Hancock County Budget Up 34%
(Ellsworth) – A significant jump in the jail budget to provide more mental health and physical health services has driven the proposed budget for 2025 up by 34-percent. The Ellsworth American reports the preliminary figures show a $14-point-1 million dollar budget, which means a property tax increase of about $3-million to be spread among the all the towns in the county. The county Budget Committee will make it’s first review of the figures on Wednesday.
SW Harbor Manager Retires
(SW Harbor) –Co-workers and residents in Southwest Harbor said their goodbyes to their town manager who officially retired on Friday. Marilyn Lowell spent just under 3-years in the top town government position, rising though the ranks to take the job in 2021. She had 22-years of municipal experience, starting in the town office in Hancock. In 2013 she took the clerk’s job in Southwest Harbor, and announced her intention to retire last October. Karen Redderson has been hired as the new town manager.
Hopeful Sign Installed
(Ellsworth) – A sign that reads simply “hopeful” now sits atop a building in Downtown Ellsworth. A small ceremony last evening lit the sign that sits atop the old Newberry building. Artist and Lewiston Native Charles Hewitt crafted the sign as part of a project to install the signs in many communities. On his website, Hewitt said the sign is meant to be inspirational. A similar sign was recently installed in Ukraine
Courthouse Location
(Ellsworth) – City officials have suggested a new location for the future Hancock County Courthouse. The state of Maine has proposed that the court be located on Surry Road near Josie’s Restaurant. That has drawn wide opposition, especially from neighbors. The city held public meetings to listen to other ideas, and one that is now being floated is land behind Merrill Furniture. The Bangor Daily News reports the proposed location is near Card Brook and there are potential wetland issues. City Officials plan to send the idea to the state.
Homicide Arrest
(Bangor) – A 42-year old Bangor man with a lengthy criminal record will return to Maine to face a murder charge after a killing last week in Bangor. Police had issued a warrant for Richard Thorpe in connection with the homicide of 39-year old Virginia Cookson. Thorpe was apparently Cookson’s ex boyfriend. Police in Pittsfield Massachusetts arrested Thorpe on Friday after he was in a car accident and fled in a stolen vehicle. The attorney general’s office says he’ll return to Maine after waiving extradition and will be charged with depraved indifference murder.
Biddeford Homicide
(Biddeford) – A 46-year old Biddeford man is dead following a weekend shooting, but police say the public is not in danger. State police spokeswoman Shannon Moss reports to Star 97.7 that Biddeford Police responded to Foss Street late Friday night after reports of shots fired. They found Gene Dares badly wounded and he died from the gunshots. The medical examiner’s office called the cause of death homicide. No one has been charged.
Sports
- NFL: San Francisco 49ers 30 New England Patriots 13
- The Red Sox close out their season with a 3-to-1 win over Tampa Bay. Newly acquired pitcher Quinn Preister pitched 5 strong innings for the Sox. Boston finished 81-and-81 on the season in 3rd place in the American League East, but out of the playoffs.
- U-Maine Football beat Albany 34-to-20 on Saturday.