Maine CD2 Race Heads to Ranked-Choice Tabulation Despite Dunlap Concession
Democrat Matt Dunlap conceded the race for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District to Republican Paul LePage on Thursday after unofficial state tallies showed LePage ahead with 49.9 percent of the vote to Dunlap’s 48.3 percent. Because neither candidate crossed the 50 percent threshold, state law requires the Secretary of State’s Office to conduct a full ranked-choice tabulation regardless of the concession. WABI reports the public tabulation process begins Monday at 10 a.m. at the Department of Public Safety in Augusta and will be livestreamed online.
WABI-TV
MDI Regional School Reorganization Plan Rejected by Voters
Voters across Mount Desert Island, Trenton, and surrounding island communities decisively rejected a four-year regional school reorganization referendum on Tuesday. The proposal failed after residents in Bar Harbor, Mount Desert, Southwest Harbor, and Tremont voted against the measure, which required approval from all five participating municipalities to pass. The Ellsworth American reports the Reorganization Planning Committee will disband and any future efforts to address regional funding disparities will have to restart from scratch.
The Ellsworth American
Incumbent DA Bob Granger Wins Re-Election by Wide Margin
Independent District Attorney Bob Granger secured another four-year term representing Hancock and Washington counties after capturing nearly three times as many votes as his challenger on Election Day. Granger led the contested Hancock County race with 20,062 votes with more than 90 percent of precincts reporting. The Ellsworth American reports Granger pledged to continue reducing inherited court case backlogs while using prosecutorial discretion for youthful and first-time nonviolent offenders.
The Ellsworth American
Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed in Fatal Waterville MaineDOT Crash
The son of James Brown, one of two MaineDOT workers killed in a January work zone crash on Interstate 95 in Waterville, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit in court. The lawsuit names driver Samantha Tupper, truck driver Dylan Bailey, and Beach Front Properties LLC, alleging negligent driving, speeding through a construction zone, and improper commercial driver oversight. WABI reports the plaintiff is demanding a jury trial and damages for medical expenses, emotional distress, and pain and suffering following the fatal incident.
WABI-TV
Bangor Pearl Harbor Serviceman Brought Home After 85 Years
The remains of Private First Class Willard C. Orr returned home to Bangor on Wednesday evening, nearly 85 years after he was killed during the attack on Pearl Harbor at age 21. Orr, who died during the bombardment of Hickam Field and was formally identified through military forensic DNA analysis late last year, is Bangor’s only casualty from the historic December 7th attack. WABI reports a law enforcement motorcade escorted Orr’s remains from the state border to Brookings-Smith Funeral Home ahead of local memorial services.
WABI-TV
Maine Maritime Academy President Named Chair of International Board
Maine Maritime Academy President Craig Johnson has been elected chair of the International Executive Board of the International Association of Maritime Universities during its general assembly in Split, Croatia. The Tokyo-based network represents more than 80 institutions across 45 countries, collaborating on worldwide maritime education, safety standards, and environmental stewardship. The Ellsworth American reports Johnson will begin his two-year leadership term in April 2027.
The Ellsworth American
Woodlawn to Host Talk on Downeast Apples and Cider History
Woodlawn Museum in Ellsworth is hosting an educational presentation titled “Downeast Apples & Cider: Chasing Local Histories” with historian Todd Little-Siebold as part of the Downeast Cider + Cheese Festival. The session explores how heirloom apple orchards, heritage trees, and traditional cidermaking shaped historic farming and local foodways across coastal Maine. The City of Ellsworth community calendar reports the free event will be held Friday, November 13th, with advance registration available through Woodlawn.
City of Ellsworth Community Calendar
