Evidence of the highly pathogenic avian influenza in Kennebec County means more vigilance on the part of those raising domestic poultry and relying on measures already in place.
Jessica Lowell
Jessica Lowell covers business and economic development and general news in the Gardiner area.
After short but intense aspirations to be an opera singer (age 4) and a deep-sea diver (age 6) her most enduring passion has been telling stories.
A University of Maine graduate, she worked for newspapers in New Hampshire, upstate New York and Wyoming, where she has won awards for investigative and explanatory journalism.
She’s a fellow of the Knight Center for Specialized Journalism and the Institute for Journalism and Natural Resources.
After several years out of journalism, she returned to Maine and to writing, where she spends her free time enjoying both trees and the ocean, two commodities that Wyoming lacks.
First cases of avian flu reported in Kennebec County
Both wild birds and a domestic flock in Kennebec County have been found to be infected with highly pathogenic avian flu this year.
South China bottle redemption center helps sort through problems in the system
Amanda and Tom Roddy bought their redemption center on Route 3 nearly five years ago and they’re hoping that this year, lawmakers will be able to make changes to the state’s bottle redemption program.
Togus VA officials do not know when family accommodations on campus will reopen following October closure
The Fisher House, which provides free lodging for families of veterans seeking treatment at the Togus VA Medical Center, has been open since February 2020, but officials say they do not know when it will reopen to guests.
South China teen dies from injuries sustained in Richmond highway crash
Rémy Pettengill, 17, was gravely injured Dec. 30 in a multivehicle crash on Interstate 295 in Richmond.
Browntail moth threat eases in capital region, but remains a threat elsewhere in Maine
While the population explosion of browntail moths didn’t happen as expected in 2022, experts say the threat posed by the invasive pest still exists and people should continue to take measures to destroy winter nests.
Republicans sworn-in at Kennebec County government ceremony for first time in decades
Among the county officials sworn in Tuesday at the Kennebec County commissioners meeting were two Republicans after years of dominance by Democrats at the county level, but one political expert said that’s likely due to the lack of well-known incumbents seeking reelection and the habit of Maine voters to vote for split tickets.
Gardiner police chief retires after 32 years with department
Chief James Toman, 52, began with the Gardiner Police Department as a part-time officer in 1990, and worked his way to the top position in 2003.
With heavy rain and snowmelt, Kennebec River expected to flood
The storm expected Friday is predicted to bring heavy rain, powerful wind gusts and plummeting temperatures, ushering in an icy Christmas weekend for central Maine and the potential for widespread power outages.
Maine group acted in ‘bad faith’ by withholding public records about former Kennebec County jail inmate, justice says
A Superior Court justice ordered the Maine County Commissioners Association self-funded risk management pool to pay attorneys’ fees and release the wrongfully withheld documents detailing a settlement with a former Kennebec County jail inmate who alleged that officers used excessive force and racial slurs against him.