Column: A beautiful place to visit nature in the heart of Lewiston

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 27, 2026

Hidden in plain sight just 2 miles northeast of downtown Lewiston is the highest point in the city, the wooded 516-foot summit of Thorne’s Hill in the heart of the Thorncrag Nature Sanctuary, which is owned and managed by the Stanton Bird Club. Most local folks in the area know about this 450-acre jewel of an urban green space, which encompasses an interesting mix of natural terrain and 5 miles of footpaths for hiking and trail running, and in winter, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. If you’ve visited Thorncrag in the past but not in the last 11 years, you’re in for a pleasant surprise. North of Whale Rock is an 80-acre parcel known as Centennial Meadow that was purchased from a local family, the Gendrons, in 2015. It’s a delightful walk through the fields and woods that is not only very pretty but peaceful as well. ~ Carey Kish

Warden service finds body of teen who fell in Androscoggin River

SUN JOURNAL • June 27, 2026

The Maine Warden Service Dive Team on Saturday afternoon found the body of the 18-year old who drowned after falling into the Androscoggin River in Lewiston on Friday night. Siloe C. Irumva, of Lewiston, was fishing with friends near the Gulf Island Dam on the Androscoggin River along Switzerland Road in Lewiston at about 7:30 p.m. when he allegedly slipped on a rock while trying to detangle a fishing lure from a tree branch and fell into the water. The river’s current swept him downstream, submerging him underwater.

Letter: Surry should reconsider flood control project

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 27, 2026

The recent rejection by Surry voters of the Carrying Place project on Newbury Neck Road is a short-sighted decision that may have significant consequences for our community. The proposal offered Surry a rare opportunity to address a known infrastructure and public safety concern while taking advantage of substantial federal funding that would have covered the majority of the project’s cost. By turning away this assistance, the town has not eliminated the problem — it has merely postponed it. Unfortunately, delaying action will likely result in higher future costs borne largely by local taxpayers. I hope Surry will reconsider this decision and seize the opportunity to protect our town, our taxpayers, and our future. ~ Philip Roberts, Surry

Divers searching for 18-year-old in Androscoggin River

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 27, 2026

The Maine Warden Service dive team is searching Saturday morning for an 18-year-old who is presumed to have drowned after falling into the Androscoggin River in Lewiston the night before. The warden service and Lewiston police and fire departments had searched for Siloe C. Irumva on Friday night with boats, along the shore and with drones. Latti said wardens are hampered by fluctuating water conditions on that section of the Androscoggin, which is between two dams. Irumva, of Lewiston, was fishing with friends near the Gulf Island Dam in Lewiston Friday night. He slipped on a rock shortly before 7:30 p.m. while trying to get a fishing lure untangled from a tree branch. Irumva fell into the water, was swept downstream by the current and went under.

Maine’s roadside farm stands now have their own map

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 27, 2026

Whenever Mike Connery would drive with his wife and kids from their home in Brunswick to Pineland Farms, he’d marvel at the number of roadside stands they’d pass along the way, selling everything from goat cheese to lavender — and lots of eggs. Initially, he thought they would make for a great coffee table book, but as it became a bit of game to look for them wherever they went, Connery realized that people might appreciate having a map. Nailing down the number and location of farm stands in Maine is nearly impossible. Because of Maine’s food sovereignty laws, many stands don’t need any sort of permit to operate. While there are maps of Maine’s farms and farmers markets that include farm stands, there didn’t appear to be one specifically for these roadside operations. Connery spent a weekend building the Farmstands Guide website (farmstandsguide.com).

Here are some animal signs to look out for while hiking in Maine

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 27, 2026

Signs of wild animals can be found all along hiking trails, but they’re easy to miss. Noticing them can give you a better picture of the wilderness you’re exploring. It can also signal you to keep an eye out for certain animals. If traveling quietly, you may catch a glimpse of a white-tailed deer or snowshoe hare as they bound through the bushes. When reading a landscape, animal signs are like words in a book, telling a story about the creatures that live there. Tracks are one of the most well-known and studied signs of wildlife. Scat can also tell you what animals are eating, if you dare to take a close look.

New Maine Restrictions on Certain Rodenticides and Herbicides Now in Effect

MAINE BOARD OF PESTICIDES CONTROL • June 26, 2026

The Maine Board of Pesticides Control (BPC) is notifying homeowners, pesticide users, retailers, and applicators that new restrictions on certain rodenticides and herbicides took effect on June 16, 2026. Under the new rules, products containing the following active ingredients are now classified as Restricted Use Pesticides in Maine:
• Rodenticides: Brodifacoum, Bromadiolone, Difenacoum, Difethialone
• Herbicides: Tebuthiuron
As a result, these products may only be purchased and used by individuals who hold a valid pesticide applicator license issued by the BPC. General Use Pesticide Dealers may no longer sell products containing these active ingredients, and unlicensed individuals may no longer purchase or use them.

Internal memo tells national parks not to report deaths

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 25, 2026

Officials at Acadia National Park may stop reporting deaths in the park. A U.S. Department of the Interior internal memo obtained by the Washington Post instructs staff at national parks not to confirm deaths or provide details about severe injuries on park property. Park staff are only allowed to confirm “that an incident occurred.” Communication from Acadia is in decline. The park has responded less frequently to media queries the past two years, and since late last month has not had a designated spokesperson.

An escaped peacock has been prowling Gray for more than a month

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 26, 2026

A lone peacock has been roaming the forests of Gray since flying over a perimeter fence at Maine Wildlife Park last month. The peacock has been missing from the wildlife park since the week of May 18. Marie Jacobs, of Friends Of The Maine Wildlife Park, said in a Facebook post that the peacock’s name was “Rambo.” Rambo has spent much of the past month wandering the woods of Thayer Brook Preserve, roughly 5 miles from the park, but has recently moved north toward Shaker Hill. Royal River Conservation Trust, which manages Thayer Brook Preserve, has been keeping track of Rambo.

Two hikers stranded on Mount Katahdin rescued by Maine Army National Guard Thursday

MAINE PUBLIC • June 26, 2026

Two technical climbers stranded on Mt. Katahdin Wednesday due to severe storms were rescued early Thursday by a Maine Army National Guard helicopter team. According to Baxter State Park Officials, 35-year-old climbers Dylan Cunningham and Sean Rowan of Virginia were on Mt. Katahdin's Flat Iron Wednesday when severe thunderstorms rolled through Baxter State Park. The pair were stranded on the rough terrain and exposure to the elements left both men hypothermic and dehydrated.

Mi'kmaq Nation to expand lands with new Aroostook county parcel

MAINE PUBLIC • June 26, 2026

The Mi'kmaq Nation has obtained a new land parcel of over 3,400 acres, after several years of land-return efforts by the tribe and local conservation groups. The parcel will more than double the tribe's land holdings. The Mi'kmaq Nation, a Wabanaki Tribe with lands in Aroostook County, hopes to use the new parcel for hunting, fishing and basket-weaving, and to teach those skills to the next generation. The Conservation Fund purchased the parcel last year from a local forester and held the land for the tribe until fundraising for the $1.9 million parcel was completed.

How climate change is reshaping trails in the White Mountains

MAINE MORNING STAR • June 26, 2026

“When the trails…in New Hampshire were laid out, they were laid out to maximize adventure, challenge,” said Matt Moore, senior operations manager for Appalachian Mountain Club Trails. It’s common for trails in the White Mountains to follow direct routes up slopes, eschewing twists and turns, or switchbacks, that would moderate their ascents. The trail crews that charted these routes in the 1920s and 1930s often crafted them to mark a straight path up the slope, Moore said. That approach created some iconic routes up and down the region’s famous peaks — but it also established trails that tend to be aligned with the path of rainfall runoff. That means trails in New England are particularly susceptible to erosion to begin with, Moore said. And as climate change continues to make rain events more intense, that creates a growing problem for hikers and trail crews alike.

Column: New Maine MILL is something every Mainer must see

SUN JOURNAL • June 26, 2026

In an old mill building facing west toward the Androscoggin River, a $15 million arts and culture museum in Lewiston is about to use deep ties to the community’s past to open the door to a new future for much of Maine. Opening Saturday, June 27, the spectacular Maine Museum of Innovation, Labor and Learning focuses on the industrial heritage of Lewiston and the region with flair and hope. Not so many years ago, the nearby Androscoggin River was a stinking mess so awful that the only people who lived along it were those too poor to live any further from its banks. Following Sen. Ed Muskie’s 1972 Clean Water Act, spurred in part by the senator’s memories of growing up in Rumford, the river is now a delight. The cities built alongside it are now increasingly looking to spur economic growth. ~ Steve Collins

Column: This honor-system farm store in Cumberland couldn’t work just anywhere

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 26, 2026

In the corner of a big white barn on Winn Road about a half mile off Route 9, anyone can walk in at anytime of day and comb through coolers of grass-fed beef, grab a carton of eggs or select snacks from the shelves. The farm store at Pine Ridge Acres never closes and has no cashier. Instead, it relies on a log where customers are asked to write down their name, what they’re buying and how they intend to pay for it — by cash or check (slid into a locked box beside the counter), credit card or Venmo. The business model doesn’t seem like it should work, but the store’s shrinkage rate is right around the industry average and, for theft in particular, is far below it. ~ Leslie Bridgers

Poland citizen initiative puts 6-month pause on solar farm project

SUN JOURNAL • June 26, 2026

A proposed solar electric generation facility in Poland will have to wait after residents voted to put a six-month moratorium on all commercial solar projects. The project proposes a .999-megawatt array covering about 6.5 acres across 21 abutting properties. It would be managed by PE Copernicus LLC of Yarmouth, a subsidiary of a North Carolina-based solar company. The project was given the green light Feb. 10 by the Poland Planning Board and sent to the Select Board for final approval. At a March 3 Select Board meeting, residents registered concerns, which included the speed of the project and environmental impact. The same day, the Select Board voted 3-2 against a moratorium on commercial solar projects. Residents began circulating a petition to put the moratorium up for a townwide vote under a citizen initiative. On Election Day, residents voted 761-611 in favor of the moratorium.

Column: A Maine guide’s summer fishing report: What anglers can expect

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 26, 2026

It’s finally here — summer. We’re almost through June, and the best fishing across Maine is happening right now. Stripers are pushing into the state, hatches are in full swing and fish are feeding on the surface. Remote ponds are on fire as Hexagenia hatches begin — the hatch that makes big brook trout stupid. The smallmouth fishing this year has been outstanding, and we’ve landed some of the biggest bass I’ve seen in my 23 years of guiding. ~ Kevin McKay

Everything first-time visitors should know about Baxter State Park and Katahdin

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 26, 2026

There’s a lot to know about visiting Baxter State Park. So much so, it can be overwhelming, especially if it’s your first trip. First of all, the park is huge. It takes more than two hours to drive from one end to the other. The park’s website has so much information that there’s really no reason to be unprepared. The first time I went, I knew all the locations, estimated travel times and the more difficult trail sections to watch out for. But if you’re not a planner and want as much information in one spot as possible, here’s some of the most pertinent information to know before visiting.

Volunteers pedal people with disabilities along Acadia’s carriage roads

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 26, 2026

MDI Wheelers, a Tremont-based nonprofit that grew out of a cycling group after three husbands — two who had strokes and one diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease — developed mobility limitations decided to find a way to keep riding together and have since offered dozens of people with disabilities a chance to ride Acadia National Park’s historic carriage roads. MDI Wheelers, which began in 2021, is meeting a growing need in Acadia. As the park’s visitation count continues to rise — more than 4 million visits were recorded last year — some of those visitors are people with different mobility needs. MDI Wheelers are not the only way people with disabilities can enjoy the park. The park’s free shuttle service, the Island Explorer, is wheelchair accessible. The park also has a wheelchair-accessible horse-drawn carriage.

Most of Maine is no longer in drought, but dry conditions linger along coast

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 25, 2026

Drought conditions are continuing to improve in Maine. Most of the state was not in drought as of Thursday, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, though coastal areas remain in a moderate drought or under abnormally dry conditions. It’s a notable improvement from mid-June, when much of interior Maine was still under dry or drought conditions, with only the northern part of the state spared from any designation. It’s an even greater step forward since early May, when all of the state was considered to be at least abnormally dry. Only southwestern York County remains under severe drought conditions.

Windjammers want more Mainers to take schooner staycations

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 25, 2026

The annual Windjammer Days in Boothbay Harbor was one stop on a six-night voyage for a number of the nine vessels that tour overnight passengers up and down the coast, a tradition that dates back nearly 100 years. This season, some schooners are offering discounts to in-state residents, hoping to attract more locals to a uniquely Maine experience. This year, the nine vessels in the Maine Windjammer Association are offering discounts of between 10% and 40% for Mainers on certain trips. “There are tons of people who think tourism on the coast is just for tourists,” said Maine Windjammer Association manager Jenny Tobin. “We take people away from the tourists out into the beautiful islands.”