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Maine officials identify phytoplankton behind Casco Bay bloom

The phytoplankton bloom likely responsible for clam deaths in Casco Bay has been identified may be past its peak, Maine Department of Marine Resources officials say.On Sept. 7, DMR received Marine Patrol flyover images of an unidentified bloom that prompted an investigation. The following day, water sampling confirmed the presence of Karenia mikimotoi in Portland Harbor at levels known to affect fish and shellfish.DMR said the bloom remains centered in Casco Bay but has been visible from the Mai...
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Maine lobsterman asks Supreme Court to hear GPS tracking challenge

A longtime Maine lobsterman is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear his challenge to a requirement that federally permitted lobster boats carry electronic tracking devices. Frank Thompson argues that the tracking requirement violates the Fourth Amendment's protections against unreasonable searches. The Supreme Court has distributed the petition for its Sept. 28 conference, where the justices are expected to consider whether to take up the case. The conference is not an oral argument, and the co...
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Scarborough eighth grader killed in Portland crash

A 13-year-old Scarborough Middle School student was killed in a crash in Portland over the weekend that also seriously injured two other teenagers. Scarborough Superintendent Diane Nadeau identified the student as Abdulrahman Mohammed. In a message to the Scarborough community, Nadeau said Mohammed joined the district last year as a seventh grader after attending Biddeford schools since first grade.She described him as a "friendly, fun-loving person with a big personality" who enjoyed spending t...
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Portland releases new draft in plan to redesign Franklin Street

Portland has released a new draft plan to redesign Franklin Street, a major corridor connecting Interstate 295 to downtown, with changes aimed at making the roadway safer and more accessible for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers. The project, also known as Reimagining Franklin, calls for removing the grassy median and narrowing the roadway to create more space for sidewalks, protected bike lanes and some on-street parking. The draft proposes new intersections at Lancaster, Oxford, Federal and Ne...
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Olympic gold medalist makes stop at iconic Maine lobster shack

An Olympic gold medalist made a stop at one of Maine's most iconic lobster shacks this week.Red's Eats shared a photo on its Facebook page of former UConn basketball star Kara Wolters visiting its Wiscasset location. Wolters was a standout basketball star, winning a gold medal with the 2000 U.S. women's basketball team in the Sydney Olympics. At UConn, she helped the Huskies win the 1995 NCAA national championship and later won a WNBA championship with the Houston Comets. Wolters was inducted in...
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Westbrook weighs tighter rules for data centers

Westbrook officials are considering tighter restrictions on data centers as the city weighs their potential economic benefits against concerns about electricity demand, water usage, noise and impacts on surrounding neighborhoods.During a Planning Board discussion on Tuesday night, city staff recommended that standalone data centers not be permitted in Westbrook and proposed removing data centers as an allowed use from Contract Zone 12, also known as Rock Row. While some board members questioned...
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Maine anglers can no longer use certain painted lead jigs on inland waters

A restriction aimed at protecting Maine's loon population from lead poisoning took effect Tuesday morning. Beginning Sept. 1, anglers are prohibited from using certain painted jigs on Maine's inland waters, according to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.The restriction applies to lead jigs that weigh one ounce or less or measure 2.5 inches or less in length. Since September 2024, Maine has already prohibited the sale of these jigs. The newest addition to the law states that a...
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Tariff uncertainty puts planned Millinocket salmon farm on hold

A planned Atlantic salmon farm in Millinocket has been put on hold because of the uncertainty surrounding the tariffs, according to the company behind the project.Great Northern Salmon planned to build a $300 million land-based salmon farm in Millinocket at the One North industrial site. Salmon would be hatched, raised and processed on-site before being sold locally and throughout the Northeast. CEO Marianne Naess said that the company's board decided to pause development because most of the fac...
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Nearby lobster boats come to sailors' aid off Tremont

Two sailors were brought to safety Thursday afternoon after their small sailboat overturned near the Algerian Shore in Tremont, according to the town's fire department. At approximately 3:30 p.m., the Tremont Volunteer Fire Department responded to a report of a small sailboat that overturned at the Algerian Shore off Cape Road. Officials said two nearby lobster boats quickly assisted the sailors. One was brought safely to Seal Cove dock, while the other remained with the capsized boat to help gu...
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Maine teen's emergency alert app launches pilot on Maine Turnpike

A safety app created by a Cape Elizabeth teenager will be piloted at Maine Turnpike service plazas in order to help deaf and hard-of-hearing travelers receive emergency alerts. The ALRM app provides real-time notifications of potential danger by detecting sounds such as fire alarms, sirens, and gunshots.It was created in response to the 2023 Lewiston mass shootings and is now being rolled out by the Maine Turnpike Authority. Beginning on Sept. 4, the app will be available at both Kennebunk servi...
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Young humpback whale calf found in Maine river was severely emaciated

The Marine Mammals of Maine stranding hotline received a report of a deceased humpback whale in the New Meadows River in Phippsburg on Friday afternoon. MMoME performed a full internal and external evaluation that found the 20-foot female calf was emaciated and had very little muscle or fat and few stomach contents. The findings showed that the whale was between 6 and 9 months old and still maternally dependent. MMoME said that samples they collected will be sent for histopathology and that ther...
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Kittery approves stricter rules for coastal development

Kittery officials unanimously approved new coastal hazard building rules aimed at reducing flood risk and steering development away from vulnerable shorelines. The Coastal Hazard Overlay Zone covers areas projected to be more vulnerable to sea-level rise and storm surge. The overlay extends beyond existing FEMA flood zones. One of the biggest changes requires new or substantially improved homes within the zone to be built an extra foot above the normal floodplain requirement. The new rules also...
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Sarah Orne Jewett honored with new USPS stamp

The acclaimed South Berwick author will be honored as part of the USPS Literary Arts seriesSouth Berwick author Sarah Orne Jewett, best known for The Country of the Pointed Firs, will be honored with a stamp as part of the USPS Literary Arts series.The stamp is the 35th in the series. Jewett, considered a foundational figure in American literary regionalism, published hundreds of short stories and about 18 novels, along with poetry and essays.Much of her work drew inspiration from the people, cu...
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UMaine to build 9 3D-printed homes to help homeless Mainers

The University of Maine is moving forward with plans to build nine 3D-printed homes for those experiencing homelessness in the Greater Bangor area. In a statement, U.S. Senator Susan Collins announced that UMaine has received $4 million in congressionally directed spending to help build the homes. The funding will support the design and production of the homes that will be built by UMaine's Advanced Structures and Composites Center in partnership with Penquis. Each home will be approximately 6...
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What's the dill? Gorham 'Pickle Party' raises money for Make-A-Wish

Pickle lovers gathered in Gorham on Friday for an event celebrating all things pickle.The "pickle party" featured a community pickle tasting along with canned pickles, pickle soda, pickle-themed treats and other activities. The event also served as a fundraiser for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Organizers said that this may have been the world's first event devoted entirely to hosting a pickle party, based on their own online research.The event brought community members together to taste just abou...
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New affordable senior housing community opens in downtown Portland

A new affordable and inclusive senior housing community opened Tuesday in downtown Portland. Equality Commons, located at 25 Casco Street next to the Equality Community Center, includes 54 affordable apartments for people 55 and older and offers support services and programming for LGBTQ+ residents.The community is designed to give residents access to healthcare, transportation and social support. Equality Community Center Executive Director Chris O'Connor said the development is unique because...
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North Conway named finalist for Hallmark's Merriest Christmas Town

North Conway, New Hampshire, is getting a shot at Hallmark holiday glory as one of three New England finalists in the network's Merriest Christmas Town competition. Twenty-five towns across the country have been named finalists in the competition, where the winning town will become a filming location for a new Hallmark movie.Hallmark's contest page describes North Conway as a place where the Christmas spirit is "woven into everyday life," highlighting its location in the White Mountains and its...
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Electrical issues found after Westbrook house fire, cause undetermined

The cause of a fire that heavily damaged a Westbrook home Monday night remains undetermined, though investigators say electrical involvement cannot be ruled out. The Westbrook Fire Department responded to a structure fire on Haskell Street at approximately 11:30 p.m. The fire department requested assistance from the Office of the State Fire Marshal to investigate the fire around 1 a.m. on Tuesday morning.The Fire Marshal's office reported no one was home at the time and there were no injuries....
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Oxford County deputy shoots man accused of pointing gun at law enforcement

An Oxford County sheriff's deputy shot a 40-year-old Brownfield man Sunday after authorities say he pointed a gun toward law enforcement during a domestic violence response. Deputies responded alongside Fryeburg police, Maine State Police, and the Maine Warden Service.The suspect, identified as Aric Junkins of Brownfield, was struck in the hands after Oxford County Deputy Andre Chasse fired two shots, according to the sheriff's office. Authorities say Junkins was chasing his wife with a gun pri...
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$48M federal grant awarded for Portland Downeaster station move

The Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority has been awarded more than $48 million in federal funding to relocate Portland's Amtrak Downeaster station, federal officials announced on Friday. The Federal Railroad Administration awarded the NNEPRA the federal funding as part of a nationwide package of rail investments that were all announced on Friday.Patricia Quinn, executive director of NNEPRA, said the authority applied for the funding in February through a highly competitive grant proces...
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Wanted man arrested after hours-long standoff in Norway

A wanted man was arrested after a 7-hour standoff at a Norway apartment, police said.Norway police said Daniel Chamberland was wanted on two active arrest warrants, faced a probation revocation and is suspected in several crimes across Norway, Paris, and Oxford, including vehicle thefts, a burglary, a robbery and the theft of at least four firearms.On Wednesday, August 12, the Norway Police Department received credible information that Chamberland was staying at a local apartment. Officers from...
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Final public hearing tonight on Route 302 project

MaineDOT is holding its final public meeting tonight on the $31.25 million North Windham Moves project, a major overhaul of Route 302 and surrounding roads that officials say could help reduce crashes and ease congestion along one of the area's busiest commercial corridors. The public meeting will be held between 6 and 8 p.m. at the Windham High School Auditorium.The North Windham Moves project is aimed at improving safety and traffic flow along Routes 302, 35 and 115 while also improving pedest...
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Search warrant leads to robbery arrest and drug seizure in Portland

Portland police arrested a robbery suspect and recovered a stolen firearm during an investigation that led to a second arrest on drug charges. On Friday, July 24th, members from the department's Criminal Investigation Division identified a suspect accused of robbing and assaulting a man who was attempting to sell a fire.A week later, members of the Crime Reduction Unit took a suspect into custody during a traffic stop. Officers recovered the stolen firearm and arrested 21-year-old Dominic Moncad...
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Federal judge orders Maine to stop enforcing part of Human Rights Act

A federal judge has ordered Maine to stop enforcing one part of the state's Human Rights Act against Crosspoint Church, which operates Bangor Christian School.The order follows a recent ruling by the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and blocks the state from enforcing one section of the law while the case continues. Maine's publicly funded tuition program allows students in some communities without public schools to attend private schools using public money. Bangor Christian School does not cur...
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