Crime/Public Safety/Drugs

Office of State Fire Marshal Offers Safety Tips for Home Heating

(Augusta)  While around 50% of Mainers rely on oil to heat their homes, many others use wood or pellet stoves, space heaters or other portable devices, propane, and/or heat pumps. The Office of the State Fire Marshal has provided a list of tips for all types of heat sources to help you get through the winter safely, including making sure smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are installed on every level of your home and are in good working order.  We’ve posted the information on our Downeast Digest and Nice & Easy Internet Radio FB pages.

Local Politics

Election Officials Prepare for Interference

(NYTimes)  Something new expected at the polls this year – interference.  This year, state and local officials aren’t only planning for computer glitches and emergencies such as fires and floods, they’re also training poll workers what to do if immigration enforcement officers show up.  According to the NY Times, they’re also drilling workers on the statute that bars federal agents from voting places and running through the limits of what federal monitors may and may not do on Election Day.  Underlying the concerns – threats made by President Trump, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and others in the current administration.  Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows told the Times, “This is the first time ever that we have had to engage in scenario planning to safeguard against potential federal interference in elections.”  Officials in other states say concern is as high as it’s ever been.  According to protectdemocracy.org, if you see agents near a polling location, first report it to the election hotline (866-OUR-VOTE), tell an official at your polling station, and document the situation if it’s safe to do so.  Above all, they say, stay calm, and vote.

Maine Election Policy

(Augusta)  When casting your ballot this Fall, you’ll notice there’s no option to vote for the Secretary of State, Attorney General, State Treasurer, or State Auditor.  The Maine Monitor reports that’s because those selections are left to lawmakers.  Maine is the only state that elects these key positions through a joint legislative session, usually by secret ballot; a process written into the state Constitution.  This year, that session will be held December 2nd.  Changing the state’s Constitution would require approval of ⅔ of the members in both chambers, as well as approval by the majority of voters.

Students Vote in Mock Election

(Maine)  About 12K students across 115 Maine schools put pen to ballots Tuesday, with Democrats winning almost every race. NewsCenter Maine reports Democrat Troy Jackson won the U.S. Senate seat with 51% to Republican Susan Collins’s 45%.  In the race for Governor, Democrat Hannah Pingree received 42% of the vote, Republican Bobby Charles just over 30%, and Independent Rick Bennett just over 24%.  In CD1, Democrat Chellie Pingree beat out Republican  Ron Russell 57.5% to 39.7%.  The lone Republican winner was Paul LePage in CD2, who won over Democrat Matt Dunlap 52% to 43%.  Great to see kids getting a taste of the Democratic process.

Economy

Hancock Select Board Extends Moratorium on Lot Rent Increases

(Hancock)  The Hancock Select Board this month voted to extend a moratorium on lot rent increases for residents of Hancock Heights.  The Ellsworth American reports the 180-day extension for the 100-plus mobile home park comes after multiple residents voiced concerns about the conduct of the park’s owner, a multi billion dollar real estate investment trust known as Sun Communities.  Since the company acquired the property in 2021, residents say rent has increased by more than 14%, while numerous problems with maintenance have gone uncorrected.  The original moratorium, enacted in June, was set to expire this month.

Education

Versant Offers Internship Program

(Bangor)  Do you know a college student looking for an immersive and informative internship program?  Versant Power’s 2027 Internship Program is open for applications, with opportunities in Engineering, Data Science, Accounting, Human Resources, Forestry, Business Management & Information Technology and more.  To learn more and apply, visit versantpower.com/careers.

Franklin Library Expansion Honors Longtime Resident

(Franklin)  The Franklin Library, a former one-room schoolhouse, now has a genealogy room, thanks to longtime Franklin resident Emery DeBeck.  According to The Ellsworth American, upon his passing in 2023, DeBeck gifted $100K of his estate to the library, along with volumes of resident family and town history and notes from decades of Select Board meetings.  The Emery DeBeck Genealogy and Research Room opened in September, after DeBeck’s offerings were organized by staff and volunteers.  DeBeck’s sister said his 34 years as a math teacher revealed his dedication to his studies, his methodical nature, and his research – now a lasting treasure available for generations.

Environment

Maine Forest Service Grants

(Augusta)  Looking for funds to support your town’s urban forestry program?  Need help mitigating issues with Emerald Ash Borer infestations?  Applications for the Maine Forest Service grants for community forest projects are available now through December 17th.  The grants require a 50% match from grant recipients, either in cash or in-kind services.  A total of $390K in grants will be offered to projects that focus on sustainable community forestry management.  Projects must be completed by January 31st, 2028.  Participants must take part in a virtual grant workshop scheduled for this afternoon from 1 to 3 pm. Visit maine.gov/projectcanopy to learn more.

Time Change

(Maine)  It’s almost time to “Fall Back”.  This Sunday at 2 a.m., digital clocks will automatically fall back one hour to 1 a.m., marking a return to Eastern Standard Time, and giving some an extra hour of sleep.  The change means earlier morning light, but it will eventually be dark very early, as early as 4 p.m. here in Maine.  Safety officials say it’s a good tine to check the batteries in home smoke and CO detectors.  While most would just as soon do away with the time change here in New England, doing so requires federal approval from Congress or the US Department of Transportation.  A so-called “Sunshine Protection Act” is stalled, largely because states are divided between moving permanently to Daylight Saving Time or Atlantic Standard Time.

Health

Lyme Disease Cases Continue to Trend Upward

(Maine)  Maine in 2025 set a record for number of reported cases of tickborne Lyme Disease.  According to the Bangor Daily News, that upward trend is continuing this year, with numbers slightly ahead of last year.  The Maine CDC reminds folks ticks are active anytime the temperature is above freezing.  And Griffin Dill, who manages UMaine Cooperative Extension’s Tick Lab, says he expects high levels of deer tick activity through mid-November.  As of last week, the Maine CDC reported 3,976 cases of Lyme, about 200 more cases than this time last year.

Human Interest

Library Card Leads to Returned Keys

(SC)  Lots of people signed up for library cards in September, which was National Library Card month.  While a library card can open the door to everything from tales to technology to talks by famous authors, for a South Carolina man, the card meant the return of an important set of keys.  It seems a set of car keys was dropped into an outside book return.  Because a library card was attached, employees were able to identify and contact the grateful owner who thought he had lost the keys while shopping. Got YOUR local library card?

Age Friendly Sullivan to Provide Updates on Assisted Rides Program

(Sullivan)  Take a breather this November 4th with Age Friendly Sullivan.  At this month’s meeting, the group will be sharing some exciting updates about their Assisted Rides Program and how they’re working to help more of our neighbors get where they need to go.  Thanks to a recent grant from DRIVE-ME and Lifelong Maine, Age Friendly Sullivan is preparing to expand the program, welcome more volunteer drivers, and make it easier for neighbors to help neighbors.  Everyone is welcome to coffee and conversation beginning at 8:30 at the town office, followed by the presentation at 9.

Witches on the Water in Stonington

(Stonington)  Every year around Halloween, witches everywhere take to the water, including right here in Stonington.  For one day, Witches on the Water participants dress as witches, warlocks, and other mystical figures, trade their broomsticks for kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards and cast their bewitching spells to raise funds and awareness for local causes.  Besides Stonington, this year’s events were held in Illinois, Washington state, California, and even on Lake Havasu in Arizona.  The Witches on the Water in Cape Cod this year raised more than $32K for an area community kitchen.  The Stonington event was organized and sponsored by 44 North Coffee, Island Agency, and Stonecutters Kitchen and was celebrated as a Halloween gathering rather than a traditional fundraiser.

National News Headlines 10/29/26

In National News Headlines:

• The NYTimes reports the Trump Administration is exploring a new concession to Russia – lifting sanctions on the country’s flagship government investment fund.  The fund has long been viewed by U.S. officials as one of the Kremlin’s most powerful tools of international influence.
• And the Justice Department failed to secure a Grand Jury indictment against former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson.  The Trump Administration sought the indictment after the then-25-year-old Hutchinson provided dramatic testimony against President Trump before a House Committee investigating the January 6th, 2021 U.S. Capitol insurrection.

• A federal judge this week stopped the Trump Administration from cutting trees and prohibited other changes at East Potomac Park, where Trump envisioned a championship-level golf course.  The Administration has cut down 430 trees with up to 529 planned for removal at the Washington, DC course.
• At least 64 people died Wednesday morning when a high speed passenger train rear ended another in Spain.  The incident happened just months after a crash involving the same carriers killed dozens in January.  The collision sent parts of both trains down a rural embankment, though a cause wasn’t immediately clear.

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