Opinion: Calls for aggressive housing development miss bigger picture

MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • October 15, 2023

This newspaper, under the guise of objective journalism, recently published two pieces that I believe leave it in lockstep with every developer, real estate agent and speculative investor. The first (“Maine needs 84,000 new homes in the next 7 years, report finds,” Oct. 4) is a summary of a report by HR&A Advisors, a New York City-based real estate and economic development firm. To HR&A, the answer to every problem is more development. Why are Maine agencies commissioning a New York City consulting firm to guide our development? Do we want southern Maine to be more like suburban Long Island? The second piece, the editorial board’s position of last Sunday (“Our View: Communities must step up on housing – or step aside,” Oct. 8), was even more brazen. Rampant, unguided development will attract more and more out-of-staters, drive up taxes, crowd out schools, congest roadways and further degrade the Maine way of life. ~ Jeremy Doxsee, South Portland, holds a master’s of community planning and development

Letter: Work remains, but U.S. freight rail leads the way

MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • October 15, 2023

Re: “Freight railroads police themselves and inspect their own tracks. Some say a disaster is inevitable.” (Oct. 8): Mainers should be confident in freight railroads to safely move goods. The industry must further reduce incidents and upgrade infrastructure, but the U.S. maintains the top freight rail network in the world, made possible by billions in private capital annually. Ultimately, railroads take freight off highways, are environmentally efficient and serve vital industries. ~ Ian Jefferies, Association of American Railroads

Could these be wolf pups in northern Maine?

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • October 15, 2023

There has long been debate about whether Maine has any resident wolves. People have reported a few sightings over the last few decades, but the state remains skeptical. The Maine Wolf Coalition has submitted photographic evidence of individual animals that could be wolves, but biologists consistently say there are no breeding wolf populations in the state. John Glowa of the Maine Wolf Coalition sent this video on Friday of what he describes as a possible adult male and four of his offspring at an undisclosed location in northern Maine. Enjoy the short video, and decide for yourself.

Frustrations overflow after lake group tries to keep Tripp Pond water levels high

SUN JOURNAL • October 15, 2023

For more than two years high water levels in Tripp Pond, also known as Tripp Lake, have flooded and damaged properties, leaving docks underwater, eroding and washing away beaches and opening the possibility of septic systems leaching untreated sewage into the lake. Some residents say they are considering lawsuits to help pay for the damage. Despite a second consecutive summer of high water and flooding, members of the Tripp Lake Improvement Association insisted the water levels were “dangerously low” and took extreme measures to ensure water levels remained elevated. The disagreement between those who view the water as too high and those who see it as too low has erupted into a fight over the lake’s health, erosion of long-standing beaches and whether the lake’s improvement association overstepped its bounds by installing bladders to dam the water without landowner permission. State environmental officials were forced to step in.

What to do about pesky beavers at Tripp Pond?

SUN JOURNAL • October 15, 2023

Beavers started the initial high-water problems on Tripp Pond, and wildlife officials say they are very likely to return. In anticipation of that, the Tripp Lake Improvement Association has advocated for the use of a “beaver deceiver” at the outlet of the lake. Scott Lindsay, a biologist with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, explained why the device is not a workable solution for Tripp Pond. “I would say your best bet is to have some active beaver management in there,” he said. “That includes trapping. It doesn’t mean there’s a goal to eliminate them, but you can always know that they’re there and what they’re doing.”

Opinion: Technological fixes or stopping the use of fossil fuels?

SUN JOURNAL • October 15, 2023

What role should technology play in ending the climate crisis? The world needs to move away from oil and gas and use instead renewable fuels like solar, geothermal and wind. At the same time, technologies do exist to help mitigate climate change which the fossil fuel industry says is the solution to climate change. Technology enhances our capacity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and pollution. The answer to the question is to use both technologies and to stop the burning of fossil fuels. ~ Rev. Richard Killmer is a retired Presbyterian minister; Anders Corey, Killmer’s grandson, is a senior at Bates College

Editorial: Pine Tree Power not the answer to Maine’s utility challenges

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 13, 2023

The documented failures of the utilities are not enough by themselves to warrant a “yes” vote on Question 3. A “yes” vote demands more assurances that no unforeseen problems would take the place of the problems we want to be rid of. If not Pine Tree Power, then what? Gov. Mills and the Legislature must prove themselves capable of putting new pressure on CMP and Versant, with real penalties applying when they fall short as they have in the past. There’s not enough evidence that Pine Tree Power would be an improvement on what we have now. For that reason, we endorse a “no” on Question 3. It is the latest instance of a large private owner restricting access to land that has traditionally been open to public use for recreation.

Column: Blood trackers provide best shot at recovering injured animals

SUN JOURNAL • October 14, 2023

In many cases, recovering wounded game — whether deer, bear or moose — is no easy thing. As a hunter, do you have a contingency plan? There is professional help available. The Maine chapter of the United Blood Trackers (UBT) comprises seasoned, licensed trackers who, with the help of their trained tracking dogs, will help you find your critter. All they ask for their services is a thank you and perhaps a tip to help defray the cost of gas. ~ V. Paul Reynolds

Logging company bars hunters from driving through Katahdin Iron Works

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • October 14, 2023

Moose hunters were surprised this week to find several new gates blocking vehicle access to Katahdin Iron Works land. Logging company Pine State Timber is closing 95 percent of its 30,000 acres to vehicle traffic because of thefts, damage to equipment and destruction of roads, according to Seth Roope, forester and land manager for the company. The company has not restricted foot traffic or hunting at this point, although the property likely will be leased to one entity for bear hunting, he said. Public hunting will be restricted to the high bridge area with foot traffic only. 

Why you should be lazy and leave the leaves in your yard

WASHINGTON POST • October 14, 2023

As leaves begin to blanket yards across the country this fall, many might be tempted to clear away the crunchy foliage. Not so fast, experts say. “The fallen leaf layer is actually really important wildlife habitat,” said David Mizejewski, a naturalist with the National Wildlife Federation, a nonprofit conservation organization. “All sorts of creatures rely on that for their survival as a place where they can find food and cover, and in many cases even complete their life cycle.” But experts say you don’t have to let a thick layer of leaves carpet your entire yard to help support the environment.

Letter: Tired of scaremongering over cost of Pine Tree Power

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 14, 2023

I’m frustrated by the lies of the “No on 3” campaign. The ads claim Pine Tree Power will cost $13.5 billion, be rife with grift and will increase our utility bills. Based on a Maine Public Utilities Commission estimate, the sum is likely closer to $5 billion. While that number seems daunting, the trade-off, according to the Pine Tree Power campaign, is that Maine ratepayers will save an estimated $9 billion over the next 30 years. Publicly owned utilities keep money in the community, focus on reinvestment instead of shareholder enrichment and keep prices low for all. Vote “yes” on Question 3. ~ Austin Sims, Portland

Biden awards $7 billion for clean hydrogen hubs across U.S. to help replace fossil fuels

ASSOCIATED PRESS • October 14, 2023

The Biden administration has selected clean-energy projects from Pennsylvania to California for a $7 billion program to kickstart development and production of hydrogen fuel, a key component of President Biden’s agenda to slow climate change. Biden called clean hydrogen essential to his vision of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. by 2050. His goal is to establish seven regional hubs to help replace fossil fuels such as coal and oil with cleaner-burning hydrogen as an energy source for vehicles, manufacturing and generating electricity.

Letter: Benefits of the beach belong to all

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 14, 2023

Beaches are a rare commodity – less than 1% of Maine’s storied granite shoreline. The governor and Legislature should enact whatever laws are necessary to bring all private beaches back into the public domain. Barring their unwillingness to act, a referendum to expropriate beaches at fair market value should be initiated. Access to the physical, spiritual and emotional benefits of beaches are far too valuable to be left to the whims of a privileged few. ~ Michael R. Petit, Portland

Who Has The Disgusting Job Of Picking Up The Road Kill in Maine?

92 MOOSE • October 13, 2023

You wonder, who on Earth gets the job of dealing with this and removing Maine road kill? If your city has animal control, like Rockland, Maine for example, the city has the responsibility to remove road kill from public roads. Some cities have police departments that hold lists of people who would like road kill. So you can call your local Animal Control or Police Department and they will use their resources to remove it. If this is your private property and you prefer not to remove it yourself, you can google up a list of people that offer those services. But it is your responsibility to handle it. However, if you hit an eagle, hawk or another endangered species, you should call Maine Fish and Wildlife.

School of Forest Resources receives Austin H. Wilkins Forest Stewardship Award

UMAINE • October 13, 2023

The School of Forest Resources at the University of Maine will receive the Austin H. Wilkins Forest Stewardship Award for the impact the school’s teaching and research has made on Maine’s working forests. The award is given by the Maine TREE Foundation in partnership with the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry. It recognizes an individual or organization that has managed Maine’s working forest in an honorable and sustainable manner. “For more than 120 years, the School of Forest Resources has prepared foresters for careers in the Maine woods, graduating more than 5,000 students, and producing numerous leaders who have had successful careers in forestry, globally,” said Logan Johnson, executive director of the Maine TREE Foundation.

"Apples and the Art of Detection" by John Bunker, Oct 18

MAINE ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS • October 13, 2023

Apple expert John Bunker will give a presentation on the many varieties of apples in Maine and read from his book, Apples and the Art of Detection. At Sherman's Maine Coast Book Shop, Topsham, October 18, 6 pm, free.

Lecture: Invasive Jumping Worms in Maine, Oct 17

MAINE ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS • October 13, 2023

Brittany Schappach, entomologist, Maine Forest Service, gives an introduction to jumping worms, the presence of this invasive in Maine, and how the jumping worm can impact our local gardens and environment. Zoom, October 17, 6 pm, preregister. Sponsored by Kennebec Estuary Land Trust.

Woodland Pulp workers to strike this weekend

MAINE PUBLIC • October 13, 2023

Union employees at a Baileyville paper will go on strike starting tonight. The machinists will walk out just after midnight, followed by employees with the Service Employees International Union Sunday night and millwrights sometime next week. The three unions are at an impasse with woodland pulp over a proposal from the company to classify all employees as general workers to be trained in all job duties, eliminating classified positions such as millwright or pipefitter.

‘Maine Cabin Masters’ fandom drives tourists to Manchester

KENNEBEC JOURNAL • October 13, 2023

The TV show “Maine Cabin Masters,” which first aired in 2017, follows local contractor Chase Morrill; his sister Ashley Morrill, a designer; her husband Ryan Eldridge, dubbed “the voice of reason”; and their longtime friends Matt “Dixie” Dix and Jared “Jedi” Baker as they renovate camps across the state. With a peak audience of 437,000 viewers, it is one of the Magnolia Network’s most popular shows. And now, the show’s popularity has allowed Ashley Morrill to branch out and launch her own home décor line. The town of Manchester has been buoyed by the fandom for the show and the people it attracts to the 1850s homestead the group purchased in 2019 and the restaurant and bar, The Woodshed, it opened there soon after.

Maine Coast Heritage Trust announces major milestone in campaign for Aldermere Farm & Erickson Fields preserves

PENOBSCOT BAY PILOT • October 13, 2023

Maine Coast Heritage Trust, a statewide land conservation organization, said Oct. 12 that it will receive a $500,000 gift toward the campaign for Aldermere Farm and Erickson Fields, two landmark preserves that have had a profound multi-generational impact in the Midcoast by providing food, farming, education, and public demonstration of the agricultural way of life. Friends, partners, and members of the public are preparing to gather Saturday for a Fall Celebration at Erickson Fields Preserve from 1 to 4 p.m.