Bangor Daily News

Air-Pump Failure Kills Juvenile Lobsters, Delays Hatchery Project Stock Was Headed for Ocean to Support Community Fisheries

STONINGTON - An undetermined number of hatchery-raised, juvenile lobsters scheduled to be released in eastern Maine coastal waters this week died Wednesday after an air pump at the hatchery malfunctioned. The lobsters were among the first batch to be raised at the Zone C lobster hatchery, a joint effort between local lobstermen and the Penobscot East Resource Center, a Stonington-based nonprofit group working to support community-based fisheries in Downeast Maine. The hatchery plan includes s...

Correcting the Record

A story published in last Thursday's Final edition should have stated that the Etna-Dixmont School consolidated two eighth-grade classes into one without eliminating a teaching position. This year's budget, which was approved by residents, called for the same number of teachers as last year. A story in some editions of the State section Wednesday about Brooks Field Days misidentified a man who volunteers with the Brooks Booster Club. He is Ed Cross.

Machias Banker Retires After 47 Years

MACHIAS - Dick Shaw, formerly a financial services officer for Machias Savings Bank, is now officially a retiree spending the summer at his camp on Sebasticook Lake in Newport. Shaw, 66, had his final day at work last Friday after 47 1/2 years in the banking business.

Business in Brief Bangor: Bangor Savings Bank Names Corporators

Business in Brief Brunswick: Hancock Lumber Gets Forest Stewardship Certification

Business in Brief Bangor: Husson to Celebrate Center's 10 Years

Lay Off Our Lobsters

The Maine lobster industry has been getting hit from all directions lately. Friends of animals complain that lobsters suffer. Friends of the ocean complain that Maine lobstermen may be catching too many of the crustaceans and endangering the resource. The facts don't bear out these charges. Lobsters feel no pain, according to researchers. And the lobster population keeps growing despite record catches, since Maine's independent lobstermen and women respect trap limits, avoid fishing on Sunday...

Missile Diplomacy

Despite tough talk about pre-emptive strikes and the possible deployment of an American missile shield last week, the restrained response Wednesday to North Korea's missile strikes has been appropriate and should continue. Shortly after the United States sent the space shuttle Discovery into orbit on July 4, North Korea begin its missile tests. The country fired six missiles in four hours of pre-dawn darkness and a seventh missile later. The most dangerous, the long-range Taepodong 2, apparen...

Standpipe Is Homeless

I am disappointed and ashamed of the inhospitable treatment given by City Hall to the gentlemen who created the replica of the Bangor Standpipe (BDN, July 3). That would have been a treasure for the city forever after, but they just couldn't see it. They should have taken money from the general fund to purchase a locked glass display case.

More Respect Needed

I usually read the newspaper on the day it arrives, but I had missed the June 27 edition for whatever reason and decided today to read it. It is tragic enough that the family of the [homicide] victim, Michael Demmons, has to experience the loss of a loved one, but to have to witness the police and state medical examiners take his body from the home and put it in the back of a pick-up truck is disgusting. I don't know who I should be more disgusted with: the photographer from the Bangor Daily ...

Maine Firm Eyes Trade with China Searsmont's Robbins Lumber Showcases Goods in Shanghai

SEARSMONT - Though China gets plenty of attention for its growing role in producing goods that are shipped worldwide, it is not just manufacturing jobs that are finding their way to the Asian economic powerhouse. Last week, a local company made the trek to Shanghai, China, where its representatives attended a trade show to find out if it might find more buyers for one of its products.

Copper the Prize for Thieves Washington County Experiences Surge in Theft of Metal

MEDDYBEMPS - Copper is a hot commodity and a new brand of thieves has been stealing copper from houses and junkyards and selling it to scrap metal dealers. In the past few weeks, there have been several break-ins in houses in the western part of Washington County where copper pipes were ripped out of the walls.

Angry, Working Poor

Recently, on the University of Maine classified employees on- line discussion group, talk turned to what people were doing to cope with their currently low pay and the fact that the university is insisting on a contract that guarantees most of us a net pay cut. I got to wondering how the following actions impact local economies, given that we live in all areas of the state. A lot of us have:

Proudly Support Aclu

Tom Kelly's column, "Troops targeted by ACLU and anti-war media" (BDN, June 30), arouses mixed emotions. I agree that our troops' positive, helpful contributions to the people of Iraq deserve more press coverage. But when our troops allegedly commit crimes in Iraq, that should also be reported and the source of the charges should be identified. Many of these reports of American crimes in Iraq have come from our own governmental agencies and only because of Freedom of Information Act requests ...

Benefit of the Doubt

Isn't it sad? Soon the military will have to be eligible for the Purple Heart before they can fire their weapons in Iraq and Afghanistan. The rules of engagement are so stiff we are losing great soldiers because they are afraid they might kill an innocent person and be charged with murder. Would you know who is good and who is bad? Snap decisions must be made. Sometimes these decisions result in non-combatants being killed.