While city officials expressed a lack of faith in the Kennebec Arsenal owner's ability to redevelop, or preserve, the historic property, they agreed to give him until July 28 to present a plan before considering declaring it a dangerous site.

Augusta- and Waterville-area arrests for June 17-24, 2022.

Here are some of our favorite Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel staff photos from the past week.

Despite the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade on Friday, Maine law will continue to protect access to abortion. But that legislation could come under scrutiny after the November election.

Residents rejected the nearly $700,000 project at the annual Town Meeting, along with plans for a municipally owned, high-speed broadband network.

Slate of budget-related actions receives unanimous approval from City Council, and while the city's share of the property tax rate is expected to remain unchanged, the spending plan is to fund paving projects and additional staffing for Fire Department.

The Axe Women Loggers of Maine, which will bring world-class talent to Litchfield this weekend, has grown in membership since its inception in 2011, but it is still "a small world," says its founder.

Following approval from residents at the Town Meeting on Saturday, town officials are pursuing a contract with the Kennebec Valley Humane Society in Augusta instead of using a retrofitted box trailer in Litchfield.

Workers delivered a petition and letter of intent to Chipotle Mexican Grill management Wednesday, saying they are forming a union.

Voters at the Windsor annual Town Meeting added $27,000 to the $1.96 million budget and also approved the purchase of a new fire truck to replace a 1986 tanker truck.

Renovations to Johnson Hall Performing Arts Center, considered the state's oldest opera house, began this month. A crew from Barn Boards & More, a local wood salvaging business, was pulling up and saving the tongue-and-groove floor boards from the theater Thursday to reuse as flooring or make into tabletops. By December 2023, the three-story performing arts venue in Gardiner is expected to reopen to the public with a 400-seat theater, a large lobby and concession area, full-service box office, green rooms for performers, and an elevator. Local hotel owner Benjamin Johnson turned the former livery stable into a performance hall in 1884, and it became an opera house in 1888. All photos by Kennebec Journal photojournalist Joe Phelan.

Augusta police say robbery occurred at 4:45 p.m. Saturday, and the male suspect fled before officers arrived.

The $1.15 million budget was driven up this year by the possibility of withdrawing from Regional School Unit 2.

Steve DeAngelis has been with the district for 44 years, with 42 of them spent teaching. He will retire to spend more time with his family and run his nonprofit.

Augusta- and Waterville-area arrests for June 10-17, 2022.

The $115,000 bid includes an offer of $15,000 worth of discounts toward the project planned this summer.

Hector Rivera, 26, of Gardiner, fled after allegedly stabbing a Farmingdale man in the stomach and began to exhibit symptoms of a drug overdose while officers were apprehending him.

Here are some of our favorite Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel photos from the past week.

This year, town officials plan to pave an additional 2 miles of road to catch up on deferred road work, following voter approval at Thursday's annual Town Meeting.

Workers at the Augusta Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurant walked off the job Tuesday, but returned to work Thursday with a full crew.

The all-day 'Growing Gardiner' event kicks off Saturday morning, as organizers work to showcase the historic city and what it has to offer residents and visitors alike.

The $3,003,964 budget approved at the annual Town Meeting on Wednesday represents a slight reduction from last year's total of $3,059,829.

UMaine Chancellor Dannel Malloy and the board of trustees Chairperson Trish Riley spoke virtually to the Legislature's Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs.

Trish Riley, chair of the University of Maine System board of trustees, announces Chancellor Dannel P. Malloy's contract has been extended through mid-July, allowing the board time to discuss the matter at its July 11 meeting.

Warren, who because of term limits cannot seek reelection as the state representative for Hallowell, Manchester and West Gardiner, is to face Joseph Pietroski Jr., the Republican nominee from Winthrop, in November for the open seat representing 14 communities in southern and western Kennebec County.

Claire McBride is valedictorian, Izabelle Gilley salutatorian.

Orr received 332 votes while his opponent, Michael Michaud, received 197, according to unofficial results on Tuesday night.

Shagoury will face Republican Phillip Wiseman of Hallowell in the general election in November for the House District 55 seat.

City councilors who criticized the appearance of the initial proposal expressed support for a new, office-like building in place of standalone units with garage-style doors in the former Kmart parking lot on Western Ave.

Alcohol and excessive speeding are likely to blame in the crash that killed 53-year-old Wayne Grotton, police said.

According to an official at Central Maine Power Co., a dump truck "came into contact with a transmission line" off of U.S. Route 201 in Gardiner on Monday afternoon.

A lecture series is to feature New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Letts on June 16 via Zoom.

No shortage of smiling graduates as they mingle before commencement, receive their diplomas during the ceremony and later exchange congratulations, share handshakes and hugs and pose for photographs.

Officials seek residents' approval Thursday to spend about $650,000 more this year in part to catch up on deferred road maintenance and to fund the snow plow contract, as the town shifts to using more salt rather than a sand-salt mix to keep roads clear in the winter.

One graduate's mother says she will honor pledge to shave her head as reward for son's academic comeback.

Seniors mark their commencement Friday at the Augusta Civic Center with essays and handshakes. Check out these photos from Kennebec Journal photojournalist Joe Phelan.

The Maine Criminal Justice Academy event marked the graduation of nine police dog units.

Former councilor Rita Moran died unexpectedly in March as a result of an unspecified illness. Winthrop residents will select a candidate Tuesday to fill her seat.

Some board members bristled at the ask by city officials because the school budget had already tapped into reserve monies to prevent an increase to taxpayers.

Brett Palmer is one of two students in Maine — and 161 across the country — to be named a 2022 U.S. Presidential Scholar.

Augusta- and Waterville-area arrests for June 3-10, 2022.

Here are some of our favorite Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel photos from the past week.

About $1.4 million of anticipated nonproperty tax revenue will be used to offset increases over the previous budget year, town officials said.

Michael Michaud and James Orr are seeking the Republican nomination to run to represent part of Augusta in the state House of Representatives.

The proposed athletic complex has received mixed reaction, with some residents excited about the community opportunities and others concerned about the environmental impact.

Four seats are open on the 13-person board that oversees Regional School Unit 38, but only the races in Readfield and Mount Vernon are contested.

Hector Rivera, 26, of Gardiner faces elevated aggravated assault and other charges after allegedly stabbing a Farmingdale man Tuesday.

The graduation took place at the Augusta Civic Center on Tuesday.

Kennebec County commissioners on Tuesday endorsed a list of 39 projects to be supported by Kennebec County's $23.7 million share of American Rescue Plan Act funds that will support child care, housing and health programs as well as sewer, water and construction projects, among others.

Residents will vote on the budget, which is up 5.6% from last year, and a slate of local races Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Richmond Hallway Garage on High Street.  

The Augusta airport was awarded $900,000 to reconstruct the apron where planes are parked and boarded by passengers, while the Waterville airport will get $300,000 for a master plan.

Candidates Daniel Shagoury and Patrick Wynne, both of Hallowell, say their unique career experiences will help them serve Mainers.

Megan Elliott and Deb Large vie to represent town on Regional School Unit 2 board.

Seniors mark their commencement Monday at the Augusta Civic Center. Check out some photos from Kennebec Journal photojournalist Andy Molloy.

Stephen Moore, 31, of Augusta died after his pickup truck crossed the centerline, leading to a head-on collision, police say.

Samuel Thibeault is poised to trade getting up early for school for getting up earlier to go to work, now that a vocational training program has him on a path toward becoming an electrician.

New graduate Xavier Hodge, who is excited and nervous for the rest of his life, says his high school years taught him about balance, life and death and what he wants to do with his life.

Richmond High School students, educated during the COVID-19 pandemic, bid farewell to their school and friends as Alyssa Letendre, the class valedictorian, urges them to pursue an end to gun violence

At Kents Hill School's commencement Saturday, 49 students from around central Maine and around the world prepared to move on from their school in Readfield to take their next steps in the world.

Augusta councilors approved a $72.6 million budget for the city and its schools Thursday, resulting in a 4.7% tax increase several said was unavoidable.

Augusta- and Waterville-area arrests for May 27-June 3, 2022.

Augusta police identified the man who died as a result of the crash Friday on Route 3 in Augusta as Stephen Moore, 31.

Here are some of our favorite Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel photos from the past week.

Agency that provides social services to residents of Kennebec and Somerset counties has received the most fraudulent applications for federal rental assistance in Maine this year.

Vice Chancellor Jim Thelen's departure is not related to the fallout from the failed University of Maine at Augusta presidential search, according to university officials.

For nearly three years, Krystal Lavallee underreported sales at Brews N' Views, the Hallowell restaurant and bar she owned, and failed to pay more than $24,000 the business owed in sales taxes.

Jeremy Gilley, 37, of Vassalboro, whose legs were amputated in 2011 after he was hit by a van, was killed Monday morning, and Joshua Bilodeau, 30, also of Vassalboro, was injured, according to police.

All quilt squares should be completed, sent or delivered by June 15.

The weekend is scheduled to begin with a festival at Granite City Park on June 4 from noon to 4 p.m. A parade along Water Street will start at 2 p.m.

The unofficial start of summer and what many hope are the later phases of the COVID-19 pandemic are setting the stage for residents and visitors to enjoy an expanded roster of restaurants, food trucks and tasting rooms.

Multiple gunshots fired during argument at a Main Street apartment building, according to state police.

Ronald Emmons Jr. finds a cemetery behind a horse farm in Bowdoin containing graves of his relatives, and later locates a headstone for multiple relatives under a cedar bush at the Cotton Cemetery in Richmond.

The former outpost is also celebrating its 100th anniversary as a museum this year.

The picture taken at a Memorial Day parade in 1942 may be the last ever photograph of Alfred W. Maxwell Jr. before he was killed in action on Guadalcanal during World War II.

Brett Palmer has been named valedictorian, and Ava Goraj salutatorian.

A proposal to covert the former big-box store on Western Avenue into a self-storage facility has prompted conversations about how to reuse large, empty retail spaces.

The deal between the University of Maine System and Michael Laliberte also ensures he will make a minimum of $235,000 annually for the next two years, with UMaine agreeing to pay the difference if a new job pays him less than that.

City officials say that even with the fee increases, Hatch Hill will still cost less than other area landfills even as the site is prepared for an expansion before it fills up.

Augusta- and Waterville-area arrests for May 20-27, 2022.

Here are some of our favorite Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel photos from the past week.

Maine-raised songwriter Amy Allen co-wrote one of the tracks on the British popstar's new album, but fans think there's another Maine connection — to a farm in Monmouth.

Michael R. Laliberte's potential $615,000 paycheck over three years is not sitting well with certain faculty members, some of whom were laid off recently for budgetary reasons.

With the final vote by the Kennebec County Budget Committee, the spending plans for Kennebec County government and Unity Township will be forwarded to county commissioners next month for the final approval.

Most of the spending increase comes from a $239,000 tax abatement the city must pay in the upcoming fiscal year to Granite Hill Estates, an apartment and assisted living complex for older adults at 60 Balsam Drive.

The death of Tyler Morin, 36, has been classified as a homicide by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

Gerald Scott Stackpole, 45, of Augusta was indicted on charges of arson, domestic violence criminal threatening and endangering the welfare of a child following a July 1, 2021, fire in his apartment.

Friends recall Robert Logan Johnston, who died Sunday at age 69, as someone who gave generously to the Gardiner community and the organizations he supported.

UMaine System board of trustees takes no action on Chancellor Dannel P. Malloy's contract, which expires June 30, but expects to decide in the coming weeks whether to keep Malloy.

A May 11 sample of wastewater collected by Greater Augusta Utility District showed a spike in the prevalence of the virus that causes COVID-19.

Michael R. Laliberte, whose hiring was criticized after votes of no confidence at his former university came to light, to be paid salary of $205,000 in what would have been his first year.

City officials now require documentation proving ownership of cemetery lots before burials can take place, to prevent people from being buried in the wrong plots or at the wrong cemetery.

‘He doesn’t understand or want to understand the issues the faculty are raising,’ said a professor from the Augusta campus, the first school to declare no confidence in Chancellor Dannel Malloy.

Commencement speaker Kristina Cannon reminded graduates of the importance of the role they have in their rural Maine towns.

Virgil White, 33, was known last to be in Athens and is wanted for a number of charges.

Goals for the year, just approved by the Augusta City Council, also include expanding ways to help people with substance use disorder, revitalizing Sand Hill, improving pedestrian safety, and solving the problem of Hatch Hill landfill filling up.

Authorities said the shooting of Tyler Morin, 36, happened Friday morning at the Ready Road Services towing company.

Augusta- and Waterville-area arrests for May 13-20, 2022.

Here are some of our favorite Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel photos from the past week.

Christopher M. Good pleaded no contest to several charges, including reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon and terrorizing in addition to the assault charges.

Derik Broox Wight, 41, is being held by federal officials for allegedly attacking a security officer April 20 at the Edmund S. Muskie Federal Building in Augusta.

By adjusting some spending and identifying additional revenue, officials said they were able keep Gardiner's municipal share of the property tax rate flat for another year in the city's proposed spending plan.

The wreck on Wednesday left a hole in the Capitol Street building, which was covered up by plywood the next day.

A woman fell about 20 feet as she tried to escape the burning home Wednesday but was caught by three men who had come to the scene when they saw smoke.

Levi Caverly, who graduated last year from the Mid-Coast School of Technology in Rockland, was remembered by his father as a faithful and quirky kid who loved to program.

County jail in Augusta now running with about half the staff needed to operate, leading to high overtime costs and burnout among those who work there.

The victim required immediate eye surgery due to fractured orbital bones and a broken nose from the alleged assault, police said.

The funding is part of the $1.5 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed in November 2021 that identifies money to address infrastructure needs across the United States.

Town officials will open bids on June 13 during a select board meeting and are hopeful the long-term repairs can be complete by the fall.

Firefighters from seven departments responded to the early-morning fire Tuesday on Beedle Road.

The city will use about $163,000 of its roughly $1 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to reward employees for service in the pandemic.

"Bella, An Immigrant's Tale" covers the life of actor Vicki Summers’ grandmother, a Russian Jewish immigrant who escaped the pogroms and started a new life in America.

Contribution to help inch historic opera house closer to fundraising goal that has jumped in recent months.

The event featured an address from diversity, equity and inclusion consultant Anthony James Jr., and the university's first degrees conferred under its new graduate programs.

As Gardiner officials review the proposed spending plan, they want to hear from members of the public at the May 18 meeting on its spending plans for the fiscal year that starts July 1.

Augusta- and Waterville-area arrests for May 6-13, 2022.

The change comes after faculty from the University of Maine at Augusta voted no confidence both in its presidential search and the chancellor.

Here are some of our favorite Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel photos from the past week.

Without a quorum at Wednesday's Kennebec County Budget Committee meeting, the committee could not give its final approval to the $17.4 million spending plan.

The show, Banding for Ukraine, is set for 1 p.m. Sunday at van der Brew in Winthrop.

During a five-hour meeting Wednesday, faculty members at UMA call for a new presidential search, following recent disclosures that faculty members and students at Michael R. Laliberte's former university in New York had voted no confidence in him.

Wayne O. Draper, 57, of Pittston pleads no contest to Class D misdemeanor charges of unlawful sexual contact and unlawful sexual touching.

Residents collected 224 signatures — 173 are required — to have the question included June 18 on the Town Meeting warrant.

An info night regarding the program is planned for 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 18.

The Northern Avenue home, owned by John Jaques of Keller Williams Realty, was under renovation and nearing completion as a four-bedroom, two-bathroom home.

The city voted in January to keep the nearly 200-year-old former fire station, which currently houses the city's food pantry, and now say they'd like citizen-backing from a nonbinding ballot vote to spend up to $4 million on the project.

Maine Drug Enforcement Agency agents arranged to buy drugs from another man whom they pulled over in a car driven by Tyrel Cox in 2020.

University of Maine System faculty union President Jim McClymer sent the letter Tuesday morning in response to the hiring of President Michael Laliberte at University of Maine at Augusta.

Abigail Martin has been named valedictorian, and Brodi Freeman salutatorian.

Earth Keeper Cannabis, which also has a Wilton location, will not be penalized for opening a month before getting final approval.

Kristie Clark, who won the 2021 Maine Principal's Association national Distinguished Principal of the Year award, is expected to begin her new role July 1.

Hancock County Sheriff's Deputy Luke Gross was investigating a crash when he was struck and killed by a vehicle in Trenton on Sept. 23, 2021, and he is now among the names on the memorial.

The Catalyst Grant Program offers established small businesses in Gardiner the chance to apply for up to $2,500 to meet a variety of critical business needs and is now accepting applications.

Students from Dresden, Farmingdale, Hallowell, Monmouth and Richmond attend RSU 2 schools.