Maine

Thousands without power as thunder, hail slam central Maine

Published

2 years ago

June 20, 2024

Thousands without power as thunder, hail slam central Maine

Crews clean up trees that were knocked down across U.S. Route 201 in Solon during a strong thunderstorm Thursday afternoon. Traffic was stopped in both directions, according to reports. Photo submitted by Cecilia Landry

AUGUSTA — Power outages were being reported throughout central Maine Thursday afternoon as heavy thunderstorms, high winds and spurts of hail sweep through the area.

Just before 3:30 p.m. Thursday, the National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for northern Kennebec and southern Somerset counties as a large storm brought wind gusts up to 60 mph and penny-size hail to parts of central Maine, according to NWS meteorologist Michael Clair.

“Storms are kind of around Skowhegan now, but they’re blossoming all over. There’s more forming near Waterville right now,” he said. “The next few hours it looks like more of the same. Storms forming and moving their way to the coast.”

Clair said the storm had already caused sporadic power outages throughout southern and central Maine. As of 4:15 p.m., over 9,500 Central Maine Power Co. customers were without electricity statewide, 3,700 of which were in Somerset County.

Around 3:30 p.m., storm gusts knocked down several trees and power lines in Solon, knocking out power to at least 625 residents. Traffic was backed up on U.S. Route 201 in both directions north of the Fall Brook bridge after multiple large trees fell across the highway, according to reports.

“We’ve been getting reports of damaging wind bringing down trees and powerlines,” Clair said. “This cold front coming down from the south is breaking the heat and with it, it’s kicking off these heavier thunderstorms.”

NWS radar showed heavy bands of precipitation moving east through Cumberland, Somerset and Penobscot counties just after 4:15 p.m. Clair said storms would likely persist through the evening, only starting to dissipate after 9 p.m.

Authorities are urging caution and awareness as the storm rolls through. The NWS’ severe thunderstorm declaration instructs residents to take shelter on the lowest floor of a building, which Clair seconded.

“We advise that people go inside when you hear a storm coming. Stay away from the windows and just take shelter, essentially,” Clair said.

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Maine

Maine Olympian Frank Del Duca to serve as Team USA flag bearer for Opening Ceremony

Published

5 hours ago

February 6, 2026

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Maine Olympian Frank Del Duca to serve as Team USA flag bearer for Opening Ceremony

Maine Olympian Frank Del Duca will be front and center on Friday as he serves as one of Team USA’s flag bearers at the Milan Cortina Olympics Opening Ceremony.

The bobsledder was chosen along with speed skater Erin Jackson to lead Team USA during the Parade of Nations. The news was announced earlier this week on “TODAY.”

Del Duca and Jackson were selected through a vote of fellow Olympic teammates led by the Team USA Athletes’ Commission.

“Erin and Frank embody the values of excellence and unity that define our Olympic Team, and we’re proud to have them lead Team USA onto the world stage,” U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee CEO Sarah Hirshland said in a statement.

Del Duca, a 34-year-old from Bethel, Maine, is a sergeant in the U.S. army stationed in Lake Placid, New York, and will become the first bobsledder to serve as a Team USA Opening Ceremony flag bearer in 70 years. He will chase his first Olympic medal in Milan Cortina after making his Olympic debut four years ago in Beijing, and he says this year’s Winter Games in Italy will be extra special.

“Being flag bearer for Team USA is an incredible honor,” Del Duca said. “It was also quite the surprise. I’m grateful for the support from my teammates, coaches and staff, Team USA, U.S. Army WCAP, family and friends, and everyone who has helped me on this journey.

“With the Olympic Games being held in Italy, it means even more. Nearly everyone in my family is of Italian descent. There is no greater honor than leading Team USA into the Opening Ceremony in Italy. It feels like a bridge between my family’s heritage, and the country I’m so proud to serve. I know my grandfather is watching over me saying, ‘Hey, Frangesch, way to go kid,’ and would be so proud.”

Del Duca is the sixth U.S. bobsledder to serve as an Olympic flag bearer.

Frank Del Duca, who competed in Beijing in 2022, is always gravitating toward the sport that pushed the limits of gravity.

Live coverage of the Opening Ceremony will begin at 2 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock. Primetime coverage will begin at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.

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Maine

Inspector General’s Office responds to report on Maine’s Medicaid program

Published

17 hours ago

February 5, 2026

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Inspector General’s Office responds to report on Maine’s Medicaid program

PORTLAND (WGME) — A member of the U.S. Inspector General’s Office is speaking about the recently released report into Maine’s Medicaid program.

The report found Maine made roughly $45 million in improper Medicaid payments for services provided to children diagnosed with autism. The report noted the payments didn’t fully comply with federal and state requirements.

The federal agency says payments for the services jumped by more than $20 million over a span of four years.

That increase is what helped trigger the audit.

“It is not clear that the children were actually receiving effective therapy services,” Assistant Regional Inspector General for Audit Services Pei Sun said. “It’s undermining really the integrity of the state programs, and it impacts every taxpayer, right? Because we pay for these programs.”

The Inspector General gave multiple recommendations to the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, such as refunding the federal government $28 million.

Maine DHHS responded to these claims, saying that the Inspector General’s report is based on a “routine,” “programmatic audit.” They note it “does not include findings or allegations of fraud,” and instead potential “documentation and compliance issues” they claim the state is now reviewing.

The Inspector General says their office will continue to follow up with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to monitor the state’s progress on implementing their recommendations.

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Maine

Maine man pleads guilty in deaths of twin boys in Albion

Published

1 day ago

February 5, 2026

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Maine man pleads guilty in deaths of twin boys in Albion

AUGUSTA, Maine (WGME) — A Maine man will spend 15-years-old behind bars for hitting and killing two young twin boys and critically injuring their mother in Albion.

According to Kennebec Journal, 44-year-old Benjamin Lancaster of Albion pleaded guilty on Wednesday to two counts of manslaughter, aggravated assault, aggravated criminal operating under the influence, and leaving the scene of an accident involving serious bodily injury or death.

As part of a plea agreement, Lancaster was sentenced to 25 years in prison with all but 15 years suspended, and four years of probation, according to the Kennebec Journal. This means he’ll serve 15 years in prison before being released on probation. If he violates any condition of his probation, he could serve the full 25-year sentence.

Twin brothers, Bradley and Noah, and their mother were hit by an impaired driver in Albion. (Martha Collins)

Police said Lancaster was driving on Hussey Road in Albion on July 11, 2025, when he hit 2 1/2-year-old twin brothers, Bradley and Noah Bordeaux, and their mother, Mollie Egold. He then left the scene.

Egold was reportedly walking to a store, pushing her twin sons in a stroller, when police said she was hit from behind by the suspect’s vehicle.

Bradley died at the scene. His twin brother, Noah, was airlifted to Maine Medical Center in Portland where he died a few days later from his injuries.

Egold was critically injured but survived. She suffered a broken back among other injuries.

“He took away our babies. He took away our life, our family,” the twins’ grandmother, Martha Collins, told CBS13 in July 2025. “That man should be charged with murder, not manslaughter. This is murder. He murdered my babies.”

After his arrest, Lancaster tried to blame the deadly crash on his then-girlfriend. According to police affidavits, he told police she was driving. But his brother reportedly told authorities Lancaster admitted to him that he’d hit someone.

Police said security cameras also showed Lancaster behind the wheel with no damage to the car’s front end three miles before the crash. According to police, another camera then showed Lancaster on Main Street in Albion with damage to the front of his car.

According to Kennebec Journal, Lancaster’s blood tested positive for THC methamphetamine, Clotiazepam, an anti-anxiety drug, and methadone.

The Kennebec Journal reports Lancaster agreed to the plea deal to take responsibility for his actions and to spare the family from having to sit through a trial.

This tragedy is sadly not the first for Egold and her family. In 2017, Egold’s oldest son drowned when he and his mother’s canoe got caught in a strong current and went over a waterfall.

His grandmother said 5-year-old William had a life vest on but got caught in debris under the water. His mom freed him, but he died hours later at the hospital.

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