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Maine

Penobscot County’s first case of bird flu confirmed

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Penobscot County’s first case of bird flu confirmed


A strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, has been detected in a flock of backyard birds in Penobscot County this month for the first time since it appeared in Maine almost four years ago.

The case of H5N1 was confirmed on Dec. 1, according to the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, which reports cases by county and does not specify towns. Federal disease tracking data show the new case affected 90 birds and is one of the few known cases in eastern or northern Maine. Two flocks were affected in Hancock County in 2023, following two in Washington County the year before.

It’s only the third known detection in a backyard flock in Maine this year; the first two, in Cumberland County, were confirmed in February and affected about 110 birds. Statewide, health officials have raised the current risk level to high in response this month as the wild birds that typically spread the disease are migrating.

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That risk level reflects the likelihood of birds getting sick, not people, according to Jim Britt, spokesperson for the state agriculture department. Commercial flocks haven’t been affected. The disease has been detected in numerous wild birds around Maine this year, primarily in southern and coastal counties.

While people can get bird flu, this strain isn’t considered a big public health risk, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said. Human cases have come from exposure to birds and dairy cattle, according to the CDC, but there are no confirmed U.S. cases of people spreading it to each other.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza is generally spread to poultry through the droppings of wild birds or exposure to them. It was first found in Maine in 2022, and has been detected in a handful of flocks annually after numerous cases that year.

Signs of infection in poultry include low energy and appetite, soft or misshapen eggs, swelling around the head, purple wattles, combs or legs, coughing and sneezing, nasal discharge or sudden death.

To limit risk to their flocks, poultry owners can protect them from contact with wild waterfowl by providing indoor shelter and covering outdoor areas. Sick and dying birds can be reported to the state online.

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Police warn of scam targeting sex offenders in Maine

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Police warn of scam targeting sex offenders in Maine


A letter is being sent that asks registered sex offenders to email personal information

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Maine State Police

scam letter targeting sex offenders in maine

SOURCE: Maine State Police

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State Police warn of scam targeting sex offenders in Maine

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A letter is being sent that asks registered sex offenders to email personal information

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Updated: 11:10 AM EDT Apr 8, 2026

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Maine State Police is warning of a scam that is targeting sex offenders in the state.The issue was brought to those who run the Sex Offender Registry that the scam is targeting registered people on probation in Maine. A letter is being mailed to people, claiming to be from the ‘Maine Probation Tonduary.’ The letter claims there has been a data migration error in the Records Management System and the registrant needs to email personal identifying information (PII) to an email address listed on the letter. Police say neither the Maine Sex Offender Registry nor the Maine Department of Corrections would ever send such a letter asking a person to send sensitive information in this format. If you have received such a letter, you should not email your information to the address on the letter. Instead, report it to the Maine Sex Offender Registry at 207-624-7270 or local law enforcement.

Maine State Police is warning of a scam that is targeting sex offenders in the state.

The issue was brought to those who run the Sex Offender Registry that the scam is targeting registered people on probation in Maine.

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A letter is being mailed to people, claiming to be from the ‘Maine Probation Tonduary.’ The letter claims there has been a data migration error in the Records Management System and the registrant needs to email personal identifying information (PII) to an email address listed on the letter.

scam letter targeting sex offenders in maine

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Police say neither the Maine Sex Offender Registry nor the Maine Department of Corrections would ever send such a letter asking a person to send sensitive information in this format. If you have received such a letter, you should not email your information to the address on the letter. Instead, report it to the Maine Sex Offender Registry at 207-624-7270 or local law enforcement.

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var feelsEl = container.querySelector(‘.weather-grid–feels’);
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if (weatherData.hourly) {
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}

function refreshWeatherIframe(containerId) {
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iframe.src = originalSrc + (originalSrc.indexOf(‘?’) > -1 ? ‘&’ : ‘?’) + ‘t=” + Date.now();
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function initializeWeatherBox(container) {
var containerId = container.getAttribute(“data-container-id’);
var isWeatherBoxV2 = containerId === ‘home-weather-v2’;

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var location = { zip: window.DEFAULT_ZIPCODE };

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var skyEl = container.querySelector(‘.weather-grid–sky’);
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function updateForecastTabs(weatherData) {
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tabs[prevIndex].focus();
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e.preventDefault();
var nextIndex = currentIndex

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2026 Primary Election

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2026 Primary Election


Voting is the cornerstone of democracy, and in 2026 Mainers will have a lot of important decisions to make when casting their ballots — from the very top of the ticket to the bottom. On June 9, Mainers will participate in the state’s semi-open party primaries, choosing Democratic and Republican nominees for governor, as well […]



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Regular gas tops $4, premium over $5 in Maine amid severe Trump Iran threats

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Regular gas tops , premium over  in Maine amid severe Trump Iran threats


Brady Chapman fills up one of four trucks he uses for his business Wednesday at Irving Gas Station in Bethel. Regular gas was $4.09 at the station. (Rose Lincoln/Staff Writer)

Maine’s average price for regular gasoline rose to its highest point since August 2022, as the conflict in Iran continues to drive up global oil costs.

A gallon of regular gas averaged $4.03 here Tuesday, ticking up more than 6 cents overnight, according to data aggregated by motor club AAA. That price has risen 38.5% — about $1.12 — since Feb. 28, when the United States and Israel struck Iran, triggering a conflict that has since spilled into the broader Middle East.

Maine’s average price crossed the $4 threshold a week after the national average did so. The national average was up to $4.14 Tuesday, AAA data shows.

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Premium gas was up to $5.07 per gallon in Maine, topping $5 for the first time in nearly four years. Diesel, meanwhile, averaged about $5.90 per gallon Tuesday.

Collectively, those figures mark the state’s highest average gas prices since the summer of 2022, when the Russian invasion of Ukraine drove gas prices to record highs. A gallon of regular gas peaked at $5.09 that June, the highest ever recorded by AAA.

This week, Maine’s prices were the 21st highest among the 50 states and Washington, D.C., according to AAA. California, Hawaii, Washington, Nevada and Oregon all saw average prices above $5 per gallon Tuesday.

This is a developing story.

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