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Hike Barren Mountain for one of the best views in Maine

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • May 10, 2026

Barren Mountain is the first major peak of Maine’s famous 100-Mile Wilderness, if you’re trekking from the south. The 100-Mile Wilderness is considered the most remote section of the Appalachian Trail. It doesn’t cross any major roads for approximately 100 miles, but parts of it are accessible by side trails and gravel woods roads, if you’ve got good directions and a DeLorme atlas.

Maine has dozens of fishing waters where adults can’t fish

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • May 11, 2026

Maine also makes it easy to get the next generation of anglers started. Youngsters do not require a fishing license until age 16 and this year Saturday, May 30 and Sunday, May 31 are Free Fishing Weekend days, meaning resident and nonresident adults and teens age 16 and older can fish statewide without a fishing license. There is also a list of Special Opportunity Waters. There are 50 scattered throughout the state in each of the seven fishery regions, including 10 in the Sebago region, 11 in the Rangeley region and a dozen in the Penobscot region. These waters are specifically restricted to young anglers under age 16. Most are stocked with trout. ~ Al Raychard

Greenwood voters to weigh conservation proposal, zoning

Voters in Greenwood will head to the polls May 16 to vote of an amendment to the town of Greenwood Shoreland Zoning Ordinance. Article 23 asks voters to designate an 18-acre lot on West Paris Road — the “Finnish Picnic Grounds” parcel — as conservation land. If passed, the town will partner with Western Foothills Land Trust to maintain the property.

This 80-mile relay in northern Maine traces the alewife migration up the St. Croix

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • May 11, 2026

As thousands of river herring begin their upstream migration this month, runners will do the same. Joggers on May 23 will pace the alewife run from the Passamaquoddy Reservation at Sipayik (Pleasant Point), 80 miles up the St. Croix River to Forest City in Washington County. The St. Croix River, known as the Skutik River to the Indigenous people of northern Maine and southeastern Canada, was once a vital migratory highway for tens of millions of alewives, said Brian Altvater Sr.

Column: Let’s talk about those myths about turkeys

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • May 11, 2026

I’m still surprised to find people, even (or perhaps especially) within the hunting community who don’t like wild turkeys. Perhaps is because they tried hunting them and failed. Or maybe it’s because they hold onto long dispelled and out-dated myths. Maybe you tried to take on Old Tom and failed to fell a fowl. That’s no reason to dislike them. Think of it not as a disincentive but a motivation. They beat you once and they may do it again, but it the hunting game, they only get to lose once. ~ Bob Humphrey

Brunswick nonprofit produce provider brings on first paid director

TIMES RECORD • May 11, 2026

In March, Cooper became the first paid executive director at Growing to Give, a nonprofit farm in Brunswick that provides produce to organizations that help people facing food insecurity. As Maine enters its growing season, Cooper said she’s excited to get into the workflow of the farm and help expand its reach even further.

Who visited Maine in 2025, and how much did they spend?

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • May 8, 2026

The Maine Office of Tourism reported there were 14.15 million visitors in 2025, down 4.4% from the year before. Visitors last year spent $9.37 billion, up 1.4% from 2024, not adjusted for inflation. Most people drove from the East Coast, although more flew in 2025 than in 2024. Nearly 20% of visitors came by plane. Nearly 20% of people, or 2.9 million, counted as visitors last year were residents exploring the state. 15% came from Massachusetts. New York and New Hampshire. Nearly 40% of visitors had been to Maine more than 10 times. Less than 5% of visitors came from other countries in 2025, according to the report. Most — 3.6% — came from Canada. That number is down from 2024, a drop attributable to political tensions and economic pressures. Popular regions to visit last year included Greater Portland, the Midcoast, the beaches and islands. More than a quarter visited Down East Maine, including Acadia National Park.

Trump is lifting restrictions on hunting in national parks, refuges and wilderness areas

ASSOCIATED PRESS • May 9, 2026

President Donald Trump’s administration is quietly pushing national park, refuge and wilderness area managers to dramatically scale back hunting restrictions, raising questions about visitor safety and the impact on wildlife. U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has issued an order directing multiple agencies to remove what he termed “unnecessary regulatory or administrative barriers” to hunting and fishing and justify regulations they want to keep in place. Dan Wenk, a former NPS deputy operations director, said, “I’d love to know the problem we’re trying to solve. Then I could understand the costs that it’s going to take to solve it in terms of resources and visitor safety.”

This is one of midcoast Maine’s most unique treks

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • May 8, 2026

A hike over Morse Mountain to Seawall Beach in Phippsburg is one of the most unique treks in midcoast Maine. If you extend the outing with a walk on the beach, the journey approximates five miles and travels through multiple ecosystems. Bates College manages the conservation area and maintains a public parking lot. Public access is limited and visitors should familiarize themselves with the rules. Only foot traffic is permitted and pets are prohibited.

Bar Harbor considers downtown parking relief for residents during crowded tourist season

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • May 8, 2026

When the Bar Harbor Town Council authorized new paid parking kiosks in March, it opened the door to local residents possibly getting free parking downtown even during the height of the tourism season. “It opened up potential options for what I deemed an enhanced residential parking program,” Bar Harbor Town Manager James Smith said during a Town Council workshop Tuesday. Now, Smith said, town staff was trying to find out what those options would look like.

Maine’s community solar boom is going bust

MAINE MORNING STAR • May 8, 2026

For years, community solar in Maine grew at a breakneck pace, elevating the state to the top of the list for most capacity per capita in the U.S. Now, however, development has slowed to a standstill, and the industry faces an uncertain future. “We saw a very swift rise, and it has now come to an end,” said Eliza Donoghue, executive director of the Maine Renewable Energy Association. ​“There is no opportunity for growth.” Community solar — larger arrays that sell power to multiple users — took off in Maine after the state expanded the program supporting it in 2019. By the end of 2025, Maine had 694 watts of community solar capacity per person, far and away the most of any state. Then, last year, lawmakers passed, and the governor signed, a law that brought that momentum to a screeching halt. First, it prohibits any larger new projects — residential solar is still OK — from enrolling in net energy billing, the system that allows solar producers to get paid for the energy they send to the grid. It is the backbone of community solar’s financial model. Second, the law imposes hefty new fees on community solar installations that are already up and running.

Hancock Lumber to open truss factory in Oxford

ADVERTISER DEMOCRAT • May 8, 2026

Oxford will be the home of Hancock Lumber’s new truss manufacturing facility, which is under construction and projected to open early next year. The company is holding a formal groundbreaking ceremony from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, May 21. Oxford was chosen due to its central Maine location and access to Interstate 95, which connects Kittery with Houlton and beyond into Canada. Hancock Lumber was established in 1848 when it purchased a 400-acre timber stand in Casco and opened a sawmill. It operates sawmills in Casco, Bethel and Pittsfield; 12 lumberyards in Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts; and nine kitchen-design showrooms in Maine and New Hampshire.

Opinion: Respect and protect the Penobscot River

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • May 8, 2026

The Penobscot River is our oldest citizen. It is our heart. As the original stewards, our connection to this water is our identity. Our sovereignty is rooted in the health of this river; without the ability to safely practice our sustenance rights, to fish and gather as our ancestors did, our self-determination is unrealized. On May 15, 2023, a massive fire erupted at the Juniper Ridge Landfill, just a few miles from where my three daughters sleep. We saw the smoke. We felt the heavy, acrid weight in the air. But on the Island, we were left in the dark. We are ready for a partnership built on true consultation, not just notification. We envision an administration that understands that protecting the Penobscot River is not a burden to the economy, but a foundational duty to the people. We look forward to working with leaders who recognize that Wabanaki sovereignty and environmental health are two sides of the same coin. ~ Maulian Bryant, Wabanaki Alliance

Road through Acadia hasn’t been fixed since 2024 storm damage

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • May 8, 2026

Two years after it was severely damaged in back-to-back winter storms, Seawall Road on Mount Desert Island has yet to be fully repaired as varying government entities have yet to reach an agreement on a final fix. The road has been the subject of a yearlong dispute among the Maine Department of Transportation, the town of Southwest Harbor and Acadia National Park — through which part of Seawall Road runs — over who should pay for repairs and future maintenance, and when those repairs would ultimately happen.

Earthquake shook a small Down East town

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • May 7, 2026

An earthquake shook Wesley early Saturday morning. The magnitude 1.3 temblor shook the ground at a depth of more than 5.6 miles about 4.3 miles northwest of the Washington County town about 4:30 a.m., the U.S. Geological Survey confirmed this week. Since 1997, there have been more than 170 recorded earthquakes in the state.

New England Forestry Foundation signs first contract to protect Maine’s oldest forests

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • May 7, 2026

New England Forestry Foundation has signed its first contract in a new initiative that will help protect some of the oldest forests in Maine while exploring long-term conservation options.  The contract protects 23 acres of forestland in Naples owned by Chaplin Logging, INC., a 39-year-old logging company. The protected trees are approximately 150 years old and are especially valuable for their exceptional ability to capture and store carbon – an important benefit in the fight against climate change. This project marks the launch of NEFF’s new effort to conserve Late Successional Old Growth forests across Maine. LSOG forests can store up to five times more carbon than the average forest in the state. This project is made possible through a $4.3 million grant from the U.S. Forest Service. 

Here’s the state of tick-borne diseases in Maine

SUN JOURNAL • May 7, 2026

Tick-borne diseases have become an increasing public health hazard in the state and across the country. Lyme disease cases in Maine have risen every year for the past five years, with a record 4,257 cases logged in 2025. Coastal Maine, especially areas like Hancock, Knox, Lincoln and Waldo counties, have been hot spots for deer tick activity, but the range of the deer tick has extended inland and farther north. Before going outdoors, apply tick repellant, wear long-sleeved clothing when hiking and tuck pants into socks, according to the Maine CDC. Once inside, check clothing for ticks and put clothes immediately into the dryer on high heat when returning.

Bowdoinham receives $750K for Merrymeeting Trail

TIMES RECORD • May 7, 2026

A small town sitting along the Cathance River has received a large federal contribution to a nearly two-decades-long trail project that officials hope will boost tourism and outdoor recreation in central Maine. Bowdoinham’s $750,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation is meant to improve connectivity on the 26-mile Merrymeeting Trail that runs through Topsham, Bowdoinham, Richmond and Gardiner. Yvette Meunier, Bowdoinham’s director of planning and development, said, “This is a major milestone for the Merrymeeting Trail. It’s going to allow Bowdoinham and Richmond to complete the full design and engineering work to move the trail forward.”

5 seedling sales in Midcoast Maine to help start your garden

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • May 5, 2026

Several places throughout the Midcoast region offer discounts on seedlings this time of year, from small farms to nonprofits like the Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust. Seed sales typically start in late April and run through late May:
• Villageside Farm, 122 Belfast Road, Freedom
• Sound Pine Farm, 47 Pennellville Road, Brunswick
• Farthest Field Farm, 3 Prout Road, Freeport
• Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust, Tom Settlemire Community Garden, Maurice Drive, Brunswick
• Dandelion Spring Farm and The Hive, 961 Ridge Road, Bowdoinham