Crime/Public Safety/Drugs
Firefighters, Forest Rangers Battle Blaze in Castine Woods
(Castine) Crews from more than a dozen local fire departments and Maine Forest Rangers from the Downeast District battled a woods fire near Route 199, 166A and Dunc’s Meadow in Castine for a second day Thursday. As of yesterday, the fire had burned three and a half acres and crews were working on putting a dozer line around the still smoldering forest. Firefighting operations were suspended about 6 last evening. According to a post by the Castine Fire Rescue Department, operations were to resume this morning. Drivers on Thursday were asked to avoid using parts of the Castine Road near the blaze.
AG’s Launch Crackdown on Robocalls
(Augusta) (((SFX Robocall :04))) Those ANNOYING robocalls! Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey on Thursday launched Operation Robocall Roundup, a multistate effort by the Anti-Robocall Litigation Task Force to crack down on robocalls across the country. Frey and 50 bipartisan attorneys general are sending warning letters to 37 voice providers, demanding they act now to stop illegal robocalls being routed through their networks. Frey said the calls are not only annoying but a primary method for scammers to target unwitting victims. The task force is taking steps with downstream providers, as well; and the FCC has pledged to take a closer look and remove seven top tier providers from a database, meaning other providers will no longer be allowed to accept and route any calls from their networks.
Piscataquis County Sheriff Responds to Jail Inspection Concerns
(Dover-Foxcroft) The Sheriff of Piscataquis County says inmates at the Dover-Foxcroft jail are safe and well cared for. His comments to WABI come after the state placed operational restrictions on the jail. Sheriff Bob Young says they are taking immediate action to fix health and safety issues found in a mid-July inspection. Piscataquis County, which is heavily forested, is about the size of Connecticut, but is the state’s least populous, with around 17,000 people, meaning resources are often limited compared to other counties in Maine.
Bar Harbor Town Offices Back Online Today
(Bar Harbor) The town of Bar Harbor plans to reopen municipal offices for normal operations today. Town officials have been working to bring their systems back online following a cyber-attack last Wednesday that forced town offices to close and authorities to temporarily freeze bank accounts. Town Manager James Smith says a final report on the attack could be released as early as next week. Anyone placed at risk from the breach will be notified directly.
Swan’s Island Fire Station Expansion
(Swan’s Island) The August 1st approval of some $12M in congressionally directed spending by the Senate Appropriations Committee puts Swan’s Island on track for expansion of one of the town’s two fire stations. The Mount Desert Islander reports that federal funding includes $1.4M for the Swan’s Island facility. The proposal must now be passed by the U.S. House and Senate. If approved, the town will be responsible for a 25% match. Fire Chief Richard Gardner said funding would be used to update the newer of the two buildings, including adding two truck bays and a training room, creating a more safe space to enable firefighters and EMS staff to serve the community.
Local Politics
Scallop Advisory Council Seeks Applicants to Fill Seats
(Brewer) Attention Scallopers – the Department of Marine Resources needs interested parties to fill two seats designated for wholesale scallop dealers and one seat for a member of the public. If interested in participating on the Scallop Advisory Committee, contact Melissa dot smith at maine dot gov for an application. And a reminder of the next SAC meeting this coming Monday, August 11th at 5 p.m. at Jeff’s Catering in Brewer.
Economy
Tariffs Hidden Taxes on Back-to-School Items
(Maine) Students in Ellsworth and RSU 24 over Sullivan, Eastbrook, and Winter Harbor way will be back in school in less than three weeks now, with the first student day set for August 28th. So chances are, you’ve already begun shopping for those back to school essentials. The National Taxpayers Union says while prices rise almost every year, 2025 tariff rates show major increases on common school items are being passed along to consumers. The sharpest increases from 2021 – water bottles up more than 50%, flip flops 49%, ballpoint pens up 35.5%, pencils will sharpen your expenses by 26% and backpacks up anywhere from 23 to 49 percent. You’ll find a breakdown of the effect on other school necessities and consumer goods at tariffs dash report dot com.
Education
Ellsworth School Department Expands Transportation Offerings
(Ellsworth) For the first time ever, the Ellsworth School Department will be offering transportation for School Union 93 students from the Blue Hill Peninsula to Ellsworth High School this Fall. Ellsworth Superintendent Amy Boles says the extension is the result of a partnership between the districts and increased requests from parents. The bus will pick students up at Tradewinds in Blue Hill at 6:40 a.m. sharp, stop at Pugnuts in Surry if needed, then head to Ellsworth High School, with a reverse path in the afternoons. HCTC students can take the bus to EHS and get on the HCTC bus from there. The bus will be available to all Union 93 students enrolled at Ellsworth and who are able to get to the pick-up locations. A full bus schedule can be found on the Ellsworth School District Transportation page.
Districts in Maine Remain Divided on Transgender Issue
(Maine) Regulators have no plans to take action against school districts siding with President Donald Trump in his months-long battle with Governor Janet Mills over Maine’s protections for transgender students. The Bangor Daily News reports two districts, based in Livermore Falls and the Aroostook County town of Hodgdon, are now prohibiting transgender students from using bathrooms and competing in sports according to their gender identities. It’s unclear how many transgender students are in each of those the districts. That’s in line with an Executive Order issued by the President in February; but all the other school districts are following a longstanding law that bars gender identity-based discrimination in education and other public settings. The law is enforced by the Maine Human Rights Commission, which usually investigates potential violations when it gets complaints.
Environment
Maine Joins States with Bird Safe Buildings
(Maine) Maine has become one of four states nationwide to embrace new architectural guidelines designed to keep birds from crashing into windows…a problem experts say kills more than a billion birds each year in the U.S. The guidelines were developed with the help of Maine Audubon, the University of Southern Maine, architects, builders, and other experts. MaineBiz reports glass windows trick birds by reflecting sky and habitat or by appearing invisible. Maine Audubon said the collision problem is within easy reach to fix, with multiple strategies and products in the market to ensure buildings can be built to protect birds … without costing more. Among those already applying the strategies – L.L. Bean, which installed thousands of square feet of bird safe decals at its headquarters in Freeport. Efforts by that company and others have reportedly reduced bird strikes by more than 80%.
Injured Bald Eagle Dies
(Bar Harbor) A bald eagle found injured along the road in Bar Harbor Wednesday has died. The Bangor Daily News reports the eagle was part of a pair fighting with each other when they became entangled, and came down on the road. Wildlife control agents captured the two Wednesday night and took them to Acadia Wildlife Center in Bar Harbor, where one passed away from a severe spinal injury. The other eagle suffered a severe fracture and was taken to a Bangor veterinarian to determine if it could be treated. Multiple Good Sam passersby who saw the raptors posted on FB and worked frantically to get help for the pair.
Health
Beth C. Wright Kicks Off Hope Floats
(Ellsworth) There’s nothing fun about cancer. But there is FUND-raising – and who says that can’t bring a smile to those who are either facing cancer themselves or have loved ones who are? The Beth C. Wright Cancer Resource Center has launched HOPE Floats: Together We Duck Out Cancer, a yearlong community fundraiser designed to honor and support such individuals. The inspiring event invites folks to adopt a rubber duck in honor or memory of a loved one touched by cancer. Each adopted duck will be featured with a tribute tag and participate in races, virtual duck parades, and social media spotlights, featuring stories of courage, resilience and hope. Funds raised will help keep the services offered by Beth C. Wright free to those facing cancer. Adopt a duck for $10 .. or three for $25 at the link you’ll find listed with this story on the Star 97.7 website or call the Center and ask for Stacy. Get YOUR ducks in a row to help fight cancer.
https://www.zeffy.com/ticketing/hope-floats-together-we-duck-out-cancer-a-community-fundraiser-to-support-cancer-patients
MDI Hospital Receives Gift from First National Bank
(Bar Harbor) Mount Desert Island Hospital got a real “shot in the arm” recently … a $250K gift from First National Bank. According to a press release, the funds will be used for the hospital’s campus improvement project, helping to support critical improvements to MDI Hospital’s main campus. Plans include a modernized, climate-resilient emergency department designed to deliver lifesaving care, with improvements to the main entrance and ambulance bay. First National Bank President Tony McKim said the relationship between the bank and hospital is 100 years strong. Learn more about the project at the hospital’s launch of the Building Our Future campaign on Wednesday, August 27th, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Bar Harbor Club. Admission is free, but space is limited, so they do ask that you visit m d i hospital dot org to RSVP.
Infrastructure
Ellsworth Road Work
(Ellsworth) Road work planned for next week in Ellsworth – Monday through Thursday, highway crews will be working at Grant and Main. One lane will be shut down as they replace a storm drain. On Tuesday, a water crew will be working at the end of Mariaville Road to repair a fire hydrant. No lane closures there, but drivers are asking to use caution when traveling in that area.
Human Interest/Entertainment
Cars, Coffee and Canines
(Seal Cove) What’s better than Cars & Coffee at the Seal Cove Auto Museum? How about cars, coffee & canines? Bring your canine companion to the museum on Saturday, August 16th and help fill their 1928 Huckster with pet supplies for the SPCA of Hancock County! The “Dog Days of Summer” event will double as a pet supply drive for the SPCA, and they’ll be there with dogs available for adoption! You’ll find information about the shelter’s top items on their wish list on the SPCA of Hancock County’s FB page. Cars, coffee, and canines … August 16th from from 10 to 1 at the Seal Cove Auto Museum.
Winter Harbor Lobster Festival
(Winter Harbor) Tomorrow’s weather sounds perfect for the Winter Harbor Lobster Festival! The festival is a day-long event featuring a lobster dinner, craft fair, boat races, a parade, and more, hosted by the Schoodic Area Chamber of Commerce. Start your day with a delicious blueberry pancake breakfast at the Masonic Hall, beginning at 6 a.m. – catch all the in-between fun, and then gather for the Lobster Dinner from 11 to 3 and wrap up the day with a parade on Grindstone Avenue and the Schoodic Loop Road. Look for a schedule on FB.