Otis Fire
(Otis) – For a 2nd time in less than two months, fire has badly damaged a building in a Hancock County town without its own fire department. This time it was too late to save a cabin on Beech Hill Pond in Otis. Firefighters from Mariaville, Ellsworth, Waltham, Aurora and the Maine Forest Service responded to the scene on Point Road to find the camp fully ablaze and pretty much burned to the ground. The call came in shortly before 3:30 yesterday afternoon. No injuries are reported. Otis does not have its own fire department. A few weeks ago fire damaged the town’s general store which has since reopened.
Inmate Death
(Bangor) – It was a drug overdose that killed a 37-year old woman incarcerated at the Penobscot County jail a couple of weeks ago. The medical examiner’s office determined that Jennifer Dyer’s death was accidental. Police had arrested Dyer on outstanding warrants and took her to the jail in Bangor. Less than a day later, Dyer died inside the jail.
Bastille Day
(Castine) Castine’s 4th annual Bastille Day Celebration is tomorrow. The event recognizes the liberation of the Bastille prison in Paris more than 200 years ago. The Castine connection goes back to the late 1600’s when a military officer and fur trader referred to as “the Baron” came to town and married an Abanaki chief’s daughter. Town manager James Goodson says attendees have an opportunity to learn more about “the Barron” tomorrow. The documentary will be shown at Emerson Hall tomorrow morning at 9:30.
Training Ship Returns
(Castine) Students and faculty aboard the State of Maine Training Ship will return to Maine Maritime Academy tomorrow. About 300 people departed Castine in May for a 70-day training voyage to learn hands-on navigation and gain engineering experience. The ship made many stops including in Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands. Spectators can get a view of the ship from Castine Harbor between approximately 11:30 ‘til Noon tomorrow with docking anticipated sometime after 1 at the MMA Waterfront.
Restore Our Parks
(Bar Harbor) A lack of funding nationwide has led to decades of deferred maintenance at Acadia and other national parks. Maine Independent Senator Angus King and lawmakers from other states are backing the Restore Our Parks Act, a bill that proposes using federal funds to address the backlog of more than 11-billion dollars in needed repairs. Senator King says he’s cautiously optimistic. The funding would come from royalties from the extraction of minerals on federal land.
Pirate Parlay
(Prospect) The weather looks good for Pirate Parlay at Fort Knox in Prospect. The 3-day event begins this morning, and each day’s itinerary is similar. Friends of Fort Knox interim executive director Amy McRae says the activities are family-friendly. Admission to Pirate Parlay is the regular Fort Knox gate fee with a suggested donation of $3 per person to keep the annual tradition alive.
Jax Lab to Open
(Ellsworth) The new Jackson Laboratory on Kingsland Crossing in Ellsworth will hold an invitation-only ribbon cutting ceremony August 23rd to celebrate the completion of Phase 1 construction. The Bangor Daily News reports the first mice are expected to enter the facility in October. Incremental hiring will follow, with 80 or more workers employed by the second quarter of next year, according to Jackson Lab’s senior director of facilities John Fitzpatrick. Jackson Lab is a world renowned independent, nonprofit institution that breeds scientifically engineered mice for biomedical research.
Barn Fire Cause
(Fryeburg) The State Fire Marshal’s office says the blaze that destroyed two buildings and damaged several others at a historic fairground was accidental. Fire investigators on Wednesday said the fire at the Fryeburg Fairgrounds was caused by an electrical malfunction inside a sheep barn. Damages are estimated at $500-thousand-dollars.
Rep’s Condition
(Winthrop) A friend of the Maine state legislator who suffered serious burns while starting a brush fire says he’s expected to make a full recovery. Chairwoman of the Winthrop Town Council, Sarah Fuller, says state Representative Craig Hickman will likely be hospitalized for a few more days. Offers are pouring in to help run the farm while Hickman recovers.
Sentence Reduction Request
(Alfred) A man convicted of murdering his grandmother and setting fire to her house is arguing for a lighter sentence. 29-year-old Derek Poulin is asking the court to reduce his life sentence. The Journal Tribune reports Poulin was convicted of murdering his 61-year-old grandmother, Patricia Noel, by beating her with a golf club and stabbing her 70 times before burning her home. Poulin’s attorney says the sentence is unfair because his client was only 23 at the time of the crime.
Sports
- Boston Red Sox 6 Toronto Blue Jays 4 (10th straight win for Sox. Mookie Betts hit a grand slam on the 13th pitch of his at bat)
- Tonight, Rick Porcello starts against the Blue Jays
- 3rd baseman Rafael Devers is on the disabled list with shoulder inflammation.
- Portland Sea Dogs 5 New Hampshire Fisher Cats 4
- Serena Williams will play Germany’s Angelique Kehas for the Wimbledon championship
- Men’s semi finals are today.
