BATH — Area agencies turned an $8,800 investment into nearly $33,000 in annual energy savings for 76 families last winter and are planning to aid 100 more households this winter, they said Tuesday in a weatherization forum at United Way of Mid Coast Maine. The forum, held in conjunction with Habitat for Humanity/7 Rivers Maine, was […]

FALMOUTH — Police are considering charges against a driver after a car crashed into a house Tuesday on Allen Avenue, causing “substantial damage” to the home. Police said the driver, Kirkland Lamour, 22, of Auburn, attempted to pass another vehicle on a hill just after 3:30 p.m., lost control of the car and slammed into […]

BATH — What lurks beneath the Maine Maritime Museum? Visitors can find out because the Washington Street institution is opening its basement for tours, showcasing parts of its 20,000-piece collection that many members of the public have never seen before. Only a small number of those items can be displayed at a time in the museum’s […]

TOPSHAM — The Cathance River Education Alliance has a new solar-powered cart. Now all it needs is sunshine. A rooftop panel weighing only 3.75 pounds is powering the alliance’s trail maintenance golf cart. A State Farm Insurance grant to the alliance’s sustainability education programs funded the project. The cutting-edge amorphous silicon panel has three layers, each […]

Demolition of the old Baxter Elementary School began in earnest on Monday. Workers from Gorham Sand & Gravel started tearing down the old building as the first step toward a new neighborhood school on nearby Ocean Avenue. Up to 75 percent of the demolition material at the Baxter School is expected to be recycled.

BRUNSWICK — Maine Eastern Railroad has been flying under the radar while the proposed extension of the Amtrak Downeaster to Brunswick, and the operational funding for the passenger service, has held the attention of local officials and advocates of rail and alternative transportation for some time.  But now, the privately operated freight and passenger service […]

CUMBERLAND — A lawsuit alleging the Town Council acted inappropriately in approving a Main Street contract zone for Atlantic Regional Federal Credit Union was dropped last week, leaving no more obstacles to the credit union’s plan to begin construction this fall. The lawsuit was filed by credit union abutters Andrew Baca and Melissa Gattine after […]

FREEPORT — Circus Smirkus will roll into town next week, bringing a troupe of clowns, jugglers and acrobats ages 10-19 to perform for the local community. Jared Mongeau, a 17-year-old clown from Cumberland, will perform for the second year on the Smirkus tour. “For me, the second time on this tour has been amazing,” he said. […]

FREEPORT — Voters in Freeport, Pownal and Durham approved the $23.4 million Regional School Unit 5 budget Tuesday by 242 votes after initially rejecting it nearly a month ago. More than 600 additional voters cast ballots this time, approving the fiscal year 2010 school budget 1,058 to 786. Superintendent of Schools Shannon Welsh said she […]

PORTLAND — The White House announced Tuesday morning that Portland will receive more than $880,000 in stimulus money to hire or retain six police officers. Six positions were on the chopping block during budget deliberations this spring, but police unions agreed to a one-year wage freeze to save the positions. Firefighters, meanwhile, lost nine positions […]