Fewer Canadians traveling Maine Turnpike this summer

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 4, 2025

Summer traffic counts by the Maine Turnpike Authority show that the number of Canadian travelers has decreased as much as 43% on the 109-mile toll highway from Kittery to Augusta. The drop corresponds with similar declines in Canadian border crossings into Maine that have followed President Donald Trump’s political insults and tariff threats made earlier this year. While visitor numbers are up this summer at Acadia National Park and some tourist-oriented businesses have reported a strong season, in part because of mostly sunny skies throughout July and August, some in the industry worry that the loss of Canadian tourists will hurt their bottom line.

Acadia visitor center in Trenton opens after months of delays

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 3, 2025

After months of delays, the state’s new Acadia Gateway Center in Trenton has opened. The $27 million visitors center was expected to open earlier this summer, but construction-related delays resulted in it remaining closed through July and August. The building will be a place where people visiting MDI and Acadia National Park can stop, use the restroom and talk to staffers about recreational services and related businesses on the island, which draws millions of tourists each year.

Skowhegan officials consider camping ban due to homelessness impacts

CENTRAL MAINE • September 3, 2025

Town officials are moving forward with developing an ordinance that would explicitly prohibit overnight camping in public spaces as part of an ongoing effort to address the impacts of homelessness. Bryan Belliveau, director of economic and community development, said, “They’re just moving around a lot more.…we certainly don’t want them in our public places trashing them. We’ve got to do something to get them out of here.” Police can issue trespass notices or warnings but need more authority to make people move permanently. Whitney Cunliffe, chair of the select board, said, “These are some of our nicest places getting ruined. I care about homeless. But we’ve got to take care of the residents that pay taxes here, and people need to feel safe.”

Third boater dies after Flagstaff Lake incident

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 3, 2025

A boating accident on Flagstaff Lake in Eustis on Saturday claimed the life of a third New York woman. Noor Nasir, 22, of Selden, New York, died Tuesday night at Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center. At approximately 1:30 p.m. Saturday, seven people were boating in the upper reaches of Flagstaff Lake in a pontoon boat. The boat was underway near Cathedral Pines Campground when the bow started to go under. The driver, John Morris, 50, of Eustis, attempted to raise the bow, but the boat flipped, throwing all seven passengers into the water about 180 feet from shore. Witnesses rushed to assist those in the boat, and were able to get all seven to shore. No one in the boat was wearing a lifejacket.

Column: Mainers have many different methods for dealing with ticks

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 3, 2025

To remove a tick you should use fine-tipped tweezers, grasp it as close to the skin as possible, then slowly and steadily pull it straight out without twisting or squeezing the body. If you want to send it to the lab for testing — as Mainers have been doing 15-20% more frequently this year than last — put it in a ziplock bag or other sealed container, dead or alive. If you decide not to test it, put it in a sealed container in the trash, burn it or flush it. Do not squish a tick with your fingers because any pathogens it’s carrying could get on your hands and into any cuts or other breaks in the skin. Note that ticks must be attached at least 24 hours to transmit Lyme disease.

South Portland’s Fork Food Lab keeps the Maine food scene forever fresh

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 3, 2025

If you want to know what’s next for Maine’s food scene, look no further than South Portland’s Fork Food Lab. The shared commercial kitchen space and food business incubator is the epicenter of the state’s up-and-comers. On any given day, you’ll find Fork Food Lab members at their kitchen stations baking hoagie rolls, simmering jams, prepping pork bellies or packaging spreads for sale at local farmers markets. Members run the gamut from food trucks and carts, packaged foods businesses and prepared meal shops to catering companies and private chefs. “There’s really nothing quite like this in Northern New England,” said Corinne Tompkins, the facility’s deputy executive director. The incubator has helped scores of successful food businesses launch in the nine years it’s been operating.

Belfast hires firm to handle environmental cleanup of downtown properties

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 2, 2025

The Belfast City Council has selected a firm that will coordinate the federally funded cleanup of two downtown properties. Councilors voted 5-0 on Tuesday to choose TRC Environmental Corporation after the city was awarded $2.5 million from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Brownfields cleanup and assessment programs earlier this year. Of that amount, $2 million can be spent on remediating the two sites, while $500,000 can be spent on assessing the condition of another 10 properties in the city. The selection of the firm marks forward progress in a years-long effort by Belfast to redevelop the downtown area around its waterfront, which was once dominated by industrial operations.

Bucksport rejects proposal to dump mercury-contaminated waste in landfill

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 2, 2025

The owners of a troubled Bucksport landfill that once served the local paper mill want to reopen it to accept mercury-contaminated material dredged up as part of cleanup efforts on the Penobscot River. But town officials declined on Thursday to even hear the proposal, citing what they see as serious historical harm to the town from American Iron and Metal, the scrap metal company that bought the former Verso Paper mill site in 2015 and acquired the landfill with it. “It just seems like AIM is just hellbent on making sure this town doesn’t have water to drink,” Mayor Paul Bissonette said. 

Column: Westbrook’s Vertical Harvest is an architectural response to food insecurity

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 2, 2025

A newly constructed Vertical Harvest growing facility in Westbrook is due to begin large-scale production of salad greens this autumn — about 6,850 pounds per day. With an urban footprint of just one-half of an acre, this automated farm can produce a yield equivalent of 250 rural acres of the same crop. It can sustain this production in all weathers and seasons, day or night. Vertical Harvest’s 1:500 spatial leverage is a result of the intensive stacks of moving modular trays inside a building designed exactly for this purpose, in which water, nutrients, light and temperature are controlled with strict precision. In short, the mysterious new building in Westbrook is a sealed clockwork for economical agriculture, a brilliant architectural reply to the pressing problem of food security. ~ Jon Calame

As Scarborough grows, new report tries to get a handle on traffic

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 2, 2025

For the first time in nearly two decades, the town of Scarborough has completed a townwide transportation assessment. As Scarborough’s population continues to grow, residents have expressed concerns about an influx of traffic and congestion. Approved by the Town Council last month, the study identified 11 intersections and road segments for improvements. The report identified 14 intersections and eight road segments as high crash locations. The findings focused on complete streets — thinking of roadways as home to pedestrians, bicycles and motorists. And the report identified a need to expand the multimodal transportation network within the town. Residents expressed interest in the addition of sidewalks and bike lines to major throughways.

Column: Choose your own fall migration experience

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 2, 2025

Birding in Maine is like a farm-to-table restaurant. The offerings are always fresh, and the menu changes with each season. Recently, I spent an afternoon on my deck overlooking the lake. Five loons and six ospreys were raising a ruckus for hours. Then a foraging flock came along; 20 warblers fluttered in the branches. I counted at least ten species. Last Saturday, Bar Harbor Whale Watch took 130 birders on a 12-hour voyage to Cashes Ledge in the Gulf of Maine. I saw more Cory’s shearwaters in ten minutes than I’ve previously seen in my entire life. There are so many adventures out there right now that I’m not keeping up. I have yet to go shorebirding this season. Most years I make at least one trip to the Lubec sand bar before Labor Day, and another after. Hawk-watching season has arrived. Now that reservations are needed to drive up Cadillac Mountain, this adventure requires pre-planning. Watch the forecast, look for a morning in mid-September when good weather and a northwest breeze are predicted, and hope there’s parking space available. If that sounds like too much effort, remember the simplest option: pour a coffee, sit on the patio and let Maine’s birds come to you. ~ Bob Duschesne

2 injured when floatplane crashes in Flagstaff Lake

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 1, 2025

Two occupants were injured when a small floatplane crashed into Flagstaff Lake near Eustis on Monday afternoon, state police said. The small single engine floatplane equipped with pontoons was beginning to take off from the lake when it plunged into the water. On board were the pilot, 62-year-old Stephen Vorpagel of Readfield and one passenger. Both individuals were rescued, brought to shore, and suffered minor injuries.

Lovesick moose sparks sex education lesson

SUN JOURNAL • September 1, 2025

In 1960, a visit of a bull moose on my grandparents’ dairy farm generated big news in Somerset County. Motorists slowly drove past our pastures to catch a glimpse of the moose, which had a crush on Ginger, our top milking cow. On the third morning of the moose’s visit, brother Don and I asked Grampa to explain the bull’s attraction to our prize cow. “Ask your grandmother.” Inside the kitchen, we ambushed Grammy with questions about moose sex. “Ask your mother,” she said. “For some reason,” mother explained, “the moose wants Ginger to be his mating partner.” Grandpa had had enough of the utterly bewildered moose. He sicced Bonnie, our border collie, on the brute to drive him into the woods. But Bonnie instead chased him into the barnyard. Bypassing the clothesline, his left antler snagged the backstrap of Grammy’s bra. She grabbed the porch broom and chased the moose yelling, “Drop that bra!” A month later, we spotted the tattered bra on a witch hazel bush. I handed the bra to Grampa, which he called an “over the shoulder boulder holder.” ~ Ron Joseph

The Next Acadia National Park?

THE TRAVEL • August 30, 2025

Acadia National Park is often one of the first places that comes to mind when travelers think of natural beauty in Maine. With its rocky coastline, scenic hikes, amazing spots to view fall foliage, and sweeping views from Cadillac Mountain, it ranks among the most popular national parks in the country. But there's another corner of Maine that has slowly gained attention over the past few years. Located in the state's North Woods, Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument has Americans buzzing, especially those wanting to completely unplug from the stressors of daily life. While many travelers have recently become aware of this area, it has long been on the radar of conservation groups. At one point, it was even tied to the Maine Woods National Park project, a proposal led by RESTORE: The North Woods.

Massachusetts man found dead off coast near Bremen

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 1, 2025

Authorities are investigating the death of a 74-year-old man whose body was recovered near Bremen hours after he was reported missing from his sailboat Sunday, according to the Maine Marine Patrol. Friends of Mark Metzger, of Waltham, Massachusetts, reported him missing around 11:40 a.m. Sunday, the agency said in a statement Monday morning. Metzger was not aboard his 19-foot sailboat, which had been anchored on the western side of Bremen Long Island.

Tick check? This hiker starts with naked skin and a lint roller

SUN JOURNAL • August 31, 2025

Since I got pummeled by anaplasmosis, my de-tickification ritual has become rather extreme. For starters, I carry a bunch of lint rollers, the kind that uses sticky paper to pluck fuzz off your fabrics. Whenever I come out of the woods, I get as naked as is tasteful for the situation and I then run that roller over every inch of me in hopes of removing any clinging vectors of death that may have wandered onto my skin. I shake my hiking clothes vigorously and change into something fresh. At home, I throw all my hiking clothes into the dryer on its highest, most tick-killing setting. I then take a shower and use a particularly rough scrubby to scourge my flesh. If ticks are found on me in spite of my efforts, I have my steady-handed wife remove them with a commercially available tick remover. The chemical permethrin is used by some tick-averse folks as a way to treat clothing and hopefully repel the beasts. More tick prevention tips can be found at the excellent Tick Lab website at extension.umaine.edu/ticks.

Maine’s worst tick season ever is on its way. This writer knows what’s at stake.

SUN JOURNAL • August 31, 2025

For three days my temperature shot up to 102, so I’d feel burning hot one minute, Arctic cold the next. All I could eat was soup, and I did that with trembling hands. The result of my flesh being invaded by a tick so small it would be barely visible to the naked eye. Anaplasmosis, that’s what I had, an affliction I’d never heard of and still can’t pronounce half the time. It wrecked me for most of a week, subsided, and then came back a week later for a rerun. Then I started taking antibiotics and within hours of my second dose, I felt human again. But not everyone is so lucky. There’s Lyme disease out there in the world of poisonous ticks and Lyme is an infection that can impact, not just a week or two, but the entirety of a person’s life. In Maine, the rate of Lyme disease has increased more than tenfold in the past 20 years, and it continues to rise. This, experts said, will be another record-breaking year. I haven’t stopped hiking or rolling around in the grass like a dog for fear of ticks, even though I was so thoroughly humbled by one earlier in the summer. Give up doing what you love and the bloodsuckers win.

2 women killed in boat accident on Flagstaff Lake

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • August 31, 2025

Two women were killed and several injured after an 18-foot pontoon boat flipped on Flagstaff Lake in Eustis Saturday around 1:30 near the Cathedral Pines Campground. The victims were Farhana Nasir, 53, of Selden, New York, and Kiran Akbar, 23, of Lake Grove, New York. A third woman is in critical condition at Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center. The boat was traveling with seven people onboard when the bow started to dip underwater. The driver unsuccessfully attempted to raise the bow, and the boat flipped, throwing all seven passengers into the water 180 feet from shore. None were wearing life jackets. Witnesses rushed to assist the passengers, and were able to get all seven back to shore. Three of the passengers were unresponsive and CPR was performed on all three.

Fort Kent Outdoor Center launches plan to make up for lost funding 2

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 31, 2025

When Pineland Farms of New Gloucester and the Libra Foundation stopped funding the Fort Kent Outdoor Center last year and gave the facility back to the board of directors, the group knew a challenge lay ahead. Now, they need to come up with approximately $140,000 in annual funding if they want to keep the operation and its programs intact. The Fort Kent facility, along with the Nordic Heritage Outdoor Center in Presque Isle, were created in 1998 as part of the Maine Winter Sports Center. The center not only trains athletes and hosts local and international meets, but is an all-around recreation resource that helps draw people to the St. John Valley and Aroostook County as a whole. The board aims to put $2.4 million into an endowment, using the interest to generate annual funding to replace what Libra provided.

Katahdin Woods and Waters is the best place to see the night sky on the East Coast

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 30, 2025

The incredibly starry sky of the Katahdin region has long been celebrated, and now it’s being recognized internationally. Maine’s Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument has been recognized as the first International Dark Sky Sanctuary on the East Coast by the International Dark Sky Association, becoming the 12th such designation in the world.