409 High Street - P.O. Box 1171 - Ellsworth, ME 04605 - Phone: 207-667-0002 Fax: 207-667-0627

What's Happening Downeast

Local News 12/20/23

Crime/Public Safety/Drugs Storms Rip through State, Leaving Damage, Power Outages (Maine)  Governor Mills yesterday declared a state of emergency in 14 of Maine’s 16 counties, allowing the state to request federal disaster relief.  Powerful storms ripped through the state Monday, leaving hundreds of thousands without power and crews scrambling to do cleanup and repairs.  At […]

Local News 12/18/23

Crime/Public Safety/Drugs Army Inspector General to Conduct Independent Investigation into Lewiston Shooting (Augusta)  The US Army Inspector General will conduct an independent investigation into the mass shooting in Lewiston in October.  Maine’s Congressional delegation has been calling for such an in-depth probe into the tragedy that left 18 dead and 13 wounded.  In a letter […]

Local News 12/15/23

Crime/Public Safety/Drugs Emergency Room Physicians List Toys to Avoid (WashPost)  You want those toys you buy your kids to be fun, but can some of them be dangerous as well?  Emergency room physicians say yes, with certain gifts even landing children in the ER.  A Johns Hopkins pediatrician whose video has gone viral on TikTok, […]

Local News 12/14/23

Crime/Public Safety/Drugs Maine Nonprofit Calls for More Support for Child Caseworkers (Augusta)  Members of the nonprofit “Walk A Mile in Their Shoes” say the state’s child welfare agency needs to stop prioritizing family reunification when parents fail to follow plans to keep their children safe from neglect or abuse.  The organization, led by former State […]

Local News 12/13/23

Crime/Public Safety/Drugs Hancock County Increases Sheriff’s Budget (Ellsworth)  When it comes to staffing shortages, it’s especially difficult for law enforcement agencies tasked with maintaining public safety.  Maine State Police have had to reduce patrols in rural areas, and that means adjustments on the part of county sheriff’s departments.  Last year, Washington County added a deputy position to […]

Local News 12/12/23

Crime/Public Safety/Drugs Storm Brings Flooding, Power Outages (Downeast Maine)  Water rose knee deep in parts of downtown Ellsworth, roads were closed, washed out, or flooded in Castine, Surry, Franklin and various other towns and areas, and thousands were without power Monday as a powerful wind and rain storm blew through the state.  Most of the […]

Local News AM 12/11/23

Crime/Public Safety/Drugs Steuben Fatal Crash (Steuben)  A high school student was killed and another injured yesterday afternoon when their 2013 Chevy Malibu came over a hill on Unionville Road in Steuben, went airborne, and struck a tree.  No names have yet been released, pending notification of kin, but Sumner Principal Jackson Green sent a letter […]

Local News 12/08/23

Crime/Public Safety/Drugs Lambrew Faces Questioning from Lawmakers Over Embattled Child Welfare Program (Augusta)  The head of Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services faced grilling from lawmakers about the state’s troubled child welfare program this week.  The Portland Press Herald reports Commissioner Jeanne Lambrew acknowledged problems within the system and told lawmakers listening to and […]

Local News 12/07/23

Crime/Public Safety/Drugs Family of Graham Lacher Doubles Reward (Bangor) The family of Graham Lacher has doubled their reward for the first member of the public who provides information that leads to a successful reunion.  The now 39 yo Lacher reportedly walked away from the Dorothea Dix Psychiatric Facility in June 2022 and has been missing […]

Local News 12/06/23

Crime/Public Safety/Drugs Jury Selection Begins in Perry Murder Case (Machias)  Jury selection began Tuesday for two people accused of brutally killing a woman in Perry last year.  The body of 43 yo Kimberley Neptune was found inside her Thunder Road apartment in April of 2022.  Police charged Kailie Brackett and Donnell Dana, both of Perry, […]