Crime/Public Safety/Drugs
Maine Warden Service Investigates Death of Angler
(Monmouth) The Maine Warden Service is investigating the death of an angler earlier this week on Cobbosseecontee Lake in Monmouth. Wardens say 27 yo Kyle Armstrong of Pittston had gone bass fishing by himself around noon on Tuesday. When he failed to return home before dark, his family became concerned and notified authorities. The Maine Warden Service, along with the Monmouth and Winthrop Fire Departments, launched boats around 9:30 Tuesday night in a search for Armstrong. They located his boat about 1 a.m. A civilian then came across his body in the water about 6:30 Wednesday morning. Authorities say Armstrong was wearing a life jacket, and neither speed nor alcohol is suspected in his death. They say it appears he may have experienced a medical event.
(Monmouth) Authorities say it may have been a medical event that led to the death of a young angler on Cobboseecontee Lake in Monmouth earlier this week. The Maine Warden Service tells Star 97.7, 27 yo Kyle Armstrong of Pittston left his home about noon on May 13th to go bass fishing alone. When he failed to return home before dark, his family became concerned and notified wardens, who, along with the Monmouth and Winthrop Fire Departments launched search boats about 9:30 p.m. They say Armstrong’s boat was located about 1 Wednesday morning, but it was unoccupied. A civilian reported finding Armstrong’s body in the water several hours later. He was reportedly wearing a life jacket, and neither speed nor alcohol is suspected. The medical examiner will determine an exact cause of his death.
Authorities Solve String of Arson Fires
(Poland) The fires began in November 2024 when a blaze damaged the vacant Elan School in Poland, Maine. Between then and this past March, investigators determined six more fires were intentionally set in Poland and Yarmouth. Two 18 year olds, James Akers of Portland and Jacob Kaiser of Biddeford, have now been arrested and charged in connection with those blazes. Authorities say they suspect two seventeen year olds were also involved and will likely face charges. Akers is currently charged only with a fire involving the US Forest Service sign in Yarmouth, while Kaiser is charged in connection with a Yarmouth fire that destroyed a single family residence. The two were taken to the Cumberland County Jail and later released on bail.
MSNA Accuses Hospital CEO of Using Intimidation Tactics
(Bar Harbor) The Maine State Nurses Association reports MDI Hospital registered nurses are refusing to back down from efforts to save the Bar Harbor hospital’s obstetrics unit. Community members joined the nurses in staging a protest recently on the Village Green. They say in response, hospital attorneys sent a letter notifying five OB nurses that they had been “given written warnings.” MSNA indicated the protestors were labeled an “unruly mob”. The Association says the nurses are fighting for Bar Harbor’s patients and that they will continue to stand firm.
Local Politics
AG Frey Defends Birthright Citizenship
(Maine) The US Supreme Court seems torn on the issue of birthright citizenship; but a coalition of Attorneys General, including Maine’s AG Aaron Frey, yesterday issued a joint statement defending the law that says if you are born in this country, you are a U.S. citizen. The coalition said administrations in both major parties have respected that law for 127 years, and that President Trump’s attempt to end birthright citizenship is patently unconstitutional. The statement added, “The President cannot rewrite the constitution and contradict the Supreme Court’s own holdings with the stroke of a pen.”
Nine District Seven Municipalities Awarded Community Action Grants
(Maine) Nine municipalities in District 7 have been awarded Community Action Grant Awards from the Community Resilience Partnership. The announcement came Thursday from Maine Senator Nicole Grohoski of Ellsworth, who said the grants will help those communities prepare for the effects of extreme weather events. The grants were awarded to Cranberry Isles, Southwest Harbor, Stonington, Surry, Tremont, Verona Island; and as a group, Surry, Brooklin, Castine, and Sedgwick. Amounts varied from just over $61K to Verona Island to almost $178K for the four Blue Hill Peninsula towns.
Economy
Heart of Ellsworth’s Federal Funded Grant Cut
(Ellsworth) Heart of Ellsworth last Friday was told its historic preservation grant through the Maine Historic Preservation Commission had been terminated. The $30K grant was awarded in April 2024, and Heart of Ellsworth committed matching funds of more than $23K to the 20-month project, the goal of which was to prepare and submit a nomination for the City’s downtown historic district to be added to the National Register of Historic Places. The designation would make technical and financial assistance available to property owners for preserving their historic character. Heart of Ellsworth now is asking for community support to replace the lost funding. First National Bank has committed $5K toward the funding goal. For more information or to contribute, visit heart of ellsworth dot org.
(Ellsworth) The Grand, the Ellsworth Public Library, the Old Hancock County Jail – Ellsworth is rich with historic architecture. In April 2024, Heart of Ellsworth was awarded a $30K grant toward an extensive project to nominate the downtown historic district to be added to the National Register of Historic Places. That designation would ensure the availability of technical and financial assistance to property owners for preserving their historic character. Last Friday, the nonprofit received word the grant, awarded through the Maine Historic Preservation Commission, has been terminated, so Heart of Ellsworth is now turning to the community to replace those critical funds. They’ve committed $23K in matching funds to the 20 month program, which is already well underway. First National Bank has committed $5K to the effort. If you or your organization would like to know more or contribute, visit heart of ellsworth dot org.
Bar Harbor Ferry Sees Decline in Reservations for Travel Between the US and Canada
(Bar Harbor) The effects of the strained relations between the U.S. Administration and Canada are showing up in early tourism numbers. The Mount Desert Islander reports Bay Ferries is already reporting a difference of almost 4,000 reservations between this year and the same point last year. Close to 13K passengers have so far made reservations for the CAT’s 2025 season. That compares with more than 16,500 at this same time last year. In a press release, the service attributed the drop primarily to Canadians not booking travel to the United States.
Seven Food Entities Join to Address Maine Food Insecurity
(Maine) 13% of Mainers are food insecure. That translates to more than 78,000 Mainers … and sources say the number is growing. In light of federal funding cuts to food aid programs, MaineBiz reports seven Maine farms and food entities have come together to form a statewide fundraising initiative. Farm to Neighbor Maine includes Healthy Acadia in Ellsworth, Daybreak Growers Alliance in Unity and others. Cuts announced in March from the USDA’s local food purchasing agreement amount to a $1.25M loss. Those monies were to be distributed from June 2025 to June 2028. While efforts are underway to reverse those cuts, Farm to Neighbor is working to address the immediate need for the 2025 growing season with a goal of raising $750,000. That would allow project partners to purchase from farms and supply to as many hunger relief initiatives as in previous years. Learn more at farm, the numeral 2 neighbor maine dot org.
Environment
Maine Arbor Week
(Ellsworth) May 18th through the 24th is Maine Arbor Week, and there are a lot of TREE-mendous activities going on here in Ellsworth. For the fourth consecutive year, Ellsworth has earned status as a Tree City USA, a designation that requires a municipality to have a tree board, a tree care ordinance, a community forestry initiative, and an annual budget that promotes urban forestry management. Ellsworth has all these, thanks to Arborist Tabatha White and others who serve on the Ellsworth Arbor Commission. This Tuesday, join 2nd graders and staff from Ellsworth Elementary Middle School in planting another 80 trees at the Jordan Homestead nursery. To learn more about the week’s activities, check out our Star 97.7 FB page.
Education
Maine Students Shine in Secretary of State Poster and Essay Contests
(Addison) An Addison sixth grader’s essay was this year’s winner in the Secretary of State’s Essay Contest. The essay written by Andrea Reeve, a student at Daniel W. Merritt School, was one of 208 entries submitted in both the essay and poster contests, designed to excite students about Maine civic education, including state history and the democratic process. Reeve’s essay explored the details of accessible voting machines. Students in grades K-12 from across the state were invited to participate. Andrea’s entry was the top submission in the Grades 6-8 Maine Constitution Essay category.
Health
Breakthrough on Rare Genetic Diseases
(NYTimes) More than 30 million people in the United States have one of more than 7,000 rare genetic diseases…most so rare no company is willing to spend years developing gene therapy so few would need. Tiny KJ Muldoon was one of them; diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder, an almost certain death sentence, at just a week old. Doctors said even if he survived, KJ would have severe mental and developmental delays. Instead, the New York Times reports, KJ made medical history as the first patient ever to have custom gene-editing treatment. Led by Dr. Kiran Musunuru, a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania, gene editing involves a series of infusions containing “instructions” that crawl along the person’s DNA letter that needs to be changed, finding the single mutation, and editing it to fix the defect. It’s unclear how many infusions KJ will need; but the treatment appears to have miraculously healed the once doomed infant. The implications are far reaching. The researchers were to present their findings Thursday and are also publishing them in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Infrastructure
Ellsworth Road Work
(Ellsworth) Ellsworth Public Works will begin the setup of the Franklin Street Parklet as a seasonal outdoor public dining space this Monday, May 19th. Franklin Street between Main and Store Streets in Downtown Ellsworth will be closed to traffic, beginning at 7 a.m. that day. The City Hall parking lot will still be accessible through the State, School, Store, and Church Streets entrances. On Tuesday, May 20th, crews will be working during the day on culvert repair at the intersection of Birch Avenue and Oak Street, reducing traffic to one lane alternating on both roads. The Maine Department of Transportation’s project to realign the intersection of Bucksport Road to Surry Road is anticipated to begin on Monday, as well.
Night Parking Ban
(Ellsworth) The City has mandated no-night-parking this weekend on Main Street and State Street from the Courthouse to Water Street. That’s in order to facilitate the painting of lines and stripes on those streets. Drivers should be aware that if they park their vehicles on those streets late Saturday or Sunday night, that’s May 17th and 18th, they’ll need to move them before midnight. The parking ban will be in effect those two overnights from midnight to 6 a.m.