Crime/Public Safety/Drugs
Border Patrol, Homeland Security Agents Raid Bangor Restaurant
(Bangor) A frightening scene Thursday at a Bangor restaurant. The Bangor Daily News reports Border Patrol agents wearing masks, helmets, bulletproof vests and sunglasses and carrying guns were spotted near Kobe Ninja House Japanese Grill on Hogan Road. Several agents were seen near a white van with heavily tinted windows. Others reportedly carried boxes of items out of the restaurant. It’s unclear whether anyone was detained yesterday. The two Border Patrol agents had badges; no badges were visible on ten other agents who told reporters they worked “for the federal government.” The operatives reportedly left in at least five unmarked vehicles. One Democratic Representative who responded to the scene told reporters, “If I were coming from another country to visit Maine, to visit anywhere in the U.S., I wouldn’t feel terribly safe right now.”
Ham Radio Field Day
(Swanville) When it comes to emergencies where agencies could potentially have to go off the grid, Ham Radio Operators are a lifeline. This weekend, the Waldo County Emergency Management Agency is hosting “Ham Radio Field Day” from Noon Saturday through Sunday. Operators will be demonstrating their ability to establish radio contact in the field and provide reliable communications when normal infrastructure can’t. The event will take place at the Waldo County Garden Site and EMA office at 685 Swan Lake Avenue in Swanville.
Robbinston Crash
(Robbinston) Maine State Police are investigating a Wednesday afternoon crash in Robbinston that injured six people under the age of 20. Authorities say the Washington County Sheriff’s Office was called to the crash shortly after 4:30 and found a Chevy Trex in a ditch with heavy damage to the passenger side. They say 19 yo Aleksa Suddy of Eastport was driving with five passengers, four under the age of 18. All were taken to a hospital, with three transported by LifeFlight to Northern Light EMMC, where two were listed in serious condition and one critical. The crash remains under investigation.
Princeton Arson
(Princeton) The State Fire Marshal’s Office has made an arrest in connection with a Wednesday afternoon fire in Princeton. Authorities were called to the blaze at an unoccupied residence at 13 Main Street around 1 p.m., where they found evidence of trespassing and determined the fire had been intentionally set. An investigation led to the arrest of 39 yo Anthony Thurlow, an unhoused individual already in custody at the Washington County Jail. The suspect had been arrested earlier on an outstanding warrant. Public Safety officials say cooperation between area fire departments and law enforcement agencies played a key role in the quick resolution of the case.
Cause of Death of Katahdin Hiker Released
(Baxter SP) The 58 yo New York man who perished last month while hiking Mount Katahdin with his daughter died of exposure. That finding released Thursday by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Indications are Tim and Esther Keiderling made it to the summit on May 31st, but conditions deteriorated rapidly as they began their descent, with powerful winds, freezing rain and dropping temperatures. It’s believed the pair then somehow got off course. 28 yo Esther died of blunt force trauma when she apparently slipped and fell down a boulder field. Tim Keiderling suffered hypothermia. More than 60 hikers have died on Katahdin since 1933 when Baxter State Park began tracking deaths.
Outer Broadway Shooting
(Bangor) A shooting on Outer Broadway near the Glenburn town line in Bangor yesterday resulted in that road being closed for several hours and a person being taken to a hospital. According to The Bangor Daily News, a 9-1-1 call about 2:30 reported a suicidal person with a gun. Police say they arrived at a home and heard gunshots. The person who was taken to the hospital was expected to survive.
Local Politics
Collins Criticizes Proposed Cuts to Protections for Women
(Washington, DC) Criticism from both sides of the aisle this week over a proposal in the Justice Department’s budget that would cut funding to law enforcement agencies and outlines an overhaul of the department’s structure. Republican Senator Susan Collins was among those who questioned Attorney General Pam Bondi about a proposal to slash funding for the Office of Violence Against Women by nearly 30%, including cutting by one fifth a program that assists domestic violence and sexual assault survivors. Collins also questioned proposed cuts to funding for rape crisis centers. Bondi called the budget “a compromise”.
Mills Returns from Canada Visit Via CAT Ferry
(Bar Harbor) Governor Janet Mills took the CAT Ferry yesterday on her return visit from Canada, ending up in Bar Harbor, where she visited shops and restaurants and handed out signs welcoming Canadians to Maine. Mills told reporters despite her reassurances, some Canadians are still concerned for their safety when crossing into the U.S. because of indiscriminate arrests by ICE agents. New Brunswick’s Premiere told the Governor Tuesday the relationship between Canada and the U.S. is “fundamentally changed” because of the Trump Administration, and that the return to the easy relationship the two countries once shared would not happen quickly.
Grohoski Continues to Champion Long-Term Care
(Ellsworth) The last nursing home in Hancock County – Seaport Village – transitioned from skilled nursing care in January last year. Democratic Senator Nicole Grohoski of Ellsworth is hoping funding included in the biennial budget will help reverse the trend of nursing home closures and further ensure Maine’s remaining ones stay open. Grohoski praised the inclusion of higher reimbursement rates for nursing facilities and Maine’s Veterans Homes in the budget, which also invests $6.5M to fully fund rate reform. That will be matched by a little over $12M in funding from the federal government over the next two years.
Group Delivers Boxing Gloves to Senator Collins’s Office (CHECK FOR VOTE)
(Bangor) A community action group delivered a gift with some punch to Senator Susan Collins’s Bangor office this week – boxing gloves. WABI reports The Maine People’s Alliance says the gloves are a symbol to urge Collins to “get in the ring and fight for Mainers,” specifically ahead of a vote on the Budget Reconciliation Bill. The bill would reportedly include drastic cuts to Medicaid and an already struggling rural healthcare system in Maine.
Economy
New Bookstore Opens in Bar Harbor
(Bar Harbor) A new chapter in the tale of “must visit places” in Bar Harbor – Hidden Barn Books opens its doors tomorrow. A chilly, rainy Saturday promises to be the perfect opening day for the cozy nook, located behind Reel Pizza that promises new releases, classics, a children’s room, and unique finds. The Mount Desert Islander reports founder Genie Thorndike began building the bookstore a year ago as a community space that contains more than just books, but also items of interest from Bar Harbor’s past. Thorndike’s love of woodworking meant she crafted much of the furniture and bookshelves. Opening tomorrow from 10 to 5 at 31 Kennebec Place in Bar Harbor.
TimberHP Exits Chapter 11
(Madison) Today’s feel-good economic story comes from rural Madison, Maine, where a manufacturer of wood-fiber insulation has emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. MaineBiz reports the owners of TimberHP took over a former paper mill in 2018 with plans to produce an environmentally friendly type of insulation that’s been used in Europe for the past two decades. Staff commitment helped bring the company through Chapter 11, with the company’s third product, TimberBoard, available by the end of this year. And sales of TimberFill and TimberBatt are projected to grow substantially. Co-founders Matthew O’Malia and Joshua Henry were honored as MaineBiz Business Leaders of the Year in 2024. They say they hope to grow additional facilities across the country in other rural communities.
Environment
Keep Distance from Marine Mammals
(Maine) A reminder this summer as you wander the coast – scientists say, please don’t “seal” the fate of marine mammals you see by getting too close or attempting to intervene. Marine Mammals of Maine reports they recently received a call to assess a seal that was seen resting in a quiet space among rocks onshore in Biddeford. They say the seal was gone by the time they responded, but noted it’s becoming harder for such animals, including sea turtles, to find safe places to haul out without human activity and disturbances. With summer recreation ramping up on the water, animals have fewer places to go; so it’s more important than ever to let seals and others come ashore and get safe, uninterrupted rest. You can help ensure their safety by keeping a respectful distance and reporting any concerns to a permitted marine mammal response organization.
Two Maine Paper Mills Designated Among Dirtiest
(Rumford) A new study on US pulp and paper plants ranks two of Maine’s largest paper mills among the dirtiest in the country – on par with some oil refineries, according to the Maine Monitor. The report from the non-profit Environmental Integrity Project calls attention to the industry’s reliance on dirty fuels and the dated, inefficient technologies needed to burn them. Of 185 paper plants analyzed throughout the country, ND Paper in Rumford was listed as the second largest emitter of mercury, according to EIP’s analysis of 2023 EPA data. The Sappi Somerset mill in Skowhegan, which also reportedly burns tires, was a top 20 emitter of hazardous air pollutants in 2020, according to the report.
Health
Calls for Lift Assists Prompt Higher Fees
(Bangor) The Bangor Fire Department is seeing a surge in non-emergency 9-1-1 calls to help pick people up off the floor. Such calls pull first responders to non-emergency situations and typically take at least 30 minutes each. Now, the Department is “lifting” the fees they charge for such services. The Bangor Daily News reports healthcare facilities and nursing homes will now be charged $550 per call for a lift assist that doesn’t result in a patient being transported to another location for additional medical care. Fees previously charged were $25 for the first three calls, and $125 for four or more calls. Bangor City Council approved the fee increase Monday. The new fees do not apply to people in private homes.
Human Interest/Entertainment
Oceanarium Hosts Maine Ocean Festival
(Bar Harbor) Touch tanks, live music, face painting, an authentic lobster boat kids could explore … and of course, lots of local marine life and saltwater exhibits…just some of the things enjoyed by those who attended the Maine Ocean Festival Saturday at the Oceanarium and Education Center in Bar Harbor. The Mount Desert Islander reports the event was inspired by World Ocean Day and was first held in 2022 as a fundraiser to support marine education and the center’s program. Special speakers shared action steps folks can take to support the health and marine life in the Gulf of Maine, with the help of Chunk, the life-sized inflatable whale. The Oceanarium is open daily from 9 to 4.