Christine Schmidt, formerly the assistant director of special education in Augusta, says her role is particularly important as teachers report increasing emotional and behavioral dysregulation among students.

County officials say it has been difficult recently to find a qualified candidate to run the Registry of Deeds, so they are posing the referendum again to voters.

Members of United Steelworkers Local 4-9 voted Sept. 20 to authorize a strike and are a planning a rally for Tuesday, a news release said.

Seven months of talks that both union and school officials say were some of the most strained in the school district's history wrapped up this week with a new contract for the district's education technicians, custodians and food workers.

Investigators are still looking for the cause of a fire that destroyed a vacant house at 864 Unity Road in Benton Thursday. Firefighters returned to the scene around midnight when it reignited.

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

No place is immune from severe weather events that can destroy communities, and we must heed the advice of climate experts and prepare, Amy Calder writes.

Firefighters from several communities battled the fire Thursday afternoon at 864 Unity Road.

Incumbent Dana W. Wrigley Sr. faces opposition from Shawn Michael Nava and Kelly Roderick for the pair of three-year seats on the Oakland Town Council.

Incumbent Councilor Dale Macklin to face Stephen Soucy, who is seeking his first term in elected office.

The Board of Selectmen may soon ask voters to authorize the purchase of 2 Old Point Ave., the former Taylor’s Drug Store in the center of Madison.

William J. Douglass Jr., 39, pleaded guilty to several charges for the assaults, and to charges that he damaged a communication device from a Somerset County Sheriff’s Office vehicle.

Twice a year, Oakland's gardening brigade takes to the streets to bring some floral joy to those who walk or drive through town.

John Wayne Peters, 63, pleaded guilty Tuesday to nine counts of possession of sexually explicit material of a minor younger than 12, and one count of failure to comply with the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.

The town plans to raze the building at 1113 Kennedy Memorial Drive this year and eventually construct a new Town Office there if voters approve plans.

Sgt. Aaron Skolfield was joined by mental health advocates and a former legislator at a press conference Monday to publicize Maine's Progressive Treatment Program, which they say could have prevented last year's Lewiston shooting.

Members of United Steelworkers Local 449 at the Huhtamaki food service and packaging products mill in Waterville voted overwhelmingly to ratify a three-year contract that includes wage increases and more vacation time.

As part of her “Gather Hear Tour,” Boston-based pianist Miki Sawada has been playing the piano across Maine, the seventh state she has toured since the project began.

The festival on the Skowhegan-Canaan line features vendors, live music and other activities, and is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday.

The proposed acquisition of the Maine DOT lot on U.S. Route 2, where the district now parks its buses, would come at no cost to local taxpayers since it is part of MSAD 54’s new elementary school construction project, according to district officials.

Maine awarded its nonemergency medical transport contract for eligible MaineCare recipients to Modivcare, but Penquis Community Action Program has appealed that decision, with KVCAP officials saying moving to Modivcare could devastate KVCAP's transportation system.

While an appeal process is ongoing, the state extended the contract with Penquis to the end of this year.

Star Cunningham and her son had been missing from their family's Fairfield home since Monday.

Some say the proposal for a new flag on the Nov. 5 ballot is an attempt to erase history, while others argue it's related to Christian nationalism. To most, though, the meanings of our state flag and its potential replacement are more personal.

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

While much changed around the Island Dairy Treat in Skowhegan during the 72 seasons it was in business, the ice cream stand soldiered on as a tradition that brought much joy to longtime residents and customers, Amy Calder writes.

The Nov. 5 election will decide who replaces Ray Caron, who stepped down abruptly from the council earlier this month and ended his reelection bid.

The former owners of the decades-old ice cream stand said that they could not come to an agreement with the new property owner about how to keep the business in operation as it was.

Charles Robbins, elected to his second term in 2023, said he could no longer balance his duties as a selectman with family responsibilities and a busy professional life.

The board had voted in August to continue withholding a final payment of $20,000 to Benchmark Construction of Westbrook. Selectmen decided Tuesday to move forward with the payment.

The 'All out for Lebanon' protest was held concurrently with hundreds of others in cities across the country in response to a barrage of Israeli attacks that have killed nearly 600 people in the last week.

Nicholas Carter, 31, was sentenced to 20 years in prison, with all but 10 years suspended in lieu of probation, after he was convicted earlier this month of aggravated assault.

Amid months of turmoil in the town office, councilors were set to discuss giving the town manager a higher payout if she was fired by the town. Instead, councilors voted to revoke their ability to fire her without cause altogether.

Those who owned the ice cream stand at 23 Island Ave. said the property’s new owner has other plans for the location.

A Somerset County Sheriff's Office official has identified the inmate found dead inside her cell late Friday as Amber Marie Mills, 29.

A car hit Mezza at 34 Temple St. on Friday morning, causing substantial damage. The vehicle then left the scene, according to Tom Nale Sr., the restaurant's owner.

Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, author of "What if We Get it Right?: Visions of Climate Futures," speaks Saturday at the Common Ground Country Fair in Unity.

State police are investigating the death of a woman who was incarcerated at Somerset County Jail in Madison.

The fatal crash Friday night is under investigation, Maine State Police said.

Following a yearlong investigation into the death of a 4-month-old child, Lisa Barney, 54, of Oakland was arrested Friday on a charge of manslaughter.

Tyler Quirion, 20, of Waterville, was arrested Friday and charged with murder, manslaughter and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person in the Feb. 19 killing of Justin Iraola on South Grove Street.

The three-story development will be located beside KVCAP's Waterville location on the corners of King and Gold streets, the organization said.

Hussam Al Rawi and his wife, Kathryn Piper, opened Five Pillars Butchery, a halal meat processing business in 2017, after moving to Maine the previous year. The couple were awarded nearly $3 million in federal grants earlier this year to add a slaughterhouse to the butchery at 119 Bangor Road.

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

Local police officers and dispatchers help save lives nearly every day, though that work often runs largely under the radar, Amy Calder writes.

The AI technology takes audio from body camera recordings and generates a draft template of a police report to be reviewed and edited, which proponents say can free up law enforcement officers to do other police work.

In his federal lawsuit, Daigan C. Small is seeking unspecified damages from the town of Bingham, the town’s first selectman and a Somerset County sheriff’s deputy for violating his rights following a dispute over a sign worth less than $25.

Miami Herald correspondent Jacqueline Charles will receive the Elijah Parish Lovejoy Award for her decades of reporting on earthquakes, assassinations and more in Haiti and the Caribbean.

Miami Herald correspondent Jacqueline Charles will receive the Elijah Parish Lovejoy Award for her decades of reporting on earthquakes, assassinations and more in Haiti and the Caribbean.

The driver of the vehicle was taken to a Portland hospital for treatment of his injuries, the Maine Warden Service said.

The City Council heard from one woman who said the noise from Bobby Buds on College Avenue is so loud her ears throb when she is in her nearby apartment.

Frost, 45, has been Waterville's deputy fire chief just under three years and will succeed fire Chief Shawn Esler, who is leaving Oct. 3 to become the state fire marshal.

A search warrant was obtained as part of an ongoing investigation into suspected drug trafficking at the Madawaska Road property.

An unannounced tree-cutting this spring ignited a debate over whether aging trees in Vassalboro's 27 cemeteries are worth the trouble of saving.

Attorneys representing the town of Canaan and Lake George Regional Park have not been able to reach an agreement about the terms of the five appointments made in March and whether they were made correctly.

The Somerset County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant Friday at 1111 South Solon Road, finding crack cocaine, fentanyl, cash and other drug-related items inside the home, officials said.

The fair is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Members of the public will have opportunity to ask questions and comment on proposed rate increases at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the KWD complex at 131 Drummond Ave. in Waterville.

Police said Sari Ohmart was killed Friday afternoon in a five-vehicle crash after the SUV in which she was riding was hit from behind by a pickup truck near Exit 113.

Events on Saturday during the Maine State Federation of Firefighters Convention featured a parade representing the fire service from Maine’s 16 counties and a firemen’s muster featuring antique “hand tub” firefighting apparatuses.

Israel Carpenter, 47, of Main Street, Clinton, faces multiple drug charges. He is being held at Kennebec County jail in Augusta, according to police.

Codie Rice, 29, and Brian LeClair, 46, were arrested while cutting copper out of the abandoned building's classrooms, bathrooms and hallways, police say.

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

We all need a place to rest, contemplate and block out the worries of the world, Amy Calder writes.

Nicholas Carter, 31, ran out of the Somerset County Courthouse in handcuffs Wednesday after a jury convicted him of aggravated assault against a 14-month-old child, officials said.

The forecast suggests Thursday night might be a great opportunity to see the northern lights in parts of Maine.

Town councilors discussed proposed regulations Wednesday night for living long term in such vehicles, but said they were not ready to vote on an ordinance.

The Board of Selectmen’s annual goal-setting workshop focused largely on transparency and how to handle conflicts of interest.

During the April incident, Clifford Warren jumped the bar and ran toward Jason Servil, who was being sentenced for the murder of Warren’s sister, Alice Abbott.

The Waterville Planning Board spent nearly an hour Tuesday night discussing the First Church of Waterville's request that the city rezone properties off Park Street, but the board was not ready to make a recommendation to the City Council.

Selectmen chose Ranger Construction Corp. of Fairfield to build a $2.3 million baseball field and other infrastructure at the Skowhegan Community Center at 39 Poulin Drive.

Ray Caron, who has been a town councilor for nearly 15 years, resigned from the council and dropped his reelection bid via an email on Tuesday.

Anthony Hunt, 28, of Canaan was killed after veering off U.S. Route 2 and into the trees beside the highway, authorities said.

Councilor Fran Hudson moved to postpone selecting the committee's members until after the November election because two residents who filed paperwork to join are running for council seats.

The First Church of Waterville wants the city to rezone 3, 5 and 7 Park St. so the church can raze buildings and expand parking.

The Vassalboro Sanitary District's charter does not clarify how new trustees should be elected or appointed, but town officials hope to change that with a special vote.

Nicholas Eckert, 33, is facing additional charges brought by prosecutors in connection with the April incident, according to his indictment.

The forecast suggests Tuesday night might be a great opportunity to see the northern alerts in parts of Maine.

The UBM event brings in thousands of toys that are donated at Christmas to Maine children in need.

An eclectic lineup of marchers paraded through downtown Clinton on Saturday, celebrating rural communities.

The niece of the home’s former owner, who died last year, and her husband had been working on the home for months before a fire damaged it in August.

Maine State Police continue to investigate the Waterville case and the Office of the State Attorney General could still prosecute.

New artificial intelligence technology may help deputies write reports quicker, leaving them with more time for other police work and helping to keep them from leaving for other agencies, the sheriff and other proponents of the cameras say.

Road Commissioner Michael Gordon was recalled Thursday, and voters chose Jeffrey Wright, who formerly held the post, to replace him.

The case was the latest positive test in what has been an active season for mosquito-borne illness, officials said.

Life is a gift, but short, so it is wise to ask our elders many questions before they pass, Amy Calder writes.

Trista Reynolds, the mother of Ayla, has sought civil action against her daughter's father and other family members in connection with the case.

Issues raised by neighbors and in police reports about Bobby Buds at 109 College Ave. prompted the City Council on Tuesday to reject — and then reconsider and table — a vote to renew the business's marijuana retail license.

Security cameras, student training and counseling services are being employed at the private school in South China, as education officials across the country react to the latest school shooting only days into the 2024-25 school year.

Police say more than 1,500 cannabis plants were seized and one man was arrested at 24 Guptill Road in January. Now, the refurbished four-bedroom home is listed for sale.

Residents will decide in November whether to enact a temporary ban on constructing high-voltage power lines, nearly a year after a controversial proposed renewable energy project was put on hold.

In a surprise announcement Tuesday night, Waterville City Manager Bryan Kaenrath told the City Council that fire Chief Shawn Esler will be leaving his position Oct. 3 to become the new state fire marshal.

The shoplifting charges against Timothy Klepser, 27, of Oakland, were elevated to robbery because he was assaultive to both supermarket staff and police, according to Maj. Jason Longley of the Waterville Police Department.

Lawrence Tilton, 63, was riding a motorcycle on U.S. Route 2 when a turning vehicle struck him, according to the Somerset County Sheriff's Office.

The annual two-day celebration during Labor Day weekend once again brought together hundreds of locals for dozens of activities.

Flames and smoke were seen billowing from the attic of the historic mansion at 24 Main St. shortly before 4:30 p.m., according to witnesses.

The Quarry Road Recreation Area in Waterville next year will receive road and parking area pavement, expansion of the meadow with pavers and better drainage, officials say.

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

A Washville official said the company is set to build the car wash at 460 Kennedy Memorial Drive, just west of Taco Bell and near Interstate 95.

Joshua Littlefield, 30, of Unity, was arrested after threatening people with a gun before drawing a heavy police presence to his residence, police say.

The nearly 50-year-old lakeside 'dock and dine' establishment is hitting the market as its owners look to upgrade from seasonal to year-round operation.

The event, now in its sixth year, aims to remember those who have died from causes related to substance use disorder and raise awareness about how the condition affects Somerset County.

There's no pain like that which comes from losing a beloved pet, Amy Calder writes.

A box truck and a tractor-trailer veered off Interstate 95 in a crash that partly shut down traffic for about four hours, authorities say.

A Massachusetts man who was arrested in the Palmyra home Thursday after a search warrant was executed was being held on $250,000 bail at the Somerset County Jail.

Rebecca O’Clair, 41, will serve just over nine months in prison and pay more than $7,000 in restitution for the stolen items.

The fair will include a demolition derby, truck pulls, blacksmith demonstrations, live music, food and fireworks.

The celebration of local beer and other products is expected to draw people from around the country to sample beverages from 24 Maine producers.

Jeannine Diddle Uzzi will serve as president-elect of Thomas until Nov. 1 when President Laurie Lachance officially steps down.

Isaiah Merrill, 27, agreed to plead guilty to one count of visual sexual aggression against a child, while prosecutors dismissed 10 other felony-level charges.

All photos by Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel

Voters are expected to decide next Thursday whether Michael Gordon will keep his job as the town’s road commissioner or be replaced by one of two other candidates on the ballot.

The chase early Wednesday began when Waterville police attempted to stop a vehicle that had been reported stolen in Gardiner, officials said.

The city will use $500,000 in federal funds to begin three programs recommended by the Waterville Housing Committee aimed at helping low- and moderate-income residents.

Keith Merchant, 44, was sentenced Tuesday in connection with two counts of gross sexual assault involving a minor.

Jed Carpenter, 41, of Harrington, was partially ejected from the van he was driving Saturday night and died at the scene, according to police.

Weekend festival offered a book fair and market, book talks, writing events and more.

Food, games, a parade, book sale, crafts, music, vendors and more marked the second of three days of Madison Anson Days, an event celebrating the sister towns on the Kennebec River in Somerset County.

Stephen Lee, who was serving a 40-year sentence for murder as well as robbery and burglary, was an inmate with an earliest possible release date in 2032.

The barroom that once housed live music and late-night parties has swapped barstools for playpens as a former staple of central Maine's food scene finds new life.

While the water main was expected to be repaired and water service restored Friday, the Kennebec Water District reported that Armory Road was severely damaged and is scheduled to be repaired next week.

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

Joan Phillips-Sandy, longtime Waterville lawyer, school board chairwoman and community servant, died much too young at age 78, Amy Calder writes.

Charles Bellows, 43, was killed by sharp force injuries earlier this week at 119 Cool St. where he was staying with Thomas Lowrie, 41, who is charged with Bellows' murder.

Waterville property owners can expect to receive tax bills in the next couple of weeks that reflect a rate of $20 per $1,000 in assessed valuation.

The project’s developer said he expects a portion of the building in downtown Skowhegan to open later this year, after it sustained major flooding damage in December.

Oakland Code Enforcement Officer Nate Smart told the Town Council on Wednesday that he has received complaints about people living long-term in recreational vehicles, campers and trailers that are meant for seasonal occupancy.

Maine State Police identified Charles Bellows as the person killed in what authorities have ruled a homicide on Cool Street in Waterville.

Raymond Ellis, 35, is to serve an eight-year prison sentence concurrent to another, longer prison sentence for the January robbery of a Madison convenience store, according to officials.

The council voted 6-0 Tuesday to refer to the Planning Board for hearing and recommendation a request by First Church of Waterville to rezone Park Street properties so it can expand parking and create auxiliary parish house facilities.

The turkey was the first animal this year in Maine to test positive for the mosquito-borne virus, which in some cases can cause severe symptoms, according to public health officials.

An outage that affected roughly 6,000 households was likely caused by a lightning strike overnight on Monday, officials say.

Michael L. Cote, 30, of Fall River, Massachusetts, said he attacked the alleged victim with brass knuckles because he believed the man had sex with his 17-year-old daughter, court records show.

The tax rate fell about 4.5% from last year, though officials say rising county and school budgets could still lead to increased tax bills for property owners.

Over 250 residents have signed the petition, which organizers say would create a $2.5 million fund for homestead tax credits as a response to rising tax bills.

Thomas Lowrie, 41, appeared in court Monday after being charged Sunday with a man's death at 119 Cool St. in Waterville, according to the Maine State Police.

As many of the nearly century-old "doodlebug" tractors have fallen apart or flat-out died in the decades since they were built, tight-knit communities of enthusiasts have coalesced around their love for keeping these machines alive.

A new pie-eating champion was crowned as the 206th annual fair concluded with a series of youth-focused events Saturday that also include a pig scramble.

Ashley Peters, 42, of Ellsworth, was hospitalized after reportedly falling asleep at the wheel and swerving into the median.

Photojournalist Anna Chadwick sat down with her mother, Laurel Chadwick, recently to reminisce about her time as a pig scramble champ at the Pittston Fair.

All photos by Anna Chadwick/Morning Sentinel

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

The apartment complex was without electricity and part of Benton Avenue was closed following the incident.

All photos by Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel

The Winslow-based agricultural retailer and its 275 employees join other Maine companies in the college's Preferred Education Partnership program.

After months of discussions to get the long-planned athletic complex closer to construction, town officials expect to know soon how much it will cost to build the facility.

Some officials at a meeting Tuesday said they worried that withholding payment could lead to legal problems for the town, and make other contractors less likely to bid on municipal projects in Skowhegan.

Trahan spent four months in hospitals and rehabilitation facilities across Maine because of complications from an infection, but he is now home and working toward a full recovery.

Town office employees issued a statement Monday in support of Town Manager Ella Bowman, who asked for unity amid recent municipal rancor.

“If that water main were to collapse or be broken, there would be no water,” said a trustee of the Norridgewock Water District, which last week was awarded $1.05 million from Gov. Janet Mills’ office.

Federal prosecutors say they have found no evidence of exploitation at the clandestine marijuana grow houses. Some local law enforcement, anti-trafficking advocates and several grow house workers say otherwise.

Now in its 206th year, the Skowhegan State Fair, which kicked off last Thursday and ends its 10-day run this Saturday, is the oldest consecutively running agricultural fair in the country and draws about 100,000 visitors in a typical year, according to organizers.

The storm clearing the area Saturday was good news for several area events and for viewing the Perseid meteor shower, expected to peak Sunday night.

Customers' claims on social media were corroborated by a half dozen incident reports from the Kennebec County Sheriff's Office that detail a pattern of neglect and a lack of communication from the Belgrade Boat Shop and its owner.

The bicyclist, a 67-year-old Fairfield man, was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries following the Thursday evening crash, police said.

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

Marilyn Jean Bird recently received a prestigious award from an international travel club for having visited more than 150 countries and territories.

Court papers say over the course of two decades, Sarah Nale took the money from Sidney Geller, his real estate trust, and from David Geller.

A man who jumped into the river to assist the woman said he was not sure how she ended up in the water.

The public was not allowed in the meeting room once councilors voted to move into executive session, but voices and shouting within the room could be heard from outside.

The operator of the vehicle, Rahaheem Friend, 33, of Skowhegan, also suffered injuries, police said.

The 10-day fair, the oldest of its kind in the country, runs from Thursday, Aug. 8, to Saturday, Aug. 17, and organizers expect about 100,000 people to attend.

In 2023, Steven Edwards was found guilty by a jury of 18 counts of possession of sexually explicit material.

Councilor Mike Joseph claimed he feared for his safety when Town Manager Ella Bowman yelled and wagged her finger in his face after a council meeting, which a judge later ruled was not harassment.

The annual event at Fields Fields farm in Dresden and more than 15 other locations across Maine celebrates the state's wild blueberry farmers, who produce more than 95% of the country's wild blueberries.

This year's festivities were meant to publicize organizers' efforts to construct a whitewater 'river park' in downtown Skowhegan, along with getting people outdoors and in the river.

The program, which guides officers to interact more safely with people who have emotional, developmental or behavioral disorders, has been adopted by over 30 agencies across Maine so far.

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

With the arrival of the Skowhegan State Fair next week, we know summer then trends toward fall, kids return to school, elections launch and the holidays descend, just before a new president is inaugurated — whew! Amy Calder writes.

Omar Sims Marquez, 21, formerly of Connecticut, was arrested Thursday during execution of a search warrant at 18 Edwards St. in Waterville, police said.

Peter Michaud, 70, of Waterville, was charged with aggravated driving to endanger after the Jeep he was driving Sunday on Elm Street in Waterville struck and seriously injured a woman and left another person with minor injuries, police said.

The annual Taste of Waterville returned Wednesday, with hundreds of people gathering to take in the festivities.

Daniel Harriman, a member of the Canaan Select Board, said the park’s report about the June 2023 incident, which alleges he yelled at two teenage staff members and their supervisor in an altercation over a parking dispute, was not completely accurate.

Charles A. Farrand, 65, was elected to fill the Select Board seat formerly held by Cheyenne Goodrich, who resigned effective May 31.

Letter

The town's Board of Appeals struck down neighbors' challenge to the brewery owners' plan to build outdoor seating, extend their hours and increase capacity.

The incident occurred Sunday near First Church of Waterville when the driver of a Jeep tried to go around a vehicle stopped in traffic and struck two people in a crosswalk, sending one by LifeFlight of Maine to a Portland hospital with serious injuries, according to police.

The multi-day celebration of life on the Kennebec River features dozens of events and activities in downtown Skowhegan.

The transition to the consolidated manufacturing facility, to be called 'Central Maine,' will begin this fall. All jobs at the Norridgewock site will be transferred to Skowhegan, the company said Tuesday.

The cause of the early Tuesday morning crash remains under investigation, the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office said.

The crash on Smithfield Road in Oakland Monday sent two cars into the trees and caused a trailer being hauled by a pickup truck to flip over.

In June, a jury found Michael Kilgore, 48, guilty of assault on an officer and assault, but returned not guilty verdicts on several other charges from the September 2022 incident.

The crash occurred Saturday morning on Pleasant View Ridge Road, sending the driver and passenger to hospitals.

The fire was reported around 8:30 p.m. Thursday at the Hartland municipal landfill, according to a statement from the town manager.

The driver eluded officers while leading them on a chase Monday afternoon from Waterville into Oakland.

Thorne Buzzard, 24, was charged with assault and endangering the welfare of a child Thursday after allegedly dropping his 17-month-old child, according to police.

Beginning this year, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has the ability to check to see if hunters have already acquired their hunting licenses before they apply for an antlerless deer permit.

The 8th annual three-day Oakfest in Oakland featured food, live music, a parade with the theme of Christmas in July, a Christmas boat parade, children's events, vendors and a children's book giveaway hosted by the ShineOnCass Foundation.

The woman, 79, was in critical condition and flown to a Portland hospital after being burned over 40% of her body, according to Winslow Deputy Fire Chief Michael Murphy, who helped to treat her.

Hundreds flocked Saturday to Albion to celebrate the town's 200th birthday.

Neil T. Maclean, 64, was arrested in October 2022 after he tried to set fire to his apartment at 36 High St. in Skowhegan.

Jason Cunningham, 50, is facing one count of burglary, two counts of theft and an additional charge in connection with two reported thefts in Ripley, police said.

The Thursday evening blaze at Jamie’s Auto Repair on French Street is under investigation but appears to have been caused accidentally, Skowhegan’s fire chief said.

The special town meeting election is scheduled for Tuesday, with polls open at the town office from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Residents are scheduled to elect Robert Hudson's successor Aug. 9

Michael Corson, 55, of Madison was indicted on one Class C count of aggravated criminal invasion of computer privacy, a charge that prosecutors filed after they dismissed several counts of theft before Corson’s trial in March.

Thomas College graduate Zhanpo 'PoPo' Lu aims to open a lot with space for up to six food trucks by September.

This is the season in Maine when spiders are most active, and when you're most likely to see one, writes Dana Wilde.

The ordinance, if approved by the Board of Selectmen and residents, would restrict locations of outpatient treatment centers and clinics to a stretch of U.S. Route 201 and the east side of the Madison Business Gateway business park.

The two-day Kneading Conference is set for Thursday and Friday in downtown Skowhegan, followed by the Maine Artisan Bread Fair on Saturday at the Skowhegan State Fairgrounds.

One of the most vibrant aurora seasons in years continues this summer as a medium-size solar storm is forecasted to arrive in Maine skies Tuesday night.