Spotlight Pilot

(Photo by Sarah Thompson)

Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025, Waldoboro and Vinalhaven fire departments stomped out wildland fires on Finntown Road and AW Smith Road, respectively. The Vinalhaven fire burned approximately seven…

'A Moon In All Things' launches April 22 just in time for Beltane
Jennifer Elwell Comeau. Photo courtesy CA Smith

Sometimes, an author's life story can be just as interesting as the novel she creates.

Jennifer Comeau's debut historical fantasy novel, A Moon In All Things (12 Willows Press),…

Pen Bay Pilot logo

ROCKLAND — In its second winter in existence, the Emergency Warming Center in Rockland saw five times the usage in comparison to its inaugural year, partly because it was open three times more…

WSO cruiser and patch.

BELFAST — Waldo County Sheriff Jason Trundy provided an in-depth explanation April 1 regarding the circumstances surrounding a March 13 traffic stop that ultimately led to…

New interior of Midcoast Sports Exchange. Photo by Kay Stephens

ROCKLAND—Midcoast Sports Exchange, a center for used and new sports equipment and recreational gear, recently moved  from the former KeyBank building in Camden Market Square to the vacant…

Knox County Public Safety building. (Photo by Sarah Thompson)

Update March 21, 2025: Due to lack of information provided by Knox County and the Knox Regional Communications Center, a March 18, 2025 meeting of Rockland city officials yielded no…

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Waldo County Sheriff Jason Trundy issued the following letter to the media and to Waldo County commissioners, state representatives and senator March 20, following a March 13 traffic stop in…

'Reduce the over-reliance and burdens property tax places on resident single-family homeowners'
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AUGUSTA — A series of…

launched Feb 1 with live stream coverage of the US National Toboggan Championships
StreamState at the finish line of the Toboggan Nationals. Photo courtesy StreamState

PORTLAND—A new Maine-based film and TV streaming service just launched this month. If the creators achieve their goal, the platform will be a curated "Netflix for Maine" with immersive…

Commissioner Ratner pledges resolution
Camden select board

Knox Regional Communications Center (KRCC), the county’s Rockland-based 911 dispatch service, found itself in a personnel crisis again last week. Staff by late Wednesday, Feb. 5, was reportedly…

Photo courtesy Port Clyde Fresh Catch

MIDCOAST—Coming up in February, Midcoast Mainers will see their favorite Maine shrimp on the market again—for a very short time.

Only seven fishermen were chosen out of 40 applicants to…

A recent Facebook post explored a wealth of ideas
Megunticook Lake is great for ice skating and cross-country skiing. Photo by Kay Stephens

ROCKLAND—A recent post on the…

Serving up street tacos and signature brews
Gigantic Dad Pants. Photo by Kay Stephens

WATERVILLE—As downtown Waterville continues to grow as a vibrant part of Maine's creative economy, it now proudly welcomes a new craft brewery. Cushnoc Brewing Co. opened its second location…

New exhibition from Midcoast Maine Book Arts is a miniature delight
Sandy Weisman of South Thomaston, one of the book artists involved, created a gallery of tiny books called "Troubled Books."

ROCKLAND — “The universe is not made up of atoms; it’s made up of tiny stories.” ― Joseph Gordon-Levitt

The Midcoast Maine Book Arts collective, which the PenBay Pilot covered…

Author talk, Rockport Public Library, Jan. 15, 1 p.m.: 'Quiet Thoughts for a Noisy World'
The author, who finds much of his inspiration from the sea. Photo courtesy Michael Paul Lund.

ROCKPORT—Author Michael Paul Lund spent many years seeking the answer to the age-old question, "Who am I?" After studying and listening intently to others, he found his path and stopped being a…

to fund HVAC fixes, artificial turf, new siding, windows on school, auditorium repairs
Corroded pipes that lead to the five geothermal wells beneath Camden Hills Regional High School, on Route 90 in Rockport. (Photo courtesy EMC report submitted to the Five Town CSD)

CAMDEN — On Thursday, Jan. 2, the…

a.k.a. the 'I will not be lame this year' guide to the Midcoast
Photo by MetroCreative

New Year's Eve falls on a Tuesday this year, which is like having an office party, and then being told to go back to work. Whether you’re a day partier, a happy-hour-then-bag-it-and go-home type,…

Just a stone's throw from the South End
(Left to Right) Shawn Wilcox, Andrea Wilcox, Jill Mitchell, Brandon Allen, Tara Boynton, and Todd Boynton. Photo courtesy Ryan Watts

ROCKLAND — Six friends, homebrewers themselves, launched their dream job last month. Taking over after Liberator Brewing Company closed, Shawn and Andrea Wilcox, Jill Mitchell, Brandon Allen, and…

Money to repair high school siding, replace windows, install new HVAC system, lay artificial turf over Don Palmer Field
Camden Select Board meeting, Dec. 5, 2024

CAMDEN — A request from the Five…

Church asks court to halt real estate negotiations with Waldo CAP
Hutchinson Center

BELFAST — On Dec. 2, UMaine…

Thomaston

The Town of Thomaston will hold a Secret Ballot Referendum on Tuesday, February 4, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. to vote on building a new Fire and EMS Station. 

New Fire-EMS…

part of larger North American expansion
Dragon Cement

Heidelberg Materials North America, a division of the German company Heidelberg Materials, has entered a purchase agreement to acquire Giant Cement Holding, Inc., and its subsidiaries, Giant…

Fast growing sector: working class people age 19-49
Volunteers help lighten the load. Photo courtesy Alan Kearl

ROCKLAND—Alan Kearl, the executive director of AIO Food Pantry and Energy Assistance, has only been in his position for 15 months after formerly serving as a volunteer. In that time, he has seen…

And Anodyne Book Shop moves down the road
Last touches on the sign for the new Edwards Brothers Supermarket in Searsport. Photo by Kay Stephens

SEARSPORT—After two years, the $17.8 million road construction though downtown Searsport finally concluded in September to the relief of locals and business owners. And now there's more reason to…

Bucking convention with new business
Tracy Friden and Becky Johnson, at work

Two local women are at full throttle in establishing their new venture, FlatWear Clothing, a line of fashion created in Camden, and…

The 'Hunger Hill' author's tips on plot, character, Maine, and AI
Author Philip C. Baker chats with a festivalgoer at Maine Author's Publishing's Book Festival. Photo courtesy Maine Author's Publishing

For National November Writing Month, we turn to Philip C. Baker, author of Hunger Hill, a crime thriller set in Maine.…

'Potential here for meaningful consequences for how Rockport funds wastewater treatment'
Camden Rockport seals

CAMDEN — Wednesday evening, Nov. 20, a small group of Camden and Rockport will gather in Camden Town Manager Audra Caler's office to advance the wastewater interests of both towns.

It has…

including Belfast and Warren residents
(Photo by Santiago Durango)

AUGUSTA — Maine School of Science and Mathematics students excelled at this year’s Maine Youth in Government program, held in Augusta over the Veterans' Day…

supports easing housing development costs
Rockport

ROCKPORT — At its regularly scheduled Nov. 12 meeting, the Rockport Select Board approved a Samoset Resort sewer fee abatement, heard about the town’s requirement to produce another report to the…

Hutchinson Center

The University of Maine has selected a new buyer for the Hutchinson Center following a repeat of a request for proposals in October.

Waldo Community Action Partners plans…

Mr. Wat's popular Thai rice and noodles dishes are back on the menu
The Ruklittikul family. Photo by Kay Stephens

ROCKLAND—Spice Pizzeria, which reopened mid-September in its new Rockland location, is hitting its stride.

Aphiwat Ruklittikul (Mr. Wat), who formerly owned Mr. Wat's in Rockport, took a…

handmade potholders have generated approximately $2,500
Reeves Gilmore from Northport

NORTHPORT—Sometimes, you need to make something with your hands and see what comes of it.

Reeves Gilmore, 74, along with his husband, both native-born Texans, moved to Maine 14 years ago…

The Spot finds a new home in Rockland
Interior of the new location of The Spot in Rockland. Photo by Kay Stephens

ROCKLAND—Locals now have another place to grab lunch or dinner, and "S" marks "The Spot."

The Spot

The Spot, owned and operated…

New listings added each week until Halloween
Halloween Rundown 2024

As we approach The Midnight Hour in the Midcoast, here is a comprehensive list of Halloween-themed events everyone can enjoy. From parties to movies, poetry to theater, here are the color-coded…

Owls Head Light in October. Photo by Kay Stephens

Lighthouses may be beacons of light and hope for some; for others, they are haunted places. With their rugged seaside locations, connection to shipwrecks, and other maritime accidents during…

At the polls Nov. 5
view from Mt. Battie

Camden has seven articles on its municipal warrant for the Nov. 5 general elections, and one of them is a citizen’s initiative. …

On the issues
David Statman

PenBayPilot.com has circulated questions to the two candidates, Nicole Kalloch and David Statman, seeking one open seat on the Rockland City Council. As candidates return responses, we are posting…

Elections 2024
William D. Pluecker, I-Warren

PenBayPilot.com has circulated questions to candidates seeking office in Midcoast Senate and House District. As candidates return their responses, we are posting them on the Pilot's front page,…

Elections 2024
Stephen J. Hemenway

PenBayPilot.com has circulated questions to candidates seeking office in Midcoast Senate and House District. As candidates return their responses, we are posting them on the Pilot's front page,…

municipal and/or industrial sludge a possible source
Deer in woods

The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, in conjunction with the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, is…

NOTE: This is a revised Proposed Parking System map showing the first Congregational Church (outlined in green) as an underutilized private lot, eliminating the small Central Street lot, and showing only the south side of Pearl Street as available all day parking.

CAMDEN — At a vote of three to two, the Select Board in Camden approved a paid seasonal parking program. The decision was made Oct.…

Total potential fiscal impact of $82.9 million
Question 5 on the Maine State Ballot appearing before voters Nov. 5 asks for approval of a new flag design created by Adam Lemire, of Gardiner.

Maine voters will consider five state questions on the Nov. 5 ballot. Three of them ask that Maine borrow money to fund various proposals, all totaling $82,875,000. Question 1 relates to political…

Morgan Hynd

PenBayPilot.com has circulated…