Category Archives: Maine

Noted bicyclist to ride in Dempsey Challenge | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram

Noted bicyclist to ride in Dempsey Challenge | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram.

Portland has 10th straight above-normal month | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram

Portland has 10th straight above-normal month | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram.

Maine asks bids for offshore power | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram

Maine asks bids for offshore power | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram.

Blue Hill Fair a family affair: 20-year veterans make drinks for visitors | Bangor Daily News

The Blue Hill Fair is full of traditions, some institutional, some personal and some that involve whole families.

That’s the case for the Lepper family, who for the past 20 years have been stationed at the end of the grandstand on the fair’s midway selling their Lime Fizz drinks to loyal customers, and this weekend was no exception at this year’s event, which runs through today and was interrupted only briefly by Tropical Storm Earl.

Boop’s Lime Fizz began in 1990, after the family, Jim and Nada Lepper and their two children, Jason and Betsy, took a trip to Washington, D.C., where they tasted a drink called a lime fizzie.

“We thought that maybe people would like it at the Blue Hill Fair,” Nada Lepper said Sunday while sorting limes at the booth. “It was a way for the family to be together at the fair and add to the fun we had at the fair. It was a family experiment.”

Click for more of this story by Rich Hewitt in the Bangor Daily News.

Three tons of lobster perish in Rockland fire | Bangor Daily News

Three tons of lobster perish in Rockland fire | Bangor Daily News.

Mainers protest Senate inaction on climate bill | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram

Mainers protest Senate inaction on climate bill | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram.

Maine troopers stop truck, find false logbook … and $1M cash | Bangor Daily News

Maine troopers stop truck, find false logbook … and $1M cash | Bangor Daily News.

Libra purchases potato company in Mars Hill | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram

[It’s a small world, goes the cliche, but this story proves it once again. The Basic American Foods company that sold this to the local Maine investors was started in Vacaville, Calif., where I lived for about 13 years. It’s a wonderful city with a small-town feel. It’s situated on Interstate 80 between Sacramento and San Francisco. The Humes, who started Basic American Foods, did much to feed World War II servicemen with the techniques they developed. — KM]

Libra purchases potato company in Mars Hill | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram.

Mainers get ready for Earl: Local marinas pull vessels out of harm’s way | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram

Mainers get ready for Earl: Local marinas pull vessels out of harm’s way | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram

Camden’s Windjammer Festival will get a late start, while high school sports officials reschedule games.

From the Portland Press Herald coverage:

Keep track of Earl

Go to our special Hurricane Earl tracking map to see the storm’s current position and predicted path up the East Coast.

STORM CANCELLATIONS

Maine Eastern Railroad has canceled its rides between Brunswick and Rockland today through Sunday.

Portland Discovery has canceled its cruise today to Eagle Island.

Elsewhere in New England, the Steamship Authority said Thursday that ferry service from Hyannis to Nantucket is likely to be suspended before noon today. The agency said ferries between Woods Hole and Martha’s Vineyard will continue to operate for as long as possible, but service is also likely to be suspended by early or midafternoon today.

Anonymous bidder raises stakes for lighthouse: Bid casts doubt on Maine-based organization’s effort to acquire Ram Island Ledge Light | Portland Press Herald

Ram Island Ledge Light

Ram Island Ledge Light

An anonymous bidder has raised the stakes in what appears to be a three-way struggle for ownership of a historic lighthouse off the coast of Cape Elizabeth.

The $35,000 bid, made online Thursday by a party known only as “tugdocto,” cast doubt on a Maine-based organization’s effort to acquire Ram Island Ledge Light.

Robert Muller of Brunswick, executive director of the Ram Island Ledge Lighthouse Community, said his group must somehow raise $5,000 to $10,000 in the next day or two “to stay in the game” and put the lighthouse under public, locally based ownership.

“I really need to make up the gap with some large pledges,” he said.

Under federal rules, bidders have until 3 p.m. today to outbid tugdocto. Bids must be made in increments of at least $5,000.

If someone does outbid tugdocto today, the online auction will continue on to the next regular business day – Tuesday.

Click for the rest of the story by Dennis Hoey in the Portland Press Herald.

Anyone who wants to get more information or make a contribution can go to www.ramislandlighthouse.com, call (207) 956-0699 or e-mail Muller at bob@RamIslandLighthouse.com.

Some Maine schools again dismissed due to heat | Bangor Daily News

Some Maine schools again dismissed due to heat | Bangor Daily News.

Weakening Earl to make landfall in Nova Scotia | Bangor Daily News

Weakening Earl to make landfall in Nova Scotia | Bangor Daily News.

Body of Maine climber missing since 1989 found | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram

Body of Maine climber missing since 1989 found | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram.

Woman crashes car into gate of Stephen King’s Bangor home | Bangor Daily News

Woman crashes car into gate of Stephen King’s Bangor home | Bangor Daily News.

Finding the quiet delight of Maine: Visitors from state, beyond continue to discover beauty of state parks | Maine Sunday Telegram

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine – When Scott Thompson, the Aroostook State Park manager, was invited to a trade show in Boston this spring, he didn’t let an opportunity pass him by.

Thompson, the manager of Maine’s northern-most state park, looked at the convention center full of intrepid tourists and seized the chance to send them 10 hours north.

“I was told to just hand out brochures. But I just thought, ‘Here we go,’ ” said Thompson, a Presque Isle native.

The affable and amusing Thompson told as many people as he could about the beauty of Aroostook County in summertime, about the 15 miles of Nordic ski trails he grooms around the state park in winter, and about the booming winter carnival held there now, which increased in attendance from 100 to 700 in three years.

Thompson must have intrigued a few tourists because attendance at Aroostook State Park is up 30 percent this year, according to the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands.

Click for the rest of the story by Deirdre Fleming in the Maine Sunday Telegram.

Plenty of sun but rain needed in northern Maine | Bangor Daily News

Plenty of sun but rain needed in northern Maine – Bangor Daily News.

Interest in Presque Isle balloon festival on the rise | Bangor Daily News

Balloons at the Crown of Maine Balloon Festival held this weekend. Photo by Kelly McInnis

Balloons at the Crown of Maine Balloon Festival held this weekend. Photo by Kelly McInnis

Here are photos and links to a Bangor Daily News story on the Crown of Maine Balloon Festival.

It was held this weekend, so plan for next year. While I would NEVER get into a balloon – I covered too many balloon mishaps in 23 years as a journalist – it does look like it was great fun. And there were other activities that went along with this year’s event.

I’ve also included a link to the festival’s website for those who are really interested.

And the photos come via Kelly McInnis, a high school classmate who still lives in The County. The photos are reprinted here with her permission.

Balloons at the Crown of Maine Balloon Festival held this weekend. Photo by Kelly McInnis

Balloons at the Crown of Maine Balloon Festival held this weekend. Photo by Kelly McInnis

A balloon at the Crown of Maine Balloon Festival held this weekend. Photo by Kelly McInnis

A balloon at the Crown of Maine Balloon Festival held this weekend. Photo by Kelly McInnis

Balloons at the Crown of Maine Balloon Festival held this weekend. Photo by Kelly McInnis

Balloons at the Crown of Maine Balloon Festival held this weekend. Photo by Kelly McInnis

Interest in Presque Isle balloon festival on the rise | Bangor Daily News

For information go to the Crown of Maine Balloon Fest website at http://www.crownofmaineballoonfest.org/ or call the Presque Isle Area Chamber of Commerce at (207) 764-6561.

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New camper fulfills stricken boy’s wish | The Morning Sentinel, Waterville, ME

New camper fulfills stricken boy’s wish | The Morning Sentinel, Waterville, ME.

Offering viewers a sneak peek of autumn: Dry summer gives some trees early start on foliage season | Portland Press Herald

Here’s a photo I posted a few days ago showing the early change in color of foliage. This photo was taken not long ago near Jo-Mary Lake Campground in the shadow of Mount Katahdin. Photo by Kelly McInnis

Here’s a photo I posted a few days ago showing the early change in color of foliage. This photo was taken not long ago near Jo-Mary Lake Campground in the shadow of Mount Katahdin. Photo by Kelly McInnis

The fall foliage season has started, at least for some trees.

Some species are turning yellow and shedding their foliage earlier than normal because of the dry summer. But forestry experts do not expect conditions to affect the prime leaf-peeping season.

“We have noticed it especially with paper and yellow birch,” said Bill Ostrofsky, a tree pathologist with the Maine Forest Service.

Touches of red and gold always appear on some trees in the Maine landscape in late August. But the dry conditions have led to more color this year. Until this week, no significant rain had fallen over much of the state since June.

The lack of water caused leaves to droop, then drop, on bushes and trees where the soil was especially dry.

Click for the rest of the story by Beth Quimby in the Portland Press Herald.

Mall stores report a strong summer | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram

Mall stores report a strong summer | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram.