Maine

Spruce Mountain Ski Area reveals updates by Maine Cabin Masters

Published

1 year ago

December 14, 2024

Spruce Mountain Ski Area reveals updates by Maine Cabin Masters

Kids take a few extra runs Friday at Spruce Mountain Ski Area after a Maine Cabin Masters renovation reveal in Jay. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

JAY — Spruce Mountain Ski Area directors on Friday afternoon held a reveal to showcase changes made by “Maine Cabin Masters,” a company and reality TV show.

About 100 community members and town officials waited more than half an hour to walk up to the renovated lodge to tour the inside.

The lodge now features an updated sign welcoming skiers. The inside is brighter with new windows and the smell of new wood greets those entering. The ski trails are illuminated with vibrant lighting. A large granite stone is in back of the lodge.

Attendees were cautioned several times that photos or videos could not be taken or shared on social media before the episode airs. Ron Jacques, president of the ski area, said the show will air the end of February or beginning of March. A date is not known yet, he noted.

In November 2023, the ski area was undergoing a generational transition, Jacques said. More volunteers and donations were needed to maintain the ski slope, which is owned by the towns of Jay, Livermore and Livermore Falls.

It was announced in August that Maine Cabin Masters had agreed to help the ski area with needed renovations. The work began in September and when asked about an update on the project then, officials with the company indicated they preferred not to and wanted to wait until the reveal.

The “Maine Cabin Masters” film crew takes footage of the public Friday as they enter the Spruce Mountain Ski Area lodge for the renovation reveal in Jay. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

“This is an exciting day,” Sarah Delaney of Livermore said while walking up the roadway. “It is big news.”

“It’s pretty special,” Justin Shink, a board member from Livermore, said inside the lodge. “Having grown up skiing here, seeing the transformation, the work keeping the ski slope open for generations is awesome. My kids ski here.”

“It is beautiful, what they have done,” Terry Bergeron, a Jay selectman noted. “It is much different, much better.”

Gary Desjardins of Livermore, who is on the OTIS Federal Credit Union board that donated $10,000 toward the project, said, “I am representing the credit union. It means a lot to me, a lot to the community. OTIS needed to contribute. It’s all about the kids. They use this place. It is quite wonderful.”

“What is neat is all the old pictures of skiers,” Jim Manter of Livermore noted. “The new view with the granite stone on the back side is a nice touch of nostalgia. It touches with the history of the founders of the ski mountain, the ski slope. I last skied here in 1974. It is quite a change.”

Emma DiPompo of Jay is manager of the ski area. “I am so excited to work in a place like this,” she said. “I would have worked here anyway but it is so cool, so different. So much has been done. So many people donated. So much got done in a short amount of time. It’s like 40 years of renovations in a summer.”

“It’s really nice,” said Hannah Burhoe of Jay, who is the lift operator. “The lift will be easier to operate.”

Jeanne Chretien admires the renovated Spruce Mountain Ski Area lodge Friday during the Maine Cabin Masters reveal in Jay. Chretien says she learned how to ski there. “We were here every Wednesday night in high school, skiing under the lights.” Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

Jeanne Chretien of Turner, who grew up in Livermore Falls, said, “I learned to ski at Spruce Mountain Ski Area.”

“I taught my kids to ski here. My great-nieces and nephews ski here now. I skied here every year in high school. I am in my 50s now. I have many great memories. I knew all the original people involved. Jimmy Morrill was in my class,” she said.

Chretien said during high school she was at the slope when it was open — every Wednesday night and on the weekends. “If you skied, this is where you were,” she explained. “There were a lot of great ski teams. I watched it grow from the bunny tow to the upper slopes. We called the lodge the hut.”

“It is beautiful,” Chretien said. “I am so happy for the younger generation to have all the amenities that they have put in. I was fortunate to grow up in a small town like this. It is so nice to come back and see people I have known all my life.”

“Maine Cabin Masters” airs Monday nights at 9 p.m. on the Magnolia Network. More information may be found on their Facebook page.

Children of members of the board of directors of the Spruce Mountain Ski Area grab a table Friday in the lodge at the Maine Cabin Masters renovation reveal in Jay. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

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Maine

18 jaw-dropping views from Katahdin to help you plan for warmer weather

Published

6 hours ago

April 19, 2026

Press Room

18 jaw-dropping views from Katahdin to help you plan for warmer weather

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in September 2022.

When it comes to Maine hiking, summiting Katahdin is the ultimate achievement.

Maine’s tallest mountain stands at 5,269 feet, and there are a number of different trails hikers can take to get up and down Katahdin. And while some are harder than others, none are easy.

But the views are incredible.

Whether it’s the rugged terrain of the Knife Edge or the vast landscape of the 200,000 acres that compose Baxter State Park below, here’s a look at what it’s like to climb Katahdin.

Hunt Trail

Hunt Trail traces the edge of a ridge on the west side of Katahdin known as Hunt Spur. Credit: Aislinn Sarnacki / BDN

Katahdin Stream Falls is one of the many scenic highlights of Katahdin’s Hunt Trail. It’s located about a mile from the trailhead at Katahdin Stream Campground. Credit: Aislinn Sarnacki / BDN

Abol Trail

Chimney Pond Trail

Cathedral Trail

Saddle Trail

Northwest Basin Trail

Knife Edge

Hikers on the Knife Edge of Katahdin have few options for getting off trail to relieve themselves of human waste. Above treeline, Leave No Trace principles recommend planning ahead to avoid the necessity of going to the bathroom in fragile alpine areas, or getting off trail as far as possible to relieve themselves on rock or gravel. Credit: Courtesy of Brad Viles

Tablelands

South Peak

Hamlin Peak

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Maine

Maine Township Residents OK Purchase Of Building For Food Pantry – Journal & Topics Media Group

Published

18 hours ago

April 18, 2026

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Maine Township Residents OK Purchase Of Building For Food Pantry – Journal & Topics Media Group

Maine Township residents vote in support of purchasing building for the relocation of the township food pantry.

A proposal for Maine Township to purchase a building at 9850 Milwaukee Ave. in Glenview to move its popular and growing food pantry received strong approval at the township’s Annual Meeting held last week at the Town Hall on Ballard Road.
More than 100 residents attended the meeting where they approved buying the property for $1,429,000. The 3,000 sq. ft. building, which is located within the township, had been the home of a local restaurant. It is currently vacant.
In March, Supervisor Kim Jones explained that the food pantry needs more space for food and to accommodate clients who need food. “We’ve totally outgrown it,” said Jones at the time. “We’ve been looking for more than a year.”
Following last week’s meeting, Jones said about the vote, “That magical moment really encapsulated the strong support system that’s been built from neighbors helping neighbors throughout our community. The food pantry has grown in leaps and bounds throughout the last five years thanks to the dedicated work of its staff, volunteers and the public.”
Des Plaines City Clerk Dominik Bronakowski served as ceremonial moderator for the event.
Jones also recognized a number of employees and officials who currently serve the township. They included Assessor Susan Moylan-Krey and MaineStay Youth and Family Services Director Richard Lyon for their 20 years of service to Maine. Assistant Director of MaineStreamers, Therese Tully was recognized for her 25 years of service.
The meeting also recognized former Des Plaines Self-Help Closet and Pantry Director Debbie Walusiak who was presented the Sgt. Karen Lader Good Citizen Award for her more than 20 years of service to the Des Plaines community.
“Debbie is an exceptional community leader and volunteer,” said township Clerk Pete Gialamas whose office runs the annual award program. “Her work with the Des Plaines community, particularly her leadership navigating the Self-Help Closet and Pantry’s 2020 move to a larger location in the midst of the COVID pandemic really shows the depth and resolve of that leadership and dedication to service.”
In 2011, the clerk’s office instituted the award in honor of Lader, a resident of Des Plaines and a 15-year veteran of the Cook County Sheriff’s Police who lost her battle with cancer in 2010. She was deeply involved with the township’s Neighborhood Watch program and active in Maine’s National Night Out Against Crime event held each August. She also worked on Special Olympics and animal rescue.

If you like this story, you can get a whole lot more practically every day of the week by subscribing to journal-topics.com. Click here to choose your preference of either print or online, or call 847-299-5511.

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Maine

Spring birding events are happening across Maine. Here’s where to go.

Published

1 day ago

April 18, 2026

Press Room

Spring birding events are happening across Maine. Here’s where to go.

Now the fun begins, as many birds and quite a few birders return to Maine for the summer. It’s time to get organized.

Birding is generally a quiet, solitary pastime — a stroll in the park, a walk in the woods, a paddle in the marsh.

Penobscot Valley Audubon’s Neighborhood Bird Walks kick off May 6. There are 13 walks scheduled at birding hot spots in Greater Bangor throughout the month. These walks have been immensely popular since they began nine years ago.

The benefits are many. It’s a chance to walk with experienced local guides, finding birds you might otherwise overlook. You can start to associate specific species with their preferred habitats. It’s a great opportunity to learn and practice identification skills and gather tips from others. Many participants enjoy the social camaraderie of guided bird walks.

A Baltimore oriole perches in Maine. Spring birding events take advantage of the surge in returning species. Credit: Courtesy of Bob Duchesne

I will lead two of these morning walks and probably tag along on several others. I chuckle at how easy it is to find birds in May. I’ve done these same walks so many times over the years, I usually know where different species will be before I even arrive. It’s almost like cheating.

Penobscot Valley Audubon members have already received the walk schedule in the most recent newsletter. Nonmembers can find the schedule on the chapter website at pvc.maineudubon.org. The walks are free and open to all.

Morning bird walks are fun. But for a full weekend adventure, try a birding festival. There are four great festivals to choose from.

The Wings, Waves & Woods Festival occupies the third weekend of May. Most events occur in Stonington and Deer Isle. Highlights include a Sunday visit to the Atlantic puffin colony on Seal Island, preceded by a Saturday cruise around the islands outside Stonington Harbor. I’ll be one of the guides on both.

I must say I am particularly excited about the archipelago cruise. Last year was the first year we did it, and I was not prepared for how many winter seabirds were still loitering around the islands. The numbers and variety were astounding. This festival is ideal for seeing the overlap of Maine’s overwintering birds and newly arrived spring migrants, all on the same weekend.

A rose-breasted grosbeak perches in Maine. Migratory songbirds return in May, drawing birders to walks and festivals. Credit: Courtesy of Bob Duchesne

The Downeast Spring Birding Festival spans Memorial Day weekend. I’m awed, or maybe odd, to say I’ve been guiding for this festival ever since it began in 2003. Indeed, I led the very first walk of the first festival. That was amazing enough to convince me to keep doing it for the next 23 years.

Cobscook Institute coordinates the festival from its campus in Trescott. Events cover birding hotspots in Washington County, Campobello Island in New Brunswick and nearby offshore islands. Two different boats will visit two different puffin colonies over the weekend.

I might get an argument from the organizers of other festivals, but I personally think this one is the birdiest for two reasons. Memorial Day weekend is about the time the last returning migrants pass through Washington County, adding to the number of songbirds that have already established breeding territories for the summer. The Cobscook Bay area also has some of the most diverse habitat in the state, creating opportunities to see a wide variety of species in a relatively compact area.

The Acadia Birding Festival is the granddaddy of them all. Now in its 27th year, it’s the biggest of Maine’s festivals and attracts nationally recognized guides and speakers. It offers the advantage of birding in and around Acadia National Park.

The official dates for the festival are May 28-31, but three pre-festival trips are offered: one to Monhegan Island, one to Saddleback Mountain near Rangeley seeking the elusive Bicknell’s thrush and one to visit the puffins on Petit Manan, with a second post-festival trip to Petit Manan also available.

And now for something completely different: The Rangeley Birding Festival. The mountainous forests of western Maine host a different selection of bird species compared to the three coastal festivals. This is the realm of Canada jays, boreal chickadees, black-backed woodpeckers and that elusive Bicknell’s thrush.

By June 5-7, when this festival occurs, spring migration is over. Birds have settled into their nesting territories, where they can be predictably found. Very few organized events introduce birders to the boreal forest, so this festival has its own unique appeal.

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