Colson Resigns
(Bangor) – Long time broadcast newsman Craig Colson is stepping down as the news director at Channel 7 in Bangor. Colson cited health reasons for leaving, but says on his Facebook page that they are not life-threatening. He said he needed to alter his lifestyle after holding a high stress job for more than 5-years at the top. Colson started his career working at Channel 5 TV while his father, Don Colson, was News director. He moved into radio news before returning to TV at Channel 7 and Fox 22.
Vinalhaven Man Convicted
(Portland) – A federal court has found a Vinalhaven man guilty of threatening the Swedish Embassy. The US Attorney’s office reports to Star 97.7 that 40-year old Eric Malmstrom faces up to 5-years in prison and a quarter million dollar fine following a one-day trial. Malmstrom made threatening phone calls to the Embassy starting last September until this past March. He also threatened to slit a worker’s throat.
Baker Retirement
(Ellsworth) – Friends and employees past and present packed the Ellsworth American offices yesterday to wish publisher Alan Baker a happy retirement. Baker is selling one of Maine’s most respected newspaper operations to Reed Brower who owns all but one of Maine’s daily papers and a lot of the weekly publications. The Mt. Desert Islander, which Baker established, goes with the deal. Baker says he’s looking forward to becoming anonymous in retirement – he’s 89-years old.
Bad Air
(Augusta) – If you have breathing troubles, today is a good day to avoid doing anything strenuous. The Department of Environmental Protection has issued a high ozone advisory. Polluted air from south of here will blow into the area, and combined with the high humidity and heat, it’ll make the air unhealthy from 11am to 11pm. The DEP says young children and the elderly are most susceptible.
ATV Accident
(Mars Hill) A Westfield man is dead following an ATV crash in Mars Hill. The Maine Warden Service tells Star 97.7 News 70 year old Gary Webber was traveling north on the 633 Boarder trail Monday when his Polaris ATV left the trail, striking a steep ditch and trees. Webber died at the scene. Webber was riding with a second ATV operated by Patrick O’Leary-Plaud, also of Westfield who drove to the nearest residence and called 9-1-1. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Plastic Bag Controversy
(Ellsworth) Could the City of Ellsworth be the next to ban single-use carry-out plastic bags? A public forum to discuss this and other actions is scheduled for September 10th at the Moore Community Center. Ellsworth’s Green Plan Energy and Waste Subcommittee is hosting the illustrated talk, “Microplastics in the Gulf of Maine” with Marine Biologist Madelyn Woods, which will be followed by the public forum. Sources say microplastics, which begin their lives as plastic bags and other consumer items, have been found in every water body on earth, from the bottom of the Mariana Trench and the Antarctic to the surface of Blue Hill Bay. The event begins at 7 p.m. and is free and open to the public.
Coca-Cola Acquires Moxie
(Portland) And bottoms up! Soft drink giant Coca Cola has acquired Moxie, the popular New England soft drink. Coca-Cola made the announcement Tuesday. The official state beverage of Maine has been around since the 19th century and is famous here in New England for its unique flavor, which is the product of a root extract. Love it or hate it, it’s now … the real thing.
Machiasport Salmon Farm Sued
(Machiasport) A Baileyville man is suing his former employer, True North Maine, a Machiasport salmon farm, after he overdosed on drugs. 30-year-old Brian Taylor alleges the company failed to operate a safe workplace where employees were properly trained to give aid. The Bangor Daily News reports Taylor was working a 12 hour overnight shift last November when he overdosed while snorting either heroin or cocaine, allegedly obtained from a co-worker. When found unconscious on the floor at work, Taylor’s co-workers reportedly put him in a cold shower, calling 9-1-1 almost 5 hours later when a manager arrived. Cooke Aquaculture, True North’s parent company, has a prohibition against alcohol and drug use on the job that was in place when Taylor was injured. He is now confined to a wheelchair and unable to care for himself. Taylor has been denied Workers’ Compensation because his injury was caused by a drug overdose
Emera Alert
(Ellsworth) Motorists are asked to consider using alternate routes over the next four weeks while Emera Maine workers replace utility poles along Water Street and Bayside Road in Ellsworth. Work will progress between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. over the four week period and may reduce traffic to one lane at times. The utility cautions drivers to avoid distractions, move over far enough to give crews room to work, and slow down to pass workers at a safe speed.
Runaway Whaler
(Somesville) A tricky rescue by the Coast Guard, Marine Patrol and the Mt. Desert Harbor Master after a boat operator flew off his Boston Whaler and it started going in circles. A good Samaritan pulled the operator out of Somes Sound yesterday morning, he’s OK. But getting the circling boat under control took a bit of derring do. The Coast Guard managed to get the boat under control after about an hour. The agency advises that people need to wear a life jacket and should have a kill switch hooked up to turn off a boat should they fall overboard.
Legislature to Return
(Augusta) The Maine Legislature gets back to work tomorrow morning to continue the special session called to address remaining legislative business. Among the items are a number of bills designed to protect children following the recent deaths of two young Maine girls who allegedly died of abuse. Lawmakers will also consider a tax compliance package to align Maine’s tax laws with this year’s changes to the federal tax code.
Q1 Harms Economy
(Augusta) The Home Care Referendum will appear as Question 1 on Maine’s November ballot. The proposal would significantly raise taxes on Maine families and businesses by creating a 1.9-percent excise payroll tax on employers, a 1.9-percent wage income tax on employees, and a 3.8-percent income tax on individuals and families with a combined household income of over $128,400. The state economist’s study determined this would cost Mainers $1.4 to $2 billion-dollars in total personal income over a 5-year period.
Decorating Contest
(Ellsworth) Ellsworth is just weeks away from Autumn Gold Weekend. Local businesses participating in the Window Decorating and Store Front Decorating contests will soon start decorating with fall décor. Ellsworth Chamber of Commerce executive director Gretchen Wilson says a perpetual trophy is passed around each year to whichever businesses receive the top honors. New this year for the decorating contests will be online voting. That’ll happen on the Chamber’s website from September 14th through the 20th.
Sports
- Boston Red Sox 8 Miami Marlins 7 (an error in the bottom of the 9th gave the Sox the walk-off win after Boston blew a 3 run lead in the 8th inning.
- David Price will start for the Sox tonight as they wrap up the 2-game set with Miami
- New Hampshire Fisher Cats 8 Portland Sea Dogs 4
