OXFORD — Selectperson Sharon Jackson did not mince words when Maine Department of Transportation Regional Planner Matt Drost addressed the board about plans to install a traffic light at the intersection of Main and Oxford streets.
“I think it’s a terrible idea,” Jackson said. “I don’t know why this board was not made aware of it … Shouldn’t there have been a public hearing held on this?”
Drost explained the project originated in the agency’s Safety Office which does not trigger the same kind of communication as a traffic planning study.
“I’m not aware that MDOT is required to notify the town,” Drost said. “It was an identified safety need … It will allow traffic to turn safely out of Oxford Street onto Route 26.
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“We would not necessarily have a public hearing in person. I’ll have to check when and if, and I’d assume that there was one, for a virtual public opportunity hosted by MDOT.”
Jackson countered that she was not aware of any hearing being advertised or held.
In September MDOT Project Manager Brian Keezer attended a Paris Select Board meeting about the pending project and indicated there would be a virtual public hearing about the project. At that meeting, Keezer also stated that if MDOT sees “unanimous opposition to it, it’s likely we’ll go away and spend the money somewhere else.”
MDOT’s Safety Office has designated the intersection of Route 26 and Oxford Street in Oxford as a high crash location and plans to install a traffic light next year. Nicole Carter / Advertiser Democrat
“It’s a town road,” Vice-Chairman Dana Dillingham pointed out to Drost Thursday night. “Does the town of Paris not have the ability to post (on the other end) that it is not a through-way? That’s where a lot of the traffic is coming from – GPS leading from Sunday River.”
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Drost answered that Paris would have that ability, adding that the road was not originally constructed to handle the high volume of vehicles it handles. But he added there is currently enough traffic to warrant safety measures on the part of MDOT.
Dillingham persisted, asking whether installing such a sign would trigger GPS apps to instead direct southbound traffic to continue along Route 26 instead of through neighborhood streets.
Drost said that in that scenario it would take time for new mapping to update, even if Paris has taken the step, and would not involve MDOT to make happen.
Jackson then asked what the Safety Office had determined about traffic backing up due to a traffic light, one of the complaints Paris selectmen had addressed with Keezer last fall. Drost was not able to speak to what the impact would be.
“While there may be some backups, any that occur during peak times, there would not be situations where people wait minutes upon minutes,” Drost replied. “I think it would outlet all of Oxford Street and then allow 26 to continue for some time without backup on Oxford Street.”
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The project is slated to be done in 2026 and will take about two months to complete. It is not part of the ongoing larger Route 26 project that will continue next year further south in the corridor where Routes 26 and 121 converge and overlap.
The board also used its discussion time with Drost to take issue over the recently redesigned intersection at Route 26 and Skeetfield Road. The new lanes require traffic turning from Skeetfield on Route 26 to drive into the lane for drivers to turn right onto the road, which has created new hazards, especially during poor visibility. Jackson requested that the right turn be made more gradual and that a street light be added. Drost said he would take her suggestions back to MDOT engineers for consideration.
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine Democrat Graham Platner has picked up another high-profile endorsement in his bid to flip a key Senate seat blue, marking another sign of the oyster farmer and combat veteran’s political resiliency even as he continues to face controversy throughout his campaign.
Arizona Democrat Ruben Gallego announced Monday that he was backing Platner, saying that the first-time candidate “reflects the grit and independence that defines Maine.”
“Graham Platner is the kind of fighter Maine hasn’t seen in a long time, someone who tells you exactly what he thinks, doesn’t owe anything to the special interests, and wakes up every day thinking about working families,” said Gallego, who won a Senate seat in Arizona in 2024 by more than 2 points while Trump carried the state by nearly 6 points.
Platner has previously been endorsed by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, and New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich, a Democrat.
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However, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has endorsed Platner’s main opponent, Maine Gov. Janet Mills.
Both Platner, 41, and Mills, 78, are hoping to unseat Republican Sen. Susan Collins, 73, a five-term incumbent who announced last month that she was running for another term. A victory in Maine is crucial for Democrats’ efforts to take back control of the Senate. The Democratic Party needs to net four seats to retake the Senate majority, and they are aiming to do that in Maine, North Carolina, Alaska and Ohio.
READ MORE: Maine’s Graham Platner thinks voters will overlook his past to support a new type of candidate
Platner has gained traction with his anti-establishment image and economic equality message. He’s pressed forward despite controversies over old social media posts and a tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol, which he recently had covered up.
Gallego is among the Democrats named as possible 2028 presidential contenders. Last fall, he stumped in New Jersey, Virginia and Florida, where he campaigned for Democrats who went on to win their elections.
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“I have an immense amount of respect for him and I’m looking forward to joining him as a fellow Marine and combat infantryman in the U.S. Senate,” Platner said in a statement.
Kruesi reported from Providence, Rhode Island.
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On March 2, Spurwink will join community partners for a special viewing of Building Hope: Ending Homelessness in Maine at the University of Southern Maine’s McGoldrick Hall.
Directed by Richard Kane and produced by Melody Lewis-Kane, the film shines a compassionate light on the realities of Maine’s homelessness crisis. Through deeply personal stories, Building Hope explores the challenges faced by unhoused individuals and families, while highlighting the hope that emerges when communities come together to create solutions. It’s been praised for its honesty, dignity, and inspiring message: change is possible when we work together.
Following the screening, a panel of local leaders and advocates will discuss the film and the ongoing effort in Maine to end homelessness. Panelists will include Katherine Rodney, Director of Spurwink’s Living Room Crisis Center; Cullen Ryan, Chief Strategic Officer at 3Rivers; Donna Wampole, Assistant Professor of Social Work at USM; and Preble Street staff. Catherine Ryder, Spurwink’s Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives, will bring her expertise in trauma-informed care and community collaboration to the panel as the moderator.
Keon Johnson had 21 points and 10 rebounds as the Maine Celtics defeated the Windy City Bulls 122-87 in an NBA G League game on Sunday afternoon at the Portland Expo.
Hason Ward scored 16 points and Jalen Bridges 14 for Maine (13-15), which had seven players score in double digits. Bridges drained four 3-pointers for the Celtics, who shot 13 for 28 (46.4%) from beyond the arc.
Max Shulga dished out 11 assists and scored nine points.
Maine led 33-18 after one quarter 72-36 at halftime.
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Keyshawn Bryant scored a game-high 25 points for Windy City (12-12).
