By Kathleen Phalen Tomaselli, The County Staff Owners of short-term rentals, single-family residential homes or fee-based residential campsites operating in the state’s unorganized territories must now notify the Maine Land Use Planning Commission of the rental.

By Marie Weidmayer, Bangor Daily News Staff Maine is considering bringing parole back — 50 years after the state ended the program.

DEXTER, Maine — Sex offenders will be barred from living within 750 feet of schools and parks in Dexter after the Town Council approved an ordinance on residency rules on Thursday.

By Bridget Huber, Bangor Daily News Staff Piscataquis County Sheriff Bob Young will not seek reelection, he announced Jan.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — During the first meeting of 2026 on Tuesday morning, the Piscataquis County Commissioners set the chair and vice chair for the new year.

SANGERVILLE — The Sangerville Fire Department has been awarded $56,000 from the Gloria C.

By Marie Weidmayer, Bangor Daily News Staff A man accused of assisting in a Bangor homicide is back in jail, roughly six months after his bail was drastically lowered.

By Christopher Burns, Bangor Daily News Staff BARNARD TOWNSHIP — A Bradford man allegedly stole two tractors in Barnard Township late last week.

By Daniel O’Connor, Bangor Daily News Staff As Maine rings in the new year, many laws passed by the Legislature are set to go into effect.

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.