By Marie Weidmayer, Bangor Daily News Staff The state’s system that manages legal representation for low-income defendants is awaiting two big decisions that will shape its future.

By Marie Weidmayer, Bangor Daily News Staff Penobscot County is scheduled to see four murder trials in 2026, nearly three years after the last murder trial was held in Bangor.

By Susan Bard, Bangor Daily News Outdoors Editor Maine lakes and ponds are beginning to freeze as winter sets in, but ice conditions remain variable across the state.

By Michael Livingston, Maine Public  It’s well past 8 p.

By Daniel O’Connor Just five people entered the basement of the Belfast courthouse for an August meeting.

GREENVILLE — A proposed revision to Greenville’s land use ordinance which involves a new definition pertaining to motorsports businesses has been moved to the 2026 annual town meeting in June.

VASSALBORO — George Frye IV of the Dover-Foxcroft Police Department was one of 78 cadets to graduate from the Basic Law Enforcement Training Program at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy on Dec.

Photo courtesy of Town of SangervilleHALF CENTURY OF SERVICE — On Saturday, Dec.

By Marie Weidmayer, Bangor Daily News Staff A Charleston man allegedly drove faster than 100 mph during a 9-mile police chase that ended in a crash on Dec.

MILO — Military members past and present were honored at the Milo Veterans Memorial in Evergreen Cemetery on Saturday, Dec.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Two weeks after program cuts to a dozen organizations in an earlier version of the 2026 Piscataquis County budget were restored, some partially and some in full compared to the current year, both the county budget and 2026-27 Unorganized Territory budget were approved by the county commissioners during a meeting on Tuesday morning.

By Christopher Burns, Bangor Daily News Staff GREENVILLE — The cause of the fire that damaged Greenville’s historic Masonic lodge may never be known.

By Christopher Burns, Bangor Daily News Staff GREENVILLE — An early morning fire damaged Greenville’s historic Masonic lodge.

By Wendy Watkins, Bangor Daily News Staff DEXTER — Firefighters in Dexter battled a fire in an apartment building on Main Street Saturday morning, Dec.

Contributed photoWREATH CEREMONY — Law enforcement officers gathered at the Hillside Cemetery in Monson as part of a statewide wreath-laying ceremony for all troopers who died in the line of duty.

By Kasey Turman, Bangor Daily News Staff An advisory committee on Thursday night, Dec.

DEXTER — A pair of grants from the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety for the Dexter Police Department were approved by the town council during a meeting on Dec.

By Marie Weidmayer and Kasey Turman, Bangor Daily News Staff Penobscot County leaders neglected a budget crisis for years that could crush residents with a nearly 20% tax hike in 2026, according to former county commissioners and budget committee members.