Editorial: Enjoy another Maine summer

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 9, 2024

Even with the bugs and the crowds, there isn’t much to complain about as we enjoy another Maine summer. We welcome everyone from out-of-state. There are plenty of Maine summer adventures for everyone to enjoy. The Bigelow Preserve in Franklin County has more than 36,000 acres of public land, seven summits and a host of hiking trails. At the other end of the state, West Quoddy Head Lighthouse in Lubec provides an opportunity to watch the sunrise at the easternmost point in the continental U.S. Mackworth Island in Falmouth features a roughly mile-and-a-half loop trail that has great views of Casco Bay. Some call Gulf Hagas, near Brownville, “the Grand Canyon of the East.” That may be a slight overstatement, but the winding hike along the river gorge is, well, gorgeous.

Passamaquoddy rep who has fought for clean water to be honored

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 9, 2024

An official who helped bring clean drinking water to a Passamaquoddy Tribe reservation will be among the honorees at an event hosted later this week by the Wabanaki Alliance. Rena Newell, the former chief of the Passamaquoddy Tribe’s reservation at Sipayik — aka Pleasant Point — and the former Passamaquoddy Tribal Representative to the Legislature sponsored the legislation that two years ago gave the Passaquamoddy at Sipayik more power to regulate its local drinking water and resolve quality issues. Two other honorees will be Beth Ahearn, who worked with the Alliance while lobbying on environmental issues for Maine Conservation Voters, and Carol Wishcamper, a founding supporter of the Alliance who sat on the Maine Wabanaki-State Child Welfare Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Opinion: Teaching your kids to swim this summer? Steer clear of floaties.

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 9, 2024

Consistent floatie use increases the risks of accidental drowning. An overreliance on the inflatables appears to be a factor in the childhood drowning crisis; drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 4. ~ Lisa M. Zarda, United States Swim School Association

Thousands of Maine kids will adopt cows this year

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 9, 2024

Two of the Holstein calves born on an Old Town farm this fall will receive thousands of letters from schoolchildren across Maine. Throughout the academic year, kids will learn math and literacy with dairy-themed projects, get photos of and even video chat with the calves they “adopt.” This national “Adopt A Cow” program, organized by an array of dairy promotion councils across the Northeast and Midwest, was brought to Maine by the Dairy Promotion Board two years ago. Organizers hope it will reconnect children with agriculture and create future farmers as public and private groups across the state work to promote Maine’s strained dairy industry.

No, offshore wind development is not killing whales

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 9, 2024

Whales have been washing up dead on beaches since prehistoric times. Signs of human-caused injuries are a more recent phenomenon, with strikes by ships and entanglements with fishing gear among the causes. In recent years, another theory has surfaced that has tried to shift the blame for those deaths to something new: the development of offshore wind power. But those claims simply aren’t true, according to government officials and whale scientists. Offshore wind turbines, and the electricity they generate, are not killing whales.

An experimental moose hunt to reduce winter ticks shows promise

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 9, 2024

This fall it will have been four years since Maine wildlife managers introduced the so-called Adaptive Unit moose hunt in Wildlife Management District 4. This was an experimental hunt, using moose hunting permits to deliberately reduce moose densities, and, in so doing, trying to reduce winter tick populations that were decimating moose calves. Leading up to the experimental hunt the number of calves born each year had dropped significantly since the 1990s. In the worst year, 87 percent of collared calves died of tick infestations in the spring of 2022. Today, the moose calf mortality in the test area, WMD 4, was at 8 percent for the spring of 2024.

Wind turbine parts are now being trucked through Hancock County

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 8, 2024

The first shipment of sections of large wind turbines that will be erected in the Washington County town of Columbia was trucked Monday morning through Hancock County. The oversize deliveries are being transported overland from the Mack Point cargo terminal in Searsport. The terminal has served as a cargo facility for other wind projects too, with turbine blades recently being transported daily from Searsport to a wind farm in Moscow.

Analysis: The state of Maine is classifying artificial lures incorrectly

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 8, 2024

One type of artificial lure — soft plastic ones referred to as rubber worms — is provoking a heated debate among fishermen. The rubber worms build up in the stomachs of salmon and trout, but bass expel the soft plastic after a few days. Even the soft plastics labeled as biodegradable do not biodegrade in a fish’s lifetime. Although the state adjusts size and bag limits and other fishing regulations, it hasn’t looked at its definition of artificial lures in decades. It’s clearly time for the definition to change.

Sabattus Water District to treat system for coliform bacteria

SUN JOURNAL • July 8, 2024

The Sabattus Water District notified residents Monday morning of a water test confirming the presence of coliform bacteria and that a low amount of chlorine will be added to its distribution system as a precautionary measure. The results were from a “routine monthly sample in July,” the district’s notice said. “The bacteria is harmless, but used as an indicator.”

Rumford seeks $1.5 million state grant for 3 stream crossings

RUMFORD FALLS TIMES • July 8, 2024

Rumford town officials plan to seek a nearly $1.5 million state grant for “very, very large box culverts” on three stream crossings on the East Andover Road, the Whippoorwill Road and the Beliveau Road near Ellis River acquifer, the public water supply.

Deputies pull man from Swift River in Mexico

SUN JOURNAL • July 8, 2024

An unresponsive man was pulled from the Swift River on Monday night and rushed to Rumford Hospital. Deputies responded about 8 p.m. to a report of a person who may have drowned near the recreation trail. “Deputies immediately began CPR and continued lifesaving efforts until relieved by Mexico FD and rescue personnel.” The man was undergoing emergency medical care and it was unknown if he will survive his injuries.

Teenage brothers suspected to have drowned in Sanford park

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 8, 2024

Two 17-year-old brothers are suspected to have drowned in a Sanford recreation area on Sunday. Police received a call around 11 p.m. reporting that the brothers had not returned home by their curfew. The two had gone to the Holdsworth Park recreation area to swim in the lake. The car the teens were driving was found at the park by police and firefighters. The teens’ bodies were then found in the water around midnight. Their deaths are being investigated by police and the state medical examiner, but foul play is not suspected.

Maine to study whether creating local electric grid operator could cut costs, improve reliability

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 8, 2024

Maine officials are imagining an electric grid of the future nimble enough to communicate with buildings to cut energy use, provide power to electric vehicles adapted to serve as batteries, and keep pace with a growing array of solar and wind sources. The Governor’s Energy Office is leading a study, called for in legislation, to determine if a Maine-based organization could run the state’s electric grid while saving money for customers, improving reliability and more quickly reaching Maine’s climate goals. A Maine grid operator could speed the transition to clean energy.

Column: For an ethical and enjoyable wildlife experience, embrace the space

TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY • July 8, 2024

The opportunity to see fascinating species thriving in their natural environments draws many of us to national parks, waterways and wildlife refuges every year. Almost as alluring is the appeal of getting the perfect picture that captures an animal’s beauty, ingenuity or charisma. But our Instagram aspirations must not be achieved at animals’ expense. Experts agree that the best way to protect and respect wildlife is to put our binoculars and zoom lenses to good use by giving these animals plenty of room to roam. ~ Michelle Reynolds, PETA Foundation

Maine dairy processors eligible for modernization grant

TIMES RECORD • July 7, 2024

Dairy processors in Maine and across the Northeast can now apply for the Dairy Processor Modernization Grant through the Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center. With a total of $1.2 million in funding, this grant will fund specialized equipment to help processors expand capacity, increase efficiencies and improve packaging. Dairy processors play a vital role in regional food supply.

Maine Maritime Museum to host talk with exhibition’s sound artist and curator

TIMES RECORD • July 7, 2024

Sound artist Dianne Ballon will be at the Maine Maritime Museum Friday in conversation with Associate Curator Catherine Cyr to discuss their work in creating “Lost and Found: Sounds of the Maine Coast by Dianne Ballon.” The July 12 talk is from noon to 1:15 p.m. and is free, but preregistration is required.

Persistent heat wave in U.S. expected to shatter new records as it bakes West and swelters in East

ASSOCIATED PRESS • July 7, 2024

Forecasters said Sunday that a long-running heat wave that has already shattered previous records across the U.S. will persist, baking parts of the West with dangerous temperatures that will soar into the 100s and holding the East in its hot and humid grip throughout the week.

Explore Acadia National Park by bicycle on historic carriage roads

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 7, 2024

Winding through the forest around mountains and ponds, the carriage roads of Acadia National Park are a great way to explore the park by bicycle. These wide, smooth roads are closed to motorized vehicles (with a few exceptions). They feature massive historic stone bridges and lead to some incredible views of Mount Desert Island. With a whimsical, rustic feel, the carriage roads follow the natural curves of the landscape, circling around Jordan Pond and Eagle Lake, and visiting several smaller bodies of water. They also hug the slopes of several mountains, including Day, Penobscot, Parkman and Sargeant.

Maxwell’s in Cape Elizabeth to close strawberry farm after 5 decades

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 7, 2024

Maxwell’s Farm in Cape Elizabeth, with a history that stretches to before the American Revolution and has more recently been a favorite spot for pick-your-own strawberries, is closing after 51 years. The farm posted a statement on its website Sunday that says rising but unspecified challenges for family farms and “increasing barriers at most every turn” have made it impossible for the owners to balance their faith, family and farm. The family traces its roots to James Maxwell, who in 1762 paid 2 pounds, 6 shillings and 8 pence “lawful money” for 25 acres.

Column: Some birds will attack if they feel a threat to their nest, young

MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • July 7, 2024

The nesting season is in full swing and we often get some interesting reports of unusual wildlife behaviors that come with it. American goshawks are fiercely territorial and are the most likely to seriously injure someone getting too close to their nests. While males are off foraging for food that they’ll bring back to the nest, females stay to protect the chicks. There are lots of other signals that birds give us when we are too close to their nest or young, so be on the lookout. If you can avoid that spot for a short time, you can help increase the success of that nest and also keep from getting some goshawk scars. ~ Maine Audubon Staff Naturalist Doug Hitchcox