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Exploring Maine’s Beaches in the Offseason

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Exploring Maine’s Beaches in the Offseason


For most individuals, “seashore season” is a really particular time of yr in Maine: that luxurious four-month spell of heat climate from June to September when the solar convinces guests to courageous the icy chunk of the Gulf of Maine. For some extra intrepid recreationists, the low season holds promise for browsing as winter swells carry gnarlier waves, daring thrill seekers to don their moist fits and take a look at the boundaries of human chilly tolerance. For me, Maine seashores are worthy of visitation every season, reflecting the modifications within the seasons simply as dynamically as some other Maine panorama. 

Patterns on the sand at Bates-Morse Mountain Conservation Space. Photograph by Josh Caldwell

Two weeks in the past, with the frosty nip of winter nonetheless within the air, my accomplice Hannah and I set out for Seawall Seashore on the Bates-Morse Mountain Conservation Space. Instantly adjoining to Popham Seashore, Seawall Seashore has all the time offered extra attract for me as a result of beautiful brief hike in throughout the Sprague River Marsh with the chance for a vista atop Morse Mountain en route. The offseason is much more compelling provided that the parking space is restricted for conservation causes, so a cold day makes for an open seashore. 

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Josh and Hannah

Blissful to be having fun with time with my accomplice Hannah on the Maine coast

As a Bates alumnus and a geology fanatic (I minored within the topic, however solely with the intention to prioritize Environmental Research), the Bates-Morse Mountain Conservation Space has offered unparalleled insights into Maine’s coastal dynamics. The Sprague River Marsh spans greater than 600 acres and supplies the right research location for salt marsh biochemical biking, carbon sequestration, and sediment transport. In the meantime the confluence of the Sprague River, the Atlantic Ocean, and Seawall Seashore make for an exceptional mannequin to trace seashore erosion and deposition over time. Since Bates School bought the conservation space in 1977, greater than 100 publications, theses, and stories have been carried out on the positioning. 

The Bates-Morse Mountain Conservation Space can be an exemplar of efficient conservation collaboration, with Bates School, the Small Level Affiliation, The Nature Conservancy, and Maine Audubon working collectively to protect crucial Maine habitat and research vital coastal ecosystems. The endangered Piping Plover has been one of the vital distinguished beneficiaries of those conservation efforts, seeing a marked comeback lately regardless of remaining beneath typical ranges. With solely 2,000 pairs of the small shorebird remaining alongside the jap seaboard, Maine’s efforts to guard mating pairs and their offspring are paramount to the survival of the species. Piping Plovers have lengthy been sufferer to improper seashore utilization by guests as their nests are positioned within the sandy dunes surrounding closely trafficked Maine seashores.  

Piping Plover by David Small

Piping Plover by David Small

Hannah and I weren’t fortunate sufficient to catch sight of any plovers, however we have been handled by many a gull, a Nice Blue Heron, and a cacophony of peepers inhabiting the vernal swimming pools alongside the path again to the parking zone. To me, the cheerful track of the peepers has all the time been the clearest indication that spring has sprung. 

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There may be nothing fairly like the sensation of a cool ocean breeze paired with the nice and cozy rays of a spring solar. Too cool for delayering, however simply heat sufficient for naked toes—the right accompaniment to movement. As Hannah and I strolled, I discovered myself returning to ideas of local weather change regardless of my greatest efforts. With the newest Intergovernmental Panel on Local weather Change Report simply having been launched and a number of other vital local weather priorities on our legislative docket, it was onerous to flee the data that our prized coastal panorama is altering earlier than our very eyes.  

I’ve all the time been intrigued by the variations between winter and summer season seashore composition: the excessive swells within the winter flattening seashores by erosion and amplifying the distinction between dune and seashore, whereas the softer waves in the summertime permit for sand deposition, smoothing out the seashore and offering a sandy berm for summer season lounging. Nevertheless, as sea ranges proceed to rise and storm patterns turn into extra erratic as a result of local weather change, the size is tilting towards erosion. Based on Maine’s 2020 “Value of Doing Nothing” evaluation, it’s anticipated that Maine’s sea degree will rise 1.6 toes by 2050 and three.9 toes by 2100, ensuing within the lack of 42% of dry seashore space within the state by 2050 and 75% by 2100. Because the identify of the research signifies, these circumstances will solely come up if we fail to curb our emissions and plan for local weather change within the close to time period. 

sand at Bates-Morse Mountain

The seashore on the Bates-Morse Mountain Conservation Space. Photograph by Josh Caldwell

Sea-level rise can even be catastrophic for salt marshes such because the Sprague River Marsh. Marshes are also known as the “kidneys of the panorama” for his or her capability to filter toxins and pollution, and their carbon sequestration capability is monumental. As sea ranges rise and local weather change provides stressors to the ecosystem, salt marshes start to degrade, releasing saved carbon into the ambiance and perpetuating world warming. Our actions now can be crucial to stopping a cascading impact that will be devastating for coastal and inland ecosystems alike.  

I choose not to consider my visits to locations like Bates-Morse Mountain Conservation Space as a “final gasp” to get pleasure from a fading magnificence. Quite, visiting these locations jogs my memory of the immense duty we’ve got to vary course and shield the dwelling methods round us that allow our existence. It’s my hope that the Piping Plover can be considered one of many coastal species and landscapes to rebound within the coming years as our society more and more involves recognition of the worth offered by the world round us. 

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Josh Caldwell, NRCM Local weather & Clear Vitality Outreach Coordinator





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Maine

Denver beats Maine men’s hockey with late goal

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Denver beats Maine men’s hockey with late goal


ORONO — With two of the top three scoring teams in the country on the ice, of course a low-scoring game was the result.

In Friday’s matchup of top-10 teams, the first of two games went to No. 6 Denver, in heartbreaking fashion for seventh-ranked Maine. The Pioneers scored with 20.7 seconds left, on a shot from the point by Cale Ashcroft that deflected off the shin guard of Maine’s David Breazeale and past goalie Albin Boija, giving the reigning NCAA champions a 2-1 win at Alfond Arena.

It came after Maine (12-4-2) lost a faceoff in its defensive zone, then blocked the initial shot. For Maine coach Ben Barr, it was an another example of not doing all the little things in a close game against a strong opponent. In that regard, it was similar to Sunday’s 4-2 loss to Bentley in Portland.

“Our margin of error, and this has been for the whole time that we’ve been here, our margin of error is very, very small. When you play teams like (Denver), that one faceoff matters. It’s disappointing,” Barr said. “We just didn’t do enough to win.”

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Both teams are also among the best in the nation in scoring defense. Only Minnesota State allows fewer goals per game than Maine’s 1.76, while Denver (15-4) is tied for seventh in the country, allowing two goals per game. For most of the game, Maine’s defensive effort was strong. Denver went into the game tied with Minnesota as the top scoring team in the country, averaging four goals per game (Maine is third at 3.88 goals per game). While the Pioneers had just four shots in the third period, the winning goal came when the Black Bears couldn’t clear the puck, and Denver had scoring chances throughout the game that were the result of defensive miscues, only for the Black Bears to be bailed out by Boija (22 saves)

“Our guys played hard. We still have two or three players on the back end that are unplayable, and that makes it really hard on the rest of the guys,” Barr said. “They try, it’s just hasn’t clicked for them for some reason. We’ve got to help them.”

A captain, Breazeale agreed that the Black Bears need to do more.

“There’s definitely some good to take away from it. It’s just that last 1% that we as a collective team have got to take forward,” he said. “We made one block, and the puck’s bouncing around. There’s no excuse for it. We’ve got to be able to respond in those big moments, all five guys on the ice, and we weren’t able to do it tonight.”

Denver took a 1-0 lead with a 5-on-3 power-play goal at 2:53 of the second period. Near the left post, Carter King stuffed in the rebound of a shot by Aidan Thompson that ricocheted off the boards behind the net.

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The Black Bears tied the game at 18:37 of the second on Frank Djurasevic’s power-play goal past Pioneer goalie Matt Davis (29 saves).

In the third period, Barr shuffled his top two lines, moving wing Josh Nadeau to play with center Harrison Scott and wing Thomas Freel, while moving Ross Mitton to a line with center Nolan Renwick and wing Taylor Makar – a trio that played well together early in the season.

“We were trying to get Josh going. I thought he was a little stale in the first couple periods, to be honest. I thought he was better in the third,” Barr said.

Barr also moved Owen Fowler from wing to center, on a line with wings Anthony Calafiore and Nicholas Niemo. With captain Lyden Breen out indefinitely because of a leg injury, the Black Bears are short-handed at center, Barr said. Right now, he’s trying to find guys who can take draws and win faceoffs.

The loss stings, Breazeale said, but there’s no time to dwell on it. These teams face each at Alfond Arena again at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.

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“We feel like we’ve got a lot to prove as a team,” Breazeale said, “and tomorrow night we’ve got to come out with that for 60 more minutes.”



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Ellsworth veterinarian to settle allegations over controlled substance storage

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Ellsworth veterinarian to settle allegations over controlled substance storage


An Ellsworth veterinarian has agreed to pay more than $145,000 to settle allegations that he violated the federal Controlled Substances Act.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency was unable to conduct several audits last year at Dr. Alan Toothaker’s registered location because of insufficient record keeping.

An investigation revealed that Toothaker maintained minimal oversight, had improper storage, failed to keep regular inventories and did not keep appropriate records.

U.S. Attorney Darcie McElwee said the practice did not have adequate security or oversight, making it very difficult to determine if any substances had gone missing.

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2 dead and several injured in Southern California plane crash

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2 dead and several injured in Southern California plane crash


FULLERTON, Calif. — Two people died and 19 were injured Thursday when a small plane crashed through the roof of a sprawling furniture manufacturing building in Southern California where at least 200 people were working, police said.

The people who died were believed to have been on the plane, while those injured were inside the building. The deceased victims will be identified after officials have contacted the next of kin, the Fullerton Police Department said in a statement.

Eleven people were taken to hospitals, while eight were treated and released at the scene, police said.

The plane crashed less than two minutes after taking off from the Fullerton Municipal Airport in Orange County, located 6 miles from Disneyland, according to the flight-tracking website FlightAware.

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Security camera footage from Rucci Forged, a wheel manufacturer across the street, shows the plane was tilted on its side as it dove into the building, causing a fiery explosion and black plume of smoke.

Firefighters and police arrived on scene and battled the blaze and evacuated surrounding businesses, Fullerton police spokesperson Kristy Wells said.

Chris Villalobos, an airport operations worker, came to the warehouse to see what had happened after receiving a phone call about a plane going down nearby. He noted the airplane’s owner was a regular at the airport and has frequently taken off from there.

“He has a hangar here and everything,” Villalobos said.

After taking off, the pilot told air traffic control he was going to turn around to make an emergency landing, but it was unclear what the issue with the plane was, Villalobos said.

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The building struck by the plane was occupied by Michael Nicholas Designs, a furniture upholstery manufacturer, according to a sign on a door. There appeared to be sewing machines and textile stock inside.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the accident and identified the plane as a single-engine, four-seat Van’s RV-10. The National Transportation Safety Board said it also is investigating.

The airport in Fullerton has one runway and a heliport. Metrolink, a regional train line, is nearby and flanks a residential neighborhood and commercial warehouse buildings.

The Fullerton City Council posted a statement on social media calling the crash a “solemn tragedy.”

“The City of Fullerton is committed to providing support for all those affected and working with the agencies involved to uncover the details of this incident,” Mayor Fred Jung said in the statement. “We are grateful for the strength of our community and the compassion we show one another in times of crisis.”

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Another four-seat plane crashed into a tree a half-mile from the airport in November while making an emergency landing shortly after takeoff, The Orange County Register reported. Both people on board suffered moderate injuries.

Fullerton is a city of about 140,000 people about 25 miles southeast of Los Angeles.

Copyright 2025 NPR





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