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Aroostook’s biggest celebration of the potato industry starts next week

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 4, 2026

Amid the summer heat in a rural Aroostook town a stone’s throw from Canada, where blossoms are poised to explode from fields, thousands of people will soon descend on Fort Fairfield to bask in northern Maine’s chief agricultural export: the potato. They will race potatoes. Decorate potatoes. Cook potatoes. Eat potatoes. Tour potato fields. High-five a potato mascot while walking by a stack of potato barrels to watch a potato-themed parade in a region once dubbed “The Potato Empire.” Anywhere else, it would be odd. In Fort Fairfield, that’s just July. The 79th annual Maine Potato Blossom Festival kicks off on July 11, bringing with it patrons from across the state — and the country — to celebrate the region’s rich agricultural history.

Trump pardons 9 people convicted of violating vehicle emissions controls

ASSOCIATED PRESS • July 3, 2026

President Donald Trump on Friday pardoned 11 people, including nine identified by the White House as having helped people bypass emissions control systems on vehicles. The acts of clemency come as Trump has issued a slew of pardons in his second term, particularly for allies, public figures and those seen as politically aligned. In a list provided Friday evening by the White House, Trump pardoned 11 people, including nine who faced charges related to violations of the Clean Air Act by disabling emissions monitoring systems on vehicles or selling devices that enabled emissions systems to be bypassed.

Letter: Maine should have participated in Great American Fair

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 3, 2026

Think of Maine’s abundant natural resources, from blueberries, apples, potatoes, lobsters and wood products to the great shipbuilding legacy. Every Mainer, regardless of party affiliation, can agree on the things that set our state apart from others. That’s why I was so dismayed that Maine was one of a few states opting out of the Great American Fair, the event celebrating our nation’s 250th anniversary on the National Mall. There are times in life when we have to rise above the fray. What a missed opportunity for Maine. ~ Jane Atkinson Leifester,Turner

Robbins Lumber co-owner dies of injuries from mill fire and explosion

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 3, 2026

Alden Robbins, a co-owner of Robbins Lumber who was severely injured in a May 15 fire and explosion at the company’s Searsmont mill, has died, according to his family. Robbins was one of 3 members of the Robbins family who were injured when a silo exploded at the mill as firefighters and mill workers were working to contain a blaze that started in the mill’s woodchip bagging building.

Another firefighter released from hospital nearly two months after Searsmont explosion

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 3, 2026

It was a quick and quiet affair Friday morning when firefighter Katie Paige left Maine Medical Center. Amid record heat and on the observed Independence Day holiday, Paige, in a wide-brimmed white hat with her hands bandaged, walked out of the hospital’s back door just after 12 p.m. She traveled past a line of first responders and got into a black truck, before being escorted by an eight-vehicle convoy down the Western Promenade. It’s been almost two months since a fire and subsequent explosion in a silo at Robbins Lumber in Searsmont killed three and injured at least 10. Paige, a Belmont firefighter who sustained severe burns when she responded to the incident, was promoted to lieutenant while hospitalized.

Maine game wardens recover body of missing paddleboarder

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 3, 2026

The body of a Standish man who drowned Thursday while paddleboarding on a lake in Poland has been recovered by the Maine Warden Service. Maine Warden Service divers recovered the body of Todd Bradeen, age 51 of Standish, in Lower Ranger Pond at around 8 a.m. Friday in water approximately 30 feet deep and 200 feet from shore. He did not have his leg attached with the tether rope to the paddleboard, and was not wearing a life jacket. The wind pushed the paddleboard away from him, and after attempting to swim and catch up to it, he eventually went underwater and did not resurface.

Maine commemorating United States’ 250th anniversary through a diversity of perspectives

MAINE MORNING STAR • July 3, 2026

“Longer than the United States has been a country, Penobscot people have been dislocated from their homelands,” historian Tilly Laskey said. That is the understanding that a research project funded by the Maine Semiquincentennial Commission intends to unearth more fully by comparing Wabanaki and colonial perspectives in the region and restoring Wabanaki access to their ancestral territories. Among the 14 grants awarded by the Maine Semiquincentennial Commission are projects to examine how natural resources have shaped life in Maine.

What’s causing unsafe bacteria levels at Maine beaches?

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 3, 2026

Maine’s clean coastal waters support a $9 billion tourism industry. However, heavy summer rains frequently turn popular beaches into collection points for agricultural runoff, pet waste, and sewage overflows, according to data from Maine Healthy Beaches program. More than 10 beaches in Maine were deemed unsafe for swimming last week due to high bacteria levels. As of Thursday, all of Maine’s monitored saltwater beaches were considered safe for swimming. When it rains, water rushes over the landscape, picking up waste from wildlife and pets, and carrying it through storm drains and rivers into the surf. Aging septic tanks and leaking sewer pipes can also contribute to the contamination. Annual water safety trends are inextricably tied to the weather. Over the last decade, the frequency of Maine swim advisories mirrored rainfall patterns, with more advisories issued during wetter years and fewer during drought years.

Watershed Festival set for July 11 in Waterford

ADVERTISER DEMOCRAT • July 3, 2026

The Keoka Lake Association of Waterford is hosting its first Watershed Festival on July 11, a celebration of area lakes, ponds, rivers and streams with a focus on education and awareness of the importance of watersheds throughout Maine. The event will be held at Townhouse Beach at 641 Waterford Road from 1-4 p.m. From 1-4 p.m. there will be local music and jam sessions. There will also be presentations on Maine watersheds and lake stewardship.

Column: 5 upcoming Gulf of Maine wildlife cruises you won’t want to miss

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 3, 2026

The Gulf of Maine is a summer destination that attracts sea mammals and birds from across the Atlantic Ocean, from as far east as Europe and as far south as Antarctica. It’s why Mainers should get out on the salt water and see for themselves all the blessings nature has given us. These five upcoming Bar Harbor Whale Watch cruises deserve special mention, especially for birders.
• Downeast Offshore Seabird and Lighthouse Tour - July 18
• Brier Island/Lurcher Shoals Pelagic Trip - Aug. 16
• Midcoast & Monhegan Lighthouse Tour - Sept. 5
• Maine Audubon Pelagic Trip - Sept. 13
• Cashes Ledge Wildlife Cruise - Sept. 26
~ Bob Duchesne

Opinion: In praise of Maine’s dead zones

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 3, 2026

It’s three o’clock in the afternoon, and my friend Parker and I are camping on a remote island trying to dodge wet summer weather and catch a few of the pond’s famed landlocked salmon. The shoreline around us is undeveloped and the other islands empty. This is one of the longest days of the year, and it’s amazing how slowly it unfolds as we wait for evening. There are few distractions, few unnatural sounds. There’s no cell service here, no Wi-Fi network to join. The pond — like many of Maine’s remote waterways — exists in a dead zone where cellphones are useful only as cameras and clocks. A fish rises and takes a mayfly. Parker makes a few casts, misses. He casts again at a fading ring. When he sets the hook this time, a fat, mini football of a salmon leaps into the dusk. I net the fish. In the morning we break down camp. There’s a spot just on Route 16, heading south, where cell service returns. I ignore my phone. ~ Ryan Brod

9 ways to repel deer flies and horse flies

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 2, 2026

Deer flies and horse flies can ruin an outdoor experience. They swarm and buzz around your ears. Their bites are nearly as painful as bee stings, and they’re relentless. But there are a few things you can do:
• Chemical repellents such as DEET “can provide several hours of protection.”
• The flies are attracted to movement. Remain still.
• You can’t run faster than these pests can fly, but you may be able to outdistance them.
• The flies are attracted to dark colors, specifically blue; they don’t appear to be as attracted to light colors or white.
• You may find more of these flies near water.
• Cover up with plenty of clothing; the first thing to cover is your head.
• A hat with an adhesive surface is one of the best ways to put the flies out of commission.
• The strong, soapy scent of dryer sheets might ward them off.
• Walk beside someone who is taller than you; the flies may be more attracted to your companion.

Court blocks returning signs to Acadia, other national parks and monuments

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 2, 2026

The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston ordered Thursday that the federal government does not have to return signs to national parks and monuments by the end of this week, including ones on climate science and Indigenous history in places like Acadia National Park. In February, half a dozen organizations filed a suit arguing that the removal of the signs violated the National Park Service Centennial Act and is “arbitrary and caricious” as well as “excessive.” A judge granted that motion last month, and the signs were set to be returned by Friday. However, the Department of the Interior is appealing that decision, and the appeals court ordered Thursday that the signs do not need to be returned for the time being.

Maine couple spot a bear chasing a moose calf and help it escape

ASSOCIATED PRESS • June 2, 2026

A Maine couple heading out for a day of fishing happened upon a scene fit for a nature documentary. Elvia and Todd Malcolm were in Telos Township. Suddenly, the calf and bear charged out of the trees heading straight toward them. Todd Malcolm said there was no doubt in his mind that the bear would catch the calf and decided to not let nature take its course that day. “I put the truck in drive and I just stepped on the gas,” he said, explaining that he was just trying to put the truck between the bear and the calf. The bear jumped to the side and streaked off.

Maine communities break and tie daily temperature records, with more heat on tap Friday

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 2, 2026

Some Maine communities on Thursday broke or tied temperature records for July 2 as extreme heat warnings and advisories remained in effect for much of the state. Heat index values soared above 100 degrees across a large swath of Maine on Thursday and are expected to do so again on Friday, according to the National Weather Service. But relief should come Saturday and Sunday, with temperatures expected to begin cooling toward more comfortable levels.

Thousands use AI trip planner to generate Maine travel itineraries

CENTRAL MAINE • June 2, 2026

“Let’s make it personal.” That’s the heading on the new trip planner powered by artificial intelligence on the Maine Office of Tourism’s website. The office launched the tool in January in partnership with a company called Mindtrip. Since then, the tourism office reported that more than 27,000 people have used the function and generated more than 3,000 custom travel itineraries.

Central Maine’s rivers are a at a crossroads. What’s next?

CENTRAL MAINE • June 2, 2026

Centuries ago, rivers determined where Maine’s settlers decided to build their communities, sometimes leading to conflict with Native Americans. They played a key role in the growth of industry, which in turn left them with poor water quality. Environmental regulations later helped clean things up. Manufacturing that defined riverside communities, meanwhile, declined. What could be next in the 250 years to come? On the Kennebec, The Nature Conservancy’s goal is to restore a free-flowing river through dam removal, decommissioning and other efforts. In Skowhegan, community leaders have long discussed how to embrace the Kennebec, which rushes through a gorge near their downtown. The vision for a Skowhegan River Park has finally begun to come to fruition after three decades of talks.

Wildfire smoke to reduce air quality in Maine through Fourth of July weekend

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 2, 2026

Wildfire smoke is expected to harm air quality in Maine through the Fourth of July weekend, and the ongoing heat wave could compound the effects. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection warned Thursday that wildfire smoke will likely spark a rise in particle pollution statewide to levels that are unhealthy for sensitive groups — and potentially unhealthy for all people for short periods. An air quality alert is in effect through Sunday for the entire state as smoke from neighboring Quebec moves into Maine.

Police, wardens search for possible drowning victim at Range Pond in Poland

SUN JOURNAL • June 2, 2026

Police were using boats, drones and scuba divers in an attempt to locate a 51-year-old man who went under water at Range Pond on Thursday afternoon and never came to the surface. Police and fire crews were called to Range Pond State Park shortly before 2 p.m. for a report that a man on a paddleboard fell into the water and never surfaced. Southern Maine has been hit by a spate of drownings recently, including an 18-year-old who drowned in the Androscoggin River last week and a Biddeford man who drowned in Sabattus on Wednesday night. In June, the Maine Warden Service recovered the body of a Rockland man from Chickawaukie Lake, a 4-year-old from Boston died after a drowning incident in a hotel pool, and a Westbrook woman died while looking for golf balls in a pond.