Katahdin isn’t the only spectacular hike at Baxter State Park

MAINE PUBLIC • May 24, 2024

Each summer, hikers flock to Katahdin, the tallest mountain in Maine. It’s the most popular destination in Baxter State Park, and for good reason. But it may not always be the best hiking option for you. There are many other spectacular mountains in the park to hike. Baxter is home to more than 220 miles of hiking trails. And they’re all wonderful. All of these treks offer spectacular views of the park: Mount OJI, Doubletop Mountain, The Owl, South Turner Mountain, Sentinel Mountain, Mount Coe and South Brother, North Traveler Mountain, Trout Brook Mountain, Horse Mountain.

Maine physicians see climate change as a health risk, but often don't discuss it with patients

MAINE PUBLIC • May 23, 2024

Most physicians in Maine believe their patients' health is at risk from climate change, but very few communicate it to their patients. The findings come from a new study published this week in the Maine Policy Review. More than 75% of respondents believe climate change is worsening medical issues, including asthma, tick-borne illnesses, and mental health. Researchers surveyed 100 physicians across multiple specialties throughout the state. Physicians identified very young and elderly people as the most vulnerable to climate change. Two-thirds indicated they were "extremely" or "moderately" concerned with the current health impacts of climate change. Nearly 40% said the are already observing the health impacts in their patients.

Recycled Works for ME to open in New Sharon

FRANKLIN JOURNAL • May 23, 2024

Recycled Works for ME, a new store offering a variety of repurposed and handmade items, will open its doors on Friday, May 24, at 31 Lane Road in New Sharon. Owner Nancy Bowden has transformed a large garage into a unique shopping destination filled with woodworking projects, antiques, reupholstered furniture, and various crafts.

Republican CD2 candidates talk energy costs,

MAINE MORNING STAR • May 23, 2024

The candidates running in the Republican primary election for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, Austin Theriault of Fort Kent and Mike Soboleski of Phillips, participated in their third public debate Thursday morning. As for energy costs, both men agree prices are too high. Soboleski said the U.S. should “drill, baby, drill.” Theriault said the U.S. should utilize diverse energy sources, citing natural gas, nuclear and hydropower. He argued that subsidies for solar power and limiting the use of other energy sources will hurt the economy and businesses in Maine.

Mills announces expansion of Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative

WABI-TV5 • May 23, 2024

Thousands of middle and high school students in Maine will have access to free after-school and summer outdoor learning and career exploration programs. Gov. Mills announced the expansion Thursday morning through a $6.6 million investment of federal funds. She said that will help bring the program to 4,000 students, giving them access to more than 100 after school and summer programs between now and the fall. The expansion triples the total amount of funding invested in the initiative over the last two years.

Federal officials issue record hurricane forecast

MAINE PUBLIC • May 23, 2024

On the eve of atlantic hurricane season, federal officials told reporters Thursday forecasters have issued a record-high forecast for tropical activity. The National Weather Service said it expects between 17 and 25 named storms, 8-13 hurricanes, and 4-7 major hurricanes. But weather service Director Ken Graham said, "It only takes one storm to make landfall, or even one to get close to you, to make a busy season."

Ozone levels rising on the Maine coast Thursday

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • May 23, 2024

Coastal Maine is expected to experience elevated levels of ground-level ozone as temperature rise Thursday and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection issued an “unhealthy for sensitive groups” air quality warning for high elevations at Acadia National Park.

A look at the legislative voting records of the Republican CD2 candidates

MAINE MORNING STAR • May 23, 2024

The Republican candidates looking to unseat Jared Golden in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, Austin Theriault of Fort Kent and Rep. Mike Soboleski of Phillips, both just wrapped up their first terms in the Maine State Legislature. Soboleski successfully sponsored a bill that requires legislative approval for new rules adopted by the Department of Environmental Protection regarding motor vehicle emission standards. Theriault sponsored a bill that became law to increase Maine’s use of wood waste — like scrap, sawdust and paper mill residue — for energy production, a priority of some in his timber-heavy district.

Developer revives plans for a ski resort in Greenville

CENTRAL MAINE • May 23, 2024

A Maine developer is reviving his plans to redevelop a partially defunct ski resort in Piscataquis County. Perry Williams spent several years trying to create a year-round ski resort in Big Moose Township, but he and partners halted their $126.3 million plans in November 2022 after failing to come to terms with the property owner. Williams said this week he is again working with James Confalone, the property owner, to buy the ski area and redevelop it using a state permit approved in September 2022.

Andover board hires firm to design recreation park

RUMFORD FALLS TIMES • May 22, 2024

The Andover Select Board approved a $10,000 contract Tuesday with a landscape architect to create a recreation park on South Main Street. The design work by Sashie Misner Landscape Architecture of Portland will include improving the tennis court and work on the upper and lower fields of Grimaldi Field, selectmen said at their meeting at the Town Hall. An eight-member committee has formed to apply for a $170,000 to $200,000 grant from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund to construct the park.

Auburn’s Crescent Beach may not reopen after death of owner

SUN JOURNAL • May 22, 2024

The popular Crescent Beach on Taylor Pond will not open this summer after the longtime owner passed away over the winter, according to his family. The beach off Chicoine Avenue has been owned since 1961 by Linwood and Deanna Andrews. Linwood Andrews passed away in December and there had been no plan in place to keep the beach open. For decades, the beach has been one of very few spots in the Twin Cities area where families could spend an afternoon swimming. Kids who lived in the neighborhood were given discounts on season passes to use the beach.

Maine launches job board to connect people with openings in ‘clean energy’ sector

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • May 22, 2024

State officials are trying to make it easier for people to find jobs in Maine’s clean energy sector. The Governor’s Energy Office on Wednesday launched the Maine Clean Energy Jobs Network, a recruiting tool to connect skilled jobseekers with clean energy employers and training programs. The jobs network also will help immigrant workers access resources in their native languages. The state announced the jobs initiative two weeks after releasing a study touting Maine’s “clean energy economy,” saying it accounted for 15,000 jobs at the end of 2022.

Advocates at Augusta hearing urge federal officials to order removal of dams on the Kennebec River

KENNEBEC JOURNAL • May 22, 2024

Advocates said Wednesday that the local environment and economy would flourish if the upper Kennebec River watershed were given a chance to recover Testifying before federal officials at the Augusta Civic Center, the advocates said removing four dams between Waterville and Skowhegan — like removal of the Edwards Dam in Augusta on July 1, 1999 — would give the endangered Atlantic salmon their best chance to avoid extinction, and open access to outstanding spawning grounds in the Sandy River. Dozens of people testified in favor of removing the four dams, or at least upping the requirements that each of them have improved fish ladders or other ways of passage for fish, with screening to prevent fish from being killed by dam turbines. George Hofgren of Fairfield stood out as a voice opposed to removing the dams. He advocated for them to be relicensed

Bar Harbor backs off beleaguered solar project

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • May 22, 2024

Two days away from signing an interconnection agreement, the Town Council decided Tuesday night to not go forward with the Higgins Pit solar array project, and it instead directed the town manager to look toward finding other projects that would achieve the same goals. The project was meant to offset approximately 25 percent of the town’s carbon output by building a solar array at Higgins Pit, a town-owned property. The project was approved by voters in 2022, but since then, costs have risen beyond initial projections, prompting concerns for some. Because of the site of the town-owned property, for the project to go forward, wetland remediation would have to be done, a road would have to be built, and the project itself has been downsized.

Jennifer Dann New Project Director for State Wide Partnership, Local Wood Works

LOCAL WOOD WORKS • May 22, 2024

After nearly seven years at the helm of Local Wood WORKS, Lee Burnett announced that he will be stepping down as Project Director. Local Wood WORKS is a statewide partnership focused on promoting sustainable use of Maine wood, to help Maine landowners keep their forests as forests, and to sustain Maine communities and economies. During Burnett’s tenure, Local Wood Works developed a Maine Wood Guide, forest and forest product manufacturing tours. Jennifer Dann will be the new Project Director working closely with LWW's eight partner organizations: Kennebec Land Trust, The Nature Conservancy, CEI, Maine Forest Service, Grow Smart Maine, Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, and the Northern Forest Center. Dann’s professional background is in urban and community forestry and in environmental management with the U.S. Air Force. She grew up in Maine and is excited for the opportunity to work with the Local Wood WORKS partners on initiatives important to her home state.  

Wells town leaders back a lawsuit that seeks expanded public access at Moody Beach

MAINE PUBLIC • May 22, 2024

The select board for Wells announced Tuesday night the town will file an amicus brief that supports plaintiffs in a lawsuit that seeks to expand public access at Moody Beach. Tensions have been rising between private beachfront homeowners and the public. The lawsuit challenges Maine law, which extends property rights to the low tide line. The only exceptions are for "fishing, fowling, and navigation." "The board plans to argue that the public trust rights on Moody Beach shall not be limited to fishing, fowling, and navigation, but should instead include some form of recreational activity." Proponents of public beach use have been urging town officials to protect access. Dozens of people packed Tuesday night's meeting, including some who say private homeowners yell at them when they walk on the beach. Some homeowners, meanwhile, say there are several other public beaches in the area that people can use.

Buxton company is first in Maine to offer ‘renewable propane’ for home heating

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • May 22, 2024

Renewable propane was introduced in Maine Tuesday by a fuel dealer willing to take a financial hit as it tries to develop a market for the alternative fuel made from nonpetroleum feedstocks such as natural fats, vegetable oils and grease. Waltz & Sons Propane, based in Buxton, says it’s the first dealer in Maine to sell renewable propane for residential heating. The fuel can be used in all propane applications, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, powering furnaces, cooktops, water heaters and other propane appliances without requiring modifications to those devices.

New director of UMaine Lobster Institute brings industry experience

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • May 22, 2024

The University of Maine has tapped a former member of the lobster industry to lead an institute that studies and supports the state’s most well-known fishery. Chris Cash spent 14 years fishing for lobster, eight of them on her own boat. She hopes to use that background in her new role as the executive director of the UMaine Lobster Institute, to bring some fresh perspective to the center and to expand its outreach to her former colleagues in the industry. “Rather than coming from specifically a research background, I come from a commercial fishing and industry background,” Cash said. “So I feel like that brings a value when I’m going out in the field and talking to fishermen, that I can certainly relate.”

Maine’s historic storms stretched home insurers to their limit

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • May 22, 2024

Maine’s insurance market is typically stable and profitable, but it was stretched by severe storms last year. Payouts and other costs consumed nearly all of the revenue from premiums for homeowners insurance in Maine in 2023, meaning it was barely profitable. Insurance agents who connect these sharp increases to more frequent and severe storms taking place are worried this means insurers might grow reticent to cover Maine’s coastal communities, or pull out of areas prone to flooding or wind damage entirely. It’s a national trend. Storms caused by climate change have already led carriers to reduce their coverage in other states such as California and Florida, or pull out of them entirely.

How central Maine farmers help make the state’s PFAS recovery program a success

MORNING SENTINEL • May 21, 2024

Dozens of Maine farms experiencing PFAS contamination by “forever chemicals” have been able to stay in business with help from the new state fund, billed as the first of its kind across the nation. PFAS contamination in Maine largely has been linked to the spreading of sludge on farms as an alternative to fertilizer beginning in the 1970s, though the chemicals are used in everything from raincoats to plastic plates. More than 500 residential wells have since been deemed unsafe to drink due to the chemicals as they have seeped into Maine’s land, water and eventually wildlife. Roughly 60 farms across the state so far have dealt with PFAS contamination. But where once things seemed hopeless for these farmers, they’ve since gained hope that there’s plenty of farming in their future.