Zero Tolerance for Speeding on Main Street, Rockland

The Rockland Police Department has been given a directive for speed enforcement details on Main Street, specifically in the Downtown District. Based on community feedback the Police Department will take a more aggressive approach to enforcing speed limits in the Downtown portion of Main Street. Starting this week anyone found to be exceeding the posted speed limit will be summonsed for a violation.

The Police Department has conducted 46 traffic details from the intersection of Park and Main Street to the Rockland Ferry Terminal since late May of 2017.  This particular segment of Main Street has been identified as the major problem area, in relation to speeding, by members of the community.

The City of Rockland understands the concerns which have been expressed by residents and businesses about speeding on Main Street.  We also understand that many who expressed concerns would ideally like to have 24/7 Police coverage on Main Street.  Unfortunately, the Police Department has limited resources and 24/7 traffic details on Main Street are not possible.  However, the Police Department is committed to doing as much as they possibly can with the resources available in the City to make Main Street safer.

The Camden Conference announces winners of Bill Taylor Award

The Camden Conference is pleased to announce the awarding of the Bill Taylor Awards to three high school and three college students for their essays written related to this year’s Conference topic Refugees and Global Migration: Humanity’s Crisis. Bill Taylor, a long-time supporter of the Conference, created this award in 2014 to promote student research in support of his strong interest in education.

Education programs of the Camden Conference are designed to promote knowledge, perspectives, and dialogue opportunities on world affairs with high school and college educators and their students. Several Maine high schools and colleges offer academic courses based on the annual Conference topic. Twenty percent of the more than 1,000 Conference attendees are high school and college students who receive Camden Conference scholarship funding to defray their registration cost. The students who enter the essay contest do not have to be enrolled in a Camden Conference course, but they do have to have attended the Conference.

The format for the high school contest was based on the National High School Essay Contest for 2016-2017 from the United State Institute for Peace in partnership with the American Foreign Service, which challenged students to examine closely the causes and impact of the current global refugee crisis. First prize in the high school contest went to Zoe Bean from Gould Academy, for her essay Afghan Refugee Crisis. Lena Downes from Piscataquis Community Secondary School, won the second prize for her essay The US should help Turkey expand its refugee programs. Third prize went to Sam McMillan from Gould Academy, for his essay A Case for U.S. Responsibility and Iraqi Partition.

The basis of the college student contest is the submission of an evidence-based paper focused on one specific challenge that confronts international refugees today as discussed during the 2017 Conference. First prize for the college contest went to Jonas Eichenlaub from the University of Maine at Rockland, enrolled as a High School Aspirations student, for his essay entitled Refugees Can Be Part of the Solution: The Challenges of Lebanon. Second prize went to Zoe FitzGerald-Beckett from the University of Maine at Augusta for her essay entitled Climate Change Refugees: “What’s in a Name?” Third prize was awarded to Brad O’Brien from the University of Maine at Augusta for his essay entitled Oh, Child Left Behind: The Next “Lost Generation”. 

The Conference congratulates our winners. All of the winning essays are posted on our website: www.camdenconference.org.

The mission of the Camden Conference is to foster informed discourse on world issues. For more information, visit www.camdenconference.org, email info@camdenconference.org, or call 207-236-1034. 

Busy Holiday Week Expected on Turnpike

Portland, Maine - The Maine Turnpike Authority is gearing up for a busy holiday week, with an expected growth in traffic of 1.25 percent over last year’s Independence Day travel.  More than 615,000 vehicles are anticipated to travel the Maine Turnpike between Friday and Saturday alone.  “With the 4th falling on a Tuesday, it changes the flow of outgoing traffic,” said Turnpike Authority spokeswoman, Erin Courtney.  “While we expect northbound traffic to be heavy Friday and Saturday, when people leave will vary.  Some will go home Monday, some will leave Tuesday, and others will have taken the whole week off and will head south next weekend,” she said.

Beginning as early as 12:00 PM on Friday (today) traffic northbound is expected to be heavy, with the peak hours between 5:00 PM and 8:00 PM.  Traffic on Saturday northbound is expected to be heavy between the hours of 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM.

From January through May 2017, the turnpike has seen a 2.4% growth in traffic compared to the same period in 2016.  2016 marked the busiest year in Maine Turnpike history. With heavy traffic expected on the road, the MTA is urging motorists to be aware of peak times, plan accordingly, and drive safely over the long holiday weekend.

Motorists traveling through the York Toll Plaza over the Holiday weekend can also pick up their copy of the Maine Public Radio “Guide to Road Trip Games” booklet.  The guide is filled with fun games to play in the car as well as safe driving tips provided by its sponsors, Maine’s Credit Unions, Goodwin’s Volvo, Maine Turnpike Authority and Maine Public Broadcasting Network.  The guides will be distributed northbound at all four mainline toll plazas on Friday afternoon and will be available in both directions on Saturday between 10 AM and 2 PM.

We can't make this stuff up!

Rockland Maine Police Department
We can't make this stuff up.

Last week, our raccoon whisperer, Officer Addison Cox, wrangled a baby raccoon back into the woods.

The call last night was for a skunk, wandering around the parking lot of an apartment complex, with a jar of peanut butter stuck on his head.

We can't blame the skunk; peanut butter is awesome. If there were a jar of peanut butter big enough that we could get our head in, we probably would, too. But, we have the advantage of possessing hands to remove said jar, while Mr. Skunk does not.

So, Officer Cox to the rescue. Confident that Addison would be compensated for his kind deed with a healthy dose of skunk spray, this was the best pic we were willing to get.

But, apparently Mr. Raccoon had told Mr. Skunk about what a nice guy Addison is. Addison was able to pull the peanut butter jar off Mr. Skunk's head, and Mr. Skunk scampered away without unleashing a drop of spray.

We're a little on pins and needles, waiting for Addison's next animal adventure.

Have a great day all; we'll be out there.

"The Last Haulout" The Maine Windjammer Project

"The Last Haulout" by Doug Mills

The last haulout for HMS Bounty in Boothbay Harbor, Maine.

These photos are from the historical archives of the Maine Windjammer Project.

The Maine Windjammer Project started in 2007 to preserve the modern history of the Maine Windjammer and to make it available to the generations to come.

This historical archive is available to museums and for historical research.

For more info contact: dougmills@shootmainestudios.com

"Crossing The Bow" The Maine Windjammer Project

"Crossing The Bow" by Doug Mills

Historic schooner Isaac H. Evans, built 1886, crossing the bow of Picton Castle, built 1928, in Rockland harbor.

These photos are from the historical archives of the Maine Windjammer Project.

The Maine Windjammer Project started in 2007 to preserve the modern history of the Maine Windjammer and to make it available to the generations to come.

This historical archive is available to museums and for historical research.

For more info contact: dougmills@shootmainestudios.com

A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WARNING

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT SOUTHWESTERN KNOX AND
NORTHEASTERN LINCOLN COUNTIES...

At 620 PM EDT, a strong thunderstorm was located near Thomaston, or
near Rockland, moving southeast at 45 mph.

Wind gusts up to 50 mph and half inch hail are possible with this
storm.

Locations impacted include...
Rockland, Camden, Thomaston, Rockport, Hope, Cushing, Appleton, North
Haven, South Thomaston, Vinalhaven, Union, Owls Head, Saint George
and Waldoboro.

Mid Coast–Parkview Health Recognizes Employees for Years of Service

BRUNSWICK, ME – Mid Coast Hospital, Mid Coast Senior Health Center, and CHANS Home Health & Hospice recently held two afternoon receptions recognizing employees for years of service. Mid Coast–Parkview Health senior administration presented more than 230 individuals with awards, celebrating milestone service anniversaries from 5 to 45 years. More than two thirds of the employees recognized have worked with the organization for more than ten years.

Lois Skillings, President and CEO of Mid Coast–Parkview Health commented, “Each year we take this time to celebrate the wonderful employees who dedicate their time and their hearts to caring for the health of our community."

The most tenured award recipient, celebrating 45 years of service, was Michael Pinkham. Pinkham began working in the facilities department at Bath Memorial Hospital when he was 17 years old. Pinkham now serves as the Director of Facilities Management for Mid Coast Hospital, where he proves every single day his invaluable contribution to operations.

In her remarks Skillings commented, “Michael is respected by leadership for his get it done and get it done right attitude. He is a true north person in this organization and we can always count on him.”

Award recipients also included Charlotte Trufant, who began working for Mid Coast while in high school, 40 years ago. Now the Recreation and Activities Coordinator for Mid Coast Senior Health’s long-term care community, Mere Point, she remains committed to the organization and to enriching the lives of the residents. When asked what she enjoys about working at Mid Coast she replied, “I just really enjoy caring for the residents. The residents, their families, and the staff here at Mid Coast Senior Health have become family to me.”

Mid Coast–Parkview Health employs more than 2,000 clinical and non-clinical staff, with a medical team that includes more than 200 providers in over 30 primary care and specialty areas. More information about working at Mid Coast–Parkview Health is available at www.midcoastparkviewhealth.com/careers.

###

About Mid Coast–Parkview Health

Mid Coast–Parkview Health is dynamic healthcare system addressing a full continuum of community health, wellness, and prevention needs with a full-service 93-bed hospital (Mid Coast Hospital<http://www.midcoasthealth.com/>), a diverse medical group (Mid Coast Medical Group<http://www.midcoasthealth.com/mcmg/>), senior health care (Mid Coast Senior Health Center<https://www.midcoastseniorhealth.com/>), and home healthcare services (CHANS Home Health & Hospice<https://www.chanshomehealthcare.com/default.aspx>).

Confidentiality Notice: This email message, including any attachments, is for the use of the intended recipient(s) only and may contain information that is privileged, confidential, and prohibited from unauthorized disclosure under applicable law. If you are not the intended recipient of this message, any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this message is strictly prohibited. If you received this message in error, please notify the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message and attachments.

University of Maine announces spring 2017 Dean's List

Orono, Maine — The University of Maine recognized 2,303 students for achieving Dean's List honors in the spring 2017 semester. Of the students who made the Dean's List, 1,727 are from Maine, 533 are from 29 other states and 43 are from 22 countries other than the U.S.

Listed below are students who received Dean's List honors for spring 2017, completing 12 or more credit hours in the semester and earning a grade point average of 3.5 or higher.

Please note that some students have requested that their information not be released; therefore, their names are not included.

MAINE STUDENTS (by County/Town)

KNOX COUNTY

Camden: Wyatt Berry, Natalie Hamalainen, Cory Johnson, Sarah Mitchell, Henry Owen, Caleb Stern

Cushing: Ronald Hall, Riley Pillsbury

Hope: Hanna Karas

Rockland: Kevin Lewis, Kaitlyn McCullough

Rockport: Matthew Ackley, Hannah Brownawell, Juliana Haynes, Ryan Pierce, Lindsay Taylor, Emily Watts

South Thomaston: Maggie Drinkwater, Rachel Johnson

Tenants Harbor: Amelia Reinhardt

Thomaston: Benjamin Young

Union: Jane van der Schaaf, Samuel Varga

Vinalhaven: Alexandra Young

Warren: Sophie Cohen, Kaitlyn Hanson, Benjamin Turner, Adam Wilcox

Washington: Patrick Madden, Bailey McCaffery

West Rockport: Hilary Merrifield

About the University of Maine:

The University of Maine, founded in Orono in 1865, is the state’s land grant university, with research and community engagement classifications awarded by the Carnegie Foundation. UMaine is among the most comprehensive higher education institutions in the Northeast and attracts students from Maine and 49 other states, and 63 countries. It currently enrolls 11,219 total undergraduate and graduate students who can directly participate in groundbreaking research working with world-class scholars. The University of Maine offers 35 doctoral degrees, 85 master’s degrees, and more than 90 undergraduate majors and academic programs; and one of the oldest and most prestigious honors programs in the U.S. The university promotes environmental stewardship, with substantial efforts campuswide aimed at conserving energy, recycling and adhering to green building standards. For more information about UMaine, visit umaine.edu.

Rockland Recognized As Having One Of The 23 Best Small Town Main Streets iI America

Rockland - Hot on the heels of the City’s annual Summer Solstice Celebration and just in time for the busy festival season, Rockland has been selected by Country Living Magazine as having one of the 23 Best Small Town Main Streets in America. This recognition is one more in a long series of superlatives for Rockland that continues to keep the Down East Magazine 2017 Maine’s Best Place to Live, and Smithsonian Magazine's [one of the] 20 Best Small Towns to Visit in 2017 in the national tourism spotlight.  

FMI: http://www.countryliving.com/life/travel/news/g4519/best-main-streets-in-america/?slide=20

"Picton Castle" The Maine Windjammer Project

"Picton Castle" by Doug Mills

Canadian tall ship Picton Castle at Rockland, Maine.

These photos are from the historical archives of the Maine Windjammer Project.

The Maine Windjammer Project started in 2007 to preserve the modern history of the Maine Windjammer and to make it available to the generations to come.

This historical archive is available to museums and for historical research.

For more info contact: dougmills@shootmainestudios.com

BREAKING NEWS: Lightning Strikes Cushing House

UPDATE 10:22pm: According to command, fire is out, overhauling at this time.
UPDATE 8:30pm: Command is requesting a South Thomaston tanker to the scene directly.
UPDATE 7:40pm: Waldoboro has been requested to the scene for man power.
UPDATE 7:31pm Thomaston Fire Department has been requested to the scene for man power.
BREAKING NEWS: Cushing, Maine -  Cushing and mutual aid fire departments on scene of a house that got struck by lightning at 28 Osprey Lane in Cushing, Maine on Tuesday, June 27th, 2017.

On scene units setting up water supply.

More details to come.

BREAKING NEWS:Lightning Strikes Thomaston House Sparks First Alarm

Thomaston, Me- Thomaston fire and mutual aid companies responding to a first alarm assignment at 9 Beechwood St Thomaston, Me. for a house struck by lightning.
Beechwood Street is closed.

UPDATE: The situation appears to be under control at this time. The lightning seems to have struck the chimney and down through the wires popping the circuit  breakers.  The damage seems to be limited to the wiring.

Rockland's Resident Raccoon Whisperer

Rockland Maine Police Department
We got a call from a resident, concerned about a raccoon in a yard. Of course, with recent incidents, our first concern is rabies, or some other similar issue. Public safety is priority one.
We're happy to report that our shift tonight included our resident Raccoon Whisperer, Officer Addison Cox. Officer Cox is an avid outdoorsman, and was able to assess that this little fella showed no signs of disease - he appeared to be looking for his mother. Officer Cox was able to collect him by the scruff and move him to the treeline, where he scampered off, away from homes and people.
If you see an animal behaving strangely, please call 9-1-1. Do NOT attempt to touch or move them. (You probably don't have bite-resistant gloves. Or speak raccoon, like Officer Cox).

BREAKING: Dexter Street Shut Down Between Old County, Rt. 1 For Dump Truck Rollover

UPDATE 9:34am: All Rockland Fire units are clearing the scene in Thomaston.
UPDATE 9:03am: Maine State Police commercial unit is en-route from Augusta.
UPDATE 8:54am: Driver is being transported by Thomaston ambulance non-emergency.
BREAKING: Thomaston, Maine - Dexter Street is shut down between Old County Rd and Rt. 1 for a dump truck vs pole rollover about 75 yards from Old County Rd according to Thomaston Police 413.

Driver with head injury, not known of intent.

Thomaston Fire Department unit 6 is requesting a single engine response from Rockland, non-emergency.

"In The Fog" The Maine Windjammer Project

"In The Fog" by Doug Mills

The Marshall Point Lighthouse, built 1858, at Port Clyde, Maine in the fog.

These photos are from the historical archives of the Maine Windjammer Project.

The Maine Windjammer Project started in 2007 to preserve the modern history of the Maine Windjammer and to make it available to the generations to come.

This historical archive is available to museums and for historical research.

For more info contact: dougmills@shootmainestudios.com

"The Lighthouse At Rockland" The Maine Windjammer Project

"The Lighthouse At Rockland" by Doug Mills

Maine's tall ship Victory Chimes sailing passed the lighthouse at Rockland, Maine.

These photos are from the historical archives of the Maine Windjammer Project.

The Maine Windjammer Project started in 2007 to preserve the modern history of the Maine Windjammer and to make it available to the generations to come.

This historical archive is available to museums and for historical research.

For more info contact: dougmills@shootmainestudios.com

BREAKING NEWS: Small Plane Crashes On Vinalhaven

Vinalhaven, Maine- Vinalhaven fire and Rescue along with Knox Sheriff unit are on the scene of a small plane crash at the airstrip on Vinalhaven.  The pilot was able to escape the crash with only minor injuries and call rescue units.

UPDATE: The plane was landing at the airstrip with only the pilot onboard, carrying the mail and packages.  The fire department was able to stop the leaking fuel and offloaded the mail.

UPDATE: The pilot was taken to Pen Bay Hospital with only minor injuries.

Maine 7 Day Forecast

"Maine Life" by Doug Mills
Shoot Maine Studios
Rockland, Maine

Monday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 76. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Monday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 52. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight.

Tuesday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 72. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Tuesday Night

Mostly cloudy, with a low around 55. Southwest wind around 5 mph.

Wednesday

Partly sunny, with a high near 72.

Wednesday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 57.

Thursday

A 30 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 72.

Thursday Night

A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 59.

Friday

A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 76.

Friday Night

A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 61.

Saturday

A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 73.

Saturday Night

A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60.

Sunday

A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 76.