Proposed pedestrian footpath near Sebago Lake in Standish draws mixed opinions

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • August 18, 2025

The Portland Water District and the town of Standish are considering whether to convert 300 feet of Maple Street into a pedestrian footpath. According to planning and concept art, the Portland Water District, which owns the stretch of Maple Street from the lake shore to the former train tracks, plans to remove about 300 feet of paved road leading from the shore of Lake Sebago to the old rail trail and replace it with a footpath. The town, which owns a fishing wharf at the end of the street, would then lease the rest of the property from the water district, and be free to develop it as it sees fit.

Letter: Collins and King must lead on clean energy technologies

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • August 18, 2025

Solar and wind technologies have proven themselves cheaper than fossil fuels, and with increasing amounts of battery storage, are already diversifying our energy supply. Yet President Trump’s funding cuts and bureaucratic delay tactics are, for now, posing a needless obstacle. Getting more clean energy to market faster is the other challenge, but one Republicans and Democrats together should work to solve. The obvious need to rapidly increase our electricity supply is clear. But our cumbersome energy ​​permitting process, hampered by duplication of effort and a lack of clear leadership, is causing unnecessary and unacceptable delay. ~ Sam Saltonstall, Brunswick

Letter: Do not overlook travel’s contribution to climate change

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • August 18, 2025

Thank you for the recent article elucidating how better we can focus our efforts to reduce greenhouse gases with its emphasis on reduced air travel. This has not been a subject of much discussion, despite its being the most destructive thing we can do as individuals (tied with cruises). The U.S. government’s policies now exacerbate the problem, therefore we must take a more active role to save ourselves, future generations and other species in danger of extinction. The U.S. is the country most responsible for the climate change emergency. ~ Joan Stanton, South Portland

Towns Work to Determine Cause of Shellfish Harvesting Closures

LINCOLN COUNTY NEWS • August 17, 2025

The towns of Bremen and Waldoboro are searching for the culprit of recent shellfish harvesting closures. On July 2, the Department of Marine Resources determined there were high enough E. Coli bacterial counts to conditionally shut down clam harvesting in parts of Waldoboro and Bremen. Bremen Select Board member Boe Marsh said his town is “going into full action” to find the cause and resolve the issue. “This is a big shock for us,” he said. “We were on a really good trajectory and then suddenly out of nowhere we get this problem.” In Bremen’s affected waters, Marsh said the bacteria is spreading from some form of animal waste.

At Lewiston Farmers’ Market, federal budget cuts raise fears, uncertainty

SUN JOURNAL • August 17, 2025

It was a nice day recently at the Lewiston Farmers’ Market. But a dark cloud loomed over the weekly event. The budget reconciliation legislation passed into law by Congress — President Trump’s “one, big beautiful bill” — contains deep cuts to federal food assistance. The cuts, and more strict requirements, will be phased in over the next few years. But farmers and others who sell their wares at the market are worried the trickle-down effect is on its way and it could hurt farmers, who depend on every bit of revenue for survival.

Belgrade Boy Scout Camp no longer for sale, but future is in limbo

CENTRAL MAINE • August 17, 2025

Camp Bomazeen, a beloved Boy Scout camp on the shore of Belgrade’s Great Pond, is no longer actively for sale. The Pine Tree Council of the Boy Scouts of America, the owners of the 330-acre camp, say they will listen to anyone interested in the property and have reached out to the the 7 Lakes Alliance to gauge their interest in the site. But regional scouting group officials also say they are no longer actively looking to sell Camp Bomazeen. Instead, they’ve resumed using it for some scouting activities and are currently contemplating the best use of the lakefront property moving forward. That’s in sharp contrast to what the southern-Maine based Pine Tree Council,  said only months ago that “we have made the difficult decision to move forward with the sale of certain properties, including Camp Bomazeen.”

Column: Fall warbler identification: Why these 4 Maine species look identical

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 17, 2025

Identifying a warbler in June is relatively easy. They are brightly colored, although many are unhelpful variations on yellow. They establish nesting territories and sing to confirm their locations and identities. They stay put. By mid-August, all bets are off. When neotropical migrants arrive in Maine in springtime, they wear their finest colors to attract a mate. But in the fall, when it’s time to return to a Central American jungle full of predators, bright colors attract trouble. In autumn, drab is fab. The seasonal change is drastic for some warblers. Concede that some fall warblers are more confusing than others, and do the best you can. ~ Bob Duchesne

5 of the best places in Maine to see a moose

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 17, 2025

While you never really know where or when you might come across a moose, we have put together a list of five areas of Maine where you have a good chance of seeing one:
1. Moosehead Lake
2. Golden Road
3. Route 11 Corridor
4. Sugarloaf and Rangeley Lakes Region
5. Route 201 Corridor

Firefighters douse blaze sparked by lightning in Acadia

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 16, 2025

Firefighters extinguished a fire in Acadia National Park Friday night that likely was caused by two lightning strikes, according to officials. The fire was initially reported by a man riding his bike in the park. Peter Beckett said that he spotted the white smoke in the area of Gilmore Meadow. Beckett called park headquarters to report it. Multiple island and park agencies responded to the area west of Eagle Lake. The entire coast of Maine is in a moderate drought, which accounts for almost one-third of the state. This is the second fire in the park this year. A small fire on Acadia National Park property on July 1 in the Cleftstone Road area of Bar Harbor was believed to be “human-caused.” Five other fires in the park’s woodlands that occurred in a span of about 18 months were arson.

Drought conditions fry Maine gardens

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 16 2025

After a mostly cool and wet spring, dry conditions statewide have recently ramped up into a drought and increased fire risk. They’re also threatening crops, leading growers to worry about their water supplies while choosing which crops to water and which to let die. The entire Maine coast is in a moderate drought as of Friday, according to the National Weather Service, with much of the state “abnormally dry” farther north. Conditions are likely to get worse in the next few weeks, without any signs of significant rain ahead, the weather service warned late this week. Down East, blueberries shriveled, tree leaves wilted and grass died, reports said; in greater Bangor, plants wilted, some crops died and fruit appeared dry in what some observers said were the driest conditions they have seen. Moderate drought conditions lead to lower yields for hay and grain growers, stress trees and hinder honey production.

Maine Solar System model expands with two additions

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 16, 2025

The Maine Solar System model just got two new additions for the first time since 2008. The dwarf planets Makemake and Haumea were installed in the St. John Valley today to coincide with Madawaska’s multi-day Acadian Festival celebration. With these additions the world’s second-largest three-dimensional scale model of the solar system grew from 100 miles to nearly 160 miles. Makemake was installed at the Madawaska Public Library Saturday afternoon, after which Haumea was put in across from the Musee Culturel du Mont-Carmel in Lille. University of Maine at Presque Isle Emeritus Geology Professor Kevin McCartney worked on the project with the Upper St. John River Organization and Maine Potato Growers.

Column: The joys of tracking blue crabs in the Scarborough Marsh

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • August 16, 2025

In early June, as a summer intern for Scarborough Land Trust, I found myself traipsing through Scarborough Marsh — the largest contiguous salt marsh in the state — with a backpack full of fish. Our mission was to think like blue crabs as we scouted habitable locations to deploy traps. In recent years, spurred by the rapidly warming waters in the Gulf of Maine, there have been increased reports of blue crab sightings in Maine waters. Blue crabs are ferocious consumers that prey on juvenile lobsters, invasive green crabs and even smaller blue crabs. We have deployed six crab traps throughout the marsh. Every Wednesday, we check and rebait the traps. Blue crab monitoring projects led by Manomet and Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve will aid in gaining a better understanding of where blue crabs reside in Maine and how their populations are changing over time. ~ Emma Righter

Opinion: Understanding the role of the Wabanaki Alliance

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • August 16, 2025

The Wabanaki Alliance was formed in 2020 by the elected leaders of the four federally recognized Wabanaki tribes in Maine, including the Penobscot Nation. It was created because for too long, our voices have been dismissed, distorted or divided — especially when we challenge the status quo of state-tribal relations in Maine. The Alliance is not a replacement for tribal governments. It is an advocacy coalition led by the tribes themselves — by our chiefs, our ambassadors and our elected representatives — people who are directly accountable to our Nations. The 1980 Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act placed Wabanaki tribes under a separate and unequal system. The Alliance works to change that, not by replacing our tribal governments, but by advocating for them — through public education, legislative engagement and coalition-building with people across Maine. ~ Donna M. Loring

Letter: Safety risks need to be addressed on Back Cove Trail

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • August 16, 2025

I have walked around the Back Cove Trail in Portland a number of times and have always enjoyed the trek. What I do not understand, however, is why there is no rule that requires bikers to go in one direction and joggers/walkers to go in the opposite direction. Several times I have almost been clipped by a passing cyclist that I couldn’t see and didn’t hear approaching me from behind. Conversely, when a bicyclist is approaching me from ahead, I can easily move well out of his/her way and ensure no collision. I think this rule would reduce the number of adrenaline surges on the trail as well as increase the safety for all of us. It is a wonderful trail and I would hate to see or hear of someone getting hurt. ~ John Morin, Kennebunk

Forestry and Fire Prevention talk in Oquossoc

DAILY BULLDOG • August 15, 2025

The Rangeley Region Guides’ & Sportsmen’s Association invites the public to its monthly meeting and potluck supper social on August 21, 2025. The doors open at 5:00 PM at the association’s clubhouse located at 41 Old Skiway Road in Oquossoc. This month’s meeting promises an informative evening featuring guest speaker Julie Davenport, District Forester with the Maine Forestry Department, along with our local Forest Ranger. Topics will include the vital role and services of the Department of Forestry, current challenges facing Maine’s forests, such as invasive species, insect outbreaks, and disease devastation. Additionally, Davenport will address growing concerns regarding forest fires amidst the region’s extremely dry conditions and discuss practical fire prevention steps that concerned citizens can take.

Summer swelter gives a boost to Maine’s tourism industry

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • August 15, 2025

After an abnormally wet May and June — with more than a dozen rainy weekends in a row — the sunny and hot weather in July and August has been a boon to many of Maine’s tourism businesses and attractions. And while cruise ship numbers are down, in part because of Bar Harbor’s 1,000-passenger cap on visitors from cruise ships, and border crossings from Canada continue to fall after President Donald Trump hurled insults and imposed tariffs on Maine’s northern neighbor, visitor numbers are up at Acadia National Park, the Portland International Jetport and on the Maine Turnpike.

Surge of rare tick-borne disease linked to warming climate

MAINE MONITOR • August 15, 2025

In 2023, experts at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported a dramatic rise in babesiosis, a historically rare tick-borne disease, throughout New England. Here in Maine, where babesiosis was not previously considered endemic, incidence of the illness soared a whopping 1,422% in less than a decade. Reported cases in Maine jumped from 9 in 2011 to 138 in 2019. Last year there were more than 300 cases, according to preliminary data. It is a troubling trend that a team of Massachusetts doctors now warns is likely linked to climate change-induced warming across the region. 

Dangerous rip currents on southern Maine beach led to multiple rescues this week

MAINE PUBLIC • August 15, 2025

This past week has been challenging for lifeguards in southern Maine, where rip currents have resulted in multiple rescues. Two challenging scenes involved the rescue of nine children by Ogunquit lifeguards in dangerous, fast-moving currents. On Monday, a day at the beach in Ogunquit turned into a life-saving rescue for four children swept into the ocean on paddleboards. "The way the tide was moving, where they were, the situation was more urgent. We needed to use the Jet Ski to get over there and assist," said Matt Pooler, the lifeguard captain. In minutes the Jet Ski reached the frightened kids and lifeguards began scooping them up. EMTs waited on the shore. Another rescue on Wednesday took place at the other end of Ogunquit beach. Five children were in trouble with one lifeguard helping them stay afloat until the Jet Ski could arrive. It is estimated that 100 people are killed by rip currents annually,

Heat, drought taking a toll on Maine's wild blueberry season

MAINE PUBLIC • August 15, 2025

Maine's wild blueberries are not faring well in the heat and the dry conditions that have settled over three-quarters of the state in the last week. Eric Venturini, executive director of the Wild Blueberry Commission of Maine, said while it's too soon to offer an estimate, this year's harvest will likely be smaller compared to recent years. First, too much rain in the spring and early summer made for poor pollination, he said. Lisa Hanscom, who runs Welch Farm in Roque Bluffs with her father, said she will rake whatever suitable berries are left. The crop was doing OK until this week, she said, when the heat dried up the remaining blueberries. Welch Farm had 32 acres of wild blueberries that could have been harvested, and Hanscom estimates she will lose all but two acres of the crop. "In my history — and in dad's history that he can remember, and he's 76 — we've never lost this much crop," Hanscom said.

Coast Guard to delay removing navigational buoys after pushback from marine users

MAINE PUBLIC • August 15, 2025

The U.S. Coast Guard says it will delay a plan to remove hundreds of navigational buoys from New England waters, following pushback from mariners and federal and state lawmakers in Maine. The proposal called for the removal of hundreds of buoys in New England waters, including nearly 150 in the Gulf of Maine. More than 3,000 people commented, according to the Coast Guard. Many were harbormasters, ferry operators and fishermen who rely on the buoys slated for removal, particularly at night or in poor weather. Others said the buoys served as a meeting point for large vessels and pilots, and that emergency boats relied on them to meet routine trips. The Coast Guard said the buoy changes are intended to support modern navigational needs, because electronic systems are more widely available and affordable.