Staff photo by Joe Phelan
Patrick Strauch, executive director of The Maine Forest Products Council, testifies on Wednesday before the Appropriations Committee in the Statehouse in Augusta See storyAs some central Maine charities suffer, focus turning to Planet Aid
Bright yellow Planet Aid bins popping up in central Maine have some people wondering whether the nonprofit group is siphoning donations away from other local charities.
Exact change lanes disappearing from Maine Turnpike
Motorists who pay tolls with cash on the Maine Turnpike soon will be forced to have human interaction.
Scrutiny of police shootings urged
AUGUSTA -- The fatal shooting of a South Portland man by police last August has some lawmakers calling for a change in the way the use of deadly force by law enforcement officers is investigated.
RECYCLING THE EASY WAY: Manchster signs up for ecomaine's single-steam system that will use 'silver bullet' receptacles
Residents no longer have to sort recyclables before seeing them off. And the list of materials they can recycle has grown.
Man gets jail for attempted theft
AUGUSTA -- An Augusta man will spend 30 months in prison for his role in an armed robbery in Manchester on Nov. 16, 2008. The weapon was a ball-peen hammer.
Winthrop invites residents to 'vision'
WINTHROP -- If you want a role in helping to shape the Winthrop of 2020 and 2030, consider starting at a community forum Saturday.
Wednesday's precipitation a mixed bag
A mixed bag of snow, sleet and freezing rain kept plow crews hopping and motorists on edge Wednesday.
Okie to be sentenced Jan. 30
AUGUSTA -- The sentencing of convicted murderer John A. Okie is set for 8:30 a.m. Jan. 30 at Kennebec County Superior Court.
Law firm locked in oil but won't pay, suit says
AUBURN -- An oil company is suing a local law firm, saying it broke its promise to buy oil this winter at last summer's prices.
Shoplifting plea returns convicted killer to jail
A Skowhegan woman who served time for manslaughter and was nabbed last month for shoplifting in Waterville will serve six months in jail for the theft.
Skowhegan bypass hearing today
SKOWHEGAN -- A controversial plan to construct a second bridge over the Kennebec River with connector roads that would bypass the downtown business district is set for a public meeting today.
Scammers target local grandparents
MADISON -- Police are investigating an apparent telephone scam in which a man and wife in their 80s were swindled out of $2,000 this week.
Farmingdale may sell, not raze, school
FARMINGDALE -- Facing mounting maintenance costs and difficulty securing a loan to remove asbestos, officials have opted to send out a request to determine if they can sell the old Sheldon Street School to a bidder in its current condition.
POLICE
At 8:28 p.m., there was a report of prostitution on Western Avenue.
More news >
Today's Sports
GIRLS BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK: Cony looking for finishing touch
The Cony High School girls basketball team, one that never lost more than four games in any single season under former coach Paul Vachon, is struggling this winter. Brunswick snapped a 23-year winless drought against the Rams on Tuesday night with a 45-31 victory in Augusta.
TRAVIS LAZARCZYK : Patriots done? How?
Well Pats fans, it certainly was exciting watching the AFC playoffs this past weekend. Indianapolis at San Diego, Baltimore at Miami, all the while wondering which team will emerge to come to Foxboro and take on the Patriots in the second round.
Check out our high school sports blogs.
More sports >
A week's worth of news
Local and state stories from the previous 7 days
Search the News Archive for earlier stories
Resources and features
Wireless headlines
Do you Twitter? Follow KJ Online with your cell phone or wireless gadget for breaking news headlines sent directly via text messaging. What's Twitter? It's a personal, shared, real-time news wire or micro-blog. It can used to give and receive updates. Postings must be no more than 140 characters in length.
View the KJ front page
Did you miss this morning's paper? Check out the Kennebec Journal's front page as it appears in print. Daily front page is hosted on the Newseum web site.
Kennebec River Web cam
LIVE PHOTOS: The U.S. Geological Survey has set up a web camera to monitor water levels in the Kennebec River. The camera takes images of the river in downtown Augusta which are displayed in real time.
View Kennebec River web cam.
Business & finance
Keep an eye on the markets. Follow Maine business news. Check your stocks. Track your mutual funds. Use our new business site to keep tabs on your investments and the latest financial news from Maine, Wall Street and beyond. Stay informed.
|
|
View map, get directions to the KJ.
The Kennebec Journal offices, newsroom and printing press are at 274 Western Avenue, Augusta, Maine 04330. Get directions.
Maine town meetings
When, where and what. Whether in Central or Southern Maine, we have your town covered. Complete Somerset, Kennebec and Franklin County town meeting updates and town election results. Also coverage from Cumberland, York, Sagadahoc, Androscoggin, Knox and Lincoln counties courtesy of our sister paper — the Portland Press Herald. Get statewide gavel-to-gavel coverage here. |
|
Special reports and projects
Sense of Wonder: Kennebec Land Trust series
KLT celebrates its 20th anniversary. Outdoors writer Travis Barrett takes a look at some of the properties in a seven-part series.
Read Kennebec Land Trust series.
Capitals series
Read our series on Northern New England's capital cities: Augusta, Concord, N.H. and Montpelier, Vt.
Maine's aging boomers
Read our series on the pending retirement and health care challenges the baby boom generation faces in Maine.
'For I Was Hungry' Series
"For I was hungry," a seven-part editorial series, documents the depth and breadth of hunger in
Maine, from the dramatic increase in food pantries to the thousands of children who come to school
hungry to the elderly with bare cupboards. For more, click here.
Most recent comments
CJ CJ says, "upta-here of Gray, ME
Jan 8, 2009 5:29 PM
A little fact for you guys...the infamous Landlocked Salmon is only land locked because..."
SNAKEnCRANE says, "funnycnslr of Hallowell, ME:
I see a lot of comments in here, and none of them except your's has the tone of condoning this..."
Corrections
Errors that appear in the Kennebec Journal will be corrected in the print edition of the paper as soon as possible. We encourage readers to bring errors to our attention. Please call 1-800-537-5508 or send an e-mail.
Reporter Queries
Rotary rage: How do you like Augusta's new east side roundabout?
The Kennebec Journal wants to know what you think of the new design of Cony Circle. Hate it? Love it? Confused by it? Feel safer? Or scared to death? We'd like to hear from you. Please call reporter Keith Edwards, at 621-5647, or e-mail him (please include your name and phone number) at kedwards@centralmaine.com.
Charitable group hurting?
Do you work for a central Maine non-profit or charitable group that's expecting fewer donations coming in, in December especially, because of the rough economy? If so, we'd like to hear from your group and learn how you are dealing with the downturn, for a potential story. Please call reporter Joel Elliott at 861-9252, or e-mail him at jelliott@centralmaine.com.
|
Today's Weather:
Augusta, Maine (Airport)
Updated: 8:53 PM EST on January 08, 2009
 |
20 °F
Scattered Clouds
|
|
See Detailed Forecast >>
About our columnists
Commentary by opinion page writers
Did you miss your favorite Op-Ed columnist's latest article? Well, fear not. We have the state's largest and most diverse lineup of local columnists. We've recently launched a new web site to showcase their talent. Read columns by Dan Billings, Theo Kalikow, Sandy Maisel, Dave Offer, Joseph Reisert, Kay Rand, Liz Soares and Gordon Weil. Visit the columnists' web site.
BLOGS
 High School SportsSports writers from the Kennebec Journal and
Morning Sentinel bring you the latest news on your favorite
teams. Read more.
On Maine Politics
Kennebec Commuter
From the Editor
Outdoors in Central Maine
The Report Card
Web Guy
Random Thoughts of a New Mainer
Puzzles
Need a break from work? Use your noodle for something besides spreadsheets and TPS reports. Now you can play Sudoku and Jumble online, or work on today's crossword puzzle from your computer. Just make sure the boss isn't around. Solve today's puzzles.
Cheapest gas prices
Save time and money at the pump. Find the best deals on gasoline in the capital area - Augusta, Gardiner, Winthrop, Hallowell, Richmond. Show cheapest gas prices.
Lottery/horoscope
NEW: Is it your lucky day? Don't forget to check Maine lottery results and your daily horoscope.
Outdoors online
 NEW: Outdoors site. Read the latest articles by Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel outdoors writer Travis Barrett. Columns by hunting and fishing expert Ken Allen, naturalist Rex Turner and Colby College ornithologist Herb Wilson. Outdoors photos, blogs and more. Visit the outdoors site.
Wall Street updates
Follow the financial markets
Moneymen: No need to panic
Stumped by what to do with your hard-earned cash? As economy sours, local bankers answer your financial questions. Read Q&A interview here.
Reader comments
What people are talking about: Most commented upon KJ stories today
|
Questions/Comments
