Crime/Public Safety/Drugs
Arrest Made in Union Homicide
(Union) Authorities have arrested a 17 yo in connection with the July 3rd homicide death of a paddle boarder in Union. Maine State Police say the suspect was taken into custody in Union without incident about 10:30 Wednesday evening. The victim, 48 yo Sunshine Stewart of Tenants Harbor, was reported missing July 2nd when she failed to return to a campground. Her body was found the next morning during a search of Crawford Pond. Investigators say she died of strangulation and blunt force trauma. The suspect was taken to Long Creek Youth Development Center in Portland. The investigation is ongoing. Police are not releasing any other information at this time.
(Union) An intense investigation into the homicide death of a paddle boarder in Union led to the arrest Wednesday of a 17 year old boy. Maine State Police tell Star 97.7, the teen was taken into custody in Union about 10:30 Wednesday night. The victim, 48 yo Sunshine Stewart of Tenants Harbor, was reported missing when she failed to return to a campground July 2nd. Her body was later found during a search of Crawford Pond. Investigators say she died of strangulation and blunt force trauma. Authorities are not releasing further details at this time, but say the investigation is ongoing.
EPD Responds to Nearly 900 Calls in June
(Ellsworth) The Ellsworth Police Department, as always, stayed busy during June, responding to 899 calls. Motor vehicle accidents and citizen traffic complaints accounted for 136 of those calls, but they also completed more than 50 well being checks. And while there were the usual thefts and assaults, there were zero calls in June for drug and alcohol overdoses.
Albion Hit-and-Run Update
(Albion) New information from court records shows a man charged in connection with a deadly crash in Albion that killed twin boys and severely injured their mother, tried to blame the crash on his girlfriend. 33-year-old Molly Egold was walking to the store with her twin two-year-old boys when they were hit by a car. Police later found and arrested the driver, 44-year-old Benjamin Lancaster. WABI reports court records state a man who said he was Lancaster’s brother called 9-1-1 claiming Lancaster had rushed in to tell his girlfriend he just hit someone and didn’t know what to do. Officers say a vehicle registered to Lancaster, matched debris found at the scene. Road footage showed someone matching Lancaster’s description leaving the scene in the damaged car.
Local Politics
Ellsworth Chamber Director Stepping Down
(Ellsworth) Ellsworth Area Chamber of Commerce Director PJ Keenan plans to step away from that role at the end of this month. Keenan said it was not an easy decision, but one she needed to make for personal reasons. The Blue Hill native stepped into the position in June of 2023, bringing a wealth of civic leadership and business experience gained in both Hancock County and New York City. A press release noted that during her tenure, Keenan led the Chamber through key initiatives supporting local businesses and enhancing the visibility of Ellsworth as a destination and a hub of economic activity. Keenan said she plans to continue her volunteering and promoting Ellsworth area businesses. A search committee will look for a qualified successor to fill those mighty big shoes.
Family Planning Group Sues Trump Administration
(Maine) Maine Family Planning this week sued the Trump Administration in federal court over a provision in President Trump’s megabill. MFP has 18 clinics in the state, including in Ellsworth, Houlton, and Presque Isle. The clinics offer pregnancy testing, cancer screenings, abortion, and a range of other women’s health services. They served about 7200 patents last year, about half of whom were enrolled in Medicaid. Maine Politics Insider reports the Republican-backed provision cuts off Medicaid reimbursements to Planned Parenthood and other organizations primarily engaged in family planning services. Such organizations received $800K from Medicaid in 2023.
Economy
CMP Looks to Add 400 Employees
(Augusta) Central Maine Power plans to add 400 Maine-based employees over the next five years. MaineBiz reports that includes 200 new lineworkers to install, maintain, and repair the electrical lines damaged by extreme weather. The plan, which is subject to review by the state’s utilities regulator, calls for investing up to $450M that would also go toward upgrading and expanding infrastructure. CMP says by adding more of its own lineworkers, the company would be less reliant on expensive outside contractors for storm restoration.
Mainers Could 20M Meals Under Trump’s Cuts
(Bangor) Good Shepherd Food Bank warned this week more Mainers are likely to go hungry under the President’s megabill. The bill could reportedly shift about $60M in food assistance onto the state government, which would mean Mainers losing about 20 million meals. The Bangor Daily News reports Republicans offset tax cuts with, among other things, $1.2T in cuts to Medicaid and the food benefits program known as SNAP. The bill is expected to add more than $3T to the deficit.
End to Tax Credits Deals Blow to Heat Pump Savings
(Maine) If you planned on installing a heat pump, better do it soon. Those 30% federal tax credits for residential clean energy improvements that were intended to last through the 2030s will instead end this December, thanks to the Republicans’ sweeping domestic policy bill signed into law this month. The Bangor Daily News reports another program being cut is the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Tax Credit, which, as the name implies, offers a 30% credit on certain energy efficient home improvements. Homeowners who plan such additions after the end of this year will likely see the cost of such projects rise by thousands of dollars.
Maine Organizations Launch Funds to Support Immigrants
(Maine) Several Maine organizations are launching a rapid response fund to support immigrants and trans people in the state, who they say face increasing threats under the Trump Administration. Maine Public reports The Maine Solidarity Fund will help cover the cost of legal representation and bond costs for immigrants in ICE detention and provide support for their families. Other groups involved in the effort include Presente! Maine, Gateway Community Services Maine, and the Community Organizing Alliance. The goal of the fund is to raise a million dollars over the next year and a half.
Project Moose Ready to Roll with Amazon Deliveries
(Caribou) It was once so secretive, those in the know referred to it only as Project Moose. After two years of planning and collaboration, the Amazon warehouse in Caribou is getting ready to deliver – literally. NewsCenter Maine reports the site will be a “last mile delivery” hub where packages will be received, gathered, sorted, and then delivered the next morning. The facility will have a four-hour service radius from Caribou, encompassing Bangor and most of eastern Maine. About 33 employees will staff the facility, most part-time, working up to 30 hours a week. A target date of August 14th is planned for the facility opening, with packages expected to begin shipping the following week.
Education
EPL Hires Collections Manager
(Ellsworth) Michelle Wyler is the newest face on the team at the Ellsworth Public Library. Many will recognize her as the previous assistant to the children’s librarian some 20 years ago. Michelle will serve as Collections Manager, succeeding Charlene Fox Clemens, who is retiring after 30 years of dedicated service.
Design Your Own Reading Dragon
(Ellsworth) Summer is “dragon” at the Ellsworth Public Library! The library will host its second Reading Dragons Tournament at 11 a.m. on July 26th. Enjoy collecting and playing Reading Dragon Cards, featuring mythical creatures like dragons, unicorns, griffins and more, while making crafts and munching on snacks. Between now and Monday, pick up a template at the library and design your own dragon … inspired by a book, a show, nature – or your own imagination. Choose your dragon’s element – fire, water, or plant – and give it a name. The winner will be announced at the library’s Taco Party for Dragons on August 9th.
Environment
Bangor, Caribou Among Fastest Warming in US
(Bangor) Folks who visit Maine are finding an increasingly warm welcome – literally. The Bangor Daily New reports Bangor and Caribou are among the top ten locations in the US experiencing the most dramatic average temperature increases over the past decade. That’s according to the National Centers for Environmental Information. Data analyzing 215 locations across the US show the average increase nationwide was 1.38 degrees Fahrenheit. Between 2015 and 2024, Caribou saw a spike of 4.5 degrees – the second highest in the entire country. Bangor’s average temperature rose by 4 degrees Fahrenheit. One climatologist said cooler places are warming fastest because of a lack of snowpack, which insulates the ground from the sun’s rays.
Infrastructure
Ellsworth Overnight Parking Ban
(Ellsworth) The City of Ellsworth has implemented an overnight parking ban on certain downtown parking lots, in order to allow for essential line striping. Beginning at midnight tonight to 6 AM Saturday and from midnight Saturday to 6 AM Sunday, there will be no parking at the City Hall Lower Parking Lot Center spaces and the entire Water Street parking lot across from RF Jordan. The ban also includes Hancock Street on-street parking between Maine and Spruce.
Human Interest/Entertainment
Eighth Annual Art of Ellsworth
(Ellsworth) The 8th Annual Art of Ellsworth: Maine Craft Weekend is taking shape, and Heart of Ellsworth is curating a citywide celebration of creativity in all its forms. If you’d like to put something on display during the October 3-5 event – through process, practice, or play – Heart of Ellsworth wants to include it. Makers, artists, and imaginative thinkers are invited to share their craft through workshops, demos, open studios, and events. Contact Heart of Ellsworth to learn more.
Former Star’s Estate for Sale in Cape Elizabeth
(Cape Elizabeth) (((Sfx: …She’s got Betty Davis eyes …:05))) You may not have Betty Davis eyes, but for a cool $15M, you COULD have her former estate. The Portland Press Herald reports the Cape Elizabeth property where Davis, her husband and fellow film star Gary Merrill, and their adopted children lived in the 1950s, features a 7,600-square-foot home and a 2,000-square-foot guesthouse built in 2002. The nearly 8-acre parcel has roughly 1,200 feet of ocean frontage.