Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Maine didn’t allow virtual public meetings or remote participation for local governments, but after a newly passed state law, municipalities and counties are deciding whether and how to allow remote participation.
Jessica Lowell
Jessica Lowell is the managing editor of the Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel. She previously covers business and economic development and general news in the Gardiner area.
After short but intense aspirations to be an opera singer (age 4) and a deep-sea diver (age 6) her most enduring passion has been telling stories.
A University of Maine graduate, she worked for newspapers in New Hampshire, upstate New York and Wyoming, where she has won awards for investigative and explanatory journalism. She’s a fellow of the Knight Center for Specialized Journalism and the Institute for Journalism and Natural Resources.
After several years out of journalism, she returned to Maine and to writing, where she spends her free time enjoying both trees and the ocean, two commodities that Wyoming lacks.
Posted inKennebec Journal, Local & State
Johnson Hall continues fundraising ahead of expected 2022 construction start
Anonymous donors have pledged to match ticket sales at a special performance of the The Maine Dead Project on Sept. 11, as a fund request under federal Community Project Funding program advances.
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Posted inKennebec Journal, Local & State
Gardiner City Council chooses Rusty Greenleaf to fill council vacancy
Under the Gardiner City Charter, the City Council fills a council vacancy until the next election, when city residents choose who will fill out the remaining year of the two-year council term.
Posted inKennebec Journal, Local & State
Gardiner’s downtown master plan taking shape with residents’ input
In mid-July dozens of city residents who took part in the Heart of Gardiner workshop, part of the city’s process in drafting a master plan to guide decision making in the city’s downtown for the next decade.
Posted inKennebec Journal, Local & State
Longtime West Gardiner selectman honored at surprise celebration
Friends and family turned out to the West Gardiner town garage Saturday for a potluck lunch to celebrate Mert Hickey and his years of service to the town.
Posted inKennebec Journal, Local & State
Two central Maine organizations receive United Way Innovation Fund grants
Created earlier this year by the United Way of Kennebec Valley, the Innovation Fund has awarded grants to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mid-Maine and Healthy Communities of the Capital Area.
Posted inKennebec Journal, Local & State
Changes come to Gardiner Public Library as longtime leaders retire
Friday marks Scott Handville’s last day at the library, after four decades as assistant director. Library Director Anne Davis, who is also retiring this year.
Posted inKennebec Journal, Local & State
Kennebec County Administrator Robert Devlin to retire at year’s end
Devlin was hired as Kennebec County’s first administrator, after he lobbied the Maine State Legislature to allow counties the independent authority to hire professional managers without seeking permission from state lawmakers.
Posted inKennebec Journal, Local & State
Gardiner wastewater treatment upgrades are underway
The $3.5 million project, funded by a combination of federal loan and grant money, is replacing the aging treatment infrastructure with a newer version that’s more energy efficient.
Posted inKennebec Journal, Local & State
Gardiner At-Large City Councilor Maryann White to step down
Now in her third term, Maryann White said she is resigning from the City Council because she and her husband are selling their house and leaving Gardiner.