Rebecca Mceachern-Gorman, 29, faces charges after police said she crashed a car into a utility pole on Main Street.

Independent U.S. Sen. Angus King, whose first professional job was in Skowhegan, was in town Monday to hear how federal money is being invested in projects, including the River Park and redeveloping the former Solon Manufacturing Co. mill.

Working with the U.S. Border Patrol, Skowhegan police Chief David Bucknam stopped a pickup truck that was hauling a 21-foot trailer with potted marijuana plants inside.

The ATV was parked Sunday between the house and shed on Martin Stream Road when it caught fire, with the flames spreading to both structures, the fire chief said.

Residents took the action Saturday at the annual Town Meeting, while also approving a $1.6 million municipal budget.

Councilors are scheduled to hold a public hearing Tuesday on funding earmarked for the project planned for the intersection of Temple and Front streets.

In noting, residents elected Peter Rushton to fill the unexpired term of Selectman Rick Damren, who died while in office.

The annual Town Meeting was held Saturday morning at Canaan Farmers Hall and the elections will be held 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday at the Town Office.

The Morning Sentinel requested, through the state Freedom of Access Act, emails between Steve Daly and city officials for two weeks prior to and two weeks following Daly's resignation on Dec. 23, but much of that information was redacted or blacked out.

Young musicians with the school held a rehearsal to prepare for one of the most important performances of the year, a benefit concert scheduled for Sunday, March 19, at 2 p.m. at the Williamson Performing Arts Center at Lawrence High School in Fairfield. Photos by Morning Sentinel photojournalist Rich Abrahamson.

Augusta- and Waterville-area arrests for March 10-17, 2023.

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

Brenda Whitney gets joy from helping others, without looking for thank-yous, Amy Calder writes.

Joshua Wheaton, 37, was arrested Wednesday on three charges, including possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, according to the Somerset County Sheriff's Office.

Freedom has already rejected the fee and switched providers, while Fairfield and Oakland, each of which would pay more than $96,000 a year, have given preliminary approval to the added expense.

Officials say Andrew Gifford, 24, fired a 9 mm handgun three times in a crowded hallway during a party at the Waterville college after he had been hit in the head with a bottle by a man with whom Gifford had fought years earlier.

Residents met Saturday for the annual Town Meeting and, among other actions, appropriated money to reconstruct Ladd Road and fix other roads and bridges.

The storm delivered strong winds and heavy snow that brought down power lines and branches, primarily in coastal and southern parts of the state.

A member of the Maine Press Association Hall of Fame, McGowan worked for the Morning Sentinel for more than 35 years and was considered a trailblazer for female journalists in the state.

The 113-year-old bridge spans the Kennebec River between Waterville and Winslow.

The Town Council recently debated once again what to do with the Pittsfield Community Theatre and decided not to place it on the market.

People in the Somerset County town voted as part of the annual Town Meeting to approve the Sunday sales, and then a day later OK'd an annual municipal budget of about $700,000.

A late winter nor'easter is expected to blow through the state Tuesday and Wednesday, bringing strong winds and up to a foot of heavy snow across the region, the same day that brought snow to the region in 2017 and 2018.

The landmark hotel was listed for sale last week at $999,000, just a month after reopening, but co-owner Faith Goguen says she and her husband, Bruce, remain committed to the property as they take a long view of their business operations.

Allen Easley, 54, was killed Sunday in the blaze at 578 Mullen Road. His mother, who owned the house, survived, according to officials.

The landmark theater is one of about 300 drive-ins still operating across the country, and owner Don Brown says he is trying to find new revenue streams to keep it operational.

Painted and costumed Polar Plunge participants leap into Messalonskee Lake on Saturday as a fundraiser for the Alfond Youth and Community Center during its 30th annual Polar Plunge at the Pressey House in Oakland. Photos by Morning Sentinel photojournalist Michael G. Seamans.

Andrew Gifford, 24, was charged by police in connection with the early Saturday morning incident at the Alfond Apartments at Colby.

The Maine Supreme Judicial Court in a ruling Thursday said the judge who oversaw the trial of Richard Murray-Burns erred in the way he imposed the sentence against Murray-Burns for the 2019 shooting.

Students in a beginning clay class at the Ticonic Gallery + Studio in the Paul J. Schupf Art Center in downtown Waterville say creating with their hands is therapeutic and satisfying, Amy Calder writes.

Augusta- and Waterville-area arrests for March 3-10, 2023.

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

Kevin Lee Barr, 43, faces charges of Class A robbery and Class C unlawful possession of fentanyl powder, police said.

The seasonal homes toward the north end of the pond were destroyed Thursday in a blaze that drew at least three-dozen firefighters from the region.

Acting Waterville police Chief Bill Bonney said the seizure of cocaine, crack, crystal methamphetamine, fentanyl and heroin put "a significant dent in the drug trade in our community."

State and local officials are looking to assist the 251 employees furloughed by Puritan after the company saw a decrease in demand for the medical swabs it produces.

Part of Webb Road to close April 3 for about 18 months to allow the Maine Department of Transportation to replace two bridges on Interstate 95.

Neil T. Maclean, 63, has been indicted by a Somerset County grand jury on two counts of arson and one count of attempted murder after he allegedly tried to kill himself and his wife in a fire.

Gifford's Ice Cream announced its plans Wednesday to get "back to business" with four production partners until repairs are made to their Skowhegan facility.

The race is one of the Sexual Assault Crisis & Support Center's largest fundraisers and outreach events.

Residents voted to recall Selectman Glen Mantor in a special election Tuesday, and elected Shawn Bean to replace him, according to preliminary results from the town clerk Tuesday night.

The proposed ordinance the council voted on Tuesday asks for voluntary compliance from property owners to register their buildings with the city, whereas the original proposal would have required them to register or be penalized.

The accidental fire on Tuesday, which officials said was caused by electrical malfunctioning, occurred on Butler Street, just east of Redington-Fairview General Hospital.

There's one medical marijuana retail store in town and people at the annual Town Meeting on Monday indicated that for now they don't want anymore.

The Police Department is looking to enlarge its dispatch center following the decision by Somerset County to stop taking 911 calls for 16 communities in Kennebec County, citing staffing challenges.

Several annual town meetings were held Saturday despite the snowstorm that swept through the region, including in Anson, Cornville, Embden and Solon.

The Board of Selectmen sent a letter last week to the Maine Department of Transportation asking it adjust its paving schedule for the region to include work on Madison Avenue, one of the busiest roads in town.

St. Albans residents approved a $1.5 million budget and approved all but two of 48 articles on the Town Meeting warrant. Voters also elected a new selectman and reelected a school board director.

Somerset County sheriff's officials went to the home of Barry Wheaton, 58, to arrest him on a warrant from another county when he refused to come out and then pointed the gun toward them, according to Chief Deputy Michael Mitchell.

Brett Johnson, Dawn Smith and Felicia Willard are scheduled to appear in court July 5 on drug-related charges, according to Somerset County Sheriff Dale Lancaster.

Eric Dore, 44, is serving the sentence in Somerset County Jail after authorities say he took an inappropriate photo of a woman without her knowledge last summer.

Augusta- and Waterville-area arrests for Feb. 24-March 3, 2023.

The Maine Supreme Judicial Court on Thursday swept aside the appeal by Duane Marquis, who had argued that the state definition of gross sexual assault didn't apply to him.

The storm will cap a busy week for public works crews that have been plowing roads all week after earlier storms dumped snow across the region.

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

Juli Brooks Settlemire, who's receiving hospice care, has inspired many in community theater in central Maine and wants to find a home for the Waterville-based Aqua City Actors Theatre, Amy Calder writes.

Gerald Goodale, 63, who's already serving a 75-year term, entered his plea Thursday in a Skowhegan courtroom and was sentenced to 32 years.

Michele Pelletier and Daniel Webster III reside in Winthrop.

Residents told selectmen Tuesday that teams won't have a field on which to play next year, but town officials say they have a plan to build fields near the Skowhegan Community Center.

After taking the reins in December, police Chief Vicente Morris has the chronically understaffed Pittsfield Police Department at full force with seven full-time officers. He's now turning his attention to community policing programs he wants to roll out.

Gene Rose, 66, was found Tuesday in the vehicle that was overturned in about 4 feet of water off Hill Road in Clinton.

A group of about 10 people attended Monday's board meeting to criticize a district policy they say may exclude parents from school conversations about a child's gender identity.

The school is now called Unity Environmental University and an updated vision statement says it is "recognized as the thought leader in global ecological, economic and societal solutions."

Services were held in Augusta, Camden, China, Gardiner and Skowhegan.

The Waterville Board of Education on Monday got an update on a search for a new superintendent to succeed Eric Haley, who has said he hopes to retire this year.

Rebecca Corbett, the editor who spearheaded The New York Times' 2017 investigation into Harvey Weinstein's sexual misconduct, reflected at Friday's panel on her first-ever job at the Morning Sentinel and the role of an editor in investigative reporting.

As the town positions itself to become a regional food destination amid revitalization efforts, local entrepreneurs are coming into the community to make it happen.

Luke Pomerleau, 42, surrendered to police late Sunday morning after a two-hour standoff, and was charged with domestic violence assault and obstructing report of a crime.

The Youth Art Month exhibition will be on view at Ticonic Gallery, Greene Block + Studios through March 31.

Augusta- and Waterville-area arrests for Feb. 17-24, 2023.

Town Manager Kathryn Ruth said progress was made this week resolving problems with a vital software program after company representatives met with local officials.

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

The early Friday morning blaze happened at the Dead River Shell Station at 500 Kennedy Memorial Drive in Waterville.

As food prices increase and more and more people can't afford to buy their own food, let alone travel to a store, the Winslow Community Cupboard brings it to their neighborhoods, Amy Calder writes.

One person was injured when falling 10 feet through a covering at Sappi Fine Paper's Somerset Mill, officials said.

Mainers from near and far bundled up Saturday to face the cold weather and cheer on skijoring teams as part of the Somerset SnowFest celebration.

Project managers gave an update Tuesday on their plans for a new, consolidated elementary school at 40 Heselton St. Officials plan to go out for bid in April and break ground on the $75 million project this summer.

Two men and a woman are accused in home invasion May 29 on Main Street, police said.

A new city manager is expected to be named by the first week in May and that person would start the job 30 to 45 days after that.

The gold medalists have qualified to represent the center at the State SkillsUSA Championships in Bangor March 17.

Councilors said they want to hear an explanation from the Planning Board as to why property at 74 Pleasant St. should be rezoned from residential to commercial, a change that would allow Ware-Butler Building Supply to put business offices in the building.

Gifford's Famous Ice Cream announced Tuesday it is unable to produce ice cream out of their Skowhegan facility after a fire damaged their production area earlier this month, but are exploring some temporary solutions.

Kennebec County officials are now considering what steps they can take to fill the gap in emergency communications after Somerset County commissioners voted to not renew contracts with 16 communities across northern and western Kennebec County.

The National Weather Service says snow will begin falling late Wednesday night, bringing 6-8 inches of snow to the Augusta and Waterville area by Thursday, while a second snowstorm is expected to bring an estimated 2-4 inches of snow on Friday.

Purdue Global School of Nursing is partnering with Northern Light Inland Hospital in Waterville to build the innovative learning center next to the hospital.

The crash involving a Waterville police officer and two others in a vehicle occurred Saturday afternoon on Kennedy Memorial Drive.

Councilors are scheduled to meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday at The Elm at 21 College Ave.

The accident occurred when a 32-year-old man attempted to cross Benton Avenue as a public works truck sanding the street was backing up, according to police.

Tanya Hanson, 50, of Wells died after crashing her snowmobile in northern Somerset County.

Many people were out ice fishing Sunday at China Lake, Lake George and other locations, but fishing south of Augusta was not so good, given unfavorable ice conditions.

Waterville police Officer Mikayla Hodge and two others were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries Saturday after a crash on Kennedy Memorial Drive in Waterville.

The box sled races were held Saturday morning at Lake George Regional Park West in Skowhegan as part of the annual SnowFest, a 10-day festival featuring winter recreational activities, hosted by the park and Main Street Skowhegan.

The first lab in Maine with the ability to test for PFAS in drinking water opened this week and its founders aim to make testing faster and more accessible for people.

A New Portland man was showing the weapon to a friend Thursday when it discharged, firing a single bullet into the man's hand that then struck his friend in the arm, sheriff's officials said.

Augusta- and Waterville-area arrests for Feb. 10-17, 2023.

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

It's a balancing act, owning a fat cat that needs to lose weight and a skinny one who needs to gain, especially when it comes to meal time, Amy Calder writes.

The Maine Connectivity Authority has awarded the money to the towns through a partnership with Consolidated Communications.

There are about 14 downtown buildings with vacant space, including seven that are fully empty, officials say.

Michael Steward, 64, died Tuesday when his pickup truck crossed the center line and struck an oncoming tractor-trailer, according to the Piscataquis County Sheriff's Office.

Corey Farley, 30, was sentenced Tuesday at Somerset County Superior Court after being found guilty Dec. 15 of gross sexual assault and unlawful sexual contact.

Fish Tails Pet Emporium is cashing in on a nationwide trend: For a small fee on the week around Valentine's Day, customers can name a cockroach after an ex-partner and feed it to the store's 30-inch Savannah monitor lizard, Brutus.

The SnowFest, in its fifth year of celebrating winter activities, kicks off Friday and continues to Feb. 26.

Vanessa Poirier, 25, of Waterville suffered minor injuries Tuesday when her SUV ran a stop sign, hit a guardrail and went down an embankment and into the brook, Fairfield police say.

The board forwarded its recommendation following a strong debate Tuesday on whether rezoning the land that was once home to Sacred Heart Church would change the complexion of the neighborhood.

Work on the pumping station, built in the 1970s, and adding two sewer lines at the bottom of the Kennebec River could total $8 million, according to town officials.

The high school basketball tournament begins Friday and the Augusta Civic Center is one of three sites in Maine hosting games. The court at the civic center was assembled Tuesday for one of the most popular tournaments the center hosts each year. Photos by Morning Sentinel photographer Rich Abrahamson.

David Mehlhorn, the CEO of the Winslow-based company, said he hopes to position it to be a "one-stop shop" for mid-sized farmers and home gardeners across the U.S.

Thomas Souza, 50, was discovered under his ATV on the ice of Sibley Pond late Sunday, according to the state Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife.

George Cutten, 64, died suddenly last week while performing work at Sappi in Skowhegan for a Hermon construction company.

The City Council voted last week to approve a plan to redraw the lines in four city wards, and councilors are scheduled to take a second, final vote next week.

Scott Therrien said his son, Benjamin Scott Therrien, 28, made no threat last week to harm others at the Hancock Lumber sawmill where he worked at the time, and that he will plead not guilty to a terrorizing charge.

The capital campaign was the most significant fundraising effort in the history of the school, which was established in 1946 in Madison and covers more than 350 acres.

The person hired for the position will work to identify people in the community who struggle with mental health, substance abuse and other issues, and help connect them with services, thus reducing the need for police response.

Augusta- and Waterville-area arrests for Feb. 3-10, 2023.

A public hearing is scheduled for Monday on a push to remove Selectman Glen Mantor from office, with his critics saying he allowed personal feelings to drive his decision to reject a request for a full-time code enforcement officer/maintenance worker.

Liliana Ann Greene was born Jan. 11 in Boston with a rare heart condition that required surgery the day after her birth, Amy Calder writes.

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

The chair of the Solon Board of Selectmen said Thursday the hotel, which will include a full-service restaurant, bar and function hall, has long been a beloved meeting place in town and should be an economic boon.

Town officials have expressed concern for more than 40 dogs kept outside a Depot Street house, most of them living outside, but the officials say the animals appear to be in good health and had "legally adequate" shelter when temperatures plummeted to about minus 20 degrees.

Benjamin Scott Therrien was being held Wednesday at the Somerset County Jail on a charge of terrorizing after threatening to target his former employer, according to Pittsfield police Chief Vicente Morris.

Clotheslines of Comfort will run through Thursday, Feb. 19.

The deadline for applications is 4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21.

Councilors will spend $9,000 to have Eaton Peabody Consulting Group lead the search to find a replacement for Steve Daly, who abruptly resigned as the city's manager in December.

The Municipal Review Committee ended its exclusivity agreement with New York-based Revere Capital Partners to help operate and partially own the Municipal Waste Solutions plant when it did not meet deadlines for submitting an engineering report and other documents.

Two people who run the Accountability For All channel on YouTube conducted a "First Amendment audit" at Waterville city offices last month during stops across Maine, claiming that Mayor Jay Coelho's videos on TikTok are unprofessional.

The Kennebec Water District received four reports of water main breaks in Waterville and Winslow on Saturday and all have been repaired, according to superintendent Roger Crouse, who said it is "extremely rare" to have four breaks in one day.

Hundreds of self-proclaimed nerds from across the state gathered Sunday for the Maine Sci-Fi & Fantasy Nerd Fest at The Olde Mill Place, where they showed off their costumes, socialized, shopped and competed in events.

Reservations are required and must be made by Saturday, Feb. 11.

Proceeds will help the elderly with heat and electric bills.

Augusta- and Waterville-area arrests for Jan. 27-Feb. 3, 2023.

Waterville-based Delta says various financial pressures are driving up expenses, forcing the nonprofit to propose the fee for the 14 central Maine towns it serves.

The heat gun was left atop a pallet of combustible materials inside a walk-in freezer, leading to the fire Thursday that damaged offices and a production area at Gifford's Famous Ice Cream, according to Skowhegan fire Chief Ronnie Rodriguez.

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

Wearing proper foot gear this time of year can mean the difference between a safe trek to the mailbox and a painful ride to the hospital, Amy Calder writes.

After earlier warmer temperatures postponed their efforts, Amish workers spent Thursday carving blocks of ice from a farm pond for storage in icehouses to keep produce and other foods cold for the months ahead.

Exhibit on display through end of February.

A company official said the fire began Thursday morning in a processing area where milk and cream are mixed for the company's well-known ice cream.

As Maine braces for a cold snap this week, residents across the state are readying for frigid temperatures expected to plunge to minus 20 by the weekend.

The fire early Wednesday is believed to have started when smoldering wood ash ignited wood chips on a conveyor belt in the plant, according to Waterville fire Chief Shawn Esler.

Anson fire Chief Stacey Beane said after the dog and its owner escaped the flames early Wednesday on Embden Pond Road, the pet went back inside through an open door and perished.

Some of the ideas Tuesday for the park on the banks of the Kennebec River were to add a play area for dogs, a footbridge to downtown and a longer loop trail.

Buen Apetito, a mainstay in the Waterville restaurant scene for two decades, can now be found at 99 West River Road after a dispute over parking led to its departure from the Railroad Square complex.

Workers were renovating a building at 72 Armory Road for the new SweetFrog location, when someone stole power tools last week from inside the building.

Business owners have largely praised downtown improvements and the new two-way traffic pattern, but city officials say some tweaks may be in order for the intersection adjacent to the Ticonic Bridge.

The town is one of 17 municipalities in the state to receive the award for meeting workplace safety standards set by the state Department of Labor.

Justin Boucher, 21, accused of repeatedly stabbing a 65-year-old man Jan. 18, entered his plea last week at an Augusta courtroom.

The Sisters of St. Joseph of Lyon welcomed residents to the Saint Joseph's Nature Sanctuary on Saturday morning for a guided nature walk through the winter foliage.

Justin Boucher, 21, appears to have attacked a 65-year-old man because he believed the older man had assaulted a family member, a Winslow police investigator said Friday.

Augusta- and Waterville-area arrests for Jan. 20-27, 2023.