Hanging on a corner of Kris and Keely Calaman’s living room wall is a small wooden sign with a simple message: “Count your blessings.” The young Smyrna couple know how to do that all too well. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes =… Read More
BAR HARBOR – JAX Research Systems will announce a major expansion in February and could enter the Bangor area or southern Maine within the next five years as the demand for research mice continues to climb, JAX president Warren Cook said during a recent interview. Read More
University of Maine Chancellor Joseph Westphal announced Monday that the University of Maine System will face another $1.85 million cut in its budget for 2003. The system’s seven campuses had already absorbed a $3.5 million budget cut announced this fall, in addition to steep increases… Read More
BOSTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has begun proceedings to revoke the right of an Idaho firm that hired 14 foreign workers killed in a September accident in the Allagash to do business in the United States as a farm labor contractor, it was announced Monday. Read More
Monday’s Family Ties column on the Style page stated incorrectly that Roxanne Moore Saucier would speak this Wednesday at the Bangor Public Library. That talk took place Dec. 18, and the next meeting of the Penobscot County Genealogical Society is set for 6 p.m. Jan. 15 at the… Read More
PRESQUE ISLE – U.S. and Canadian agriculture officials have announced a plan to deal with the potato mop-top virus (PMTV) that was discovered this summer in Maine and eight other states. The virus is harmless to people, but produces rings of discoloration inside potatoes that… Read More
AUGUSTA – Heating-oil prices in Maine continued to increase this week, jumping 4 cents a gallon to an average of $1.32. That is 21 cents higher than a year ago. During December, the average price of heating oil has risen 11 cents in Maine, in… Read More
Journalism’s tender trap… I can’t help wondering how many people, upon seeing Bob DeLong’s beautiful and evocative Dec. 27 front-page photo of deer eating in a back yard, will feel inspired to begin feeding deer themselves to enjoy the experience firsthand. Sandra Cooke googletag.cmd.push(function ()… Read More
I have noticed something alarming in the criminal justice articles over the past week or so. The courts in Maine seem to take a very lenient view of violent crimes, even one’s potentially life-threatening to the victim. This is particularly true when compared to drug cases. Read More
As a frequent reader of the police files column in the Bangor Daily News, I was a bit surprised by an entry [on Dec. 20] that identified a young person as both a resident of another state and a student at Penobscot Job Corps. Why… Read More
In the Bangor Daily News on Dec. 13 it was announced that the trustees of the University of Maine System endorsed a $44 million renovation package for the university. Doubtful they had considered that the state of Maine already is sinking in a sea of debt to the… Read More
What was the point of the article, “Concern grows over deer feeding” (BDN, Dec. 27)? First, [biologist] Gerry Lavigne tells us all the evils of feeding deer, then turns around and tells what, when, where and how to do it, even to the point of offering a video… Read More
I wonder why former President Clinton could get away with starting a war to keep his immoral antics from being first in the news, but when President Bush declares war to be imminent legitimately, the “peace and justice” activists begin their protests. I have just… Read More
Baby Eve is a horrifying yet bemusing example of how the most serious debates can be driven by forces impossible to take seriously. There is nothing more serious before mankind today than cloning; at the moment, it is in the hands of a quasi-religious sect of pseudo-futurists and… Read More
I am appalled that anyone would think that Sally Schofield’s sentence is “grossly disproportionate with other manslaughter cases” (BDN, Dec. 25). Why shouldn’t she serve at least a 20-year sentence for causing the death of this helpless, 5-year-old child? So she led a “highly constructive”… Read More
Properly, Secretary of State Colin Powell announced Sunday that the United States would try to defuse a confrontation over nuclear weapons with North Korea by talking with this isolated nation. Whether the talks become the negotiation North Korean leader Kim Jong Il wants remains to be seen, but… Read More
Attack Iraq” propagandists yammer most about weapons of mass destruction (a serious but containable concern) and hardly at all about oil (the real Bush deal). Somewhere between – usually phrased as a pious sidebar – is the fond hope for democracy in Islam’s most brutally governed country. Never… Read More
Writing hours before last fall’s election, a columnist for the London-based Guardian commented: “a respectable performance by Republicans tonight – maintaining, say, their narrow hold over the House… even when the economy is sputtering – would be seen as an enormous vindication of a man who won fewer… Read More
JEFFERSON – The attorney for an Augusta man accused of running over the leg of a Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department detective on Christmas Day as he drove away in the officer’s vehicle claims that information provided to the media about the incident is “significantly inaccurate.”… Read More
AUGUSTA – A state investigation has concluded that a Hinckley Co. employee failed to prove that the boat builder retaliated against him for complaining about sexual harassment and plant safety. The Maine Human Rights Commission investigative staff, in a Nov. 27 report released last week,… Read More
PITTSFIELD – It was Christmas Eve and Clermont “Clum” Spencer, one of the state’s best-known folklorists and storytellers, was working a 5 p.m. to 5 a.m. shift at Hancock Lumber. In actuality, Spencer, 68, had retired from a lifetime of work in mills, in the… Read More
Coyote snaring is controversial enough on its own, but throw in three federally endangered species – bald eagles, gray wolves and Canada lynx – and even those who support the practice get antsy. Now, one month into the snaring season, wildlife biologists are working to… Read More
THOMASTON – A recent SAD 50 audit has shown nearly $30,000 in questionable deposits made in the food service account, according to the district superintendent. SAD 50’s director of accounting and food services was placed on paid administrative leave Dec. 9, and shortly thereafter, an… Read More
WASHINGTON – Often jet-lagged from his the job, William Brennan commutes home to Topsham, Maine, to see his family every two weeks if he’s lucky. Taking a look at his fall calendar, the Maine native recalls how in 12 days he went from Washington, D.C., to India, Spain,… Read More
ELLSWORTH – The Hancock County commissioners on Monday approved $57,000 in account overdrafts for 2002 to cover unbudgeted expenses for legal services and prescription drugs for jail inmates, according to Ken Shea, commissioner chairman. Shea said he called a special meeting of the county commissioners… Read More
Houlton District Court Cases Dec. 16-20, 2002 googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i = 0; i < slot_sizes.length; i++) { if (isMobileDevice()) { if (slot_sizes[i][0] googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define… Read More
DOVER-FOXCROFT – The Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District will hold a locally led conservation meeting at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 7, at the Dover-Foxcroft Plaza Mall. Conservation priorities and cost shares for conservation practices will be discussed. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot… Read More
ROCKPORT – Travis Ford may not be the flashiest cop on the beat, but his steady and reliable work has earned him “Officer of the Year” honors for the town Police Department. Chief Mark Kelley surprised Ford on Monday afternoon with the award, presenting him… Read More
BANGOR – The city’s intergovernmental affairs coordinator has tendered his resignation, effective Jan. 1, to take a full-time post as Gov.-elect John Baldacci’s spokesman. Lee Umphrey, a Holden resident, has been on unpaid leave from the city since he accepted one of the top three… Read More
BANGOR – Imagine having a million-dollar resource at your fingertips, but not knowing how to use it. A treasure-trove of information – organized, professional, reliable and free – is yours for the taking, but few Mainers are taking advantage of the public resource. Two area… Read More
ROCKLAND – Adult and infant-child CPR and first aid courses will start Thursday, Jan. 2, at the American Red Cross, 312 Broadway. The cost per course is $35. Any two courses may be taken for $45, and all three may be taken for $50. For… Read More
AUGUSTA – Central Maine Power Co. will interrupt power to about 2,400 customers in Islesboro, Lincolnville, Northport and Searsmont early Thursday morning, Jan. 2, to perform maintenance at the Lincolnville substation. The outage is scheduled to begin at 12:01 a.m. and is expected to last… Read More
A Massachusetts woman was killed Monday on a snowmobile in western Maine, bringing the state’s death toll to three in three days and prompting warnings from game wardens for snowmobile operators to slow down. The accidents were worrisome because school break means the trails will… Read More
GUILFORD – SAD 4 Adult Education will offer an all terrain vehicle-snowmobile safety course from 6 to 9 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, Jan. 6 and 7, at Piscataquis Community High School. The six-hour course will be led by Woody Thompson of the Department of Inland… Read More
MOUNT DESERT – Selectmen on Monday said they will trust voters to pass a new sewer ordinance at the town meeting in March, including language defining a controversial user fee system, rather than make last-minute changes to the proposal. By consensus, selectmen rejected the recommendation… Read More
BANGOR – The owners of a downtown business were assaulted Friday after they told a young couple they could not hang around inside the Main Street cafe. Stephen Stimpson and his wife, Tina, owners of the Intown Internet Cafe, were both treated at St. Joseph… Read More
CAMDEN – Work to improve the air quality at the town-owned Camden Opera House has begun, but the bulk of the project is expected to be put out to bid early next year. Town Manager Roberta Smith said Monday she is awaiting specifications for the… Read More
CARIBOU – Plans for a limited-access highway through Aroostook County are nearly on schedule, and Maine Department of Transportation officials expect a final draft environmental impact study could be completed by late 2003. Over the last nine months, DOT officials have been reviewing project data… Read More
BANGOR – A former Winter Harbor man was sentenced Monday to 71/2 years in federal prison for drug trafficking and possession of a firearm. Michael Silvia, 23, was charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, one count of possession with intent… Read More
Square dancing is popular with a lot of people because it’s a fun and social way to get active and stay active. It’s also a great way to make friends in a chemical-free environment. Sandy Burke of Dedham explained that to me when we talked… Read More
NEWPORT, N.H. – The man shot and killed over the weekend had a history of minor run-ins with the law, according to police in Sanford, Maine. Stanley Negri, 33, was shot outside a trailer at Country Club Estates, a mobile-home park, shortly before 10 p.m. Read More
UM scientist leads Antarctic team Expedition gathering data on climate change, atmospheric chemistry
PORTLAND – A Maine winter is nothing compared to the conditions endured by University of Maine scientists as they collect data in Antarctica. Paul Mayewski and his colleagues make up the U.S. research team that is part of the International Trans Antarctic Scientific Expedition, a… Read More
BANGOR – A former captain of the University of Maine football team pleaded guilty Friday in 3rd District Court to possessing steroids and was ordered to pay a $400 fine. Benjamin A. Christopher, 25, who listed addresses in Bangor and Tewksbury, Mass., in court documents,… Read More
PORTLAND – Activists from New England are gathering Saturday to develop ways to improve the quality of life for Latinos in the region. “We don’t want people to tolerate us, we want them to give us equal treatment under the law in health care, welfare… Read More
ROCKLAND – An 18-year-old man was stabbed Friday evening as he was walking near Pleasant Street by an unidentified male who got out of a vehicle to talk with him. Albert Fogg Jr. of Rockland was walking in the vicinity of Pleasant and Franklin streets… Read More
It’s quite a leap from offshore fisherman to quality boot maker and leather crafter, but Robin Lawlor has made it seamlessly. Lawlor, founder of Travellers Leather in Belfast, has made quite a name for himself in the decade since he stopped tending nets and learned… Read More
Last night I went to bed contemplating New Year’s resolutions. All of them, written not solely for me but for every one of us, are listed in an anthology of wisdom called “Abounding Grace.” The book was edited and compiled by M. Scott Peck and was published by… Read More
Dear Jim: We have a newer home with a gas furnace, water heater and range. A nearby family was almost killed from carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Are we at risk with new appliances? Are home CO detectors available? – Mike D. Dear Mike: Although the… Read More
As a new year looms, many of us spend plenty of time trying to figure out what direction our lives are heading. It happens every year, you know. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner =… Read More
Head coach John Giannini still doesn’t have the entire roster at his disposal, but the University of Maine men’s basketball team is starting to fill out nicely. The Black Bears rebounded from a tough Sunday loss with a solid 87-71 victory against David Lipscomb College… Read More
BANGOR – At one point in the fourth quarter of Monday’s girls basketball game between Bangor and Brewer, the Rams and the Witches were in a skirmish on the floor, trying to gain control of a loose ball. Somehow, Carolyn McAvoy emerged from the pile… Read More
University of Maine senior right winger Gray Shaneberger wasn’t sure the last time he was chosen the Most Valuable Player of a tournament. “It was probably back when I played for the [Philadelphia] Junior Flyers or for my high school [Washington Township High School, N.J.],”… Read More
Considering recent history, the time of the season, a distinct height disadvantage and the long bus ride, Presque Isle’s 45-43 schoolgirl basketball victory over Hampden Saturday was a bit unexpected. “Unbelievable. We absolutely stole that game,” coach Jeff Hudson said Monday, minutes before the 4-0… Read More
HIGH SCHOOL At Davan Pool, Westbrook googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i = 0; i < slot_sizes.length; i++) { if (isMobileDevice()) { if (slot_sizes[i][0]… Read More
WOODLAND – Kaitlyn Leeman scored eight of her 10 points in the fourth quarter Monday night as the Woodland girls basketball team came from behind to beat Lee Academy 46-41. Katie Smith led all scorers with 20 points and Lauren Troiani finished with 10 for… Read More
MOUNT DESERT – Kyle Jones was 8-8 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter Monday night as the Mount Desert Island boys basketball team fought off a Houlton comeback to earn a 67-66 win. Jones scored 28 points to lead the Trojans while… Read More
DOVER-FOXCROFT – Danny White scored five of his team’s last six points Monday night, including the winning basket with 40 seconds left, as the Foxcroft Academy boys basketball team edged Hermon 57-56. White paced the winners with 24 points and Bobby Gilbert added 13. Josh… Read More
HOUGHTON, N.Y. – Angela Layne scored 17 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead Houghton to a 56-44 women’s basketball victory over Husson College Monday afternoon. Casandra Mills and Katie Packard each added 10 points for the winners. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var… Read More
Cheerleaders deserve more recognition I was reading Thursday’s edition of the Bangor Daily News (Dec. 19) and noticed the basketball pullout. I didn’t see any cheerleaders! googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for… Read More
AUGUSTA – Smallpox vaccinations are expected to begin in Maine in February with inoculations of teams of medical professionals who would be the first to respond to any suspected outbreak of the deadly disease. The vaccinations are part of a national preparedness plan should terrorists… Read More
STOCKTON SPRINGS – The new second-grade reading series at Stockton Springs Elementary School was doing double duty several weeks ago. As teacher Kathy Harrison read aloud about a chameleon changing color, she pointed to captions and headings so pupils could become familiar with ways to… Read More
AUGUSTA – Thirty-six thousand Mainers will continue to receive prescription drug discounts despite last week’s federal appeals court ruling that struck down the Healthy Maine Prescriptions program. The Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia last Tuesday ruled that Healthy Maine, which provided drug… Read More
AUGUSTA – New technology that allows shoppers to check themselves out at the register has been so well-received by Maine consumers that a supermarket chain is considering adding it to more of its stores in the state. Customers scan and bag their own groceries at… Read More
SOUTH PORTLAND – Many of those empty Ames department stores across the state could soon have new tenants selling groceries, sporting goods and discount merchandise. Two supermarket chains, a national sporting goods retailer and Lewiston-based Marden’s Surplus & Salvage have acquired the lease rights to… Read More
Before assigning the 2002 holidays to history, check under your tree for these items. Kmart Corp. is recalling 50,000 candy-filled wooden vehicles that may have been given to children. The wheels could break into small parts, posing a choking hazard to young children. The toys… Read More
GORHAM – Cross-country skiing enthusiasts are reveling in the aftermath of the Christmas nor’easter that dropped nearly 2 feet of snow over the Maine coast. Bobbi Buisman of Portland was among those who headed to Smiling Hill Farm over the weekend. googletag.cmd.push(function () { //… Read More
Jeffrey C. McBurnie of Holden has been appointed technical services manager for Soil Preparation Inc., a Plymouth-based advanced alkaline stabilization and composting facility. Before starting his position with SPI, McBurnie served as chief operator and laboratory director for the Brewer Water District and as a training and special… Read More
It is no secret that families in developed countries are having fewer children. The reason often cited for the increasing prevalence of only-child households is that more women are working and, therefore, have less time for raising a family. However, a more insidious rationale is… Read More
Maine lawmakers will spend a lot of time this winter looking for a comprehensive answer to the problem of health-care costs. The Bush administration will be looking much more narrowly, according to a recent article the National Journal, at new versions of medical savings accounts. MSAs could become… Read More
Instant Runoff Voting (IRV) is not the kind of hot-button issue that gets people demonstrating in the streets. But perhaps it should be, as it may make the difference between genuine majority democracy and government run by minority parties who do not reflect the will of their constituents. Read More
A recent opinion survey in Canada found that nearly 40 percent of Canadians regard George W. Bush as a greater threat to world peace and security than Saddam Hussein. Despite legitimate questions about the integrity of polling, this is a message of concern that should be taken seriously. Read More
As a 50-something “boomer” attempting to chart a smooth course to a safe retirement “harbor,” I enjoyed a chuckle at the advertising supplement titled “50 Plus – The Best of Times” (BDN, Dec. 12). It would seem by those ads that the best retirement communities… Read More
So far the war images have been disturbingly successful in obscuring the public’s view of corporate crime in America. While the administration plays out its “axis of evil” skit, the accounting and securities reforms legislated this summer have been quietly undermined by the Bush White House. Like so… Read More
I’m going to have to give President Bush an “F” in economy. My Social Security benefit will increase $2 and my Medicare will be increased by $4.80. Isn’t my raise actually costing me $2.80, or have I failed in my math? Marion Lovell googletag.cmd.push(function ()… Read More
As an American citizen, a member of Vietnam Veterans Against War and a compassionate human being, I am appalled and ashamed of President Bush’s terrorizing of the Iraqi people with constant threats of war. He shows callous indifference to the consequences of such a war, to the danger… Read More
A recent discussion at the county commissioner’s meeting illustrates the need for alternative sentencing of mentally ill and addicted persons to rehabilitation and treatment. It is crazy to park them in jail, and it’s expensive. On Dec. 10, the Hancock County commissioners were asked to… Read More
AUGUSTA – There will be pomp and circumstance and some boogie-woogie to mark the inauguration of Gov.-elect John Baldacci as the first Democrat to occupy the Blaine House in 16 years. The formal inauguration will be held on Jan. 8, followed the next day by… Read More
BANGOR – Breaking up is hard to do especially when the temperature drops below freezing. But when it comes to clearing a path in the icebound Penobscot River, it’s a snap for the crew of the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Tackle from Rockland. googletag.cmd.push(function ()… Read More
PORTLAND – The number of highway deaths in Maine reached the highest level in more than a decade in 2002, but the numbers of homicides and fire deaths were near historic lows as the end of the year approached. There were 218 highway deaths as… Read More
CLIFTON – Maine State Police are investigating a credit card scam in which a company claiming to be a South Dakota financial institution actually is using a contact telephone number for a limousine service in Massachusetts. In the wake of the incident, investigators are urging… Read More
ACADIA NATIONAL PARK – The National Park Service is seeking public comment through Jan. 17 on a $350,000 improvement project at Sand Beach. The project would enhance visitors’ experience and ensure that facilities are accessible to the handicapped. Len Bobinchock, acting Acadia National Park superintendent,… Read More
NEWPORT, N.H. – A man from Sanford, Maine, was shot and killed outside a home in a trailer park over the weekend, police said. Stanley Negri, 33, was shot in the yard of a residence at the Country Club Estates shortly before 10 p.m. Saturday,… Read More
FORT KENT – A Connecticut woman was listed in stable condition Sunday night at Northern Maine Medical Center with injuries she suffered that morning in a snowmobile accident. Kimberly Grega, 34, of Monroe, Conn., was riding a 2003 Skidoo snowmobile on ITS Route 85 at… Read More
ORLAND – A well-timed telephone call and a smoke alarm alerted a woman that her house was on fire Saturday and she escaped without injury although her split-level ranch was destroyed, according to a fire official. “We’re not certain of the cause yet [but] there’s… Read More
ALFRED – The York County sheriff wants the Legislature to change the law to allow a video camera system at the new county jail so inmates can meet with visitors on camera. Sheriff Philip Cote said a video network could cut down on contraband being… Read More
GRAY – Authorities have identified a teenager from New Gloucester as the victim of the state’s first fatal snowmobile accident of the season. Michael Huff, 15, was killed Saturday when he drove into a chain that closed off part of Juniper Lane in Gray, according… Read More
BAR HARBOR – The Public Works Department now can accept “universal” waste such as televisions and computers at its recycling facility, town officials have announced. As required by the state, the town must remove mercury from its solid waste stream and now is able to… Read More
SCARBOROUGH – Town officials are handling a surge in snowmobile registrations after last week’s winter storm that spurred snowmobilers to head outdoors. The clerk’s office handled about 40 applications Thursday, and was expecting to process another 60 on Friday, said Marion O’Roak, an excise tax… Read More
HOULTON – The Town Council last week, sitting in its capacity as the Shiretown Development Corp., voted to authorize the use of up to an additional $20,000 in SDC funds to help a New Jersey business expand to this town. The extra money, which is… Read More
PRESQUE ISLE – Northern Maine Regional Airport has purchased a special ramp that will make it easier for local air carriers to help both able-bodied and disabled passengers board planes more safely and efficiently. Wheelchair users and passengers who otherwise could not walk up steep… Read More
Three people were charged with theft and burglary of a motor vehicle after witnesses watched them take part in stealing packages from a UPS delivery truck at the Bangor Mall, Bangor police said Sunday. Using witness descriptions, police identified Matthew Spencer, 22, and a 15-year-old… Read More
MOUNT DESERT – Selectmen will meet at 6:30 p.m. today to discuss suggested changes to the proposed sewer ordinance by the town’s warrant committee. The ordinance will appear on the 2003 annual town meeting warrant. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]];… Read More
LEWISTON – The leader of a national white supremacist group that plans a rally against Somalis who have settled in this Maine city is facing a contempt of court charge in Chicago. Matt Hale, high priest of the World Church of the Creator, is scheduled… Read More
PITTSFIELD – A woman lost control of her vehicle on black ice just before 5 p.m. Sunday, drove through a field and crashed into a house, doing more than $15,000 damage to the building. Wendy Cummings, 39, of Pittsfield was driving west on outer Somerset… Read More
KILLINGTON, Vt. – Forest officials say it would cost $200,000 to move part of the Appalachian Trail off a road and into the woods. The U.S. Forest Service, town officials and a hikers group all support the idea of moving about a half-mile of the… Read More
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Less than 24 hours after suffering an agonizing, last-second loss to Holy Cross, the University of Maine women’s basketball team bounced back Sunday with a resounding 96-54 victory over Robert Morris (Pa.) in the consolation game of the La Salle Invitational. On… Read More
BREWER – Sometimes things just go your way. Ask Ben Henderson. Saturday night at the T.J. Ryan Center, the Houlton-Hodgdon defenseman picked up the puck late in the second period of a 1-1 hockey game and crossed the red line. The sophomore then fired a… Read More
ORONO – While Bangor’s boys were using a traditional method to steamroll the competition at Saturday’s Penobscot Valley Conference-Eastern Maine Indoor Track League meet, Old Town’s girls – and the Hampden Academy boys and girls – were finding ways to fill some big gaps and gain some early… Read More
ESTERO, Fla. – The University of Maine’s hockey team hasn’t trailed in many games this season. The Bears found themselves trailing in both Everblades College Hockey Classic games this weekend but rallied to win the tournament title for the second time in three years. googletag.cmd.push(function… Read More
SYDNEY, Nova Scotia – The United States team bounced back from a 5-1 loss to Russia with a 3-1 victory over Switzerland Saturday in the World Junior Championships. University of Maine freshman goalie Jimmy Howard, who was lifted after allowing four goals vs. Russia, did not play. Black… Read More