207 Maine

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There are always a dizzying array of Halloween events each year for both small children and adults — especially in Maine, the home of Stephen King, creepy old houses and mysterious forests.

We’ve combed through community listings and social media to find the best stuff to do this spooky season.

Many towns have their own Halloween events at schools, libraries and fire stations, and there are too many to list them all here — check with your town office to make sure you’re not missing out on anything super local to you.

Don’t see your favorite event? Leave a comment below or on Bangor Daily News social media with your suggestions for the best stuff to do this Halloween season, and if we get enough responses we’ll write another story.

Fright at the Fort and Ghostport

Fright at the Fort at Fort Knox State Historic Site in Prospect returns for its 22nd year, with five nights set for Oct. 14, 21, 22, 27 and 28. The first hour, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., is “chicken hour,” without jump scares. The rest of the night is not for the faint of heart, and each year, thousands of people line up to get freaked out. Tickets are $15 and available by online reservation only. During the day Oct. 21-22 and Oct. 27-28, there will be all-ages scavenger hunts at the Fort from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on Oct. 21, the neighboring town of Bucksport hosts Ghostport, a free, annual all-day Halloween festival along the Bucksport waterfront walkway.

Pumpkins in the Park

This long-running Bangor event is geared towards the littlest ghouls and goblins, offering a scare-free Halloween event for families. United Cerebral Palsy of Maine’s annual event is set for 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 22 at the Anah Shriners Temple at 1404 Broadway in Bangor. There will be costumes, clowns, face painting, bounce houses and tons of jack-o’-lanterns. Admission is $5 per person, $15 for a family and free for kids three and under. The first hour will be sensory-friendly.

Maineiac Manor

If the Bangor Mall wasn’t scary enough, now the former Hollister store has been taken over by killer clowns, zombies and mad scientists. Maineiac Manor at the Bangor Mall is open every weekend through Halloween, with a cast of local characters offering up some serious screams all afternoon and evening. Check times and buy tickets online at maineiacmanor.com, and if you’re hesitant, don’t worry — the weekend of Oct. 7-8 is no-scare.

Pumpkin Express at Belfast & Moosehead Lake Railroad

A ride on the delightful Belfast & Moosehead Lake Railroad in Waldo County is nice enough as it is — add to it fall foliage and pumpkins and you’ll attain autumnal nirvana. On Oct. 21 and 22, there are two trips each day at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., leaving from the Unity station and arriving at a pumpkin patch, where riders can pick their pumpkin before heading back to the station. Tickets are available on the B&ML website, and are $25 for adults and $12 for kids 12 and under.

Monsters at the Museum at the Maine Discovery Museum

Another option for folks looking for a more calm and family-friendly experience, the Maine Discovery Museum in Bangor will host a monster-themed Halloween party from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 21. It’s a costume party that includes museum admission, pizza and all activities with the cost of your ticket ($10 presale for members, $20 for non-members).

Kenduskeag Haunted House

Equal parts heartwarming community effort and truly terrifying scare-fest, the town of Kenduskeag each year marshals a small army of volunteers to turn its town ballfield into a haunted house. This year the event is set for 7 p.m. to midnight Oct. 27 and 28 at the Cole Memorial Ballfield, located at 536 Kenduskeag-Levant Road. Admission is $10, and all proceeds help fund the town’s recreation program. It’s not recommended for kids under 12, or for people who don’t want to be touched.

Ghost tours in Bangor and Bar Harbor

If you like to learn while also getting creeped out, both Bangor and Bar Harbor have ghost tours around their historic downtowns. In Bangor, the Ghostly Bangor walking tours start at the Bangor Historical Society’s Hill House on Union Street, and lead people through a 90-minute history of Bangor’s biggest mysteries; tours are $12 and are at 7 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays through Oct. 26, as well as on Oct. 30. In Bar Harbor, there are ghost tours leaving from the Abbe Museum parking lot at 8 p.m. every day throughout October, and tickets are $24 for adults.

Twilight Tours at Penobscot Marine Museum

One of the most unique Halloween events in Maine is held at the Penobscot Marine Museum in Searsport, which hosts its annual Twilight Tour event. Guests visit stations inside one of the historic homes on the museum campus, in which “ghosts” tell their stories from Searsport’s seafaring past. It’s an atmospheric and fascinating way to learn about Maine’s maritime history. It’s set for 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13, and admission is $10.

Center Theatre’s Halloween events

The Center Theatre in Dover-Foxcroft pulls out all the stops for Halloween. This year, events include a Halloween drag show on Oct. 20, a screening of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” with full shadowcast on Oct. 28, a kid’s costume dance party on Oct. 29 featuring Bee Parks and the Hornets, and screenings of the Damnationland Film Festival of Maine horror shorts, Oct. 28-Nov. 2. For more info and tickets, visit the Center Theatre website.

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Grab your melted butter and a bib because September 25 is National Lobster Day!

The day recognizes the cultural, economic and environmental importance of the iconic species, which is a foundational part of Maine’s economy.

Senators Susan Collins and Angus King are among those celebrating after the Senate unanimously passed their bipartisan resolution designating September 25 as National Lobster Day.

They say in 2022 the industry brought in over $388 million for Maine.

And it’s perfect timing because it’s Maine Lobster Week!

You'll find lobster shacks, food trucks, and fine dining with all kinds of lobster dishes.

Maine lobster week runs through Saturday.

A Maine man caught a rare sight on camera over the weekend.

Ken Kantro tells WMTW he was walking on Pine Point Beach in Scarborough when he came upon a large Atlantic Sturgeon that had washed up with the tide.

He said the roughly six-foot-long fish appeared to have been hit by a propellor.

"It was awe-inspiring, but sad to see this "living fossil," Kantro said.

He told WMTW he's been living in Maine for 60 years.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Fisheries sector, Atlantic Sturgeon can weigh up to 800 pounds and 14 feet in length, over a lifespan that can reach up to 60 years.

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/atlantic-sturgeon

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A Maine corn maze has been voted as the best in the country for the second year in a row.

Treworgy’s in Levant was voted the best maze in the country in the USA Today 10 Best Readers Choice Awards.

The theme for the maze this year was for the 40th anniversary.

The maze is open until Nov. 4.

https://treworgyorchards.com/cornmaze

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After Lee brought wind and rain to the area Saturday, the sun came out just in time for Maine Apple Sunday.

Maine Apple Sunday is the perfect opportunity for an end-of-summer slow down. Families were out in full force at Conant Orchards in Etna to do some picking.

“We’re celebrating Maine Apple Sunday. It’s a very, very busy day,” said Hannah Hegarty, manager, Conant Apple Orchards. “We encourage a lot people to come out, celebrate, and go apple picking.”

“Our friends actually own Conant’s Orchard so we’re really excited to come out and support them,” said Samantha Pangburn of Brewer. “They have yummy drinks and signs and we love it here!”

Hegarty says this is a day they plan for as soon as apple season starts.

“It’s very meaningful because this orchard has been around since 1945 so we have a lot of generations come out. A lot of the same families come out every year and we love to see the kids grow up here and be a part of the family,” Hegarty said.

Orchards across the area spent the week bracing for Hurricane Lee’s arrival, not knowing what it would mean for their trees and fruit growing on them.

At least in Etna, Sunday brought a sigh of relief.

“It was not bad at all. We went up in the orchard, we didn’t have many [trees] damaged and we’re so glad today turned out to be good,” Hegarty said.

“It looks like it’s in great shape! There are some puddles here and there that you walk around, but it looks great. Apples are still on the trees, so it’s a great day to be out doing this,” Pangburn said.

And if apples aren’t your thing, Conant’s has plenty of other offerings including their famous fall drinks.

“We have our two specialty drinks which brings a lot of people in,” said Hegarty.

After Saturday’s mess, Sunday turned out to be a picture perfect day.

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Most of Maine is now covered by Hurricane Lee's forecast cone as the storm continues its path in the Atlantic.

The 5 p.m. update from the National Hurricane Center keeps Lee at a Category 3 storm with 115 mph winds.

Whatever the track of Hurricane Lee is, major coastal surf and high winds are expected in Maine late week and over the weekend.

Tuesday evening Hurricane Lee was about 535 miles south of Bermuda. The hurricane had maximum sustained winds of 115 mph and was moving northwest at 7 mph.

What does the forecast cone mean? The cone is where forecasters believe the center of the storm may end up. The chance of the storm being in that area is 66%, based on track error over the last 5 years.

Lee is expected to remain a major storm through Wednesday. Computer models show it on a fairly consistent path heading up the East Coast, before weakening to a Category 1 storm and eventually a tropical storm.

Where Lee hits land depends on several weather features that will influence the storm as it moves north.

While the storm is expected to weaken on its approach to New England and Maine, it will likely be gaining speed up and growing in size.

Major coastal surf and high winds are expected late week and over the weekend.

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Like a beacon guiding ships in the night, there is one attraction that will draw folks to the Maine coast this weekend.

“It’s an opportunity for people that are in the area, locals to get out and tourists alike, to come out and check out these lighthouses that you’d otherwise see from the ground maybe and want to see what it’s like up in the tower, and so, you get the opportunity to get a little history on them, get up in there and myself and my teammate will be located at two different ones and get to kind of talk to us and talk to some other locals that are involved with the lighthouses and really see the history,” said E1 Chase Miller, U.S Coast Guard.

Maine Open Lighthouse Day is Saturday, Sept. 9.

The annual tradition gives folks the opportunity to get a closer look at some of the watchtowers on the Maine coast.

“Lighthouses as a whole, I think, a lot of people have thought of kind of going to the wayside. You know, no one’s coming in from shore anymore looking for the lighthouse to guide them home. But these are actual channel markers. We’re upgrading, so LEDs are the new, the future of the lighthouses. We’re no longer with whale oil. Yeah, I think kind of interesting to see what people think about putting an LED in a lighthouse, or, you know, putting a sound signal that runs off a radio versus the, you know, the someone out there ringing a bell, so the advancements and seeing how that works with the locals is unique,” said Miller.

The Coast Guard is working with the American Lighthouse Foundation and the Maine Office of Tourism for this event.

Folks look forward to the sights and history every year, but the foundation also loves to see the interest it sparks in visitors.

“The response from Maine Open Lighthouse Day is amazing. You know, any given year we can see anywhere between 15 and 18,000 people statewide, and some of them are just so content to be there admiring the sights and the energy that you get from all the people involved in it. I think lighthouses are in a way they, of course, they still guide us. But they still, they beckon us. They beckon us to come near, you know, and when you do, a lot of times it inspires any type of emotion inside of an individual, and some people are like, I really like this. I really feel this, and I want to get involved,” said Bob Trapani, American Lighthouse Foundation Executive Director

You can find a list of participating lighthouses here: https://lighthousefoundation.org/eventcalendar/maine-open-lighthouse-day-2023/

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Tony Gedaro of South Portland recently encountered a bizarre looking white-tailed deer while driving through Cape Elizabeth. The deer, a crotch horn buck, not only is sporting large, bulbous masses on its chest and on the underside of its lower jaw, but it appears to be turning purple.

The deer looks like something out of a fairy tale. Most of the face and neck, the top of the head, the velvet on the antlers and the ears are either deep purple or have turned a lilac shade.

The rest of the deer appears normal and the animal looks otherwise healthy.

The avid wildlife and nature photographer captured photos of the unusual deer. It’s unclear what caused the unusual appearance.

“We’ve seen somewhat similar conditions, but cases like this are rarely identical to others, and there are a lot of possibilities,” said Nathan Bieber, the deer biologist for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. “[It’s] impossible to know for sure without sending samples to a lab.”

Some commenters on Facebook provided a link to a condition called “Bullwinkle Deer,” which results in a swollen face for affected animals. According to the National Deer Association, that illness is caused by a bacteria.

But that doesn’t look exactly like what’s affecting the Maine deer and the “Bullwinkle Deer” affliction doesn’t seem to be associated with the animal turning partly purple.

Bieber has put out inquiries to other biologists and some veterinarians to determine whether anyone else may have come across a similar situation involving a deer or other animal.

People in Cape Elizabeth continue to see the deer in their travels past the area, so we’ll assume it’s OK. However, it would be interesting to solve the mystery of what made this deer turn purple.

Maine’s Odd and Unusual Show is back in Augusta this weekend.

The two-day event at the Civic Center starts tomorrow morning at 10.

Organizers say there are over 95 vendors showcasing their products.

And -- remember, this is the Odd and Unusual Show -- so anything from skulls to jewelry, weird and wild arts and craft and more can be found there.

We spoke to one business owner who tells us when he heard about the event, he knew it was the right place for him.

“Other than just like the standard human stuff, I do have some tribal artifacts from different tribal, different tribes from around the world. I have some headhunted skulls. I have some other pieces that are used in the tribe for decorating and Burkus skulls and ancestor skulls as well, some Aboriginal pieces,” Chad Niles, owner of dead man’s Curio said.

“I hope that they they learn that just because it’s odd and unusual, doesn’t mean it’s not cool. Like, I’m looking around and I’m seeing so many different artists, so many different things, so much talent. And this is one of the very few places that you’re going to see the talent you’re going to see this weekend,” Alison Beaulieu, a vendor at the show said.

If you can’t make it tomorrow -- the event continues on Sunday from 10am to 6.

https://www.facebook.com/oddandunusualshow/

A new family-friendly festival focused on one of Maine's favorite sweet treats is coming to Maine.

Maine Tasting Center will host the first-ever Maine Needham Festival at the end of September.

What is a needham? It's a confection filled with a mixture of coconut and potato then covered in chocolate. The treat has a history dating back 150 years in Maine.

This year, Gov. Janet Mills signed a bill into law creating an annual day to commemorate needhams and the small business that continues to make them. With the law, the last Saturday of September is now known as Maine Needham Day.

The Maine Needham Festival was created to celebrate not only the candy but also Maine potatoes and the state.

“There are many candy makers here in Maine that carry on the Needham tradition and we’re thrilled to have so many of them participating in the festival – as vendors, sponsors, and even as judges for our homemade Needham contest!” says the festival coordinator and Maine Needham Company owner Malaika Picard.

Malaika and Gerard Picard own the Maine Needham Company in Saco. The pair brought together a committee to plan the festival which will include vendors from all over the state, including Robin’s Confections, Bixby Chocolate, Hilltop Boilers Maple Syrup, Wilbur’s of Maine and the Scone Goddess.

Maine Tasting Center will hold needham-making demonstrations led by Culinary Director Liz Gross.

The inaugural festival will take place on Sept. 30 in Wiscasset. It is free to attend but requires tickets to control traffic and ensure parking.

You can reserve tickets by visiting meneedhamfest.com.

https://www.meneedhamfest.com/

The coastal city of Belfast is well-known for the number of boats you can see docked in the harbor on any given day.

But, they’re quickly becoming know for giant rubber ducks!

Today, residents and tourists were delighted to find three joyous ducks brightening up the bay.

Back in 2021, the yellow duck labeled Joy was seen floating in harbor.

Last October, a duck with Greater Joy was spotted and created quite a buzz when she “escaped.”

Now, a family of ducks are causing a stir!

The newest and largest is named the greatest joy.

We spoke to Bill Carleton who is the systems manager at Front Street Shipyard and says it is still a mystery as to how it ends up on the water.

“All I know is they show up overnight sometimes, mysteriously. Probably 3 years ago, the little one that said Joy was the first one to show up. Last year, it was Greater Joy all by herself, and this year, the whole family is here. Apparently, the other one says Greatest Joy, the larger one. I don’t know where they come from, I don’t know anybody that knows where they come from,” Carleton said.

Carleton says the wording on the ducks is a testament to the City of Belfast.

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Fourteen balloons sailed over the Aroostook River Saturday after launching from Johnson Road in Presque Isle.

As the sun was on its descent, the balloon pilots landed in between the vegetable fields along Route 1.

The Crown of Maine Balloon Fest draws in people not only from Maine but also from states across the country like Texas, Utah and Ohio, said Jordyn Madore, who was co-chair for the Crown of Maine Balloon Fest for four years and served on the festival’s committee for seven years. This is the festival’s 20th anniversary.

“Presque Isle — as everyone knows — is a little isolated from the rest of the world, and when an activity like hot air ballooning comes up here it’s good for the local community,” said Mike Lavoie, pilot of the balloons Schmedley and Cat Sass from West Ossipee, New Hampshire.

On Thursday, Aug. 24, he flew Cat Sass in the early morning and then in the evening flew Schmedley during the first day of the Balloon Fest.

Lavoie has been on the road since late June and won’t return home until early November. He has been coming up to the Balloon Fest for the last three years. In 2021, Lavoie was voted pilot of the year.

A few pilots flew over Presque Isle on the morning of Aug. 24, with the ribbon burning taking place at the Northern Maine Fairgrounds done by last year’s pilot of the year Randy Lee with Spellbound Spirit III from Four Oaks, North Carolina.

New pilots to this year’s Balloon Fest were Richard Piendel flying Blaser Swisslube from Annville, Pennsylvania, and Michael Olin flying Heaven Sent from Warner, New Hampshire.

Pilots Seth Bailey with Czech Mate from Nova Scotia and John Viner with Master Zaba from Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom, returned to this year’s Crown of Maine Balloon Fest after a few years away.

On Friday, Aug. 25, some events were canceled due to the rainy weather but the food and craft vendors were still open. Among those, Wally and the Virginian set up inside the long tan metal building where the craft venders were located at the Northern Maine Fairgrounds.

Everyone is hopeful that the rest of the balloon fest staples like the Dusk Balloon Glow will happen on Saturday, Aug. 26, and the rest of the morning and dusk launches happen on Sunday, Aug. 27, Madore said.

Later on, the ticket sales for the Dusk Balloon Glow were announced as the weather broke to calmer skies.

This year Michael DePew of Nashua, New Hampshire, flew for the second time in the Crown of Maine Balloon Fest. He has been piloting balloons for 10 years. He piloted the balloon Manifesto this year.

Manifesto was the first to take off from the open field on Johnson Road on Thursday, Aug. 24. He flew in low over the other balloons being inflated and popped up high over the Aroostook River.

“[Presque Isle] is like the Kansas of New England,” DePew said.

DePew’s family has been piloting balloons since the late 1970s. DePew got his piloting license for balloons from Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 2013.

“It’s a very beautiful area to fly in, over town or out in the countryside either way they’re all beautiful,” said Marian Deeney, pilot for the Hemisphere Dancer from Monticello, Florida.

Deeney has been coming to the Crown of Maine Balloon Fest for almost a decade. The Mainers have become like a second family to Deeney’s family, she said.

Deeney flew on the early morning and evening of the Balloon Fest on Thursday, Aug. 24.

“It’s just a gorgeous area, friendly people and it makes you want to come back,” Deeney said.

The Crown of Maine Balloon Fest is part of an unofficial festival circuit, with Lewiston having its Great Falls Balloon Festival last week. After leaving Presque Isle, the pilots went across the border to Bath, New Brunswick, and ended the circuit in Sussex, New Brunswick, Madore said.

“I came up here quite often in the late 1970s and early 1980s and it’s nice to come back and fly here,” Lavoie said.

https://www.combf.org

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The new Coastliner Excursions train connecting Brunswick and Rockland ran trial trips from Wiscasset to Bath this weekend ahead of its expected launch in September.

The ride from Wiscasset to Bath is a forty-minute trip and the train can seat nearly 80 people.

The operator of the train says this new Coastliner is a greener alternative to driving in a car or riding on a bus.

Some folks on today’s ride say they enjoyed every minute with their family.

"It was great,” said Edward Frankonis. “It was very scenic. There were a lot of interesting parts of the area that you really don’t see. Our guy George was really enthusiastic about the trains and told us a lot about it,” he said.

An additional train connecting Wiscasset and Bath is expected to launch soon after the trials are over this weekend.

Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for kids under 13.

https://www.coastlinerexcursions.com/excursions.html

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Maine’s second largest agricultural fair offering harness racing, truck, tractor and livestock pull events and more begins Sunday.

The Windsor Fair runs Aug 26 through Sept. 4.

the fair runs everyday from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Sunday is “get acquainted day”

Those 12 and up get in for $12.

Children 11 and under get in for free.

More information can be found at https://windsorfair.com/

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Music, Masts, and Lobster Traps, a nonprofit event, will be held this Sunday, Aug. 27, at the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath. The event was created by Jesse Roche, a commercial lobsterman in Maine, who also fishes part-time in Alaska. With fishing being his way of life, Roche wanted to find a way to give back to the Maine fishing community and educate those outside the community on the working waterfront in Maine, New England, and beyond. The event will be in support of the Save Maine Lobstermen campaign.

Special dayside events will celebrate Maine's lobstering heritage. The event will culminate in a late afternoon performance by Maine’s own The Mallett Brothers Band.

3:00-6:30 pm: Concert: Music, Masts, & Lobster Traps featuring the Mallett Brothers Band. The concert gate opens at 3 pm. Maine folk artist Paddy Mills will take to the stage at 3:30 before the headline act, The Mallett Brothers Band. Guests with tickets to the concert event will also have access to a beer garden hosted by Mast Landing Brewery, XTRATUF, and Rugged Seas, where a new special brew honoring our maritime heritage will be unveiled. In addition, Mere Point Oyster Company will be shucking flavorful Maine oysters in partnership with Long Reach Kitchen. They have generously donated their talents, and food will be available starting at 12 pm.

9:30 am-3:00 pm: The Maine Maritime Museum is hosting special daytime activities celebrating Maine’s maritime heritage, which are included with regular museum admission. Demonstrations and educational exhibits highlighting Maine’s working waterfront heritage will consist of a lobster education center, a trap building demonstration, an aquaculture demonstration, a pogie seining exhibit, an emergency survival raft and gear demonstration, Abenaki tribe drum circle and history exhibit, a lobster boat, schooner, tour cruises and more!

Maine Lobstermen’s Association (MLA) members who show their current membership will receive free admission to dayside activities. Concert tickets will need to be purchased separately.

Proceeds from the event will benefit The Maine Lobstermen’s Community Alliance (MLCA), which, with support from the MLA, is working to ensure a vibrant future for Maine’s fishing families and the communities in which they live and work.

Parking is available at Maine Maritime Museum, plus the City of Bath Trolley will be running a free shuttle service to and from the South End boat launch before and after the concert!

Follow Music Mast & Lobster Traps on Facebook and Instagram for event updates and live posts on the day of the event.

https://mlcalliance.org/events/music-masts-lobster-traps/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089630547106

https://www.instagram.com/musicmastsandlobstertraps/

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Two Salty Dogs Pet Outfitters is putting out the call for more used tennis balls. We are drastically low- we only have half a barrel left!

When you donate your old tennis balls to us, we then turn around and sell them to dog owners with fetch-crazed dogs. Then we turn around and give that money to Action for Animals and Old Dogs New Digs. Last year we were able to give them hundreds and hundreds of dollars because of your ball donations. But we can’t give if we don’t have them to sell.

So don’t throw them away. Throw them at play!

Drop them off at during business hours or just leave them (neatly) out back for us to pick up in the morning.

Thanks for donating!

http://www.twosaltydogs.net/

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A pet food company headquartered in York has won an international award, beating out companies from around the world.

RAWZ Natural Pet Food won a 2023 Pet Independent Innovation Award, which recognizes innovators and leaders of the pet industry. RAWZ Meal-Free Dehydrated Chicken, Turkey & Chicken Dry Dog Food received the award for "Dog Food Grain Free Product of the Year."

The 2023 Pet Independent Innovation Awards received more than 2,000 nominations from all over the world. Products were assessed on criteria including innovation, performance, ease of use, functionality, impact and value.

The winners were chosen by a panel of judges who focused their review on how a product, company or organization innovatively distinguishes itself.

"Much like humans, we believe pets are better off eating fresh, minimally processed foods. RAWZ focuses on high quality, high meat recipes that are minimally processed to preserve nutritional content," said Jim Scott, CEO of RAWZ. "As a small company, we're honored to have been recognized for our efforts with an Independent Innovation Award."

The winning food uses dehydrated chicken as the concentrated protein source, and the first seven ingredients are meat and organ proteins, and no rendered meats are used.

RAWZ is a third-generation family business, headquartered in York. The company says it donates 100% of its profits, after taxes and reserves, to three main causes: providing service dogs, spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury.

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Several lobstermen are credited with saving the lives of two boaters off the coast of Georgetown on Saturday.

The 48-foot yacht Titan caught fire several miles off Seguin Island, with flames quickly spreading, prompting the boaters to jump into the water for safety.

According to the U.S. Coast Guard Lt. David J. Letarte, the agency issued an Urgent Mariner Information Broadcast after the boaters called for help reporting their vessel was disabled, and fire was coming from the engine room.

Letarte was able to identify one of the lobster boats involved in pulling the boaters to safety as "My Three Blondes" but added there were vessels involved in the effort.

"We credit them in this case as saving some lives," Letarte said.

The boaters were taken to shore and are ok.

On board one of the other nearby vessels that responded was Deb Kremer, who heard calls for help over the radio.

"The boat was fully engulfed, and burned like that for approximately 40 minutes before sinking," Kremer wrote in an email to Maine's Total Coverage.

The yacht sank in about 200 feet of water, according to the Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard planned to return to the scene of the fire Sunday to investigate.

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Another uniquely colored lobster has been pulled from Maine waters.

Rick, Bob and Charlie Swears caught a rare blue and black lobster off the coast of Vinalhaven this week. The lobster shows both colors mottled throughout the shell of the crustacean.

The lobster was undersized, so it was tossed back.

The chances of catching a blue lobster are 1 in 2 million.

This is hardly the first differently colored lobster caught in Maine this year. Lobstermen have also caught cotton candy, blue, orange and calico lobsters this season.

https://www.wmtw.com/article/rare-lobsters-rainbow-maine-fishermen-colorful-catches/44221256

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The days may be getting shorter, but there's still plenty of time to enjoy outdoor summer activities in Maine.

The state is home to many wonderful parks that showcase Vacationland's natural beauty.

Here are 10 parks that you can check out before summer comes to a end:

Baxter State Park

In Millinocket, Baxter State Park is home to Maine's highest peak, Mt. Katahdin.

But the park features more than just the mountain.

There are also more that 200 miles of hiking trails within Baxter State Park.

If you're interested in camping, the park also offers a barebones campground for those who want to rough it in the great outdoors.

Two Lights State Park

Located in Cape Elizabeth, Two Lights State Park features the best of Maine's rocky coastline.

The park was named after the two lighthouses located nearby.

There are tables set up for guests who come to picnic.

The park offers both family-friendly trails and cliff walks for more experienced travelers.

Reid State Park

Reid State Park in Georgetown is well known as one of the best surfing spots in all of New England.

Recently, however, the park was in the news for another reason.

Birders "flocked" to the park in the winter of 2021-22 to see a Steller's sea eagle that had made a temporary home in the park.

Bradbury Mountain State Park

Bradbury Mountain in Pownal is one of the five original state parks in Maine, established in 1939.

It is a perfect hiking spot for those new to the activity.

There are multiple trails that lead to a wonderful view at the summit.

The park is open year-round from 9 a.m. until sunset.

Damariscotta Lake State Park

Picturesque Damariscotta Lake State Park in Jefferson is a perfect spot along the Midcoast for people looking to go to the beach and have a picnic.

The park is open from 9 a.m. to sunset daily until Labor Day.

Ferry Beach State Park

Ferry Beach State Park offers miles of white sand beaches between the Saco River and Pine Point.

Nature lovers will notice the tupelo trees in this park, which are rare for this latitude.

Keep in mind that dogs are not allowed on the beaches until after September 30.

Fort Knox Historic Site

Fort Knox in Prospect is Maine's largest historic fort.

The fort is a magnificent example of Civil War-era military construction.

Fort Knox was strategically located on the Penobscot River to protect from naval attacks.

About 500 soldiers were stationed at the fort during the Spanish-American War.

Grafton Notch State Park

Grafton Notch, on Route 26 between Newry and Upton, is a great spot for sightseeing, picnicking and hiking.

Highlights include Screw Auger Falls and Mother Walker Falls.

A quarter-mile trail leads guests into Moose Cave.

Adventurous hikers will notice that the Appalachian Trail passes through the park.

Popham Beach State Park

Located at the mouth of the Kennebec River, Popham Beach is a wonderful stretch of sand and family fun.

Beachgoers can see Fox Island and Wood Island offshore.

Careful visitors can even walk to Fox Island during low tide.

Swimmers and surfers will enjoy a day at Popham State Beach.

Acadia National Park

Maine's most famous park features everything a nature lover could want.

Acadia was the first national park established east of the Mississippi River.

The park consists of 47,633 acres of mountains, woodlands, lakes, ponds and ocean shoreline.

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The presence of wolves in Maine is hotly debated after they were extirpated from the Northeast due to centuries of bounties, habitat alteration and development. But with evidence of a possible wolf roaming the trails, researchers must turn to poop, or scat, to really understand if they’ve returned.

Differentiating between different canid species can be challenging, especially from visual observations or scat analysis alone. Wolves, coyotes and domestic dogs can have overlapping characteristics, and hybridization between these species can further complicate identification.

John Glowa, the founder of Maine Wolf Coalition (MWC), says differentiating between a wolf, a coyote and a hybrid animal on a trail camera is complicated. “We acknowledge the only way to be certain is through DNA,” Glowa told the Portland Press Herald, “but the evidence we have collected certainly points to an Eastern wolf.”

Some of that evidence is scat samples, which were analyzed in 2020. In addition to deploying trail cameras and pouring over footage looking for wolf-like animals, Glowa and a small team of volunteers have been collecting scat for noninvasive genetic sampling. Wolves In Maine

By extracting DNA from scat, it’s possible to identify individual genotypes — the set of genetic material that makes up an organism and can therefore identify it. Scat can tell us what trail camera footage cannot. It can reveal, for example, if the animal is a straight wolf or coyote, or if it has mixed ancestry. This is important since wolves and coyotes can and do interbreed and produce fertile offspring.

It’s also important because knowing the animal’s genetics affects how the State manages it, and, in the case of an endangered species like the wolf, the federal government.

Researchers analyzed the samples against a reference database that included genotypes for grey wolves from Northwest Territories, Great Lakes-Boreal wolves from Northeastern Ontario, Eastern wolves from Algonquin Park, Eastern coyotes from southern Ontario, and domestic dogs.

Results of Wolf Scat Samples

Of the 11 samples, six were identified as Eastern coyote, four were not assigned an ancestry due to the quality of the sample, and one received an ancestry assignment value of 0.84 to Eastern wolf. To Glowa, this was the confirmation he’d been hoping for. “Eighty-four percent is a very high percentage, and we would not consider it a hybrid,” he recently told a reporter at the Bangor Daily News.

However, not everyone agrees that it is absolutely a wolf. State and federal wildlife managers consider the animal a hybrid.

Categorically stating this animal is a wolf or, more specifically, an Eastern wolf, based on the scat analysis also doesn’t sit well with some scientists. One researcher at Trent University encouraged “extreme caution” when interpreting these results, and the report itself states that “this sample was missing [two] of the 12 loci used for assignment.”

A United States Fish and Wildlife Service forensic scientist observed that “the missing data definitely affects the 84 percent number,” although the scientist was unable to say in which direction.

Challenges of Analyzing Wolf DNA

The challenge with scat samples is that the DNA is degraded and that limits the researcher’s ability to sequence long sections of the genome.

“I view ancestry percentages with extreme caution,” says Kristin Brzeski, assistant professor in the College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science at Michigan Technological University and principal investigator at the Brzeski Conservation Genetics Lab. Brzeski is now in possession of more than 200 scat samples submitted to her lab by MWC.

Brzeski likens it to the genetic testing company 23andMe. They tell customers that their results are expected to change in subsequent reports from the company based on a variety of factors including the reference populations used to predict ancestry.

“It’s not because they were wrong,” Brzeski explains. “It’s because their references changed, and the analysis they are doing with those references changed.”

When it comes to a scat sample, Brzeski is much more comfortable saying an animal has mixed ancestry instead of giving percentages, especially if one is a high number.

“Scat can tell us that,” Brzeski says, “and then genomic data can resolve it more completely.”

More Research on Wolf Ancestry

So, why not just get the genomic data in the first place — why not get the data that can confirm with a high degree of certainty if the animal is a wolf or not (and avoid dealing with all that poop)?

The trouble with genomic data is that to get it, researchers need to handle the animal. They must either trap it and draw blood or take a tissue sample. Or they need a sample from a dead animal, either killed by a hunter or hit by a car. While invasive genetic sampling provides a greater depth of information about the animal, it is more challenging, more expensive and usually yields far fewer samples than noninvasive genetic testing.

This is especially true if little is known about the population, as is the case in the Northeast, and this is where noninvasive sampling shines. If done properly, it can help provide the big picture, landscape level assessment of the State’s canid population and inform a roadmap for future, more targeted noninvasive sampling and, if necessary, invasive sampling at some point down the road.

MWC is hopeful they can raise the funds to get the samples already at Brzeski’s Lab analyzed soon. This round of scat sampling is probably not a silver bullet that will definitively answer the question of whether wolves are returning to the Northeast in a way that requires protection under the Endangered Species Act.

But it will likely be an important first step toward a more data-driven dialog that will inform future work and bring more stakeholders to the table.

https://www.youtube.com/@MaineWolfCoalition/videos

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Skowhegan is kicking off 10 days of fun with the 205th Skowhegan State Fair.

If you're looking for something fun to do, there will be plenty of performances, competitions, livestock displays, rides, and, of course, delicious fair food.

Gates opens on Thursday at 7 a.m. with the midway opening at 1 p.m.

Ticket prices vary depending on the day, but if you visit on Thursday, you can get in for only $1.

The fair ends on August 19.

https://skowheganstatefair.com

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Mainers should watch the sky on Saturday night and into early Sunday morning for the yearly Perseid meteor shower. The expected peak for 2023 will be in the early hours of Sunday, August 13th.

This specific showing for 2023 is active from July 14 to September 1 and happens every year, typically peaking around mid-August. This year, the Perseid meteor shower is predicted to present around 50 to 100 meteors an hour according to NASA.

According to the American Meteor Society and experienced observers, the best viewing time for the northeast will be from 3:00 a.m. to 4:00 a.m. Sunday morning.

Background on the Perseid meteor shower.

This meteor shower appears every summer and will always peek in mid-August. These specific meteors are pieces of debris from the comet Swift-Tuttle. It takes 133 years for this comet to fully travel around the sun. The last time the Comet Swift-Tuttle visited Earth's solar system was in 1992.

Here is what folks at home need to know if they want to catch the spectacular show.

Just our luck for 2023, the moon will be a waning crescent on August 13, meaning that the moon's usual brightness will not interfere for viewing purposes.

Find a dark viewing spot, and try and make sure no trees or tall objects are obstructing your view from the night sky. Give yourself about 30 minutes or more to get your eyes adjusted to the dark sky.

Lay down on your back and look away from the moon to the north. Focus your eyes on the clearest and darkest portion of the sky. The more stars you see, the better chance you have.

Look for the Cassiopeia constellation, it looks like an 'M' or a "W'. You'll catch frequent meteors whipping through the sky between Cassiopeia and the Perseus constellation.

Be patient, the meteors come at different times in different spots.

As always, dress for the weather. You could be outdoors for up to an hour or more. Even though it is August, it is not warm at night.

Currently, the forecast for Saturday night in Maine indicates that it will be rainy and stormy. However, Sunday morning is still a few days away. According to the early models, there will be clear skies along the coast at 5:00 a.m. on Sunday, while there may be clouds further inland. This forecast will be updated every day until the show.

The next meteor shower will be Orionids which begins September 26 and lasts until November 22. It will peak October 20th-21st.

https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/asteroids-comets-and-meteors/meteors-and-meteorites/perseids/in-depth/

https://www.amsmeteors.org/2023/08/viewing-the-perseid-meteor-shower-in-2023/

The man's body was recovered at about 9:30 a.m. Monday in the area of Raccoon Point on Campobello Island.

Local opponents worry a proposed refuge would shift the land oversight from Augusta to Washington, and possibly limit recreational activities.

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A church that uses a hallucinogen during their services has moved to Maine for a fresh start.

It’s called Pachamama Sanctuary. It’s on 40 acres of land in Casco and serves as a retreat center and church.

“People in the community come here to make a connection with the spirit, with God, higher power, whatever they decide to call it,” said Derek Januszewski, founding pastor of the church.

Januszewski says they just moved their center from New Hampshire to the location in Maine after facing zoning problems with their old building.

Januszewski says the town’s zoning board wanted them to make changes like install different doors, and put in exit signs.

They weren't ready to make changes so the town issued him an injunction forcing them to stop doing ceremonies.

“I had to pay some lawyer fees, around $3,600. If I continued, they were gonna charge me a really big fine,” said Januszewski.

That’s when Januszewski decided it was time to find a new property and create a fresh start.

This new space and new state best suit their needs.

“It was really spirit-led,” Januszewski said. “Once we came here and realized how beautiful this place was and how serene and private and here we are."

He says this church’s practice seems unusual or controversial to some people. That’s because they use ayahuasca tea during ceremonies, which is a hallucinogen.

Members refer to the tea as medicine.

“When consumed it creates a mystical, spiritual experience,” said Januszewski.

He says it allows folks to dive into their past, into their traumas, and grief or shame.

“That energy comes up in ceremonies and we can see it a lot more clearly,” he said.

Some members say Maine is the best place for their practices. They feel connected to nature.

Lane Strahan says this church changed her life.

“I really care about how the medicine will transform your life without the longevity of doctors pills,” said Strahan.

Januszewski hopes Casco will be accepting and understanding of their practices.

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PORTLAND (WGME) -- For the second day in a row, mysterious purple vapor is once again billowing from the smoke stack at Ecomaine's waste management facility in Portland.

The purple vapor was spotted on Thursday and again on Friday.

Ecomaine and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection are investigating, but Ecomaine says they believe this was caused from burning trash that contained iodine.

The CDC says if it's inhaled or comes in contact with the eyes or skin, iodine vapor can be an irritant and may cause stomach pain. Long term exposure could lead to insomnia, inflammation of the eyes and nose, bronchitis, tremors, rapid heartbeat, diarrhea, and weight loss.

Ecomaine says employees first noticed the colorful vapor around 9:30 a.m. on Thursday. They soon stopped feeding trash into the burner and say within two and a half hours, they were back to normal operations.

Mysterious purple vapor was coming out of ecomaine's trash to energy waste facility Thursday, leaving many wondering what it was. (WGME)

Ecomaine said on Friday they believe it is still iodine and are taking steps to address it.

Ecomaine says they burn 170,000 tons of trash a year, and in a virtual tour video on their website, Ecomaine says with the exception of car batteries, large appliances, fluorescents or other items they can't or shouldn't burn, Ecomaine burns almost anything that comes into their facility

Ecomaine says this incident should serve as a reminder to make sure your trash is disposed of properly.

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Marjorie Perkins, 87, was fast asleep and home alone when she awoke to a male intruder looming over her bed, threatening to attack her.

“He said, ‘I’m going to cut you,’” Perkins, a former elementary school teacher living in Brunswick, Maine, told local outlet the Times Record of the attack last week. “I thought to myself, ‘If he’s going to cut, I’m going to kick.’ So I jumped into my shoes.”

“He grabbed me by the shoulders and pushed me against the wall and so forth,” she told News Center Maine in a separate interview. So she grabbed a nearby chair, she said, “and I kept hitting him.”

“I was hollering for help out the window,” she told the Times Record, adding that no one heard her. “He kept punching me and pushing me,” she said, adding that the intruder punched her in the forehead and bruised it.

Then, he seemingly tired and made for the kitchen, where she offered him a snack. “I kept saying, ‘You need to get out. You need help,’” she told the Times Record. “He said he was awfully hungry and hadn’t had anything to eat for quite a while. And I said, ‘Well, here’s a box of peanut butter and honey crackers. You can have that whole box.’ I gave him two containers of Ensure and I gave him two tangerines.”

While he was eating, she dialed 911 on her rotary phone, she said. The intruder left her home before authorities arrived, but a police dog tracked him down shortly after and took him into custody, she said.

Perkins told the Times Record she recognized the intruder when he mowed her lawn as a young kid 10 years ago, and estimated him to be 17 years old.

“He did a darn good job,” Perkins said of his mowing. “I hope he gets help.”

Brunswick police have not released the attacker’s identity or age. But in an email Wednesday, Brunswick Police Chief Scott Stewart confirmed media reports of the attack, as well as reports that the intruder faces charges for burglary, criminal threatening, assault and consuming liquor as a minor. Perkins told the Times Record that he had a water bottle full of alcohol, a claim The Washington Post could not independently verify.

Perkins told both outlets she believes the intruder entered her home by shifting an air conditioning unit near a window to break in.

But she said she doesn’t want any sympathy.

She told News Center Maine: “Don’t sit and cry about it.”

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Magic is in the air in Prospect.

“This is actually a 160, 170-year-old fort from the Civil War era. How do you make kids interested in that? Well, you bring about some wizards, some ghosts, or some superheroes and that’s what we do!” said Dean Martin, executive director, Friends of Fort Knox.

Saturday is Wizarding Day at Fort Knox.

“It’s a one-day event, but it’s going to be a blast,” Martin said. “We’ve had such great remarks afterwards. ‘Oh my gosh, Wizarding Day. Oh, that was so much fun.’ So, it’s a hit.”

Friends of Fort Knox concocted the event during the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to keep people coming through the doors.

“We’re able to keep preserving the Fort by holding these events. That’s one of the reasons why we do it. And it fosters a love for the Fort,” Martin explained. “This is a natural backdrop. It looks like a castle. It looks like something out of a movie. And now you’re going to be roaming through it in the middle of the darkness trying to find dragons eggs and wizard robes and such.”

From potions class to wand making, there’s going to be something for every little witch and wizard to get their hands on.

“You got to find the dragon’s egg in the Dragon’s Lair. So, you got to find where that even is, and then when you do there’ll be a special moment when you’ll see the dragons not so happy about you finding the eggs,” he said.

It’s all set up like a scavenger hunt. Everyone will get a card to check off items as they’re found. Cards can be returned for small prize.

Costumes are encouraged, but not required.

“Making your own potion, it’ll actually be drinkable. That’s what I was told,” he said with a laugh. “I don’t know what it does to you.”

The only cost associated with Wizarding Day is the price of admission to Fort Knox; the event itself is free.

The fun starts Saturday at 10:00 a.m.

https://www.fortknoxmaine.com/hours-info

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A campaign that supports the Dakin Pool announced some exciting news for the remainder of summer.

Bangor non-profit jump in announced they will cover all entrance fees at the pool from July 31 to Aug. 5.

In addition to the news, on Aug. 1 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 pm, the Darling’s Ice Cream Truck for a Cause will be handing out free frozen treats at the pool for a donation to jump in.

For more information on the Dakin Pool you can follow the City of Bangor Municipal Pools page or follow the Friends of Dakin Pool Facebook page.

The Union Fair and Maine Wild Blueberry festival kicks off on Wednesday.

The fair will run until Sunday.

This is the 152nd fair and the 62nd Wild Blueberry Festival

The fair will be open every day from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Some highlights include fireworks Wednesday night, the Maine Blueberry Queen Coronation friday, and the Demolition Derby Sunday

For a more detailed schedule and more information, go to unionfair.org.

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Lords and ladies will be descending upon Acton for the fourth season of the Maine Renaissance Faire. The two-weekend event opens on Saturday at 10 a.m., with the parking lot set to open an hour before the festivities.

Those festivities include trapeze artists, fire performers, comedians and singers.

"The Maine Renaissance Faire presents shows and spectacles to thrill and enchant. Come witness the excitement of the Joust and Live Steel Combat!" the faire lists on its website.

Once you've enjoyed a show or two, fairgoers can grab a turkey leg at the Swamp Yenkee BBQ or a cup of Ale or Mead for those over 21 at The Daning Donkey Tavern.

Many more options could be found around the faire, including bulgogi bowls, sweets, hand pies and scotch eggs.

A single-day ticket for adults cost $20 , while a single-day children's pass costs $15. The Maine Renaissance Faire also has weekend and season passes.

https://themainerenfaire.com/

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The Maine Lobster Festival takes place August 2-6, 2023, at Harbor Park in Rockland, and will once again be offering free admission every day to all visitors.

The Steins & Vines Tasting Event is back for its 8th year, with two sessions on Thursday, Aug. 3 and two sessions Friday, Aug. 4. This event gives visitors the opportunity to taste Maine-made wine, beer and spirits from Maine brewers and vintners. This year there will be six wineries, eight breweries, and four cider companies present. Tickets are $40 and can be purchased online. Each ticket includes 12 tastings and a commemorative tasting glass. All participants must be 21 or older.

The Big Parade on Saturday, Aug. 5, at 10 a.m., on Main Street in Rockland will feature Grand Marshals Sharon Lombardo and Bob Oxton, both long-time festival volunteers. Color Guard, bands, floats, The Baltimore Marching Band, Slugger the SeaDog, Pat Patriot, the New England Patriots Cheerleaders, and so much more. This year’s theme is “The Spirit of ‘76” and festival organizers encourage creative interpretation of the theme. Participation is free and there are still slots available for floats, individuals, vehicles, groups and more. Apply online.

The Pirates of the Dark Rose will return to teach Festival visitors all about life as a pirate. There will be weapons demonstrations, cannon fire, pirate ship tours, and more. View the schedule for details.

Live music will be a feature every day at the Festival, with genres spanning rock, blues, jazz, country, swing, reggae, funk, and more.

Registration is open for the 5K & 10K Road Race. Registration is $35 online, $40 on the day of the race. Both races are timed and the first 300 registered receive a T-shirt. All finishers are presented with a finisher medal and awards are presented for top finishers in many age categories. Walkers are welcome for the 5K only.

Rockland Coast Guard Station will be hosting tours of the Coast Guard cutters Abby Burgess, Thunder Bay, and William Chadwick at the Coast Guard pier at 54 Tillson Ave. in Rockland, Aug. 3 and 4, from noon to 4 p.m. Minors must be accompanied by a parent/guardian. No open-toed shoes are allowed.

Other events will be the Art Show and Fine Arts & Craft Tent, the Seafood Cooking Contest, children's events, and the International Great Crate Race. Not to mention the thousands of pounds of fresh Maine lobster cooked in the World's Largest Lobster Cooker. View the full schedule to see all the exciting events the 2023 Maine Lobster Festival has in store.

Five days of fun and feasting on the fabulous coast of Maine, the Maine Lobster Festival attracts thousands of people to the Midcoast region and has a long tradition of giving back to the local community. The 2023 Festival will be held Aug. 2-6. For more information about the Maine Lobster Festival, visit the website at www.mainelobsterfestival.com, “like” it on Facebook, follow it on Twitter at @MELobsterFest, and on Instagram at @mainelobsterfest.

Maine now has the nation’s only Shellfish and Seaweed Aquaculture Apprenticeship and state certified aquaculture pre-apprenticeship programs.

The Aquaculture Pioneers pre-apprenticeship, sponsored by the Maine Aquaculture Association partnering with Educate Maine and Gulf of Maine Research Institute, is directly connected to the Maine Shellfish and Seaweed Aquaculture Apprenticeship program that launched in the spring.

Over a span of one year, apprentices gain industry-specific skills through a combination of on-the-job learning and mentorship, and 144 hours of classroom education at Southern Maine Community College.

Students will get hands-on training in the aquaculture industry by learning safety protocols, shellfish and seaweed production, vessel and vehicle operation, and maintenance of tools and equipment.

You must be 18 or older for the apprenticeship program and at least a high school student to apply for the pre-apprenticeship program.

Applications for both programs are currently full.

https://maineaqua.org/apprenticeship/

The Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative has partnered with local restaurants and nationwide distributors to debut the "Celebrate the Maine Lobster Roll." The dish is part of the collaborative’s "Maine Characters" campaign to celebrate those responsible for keeping the heritage lobster industry alive.

The "Celebrate the Maine Lobster Roll" serves a typical lobster roll alongside custom materials like toothpicks, placemats, sandwich paper, and postcards that feature information about industry stakeholders, along with a QR code to a digital hub to learn more. Every roll sold will help support the fishery that caught the lobster. A portion of the proceeds will also go to the Maine Lobstermen's Community Alliance, an organization that works to ensure the health and sustainability of the fishery for future generations.

"Everyone is familiar with Maine Lobster rolls, but not everyone knows the countless people who've helped them become the summer indulgence we all love," said Marianne LaCroix, executive director of the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative, in a statement. "This summer, we're helping diners get to know the people who make this beloved meal possible with our 'Maine Characters' campaign and this special roll that celebrates their hard work and passion."

The "Maine Characters" campaign will spotlight the broad impact the fishery has on the state of Maine and will feature the stories of the individuals behind the industry, including fishermen, processors, dealers, trap builders, and restaurant owners.

The Lobster Roll will be available at the following Maine locations:

• The Boathouse Restaurant in Kennebunkport

• The Clam Shack in Kennebunkport

• Cousins Maine Lobster in Portland

• DiMillo's in Portland

• The Highroller Lobster Co. in Portland

• Island Lobster Company in Portland

• Luke's Lobster in Portland

• Portland Lobster Co. in Portland

• Union River Lobster Pot in Ellsworth

“Maine Lobster is more than a menu item, it's an integral part of the state of Maine, said Brian Langley, owner of the Union River Lobster Pot restaurant in Ellsworth, in a statement. “The fishery supports many businesses like mine, as well as countless families and coastal communities." !

The world’s richest known lithium deposit lies deep in the woods of western Maine, in a yawning, sparkling mouth of white and brown rocks that looks like a landslide carved into the side of Plumbago Mountain.

Mary Freeman and her husband Gary found the deposit five years ago while hunting for tourmaline, a striking, multi-colored gemstone found in the region.

The Freemans make their living selling lab supplies through the Florida-based company they founded 40 years ago, Awareness Technology. But their true love is digging for gemstones, which has brought them for years to Mary’s home state of Maine, the site of some of the best tourmaline hunting in the world.

Since 2003, they’ve been buying up property parcels, studying core samples and old geological maps to determine where to try digging next, then spending hundreds of thousands of dollars a year on blasting and equipment. The couple has dug more than a mile of tunnels in pursuit of beautiful stones, and many of their finds—like blue elbaite and rich watermelon tourmaline—have wound up on display at the Maine Mineral & Gem Museum in nearby Bethel.

Now, the Freemans want to expand this pit, near the town of Newry, Maine, so they can mine spodumene, crystals that contain the lithium the U.S. needs for the clean energy transition. The timing of their discovery, in what has been named Plumbago North, is remarkable; the Freemans have stumbled across one of the only hard-rock sources of lithium in the U.S. at a time when the material is desperately needed for the clean energy transition. By 2040, the world will need at least 1.1 million metric tons of lithium annually, more than ten times what it currently produces, according to projections by the International Energy Agency. Should the Maine deposit be mined, it could be worth as much as $1.5 billion, a huge windfall for the Freemans and a boon to the Biden Administration’s efforts to jumpstart more domestic mining, processing, and recycling of critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements to reduce the U.S.’ dependence on China. This is one of the few lithium deposits in the U.S. currently found in hard rock, which means it is higher-quality and faster to process than lithium mined from brine.

“I consider myself an environmentalist,” says Mary, who on a recent rainy visit to the test quarry, was wearing jeans, a sweater, and hiking boots, her white hair pulled into a low ponytail. Most of the country’s critical minerals are mined elsewhere and processed in China, she adds. “I think [the U.S.] should try to be a little bit more self-sufficient.”

But like just about everywhere in the U.S. where new mines have been proposed, there is strong opposition here. Maine has some of the strictest mining and water quality standards in the country, and prohibits digging for metals in open pits larger than three acres. There have not been any active metal mines in the state for decades, and no company has applied for a permit since a particularly strict law passed in 2017. As more companies begin prospecting in Maine and searching for sizable nickel, copper, and silver deposits, towns are beginning to pass their own bans on industrial mining.

“This is a story that has been played out in Maine for generations,” says Bill Pluecker, a member of the state’s House of Representatives, whose hometown of Warren—a 45-minute drive from the capital city of Augusta—recently voted overwhelmingly in favor of a temporary ban on industrial metal mining after a Canadian company came looking for minerals near a beloved local pond. “We build industries based on the needs of populations not living here and then the bottom drops out, leaving us struggling again to pick up the pieces.”

Mainers often invoke the Callahan Mine in the coastal town of Brooksville as a warning. Tailings from the mine, which operated for several years in the late 1960s, were disposed of in a pile next to a salt marsh and creek. The former mine is now a Superfund site, and a 2013 study by researchers at Dartmouth College found widespread evidence of toxic metals in nearby sediment, water and fish. Cleanup costs, borne by taxpayers, are estimated between $23 million and $45 million.

“Our gold rush mentality regarding oil has fueled the climate crisis,” says State Rep. Margaret O’Neil, who presented a bill last session that would have halted lithium mining for five years while the state worked out rules (the legislation ultimately failed). “As we facilitate our transition away from fossil fuels, we must examine the risks of lithium mining and consider whether the benefits of mining here in Maine justify the harms.”

The Freemans’ point out that they plan to dig for the spodumene, then ship it out of state for processing, so there would be no chemical ponds or tailings piles. They liken the excavation of the minerals to quarrying for granite or limestone, which enjoys a long, rich history in Maine.

Advocates for mining in the U.S. argue that, since the country outsources most of its mining to places with less strict environmental and labor regulations, those harms are currently being born by foreign residents, while putting U.S. manufacturers in the precarious position of depending on faraway sources for the minerals they need. Though there are more than 12,000 active mines in the U.S., the bulk of them are for stone, coal, sand, and gravel.

There is only one operational lithium mine in the U.S., in Nevada, and one operational rare earth element mine, in Mountain Pass, Calif., meaning that the U.S. is dependent on other countries for the materials essential for clean energy technologies like batteries, wind turbines, and solar panels. Even after they’re mined, those materials currently have to be shipped to China for processing since the U.S. does not have any processing facilities.

“If we’re talking about critical metals and materials, we’re so far behind that it’s crazy,” says Corby Anderson, a professor at the Colorado School of Mines. “It’s the dichotomy of the current administration—they have incentives for electric vehicles and all these things, but they need materials like graphite, manganese, nickel, cobalt, lithium, and copper. The only one we mine and refine in this country is copper.”

The COVID-19 pandemic laid bare the problems of faraway supply chains; as U.S. consumers shopped online in their homes, the goods they bought, mostly from Asia, experienced lengthy delays at clogged ports. What’s more, diplomatic tensions with China motivated the U.S. government to seek other potential sources for mining, material processing, and recycling.

That’s why, in the pandemic’s aftermath, the Biden Administration launched an initiative to secure a Made in America supply chain for critical minerals. It included billions in funding for companies trying to mine and process critical minerals domestically.

The rocks in Plumbago North would seem to help provide a domestic supply chain for critical minerals; they are thought to be among the largest specimens of spodumene ever found, with crystals of such high quality that in addition to batteries, they could be used to make scientific glassware or computer screens, where the lithium metal would help lower the melting temperature.

The Freemans are just two of the hundreds of people prospecting for critical materials across the country as the U.S. tries to strengthen the domestic supply chain. According to an analysis by Patrick Donnelly, the Great Basin Director for the Center for Biological Diversity, a nonprofit environmental organization, more than 100 companies have staked claims for lithium deposits in the American West. Companies also have applied for permits to mine cobalt in Idaho, nickel and copper in Minnesota, and lithium in North Carolina.

Geologists say there’s also likely a lot more lithium in spodumene deposits across New England. Communities that haven’t had working mines in years may soon find themselves a key source for lithium and other minerals needed for car batteries, solar panels, and many of the objects people will need more of to transition themselves off polluting fossil fuels.

There are good reasons for U.S. communities to have healthy skepticism about mining projects; there is no shortage of examples of a company coming into a community, mining until doing so becomes too expensive, then leaving a polluted site for someone else to clean up. There are more than 50,000 abandoned mines in the western United States alone, 80% of which still need to be remediated. Passage of landmark environmental laws like the Clean Air Act of 1970 and the Clean Water Act of 1972 hasn’t made mining safe enough, environmentalists say.

“All mines pollute in one way or another, and mines are really bad at predicting how much they’re going to pollute,” says Jan Morrill, who studies mining at the environmental group Earthworks, which recently found that 76% of mining companies in the U.S. polluted groundwater after saying they wouldn’t.

One of the most problematic parts of mines is the tailings, or waste, Morrill says: Companies extract the minerals they need, then are left with a giant pile of rock, liquid, and chemicals that they store in ponds or behind dams that sometimes prove unstable. These tailings have caused landslides, excessive dust, and water pollution; more than 300 mine tailing dams have failed worldwide over the last century, according to Christopher Sergeant, a research scientist at the University of Montana.

It is not uncommon for tailings to leak into water, in fact, there is a permit that mine owners can get in case they find their projections were wrong and they need to discharge into U.S. waters.

Even “modern mines” that adhere to the latest U.S. standards—which are among the strictest in the world—still pollute, Earthworks has found. Though there are, theoretically, non-polluting ways to store mine tailings, doing so is much more expensive and mine operators have largely not paid to do so, Morrill says. That’s because, says Aimee Boulanger, executive director of the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance, “laws and markets have not fully incentivized companies to do that.”

Indeed, the Biden initiative to increase domestic mining includes, for example, a $700 million loan for Ioneer, a company planning a lithium mine on Rhyolite Ridge in Nevada, where environmental groups say the mine, as proposed, would cause the extinction of an endangered species called Tiehm’s buckwheat. The Administration is also spending $115 million to help Talon Nickel build a battery minerals processing facility in North Dakota, but the potential mine they would source from, in Minnesota, is opposed by Indigenous groups and environmentalists who fear it could contaminate wells in the area.

Still, the U.S. has a more rigorous regulatory environment than many other countries, she says, and there are domestic mines that even some environmentalists support, like the Stillwater Mine in Montana. Community organizations there signed a Good Neighbor Agreement in 2000 with the Sibanye-Stillwater Mining Company allowing the firm to extract platinum and palladium—while also establishing clear and enforceable water standards, restrictions to minimize local traffic, and third-party auditors to ensure the mine adheres to the standards it set out. The mine is now one of the top employers and private-sector income generators in Montana.

But advocates had to force the Agreement; three grassroots organizations sued to stop the construction of the mine, and after a year of negotiations, the mining company and grassroots groups agreed to the contract instead of going to court. With support from elected officials trying to find ways to mine more critical minerals in the U.S., companies may not feel the need to make similar promises to the local community.

The Freemans say their mine would not pollute the surrounding land and water, as the chemical composition of the crystals and the rocks around them is such that they would not dissolve into dangerous acid when exposed to air and water. Geologists that TIME/Maine Monitor spoke with agree with that assessment. Further, the crystals, says Mary, would be shipped out of state in large chunks for processing, so there would be no chemical ponds or tailings.

Many geologists agree that the Freemans’ proposal would not be as disruptive as other proposed mines across the country. Other metals (like nickel, silver, and zinc) typically occur in bands of rock deep below the surface that contain iron sulfides, which create sulfuric acid when exposed to air and water, polluting waterways for decades, a phenomenon known as acid mine drainage. Some spodumene crystals at Plumbago North, by contrast, have been naturally exposed to air and water for hundreds of millions of years and not broken down.

On a visit to the test quarry this spring, Gary Freeman pointed out one large piece of spodumene lying at the bottom of a nearby brook, the water over it rushing fast and clear, not the rusty orange of an acid-contaminated stream. (The waterway is known, fittingly, as Spodumene Brook.) “The water is so good Poland Spring wants to bottle it and sell it,” says Mary.

Still, Morrill, of Earthworks, says there’s just not enough research about the effects of hard rock spodumene mining to say for sure that the mine wouldn’t harm the environment. Since so many people in Maine depend on recreation and tourism for their livelihoods, she says, it makes the most sense to keep protective regulations in place.

Maine’s Department of Environmental Protection has rejected the Freemans’ request to consider the land a quarry, and is instead classifying spodumene as a metallic mineral. As the law stands, the Freemans will have to apply for permits under Maine’s 2017 Metallic Mineral Mining Act, a costly process (the application processing fee alone is $500,000) that would take years.

Meanwhile, the local community is divided. After all, in Maine it’s not difficult to find people still living with the long-term damage of older mines. On the other hand, many Mainers are pragmatic and understand the state has long, dark winters, and will need battery storage for any renewable energy it generates on sunny or windy days. The alternative is to continue relying on fossil fuels, which would exacerbate climate change.

Myles Felch, curator at the Maine Mineral and Gem Museum, is one of these practical Mainers. He was raised in Union, where a groundswell of opposition has formed to resist a proposal by Canada-based Exiro Minerals to look for nickel near a beloved local pond. Felch isn’t thrilled with the prospect, but also knows we can’t continue to be so detached from the minerals we use in our daily life.

“I love the place where I grew up and I wouldn’t want anything to ever happen to it,” says Felch. But “you need mineral resources. Most people were probably texting ‘stop the mine’ with a nickel cobalt battery in their phones.”

The Maine Department of Marine Resources issued a shark message Friday afternoon, July 14, given the increased activity of humans paddling, swimming and surfing along the coastline.

“While relative risk of a shark attack is very small, risks should always be minimized whenever possible in any activity on the water,” the release said. “The chances of having an interaction with a shark can be reduced if you follow this advice:

If you choose to swim, surf, or paddle, be aware of your surroundings Stay close to shore Swim, paddle, and surf in groups Avoid areas where there are seals or schooling fish Avoid murky, or low visibility water Avoid shiny jewelry when in or on the water Limit splashing Avoid swimming at dawn/dusk when lighting is low Adhere to all signage at beaches and follow lifeguard instructions

https://www.maine.gov/dmr/science/fisheries-monitoring-assessment/white-shark-research