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In all of the hand-wringing over the lack of “affordable housing” in not only Hancock County, but the state of Maine and the nation as a whole, there is never any discussion of why housing costs have increased so dramatically and become increasingly unaffordable for large segments of society.

BANGOR, Maine (WABI) - An Orrington man previously on trial for attempted murder had that charge and others dropped on Monday. In exchange, 36-year-old Jordan Bishop pleaded guilty to three remaining charges in connection with the 2019 Downtown Bangor shooting. Bishop admitted to three felonies: elevated aggravated assault, reckless conduct...

ELLSWORTH — Volunteers at sites across Hancock County will kick off the 12th annual Hancock County Food Drive on Saturday, April 1. From Deer Isle to Winter Harbor, from Ellsworth to Bucksport, grocery stores and general stores will be staffed by enthusiastic volunteers clad in fruit and vegetable costumes, ready to accept donations for the food drive and spread excitement about the month to come.

ELLSWORTH — The Ellsworth Police Department has welcomed a furry new recruit to the force. Cpl. Robert Angelo is training Taggart, “Tag,” an 18-month-old American Labrador retriever, in tracking, evidence search and drug identification for her work with the department.

ELLSWORTH — Volunteers at sites across Hancock County are kicking off the 12th annual Hancock County Food Drive on Saturday, April 1. Area grocery and general stores will be staffed by enthusiastic volunteers clad in fruit and vegetable costumes, ready to accept donations for the food drive and spread excitement about the month to come.

The Maine State Drama One-Act Festivals were held this past weekend, with Class A taking place at Lawrence High School and Class B at Ellsworth High School. Here are the results along with the All-Festival Cast and Judge's Commendations for each site. Class A. Results. Yarmouth. MDI. Lincoln Academy. Gorham.

ELLSWORTH — Down East Dancers will sponsor a DJ dance from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Saturday, April 8, at the Ellsworth YMCA. General admission is $10; $8 for seniors and students. For more information, call (207) 244-5286.

Chances are, if you've ever traveled along Route 1A through Holden, you have passed by or likely stopped into G & M Family Market. It's been a staple for many in the area for years, as not only a great little grocery store but also an agency liquor store, a Maine State Lottery Agent, and a spot to grab a snack with both an on-site Amatos and Dunkin's drive-thru built right in.

BAR HARBOR — The Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors has named Everal Eaton as the Chamber’s new executive director. Since 2015, Eaton has worked with the Greater Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerce in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., where he was promoted several times, ultimately serving as the senior director of operations.

It's been quite a month for the Ellsworth Girl's Basketball Team! The afterglow of winning the program's 1st Gold Ball still hasn't worn off. On Sunday, March 26th it continued, when Coach Andy Pooler and his wife Amy and kids went to the Celtics game in Boston. That's right.. Right...

The Ellsworth High School One Act Cast and Crew finished 3rd in the Class B State One Act Drama Festival at Ellsworth High School this past weekend and will advance to the New England Festival representing the State of Maine. The New England Drama Festival will be held April 20-22...

A Bucksport woman is facing charges after allegedly robbing the Circle K store in Belfast. The suspect has been identified as Kristen Herbest, 23, of Bucksport. She was arrested on Friday and charged with robbery. How Did the Robbery Go Down?. That charge stems from a robbery that happened at...

ELLSWORTH — Ellsworth High School (EHS) will be one of two schools representing Maine at the New England Drama Festival in April after finishing third in the Maine State Drama Festival this past weekend. EHS’s performance of “Maria Marie Antonia Antoinette Josepha Josephe Johanna Jeanne: Cancel Culture’s Queen” will...

BANGOR - Maine-based nonprofit Hardy Girls is sending out a registration call for their annual "Be You Boldy!" Conferences. The conferences are a set of day-long events that are 100% planned and run by high school members of Hardy Girls Feminist Action Board. The events, which will be held in...

ELLSWORTH — The Ellsworth School Board approved a 10-month collaboration with the Maine Association for the Education of Young Children (MaineAEYC) at its meeting on March 21. Board members also approved changes to the academic calendar for the 2023-24 school year.

SURRY — Mere days after winter’s final snowstorm, elver season opened at noon March 22, but the tide was high for stringing fyke nets and the water cold from snow melt. “It’s all about the water temperature,” Ellsworth elver fisherman Jeff Clarke said early on March 27. “The smaller brooks warm up faster and [the elvers] run sooner.”

MOUNT DESERT ISLAND, Maine (WABI) - After renting in Northeast Harbor, Herrick & Salisbury Land Surveying Company finally has a place to call their own. “We’re just really excited to have a base for our business in town here,” said Herrick & Salisbury Vice President Tara Hartson. “We have to take care of some structural stuff which is actually still happening. The floors are pretty out of level so we are jacking the building to get it as level as we can.”

SOUTHWEST HARBOR — Dianne Ballon has been working in sound for over 35 years. Instead of returning to the Arctic, a Maine Artist Fellowship from the Maine Arts Commission coupled with the pandemic gave her the opportunity to focus on her coastal sound series at home in Maine. The...

(Amherst) A tractor-trailer driver is lucky to be alive after his rig went off the Airline Road Friday morning and burst into flames. The Hancock County Sheriff’s Department reports to Star 97.7, 54 yo Saraphin Puccetti of Baltimore was driving through Amherst around 7:20 a.m. when his truck went off the roadway and down an embankment, striking trees and coming to rest on its side. The tractor trailer then became engulfed in flames, destroying it and the entire cargo of new vehicles. The road was closed most of the day. Puccetti was not injured in the crash. The cause remains under investigation.

For those who didn’t memorize the array of plans being considered for the potential redesigning of the Mount Desert Island school system, option one would make use of the existing four K-8 school buildings on MDI and reconfigure them to provide two elementary schools and two junior highs for the students of MDI. There would continue to be one high school.