MORE STORIES FROM MAINE, THE NATION AND THE WORLD
June 27
Prince Harry hit with legal bill, ordered to explain how communications with ghostwriter were destroyed
Judge Timothy Fancourt said it was troubling that all communications between the Duke of Sussex and writer J.R. Moehringer, along with all drafts of the best-selling 'Spare,' were destroyed.
June 27
Winslow’s $2.8 million industrial space eyes October opening
The Kennebec Roofing Industrial Annex will accommodate 10 storefronts, and plans are underway for more office space and a multi-sport facility.
June 27
Judge halts collection of $50 million Alex Jones owes to Sandy Hook victims’ parents
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez in Houston said Thursday a Texas judge's ruling that victim Jesse Lewis' family could start collecting on the settlement conflicts with federal bankruptcy law.
June 27
Bolivia’s president calls claims he was behind attempted coup ‘lies’ as his supporters rally
Bolivian President Luis Arce has denied being behind an attempted coup against him, lashing out at accusations that he had asked for the mutiny in a plan to boost his popularity.
June 27
New Hampshire man on trial for threatening to kill presidential candidates found dead as jury was deciding verdict
When Tyler Anderson was arrested, a spokesperson for Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy said that texts were directed at his campaign.
June 27
Supreme Court strips SEC of critical enforcement tool in fraud cases
The justices ruled in a 6-3 vote that people accused of fraud by the SEC, which regulates securities markets, have the right to a jury trial in federal court.
June 27
Supreme Court allows emergency abortions in Idaho for now in limited ruling
The ruling came a day after an opinion was briefly posted on the court's website accidentally and quickly taken down, but not before it was obtained by Bloomberg.
June 27
Supreme Court blocks enforcement of EPA’s ‘good neighbor’ rule on downwind pollution
The high court, with a 6-3 conservative majority, has increasingly reined in the powers of federal agencies, including the EPA, in recent years.
June 27
Supreme Court rejects nationwide opioid settlement with OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma
The settlement would have shielded Sackler family members who own the company from civil lawsuits over the toll of opioids but also would've provided billions of dollars to combat the epidemic.
June 27
In Gaza’s summer heat, Palestinians are surrounded by sewage and garbage
Israel's war in Gaza has decimated the strip's sanitation system while simultaneously displacing the vast majority of the population, leaving many Palestinians living in tent camps nearby water contaminated with sewage and growing piles of garbage.
June 27
Prospect of low-priced Chinese EVs reaching U.S. poses threat to automakers
America’s auto industry has grown concerned that Chinese carmakers may be preparing to set up shop in Mexico to exploit North American trade rules.
June 27
What triggered the coup attempt in Bolivia?
Wednesday’s rebellion followed months of tensions, with economic hardship and protests growing ever stronger.
June 27
Maine State Aquarium draws a crowd when it reopens after a 4-year hiatus
The state's only aquarium reopened Wednesday and features new exhibits and research about the Gulf of Maine.
June 26
Biden and Trump are set to debate. Here’s what their past performances looked like
Four years ago, then-President Trump arrived at the first debate with Joe Biden in Cleveland seemingly determined to steamroll Biden at every turn
Farmington police to conduct multiagency active shooting training at Mt. Blue High School
Law enforcement services throughout Franklin County will continue to be provided during the training.
June 27
Mavis Gensel recognized for 35 years of service with Farmington town office
Select Board approves money for police recruitment video.
June 26
Town of Wilton stops payroll services for Friends of Wilson Lake
Town officials cited concerns over not hiring the employees, liability, insurances and other legalities.
June 26
Amazon joins exclusive club, crossing $2 trillion in stock market value for the first time
Amazon now joins Google's parent Alphabet, software behemoth Microsoft, iPhone maker Apple, and AI chip maker Nvidia among companies with valuations of at least $2 trillion.
June 26
Military flees Bolivia government palace after coup attempt fails, general taken into custody
Wednesday’s rebellion followed months of tensions, with economic hardship and protests growing ever stronger.
June 26
Massachusetts jurors weigh evidence in a murder trial that challenged police integrity
Jurors have to consider whether the sometimes tiny bits of evidence – pieces of a broken tail light, a single human hair – point to the girlfriend’s guilt, or a sprawling cover-up by law enforcement officers.
June 26
A signature Biden law was aimed to boost renewable energy. It also helped a solar company reap billions
President Biden points to the legislation as an example of investing in alternative energy in ways that'll help the environment and lift the economy. But one solar company shows how that legislation can yield mammoth returns to the well-connected.
June 26
Why NASA astronauts are delayed at the space station after Boeing Starliner launch
This week, Boeing said the Starliner capsule's problems aren’t a concern for the return trip and 'the astronauts are not stranded.'
June 26
IRS delays in resolving identity theft cases are ‘unconscionable,’ independent watchdog says
An independent watchdog within the IRS reports that while taxpayer services have vastly improved, the agency is still too slow to resolve identity theft cases
June 26
Startup developing ‘vaccine’ to fight fentanyl addictions, overdoses
Fentanyl poisoning has been the leading cause of death for Americans between age 18 and 45 since 2019, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
June 26
Wilton man charged with sending sexually explicit photos to juvenile
Robert Fanning, 39, was arrested June 14 by the Oxford County Sheriff's Office.
June 27
Waterville Area Habitat for Humanity building house in Oakland for veteran, 2 kids
About a dozen employees from Huhtamaki were volunteering Wednesday to help frame up the structure.
June 26
U.S. Supreme Court seems poised to allow emergency abortions in Idaho, report says
Based on a copy of the opinion that was briefly posted prematurely, it does not appear likely the court will fully resolve the issues at the heart of the case.
June 26
New Sharon man charged with OUI after car hits parked SUV, crashes into ditch
James Nile, 32, was charged Tuesday night with OUI and released from jail Wednesday morning on $300 bail.
June 26
Augusta assisted living facility with history of violations slated to close in July
Capitol City Manor, a 29-bed facility on State Street, was under investigation in recent months for reports of abuse and neglect.
June 26
Supreme Court dismisses lawsuit claiming Biden censored social media
The case is among several before the court this term that affect social media companies in the context of free speech.
June 26
Officials identify man’s body found in burned Auburn home
Brian Woodbury apparently struggled with Leein Hinkley at Woodbury's friend's home June 15 before explosions and a blaze destroyed the house.
June 26
Small plane crashes into trees on Swans Island
Only minor injuries were reported. Investigators were headed to the scene of the crash.
June 26
National Democrats target Augusta Republican seat in Maine Senate
The party is focusing on Senate seats in Auburn and Augusta, which are currently held by Republicans who are not seeking reelection.
June 26
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange returns to Australia free man after U.S. legal battle
'WikiLeaks’s work will continue and Mr. Assange, I have no doubt, will be a continuing force for freedom of speech and transparency in government,' one of his lawyers says.
June 26
U.S. journalist goes on trial in Russia on espionage charges that he, employer deny
Bowdoin graduate and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich is the first Western journalist arrested on espionage charges in post-Soviet Russia.
June 26
FDA warns maker of Sara Lee and Entenmann’s not to claim foods contain allergens when they don’t
U.S. Food and Drug Administration inspectors found that a top U.S. bakery listed ingredients on labels even when they weren't in the foods.
June 26
Planning Board scrutinizes plans for first food truck court in Waterville
Questions about traffic and noise were raised Tuesday as the board considered an informal preapplication for a food truck court on Kennedy Memorial Drive.
June 26
Skowhegan budget finalized after special town meeting to correct typo
Voters on Tuesday approved raising and appropriating $158,071 for general government, which had been left off the June 10 town meeting warrant due to a typographical error.
June 26
‘They’re like Superwomen’: Tibetan Buddhist nuns create a sand mandala to help heal after mass shooting
One of the motivations behind the mandala is to help the Lewiston-Auburn community recover from the trauma of the 2023 mass shooting.
June 25
Anti-tax protesters storm Kenya’s parliament, drawing police fire
Medical workers report 5 people have been killed, but no official number has been provided.
June 25
Israel’s high court orders army to draft ultra-Orthodox men, rattling Netanyahu’s government
The prime minister would struggle to pull together a ruling coalition without the politically powerful ultra-Orthodox parties, who oppose any change to the system.
June 26
Maine’s civilian workforce returns to pre-pandemic size
Maine also filled 9,300 nonfarm jobs from May 2023 to May 2024, in large part thanks to gains in Maine's health care and social assistance sector.
June 25
Jay board proposes change in setback distance for marijuana businesses
The town's Marijuana Committee recommends a 50-foot setback with a 5-acre parcel.
June 26
Sitting Gardiner city councilor Terry Berry dies of cancer
Berry, a well-known real estate agent, had served on the council since 2014 and voiced interest on topics including affordable housing, taxes and education.
June 25
Police: Lewiston woman showed ‘depraved indifference’ in death of 90-year-old Litchfield man
When he was found in his Litchfield home on May 18, Gerald Marin had been dead more than a week, police say in the criminal complaint charging Shari Allimah with murder.
June 25
UN tells Israel it will suspend aid operations across Gaza without improved safety
The Israeli military claims it's trying to facilitate aid shipments but that Hamas is disrupting them.
June 25
Skowhegan chase ends when motorcycle lands in ditch, twice
Nathan Morris, 27, of Norridgewock, was issued a summons for operating under the influence, according to the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office.
June 26
Jay restaurant to be featured on ‘America’s Best Restaurants’
My Dad's Place, owned by Lynn and Matt Brennick, will be featured on 'America's Best Restaurants' show.
June 25
More than 500 people have been charged under the gun safety law Biden signed
Enhanced background checks under the new law have stopped roughly 800 sales of firearms to people under age 21 who would be prohibited from buying them.
June 25
Two arrested in Waterville drug bust that netted crack, fentanyl, handgun
Waterville police and agents from the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency searched an Silver Street apartment on Thursday.
June 25
Girlfriend of Biddeford landlord says tenant shot him after getting eviction notice
Randal J. Hennessey, 33, is accusing of killing his landlord Douglas 'Doug' Michaud Jr. in 2021 on their building's front porch.
June 25
Consumer confidence in U.S. falls in June as Americans fret about near-term prospects
The labor market remains healthy but future slowing could trigger higher unemployment.
June 25
Update: Whale found dead off Harpswell was a humpback
This is the second humpback whale found dead in Maine waters this month.
June 25
Update: Union man’s death was from natural causes, police say
Jonathan Dodge was found dead at a home on Saturday.
June 25
Judge relaxes Trump’s gag order after hush money criminal conviction
The changes allow the former president to comment about witnesses and jurors, but not court and prosecution staff members.
June 26
Maine swimmer’s poolside proposal to U.S. Olympian makes a big internet splash
James Wells got down on one wet knee to ask Olympic gold medal swimmer Lilly King to marry him. She said yes.
June 26
Mobile medical team aims to reduce overdose deaths in Greater Portland
The van is operated by Greater Portland Health, which serves vulnerable communities in Portland, South Portland and Westbrook.
June 25
Woman, toddler die in 2-vehicle collision on state Route 108 in Livermore
Harley Lausier, 20, and an 18-month-old girl in a car seat in the rear passenger side, both died at the scene.
June 25
U.S. surgeon general declares gun violence a public health emergency
Dr. Vivek Murthy calls on the U.S. to ban automatic rifles, introduce universal background checks for purchasing guns, regulate the industry, pass laws that would restrict their use in public spaces and penalize people who fail to safely store their weapons.
June 25
Romance turned deadly or police frame job? Karen Read trial nears close
Lawyers were due to deliver closing arguments Tuesday before jurors tasked with sifting the wildly differing accounts of the death of Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe.
June 25
Tesla’s futuristic new Cybertruck faces a fourth recall
June 25
Looming flood threat: Maine coastal infrastructure at risk as soon as 2030
The Union of Concerned Scientists predicts that high-tide flooding caused by rising seas will hit critical facilities with a few years if emissions stay the same.
June 25
Presque Isle man killed in Westmanland shooting
Maine State Police are investigating the death in northern Aroostook County and say there is no danger to the public.
June 24
Whale carcass found floating in Harpswell cove
The town has not yet determined what species of whale it is.
June 24
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange will plead guilty in deal with U.S., return to Australia
Assange will plead guilty to an Espionage Act charge of conspiring to unlawfully obtain and disseminate classified national defense information, the Justice Department said in a letter filed in court.
June 26
Fireworks and American Idol firecracker Julia Gagnon coming to Lewiston-Auburn’s Liberty Festival
The 27th annual Liberty Festival is set for three days around Independence Day in the Twin Cities. This year's lineup includes fireworks and a performance by American Idol contestant Julia Gagnon.
June 24
Summer camps are for getting kids outdoors, but more frequent heat waves force changes
What do you do when it's too hot for the traditional end-of-camp bonfire?
June 24
Supreme Court enters crunch time for term loaded with big issues
This is the court’s traditional last week before its summer break, when it often delivers decisions in the most closely watched cases.
June 25
Bath softball tournament to raise funds for Augusta nonprofit that helps female veterans
A new summer softball tournament to raise funds for multiple homeless veteran organizations is happening this weekend at the softball fields in Bath.
June 24
Ex-University of Arizona grad student gets life sentence for killing professor on campus
A month before the fatal shooting occurred, the student had been expelled from the school for ongoing issues with professors after receiving a bad grade.
June 24
Lawsuit challenges new Louisiana law requiring classrooms to display the Ten Commandments
Opponents argue that the law is a violation of separation of church and state and that the display will isolate students, especially those who are not Christian.
June 24
Biddeford man doesn’t deny killing his landlord, but refuses multiple plea deals
If convicted, prosecutors said they will request a life sentence for Randal J. Hennessey. He doesn't dispute shooting Douglas Michaud Jr. at least 6 times on their apartment building's front porch in 2021.
June 24
Firefighters find man’s remains at scene of Milo structure fire
The fire occurred in a free-standing workshop at 61 Elm St. The Office of Chief Medical Examiner will confirm the identity of the deceased, who has been preliminarily been identified as 76-year-old Dwight Russell.
June 24
South Portland teen accused of planning school shooting on trial in juvenile court
The former South Portland High School student has pleaded not guilty to a charge of criminal solicitation for murder.
June 24
Vienna man indicted for allegedly firing gun near home
The Kennebec County grand jury indictments for June.
June 25
Waterville animal shelter hires new executive director with background as owner of dog training business
Josh Forester, 48, of Cornville, is the new executive director of the Humane Society Waterville Area at 100 Webb Road in Waterville.
June 24
Nonprofit’s $500 grants help cut residents’ home insurance costs after wildfire
Five years after the 2018 Camp Fire killed 85 people and destroyed 90% of the homes here, residents of Paradise, California, face a new struggle: Finding homeowner's insurance.
June 24
A majority of Latinos are worried about their finances, new poll shows
The survey found 66% of Latinos ages 25 to 39 are worried about paying next month’s rent or mortgage bill.
