13 hours ago

Irving says zoning change to 51,000 acres will not affect leaseholders negatively

One week after the Land Use Planning Commission approved J.D. Irving’s plan to rezone 51,000 acres from general management to residential and commercial, Irving says leaseholders do not have to worry about their land being sold out from under them.  

14 hours ago

Mills orders flags lowered following Farmington explosion

Governor Janet Mills directed that the United States and State of Maine flags be flown at half-staff statewide immediately through sunset Wednesday, September 18, 2019, in honor of the Farmington firefighter who lost his life and those who were injured following the explosion at the Life Enrichment Advancing People or “LEAP” facility in Farmington, Maine. 

3 days ago

New cellular phone law goes into effect Sept. 19

The urge to pick up one’s phone while driving could come now with a hefty fine.

5 days ago

Commission approves J.D. Irving’s plan for rezoning 51,000 acres in Aroostook County

With little discussion and no debate, the Land Use Planning Commission voted unanimously Wednesday to approve Canada-based J.D. Irving’s plan to rezone 51,000 acres in northern Aroostook County for commercial and residential development as well as conservation.

6 days ago

Once filled with debris, Maine’s forests are getting clean thanks to outdoor enthusiasts

A few short years ago, when Maine’s game wardens and forest rangers began teaming up to fight the ugly problem of woodland dumping, the state’s forest was filled with places where people had decided to discard their unwanted tires, appliances and other debris.

6 days ago

Mills directs flags to half staff in remembrance of 9/11

AUGUSTA, Maine — Governor Janet Mills has directed that the United States and State of Maine flags be flown at half-staff statewide all day today, Wednesday, September 11, 2019, in remembrance of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack.

2 weeks ago

How Maine could raise $100 million more for roads and bridges — and why it needs to

As the Maine Turnpike expects 1 million travelers alone over the Labor Day weekend, policymakers are gearing up for a sprint to solve one of the state’s most intractable problems: a long-standing — and growing — transportation funding gap.

2 weeks ago

Is it time to change land access policies for hunters?

Today, let’s take a deep breath, appreciate what we have, and reflect on how quickly everything could change.

2 weeks ago

Maine and Aroostook County Red Cross responding to Hurricane Dorian

Twelve Red Cross volunteers from Maine are headed out to Florida, South Carolina, and Georgia in response to Hurricane Dorian, which recently devastated the Bahamas and now poses a threat to the Eastern United States. 

3 weeks ago

Police address widespread drug problem while short-staffed

Dozens of deceptively friendly, smiling faces with black eyes printed on a yellow backdrop hid the contents of a small plastic bag. It was found stashed on a shelf in the toy section of a Madawaska store. Inside, was a substance law enforcement is beginning to find more often in Aroostook County -- methamphetamine. 

3 weeks ago

Maine might switch to a ranked-choice presidential election. Here’s how it would look.

The Democratic-led Maine Legislature made what could be a sweeping change on Monday, passing a bill that would extend the state’s first-in-the-nation ranked-choice voting law to presidential primaries and general elections.

1 month ago

Secretary of state offers Real ID info

Secretary of State Matt Dunlap is reaching out to help educate the public now that the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles is issuing two different types of driver's licenses and state identification cards.

2 months ago

Valley Unified bus drivers most skilled in Maine

The top two most skilled school bus drivers in Maine transport children right here in the St. John Valley, according to the results of the Maine Association for Pupil Transportation 2019 Driving Skills Competition.

2 months ago

Diocese of Portland launches third-party reporting system

The Diocese of Portland has launched a new third-party reporting system that will enable all diocesan employees, volunteers and parishioners to make reports, anonymously or not, whenever they have evidence of activity which violates the standards of ethical conduct described in the diocese’s Code of Ethics (www.portlanddiocese.org/human-resources/code-of-ethics).  

2 months ago

Susan Collins and Sara Gideon are raking in cash for a potential 2020 Senate showdown

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins has raised more money for her nationally targeted 2020 re-election campaign than she did in all but one of her previous four races, but a Democratic challenger with national backing raised more than $1 million in 10 days.

2 months ago

City of Presque Isle to host official kickoff celebration for Maine Bicentennial

On Tuesday, July 30, Presque Isle will become the first city in Maine to commemorate the state’s 200th anniversary with special events that will include a visit from Gov. Janet Mills.

2 months ago

What you can (and can’t) do under Maine’s new law banning handheld phones while driving

Come September, Maine motorists will discover they’re generally allowed to eat a plate of nachos while driving (as long as it’s not distracting) but can’t pick up the phone to call mom.

3 months ago

Collins in France

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins met recently with Madawaska native Scott Desjardins, the superintendent of the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, at a ceremony to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the D-Day invasion by Allied forces during World War II.