Healthy Kids, a community-based family support network and the designated member of Maine’s Prevention Council serving Lincoln, Knox, and Waldo counties, has launched its 2026 Baby Safety Month campaign.

This September, the initiative directly addresses three common household practices that lead to unintentional infant and toddler injuries, offers local parents resources to create safer home environments and encourages everyone in the community to move away from the "convenience culture" of parenting by educating families to avoid common safety shortcuts. 

DAMARISCOTTA — MaineHealth Lincoln Hospital celebrated the opening of its new Infusion Center and Oncology & Blood Disorder Practice on August 31 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by hospital leaders, care team members, board members, elected officials and community partners. The new center brings infusion services together with oncology and blood disorder care in one centralized location, expanding access to specialized treatment and improving convenience for patients receiving care close to home, according to MaineHealth, in a news release.

CAMDEN — United Midcoast Charities presented its Award for Philanthropic Excellence to Dr. Clifford Dacso, MD, MPH, at its annual Rising Tide event on August 20, "recognizing his extraordinary commitment to the health and well-being of the Midcoast community," said UMC, in a news release.

This year, UMC invited the community at large to nominate individuals whose generosity, leadership, and service are making a difference across Knox and Waldo counties.

The Passagassawakeag River begins inland, flowing 16 miles from Brooks to Belfast Harbor. Its name comes from the Penobscot Nation and means “sturgeon — his place,” or “the place for spearing sturgeon by torchlight.” For centuries, the river has shaped the land around it, both figuratively and literally. For the people of Belfast, it also created an enduring challenge: How to safely cross the river.

BELFAST — Waldo Community Action Partners announces its participation in the USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program. Meals are available at no separate charge to all children.

Child and Adult Care Food Program

Income Eligibility Guidelines Effective from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027

Eligibility Scale for “FREE” Meals 

HOPE — Join Coastal Mountains and Georges River Land Trusts for a special trail workday for women and nonbinary folks at Ragged Mountain. Led by women trails professionals from both organizations, this is a hands-on opportunity for people of all skill levels to work outside together. This session will focus on bog bridging and root removal on the Georges Highland Path on Ragged Mountain. 

The work session will take place Wednesday, Sept. 23, from 5:30 - 7 p.m. In case of rain, the event will be held at the same time on Thursday, Sept. 24.

BRUNSWICK — Starting September 10, the Maine Department of Transportation will close Exit 28, which is the I-295 southbound off-ramp bridge in Brunswick, for up to 14 days for a wearing surface replacement project.

Drivers heading southbound on I-295 will need to exit early at Exit 31 in Topsham.

Message boards are in place warning drivers of the exit closure, according to MaineDOT, in a news release.

Work is expected to be completed by October 2026.

Bar Harbor Bank & Trust's employee-driven charitable giving program, Casual for a Cause, recently surpassed $500,000 in donations to community organizations in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont since the initiative began in 2018.

Including donations from the second quarter of 2026, the contributions from the Bank and Bank employees have amounted to $519,575 in donations to more than 200 nonprofits in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont, according to the Bank, in a news release. 

DAMARISCOTTA — MaineHealth is offering a certified nursing assistant (CNA) apprenticeship training program, providing a paid pathway for individuals interested in beginning a health care career, according to MaineHealth, in a news release. 

The upcoming session of the six-week program will be held Nov. 9 through Dec. 17 at the MaineHealth Lincoln Hospital Education Center in Damariscotta. Training takes place four to five days per week and includes classroom instruction, hands-on skills labs and clinical experience at local hospitals and long-term care facilities.

AUGUSTA — The Maine Department of Transportation is progressing on the Bangor Street reconstruction project in Augusta, according to MaineDOT, in a news release.

During the week of August 24, 2026, crews will place new base pavement.

As part of this project, the traffic pattern of the roadway between approximately Whippers and North Belfast Avenue will be updated to one thru-lane in each direction with a shared center turn lane.

ROCKPORT — After almost six months of construction and workflow changes, the renovation to the Mammography Suite at MaineHealth Pen Bay Hospital is complete, expanding access to essential imaging services for patients.

The Maine Department of Labor has updated the Competitive Skills Scholarship Program (CSSP) rules to implement recent statutory changes, expand participant supports, improve program flexibility, and clarify program requirements.

Maine State Credit Union will hold its grand opening of its new Belfast branch on Monday, August 24, 2026. 

"As the credit union's fifth branch location, the new office reflects its continued commitment to providing accessible, member-focused financial services to communities across Maine," said MSCU, in a news release.

A proposed neighborhood of nine 3D-printed homes for homeless individuals in the Greater Bangor area is gaining traction due to the University of Maine's reciept of Congressional funds for the project.