Marc Amaral — who has no prior municipal government experience and was the only candidate considered for the position — was hired Wednesday in a heated special Town Council meeting.
Ethan Horton
Staff Writer
Ethan covers local politics and the environment for the Kennebec Journal, and he runs the weekly Kennebec Beat newsletter. He joined the KJ in 2024 shortly after graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he majored in journalism and political science and was an editor for The Daily Tar Heel. For better or worse, Ethan always wanted to live in Maine.
Posted inLocal & State, News
Rural Maine towns struggle to find code officers. A new regional post could help
The new position, serving communities in Somerset County, could pave the way for more efficient and consistent building code enforcement in rural towns that can’t afford — or find — qualified candidates.
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Posted inLocal & State, News
Anson, Madison residents facing nearly 50% increase in water rates
Anson & Madison Water District customers plan to appeal the rate increase to the Maine Public Utility Commission, but their likelihood of success is low.
Posted inBusiness, Local & State, News
Colby College to build new science complex using $150M anonymous gift
The largest donation in school history marks the lead commitment for a new $300 million facility and investments in scientific collaboration across Maine.
Posted inLocal & State, News
West Gardiner’s clerk broke Maine election law, and the state can’t do anything
In local elections, town officials are left to enforce many of Maine’s election laws — and sometimes, they don’t.
Posted inBusiness, Local & State, News
Back by popular demand: Pittsfield theater to be revived by new nonprofit
The Pittsfield Town Council sold the municipally owned theater, which had been closed since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020, to the Bijou Theatre and Enrichment Center nonprofit for $1 earlier this month.
Posted inLocal & State, News
China voters discontinue easement, giving driveway to The Landing
The town of China gave up its claim to The Landing’s driveway Monday, clearing a hurdle for the lakeside ‘dock-and-dine’ restaurant to secure financing to replace its septic system and renovate its kitchen.
Posted inLocal & State, News
Ambulances are expensive. How do central Maine rescue services pay for them?
Ambulances and associated equipment can cost upward of half a million dollars, leaving ambulance services with huge expenses when the vehicles need to be replaced.
Posted inBusiness, Local & State, News
China to vote on giving up 215-year-old easement behind The Landing
Ownership of the strip of land, a strip about 200 feet long that used to be a wagon road along China Lake, is at the center of a decadeslong town dispute.
Posted inLocal & State
Hallowell budget cuts 15% in spending, lowers property taxes
This year’s cuts came in the shadow of last year’s budget, which raised property taxes by about 20%, a decision that councilors later discovered they could not reverse.