Three people face drug charges after officials from three agencies searched the car and home of a Skowhegan woman, seizing about $12,000 worth of heroin and other drugs, as well as a live alligator.Jessica Hutchins, 36, of 386 Water St., Skowhegan, was outside the Beverage Mart on nearby North Avenue at 12:20 p.m. Monday when officials from the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office and an agent from the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency observed her allegedly selling crack cocaine to a man later identified as Randy Willard, 37, of Oakland, according to Somerset County Sheriff Dale Lancaster. Inside...…Three people face drug charges after officials from three agencies searched the car and home of a Skowhegan woman, seizing about $12,000 worth of heroin and other drugs, as well as a live alligator.Jessica Hutchins, 36, of 386 Water St., Skowhegan, was outside the Beverage Mart on nearby North Avenue at 12:20 p.m. Monday when officials from the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office and an agent from the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency observed her allegedly selling crack cocaine to a man later identified as Randy Willard, 37, of Oakland, according to Somerset County Sheriff Dale Lancaster. Inside...WW…

1 of 6Drew Desjardins makes room for the 33 tarantulas, two scorpions and one wolf spider that were found in a motel room in Norway. The arachnids were confiscated from the motel room and brought to Mr. Drew and His Animals Too in Lewiston.When Inn Town Motel manager Andrew Coombs knocked on the door of one of the units on Main Street in Norway to collect rent from the tenant July 11, the first thing he saw was this stand holding more than a dozen spiders in cases.NORWAY — Inn Town Motel manager Andrew Coombs found dozens of unwanted guests when he tried to collect payment from one of his...…1 of 6Drew Desjardins makes room for the 33 tarantulas, two scorpions and one wolf spider that were found in a motel room in Norway. The arachnids were confiscated from the motel room and brought to Mr. Drew and His Animals Too in Lewiston.When Inn Town Motel manager Andrew Coombs knocked on the door of one of the units on Main Street in Norway to collect rent from the tenant July 11, the first thing he saw was this stand holding more than a dozen spiders in cases.NORWAY — Inn Town Motel manager Andrew Coombs found dozens of unwanted guests when he tried to collect payment from one of his...WW…

A pedestrian crosses Exchange Street in Portland while walking along Congress Street on Monday.Maine health officials reported just eight new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, tying for the lowest one-day total since the early days of the pandemic.Two of the new cases were associated with the , which has now seen a total of three cases, which meets the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s definition of an outbreak. Universal testing for inmates and employees is underway.Gov. Janet Mills also announced Tuesday that seven health care organizations are preparing to launch 18...…A pedestrian crosses Exchange Street in Portland while walking along Congress Street on Monday.Maine health officials reported just eight new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, tying for the lowest one-day total since the early days of the pandemic.Two of the new cases were associated with the , which has now seen a total of three cases, which meets the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s definition of an outbreak. Universal testing for inmates and employees is underway.Gov. Janet Mills also announced Tuesday that seven health care organizations are preparing to launch 18...WW…

Erik Poland, moments after landing a 39-pound, 3-ounce lake trout on July 2 in Richardson Lakes in Oxford County.Erik Poland knew he had a big fish as soon as he felt the bite on his trolling line, set nearly 100 feet into Richardson Lakes in Oxford County.But the Andover resident never imagined his only bite of the afternoon last Thursday would end up being a historic 39 pound, 3-ounce lake trout – nearly eight pounds heavier than the state record set 62 years ago.Even when he and the fish were at a half-hour standstill, with the trout 75 feet below Poland’s boat, according to the depth...…Erik Poland, moments after landing a 39-pound, 3-ounce lake trout on July 2 in Richardson Lakes in Oxford County.Erik Poland knew he had a big fish as soon as he felt the bite on his trolling line, set nearly 100 feet into Richardson Lakes in Oxford County.But the Andover resident never imagined his only bite of the afternoon last Thursday would end up being a historic 39 pound, 3-ounce lake trout – nearly eight pounds heavier than the state record set 62 years ago.Even when he and the fish were at a half-hour standstill, with the trout 75 feet below Poland’s boat, according to the depth...WW…

CARTHAGE — A local couple’s plans for picnic took a detour to Augusta last week to turn in a scratch lottery ticket worth $100,000.Lexy Duguay and Aaron Libby.Lexy Duguay, 22, of Rumford and Aaron Libby, 24, of Dixfield were making their way to Smalls Falls in Township E south of Rangeley on June 22 when they stopped at Bradbury’s Market & Diner in Carthage for Italian sandwiches.While waiting for their food, Aaron mentioned he had a $5 winning ticket in his vehicle. Lexy went to get it and returned with a second $5 winning ticket her grandmother had given her for Easter in March.Aaron...…CARTHAGE — A local couple’s plans for picnic took a detour to Augusta last week to turn in a scratch lottery ticket worth $100,000.Lexy Duguay and Aaron Libby.Lexy Duguay, 22, of Rumford and Aaron Libby, 24, of Dixfield were making their way to Smalls Falls in Township E south of Rangeley on June 22 when they stopped at Bradbury’s Market & Diner in Carthage for Italian sandwiches.While waiting for their food, Aaron mentioned he had a $5 winning ticket in his vehicle. Lexy went to get it and returned with a second $5 winning ticket her grandmother had given her for Easter in March.Aaron...WW…

A group from visitors from Massachusetts at Old Orchard Beach last Saturday.With the state reopening, the summer tourism season under way and the coronavirus surging across much of the southern United States, many Mainers are anxious about the possibility that out-of-state visitors could spark a resurgence of COVID-19 here as well.Those fears may be justified.Updated figures from the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention on how many nonresidents have tested positive for the virus in Maine show a near quadrupling in the pace of new cases in the last 11 days of June compared to the...…A group from visitors from Massachusetts at Old Orchard Beach last Saturday.With the state reopening, the summer tourism season under way and the coronavirus surging across much of the southern United States, many Mainers are anxious about the possibility that out-of-state visitors could spark a resurgence of COVID-19 here as well.Those fears may be justified.Updated figures from the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention on how many nonresidents have tested positive for the virus in Maine show a near quadrupling in the pace of new cases in the last 11 days of June compared to the...WW…

The May 25 death of George Floyd has caused white America to re-examine its view of race and policing to an extent that’s unparalleled since the height of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s.Why has it taken so long to raise public awareness on the issue of racism in society, in general, and in law enforcement, in particular?Part of the reason is certainly due to willful blindness by those who gain politically or financially from inequality. However, the major reason, I believe, is a phenomenon known as the “availability heuristic” or “availability bias” — the psychological sleight of...…The May 25 death of George Floyd has caused white America to re-examine its view of race and policing to an extent that’s unparalleled since the height of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s.Why has it taken so long to raise public awareness on the issue of racism in society, in general, and in law enforcement, in particular?Part of the reason is certainly due to willful blindness by those who gain politically or financially from inequality. However, the major reason, I believe, is a phenomenon known as the “availability heuristic” or “availability bias” — the psychological sleight of...WW…

Travis Verrill and Jason Gordon at the park bench in Norway that was featured in an anti-racism video they recorded and posted online, which received two million views in under five days.NORWAY — Travis Verrill and Jason Gordon unintentionally landed in the middle of viral internet stardom this week after they posted a video describing their confrontation with a man displaying racist signs in the windows of his Norway home.“You gotta stand up to make a change,” said Verrill.But the two South Paris men are far from the usual anti-racism activists.Verrill is the owner and sole employee of a...…Travis Verrill and Jason Gordon at the park bench in Norway that was featured in an anti-racism video they recorded and posted online, which received two million views in under five days.NORWAY — Travis Verrill and Jason Gordon unintentionally landed in the middle of viral internet stardom this week after they posted a video describing their confrontation with a man displaying racist signs in the windows of his Norway home.“You gotta stand up to make a change,” said Verrill.But the two South Paris men are far from the usual anti-racism activists.Verrill is the owner and sole employee of a...WW…

Purported cult leader Gary Blankenship, who , said Wednesday he’s ready to pack it in.Gary Blankenship“The show’s over,” he said from a temporary home in West Virginia.Calling himself, with a chuckle, “a retired cult leader,” the 36-year-old Blankenship said he plans to move with his wife and daughter somewhere where they can live quietly.His goal, he said, is to chill someplace out of sight from the many fans and foes he’s made over the years through his travels and talks on Facebook.after residents of St. Agatha made it clear they didn’t want him to set up a community in the area for...…Purported cult leader Gary Blankenship, who , said Wednesday he’s ready to pack it in.Gary Blankenship“The show’s over,” he said from a temporary home in West Virginia.Calling himself, with a chuckle, “a retired cult leader,” the 36-year-old Blankenship said he plans to move with his wife and daughter somewhere where they can live quietly.His goal, he said, is to chill someplace out of sight from the many fans and foes he’s made over the years through his travels and talks on Facebook.after residents of St. Agatha made it clear they didn’t want him to set up a community in the area for...WW…

A Bethel brew pub that’s been clashing with the state about reopening finally got its health and liquor licenses back this week so it could serve customers food and drink again.Rick Savage makes doughnuts in the kitchen of the Sunday River Brewing Co. in Bethel in preparation of opening up his restaurant to the public May 1 in defiance of state order.It didn’t last long.Rick Savage, the co-owner of Sunday River Brewing Co., confirmed Friday morning that state officials “took all permits yesterday for not wearing masks.”The shortly before noon Friday that it is open for dining and takeout,...…A Bethel brew pub that’s been clashing with the state about reopening finally got its health and liquor licenses back this week so it could serve customers food and drink again.Rick Savage makes doughnuts in the kitchen of the Sunday River Brewing Co. in Bethel in preparation of opening up his restaurant to the public May 1 in defiance of state order.It didn’t last long.Rick Savage, the co-owner of Sunday River Brewing Co., confirmed Friday morning that state officials “took all permits yesterday for not wearing masks.”The shortly before noon Friday that it is open for dining and takeout,...WW…