Column: Eyes on deer work differently than ours, and it mostly works to their advantage

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 28, 2026

Deer and many other animals have a layer on their retina called the tapetum lucidum. When light strikes the retina, some of it hits light receptive organs called rods and cones. The rest strikes the tapetum and is reflected back so that more is absorbed, then ultimately transmitted to the brain for interpretation. That’s one reason deer see better in low light, but it’s not the only reason. They have larger eyes than we do, which allow more light to reach the retina. There, cones process color while rods are sensitive to light in general, and further help with visual perception in low light. A deer’s rods are much bigger than ours, and bundled three to each nerve ending, offering still greater advantage. The deer still win far more often, but we only have to win once. ~ Bob Humphrey

A data center developer has quietly eyed Bucksport’s former mill site

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 28, 2026

A company recently visited the site of Bucksport’s former paper mill with interest in developing a data center there. That information was shared publicly for the first time Thursday when the Town Council considered a temporary data center ban, which was introduced as a way to buy time to update regulations around such developments before any formal proposal came in. Bucksport’s lingering infrastructure from its mill — deep water access, a power plant, a fresh water supply — and the mostly vacant site itself make the town more realistically attractive to data center developers than many other Maine communities that have adopted such bans.

Column: It’s getting harder to find good places to hunt and trap in Maine

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 28, 2026

It’s happening more and more these days. Large pieces of property are being bought up, posted and erased from the list of once accessible hunting grounds, forcing more and more hunters onto less and less land. Some are hunters themselves, just trying to escape a fate so many others face. Some are nonhunters who want to own a piece of our beautiful state to enjoy in peace and quiet with no interest in allowing any type of access. And when you think about it, who can blame them? It’s their land and their right, but is it right? ~ Chris Sargent

Power outages, downed trees surge across coast amid weekend nor’easter

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 27, 2026

Thousands were without power Sunday afternoon as the weekend’s nor’easter continued to batter the state, according to Central Maine Power and Versant Power outage trackers. Most outages were concentrated along the coast, where winds were reaching up to 45 mph, with a few reported inland outages.

Here’s what’s in Yarmouth’s new plan for safer streets

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 27, 2026

The Yarmouth Active Transportation Plan, approved by the Town Council on Sept. 17, updates the town’s 2015 Bike and Pedestrian Network Plan with new priorities and modernized practices and design standards for slowing traffic and protecting pedestrians. “We are getting increasing concerns and input from residents about speeding and dangerous driving and wanting safe routes,” said Chair of the Yarmouth Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee Colin Durrant. 

Conservation Bus Tour of Lincoln County, Oct 14

NEWS CENTER MAINE • September 27, 2026

From coastal communities to working farms, Lincoln County offers a wonderful glimpse into the agricultural and natural resources that make Maine special. This year’s tour will highlight three local producers who are putting conservation into practice—protecting soil and water resources, supporting wildlife habitat, and building sustainable agricultural operations. Hear from the Ag producers, Conservation District staff, and Amanda Burton with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, about the conservation practices implemented on the farms. The narrated tour on an air-conditioned motor coach includes transportation, snacks, and a catered lunch. October 14, 2026, at 8:30 AM, $65.

Opinion: Get out for a walk, forge new memories

MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • September 27, 2026

It is very early. Before pancakes and Cheerios, before the adults have had coffee or truly opened their eyes, before the fog has lifted from the meadow, it is time for a walk. The dew is in the funnel spider hammocks. The woodland nightshift is clocking out; the day shift beginning. So there’s a chance to see a deer or porcupine finishing their grazing. The birds are the soundtrack: red-eyed vireo, catbird, bobolink, song sparrows are in voice. ~ Todd R. Nelson

Opinion: Free Maine’s yards from political yard signs

MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • September 27, 2026

Yard signs may not be carcinogenic, but they are toxic. It will take grassroots efforts, political will and legislation to remove yard signs from our lawns. Doing so may mend fences, clear the air, improve the political climate and perhaps save a few trees. In the Pine Tree State these would be welcome changes. ~ David E. Stein, Oquossoc

Humor column: No peeping zone

SUN JOURNAL • September 27, 2026

Oh, heeeere we go. The return of foliage season, a time during which otherwise perfectly sane people will violently slam on their brakes on a 70-mph stretch of blacktop, throwing all passengers violently into the dashboard, just to look at a bunch of dying leaves. “Look how pretty that tree is!” they will exclaim, with almost a religious fervor, as they casually peel the windshield visor off their foreheads. Meanwhile, other drivers will slow to 10 mph on that same stretch of road to take in the same dead leaves while long-suffering, seasonally disordered folks like myself pound our steering wheels and wait for opportunities to pass. You leaf peepers are nuts. ~ Mark LaFlamme

Old Town wants a new agreement to keep hosting Juniper Ridge

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 27, 2026

The Juniper Ridge Landfill has operated in Old Town since 1996, but a proposed expansion and an ongoing lawsuit over its environmental impact have opened new negotiations between the host communities and landfill. Negotiations between Casella Waste Systems, the company that operates the landfill, and the state and Old Town are ongoing. John Dieffenbacher-Krall, an Old Town resident, has been one of the citizens speaking at council meetings urging the city to enter a new agreement that would better protect residents from potential environmental harm and create a closure date for the facility. “This is sacrilege. This is an environmental abomination,” he said.

World Rivers Day, Sep 27

World Rivers Day is a celebration of the world’s waterways. It highlights the many values of rivers and strives to increase public awareness and encourages the improved stewardship of rivers around the world. Millions of people in more than 100 countries participate in World Rivers Day on the 4th Sunday of September.

Column: Fall migration is happening now, and these birds are about to get your attention

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 26, 2026

Many birds sneak away in autumn. We never see them going. One day, they are here. The next day, they are not. In spring, birds arrive hot to trot. They rush to claim a territory and woo a mate. They sing like crazy. You hear them the morning they arrive. That doesn’t happen in autumn. Most of our treetop birds are departing for the tropics. Our ground-feeders aren’t going that far, so they leave later. ~ Bob Duchesne

Effects from nor’easter hit Maine, create dangerous conditions

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 26, 2026

The nor’easter moving north along the mid-Atlantic and southern New England coast this weekend is bringing hazardous beach conditions, rain and gusty winds to southern Maine. Some scattered rains began early Saturday in southern New Hampshire, coastal Maine and a few inland Maine areas. That rain will become steadier into the evening and Sunday morning and remain moderate to heavy through Monday before the storm exits the region on Tuesday.

Column: Keep those hummingbird feeders up and you may be surprised

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 26, 2026

In eastern North America, we typically only have one species of hummingbird, the ruby-throated hummingbird. It is a migratory species that arrives in Maine each spring then spends the summer nesting across the state. Most ruby-throated hummingbirds depart in September, though we do get reports of small numbers lingering into October and many fewer in November. In October, we should be on the lookout for both ruby-throated hummingbirds as well as western selasphorus hummingbirds. The proper hummingbird food is a simple 4-to-1 ratio of water to plain white sugar. Do not use red dyes, and sugar alternatives. ~ Doug Hitchcox, Maine Audubon Staff Naturalist

Letter: Susan Collins should stop raids on Acadia National Park funding

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 26, 2026

Sen. Collins voted for Interior Secretary Doug Burgum who siphoned maintenance project funds from Acadia National Park for Trump’s vanity projects. Collins and the Republicans allocated these essential funds and Congress has allowed this to be taken away without a fight. Maine can’t afford to have Acadia National Park fall into disrepair as it brings in over $700 million a year to our beautiful state. ~ Gary Loft, Lamoine

‘Do Not Drink’ order in effect for Anson, North Anson and Embden; lifted for Madison

CENTRAL MAINE • September 26, 2026

The Anson & Madison Water District issued a ‘Do Not Drink’ order for Anson, North Anson, Madison and Embden Friday after finding unsafe levels of fluoride in the water. It lifted the order for Madison Saturday at 9:00 a.m., but it remains in effect for the other towns.

Letter: Rethinking CLYNK

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 26, 2026

Gorham recently moved to mechanized single-sort curbside recycling, which prompted our home to revisit its recycling methods, ultimately deciding to discontinue CLYNK. Our goal? Recycle directly though municipal single-sort program while saving on expenses such as gas and bag fees. Economically, CLYNK no longer has value for us. Why does CLYNK not disclose an itemized list of rejected or unreturnable bottles in an account balance breakdown? Maybe because in 2025,  giant TOMRA bought CLYNK and exceeded $253,000,000 in global recycling revenue. Cash is king. ~ Gregory Sundik, Gorham

Walpole man sets Maine record with nearly 7-pound tomato

LINCOLN COUNTY NEWS • September 25, 2026

The largest tomato in Maine and 10th largest in the world was harvested at a Walpole farm on Monday, Sept. 14, weighing in at 6.92 pounds. Leon Busby first joined the competitive growing community four years ago, when his mother volunteered to grow a pumpkin for the Damariscotta Pumpkinfest & Regatta. “I grew it and we had almost a 200-pound pumpkin just on the lawn,” Busby said.

Juniper Ridge landfill files plans to transfer liquid waste

MAINE PUBLIC • September 25, 2026

Casella Waste Systems, the operators of state-run landfill Juniper Ridge have filed a court document detailing plans to transport liquid waste 20 miles to another facility for processing. Casella says Maine is facing a waste crisis and Juniper Ridge must be expanded as soon as possible to avoid running out of space by 2028. Environmental groups, abutters, and the Penobscot Nation are opposing the expansion. Sarah Woodbury, legislative director for Maine Conservation Voters, says the plan is not sound. "You should have leachate treatment systems at both of those facilities instead of running the risk of some type of spill in between the two facilities," she said. Casella did not respond to a request for comment.

Two years after Brunswick PFAs spill, high levels of forever chemicals detected in Harpswell birds

MAINE PUBLIC • September 24, 2026

Researchers have found elevated levels of forever chemicals known as PFAs in birds that nest in Harpswell, two years after a massive firefighting foam spill at the former Brunswick Naval Air Station. Micah Miller with the Biodiversity Research Institute said PFAs levels were four to five times higher in birds within about five miles of the spill, compared with those nesting 40 miles away from it. Conservation research had already been underway on eider ducks and bald eagles in the area, so it was possible for scientists to compare blood PFAS levels before and after the spill. "We actually see the highest concentrations closest to the base, and then they kind of steadily decrease the further you get away,” Miller said. The research shows birds within five miles of the spill site had four to five times the PFAs levels as birds nesting within 40 miles of the spill.