Owl rescued from netting at Bath landfill

TIMES RECORD • June 29, 2026

Bath firefighters and a state wildlife expert saved a great horned owl who was caught in a mesh fence at the city’s landfill on Monday. Landfill employees called for help after discovering the owl tangled in the netting, according to a fire department social media post. Firefighters contacted the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, which sent a biologist to assist with the rescue mission. “Thanks to the teamwork of everyone involved, the owl was safely freed from the fence, given a few moments to gather itself, and then soared back into the beautiful Maine sky to continue its adventures,” the Bath Fire and Rescue Department said.

Here’s how much more Maine residents are paying for fishing licenses

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 29, 2026

The cost of a fishing license for Maine residents went up $5 in 2026 — the first increase in 15 years. As of January, a basic fishing license for a Maine resident costs $30, up from $25. A nonresident now pays $83, an increase of $19. Officials said every new dollar is going directly to the fisheries division of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, and the projected increase in annual revenue is nearly $2 million for multiple projects. Latti said $2 from the $5 increase for residents is going toward the division’s conservation efforts.

Skowhegan River Park breaks ground: ‘Big things can happen in small towns’

CENTRAL MAINE • June 29, 2026

A celebration Monday marked what some area residents and business owners have been anticipating for nearly three decades: The beginning of construction of the River Park. Main Street Skowhegan, which has long spearheaded the project and now has a formal lease with the town to develop and operate it, says this year’s construction and another phase next year are fully funded. But the organization is back to fundraising for the in-river whitewater park and other aspects of the project after losing out on nearly $5 million in earmarked federal funds due to what organizers described as a lengthy permitting process.

Fact brief: Does Maine law prohibit riding a bicycle on the sidewalk?

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 29, 2026

No. Maine law doesn’t prohibit riding a bicycle on the sidewalk, but municipalities may adopt local restrictions, according to the Maine Department of Transportation.

A Maine couple spotted a moose. Then a black bear charged out of the woods.

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 29, 2026

A day of brook trout fishing and sightseeing in northern Maine turned into a once-in-a-lifetime wildlife encounter for Todd and Elvia Malcolm of Lincoln. The couple had stopped along Telos Road in Piscataquis County to watch a cow moose, something they often do while in the area. But this time was different. The moose kept calling and running back and forth along a side road, leading them to believe a calf would follow. Instead, a moose calf burst from the trees and sprinted directly toward their truck, with a large black bear close behind. Once the calf passed the truck, Todd put the truck in gear and drove toward the bear, causing it to retreat into the woods.

Hiker rescued after 20-foot fall on Katahdin

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 29, 2026

A hiker was rescued Sunday morning after a 20-foot fall on Katahdin. Mateo Rivera, 26, of Portland was traversing the Knife Edge, near Pamola Peak, when he fell while climbing out of the Chimney Notch. During the fall, Rivera sustained several injuries, including a serious open fracture to the lower leg. Park rangers reached the hiker and stabilized him. Clouds and stormy weather delayed forest rangers in reaching Rivera via helicopter. But after two attempts, Rivera was lifted off the mountain about 2 p.m. and brought to a waiting ambulance. That was the third rescue on Katahdin in a week.

Roberts Farm Preserve: Conservation and Outdoor Access

NATURAL RESOURCES COUNCIL OF MAINE • June 29, 2026

Roberts Farm Preserve is a 212-acre community treasure near Lake Pennesseewassee in Norway.  Protected in 2009 by the Western Foothills Land Trust with support from LMF, the Preserve now offers nearly 25 kilometers of trails for hiking, skiing, snowshoeing, mountain biking, and birdwatching year-round.

Catch-and-release purists are using flawed logic

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 29, 2026

There are waters where the state mandates catch and release, but others rely on fishermen to keep certain species of fish in check to maintain a proper ecosystem. Fishermen don’t agree on when catch and release is appropriate, or in regards to which species, and they feel very strongly about whichever side they have chosen on the issue. Catch and release 100 percent of the time is flawed logic. Preserving a fishery for the next generations is not as simple as catch and release. It can have the opposite effect, causing an imbalance between food and population that results in unhealthy fish or allowing the non-native species to thrive over the natives. Knowing the laws and rules helps fishermen be part of the solutions in fishery management and not the problem.

This outdoor hobby became the secret to my happy marriage

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 29, 2026

It has become clear to me that the secret to a happy marriage is — kayak fishing. While we haven’t completely eliminated other forms of romanticism, our dates these days often consist of loading kayaks onto the trailer, making the 45-minute drive to the state park, backing down the boat ramp and fishing for smallies and largemouth until the park rangers blast a closing time warning to us on their bullhorns. There will still be romantic dinners, walks on the beach and sunsets on Maui. But really can there be any better way to sustain a happy marriage than kayak fishing? If you disagree, my wife would like to have a few words with you. ~ Craig Evans

Preserving Maine’s blueberry landscape proves difficult as barrens put up for sale

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 29, 2026

Maine’s blueberry barrens, which have been part of the state’s iconic scenery since before Europeans first arrived, are not as permanent as some might think. Many are not just used for growing the state’s signature wild fruit, but also are beloved spots for hiking, hunting and picnicking, and provide important habitat and food for many species of animals and birds. But more than a thousand acres of blueberry land are currently on the market or have been sold recently. Larger blueberry producers are withdrawing from the region in the face of low prices and the intensifying effects of climate change, which has made weather patterns more erratic.

Maine Oyster Festival brings the brine to shore in Freeport

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 28, 2026

Flo Edwards and Alexus Bond have been shucking oysters under a tent and serving them to mollusk enthusiasts from all over the country for three days. Their bounty is helping the 5th annual Maine Oyster Festival reach a new record for oyster sales, which is predicted to be well over last year’s 40,000. The event started in 2021, when a group of oyster farmers approached Visit Freeport to ask about a statewide oyster festival. Dozens of restaurants, artists and marine specialists take over the parking lot behind the iconic L.L.Bean flagship store in Freeport. At any given time during the three-day event, 20 of these tents represented oyster farms.

Column: An ode to a hidden river and a giant brook trout

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 28, 2026

Shrouded in mystery, the river’s name is rarely mentioned by local guides. Its reputation for large fish is only whispered. I chose a favorite fly pattern. My initial trepidation was quickly replaced by confidence when the line slid smoothly through the guides, the little wet fly wafting down like a bit of pollen onto a dark seam that slipped shyly beside the far bank. I watched as a fish’s maw rose through the tannin-stained surface. When I set the hook, the trout’s massive shoulder turned, its raw power transmitted from the frail tippet up the line and through the throbbing graphite. A fish whose ancestors have called these waters home for more than 10,000 years. ~ Bob Romano

Animal rescues convene for their causes in North Yarmouth

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 27, 2026

Nine rescues set up booths on Saturday at Well & Good Brewing Co. to show off their hard work saving all kinds of animals. “We take everything from mice to coyotes,” said Kathi McCue-Pillsbury, founder of Wilderness Miracles Animal Rehab in Bowdoin. “Possums are my favorite animals in the entire world,” said 13-year-old Magnola Gillespie, who admired a possum named Ziggy.

Column: How bluebirds made an incredible comeback in Maine

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 27, 2026

Bluebirds nest in cavities. So do starlings and house sparrows. These exotic species were introduced from Europe, and as their populations grew, they took over the nest sites favored by bluebirds. At the same time, suburbs were devouring farmland. Old trees riddled with woodpecker holes were pruned or removed from the landscape. Over time, our bluebird population dwindled. Efforts to save the bluebird began in the 1960s. Bluebirds will happily nest in wooden boxes, and as these were erected throughout their range, the population rebounded. ~ Bob Duchesne

Opinion: Maine’s towns and cities need the arts more than ever

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 27, 2026

Rockland has quietly become one of the most culturally vital places in New England, not despite its working-class identity, but because of it. Rockland understands something many larger cities have forgotten: making things matters. Whether one builds a boat, paints a canvas, composes music or crafts furniture by hand, the impulse is fundamentally the same. Art is not separate from civic life, but evidence of it. That philosophy has transformed Rockland into what many now call the Art Capital of Maine. The scale of its cultural ecosystem is astonishing for a city this small: two major museums, galleries, a restored Art Deco theater, internationally respected film programming, furniture craftsmanship, wooden boatbuilding, artist residencies, performance spaces and independent creative organizations. Rockland demonstrates that the arts are not peripheral to civic health, but central to it. ~ Donna McNeil

Central Maine towns hit by power outages

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 27, 2026

On Saturday morning, 11,788 customers of Central Maine Power lost electricity in Gardiner, West Gardiner, Dresen, Woolwich, Richmond, Bowdoinham, Litchfield, Pittston and surrounding Sagadahoc County towns, according to the CMP outage map. According to its website, CMP provides customers with initial estimates of how long it will take for electricity to return. The company could not be reached for comment on the reason for the outage or when they expect power’s restoration.

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.