Only in Maine

Oops

[URL unfurl="true"]https://www.maine.gov/moveit-global-data-security-incident/[/URL]

Yeah BIG OOPSIE!! Dodged that bullet, but furious it took 6 month to fess up...

***Oh where, oh where did our Little Whale go?
Oh where, oh where can it be?***
[HEADING=2][SIZE=7]Dead whale that beached itself in Maine goes missing after storm[/SIZE][/HEADING]

The carcass of a sub-adult female whale who beached herself along Pigeon Hill Bay in Steuben is pictured on Sunday. Credit: Courtesy of Christi Holmes

A whale that [beached itself and then died]('https://www.bangordailynews.com/2023/11/26/news/down-east/whale-washes-up-down-east/') in Steuben last week has floated away, but officials still hope to find it.

The animal was an adolescent female fin whale that, despite not being fully grown, is nearly 50 feet long. A storm that lashed Maine with heavy rain and strong winds overnight into Monday morning is believed to have pulled the whale carcass back into the sea off Petit Manan Point in western Washington County.

“We don’t know where it is,” said Rosemary Seton of Allied Whale, College of the Atlantic’s marine research division that is licensed by the federal government to respond to strandings of marine mammals and turtles.

Seton, Allied Whale’s marine stranding coordinator, said it is not unusual for an animal to drift ashore and then to float away again when the tide rises and carries it away. The whale came to rest on Thanksgiving Day at around mid-tide, and though it stayed there for a few days, the high tide either Sunday night or Monday morning, along with the surf churned up by the storm, re-floated the dead whale.

“I’ve had that happen many times,” Seton said. “I guess for now we’re in a waiting game.”

Allied Whale hopes to relocate the whale and bring it ashore again, ideally at high tide, so the group can dissect the animal to see if it can figure out why it died, she said. The whale was emaciated and likely wasn’t eating. If they can find it again before it decomposes too much, they might be able to examine its trachea to see if it may have had difficulty swallowing, Seton said.

Without having the whale carcass to examine, researchers can only guess what may have killed it, even though people who saw the dead whale’s body on the beach on Sunday before it floated away have not reported any apparent signs of trauma to the whale.

“It could have been any number of things,” Seton said of why the whale died. “Most of the time we can’t determine the cause of death. To get a fresh carcass like this is rare.”

The cold water in the Gulf of Maine will help slow the whale’s decomposition, Seton said. But even if the whale does decompose to the point that clues to its death can’t be found, researchers can still collect the skeleton for other research purposes, she said.

Allied Whale hopes to relocate the whale and bring it ashore again, ideally at high tide, so the group can dissect the animal to see if it can figure out why it died, she said. The whale was emaciated and likely wasn’t eating. If they can find it again before it decomposes too much, they might be able to examine its trachea to see if it may have had difficulty swallowing, Seton said.

Without having the whale carcass to examine, researchers can only guess what may have killed it, even though people who saw the dead whale’s body on the beach on Sunday before it floated away have not reported any apparent signs of trauma to the whale.

“It could have been any number of things,” Seton said of why the whale died. “Most of the time we can’t determine the cause of death. To get a fresh carcass like this is rare.”

The cold water in the Gulf of Maine will help slow the whale’s decomposition, Seton said. But even if the whale does decompose to the point that clues to its death can’t be found, researchers can still collect the skeleton for other research purposes, she said.

This time of year "Cut and Runs" are quite common as folks go out and "Cut their own Xmas trees", regardless of where they are, but doing it in front of a Fire Station is a special kind of WTF???

[HEADING=2][SIZE=7]Police probe cut-and-run of treetop at Vassalboro fire station[/SIZE][/HEADING]
The upper half of a large spruce tree, which was donated a decade ago by a volunteer firefighter, was found missing over the weekend.

VASSALBORO — The illegal cutting of the top half of a large spruce tree in front of the town’s fire station has prompted a police investigation.

Walker Thompson, Vassalboro’s fire chief, said Tuesday that the upper half of the tree at 1395 Riverside Drive had been cut off over the weekend, and that firefighters found the now-half sized tree on Sunday afternoon.

“Somebody had backed up to the tree, taken a saw, and cut the top of the tree off,” Thompson said. “We noticed the tree top was cut off sometime over the weekend, and we immediately reported it.”

The Kennebec County Sheriff’s Office later shared photos of the now-half sized tree [in a Facebook post]('https://www.facebook.com/KennebecCountySheriffsOffice/posts/pfbid0qCW7zWoNoGjGtGJ3wFPywx38NY5rx7uLELKtPrEguU2vXdNqUpd8fQHAN8PL6nn4l'), asking the public for more information. Kennebec Sheriff’s officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday on the criminal investigation.

Thompson said that he was “not aware of any leads at this time” related to the police probe.

While the fire station is equipped with several cameras, Thompson said none of them were pointed in the tree’s direction.

“We do have cameras on that building, but unfortunately, the cameras were not triggered because that specific area is not under video surveillance per se, and the cameras are triggered with motion,” he said. “I will add that we are in the process of upgrading our cameras so we will have 24/7, 365-day coverage no matter what happens.”

The tree was donated and planted about a decade ago by longtime volunteer Vassalboro firefighter Tom Richards and his wife. Google Street View photos indicate that the tree has nearly doubled in size over time.

“A lot of people have said, ‘Well, it’s just a tree,’ but at the end of the day, it’s private property and that tree meant something to the Vassalboro Fire Department,” Thompson said. “The firefighter who purchased and donated that tree with his wife years ago has served the town of Vassalboro for the past 43 years.”

Authorities said anyone with information should call the Augusta Regional Communications Center at 207-624-7076 and ask for Deputy Curtis.

Someone now has their Christmas tree lol

No state that I've lived or visited, honors Veterans more highly than Maine. Today was a clear demonstration of that...

[HEADING=2][SIZE=7]Thousands of veterans’ graves decorated for National Wreaths Across America Day[/SIZE][/HEADING]
Volunteers worked to honor the deceased by placing wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery and other locations across the country.

Volunteers placed wreaths on thousands of veterans’ graves at locations across the country on Saturday, which marked National Wreaths Across America Day.

Wreaths were left at more than 4,225 cemeteries, including Arlington National Cemetery, the Wreaths Across America organization said in a statement. When the wreaths were placed, the individual veteran’s name was said aloud, honoring and remembering the service of that individual.

“What I love most about this day and this mission is that it is so much more than just the placement of a wreath,” said Karen Worcester, executive director of Wreaths Across America.

“The wreath is the catalyst – it brings together communities, families and strangers, to learn about those who have served and sacrificed,” she added.

More than 3 million volunteers – one-third of them children – participate in the annual tradition, Worcester said.

The annual Wreaths Across America escort to Arlington began on Dec. 9 with public stops in Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Washington, D.C., before arriving Saturday at the national cemetery in Virginia.

Calverton was done today also Next year Dads section will get done

My son in law cleared enough of the pine tree so they can get the cars in and out. Still no power but they have heat

My son in law cleared enough of the pine tree so they can get the cars in and out. Still no power but they have heat

State really got pounded. That is one big azz white pine!! Lucky they are safe!! That your camper up there?

1/2 my town is still out of power. Almost feel guilty in that I only lost for 5 min, which means my standby generator ran for 4:57...

[URL unfurl="true"]https://www.foxnews.com/politics/maine-forced-delay-vote-ev-mandate-amid-widespread-power-outages[/URL]

You'd think he'd have to be convicted of a crime but no - the new America

[URL unfurl="true"]https://www.reuters.com/world/us/maine-elections-official-disqualifies-trump-presidential-primary-ballot-2023-12-28/[/URL]

You'd think he'd have to be convicted of a crime but no - the new America

[URL unfurl="true"]https://www.reuters.com/world/us/maine-elections-official-disqualifies-trump-presidential-primary-ballot-2023-12-28/[/URL]

sorry - but good with it

[URL unfurl="true"]https://www.foxnews.com/media/cnn-legal-expert-rips-maine-ruling-remove-trump-ballot-never-pass-muster-normal-court[/URL]

[URL unfurl="true"]https://www.foxnews.com/politics/border-numbers-december-break-monthly-record-as-biden-admin-talks-amnesty-mexico[/URL]

You'd think he'd have to be convicted of a crime but no - the new America

[URL unfurl="true"]https://www.reuters.com/world/us/maine-elections-official-disqualifies-trump-presidential-primary-ballot-2023-12-28/[/URL]

Still trying to find ANY person involved with January 6th receiving a charge of "insurrection".

That's because the answer is NONE. Zero convictions. So why are they still using that word???

[URL unfurl="true"]https://www.foxnews.com/politics/maine-gop-state-lawmaker-moves-impeach-state-secretary-trump-ballot-removal[/URL]

[URL unfurl="true"]https://www.foxnews.com/politics/maine-gop-state-lawmaker-moves-impeach-state-secretary-trump-ballot-removal[/URL]

Two chances of success, Slim & None. Both houses have huge Dem majorities. This, along the rest of similar ones, is going to have to be one for the SCOTUS...

Two chances of success, Slim & None. Both houses have huge Dem majorities. This, along the rest of similar ones, is going to have to be one for the SCOTUS...

They do not want it, but will have to hear it.

[URL unfurl="true"]https://www.foxnews.com/politics/maine-secretary-state-house-swatted-trump-ballot-disqualification-decision[/URL]

[URL unfurl="true"]https://www.foxnews.com/politics/maine-secretary-state-house-swatted-trump-ballot-disqualification-decision[/URL]

That's not a Maine only problem... You should start a Non-Partisan SWATTING thread. Here's the first you can include:
[Greene says she was swatted while at home with family on Christmas]('https://www.abc27.com/news/greene-says-she-was-swatted-while-at-home-with-family-on-christmas/')

At least this group had the foresight to see if their target was at home. The Bellows crew missed her, LOL...

That's not a Maine only problem... You should start a Non-Partisan SWATTING thread. Here's the first you can include:
[Greene says she was swatted while at home with family on Christmas]('https://www.abc27.com/news/greene-says-she-was-swatted-while-at-home-with-family-on-christmas/')

At least this group had the foresight to see if their target was at home. The Bellows crew missed her, LOL...

I wouldnt mind swatting her I can picture it now But Im getting kinda buzed lol