Maine

Missing fishermen braved ‘wild’ weather as they tried to get home

Published

1 year ago

January 21, 2025

Missing fishermen braved ‘wild’ weather as they tried to get home

Chester and Aaron Barrett, the father-and-son fishermen from Addison who went missing over the weekend, had planned to drag for scallops close to home on Monday, according to a friend.

But they needed to get Chester’s boat, Sudden Impact, from Edmunds back to South Addison, their friend Chris Beal said Monday. When they set out on Saturday morning, they ran into foul weather after rounding West Quoddy Head in Lubec.

“They were in a rush to fish today,” said Beal, a fisherman who has known the Barretts for decades, during an interview on Monday.

The Barretts texted someone else during the trip and indicated they would try to seek shelter from the rough seas as soon as possible.

“It’s wild out here,” they said in a text, according to Beal.

They headed for Cutler.

But the Barretts and their scallop dragger did not make it to Cutler and were reported overdue that evening. After a Coast Guard search late Saturday and on Sunday, the boat is believed to have sunk en route.

Dean Barrett, Chester’s nephew and Aaron’s cousin, said he wasn’t sure if they checked the weather forecast before they left Edmunds and tried to make it home. He said his uncle is an experienced diver and so knew the hazards of the sea, but that the stretch of coast between Lubec and Cutler can be unforgiving.

If the tide and wind are running against each other, it can amplify the size of the swell and waves, he said.

“You’ve got 17 miles of raw ocean,” Dean Barrett said.

Beal echoed the assessment of that section of coastline.

“It’s a horrible place to be” in bad weather, Beal said. “There’s zero islands to shelter behind.”

The loss of Sudden Impact underscores the dangers of fishing in general and the hazards that draggers in particular can face. The Barretts were not fishing on Saturday, but draggers can capsize even in mild weather if their gear catches on the bottom.

During a 10-month span over a decade ago, from March 2009 to January 2010, three draggers capsized and sank in Cobscook Bay, taking the lives of five fishermen on two of the boats. The crew of the third boat, Miss Priss, were rescued by a nearby vessel and survived.

Last week, the Barretts and everyone else who had been fishing scallops in Cobscook Bay this winter found out they would have to move their boats elsewhere to continue through the end of the season in March. That came after state officials enacted an emergency closure of Cobscook Bay, including Whiting and Dennys bays, in order to protect the broodstock. For years, that area has been considered the most productive scallop-fishing grounds in Maine.

Now, other fishermen who have gone out looking for the Barretts think they may have located the missing boat via SONAR. It may be submerged near Moose Cove in about 160 feet of water, officials have said, but the weather on Monday remained too windy following an overnight snow storm for recovery efforts to proceed.

Beal said that Aaron Barrett, whom he has known since Aaron was a child, worked on Beal’s boat for roughly five years before Chester Barrett won a scallop license in a state lottery three years ago. Since then, Aaron has worked with his father during scallop season.

“Everybody’s just in shock,” Beal said, adding that he did not know the Barretts would be out on the water on Saturday. Scallop fishermen can only fish during certain days of the week, and draggers are not allowed to fish on weekends but can relocate from one fishing area to another any time.

“We kind of knew” they likely had sunk when they didn’t make it back to South Addison by the end of the day, Beal said. “We was holding hope they made it in somewhere.”

Brigitte Beal, Beal’s wife, said she and her husband and the Barretts — Chester, his wife Melanie and Aaron — owned neighboring camps at Schoodic Lake for 20 years.

“Chet and Aaron were remarkably hard workers, a very close father-and-son relationship, very well-known in our tight community, always willing to help, first with a joke, very family-oriented guys,” Brigitte Beal said. “We surely have lost two incredibly respected members of our community.”

Dean Barrett said his uncle and cousin were outgoing, friendly people but largely kept to themselves. His uncle enjoyed hunting deer, while his cousin was more partial to fishing for bass.

“Uncle Chet loved to hunt,” he said. “They’d always make time to be up at Schoodic Lake.”

Aaron didn’t have any of his own kids but had a girlfriend who lived in Bangor with two children from a prior relationship, Dean Barrett said. Aaron would take them fishing with him sometimes on trips to Schoodic Lake, he said.

Dean Barrett said he and another fisherman are planning to recover Sudden Impact from where they believe it came to rest on the bottom near Moose Cove. He said they tried on Sunday, but had to stop after the Coast Guard said conditions were too unsafe.

He said he and the other fishermen have larger fishing boats, and that he is sure they can resurface the sunken vessel between the two of them.

“I’m going to try to get it tomorrow,” Dean Barrett said.

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Maine

This Monster Burrito Challenge in Waterville, Maine, Is Not for the Weak

Published

2 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

This Monster Burrito Challenge in Waterville, Maine, Is Not for the Weak

Are you up for a Maine food challenge, or are your eyes bigger than your stomach?

A Waterville staple, Buen Apetito has a monster burrito just waiting for someone to eat it down to the very last bite.

This thing is a beast, literally called La Bestia, and it’s definitely a mighty task for a fearless foodie.

Take on the Buen Apetito La Bestia Food Challenge in Waterville, Maine

According to Buen Apetito, if you can finish a super-sized burrito in 30 minutes or less, you’ll get the $60 meal for free, a La Bestia champion shirt, and a picture on the wall of fame. That’s not to mention the bragging rights of dominating a task few will be able to conquer.

Wondering what’s in the burrito?

The Mexican restaurant shared in a Facebook comment on a post that the burrito is filled with “grilled chicken, chorizo, and tender shredded beef or pork. Built on a layer of seasoned rice, refried beans, and French fries, it’s melted together with a shredded Mexican cheese blend and a drizzle of creamy cheese sauce, sautéed peppers and onions, green salsa, pico de gallo, sour cream, creamy guacamole, and a bed of shredded lettuce all wrapped in three extra-large tortillas fused into one epic wrap.”

Let’s just say that this thing is packed full.

The first La Bestia contender took up his fork and knife in December 2025, but despite coming close, he couldn’t come out with the win.

As of March 2026, the challenge has remained undefeated. But you never know, someone is bound to come out victorious.

Just note that you can only try your hand at this food challenge on Wednesday and Thursday.

Buen Apetito Has Been a Longstanding Waterville, Maine, Restaurant

First opened in 1999, Buen Apeitito has been around for nearly 30 years.

Centralmaine.com reported that the Mexican restaurant was originally located at the Railroad Square complex off Chaplin Street before moving to 99 West River Road in 2023.

A little over a year later, in 2024, Buen Apetito shared on Facebook that it was passing on the torch to new owners, including Dalia, “the heart and soul of [the] kitchen for twenty years,” her daughter, Norma, and Norma’s husband, Shawn.

READ MORE: Famous Maine Restaurant Buen Apetito Adds Powerhouse New Owner to Crew

And it seems like not only are things still going strong, but new additions like La Bestia food challenge are only enhancing the spirit of big flavor and delicious Mexican food at the Waterville staple.

So, you think you’re up for the task of taking down a beast of a burrito at Buen Apetito? Good luck.

You Know You’re From Maine If You’ve Tried All 19 of These Foods

Here’s a number of foods associated with Maine. How many of them have you had?

Gallery Credit: Sean McKenna

The New York Time’s Best Restaurant Lists Feature These 7 Maine Spots

Gallery Credit: Sean McKenna

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Maine

How the Good Neighbor Day of Giving telethon is impacting Maine’s communities

Published

14 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

How the Good Neighbor Day of Giving telethon is impacting Maine’s communities

BANGOR, Maine (WABI) – Monday’s telethon held by WABI in partnership with Penquis and Heart of Maine United Way Monday raised money for the heating of homes, something so basic, yet so significant in a state like Maine.

Danielle Hewes, Penquis contributor and volunteer, says some people might not even know that they qualify for heating assistance.

“I think there’s this misconception that you can’t get that if you’re working. Like that’s just for people on general assistance. The truth of the matter is this is for the people that are maybe not able to work, but also for the people that are working. They’re making ends meet,” she said.

For Danielle, that’s what makes events like the telethon so special: it’s making a real difference in the community with people who need the help the most.

Speaking about Penquis in particular, she said, “You learn about all of the other things they do and how they help the community and you can’t help but want to be a part of that.”

If you weren’t able to donate Monday, donations are still being accepted.

You can go to homeunitedway.org/heat.

You can also call 941-2800.

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Maine

Arizona Sen. Gallego endorses Maine Senate hopeful Graham Platner

Published

1 day ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Arizona Sen. Gallego endorses Maine Senate hopeful Graham Platner

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.

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.

“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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