BANGOR – A federal judge appeared Tuesday to be steering a federal lawsuit filed more than 21/2 years ago against the Bureau of Indian Affairs by Passamaquoddys who oppose construction of a liquefied natural gas terminal on tribal land through its final stages toward a possible settlement. Read More
GROVETON, N.H. – First, it was the orders coming into Wausau Paper that dried up. Then it was the jobs. Now, the stream of snowmobilers and ATV riders who stock up at Emerson Outdoor Outfitters en route to New Hampshire’s north woods is slowing down,… Read More
FREEPORT – L.L. Bean and Barclays on Monday announced the launch of a new Visa card they said will provide enhanced benefits to shoppers who use it to charge their purchases from the outdoors outfitter. The card is to become available today as a replacement… Read More
The following petitions for bankruptcy were filed at U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Bangor during February 2008: Richard L. Pushard III, metal prep, and Katrina R. Pushard, fka Katrina R. Gregor, unemployed, one dependent, Chelsea: assets, $65,465; debts, $93,186. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var… Read More
The single-copy price of the weekday edition (Monday-Friday) of the Bangor Daily News, currently 60 cents, will increase to 75 cents at newsstands and stores beginning today, June 30. This is the first increase in the retail price of the paper since September 1996. “Rising… Read More
OLD TOWN – The list of debts owed by Red Shield Environmental LLC and RSE Pulp & Chemical LLC to each of their 20 largest unsecured claims totals more than $5.6 million, according to documents from the companies’ bankruptcy filings Friday. This doesn’t mean, however,… Read More
No other electronic device has inserted itself in our lives as quickly or completely as the cellular phone. As with other examples of digital technology, it’s constantly changing, and not all of the changes are for the better. Cell phones can be lifesavers, used to… Read More
The following petitions for bankruptcy were filed at U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Bangor during February 2008: Christine Burrill, fka Christine Engstrom, no employment given, four dependents, Palmyra: assets, $4,400; debts, $77,792. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = [];… Read More
WASHINGTON – New Englanders struggling this summer to pay gas prices topping $4 a gallon should brace for more bad news – home heating oil costs next winter are expected to hit record highs. One retail heating oil dealer says she expects a typical household… Read More
OLD TOWN – Financing negotiations weren’t completed Friday in time to save Red Shield Environmental LLC, the pulp manufacturing facility, from having to file bankruptcy. The company’s attorney, Robert Keach of Portland, said the Chapter 11 petition was filed around 7 p.m. at U.S. Bankruptcy… Read More
BANGOR – After 15 years in business, World Over Imports, a home furnishing store on Hogan Road, will close, probably by late summer. In January, the World Over Imports in Portland shut its doors, and now the Bangor store has announced its closure. googletag.cmd.push(function ()… Read More
A 65-mile direct-current power line, the Neptune Project, now connects Long Island with the power grid in Pennsylvania. The cable caries 660 megawatts and passes under the ocean floor. The cost was $600 million. The offshore wind proposal of Angus King would require the transmission of 5,000 megawatts… Read More
I have been advising friends and folks I have met over the past 30 years on how they should insulate their homes. Sometimes the advice was well accepted; sometimes people have told me I was crazy. This week, we will go over why $4.70 a… Read More
Maine home sales dropped more than 12 percent in May from a year ago, while average sale prices fell by nearly 6 percent. But real estate agents say they’re not overly worried. “Honestly, this is about what was expected,” said Sheryl Gregory, a real estate… Read More
As the first week of summer draws to a close, patio furniture lines the storefront of Finest Hearth & Home and gas grills are for sale, ready for the Fourth of July barbecue. While shoppers expect to see the displays of summer merchandise, it is… Read More
Machias Savings Bank has hired Katy Wood as a residential mortgage officer at the bank’s Blue Hill office. Wood comes to Machias Savings Bank from Downeast Mortgage in Blue Hill. She earned a bachelor’s degree in business and marketing from the University of New Hampshire and has 14… Read More
PORTLAND – It’s going to get costlier to ride a taxi in Maine’s largest city. As of July 1, Portland’s taxi fares will increase for the first tenth of a mile to $1.90, and to 30 cents for each additional tenth of a mile. googletag.cmd.push(function… Read More
BANGOR – Bangor Hydro-Electric customers will see their rates go up soon. The company said Friday that transmission rate increases will result in residential customer bills increasing by about 4 percent, or roughly $3.50 a month on average for an $85 bill. Commercial and industrial… Read More
KENNEBUNK – The water district that serves towns in the Kennebunk area has postponed its vote on a 30-year agreement to allow the Poland Spring bottled water company to tap into its aquifer. The vote to postpone came Wednesday after dozens of activists gathered outside… Read More
PORTLAND – The Portland Press Herald and Maine Sunday Telegram are eliminating 36 jobs and closing their four news bureaus in response to a continuing decline in advertising revenues, their publisher announced Thursday. The cuts come more than three months after the Seattle Times Co. Read More
BANGOR – Telford Aviation Inc. has sold an airplane designed for surveillance missions to the U.S. Army for $7.4 million. The Army had leased the four-engine turboprop DeHavilland Dash-7 from Telford for two or three years before the purchase, Bob Ziegelaar, president of the Bangor-based… Read More
PORTLAND – FairPoint Communications said Thursday it has entered into agreements with five regional automobile dealerships, including one in Bangor, to purchase motor vehicles as part of its $15 million vehicle purchase and customization plan. Ford F-450 and Ford F-750 trucks will be purchased from… Read More
RICHMOND – A venerable sailboat builder in East Boothbay is setting up shop away from the coast in Richmond to produce yacht interiors. Gov. John Baldacci and other state and local officials were on hand Wednesday for a ribbon-cutting at the new Hodgdon Interiors plant… Read More
OLD TOWN – Red Shield Environmental LLC, the pulp manufacturing facility, is expected to file for bankruptcy in the very near future, but attorney Robert Keach of Portland said it’s a short-term problem and the facility isn’t expected to close its doors forever. “I would… Read More
An entrepreneurial mom with roots in Bangor has created an environmentally friendly backpack for kids that she’s selling at more than 50 stores, primarily in New England, and in online catalogs. It retails for $20 to $25. Tina Hill, who was born in Bangor and… Read More
LEWISTON – City councilors have approved a $1 million sale of the Androscoggin Bank Colisee. Tuesday’s vote was 5-2. 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;… Read More
BANGOR – Beginning Friday, Shaw’s and Irving Oil are bringing back their Override program, in which grocery purchases at the supermarket yield coupons for discounts at the gas station. “We are incredibly excited to bring this program back to customers in the Bangor area just… Read More
CAMDEN – Ski areas large and small, concerned about the impact the rising cost of energy could have on their operations in the coming season, are already talking about how to meet the challenges. “There’s some speculation that local areas are going to benefit, and… Read More
Public Administrator of the Year Two outstanding Maine public servants were honored by the Maine Chapter of the American Society for Public Administration at its awards ceremony on June 19 at the State Capitol in Augusta. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes =… Read More
After eight years with the Bangor office of WBRC Architects-Engineers, Richard Graves is moving to Minnesota to join the firm of Perkins and Will. Green designed and managed some notable projects while at WBRC, the company said. The projects included the new research building at the Mount Desert… Read More
ELLSWORTH – KeyBank announced it will be tearing down and rebuilding the bank’s High Street branch. Construction is expected to start in the beginning of July and last through the end of the year. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var… Read More
BANGOR – For businesses interested in selling a product or service to the government, the Maine Procurement Technical Assistance Center will present an introduction to government contracting 10 a.m.-noon Monday, June 30, in the Penobscot Board Room at Eastern Maine Development Corp., 40 Harlow St., Bangor. There is… Read More
WISCASSET – The Finance Authority of Maine has awarded Coastal Enterprises Inc. $120,000 from the Regional Economic Development Revolving Loan Program to be lent to qualifying businesses in the Lincoln, Knox, Waldo and Sagadahoc county areas, excluding Bath and Topsham. To be eligible for the… Read More
BANGOR – Unicel has expanded its wireless digital network by adding a new cell site in Waterville. The Waterville site offers cellular coverage for residents of the community as well as for commuters traveling on Interstate 95. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes… Read More
CAMDEN – The board of directors of Camden National Corp. has declared a dividend of 25 cents per share payable on July 31, 2008, for shareholders of record on July 15, 2008, Robert W. Daigle, president said Tuesday. Read More
PORTLAND – The case of Belfast and the big-box stores officially came to an end Tuesday when the Maine Supreme Judicial Court issued a unanimous two-page ruling that the case is moot. During oral arguments in May at the Penobscot County Courthouse in Bangor, Chief… Read More
BANGOR – A land deal that will bring at least 30 jobs to the area received a unanimous thumbs up Monday night from city councilors. Under the terms of a lease and purchase option approved during a council meeting at City Hall, Maine Marine Manufacturing… Read More
OXFORD – Maine’s newest museum looks a lot like a gas station. That’s because Lamb’s Antique Gas Station Museum, which opened to the public over the weekend, is dedicated to anything and everything to do with Shell gasoline. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var… Read More
BANGOR – Bangor Savings Bank President and CEO Jim Conlon has no delusions that his company is immune from the economic woes that have swept across the country in the last year. But the 156-year-old bank with its conservative lending portfolio has been able to… Read More
AUGUSTA – After going up 80 cents per gallon in three months, heating oil prices in Maine took a breather. The latest biweekly summer survey by the state energy office found that the average cash price for No. 2 heating oil was unchanged at $4.60… Read More
KENNEBUNK – Opposition is brewing against a plan by the Kennebunk Water District to sell water to the water company Poland Spring for the next 30 years. More than 100 people showed up at a public meeting Sunday night to speak out against a proposed… Read More
WASHINGTON – The Internal Revenue Service, citing the drain that high gas prices are having on people’s finances, said Monday it is raising the automobile mileage rate that businesses and other drivers can claim. The tax agency said the optional standard rate to calculate deductible… Read More
Awhile back, we discussed a favorite technique of our volunteers who receive annoying, ill-timed, unsolicited phone calls in an effort to sell them something. The technique: Just hang up. One way to prevent most such calls is to get your phone number on the national… Read More
PORTLAND – North Carolina-based FairPoint Communications reluctantly agreed to a two-month delay in completing its takeover of Verizon’s northern New England landlines after a consultant funded by regulators expressed concern about FairPoint’s readiness to assume full control, the Maine Sunday Telegram reported. FairPoint officials had… Read More
The following petitions for bankruptcy were filed at U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Bangor during January 2008: Wayne D. Chubbuck, landscaper-lobsterman, two dependents, Edgecomb: assets, $1,250; debts, $32,800. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false;… Read More
BARRINGTON, Nova Scotia – Some lobster fishermen in Canada are angry that as many as 45 inshore draggers are expected to arrive in waters off southwestern Nova Scotia on Monday to begin dragging the bottom for scallops. The lobstermen say the scallop rakes smash, puncture… Read More
PITTSFIELD – There’s an intriguing aerial photo in the lobby of Merrill Merchants Bank on Main Street that was taken in the mid-1950s. The photo shows a vibrant downtown – cars filling every parking space, a diverse scattering of businesses and service companies – in other words, the… Read More
PITTSFIELD – The crowd may have been small at an energy forum on Thursday offered by local businessman and former Town Councilor Michael Dugas, but it certainly was enthusiastic. Only about a dozen people attended the forum, held at the J.W. Parks’ Golf Course clubhouse,… Read More
Like most of her family, Brianne Clay really digs peanut butter. So when her mother, Vicki Clay, wanted to buy a cake to celebrate her graduation from Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln this year, the elder Clay visited Twist of Heaven. Baker Jennifer Doyle spent most… Read More
Q: Tom, I have some questions about solar heating systems. I have only just started the process of searching for such a system. I have discovered that in the state of Maine, a certified plumber is required to install solar heating systems, so that is where I have… Read More
In the very best wind locations, a modern wind turbine will generate a bit more than 1,000 kilowatt-hours each year for each square meter (10 square feet) of wind disc. A 90-meter diameter wind turbine (the blade swing area will cover about two football fields) will generate nearly… Read More
BANGOR – The view of the Queen City from a boat coming up the Penobscot River is a perspective many don’t get to see. Owners of the Patience, a 19th century, 72-foot steam ferry replica, hope it’s a view that tourists and Greater Bangor residents… Read More
AUGUSTA – Continuing 911 problems and FairPoint Communication’s decision to delay its full takeover of Verizon’s land lines have some of Maine’s lawmakers on edge. Gov. John Baldacci said he remains confident FairPoint is up to the task of providing telephone service in Maine once… Read More
About 31,000 Mainers who are eligible to receive up to $600 apiece from the federal government’s economic stimulus plan risk losing that tax-rebate windfall if they don’t file a tax return. That includes 1,074 individuals in Bangor, 227 in Brewer and 3,368 in all of Penobscot County. Read More
BANGOR – Area residents will have four additional destination choices when flying from Bangor International Airport this summer. As part of a summer kick-off on Wednesday, airport officials announced four seasonal flights, which have either returned from previous years, or are brand new services. googletag.cmd.push(function… Read More
Three of Maine’s timberland owners were recognized recently by the U.S. Department of the Interior for the companies’ efforts to help protect populations of American woodcock. Irving Woodlands LLC, Plum Creek Timber Co. and Lyme Timber Co. were among more than 20 participating organizations in… Read More
PORTLAND – The publisher of the Portland Press Herald has asked a federal judge to decide whether a buyer of the newspaper is obligated to honor its union contract. Blethen Maine Newspapers sued the Portland Newspaper Guild, saying its refusal to allow the issue to… Read More
PORTLAND – The electronics industry has taken aim at Maine’s 2-year-old program for recycling old televisions and computer monitors, saying it violates federal law governing transportation of hazardous waste. The Electronic Industries Alliance, which represents manufacturers and recyclers, has asked the U.S. Department of Transportation… Read More
Careful readers of the Bangor Daily News will notice today that the small numbers printed in the Index at left read: Vol. 120, No. 1. Translated, this means the paper has started its 120th year of publication and you are looking at the first issue of the new… Read More
ROCKLAND – Courier Publications and its roster of six weekly newspapers are being sold to VillageSoup, the upstart publisher of an award-winning Web site and weeklies in Knox and Waldo counties. VillageSoup announced the deal Tuesday and indicated that it expected to complete the transaction… Read More
BREWER – Union members lamented the skyrocketing price of gasoline and oil on Tuesday and called for national policy changes and an investment in alternative energy sources to reverse the trend. High gasoline prices “are choking off the American dream for a lot of people,”… Read More
You’re young. You’re successful. You know the ins and outs of doing your job. But when you’re young and you’re successful, do you know the ins and outs of advancing your career? googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes =… Read More
YARMOUTH, Nova Scotia – Maine is not visible from this Canadian town, but tourism officials on both sides of the Gulf of Maine are hoping that, in this case anyway, out of sight does not mean out of mind. After all, it takes about the… Read More
BUCKSPORT – Seaboard Federal Credit Union, headquartered in Bucksport, has opened a new branch in Hermon. The branch, located in the Danforth Market Shopping Plaza across from Hermon High School at 2410 Route 2, employs a staff of five people and offers full financial services… Read More
PORTLAND – A federal judge in Maine has scheduled a July 10 meeting with class-action lawyers before deciding which of two groups will lead a lawsuit arising from last winter’s data breach at Hannaford Bros. The case against the Scarborough-based supermarket giant began as more… Read More
WASHINGTON – The Department of Labor has released a $317,300 National Emergency Grant to help workers affected by the closure of San Antonio Shoe in Pittsfield, Maine, Democratic Rep. Michael Michaud announced Monday. “National Emergency Grants are a vital lifeline to the people of Maine,… Read More
We like to think we are prepared for almost anything and that what we aren’t prepared for we can work through. A catastrophic loss affecting our homes and possessions can change that thinking quickly. A fire, flood, severe storm or other natural disaster can destroy… Read More
Q: A hobby I have pursued for years is beginning to turn into a business. I’m still doing it out of my house, filling orders that we get over the Internet from all over the world. We’re doing it as a family business with kids and cousins and… Read More
PORTLAND – Maine maple syrup production fell this year even as the output nationally rose by 30 percent. New Hampshire’s output went up by 41 percent, but the state still is way down on the list of production. U.S. syrup production for 2008 was 1.64… Read More
According to the Energy Information Administration, a nonpolitical arm of the U.S. Department of Energy, the use of biomass in this country will increase from the present 2.5 percent of the total to 3.1 percent in the year 2030. Other renewable energy – solar, wind and ethanol –… Read More
PORT CLYDE – Getting fresh fish to market has been a challenge ever since people began selling fish, and local groundfishermen believe they have come up with a balanced marketing plan. They have begun selling directly to area restaurants and consumers through community-supported fisheries, which… Read More
GREENWOOD – The Mount Abram ski resort in western Maine has been sold to two local investors. Matt Hancock and Rob Lally, who own homes near the resort, purchased it from Josh and Susan Burns of Falmouth. Terms of the sale, which was announced Friday,… Read More
HALIFAX, Nova Scotia – Regulators have approved a permit for construction of a $700 million liquefied natural gas terminal in Goldboro, Nova Scotia. Maple LNG received its permit from the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board, moving the project another step forward. It has already… Read More
BANGOR – Charles E. Webb has resigned as president and chief executive officer for Eastern Maine Development Corp., according to a news release issued this week. The board’s executive committee has initiated a search process to fill the vacancy. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot… Read More
WASHINGTON – The House on Thursday approved an extra three months of jobless benefits for all unemployed Americans, knowing the plan’s chances are slight in the Senate and almost nonexistent at the White House. After failing to get a veto-proof two-thirds margin by three votes… Read More
PRESQUE ISLE – A Texas company that is hoping to establish several wind farms in some parts of northern Maine officially made its presence known in Aroostook County on Thursday by opening an office in Presque Isle. Officials from Horizon Wind Energy joined local Chamber… Read More
U.S. Sen. Susan Collins on Thursday proposed an economic recovery bill that’s aimed at easing the effects of runaway energy prices and a downturn in the housing market. The Maine Republican’s wide-ranging bill calls for expanded funding for weatherization, tax credits for other energy-saving programs… Read More
AUGUSTA – The state energy office began its weekly heating oil price survey four months ahead of schedule Wednesday by reporting that the average cash price for No. 2 heating oil statewide now stands at $4.60 per gallon. During its 18-year history, the survey has… Read More
PORTLAND – Fairchild Semiconductor is considering Scarborough as a possible location for its new headquarters. Fairchild, the largest corporation based in Maine, is headquartered in South Portland, but its lease expires at the end of the year. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes… Read More
LEWISTON – Richardson Hollow Mental Health Services, a Lewiston-based agency that closed its doors last September, has reached a $190,000 settlement of a Maine Department of Labor lawsuit seeking back pay and unpaid vacation money for former employees. Richardson Hollow agreed to pay about $70,000… Read More
DALLAS – American Airlines raised its fuel surcharge to $150 per round trip, a $20 increase, on many routes Wednesday, just days after it failed in another attempt to raise fares. Tim Wagner, a spokesman for American, said the surcharge applied on domestic routes except… Read More
The U.S. Small Business Administration is reminding homeowners, renters, businesses and nonprofit organizations that less than one month remains to submit disaster loan applications for damage caused by severe storms and flooding from April 28 to May 14, 2008. The deadline to file an application for physical damage… Read More
OLD TOWN – Red Shield Environmental LLC likely will remain idle through the weekend because of continuing problems with low wood supply, a company spokesman said Tuesday afternoon. Dan Bird said the facility could open Thursday, but probably will remain off line until Monday, when… Read More
NEW LIMERICK – After nine months and $140 million, the Louisiana-Pacific plant in New Limerick on Tuesday ushered in the public to show off its expanded facility and product line. Company officials joined with local and economic development leaders, legislators and representatives from the state’s… Read More
The following recalls have been announced: . About 730,000 Candlsense warmers, made in China by Provo Craft & Novelty Inc., because the internal heating part of the candle warmer can detach and melt the bottom of its plastic casing, posing a fire hazard. Provo Craft… Read More
BANGOR – State and local dignitaries were on hand Tuesday to announce the connection of the first business customers to Oxford Networks’ new $4 million fiber optic network. The 42-mile local network is the first of its kind to connect fiber optics to businesses in… Read More
FREEPORT – A seminar featuring investment expert Doug Gerlach will be held 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, June 14, at the Freeport Community Library. For more information, call 846-9037 or 671-0966. Read More
AUGUSTA – Northern Utilities natural gas company has been ordered to install new meter-reading technology and pay customers $235,000 in rebates. According to the Maine Public Utilities Commission, the company estimated the gas usage of too many customers between 2004 and 2007, resulting in inaccurate… Read More
PITTSFIELD – Sebasticook Valley Federal Credit Union has opened a new branch in Corinna in an effort to provide services to more members throughout the Sebasticook Valley. “We are thrilled to be expanding our service into the Corinna community,” said Jim Lemieux, the credit union’s… Read More
FairPoint Communications Inc. today announced that Pamela Joy has been appointed vice president of community affairs. She will be responsible for leading FairPoint’s community relations activities in all its markets. Joy, a native of Maine, has worked at FairPoint for 12 years and in the communications industry for… Read More
PORTLAND – The federal lawsuits filed around the country over the security breach of Hannaford Bros. Co’s computer network have been consolidated and assigned to the District of Maine and U.S District Judge D. Brock Hornby. The decision, announced Monday, means that the more than… Read More
WASHINGTON – Bipartisan and bicameral legislation to help protect America’s 27 million small businesses from computer hackers and other information security breaches was introduced Monday by a group of lawmakers, including Sen. Olympia J. Snowe, R-Maine, and Democratic Rep. Michael Michaud of Maine’s 2nd District. Read More
CAMDEN – Camden National Bank’s renovation of the historic Spear Block Building along Main Street in Rockland has been recognized with the Maine Downtown Center’s Outstanding Building Rehabilitation or Preservation Project award. The award was presented to the bank’s president and chief executive officer, Gregory Dufour, and its… Read More
Gov. John Baldacci will travel to Canada this fall on the 2008 Gubernatorial Trade Mission. The mission to Vancouver and Toronto, the sixth such business development trip for Baldacci, will be organized by the Maine International Trade Center. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var… Read More
The following petitions for bankruptcy were filed at U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Bangor during January 2008: Heidi F. Peaslee, aka Heidi Madruga, counselor, one dependent, Augusta: assets, $16,850; debts, $29,139. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var… Read More
After Seasoned Worker Forums for older workers last month in Augusta, Lewiston, Portland and Rockland, the Seasoned Workforce LLC will present a forum from 9 a.m. to noon Monday, June 23, at the Bangor CareerCenter. The event is designed for people over age 50. Many… Read More
LINCOLN – As many as 35 electricity-generating windmills might be built in town by a Massachusetts firm that plans to meet with the Town Council later this month to discuss its plans. Evergreen Wind Power LLC, a subsidiary of UPC Wind of Massachusetts, will meet… Read More
The first in a series It’s clean, the supply is both stable and close to home and, at the moment, it’s running at about half the cost of No. 2 heating oil. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes =… Read More
OLD TOWN – A low wood supply is leading Red Shield Environmental LLC, the company that purchased the former Georgia-Pacific Corp. mill in Old Town, to shut down for an estimated four days, according to the company spokesman. “We don’t have the money like a… Read More
State officials are continuing to examine the feasibility of several alternative energy options for Millinocket’s Katahdin Paper Co. mill and plan to meet with its corporate owners in the coming weeks, Gov. John Baldacci said Friday. State officials have identified three or four options for… Read More