In the monthly outdoor magazine the Northwoods Sporting Journal a few months ago, personal reports of cougar or mountain lion sightings in Maine were solicited. As a result more than 30 readers shared their cougar-sighting experiences! Some of these accounts, all of which appear to have a common ring of authenticity and credibility, will be published in the October issue of the Sporting Journal. (www.sportingjournal com).We invite you and Maine’s knowledgeable and highly professional state and federal wildlife biologists to weigh this surprising response in context of this official...…In the monthly outdoor magazine the Northwoods Sporting Journal a few months ago, personal reports of cougar or mountain lion sightings in Maine were solicited. As a result more than 30 readers shared their cougar-sighting experiences! Some of these accounts, all of which appear to have a common ring of authenticity and credibility, will be published in the October issue of the Sporting Journal. (www.sportingjournal com).We invite you and Maine’s knowledgeable and highly professional state and federal wildlife biologists to weigh this surprising response in context of this official...WW…

Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services expanded its free swab and send testing program to anyone above the age of 12 months. The program was limited to those exhibiting symptoms prior to September 22. REGION — Due to the state’s expanded coronavirus testing capacity which is now at 400 tests per 100,000 people, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has extended its free swab and send testing program to all individuals until October 31. Previously, the exclusively served those who were exhibiting symptoms or had a separate order from their health care...…Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services expanded its free swab and send testing program to anyone above the age of 12 months. The program was limited to those exhibiting symptoms prior to September 22. REGION — Due to the state’s expanded coronavirus testing capacity which is now at 400 tests per 100,000 people, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has extended its free swab and send testing program to all individuals until October 31. Previously, the exclusively served those who were exhibiting symptoms or had a separate order from their health care...WW…

Election clerks reported a steady stream of voters casting their ballots Monday during the first day of in-person early voting in Maine.The coronavirus pandemic has sparked record interest among Mainers in utilizing the state’s absentee ballot process, which allows voters to vote early by mail or in person for any reason. Requests for absentee ballots had topped 277,000 as of Friday, which already represents more than one-quarter of registered voters in Maine.While most of those ballots will be mailed back or dropped off in the coming weeks, towns and cities across Maine began offering...…Election clerks reported a steady stream of voters casting their ballots Monday during the first day of in-person early voting in Maine.The coronavirus pandemic has sparked record interest among Mainers in utilizing the state’s absentee ballot process, which allows voters to vote early by mail or in person for any reason. Requests for absentee ballots had topped 277,000 as of Friday, which already represents more than one-quarter of registered voters in Maine.While most of those ballots will be mailed back or dropped off in the coming weeks, towns and cities across Maine began offering...WW…

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden told an African American talk show host last week: “If you have a problem figuring out whether you’re for me or Trump, then you ain’t black.” It was not a one-off remark.After strong condemnation, including from some fellow Democrats, Biden attempted to walk back his statement, suggesting he was trying to be funny. Biden has made other demeaning comments about minorities for many years. They are part of a pattern.Cal ThomasOne of the definitions of “pattern” is: “a combination of qualities, acts, tendencies … forming a consistent or...…Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden told an African American talk show host last week: “If you have a problem figuring out whether you’re for me or Trump, then you ain’t black.” It was not a one-off remark.After strong condemnation, including from some fellow Democrats, Biden attempted to walk back his statement, suggesting he was trying to be funny. Biden has made other demeaning comments about minorities for many years. They are part of a pattern.Cal ThomasOne of the definitions of “pattern” is: “a combination of qualities, acts, tendencies … forming a consistent or...WW…

The Maine State House is illuminated at dusk on Monday. Maine’s Department of Public Safety says it has increased security around the building and will continue to make adjustments in the days leading up President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration.Maine is among the states that has begun to beef up security around the State House and other government buildings in Augusta following the insurrection by President Trump’s supporters at the U.S. Capitol last week and the threat of more violence by extremists seeking to reverse the election.Five people, including one police officer, died after Trump...…The Maine State House is illuminated at dusk on Monday. Maine’s Department of Public Safety says it has increased security around the building and will continue to make adjustments in the days leading up President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration.Maine is among the states that has begun to beef up security around the State House and other government buildings in Augusta following the insurrection by President Trump’s supporters at the U.S. Capitol last week and the threat of more violence by extremists seeking to reverse the election.Five people, including one police officer, died after Trump...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…

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…

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…

Tom Beretich, right, of North Yarmouth assists Nancy and Denis Berube of Auburn on a recent Saturday at the COVID-19  at the Auburn Mall vaccination siteMore than 100 people from inside and outside Androscoggin County have signed up as volunteers at the Auburn Mall mass vaccination clinic in recent weeks with the hope of helping other people get protection from COVID-19. Today, we introduce you to four of them, sharing their stories of who they are and why they care.Tom Beretich: North Yarmouth engineer“I can see the relief on people’s faces.”Standing in the middle of two socially...…Tom Beretich, right, of North Yarmouth assists Nancy and Denis Berube of Auburn on a recent Saturday at the COVID-19  at the Auburn Mall vaccination siteMore than 100 people from inside and outside Androscoggin County have signed up as volunteers at the Auburn Mall mass vaccination clinic in recent weeks with the hope of helping other people get protection from COVID-19. Today, we introduce you to four of them, sharing their stories of who they are and why they care.Tom Beretich: North Yarmouth engineer“I can see the relief on people’s faces.”Standing in the middle of two socially...WW…

The recent news that Avangrid, the parent company of Central Maine Power, has filed suit against its customers to deny them the right for self-determination in a citizens’ initiative is a shocking development in the CMP corridor debate. But more importantly, it also heralds here in Maine a distressing new reality about democracy and capitalism.It has been clear for, many years now, that our federal government has been captured by corporate interests, abetted by both major political parties. When that capture is in the distant land of Washington, D.C., we can call it “the swamp” and cry,...…The recent news that Avangrid, the parent company of Central Maine Power, has filed suit against its customers to deny them the right for self-determination in a citizens’ initiative is a shocking development in the CMP corridor debate. But more importantly, it also heralds here in Maine a distressing new reality about democracy and capitalism.It has been clear for, many years now, that our federal government has been captured by corporate interests, abetted by both major political parties. When that capture is in the distant land of Washington, D.C., we can call it “the swamp” and cry,...WW…