at (nah – dogs just look at us with unquestioning smiles, and comply). Consumers are expected to spend $920M on outfits for those furry Trick-or-Treaters, with pumpkins, hotdogs, and ghosts most popular.  If you’re going to pass out treats to THOSE little goblins, make sure they’re not regular candies, which can be harmful, but natural treats from your vet or such retailers as Bark Harbor, or the new all-natural Pawesome Bites in Harrington.

Education

HCTC Kicks Off Firefighter Program

(Ellsworth)  Hancock County Technical Center continues to meet kids where they are and help them get to where they want to go.  One of their brand new programs – Fire Fighter I – got off to a flaming good start this week as students enjoyed learning right at the Ellsworth Fire Department.  HCTC says from mastering ladder operations to getting comfortable gearing up with air packs, the students every day are gaining real-world experience.  A shoutout to their teacher, Mr. LeClair, and to educators everywhere who make learning practical preparation for a bright and rewarding future.

Author to Speak in Steuben

(Steuben)  Michelle Shores’s award-winning novel has deep local roots.  Set in 1975, “The Gathering Room: A Tale of Nelly Butler”, captures the lives of residents whose lives intersect in Sullivan and Franklin.  Based on the hauntings of Nelly Butler, the book is considered the first documented ghost sighting in the U.S.  Shores will give a talk about the book and her latest offering “Henceforth and Unstoppable” this coming Monday, November 2nd, at 6 p.m. at the Henry D. Moore Library, on Village Road in Steuben.  The library says not only is Shores an engaging speaker, but also very funny, taking over everyone’s attention immediately.  Mark your calendars!

Maine’s Cell Phone Ban Picked Up by the Associated Press

(AP)  Maine’s ban on cell phones in schools is making national headlines.  Yesterday, the Associated Press reported the ban, designed to help teens focus and connect, appears to be working.  Phone restrictions in Maine schools weren’t new; but this year students across Maine don’t get their phones back after each class – meaning they can’t check social media on their phones in the hallways or at lunch, and they can’t text their parents or friends at any point during the day.  The sweeping mandate, a new law championed by Governor Janet Mills, made Maine the 23rd state to enforce such a bell-to-bell ban.  Some educators say they braced for pushback; but that after three months into the new policy, they’ve been surprised by how understanding students have been, albeit some begrudgingly. Teachers say students are more attentive in class, more likely to stay on task, and are completing more in-class work.

Health

Open Enrollment Through CoverME.gov Begins Sunday

(Augusta)  Open Enrollment through CoverME.gov begins November 1st.  CoverMe.gov is Maine’s official state-based health insurance marketplace created under the Affordable Care Act.  Maine residents use it instead of the federal website to shop for, compare, and enroll in private health and dental plans.  The program is for uninsured individuals, self-employed and seasonal workers, or anyone without access to affordable employer-sponsored coverage or MaineCare.  All plans on the platform cover ten core categories of healthcare, including preventive services, emergency care, prescription drugs, and mental health services; and plans cannot deny coverage or charge higher rates for pre-existing conditions.  This year’s open enrollment period runs November 1 through January 15th.

Human Interest

DownEast Magazine Releases 2026 List of Best of Downeast

(Maine)  DownEast Magazine has released its 2026 Best of Downeast.  Plants Unlimited in Trenton and Seaside Landscaping in Gouldsboro were finalists in the Garden Center category; Crystal Clear Family Pet Center in Ellsworth a finalist for Pet Supply Store, The Abbe Museum a finalist for Best Museums, Vinyl Vogue in Ellsworth a finalist for Best Record Store, Zeppa’s and Pat’s in Ellsworth made the list of finalists for best pizza places, Cilantro Indian Bistro & Bar in Ellsworth is named a finalist for best new restaurant, and Ellsworth Candlepin Bowling Alley took the grand title for the state’s Best Candlepin Bowling!  Visit DownEast Magazine on FB for a comprehensive list of winners and finalists.

Ellsworth Teacher Wins $2,000 on Jeopardy

(Ellsworth)  Ellsworth High School Band Director Jamie Calandro didn’t come home empty-handed from Monday night’s stint on Jeopardy.  Calandro joined a crowd at Black Moon Public House in Ellsworth to watch the pre-taped show.  Going into Final Jeopardy, Calandro was in second place with $4,800, with the contest coming down to the question, “To honor the 126th birthday of this Nobel Prize winner, a Google Doodle featured a cat and a feline ghost,” to which Calandro incorrectly guessed Lewis Carroll, leaving him with final winnings of just under $1400.  (Correct answer “Who is Erwin Schrodinger? as Big Bang Theory fans know). Calandro shared on social media his biggest fear was falling below zero dollars during the opening round, which would have made him ineligible to compete in Final Jeopardy.  Judging by responses from his myriad fans in the local community, Calandro has been a winner in every category for a long, long time!

National News – 10/28/26

In National News headlines:

• The Federal Trade Commission has sued Dollar General for what it says are “long-running deceptive pricing practices” by charging customers more than prices displayed on shelves and in ads.  Twenty states have joined the lawsuit against the Tennessee-based bargain chain.
• And the Trump-appointed CDC Director is stepping down after just four months on the job.  The NY Times reports Dr. Jennifer Shuford’s departure comes as the CDC faces criticism over its response to unrelenting measles outbreaks and its refusal to acknowledge measles-related deaths reported by the Pennsylvania Health Department.
• Israelis Tuesday voted in a pivotal election centered on Netanyahu’s leadership, lingering grief and anger over an October 7th Hamas attack, and deep divisions over the leader’s 17 year rule.  Opinion polls suggest a tight race with main rival, former military chief Gadi Eisenkot.  The Associated Press reports it could be weeks or months before a winner is known.
• And contestants from across the globe turned chocolate into a praying mantis, an elf, and birds at the World Chocolate masters in Belgium.  The two-day competition challenges professionals to design and sculpt creative chocolate assignments before an international jury.

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