Bangor Daily News

Man Charged As Spy Released After Bia Arrest

BANGOR - A U.S. citizen working as a military translator in Iraq who authorities allege was a spy in the United States for the former regime of Saddam Hussein was released on bail Monday after appearing in U.S. District Court in Bangor. Issam Hamama, 58, of El Cajon, Calif., was picked up Friday at Bangor International Airport after getting off an international flight, said Gina Balaya, a spokeswoman for federal prosecutors in Detroit.

Amid Reviews, First Wind Opens Office

LINCOLN - Anyone who wants to see First Wind of Massachusetts' plan to build a $130 million 40-turbine wind farm, or question company officials about it, just needs to go to the courthouse on Main Street, company officials said Monday. First Wind has opened an office in the basement of 52 Main St. to act as its local headquarters for its Stetson Mountain wind farm and its proposed Rollins Mountain project for Burlington, Lee, Lincoln and Winn, said Ryan Chaytors, a senior development associat...

Retail Experts Urge Gift Card Caution

BANGOR - Holiday shoppers should carefully do their homework before plunking down hard-earned money to buy gift cards, according to retail experts. But worried consumers shouldn't read too much into an anonymous e- mail making the rounds which warns that many well-known stores may be closing all or some of their doors after Christmas, rendering those cards worthless.

Program to Help Farmers Save Energy Recognized

BANGOR - The Kennebec County Soil and Water Conservation District was named 2008 Partner of the Year last week by Maine Rural Partners, a statewide public-private organization devoted to fostering effective collaboration among tribal, federal, state, local and private sector interests. In announcing the award, Mary Ann Hayes, executive director of Maine Rural Partners, cited the district's innovative leadership in developing a nationally recognized energy efficiency pilot program called Farm ...

Sinking Sears Island

Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, the Legislature's Transportation Committee last week took the indefensible action of indefinitely shelving a compromise plan for state-owned Sears Island. Unlike other plans, reports and studies that make their way into the hands of legislative committees, the Sears Island agreement, which took three years to come to fruition, hinged on the Transportation Committee accepting the handoff and carrying it across the goal line. The committee's failure to...

Today's Barbary Pirates

The lyrics of the U.S. Marine Corps hymn, "From the Halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli. We fight our country's battles in the air, on land and sea" honor the Marines' daring trek across the Libyan desert in 1805 to free the captured Navy frigate, the USS Philadelphia, and its 307-man crew from Barbary pirates. That was one success among many failures in a long struggle against Mediterranean piracy that was sponsored by Morocco and the city-states of Tunis, Algiers and Tripoli. A wee...

Keep On, Smiley

Ever since Sarah Smiley wrote about moving to Bangor, I have thoroughly enjoyed reading her columns. She is a great addition to our local paper. Far from being part of a military family, I hold political leanings somewhere left of liberal. In 1968 I married a conscientious objector and fled with him to Canada. We've gone separate ways since then, but we both remain committed to peace and justice. Having had family members and friends in the service over the generations, I continue to respect ...

Skip Turkey This Year

Barack Obama has risen from humble beginnings to the power of the presidency. But, every one of us has the presidential power to pardon a turkey on Thanksgiving. In fact, here are some reasons to skip the turkey this Thanksgiving: You are what you eat. Who wants to be a butterball? You won't have to call Poultry Hotline to keep your family alive. You won't sweat the environment and food resources devastation guilt trip. You won't spend a sleepless night wondering how the turkey lived and died...

Honors for Dr. Block

The BDN's recent article, "Dearth of rheumatologists in Maine puts state's aging population at risk," reveals a concern for the adequate ongoing treatment of arthritis patients in our area. The article itself, while focusing on that concern, briefly mentions a distinguished honor received by Dr. Sidney Block that I feel may have been lost on those readers who just skimmed the article. As a longtime patient of Dr. Block's, I am proud of the recognition he received as a "Master of the American ...

Sears Island Plan Sunk

The Legislature's Transportation Committee Chairman, Dennis Damon of Trenton, says he doesn't "see how we've undermined the work of the [Sears Island Joint Use Planning Committee], and I don't see how we've made the agreement inoperable. ... We did not change a single period or comma or capital letter in the agreement" (BDN, Nov. 21). Let me help Sen. Damon: When residents devote hundreds of hours of arduous work over a period of years to hammer out an agreement that eluded the state for deca...

God Defined Marriage

Who has the authority to define marriage? Does not that authority belong to God, who created marriage and defined it as the union between a man and a woman? He had the authority, and still has it unless he has delegated it to some portion of his creation. I am not aware that he has made that decision. To the people he designed, created and continues to sustain, God has given much authority. For example, people can choose to attach benefits to marriage. People also have authority to create o...

Storm Cuts Power to 40,000 Mainers

A late autumn storm brought soaking rains, high winds and heavy snow to northern New England on Tuesday, knocking out power to tens of thousands of people and causing headaches for drivers. By late afternoon, more than a foot of snow was reported in northern New Hampshire and at the Killington ski resort in Vermont. More than half a foot was reported in western Maine, and the Sunday River ski resort in Newry said it had gotten more than 8 inches.

Birth Control for Minors Scrutinized State Laws On Teen Access Likely to Face Legislative Challenge

Anticipating a legislative challenge to state laws giving teens access to birth control prescriptions and other reproductive health services without the consent of their parents, the Family Planning Association of Maine will host a series of forums around the state, beginning Tuesday in Bangor. The issue stems from last year's controversy about a school clinic in Portland that prescribed birth control to middle school students.