Cannabis Permit Denied
(Ellsworth) – A proposed transfer of ownership in a marijuana dispensary in Downtown Ellsworth has resulted in a license denial from city councilors. The Bangor Daily News reports the council turned down the application from cannabis chain Marijuanaville, a Waterville based company that was behind the first ever warning issued by the State about pesticides in its products. The company purchased the business from Boss Lady Genetics which had a license to dispense medical marijuana. City councilors changed some of the performance standards prior to the decision earlier this week.
Ambulance Contract Increase
(Belfast) – Five towns that contract with the City of Belfast for ambulance service will have to pay a lot more for that service if they want to continue. This week the City Council approved a nearly 400-percent increase in contract fees for Northport, Belmont, Swanville, Morrill and Waldo. Fire Chief Patrick Richards said the new rates reflect what it actually costs to provide ambulance service to the rural communities. Northport for example would see its cost rise from $23-thousand dollars currently to $90-thousand in two years.
Measles
(Augusta) – Maine now has five confirmed measles cases, with four reported this week in Penobscot County. Maine’s Center for Disease control says there are no new exposure risks to the public, but it classifies three or more measles cases in unrelated households as an outbreak. The release from the CDC says the state does not have an outbreak. The release from the CDC says if one person contracts the measles virus, 90-percent of people who are exposed and not immune will likely become infected.
Knox County Policing
(Camden) – Changes in police departments for Camden and Rockport are moving forward. For the past 10-years the two towns have shared a police chief. Randy Gagne is retiring today and the Pen Bay Pilot reports that Rockport has appointed Lt. Chris Young as its new chief, while Camden has appointed the Knox County Sheriff as the police chief. County Commissioners in Knox County have approved that appointment. Sheriff Patrick Polky will serve as the interim chief in Camden while the town searches for a permanent chief.
Mill Worker ID’d
(Bailyeville) – The second worker who died after exposure to a toxic gas at the Woodland Pulp Mill in Baileyville last month is identified as a 26-year-old engineer who was hired last September. The mill identified the victim as Allen Hornberger. He and an intern from the University of Maine were overcome by hydrogen sulfide gas at the mill in late January linked to a chemical mixture in a sewer pipe at the Washington County mill.
Tremont Deer Hunt
(Tremont) – Select Board members in Tremont will push forward with a plan to allow deer hunting in the Mt. Desert Island community within the town for the next three Novembers. If the limited hunt succeeds, voters will decide if the hunting season will become a regular occurrence. The Mt. Desert Islander reports a couple dozen people showed up at a public hearing this week. State lawmakers did not pass a bill to allow hunting on MDI last year. Hunting has not been allowed on MDI since 1931, and deer have become a nuisance to gardeners and motorists for the past few decades.
High School Tournament
At the Northern Maine Basketball tournament today, the George Stevens girls look to advance to the regional finals as they meet Foxcroft Academy. The Washington Academy boys meet Caribou this afternoon in the Class “C” semi finals. Both the Ellsworth boys and girls teams were eliminated in the Class “B” Semi finals yesterday.
