Maine-made wreaths are headed to Arlington National Cemetery
COLUMBIA FALLS, Maine (AP) — A caravan hauling Maine-made wreaths to Arlington National Cemetery is on its way. The convoy departed Sunday from Harrington and made several stops across Maine before heading to New Hampshire and Vermont on Monday.
Volunteers will gather at Arlington National Cemetery this Saturday to place nearly 260,000 wreaths at the gravesites of fallen service members. All told, the nonprofit Wreaths Across America is shipping about 2.4 million wreaths to 3,136 locations around the world.
Squadron created to oversee submarines during overhauls
KITTERY, Maine (AP) — The Navy is reconstituting a squadron to oversee submarines while they’re being repaired and overhauled at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. Capt. Daniel J. Reiss will move from Norfolk, Virginia, to oversee Squadron 2 at the shipyard in Kittery, Maine. Squadron 2 will provide administrative, staff, logistical, operational planning and readiness support for attack submarines during their time in Portsmouth. Those oversight duties were previously performed by squadrons based 150 miles away in Connecticut. The change became formal with a ceremony on Friday. Squadron 2 will eventually be comprised of 25 personnel.
GAS PRICES
Gas prices fall again in northern New England
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Gas prices fell in northern New England again over the past week. GasBuddy, which surveys stations, said prices in Maine fell 1.4 cents per gallon over the past week. The organization said Monday price in the state was down to $3.42 per gallon. Prices in New Hampshire went down 1.5 cents, to $3.31. In Vermont, prices fell 2.5 cents to land at $3.37. The national average was $3.32 per gallon. That was a decrease of 2.4 cents.
COD COLLAPSE
Cod fishing limits to be slashed again, regulators say
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Fishing industry managers are recommending the already-diminished U.S. cod fishery face another reduction in catch limits. Cod fishing was once a huge industry in New England, but it collapsed due to overfishing and environmental challenges. The regulatory New England Fishery Management Council decided on Dec. 10 to call for a reduction of the Georges Bank cod catch from about 2.4 million pounds (1.1 million kilograms) to about 540,000 pounds (245,000 kilograms) next year. Georges Bank is one of two key areas where fishermen catch cod.
AP-US-PCBS-THREATENED-WILDLIFE
Banned decades ago, PCBs still posing threat to wildlife
HOLDERNESS, N.H. (AP) — Researchers on an idyllic New Hampshire lake popular with tourists are hunting for what’s inhibiting the loon population growth. The iconic aquatic birds, known for their haunting calls, have long faced threats from development and lead poisoning. But they are also facing exposure to long-banned chemicals known as Polychlorinated biphenyls or PCBs. The industrial chemicals once used in electric equipment have been found in Squam Lake sediment at high levels and may be harming the bird’s reproduction. Similar problems with PCBs have been found with other fish-eating birds in Massachusetts and the Great Lakes.
SOLAR POWER-POTATOES
Maine potato companies to invest in solar power systems
FORT KENT, Maine (AP) — A pair of potato companies in northern Maine is receiving help from the federal government to install solar power systems. The U.S. Department of Agriculture money is part of more than $24 million coming to the state in the form of grants and loans to build green infrastructure in rural communities in the state. The agency called the effort a chance to combat climate change by boosting rural economies. Irving Farms of Caribou is receiving more than $150,000 and Corey Rioux & Sons of Fort Kent is getting more than $30,000.
ARTIST RETREAT-DIRECTOR
Rural Maine artists residency has new director from Boston
MONSON, Maine (AP) — An artists’ residency and arts center in rural Maine has hired a longtime arts administrator as its new director. Monson Arts said Chantal Harris will take over the position in January. Monson Arts is located near North Woods Maine and it runs programs such as residencies, workshops and educational partnerships with schools. Harris has spent the last nine years as director of the Emmanuel College Artists in Residency Program in Boston. Stuart Kestenbaum, the senior adviser to Monson Arts, says Harris was selected from dozens of candidates