Local News – September 5, 2025
Trenton Fire
(Trenton) – It took firefighters from four departments about an hour to put out a trailer in Trenton early this morning. Pagers activated around 3:15 sending trucks from Trenton, Ellsworth, Hancock and Lamoine to the scene on Horse Farm Road while the Mariaville department covered Ellsworth’s station. The Fire Marshal’s Office will help look for a cause. No injuries are reported.
Drought Extended
(Caribou) – Though some rain is predicted for tomorrow, it won’t be nearly enough in our area to relieve what the National Weather Service has categorized as severe drought conditions. The Caribou forecast office has now extended the severe drought to Downeast Maine and the Greater Bangor area. An advisory showed that the dry weather has led to premature leaf drop on birch trees and some wells have dried up. Fire danger is high to very high and the number of forest fires in Maine has exceeded normal levels.
Freyburg Plane Crash
(Fryeburg) – A plane crash yesterday in Fryeburg killed the person piloting the aircraft. WMTW TV reports the plane crashed near the Eastern Slope airport in Fryeburg at 2:45 in the afternoon. Hikers on a nearby mountain reported hearing what sounded like a gunshot around the same time firefighters rushed to a wooded area near the tiny airport in Fryeburg and found the plane and pilot. No names have yet been released.
Augusta – Fatal Crash
(Augusta) – A rollover crash on Interstate 95 in Augusta has killed a 54-year old pickup truck driver. State Police said they had to shut down exit 113 for an hour and a half while they investigated the crash. The driver’s identified as Shaun McFarlin of Augusta. State Police spokeswoman Shannon Moss says speed was a factor in the crash.
Hancock – School Construction
(Hancock) – Sprawling across the back parking lot areas at the grammar school in Hancock are six portable classrooms to house classrooms that lack space in the main building. The superintendent of schools office is in one of the rooms, and the school has applied for state construction funding to replace the aging structure. The Ellsworth American reports Hancock ranked 8th on the state list for construction. Principal Adam Gray says he hopes there’s enough money on the five year list for building a new school. Other area schools ranked in the top 35 included the Hancock County Technical Center and the Lamoine Consolidated School.
ATV Fatal
(Berwick) – A Berwick man is dead after the ATV he was operating near his home hit an embankment and rolled over. The Maine Warden Service reports to Star 97.7 that 31-year old Tyler Anderson died at the hospital after he was airlifted following the accident. A 33-year old passenger suffered non life threatening injuries. Warden Service investigators say the ATV was speeding when it crashed.
MDI Hospital Construction Begins
(Bar Harbor) Construction is underway at MDI Hospital. The Mount Desert Islander reports work on the main entrance is part of the hospital’s Master Campus Expansion plan that’s set to make the facility more visible and accessible. Hospital staff say the most important change for patients and visitors is that now through December, anyone needing access to the hospital’s emergency department directly must enter via the Hancock Street entrance – there will be no access via Wayman Lane during construction. Signage has been posted, and traffic flow and parking at the hospital have been adjusted to accommodate the work.
Proposed Subdivision in SW Harbor Leads to Tense Talks
(SW Harbor) Discussions over a proposed subdivision in SW Harbor have descended into some tense debate over soil contamination and the proper review of evidence. The Mount Desert Islander reports the Planning Board met Tuesday with property owner Lee Worcester for a site walk of the proposed Trundy Farm Subdivision on Long Pond Road. The property is adjacent to the Eastern Maine Recycling facility, owned by Worcester. Worcester said the sewer system at the proposed subdivision would drain downhill towards the new homes then be pumped back out to the town sewer line on Seal Cove Road. Following the walk, Planning Board members met at the town hall to review the final plan for the 12-lot subdivision, where it was again met with strong opposition.
MDI Man Sentenced to 15 Years
(Ellsworth) A Mount Desert man has been ordered to serve 15 years in prison, all but five suspended, according to the Mount Desert Islander. Authorities arrested 59 year old Glenn Stanley in connection with two April 2024 home and building fires on Stanley Mountain Road. Stanley pled guilty to arson, attempted arson, and aggravated criminal mischief in connection to those fires. One woman who suffered property loss in the fires testified it was set out of a grudge and grievance. A camera reportedly caught Stanley setting one fire, attempting to set another and eventually “blowing kisses” to the camera.
Towns Hold Public Meetings on toddy Pond Dams
(Blue Hill) Four towns that border Toddy Pond and Alamoosook Lake are inviting residents to attend a series of public meetings to learn about future options for the two dams that determine water levels on the two bodies of water. The Ellsworth American reports the first meeting is set for Monday (Sept. 8) at 6 p.m. at Penobscot Community School. Other meetings next week are planned in Orland, Blue Hill, and Surry. The question of what to do with the dams arose after their owner, Bucksport Mill, LLC, filed petitions last fall for release of ownership of the structures. Meeting organizers anticipate sharing information on how the yet-to-be-established watershed districts would be budgeted for and funded.
Ellsworth Woman to Receive Posthumous Recognition
(Ellsworth) A late Ellsworth woman who served as a World War One telephone operator will receive the highest civilian medal posthumously. The Ellsworth American writes English born Sarah Fairbrother Aldrich was a local toll operator for a telephone exchange. Aldrich was one of 223 women who deployed overseas as part of the newly created Army Signal Corps Female Telephone Operators Unit. Affectionately known as “Hello Girls”, the operators helped the US and its allies achieve victory in wartime Europe. Medals for Congressional Gold Medal are being minted and will be delivered to surviving family members.