$1M grant will help Aroostook pallet maker expand to Houlton

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 12, 2026

Nearly $2 million in federal and private matching funds will help a Mars Hill pallet manufacturer expand to a new facility in Houlton. The Southern Aroostook Development Corporation secured a $1 million grant on Friday through the Northern Border Regional Commission’s Forest Economy Program to support the Houlton Industrial Park project. The grant funds, combined with $800,000 from private donors, will be used by SADC to develop a modern manufacturing facility that it will lease long-term to Mars Hill-based Kearney Pallet.

Portland Foreside power plant loses first round with PUC

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 12, 2026

The Maine Public Utilities Commission issued a ruling this week preserving its authority to regulate a proposed cogeneration plant that would power hundreds of homes and businesses on Portland’s eastern waterfront. Portland Foreside Development Co. had requested an advisory ruling that the natural gas-fired plant would be exempt from regulation as a public utility. The plant would generate electricity and heat for several properties in the 10.5-acre mixed-use development, including a 132-unit condominium building, a 200-apartment complex and a 130-room hotel with 38 residences that are planned. The plant would be off the public grid and not linked to Central Maine Power Co.

Commentary: Taking on Trump to protect the Atlantic’s only marine national monument

MAINE MORNING STAR • June 12, 2026

The Trump administration has unlawfully opened up the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument to commercial fishing. They don’t have the authority to do this. That hasn’t stopped them – so Conservation Law Foundation and our partners will. We just filed a lawsuit with the Center for Biological Diversity, Natural Resources Defense Council, and whale watch naturalist Zack Klyver to block this reckless attack on the jewel of the Atlantic Ocean. As a marine scientist who has studied New England’s canyon ecosystems, I know how incredible this place is. ~ Dr. Gareth Lawson, Senior Scientist, Conservation Law Foundation Ocean Program

Column: How to spend 36 hours on Rangeley Lake

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 11, 2026

Out in western Maine, this tourist destination offers a throwback version of summer, marked by wilderness adventures and the amenities of a quaint downtown. Whether you’re paddling in the lake or overlooking it from a patio, the point is to be outside as much as possible. Here’s how to make the most of a weekend getaway in the region.

Column: How to spend 24 hours in coastal York County

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 11, 2026

The closest Maine destination for most people coming from out of state by car, coastal York County draws summer visitors who return to the same communities year after year. But Mainers from northern locales shouldn’t be deterred by the influx of tourists; this is part of your home state, and you should enjoy it, too. Here’s how to pack a sampling of the area’s offerings into a single jam-packed day (skipping the traffic bottleneck by Ogunquit).

Column: How to spend 48 hours way Down East

CENTRAL MAINE • June 11, 2026

Down East might be quieter than other tourist destinations, but there’s a lot to see in the area, including a U.S. president’s summer home, an iconic lighthouse and a jaw-dropping coastal trail. There are also fishing villages to check out and plenty of spots to get fresh seafood. The long drive from anywhere but Canada filters out many travelers, but anyone from Maine can do it in a long weekend. ~ Leslie Bridgers

Plan for $550M data center in Jay on hold, official says

SUN JOURNAL • June 11, 2026

A plan to convert the old Androscoggin paper mill into a data center appears to have hit a snag. Jay town manager Shiloh LaFreniere wrote in an email Thursday night that the group Sentinel Data Centers have said that they do not intend to move forward with the project. That information, according to LaFreniere, came from the JGT2 Redevelopment, which had been planning to partner with Sentinel on the $550 million project. A groundbreaking for the project had tentatively been set for July.

Deer, dog ticks are abundant in Maine right now. Here’s what to do about them.

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 11, 2026

Maine residents are seeing a lot of ticks right now — in their backyards, on hikes, but also even in unusual places like crawling on porches or playground equipment. The reason: The two most predominant ticks in Maine, the deer tick and dog tick, are both in the adult stage of their life cycles. “We have multiple species all active right now,” said Griffin Dill, manager of the Tick Lab at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension. “It gives the impression that we are inundated with ticks.” Dog ticks have a broader habitat range than deer ticks, and are more noticeable to humans, Dill said. Deer ticks are a public health hazard, transmitting Lyme and other tick-borne diseases to humans. Dog ticks are considered more of a nuisance than a health threat.

Letter: Give cyclists room

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 11, 2026

Maine law requires motorists to allow for at least a 3-foot space when passing a bicycle. If the road is straight and there is no traffic coming from the opposite direction, you can and should cross the center line to comply with the law and for the safety of the bicyclist. However, if there is a curve or hill or traffic, you may have to wait two or three minutes until you can safely pass the bicyclist. ~ Jeffrey Lovit, Addison

6-year pause on new lobster rules is enough

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 11, 2026

In December 2022, at the urging of the Maine delegation, a rider was inserted into the Consolidated Appropriations Act in Congress that halted new North Atlantic right whale entanglement-related federal regulations for the lobster industry until January 2028. With 2028 approaching, Rep. Jared Golden recently supported a bill ( H.R. 8509) that would extend the pause through 2035. This bill is in bad faith, as it both ignores the facts and side steps the Endangered Species and Marine Mammal Protection Acts. Affected lobstermen could have the option to use on-demand gear if they want to continue fishing within a closed area like lobstermen are already doing in other states. Golden is proposing an unnecessary bill. ~ Bill McWeeny, Maine Coalition for North Atlantic Right Whales, Brooksville

Arrest made in alleged southern Maine ATV dragging

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 10, 2026

Maine Game Wardens on Wednesday night arrested a Waterboro man for allegedly dragging a landowner who tried to stop his ATV. Devin Lafrance, 21, was charged with aggravated assault, reckless operation of an ATV, and failing to stop and identify for a landowner. The landowner stopped the driver and told him that he needed to slow down. But when the landowner tried to take a picture of the ATV, the driver accelerated, hitting the landowner and then dragging him 75 feet before getting away.

Feds want to open Ellsworth and Orland fish hatcheries to hunting

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 10, 2026

Two national fish hatcheries that raise Atlantic salmon in Hancock County could be opened to public hunting for the first time through a proposal to increase hunting and fishing access on federally managed lands. The Craig Brook National Fish Hatchery in Orland and the Green Lake National Fish Hatchery in Ellsworth are the only Maine properties on a federal list of more than 100 in 32 states that could be opened to or expanded for fishing or hunting under a Trump administration directive. Visitors to both hatcheries would be able to hunt upland game, big game and some migratory birds. The proposal also lifts hunting restrictions at National Park Service properties. Residents of Tremont will be allowed to hunt deer in Acadia National Park this fall following a local vote aimed at reducing populations.

Mainer rescued after falling from NH cliff face

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 10, 2026

A Mainer was rescued Tuesday after he fell from a New Hampshire cliff face. Eric Johansson, 65, was climbing Cannon Cliff in Franconia about 10 a.m. when a rock dislodged, causing him to fall, according to New Hampshire Fish and Game. Rescuers hiked to the base of the cliff and found him around noon.

Acadia just recorded its slowest offseason since the COVID pandemic

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 10, 2026

The number of visits to Acadia National Park this winter and spring, outside the park’s busy tourist season, was the lowest it has been since before the COVID pandemic representing an 11% drop from the previous offseason. The slow season comes at an uncertain time for the park, which has grappled with federal funding cuts and a wave of policy changes since President Donald Trump was sworn into office in January 2025.

Irving Forest Products in Ashland to expand sawmill operation to double capacity and add jobs

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 10, 2026

Irving Forest Products has announced that it is adding a second sawmill operation in Ashland in Aroostook County. The company says it plans to double production and hire at least 80 more employees. The company applied to the Finance Authority of Maine New Markets Capital Investment Program, which encourages community development entities to find investors willing to invest in low-income areas in exchange for tax credits. Five investors provided $42 million to Irving and received $16.5 million in tax credits in return. The size of the mill is effectively doubling, from 68,500 square feet to 136,500 square feet to accommodate a new, second sawline capable of processing longer logs. Once the second sawline is up and running, the mill will be able to accept an additional 5,000 truckloads per year.

Grant program incentivizes landowners to help make Maine forests more resilient

MAINE PUBLIC • June 10, 2026

A new $9 million state program aims to improve the health of Maine forests and make them less vulnerable to insects, damaging storms and disease. The WoodsWISE Resilience Program offers landowners up to $20,000 in reimbursements for approved methods to thin small trees, replant, or combat invasive plants among other practices. Landowners can receive 60%-90% reimbursement for qualified costs. The program is open to those that own at least 10 acres of forest.

All trails are now open in Baxter State Park

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 10, 2026

You now have full access to Baxter State Park. The park announced that all trails are open effective Wednesday, although it cautioned hikers that spring conditions, including lingering snow and fallen trees, may still be present in parts of Baxter. Baxter State Park recommends that Katahdin hikers pack a map, compass, headlamp or flashlight (and extra batteries), first aid kit, extra food and water, extra clothing, knife, sunscreen, firestarter, whistle, parachute cord, and more. Katahdin’s weather can quickly change, and hikers should be prepared to encounter strong winds and chilly temperatures near the summit, even in summer.

Western Maine camping guide spans Webb Lake to White Mountains

SUN JOURNAL • June 10, 2026

Western Maine is the center of this camping route, beginning in Weld, where Mount Blue State Park and Dummer’s Beach Campground anchor Webb Lake. From there, it moves west to Newry and the Grafton Notch area of Oxford County before branching into nearby New Hampshire, where Crawford Notch, Franconia Notch, Mount Washington and the Appalachian Mountain Club huts extend the route. For campers planning from Western Maine outward, the route begins with beaches and family campgrounds, then climbs toward waterfalls, notches, ridge hikes and backcountry huts. This guide is designed to help campers choose the right base camp for family lake trips, hiking weekends, RV stays, backcountry hut overnights and Mount Washington-area adventures.

A 65-acre private Maine island accessible by car at low tide listed for $8M

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 10, 2026

An entire 65-acre island off of Deer Isle is for sale for nearly $8 million after decades of being owned by one family. Sheephead Island, on the larger island’s western side near Sylvester Cove and the village of Sunset, is unusual for its size and privacy, but also its accessibility: at low tide, it can be reached by car. Frank Veneroso, an economic and investment strategy adviser, bought the island in 1979 from Stanton Garfield, grandson of president James Garfield, who served only 6 months in office in 1881.

Historic homeowners troubled by Bangor’s proposed changes to preservation rules

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 10, 2026

Bangor historic homeowners say the changes city officials are considering that would allow them more flexibility to update their properties don’t go far enough. The proposed rule changes are intended to reduce how arduous, restrictive and costly it can be to maintain a historic property in accordance with the city’s rules. But some local residents believe the proposed changes still make owning and maintaining a historic building unnecessarily expensive and burdensome — even as the city grapples with an affordable housing crisis.