Connect with us

Maine

Maine’s first turtle tunnel is working

Published

4 days ago

on

Maine’s first turtle tunnel is working


In 2021, the Maine Department of Transportation partnered with federal and state wildlife agencies to install a wide culvert designed to help turtles, including the endangered Blanding’s turtle, safely cross a notoriously deadly section of State Route 236 in Eliot. 

In the years since, tens of thousands of people have driven over this wildlife crossing, most of them unaware it is even there. And dozens of species, both shelled and non-shelled, have taken advantage of the underpass. 

During a presentation Tuesday, biologists at the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife reported that the turtle tunnel — the first of its kind in Maine — is working. 

Advertisement

“There’s been a substantial reduction in turtle mortalities,” Greg LeClair, a municipal planning biologist at the state agency, told a small crowd gathered at the Eliot Town Office. “Follow-up surveys have shown much fewer turtles being crushed on that section of road.” 

Last summer, the Maine Department of Transportation deployed special game cameras equipped with a light beam that can detect the movement of small, slow-moving critters. Shortly after 9 a.m. on June 27, the camera trap snapped a photo of a Blanding’s turtle lumbering through the tunnel, safe from buzzing traffic along what one former state biologist called “a highway of death” for shelled reptiles. 

The 8-foot-wide, 6-foot-tall culvert connects wetlands on both sides of the busy state highway, including a nearly 100-acre section of conservation land managed by Great Works Regional Land Trust.

The wildlife underpass and roadside fencing, meant to steer wildlife toward the tunnel, cost approximately $400,000 to install, with Maine DOT contributing a large chunk of the funds to mitigate wetland disturbance from construction of the high-speed toll plaza on the Maine Turnpike in York. 

Advertisement

While the Eliot tunnel was designed with Blanding’s turtles in mind, Maine DOT has documented a slew of other creatures passing through, according to Justin Sweitzer, the agency’s environmental coordinator for southern Maine. Over a period of nearly five months, the cameras snapped more than 270 photos of wildlife in the tunnel, ranging from snapping turtles and salamanders to muskrats and mink.

Not one Blanding’s turtle has been found dead on the road since the crossing was installed, according to the department. A small number of snapping turtles and painted turtles have been killed.

Blanding’s turtles are rare in Maine, found only in York County and the southern part of Cumberland County. The state listed the species as threatened in 1986 and upgraded it to endangered in 1997. Habitat loss and road mortality are among the biggest threats to these reptiles.

Unlike some other turtle species, Blanding’s move around a lot in search of food, often traveling to six wetlands per year, according to Kevin Ryan, a reptile and amphibian biologist at the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. 

“The closeness of the roads and the houses and the wetlands down in southern Maine means that throughout the course of its life, a turtle is going to come into contact with human infrastructure quite a bit,” Ryan said at Tuesday’s event. 

Advertisement

The life cycle of Blanding’s turtles makes recovery efforts particularly challenging. The yellow-throated reptiles can live to be over 70 years old, with females not reaching sexual maturity until 14 to 20 years of age and often taking decades to produce an offspring that ultimately reaches adulthood. 

“Losing one or two turtles actually matters,” Ryan said. “They’re not like a game species, something like a deer, rabbit, turkey, something like that, where a significant portion of the population can get harvested from year to year and then have it bounce right back.” 

Peter Egelston, chair of the Eliot Conservation Commission, told The Maine Monitor ahead of the event that there is a growing awareness in the community about the importance of preserving wildlife habitat. He noted that Eliot residents adopted an updated comprehensive plan in June that emphasizes natural resource protection and building new trails, among other things. 

“Communities are dealing with what seems like on the surface competing interests,” Egelston said. “There is a huge demand for housing. And yet there is also a huge desire to preserve open space. It’s one of the things that I think has caused a lot of communities to put a different shape to their approach to housing and zoning and so on, because in some ways what we really want to do is have the best of both worlds.” 

Chris D’Angelo

Chris D’Angelo is an award-winning journalist who has covered climate change and environmental issues for more than a decade.

Advertisement

He recently co-founded Public Domain, an investigative Substack focused on public lands, wildlife and government. Previously, he spent nine years as a reporter at HuffPost, where he spearheaded the outlet’s coverage of public lands and environmental policy. His work has also appeared in Reuters, High Country News, Grist, Vox, Mother Jones and other outlets.

Prior to HuffPost, Chris spent several years writing for daily newspapers in Hawaii. He lives with his wife and their dog in southern Maine. When not reporting down a rabbit hole, he enjoys fly fishing and making sawdust in his shop.

Contact Chris via email: moc.l1769781770iamg@176978177068ole1769781770gnadm1769781770c1769781770

Advertisement



Source link

Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Maine

Maine Water staff donate coats to help communities stay warm

Published

7 hours ago

on

February 3, 2026

By


Maine Water employees once again came together to support local communities by collecting and donating more than 140 winter coats this season. 

Maine Water’s Coats for Kids program is an employee-funded program to purchase brand new coats for families in need this winter. This year, employees’ contributions purchased 146 new winter coats, according to Maine Water, in a news release. 

“Our dedicated water professionals, who live and work in the very Maine communities we serve, once again showed they are as passionate about contributing to the quality of life in our communities as they are about delivering high-quality water to our customers each and every day,” said Maine Water President Mark Vannoy. “Since starting the initiative, our teams helped more than 1,300 people stay a little warmer through the cold, Maine winters.” 

The coats were distributed to the following organizations:

Advertisement
  • Homeless Liaison for BD/Saco/Dayton schools
  • Thomaston Grammar School
  • Owls Head Community School
  • Union Elementary School
  • Warren Community School
  • Skowhegan School
  • Seeds Of Hope
  • Knox County Homeless Coalition
  • Bucksport – Pastor Remick 

Maine Water employees stretch the donated funds by shopping off-season and at clearance sales, according to Maine Water. Shopping for 2026 will begin in a few weeks. Since beginning in 2013, Maine Water employees have donated more than 1,300 coats in its communities. 

Maine Water is a public water utility regulated by the Maine Public Utilities Commission. The company owns 12 public water systems engaged in the collection, treatment and distribution of drinking water for homes, businesses and fire protection service to more than 32,000 customers in 21 Maine towns.



Source link

Continue Reading

Maine

Maine lawmakers named in latest batch of Epstein files documents

Published

19 hours ago

on

February 2, 2026

By

Maine lawmakers named in latest batch of Epstein files documents


PORTLAND (WGME) – The names of multiple Maine lawmakers, both past and present, appear in the 3 million pages of Epstein files documents released Friday by the Justice Department.

Governor Janet Mills’ name appears three times.

Her name appears twice in connection to an email to the Southern District of New York’s U.S. Attorney’s Office.

It was sent in June of 2020, and the sender’s name is redacted.

Advertisement

In that email, a tipster claimed the governor was “instrumental in the crimes against my daughter and I” and also claimed the governor was involved in drug trafficking.

Friday’s document dump includes a large number of uncorroborated tips to law enforcement involving a host of individuals, and there is no other mention of this type regarding the governor.

The third time her name appears is in relation to a news brief summarizing a bill proposal in the state back in 2023.

Others, including former Governor Paul LePage are also named in similar style news briefs.

Former Senator from Maine George Mitchell’s name also appeared in the latest batch of Epstein documents.

Advertisement
Comment with Bubbles

JOIN THE CONVERSATION (8)

CBS13 reached out to the Governor’s Office for comment and additional context, and they declined to comment.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Maine

32 Maine influencers you should be following

Published

1 day ago

on

February 2, 2026

By

32 Maine influencers you should be following


Jody Hartman’s two dogs Stella, right, and Mabel sit in the leaf pile at their home in Freeport. (Brianna Soukup/Staff Photographer)

Mainers are not easily influenced.

People here take pride in not following all the latest trends and in the fact that we get most of the fads and new stores after they’ve already made it to the rest of the country. That said, Mainers are always interested in what their fellow Mainers have to say.

That’s probably why there are so many Maine-based influencers, for lack of a better word, folks with creative and extensive social media accounts who add their own voices to the varied and vibrant conversation about Maine life. They range from funny takes on the Maine accent or shoveling snow or doing the groceries, to dining reviews, holistic health tips and adorable photos of cats and dogs.

Advertisement

Here are a few suggestions for fun, thought-provoking, informative or creative Mainers — including some non-human ones — with social media accounts to follow and what you might expect from them.

Alexander Widener

@alexander_widener on Instagram (158K) and TikTok (129.5K)

Widener worked in New York City, in fashion and home decor, before moving to Wiscasset and opening an interiors shop, Widener Company. In videos he offers info on specific antiques, including on Staffordshire dog figurines from England. He also shows off and explains various antique “hauls” he made recently.

Amy Stacey Curtis

@amystaceycurtis on Instagram (3K) and @amystaceycurtis on TikTok (37.4K)

Since 2022, Lewiston-based installation artist Amy Stacey Curtis has been using music to help recover from a serious medical condition. On Instagram and TikTok, she’s shared hundreds of videos of herself playing ukulele and singing well-known songs like “Purple Rain,” “I Won’t Back Down” and “Rebel Yell.” She’s a wonderful singer, and describes what she’s doing as “self-prescribed occupational therapy” to heal her brain, and, in turn, her speech. In 2017, Curtis believed that a demon in her head was telling her to take her own life. The condition also impacted her ability to speak and walk. It took a year of doctors appointments to land on a Lyme disease diagnosis.

Advertisement

Autumn Acord

@autumn.acord on Instagram (94.5K) and @autumnacord (295K) on TikTok

This account follows a 20-something Maine native who went to Maine Maritime Academy in Castine and then went to work in finance. Videos show her putting makeup on, making dinner, making her bed or showing off some pottery. She says she does not want to identify cool, out of the way local spots in her posts, so they won’t “blow up” with too many visitors.

Meredith Steele offers her take on Maine life on Babiesofsteele. (Photo courtesy of Meredith Steele.)

Babies of Steele

@babiesofsteele on Instagram (426K) and TikTok (1.1M)

Meredith Steele is a Midcoast resident, and mother, with some pretty strong and funny opinions. Her videos range from fairly serious ones lately on ICE, to a take on why it’s not worth your energy to argue with some people on social media.

Chef Adam Libby

@chefadamlibby on Instagram (580K), Chef Adam Libby on Facebook (454K) and @chefadamlibby on TikTok (2.6M)

Advertisement

Put a little love in your heart, and learn how to cook some tasty dishes with Lincoln-based superstar chef Adam Libby, who has Down Syndrome. His instructional videos include cheesy corn dip, game day cookies, pizza bites, pumpkin pie and several other mouthwatering comfort foods. Libby is a young man with a passion for food and cooking — and a catch-phrase (“Holy Crow, Man”).

Daniel and Bigfoot

@shopperstv on Instagram (7,056) and @shoppers_hardware on TikTok (79K)

Two cats are living the best of all nine lives at Shoppers True Value in South Portland. Daniel and Bigfoot love to nap all over the store, including a favorite bed in the paint department. Daniel arrived in 2022 and Bigfoot moved in a year later. One post shows Daniel in a Cat Noodles bed, another shows Bigfoot curled up on a pile of bath mats. There are also whimsical videos of the shop cats. Both are certifiable legends, and are so popular there’s a line of Daniel and Bigfoot-themed merchandise at the registers.

Daphne Michelle Designs

@daphnemichelledesigns on Instagram (9 K) and TikTok (2.5K )

Portland-based designer Daphne Michelle Murphy makes clothing from used materials, and is particularly adept at turning kitschy pro sports teams blankets into hip outwear. Her posts show some before- and after-shots of New England Patriots’ blankets that she made into pretty stylish jackets. She demonstrates in one video how she made a Sabrina Carpenter Halloween costume from stuff she found at her local Goodwill.

Advertisement

Dog Named Stella

@dognamedstella on Instagram (1M) and @dognamedstella on TikTok (823.2K)

In 2015, Freeport resident Jody Hartman starting posting videos of his Labrador retriever Stella blissfully running head first into gigantic leaf piles. The clips caught on, and Stella, bless her, is still at it. In 2023, the Hartman family welcomed another Labrador named Mabel into their fold, and she too adores the leaves. In some posts, you’ll see Stella’s alter ego Judith, donning butterfly wings and racing around without a care in the world. On both Instagram and TikTok, you’ll see nothing but joy.

Downeast Cowboy

@downeastcowboy on Instagram (43.9K), @thedowneastcowboy on TikTok (185.7K)

Fisherman Kelly Hinkle is known online as The Downeast Cowboy. Originally from Addison, Hinkle lives near Pleasant River in Columbia Falls. Hinkle fishes mostly for lobster in Eastern Harbor, and often broadcasts the hauling of lobsters live on TikTok. Sometimes a landlubber, Hinkle also shares footage of other travels around the state.

Eating Portland Alive

@eatingportlandalive on Instagram (16K) and Threads (2.7K)

Advertisement

This account is a visual feast of Portland food and drinks, with locations and other info, so you can then go out an have an actual feast. The Instagram page begins with “Warning: gratuitous foodity” and it can be shockingly addictive.

Fresh Eggs Daily

@fresheggsdaily on Instagram (121K).

Lisa Steele’s Instagram bio describes her as a “5th generation chicken expert, cook/baker, TV host and author of the upcoming book “Gardening with Chickens.” She’s been raising chickens and ducks for more than 15 years, and dispenses advice on how to keep them healthy and happy. Her Instagram account is packed with a range of related photos and videos, including visiting her many chickens and ducks on a sunny morning when it’s 7 degrees below zero. Another sweet clip shows several ducks snacking from a store-bought veggie platter. Broccoli was the biggest hit.

Lobster fisherman Jacob Knowles.
Photo courtesy of Jacob Knowles

Jacob Knowles

@jknowles831 on Instagram (968K) , jacob_knowles on TikTok (3.3M) and @jacobknowles5421 on YouTube (2.54M)

Advertisement

Jacob Knowles is a fifth-generation lobster fisherman based in Winter Harbor. On social media, he shares videos about his work that are both educational and entertaining. Knowles often offers encouraging words to lobsters that aren’t legal to catch, then sends them back into the ocean with a snack. He also will take the time to remove pesky barnacles from lobsters in a process called the “claw spa treatment.”

Jeremy Miranda

@jeremy_miranda_ on Instagram (249K)

Jeremy Miranda is a Maine-based painter with just under a quarter of a million followers on Instagram. Using acrylic paints, his works are visually stunning and feature scenes like wintry landscapes and sunsets. One post is a video set to music of Miranda mixing paints and then adding to a painting. A recent post features a bonfire painting that Miranda is auctioning off to benefit the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota.

Katie Zarrilli

@katiezarrilli on Instagram (20.5K); @katie.zarrilli on TikTok (14.4K)

Zarrilli, a former TV newscaster who lives in Gorham, has a knack for quick, funny takes on Maine life. While reeling off “Things mainers do/say that would confuse people from elsewhere,” she blurts out “I haven’t seen traffic like that since the Phish concert” and “No, I way prefer the Westbrook Hannaford.” And she produces fast-paced videos where she plays the personalities of all 16 counties.

Karl Ramsdell

@karl.ramsdell on Instagram (82.8K)

Advertisement

Photographer Karl Ramsdell is a paddleboarder and surfer, and uses his intimate knowledge of Maine’s ocean waters to fill his Instagram page with images of nature, especially seals. He often photographs seals from his paddleboard, so as not to scare them. He’s also captured foxes, birds, deer and otters for his posts.

Seals being watched over by an eagle at Halfway Island lighthouse off Yarmouth. (Photo by Karl Ramsdell)

The Leighton Show

@the_leighton_show on Instagram (773K) and @the_leighton_show on TikTok (629.7K)

Cape Elizabeth resident Chip Leighton started posting clips on TikTok five years ago. At the heart of his online presence is a series called “Teenager Texts.” Leighton’s face is shown with the texts scrolling above, usually with a popular song playing in the background. The Best of 2025 post included zingers like “Do you think kidnapping a deer for 48 hours is insane?,” “My car is saying something in Spanish: Door ajar” and “I need an authentic Swedish dessert for school tomorrow.” Texts are submitted from all over.

@the_leighton_show My new book is available for pre-order! Link in bio. Comes out April 21st #teenager #text #funny #dad #dadcanyounot ♬ Rio (2009 Remaster) – Duran Duran

The Maine Foodies

@themainefoodies on Instagram (107K) and Threads (13.1K)

A Portland couple, Lexi and Erik Dirkmaat, do their best to discover “hidden gems, inspiring stays and the best bites” around Maine and share them with their followers. A typical video combines shots of the Old Port or Portland Headlight with shots of lemon being dribble over oysters and foaming coffee drinks, backed by the song “Home” by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros.

Advertisement

Mainely Emma

@mainlyemma on Instagram (94.5K) and TikTok (23.9K)

Emma Hughes, a self-described “professional baby whisperer” from Brunswick worked as a full-time nanny and is a postpartum doula. Her posts include holistic health and wellness discussions, including some personal ones about how hard it is to find love or getting a tattoo.

Margaret Skiff

@margaretskiff on Instagram (50.3K) and TikTok (112.2K)

Skiff, of Portland, lets people follow along with renovations of a 100-year-old duplex, and also posts about related adventures. Recent posts include finding a wedding dress at an estate sale, thrifting, vintage shopping and some wisdom about Maine life, like how you’re being “selfish” if you don’t brush the snow off your car before driving off.

@margaretskiff Estate sales are always so bittersweet #estatesale #comethriftingwithme #vlog #weddingdress ♬ Coffe and Jazz – Baby thug

Mister Mainer

@mistermainer1 on Instagram (2M) and mistermainer on TikTok (20.9 M)

Biscuit and Joy, an English Bull terrier mix and an English Bull terrier, have been the stars of these accounts created by Mainer Dmitry Pepper since 2021. Some videos show one of the dog’s adopting the persona of real estate agent Karen Bark, sometimes the dogs are shown just living their best doggie lives. Posts also talk about the importance of adopting dogs.

Advertisement

Molly in Maine

@mollyinmaine on Instagram (108K)

Molly Walpuck of St. George is a lifestyle blogger and home decorator with more then 100K followers on Instagram. She likes in an idyllic seaside home with her husband John and springer spaniels Maddie and Cisco. Walpuck’s vibrant posts show her home through the seasons, along with images from her travel adventures. A recent post features a gallery of photos, including a cozy, plant-filled sitting area and a kitchen counter with a simple floral arrangement and lit candle, with the caption “Small joys, during a time in our country that often feels unbelievably heavy.”

Moustache Nugget Mews

@moustachemews on Instagram (3K)

There are lots of dog-focused influencers out there, but here’s another one for the cat lovers among us. This fluffy black and white kitty, nicknamed “Nuggy,” has what appears to be a white mustache under his nose on an otherwise black face. The posts mostly show the cat being adorable, stuffing himself into small space or turning his belly skyward.

My Maine

@my_maine on Instagram (26.7K)

Digital creator Katherine Mills lives in western Maine, but her travels bring her all over the state. For about the past eight years, she’s been documenting where she goes, and what she sees and does on the Instagram page My Maine. Her focus is on the outdoors, and posts are often packed with useful information. In one about winter hiking in Maine, Mills lists essential clothing and gear, including merino wool socks, waterproof hiking pants and insulated boots with traction.

Advertisement

Nostalgia Maine

@nostalgiamaine on Instagram (12.7K)

Who doesn’t love old photos? People who’ve lived in Maine forever will look at these photos and videos and say “I remember that” or “Portland was so much better then.” But new residents can also get a sense of what their city or town used to look like. There’s a cool 1958 shot of L.L. Bean when the retailer was just one of the stores in Freeport, and had yet to take over the whole town.

Plates of Portland Maine

@platesofportlandmaine on Instagram (110K)

For an inside scoop on Portland’s food and hospitality happenings, give Plates of Portland Maine a follow. The account was launched in August 2022 by Freeport-based food blogger Jordan Brocklesby. Vivid photos and clips will tantalize your taste buds, and will suggest an array of cocktails, sweets and meals.

Portland Food Map

@portlandfoodmap on Instagram (85.5K)

Advertisement

Portland Food Map has its finger on the pulse of the restaurant and food scene in and around Portland. On Instagram, they serve up photos with corresponding updates on openings and closings, and other food-related news. It’s a handy resource when you can’t decide where to eat.

Ryan Adams

@ryanwritesonthings on Instagram (16.4K)

Ryan Adams finishes his mural on a wall at Arabic Market in downtown Westbrook. (Staff Writer Robert Lowell)

Ryan Adams is a Portland-based artist who works out of the Over Here Studio at Thompson’s Point with his wife and fellow artist Rachel Adams. Both show their work in galleries and museums. Ryan got his start as a graffiti artist, then moved into creating commissioned murals on buildings and businesses in Maine and other states. His Instagram page is the perfect place to view some of his work, including murals, digital prints, skateboard deck art, T-shirts and more.

Sam Ramsdell

@samramsdell5 on Instagram (599K) and @samramsdell5 on TikTok (3.9M)

Sam Ramsdell laughs while making videos with her partner James Reimer on Nov. 10, 2025, at their home in Falmouth. (Derek Davis/Staff Photographer)

Scarborough-born Falmouth resident Sam Ramsdell is internet famous for an unusual reason. When videos of her eating during the pandemic started going viral, she was contacted by Guinness World Records, who wondered if her mouth size might be a record holder. She does indeed hold the record for widest female mouth gape. While some of her posts are about fitting things like a giant croissant in her mouth, others are hilarious clips of Ramsdell in her 1820 farmhouse, sometimes dressing the part in “Little House on the Prairie” type outfits. Her language however is a bit more salty that Ma and Pa Ingalls, so consider yourself warned.

Advertisement

Tatum Talks

@hi.this.is.tatum on Instagram (688K), @hi.this.is.tatum on TikTok and @TatumTalks on YouTube (54.1K)

Bangor-based Tatum is a medium-sized rescue dog from Macon, Georgia whose breed is unknown by his human parents, Charles and Nicole Lever. He’s a huge online star because of the sarcastic, side-splitting commentary he dishes out. Yes, this dog “talks,” and he always has something sassy or silly to say to his parents. In one particularly funny clip, Tatum is in a car driving by a field dotted with wild turkeys. He whispers out the window: “Hey ladies, you gotta go home. Tomorrow’s Thanksgiving, I don’t know if you knows this, but you’re turkeys. Get out of here, I won’t tell no one I saw you.”

Teagan Wright

@teaganwright on Instagram (24.2K) and @teaganwrightcomedy on TikTok (12.2)

A Maine-based comedian and content creator, Wright’s lobsterman persona videos are funny and helpful. He explains oft-used phrases and Maine towns most of us pronounce incorrectly. One video shows that a crusty Maine lobsterman is immune to the personality-changing qualities of a Snickers. He also hosts an online dating show, “Love or Lobsters.”

Traveling Mainers

@travelingmainers on Instagram (123K)

James Barrett and Elizabeth Clark are a Portland-based couple who are all about exploring Maine and New England. They document their travels with detail-packed photos and videos. Recent posts show the Asticou Hotel in Northeast Harbor and the Riverhouse Footbridge in Camden.

Advertisement

Vanity of Maine

@vanity_of_maine on Instagram (34.6K)

This page posts Maine vanity license plates, on cars and trucks, with no explantation of what they mean. But it’s fun to guess. Some are pretty obvious, and some are profane. A few examples include: “FORK ME,” “WHY YOU,” “OMGCATS” and “YAYCAKE.”





Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending