Policing homelessness / Bangor short-term rentals / Wolfden mine opposition

Maine police miss deadline for plan to avoid arresting the homeless

Every police agency in Maine was mandated to have a plan for responding homeless people, but only 11 met the deadline.

A mental health worker is now going on calls with midcoast police

Funding for the new role comes from the roughly $235 million in settlements with companies that fueled the opioid crisis. 

Bangor legalizes Airbnbs with a list of rules

City officials hope to avoid a problem faced by coastal communities where Airbnbs for tourists have pinched an already tight housing market.

Wolfden mine hearings close with overwhelming opposition

Mainers from many cities and towns called on the Land Use Planning Commission not to be blinded by promises of an economic boon to the region.

Caribou man turning his front yard into a community Halloween party

“My house has basically become the neighborhood congregation anyway. There’s always kids in the yard and people are comfortable here.”

Weather delays trans-Atlantic balloon flight from Presque Isle

An international balloonist team recently put its plans on hold when members couldn’t find a window of prime wind and weather conditions.

Striking unions blast Baileyville mill for hiring scabs

Union reps say Strom Engineering Corp. “specializes” in providing short-term, non-union workers to mills involved in labor disputes.

Houlton ousts Dexter and other Week 8 football highlights

The first playoff games of the season are in the books, and fans are on the edge of their seats to see who makes it to the state finals.

UMaine quarterback sets school record for passing yards

Senior quarterback Derek Robertson’s 503 passing yards during Saturday’s 34-28 loss is believed to be a school record.

New gate more than doubles length of popular Piscataquis County hike

The White Brook Trail is a 3.3-mile stretch that provides relatively easy access to White Cap Mountain.

14-year-old brings home 10-point buck in youth hunt 

Blake Blanchette’s grandfather is a retired taxidermist and will mount the deer head for the young hunter.

This is how to load a deer onto the bed of a truck by yourself

You can grapple with it, but Andrew McKean has a much more elegant solution.

8 evergreen Maine trails that are lovely year round

Even in winter there’s life and vibrance in the lush forests of the Northeast. You just have to know where to look.

In other Maine news …

Starting Wednesday, Maine drivers must move over and slow down for disabled vehicles

Shortage of pharmacists leaving customers in peril

Missouri man pleads guilty to illegally crossing US-Canada border

Construction for life-saving runway in Machias may soon take flight

Sangerville woman indicted for manslaughter in fatal Piscataquis County crash

2 arrested, 13 animals seized in Belfast animal cruelty investigation

Norway man pleads guilty to defrauding COVID relief program

Right whale population is steadying, but human-caused injuries remain high