Freeport’s Desert of Maine looks to future expansion and $1M investment

FORECASTER • July 28, 2020

The owners of the Desert of Maine, a Midcoast landmark since the early 20th century, want to make improvements to ensure its survival throughout the 21st century. To move forward with plans to expand, Mela and Doug Heestand, are asking the town to create a Desert of Maine District at their 95 Desert Road property, which is located within a rural residential zone. A commercial entity since 1925, the Desert was allowed to continue as such after Freeport adopted zoning in the 1970s. “We really want to … invest over $1 million in the property, but we can’t really do that unless we have a viable business model, which we can’t do unless we get the zoning changes,” Mela Heestand said.

Bikes, boats and other outdoor gear are becoming scarce in Maine stores

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 28, 2020

Demand for outdoor gear such as bikes, boats and camping supplies has spiked this summer, leaving some Maine stores struggling to restock due to supply shortages and shipping delays. The shortages may be linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to increased use of outdoor destinations throughout Maine, outdoor recreation experts believe that more people are spending time in pursuit of outdoor activities right now since many can be done while practicing social distancing.

A fatal shark attack may have changed life ‘forever’ in Harpswell

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 28, 2020

The small public beach nestled into Mackerel Cove on Bailey Island would usually be full on a hot summer day, but it was mostly empty on Tuesday after a New York City woman was killed in the first fatal shark attack in recorded Maine history. Veteran fisherman George Coffin has seen small sharks off the coast and never a great white, but he once saw a chewed whale carcass that he believes to be evidence of their presence in deeper waters. He said the incident “probably changed the town forever” and that he was not sure he would want his grandchildren swimming there now.

Summer resident killed by great white in Maine’s first fatal shark attack

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 28, 2020

A recently retired fashion industry executive was killed by a great white shark while swimming near her summer home on Bailey Island in Harpswell Monday afternoon. Julie Dimperio Holowach, 63, was identified Tuesday as the victim of what is the first documented fatal shark attack in Maine.

Live concert on the ocean will benefit Maine lobster industry

TURNER PUBLISHING • July 28, 2020

Protect Maine’s Fishing Heritage Foundation is holding a live concert Sunday, Aug. 2, on the ocean to raise money for Maine lobstermen. The Covid-relief fundraiser will be matched dollar for dollar up to $25,000 by the foundation. Hosted and socially distanced on the waters of Casco Bay, the event will feature ”Turd Pollock,” a band from Chebeague Island. Turd Pollock is volunteering its time to help an industry that has suffered greatly during Covid- 19.

Commentary: Don’t fall for CMP, Hydro-Quebec climate change claims

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 28, 2020

The Central Maine Power corridor that will be the focus of a public vote in November provides no new energy and does nothing to encourage energy efficiency or conservation. It is just a power line allowing CMP and Hydro-Quebec to make billions by selling electricity to Massachusetts. Any potential emissions reductions in Massachusetts would result in a corresponding increase in emissions somewhere else. With Hydro-Quebec and CMP’s electricity shell game, western Maine’s forests and brook trout streams get hammered, CMP and Hydro-Quebec make a fortune, and we get no climate benefit. ~ Nick Bennett, Natural Resources Council of Maine

Opinion: Bring back the reusable bags

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 28, 2020

We now know that single-use disposables do not keep us safer than reusable products. More than 115 health experts from around the world, including virologists, epidemiologists, emergency room physicians and specialists in packaging and public health, recently signed a statement addressing the safety of reusable bags and containers during the pandemic. They agree that with basic safety precautions in place, reusable systems are no more risky than disposables. ~ Julie Lamy, UPSTREAM

Bill Would Give Mainers More Legal Options Against Manufacturers Of 'Forever Chemicals'

MAINE PUBLIC • July 27, 2020

Advocates are urging state lawmakers to hold manufacturers of so-called “forever chemicals” accountable. Last week, the state announced that high amounts of chemicals known as PFAS were detected in milk from a central Maine dairy farm. It’s the second farm in the state known to have excessive contamination from PFAS, which have been widely used in consumer products. A proposed bill before the Legislature’s Judiciary committee would give Mainers harmed by the chemicals more legal recourse.

Saddleback prepares for first ski season since closing in 2015

WMTW • July 27, 2020

For the first time since 2014, Saddleback ski area is getting ready to welcome skiers this winter. With new owners at the helm, work is well underway for the season. The ski area is undergoing a $38 million upgrade to nearly every facet of the resort’s infrastructure, including an expanded lodge, additional snowmaking and new lifts. "The skiing downhill was always exceptional. The getting up the mountain part was the challenge,” General Manager Andy Shepard said.

Whose idea was it to call Maine ‘Vacationland’?

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 27, 2020

While it has certainly stuck, the origins of the slogan are unclear. No one has been able to pinpoint a place, person or entity that first coined the phrase. During the Great Depression, the state’s 56th governor, Louis J. Brann, took several steps to increase Maine’s profile on the national scale. Among these efforts were several “welcome home days” – huge rally-like events that started at the State House and spilled out into Capitol Park.  It was under Brann’s administration that the word first appeared on a license plate.

Developers plan 300-acre New England-style village in Biddeford

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 27, 2020

A team of local developers wants to build a traditional New England-style village with hundreds of homes, offices and retail businesses on 300 acres of rural land in western Biddeford. The plan for South Street Village is still being developed, but Biddeford officials are considering a zoning change to allow it to move forward. Mathew Eddy, the city’s director of planning and development, said the zoning change and South Street Village project present the city with the opportunity to protect natural resources by preserving a large tract of land next to the village and provide bypasses that reduce stress on Biddeford’s transportation system.

Cause of 45-acre Baxter State Park blaze still undetermined

ASSOCIATED PRESS • July 27, 2020

The source of a May wildfire that consumed 45 acres in Baxter State Park remains undetermined, but it was not caused by lightning, Maine forestry officials said. The fire took place May 21 in the state park, which is one of the most beloved outdoor destinations in Maine. The Maine Forestry Service said it’s asking for help from people who were hiking or fishing in the area on the day of the fire. The fire cost more than $33,000 to suppress.

Scientists Investigate Deaths Of Rarely-Seen Beaked Whales Stranded On Maine Coast

MAINE PUBLIC • July 27, 2020

The coast of Maine is home to a number of whales. Humpback, minkee and pilot whales are a familiar sight. Less common, however, is the beaked whale. Yet, just in the last few weeks, two beaked whales - a Blainville's beaked whale, which had never been seen here before, and a Sowerby's beaked whale - stranded and died on beaches in York and Phippsburg. Linda Doughty, director of Marine Mammals of Maine, spoke about what's known about the unusual strandings at this point.

Maine hay and forage directory available

TURNER PUBLISHING • July 27, 2020

 Hay and forage producers in Maine have experienced some major swings in weather over the past two years. Excessive rain delayed harvests last season, reducing quality, and this year excessively dry conditions in some parts of the state are reducing yields for second and third cuttings. University of Maine Cooperative Extension hosts a extension.umaine.edu/livestock/hay/”>hay and straw directory for sellers to list, and for buyers to locate, feed resources for livestock.

Don’t go fishing without these 5 must-have flies

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 27, 2020

Fly fishing can be a confusing. There are thousands of flies to choose from. I’d feel confident fishing these five flies in nearly all conditions you’ll find here in Maine. First up is the venerable Gray Ghost, a streamer fly that resembles a bait fish. My second choice — the woolly bugger — looks kind of like a leech, and will attract everything from trout to bass. If you’re fishing for trout in Maine, you must have a few of Alvin Theriault’s maple syrup flies. Maybe you don’t know if you want to fish a fly that floats, or one that will attract fish by darting below the surface. Maybe you need a muddler minnow. Finally, there’s the classic Adams dry fly, which is perfect for days when you see fish feeding on the surface, but can’t figure out what they’re eating.

Find bliss at a Maine swimming hole

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 27, 2020

Here are a few swimming holes you might explore this summer, as things heat up and you feel a need to cool off, both physically and emotionally.
• Smalls Falls
• Rattlesnake Flume and Pool
• Indian’s Last Leap
• Lake St. George State Park
• Coos Canyon

CMP corridor opponents still in the dark about police surveillance

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 27, 2020

Opponents of Central Maine Power’s proposed transmission line project say they are frustrated at delays in obtaining information collected about them by a secretive Maine State Police intelligence unit that’s come under scrutiny for its methods and tactics in recent months. Separately, Sandra Howard, the leader of Say NO to NECEC, said last week that since 2018, the FBI has been in regular contact with her to gauge whether members of the opposition group have become radicalized, she said – which she suspects was one result of the local surveillance efforts by state police. NECEC stands for New England Clean Energy Connect.

Local organizations step up to help feed people in need during pandemic

TIMES RECORD • July 27, 2020

Growing to Give, a farm-based nonprofit in Brunswick, is ramping up production to help feed more people, while local farms and the Brunswick Topsham Land Trust are distributing seedlings to help people grow their own food. 

When it comes to the banana curse, guides take no chances

MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • July 26, 2020

Fishing brings out the superstitious fears in many anglers. But no curse or jinx – or as some Maine fishing guides call it, bad juju – compares to that of the banana. Many Registered Maine Guides, just like guides elsewhere, have banana stories that seem to hint at the supernatural, tales of clients who brought bananas on their boat (unbeknownst to the skipper) and the bad stuff that happened.

Maine ATV dealers ‘can’t keep the showrooms stocked’

MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • July 26, 2020

 There is an ATV-buying boom across Maine and the U.S. during the pandemic. From Houlton and Bangor to Oxford and across southern Maine, dealership lots are empty and dozens of ATVs are on back order. The spike has been fueled by new riders, as well as veteran ATV riders upgrading their machines and parents introducing their kids to ATVs. Veteran ATV rider Jeff Pinette of Topsham is afraid new riders already have caused problems – and it will only get worse.