TOPSHAM — Not many 15-year-old boys can say they have been in business for more than five years, but Austin Kidder can. The Topsham teenager started his dog toy business, Dusty’s Toys, at the age of 9. He said the idea came to him during the process of moving to Maine from Minnesota. Kidder broached the […]

FALMOUTH — With budget deliberations approaching, the School Board has begun prepping for anticipated bad news from the state.  “Budget issues are going to be as big as they ever have been,” state Sen.-elect Richard Woodbury, U-Yarmouth, told the board Monday evening. “Budgets have been flat or declining, and only, as a state, have we […]

FALMOUTH — The School Department hopes to utilize three classrooms in the new elementary school for limited preschool programs. “We’re not in a position to offer a public preschool right now,” Superintendent Barbara Powers said. “We can’t think about offering that now, with the current economic climate.” Instead, the district is planning to enlist state-run […]

YARMOUTH — Throughout his 33 years of service as a Yarmouth police officer,  Bruce Flanders has seen changes in weapons and technology, the drug culture and dispatch services. But what has remained constant, he said, is the camaraderie within the department, the value of compassion in the field and the importance of public education. Flanders, […]

CUMBERLAND — The Planning Board voted 3-3 Dec. 14 on whether to recommend a zoning change that would allow businesses along part of Main Street. The board then voted unanimously to report to the Town Council that it was unable to reach consensus. The council must ultimately decide whether to implement the Town Center District. […]

AUGUSTA — Solar panels installed behind trees, covered with snow, shaded by a barn or not tilted toward the sun. Wind turbines blocked by trees or shut down for safety reasons and then not turned back on when the wind was strong. Heat pumps turned off by homeowners because they were too noisy. These are […]

YARMOUTH — The Town Council on Dec. 16 approved a new Comprehensive Plan that replaces the plan adopted in 1993. Changes include the potential for new zoning practices. The Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee worked on the document for nearly five years. Co-chairwoman Esther Pappas said she was pleased with the results and was thankful for […]

FALMOUTH — Before TideSmart Global began construction of its campus on Route 1 this summer, it blasted the hills on the property to make room for the new buildings. Approximately 1.2 million tons of rock exploded in pieces and crumbled around the site. One 18,000-pound rock landed near the front of the planned building space. […]

PORTLAND — Victoria Mansion’s brownstone exterior blends in with other historic buildings in Portland. But step a few feet off Danforth Street and through the two tall, narrow wooden doors and you’re transported back in time to pre-Civil War opulence. From now until Jan. 8, visitors will be able to enjoy holiday decorations that are […]

CUMBERLAND — For Albert Wheeler, weather isn’t something you just praise when the sun shines or complain about when the rain falls. It’s been a lifelong pursuit and career. The pursuit may continue, but the career will come to a close at the end of the year when Wheeler, will retire from his job as […]