State Rep Austin Theriault, left, and U.S. Rep. Jared Golden. Press Herald file photos
Recounts for a dozen close Maine elections are continuing this week, including the 2nd Congressional District race between incumbent U.S. Rep. Jared Golden and state Rep. Austin Theriault.
Golden had more votes than Theriault on election night, but the race went on a runoff under Maine’s ranked choice voting system, which requires someone to earn more than 50% of the vote to win. More than 12,000 ballots were left blank, which placed Golden below 50%.
Last week’s runoff confirmed Golden as the winner with 50.4% of the vote, but Theriault requested a hand recount of the nearly 391,600 ballots, which could take weeks to finish.
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State election officials are also overseeing recounts in 11 state legislative races – an unusually high number that will take at least through Monday to complete. Two of those are Senate races, while the rest are for House seats.
Four other recounts have already confirmed the election winner, according to the secretary of state’s office, all of them Democrats.
Independent challenger Sharon Frost unseated Republican incumbent Rep. Daniel Newman in House District 58 in the Belgrade region by 43 votes, 3,159 to 3,116. The margin decreased by one vote as a result of Tuesday’s recount.
Democrat Stephan Bunker beat Republican Randall Gauvin in House District 75 in the Farmington area by only seven votes, 2,317 to 2,310, in Tuesday’s recount. Bunker led by 10 votes on election night.
In House District 96, Rep. Michele Lajoie, D-Lewiston, was reelected by 39 votes, 2,556 to 2,517, over Republican challenger Kerryl Clement, also of Lewiston. Friday’s recount margin is three votes more than the election night margin of 2,550 to 2,514.
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Democrat Kilton Webb, of Durham, won the House District 98 seat by 55 votes, 2,996 to 2,941, over Republican Guy Lebida of Bowdoin. Webb lost one vote in Monday’s recount, while Lebida’s total did not change.
Locked boxes filled with ballots are seen amid the ranked choice runoff in the 2nd Congressional District race between Jared Golden and Austin Theriault. Derek Davis/Staff Photographer
The House District 141 race between incumbent Republican Lucas Lanigan and Democratic challenger Patricia Kidder, which ended in a tie on election night, is schedule for Thursday at 1 p.m.
Lanigan was arrested and charged with aggravated domestic violence assault right before the election. An arrest warrant says he allegedly grabbed his wife by the neck after she confronted him about an affair. His wife has asked the judge and district attorney to drop the charges, but prosecutors said the case will proceed, because it’s common for victims to recant after filing charges.
The House District 44 recount, which was scheduled for Wednesday, was rescheduled to a future date that has not yet been announced.
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Here is the schedule for the remaining recounts:
• Wednesday at 9 a.m., House District 52, in the Bowdoinham area, between incumbent Democratic Rep. Sally Cluchey and Republican David Guilmette.
• Wednesday at 1 p.m., House District 81, in the Bethel area, between Democrat Joan Beal and Republican Peter Wood.
• Thursday at 9 a.m., House District 142, representing Sanford and part of Springvale, between Democrat Rep. Anne-Marie Mastraccio and Republican Amy Bell.
• Friday at 9 a.m., Senate District 8, representing Orono and eastern Penobscot County, between incumbent Democrat Sen. Mike Tipping and Republican Leo Kenny.
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• Monday at 9 a.m., Senate District 15, representing the Augusta area, between Republican state Rep. Dick Bradstreet of Vassalboro and Democratic state Rep. Raegan LaRochelle.
Lily Fortin didn’t allow a hit until the seventh inning and No. 2 North Yarmouth Academy beat No. 1 Buckfield 5-0 in the Class D South softball final Tuesday at St. Joseph’s College in Standish.
The Panthers (17-1) will face North champion Penobscot Valley (17-0) in the state championship game on Saturday, also at St. Joseph’s. NYA won back-to-back Class D state titles in 2023-24, before losing to Buckfield, 2-1, in the regional final last season.
Buckfield ends the season 16-3.
Grace Veinott singled to lead off the seventh inning, breaking up Fortin’s no-hit bit. The NYA sophomore recorded a strikeout and two groundouts to finish off the one-hitter. She recorded eight strikeouts and five walks.
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Jordan Nash hit a two-run single in the first inning to give NYA the lead. Aurora Blier made it 3-0 in the third with an RBI groundout. Cami Casserly had an RBI single and Reese Walker walked with the bases loaded in the fifth to make it 5-0.
A woman died Monday after a fire on East Main Street in Fort Kent.
Woman Died after Fire in Fort Kent
Fort Kent Fire and Rescue said “Upon arrival, Chief Pelletier was unable to confirm that all tenants of the apartment building were accounted for.”
Fire at the Front of the Building and Second Floor
Firefighters battled the blaze at the front of the building and another crew attacked the second floor.
First Floor Fire Put Out
The fire on the first floor was quickly extinguished.
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Crews Learned Someone was Still in the Building
Crews got information that there was someone inside the building.
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Woman was Located in the Building and First Responders Tried Resuscitation
“Shortly thereafter, firefighters located a civilian victim and rescued her, unfortunately resuscitation efforts by ASI and Fort Kent firefighters were unsuccessful,” said Chief Pelletier with Fort Kent Fire and Rescue.
Maine Fire Marshal’s Office Investigating the Cause of the Fire
The Maine Fire Marshal’s Office responded to the scene and is investigating the cause of the fire.
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Name and Age Not Released Pending Family Notification
The woman’s name and age were not released pending notification of the family.
READ MORE: Two Men Fled Crash & One Apprehended after Hitting Pole
Multiple Agencies Responded and Assisted with the Fire
Assisting Fort Kent Fire and Rescue were the Eagle Lake Fire Department, ASI, Fort Kent Public Works and the Red Cross.
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If you’re gluten-free or have celiac disease, you know the feeling: sometimes you just want what everyone else is eating. Wings, fries, pizza, those classic comfort foods that can often feel off-limits. Thankfully, Maine is really starting to show up for the gluten-free community. More restaurants are adding gluten-free options to their menus, and even better, more places are investing in separate fryers to help keep us safe.
One local favorite that deserves a reminder is 104 Main Public House in Topsham. They’ve been serving gluten-free wings, pizza, and fries for quite a while, but it’s worth highlighting again because they do it right. Their menu includes gluten-free wings and gluten-free pizza options, and they are known for accommodating gluten-free diners.
As someone who has personally eaten their wings, I can confidently say they’re delicious and I’ve always felt safe ordering them. Knowing they have a dedicated fryer makes all the difference when you’re navigating celiac disease and trying to enjoy a meal without worrying about cross-contact.
The real question is: are you a ranch or blue cheese person? Do you go for classic BBQ or are you all about the hot wings? Either way, if you’ve been craving crispy, flavorful wings this summer, 104 Main should be at the top of your list.
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It’s great to see more Maine restaurants making gluten-free dining easier, and tastier, for all of us.
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