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Radio Midcoast WCME is Midcoast Maine's full-service radio station offering listeners a truly unique blend of community news, talk, weather, sports, music, and much more.
You can find WCME on your radio at 99-5FM and 900AM and streaming on the web 24/7 at radio9wcme.com.
We're the station for local news, weather and more on Maine's scintillating Midcoast.
This is the official and only authorized page of WCME. Radio Midcoast WCME is the exclusive intellectual property of WCME owner and president, Jim Bleikamp. It is not affiliated with nor does it condone any other Facebook site using "WCME".
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WCME Sports:
Bowdoin College goes to the professional ranks to find its new men's hockey coach.
Ben Guite is a native of LaSalle, Quebec, who coached the ECHL’s Maine Mariners in 2021-22, going 33-31-5 in his first and only season with the team, and leading the Mariners to their first playoff appearance.
(Photo, courtesy, Bowdoin College)
Jim Bleikamp here.
Just had a culinary experience that was so totally excellent that I would feel a certain guilt if I didn't share it.
I have this evening downed the outstanding Caesar Salad on the menu at the new 555 North restaurant inside the Federal Hotel (formerly Captain Daniel Stone Inn) on Water Street in Brunswick.
Some context here. I eat salads in an attempt to maintain a healthy balance in my diet, but I am not a Green Machine in the way of certain friends. Caesars have always been among my favorites in the salad family, but frankly I never knew it was possible to make a Caesar as fine as the one I had this evening.
Three words: Through. The. Roof.
Totally satisfying as a main course--and I am one to usually view salad as a side dish.
I thought you would want to know. And by the way, they are NOT paying me to say this--this is an entirely free and well deserved endorsement.
We are very fortunate here on the Midcoast that 555 North has moved up the coast from Portland.
I probably should have snapped a photo of my dinner for this post--it was very lovely-looking as well as tasty, but since I didn't, the 555 logo will have to suffice as the visual here.
Something we wish not to miss.
So we won't.
Some photos of Saturday's gathering to celebrate the retirement of Peter Wild from the Brunswick Fire Department after 25 years of professional and 13 years of volunteer service.
That totals to nearly FOUR DECADES of service.
Always a fine thing to see Peter here on the WCME page.
Thanks to Brunswick Professional Firefighters IAFF Local 1718.
From WCME News:
With the Brunswick Town Council having voted late in June to approve a controversial emergency moratorium on housing development, slapping a 180-day pause on the review and approval of most housing development projects, the corresponding job of establishing a task force to encourage affordable housing options is underway.
At-Large Councilor Dan Ankeles tells WCME News that at its meeting next week, the Town Council will be presented with a proposal that would create a task force dedicated to providing recommendations on a speedy basis, with the goal of making sure that the town is doing all it can to make sure that new housing in town features some variety.
From WCME News:
Congresswoman Chellie Pingree says she has tested positive for COVID-19, and released the following statement:
“Last night, I tested positive for COVID-19. I’m fortunate to only be experiencing mild symptoms, thanks to the vaccine and booster shots. My positive result is one of hundreds recorded each day in Maine and across the country, and it’s a good reminder that COVID is not done with us. So, as we embrace the Maine summer we know and love, I urge everyone—Mainers and visitors alike—to remain vigilant in our fight against COVID. Get vaccinated. Get boosted. Get tested if you’re feeling sick. I will continue to follow CDC protocols and, until I am fully recovered, remain at home working remotely for the people of Maine.”
Pingree is fully vaccinated and has received both booster shots, giving her the strongest available protections against serious illness or hospitalization. She will continue to monitor symptoms and isolate for at least five days, consistent with Maine and U.S. CDC guidelines.
From WCME News:
988 is a number which we are likely to soon know better--here in Maine and elsewhere.
It's the number of a new nationwide su***de and mental health crisis hotline. A July 16 deadline has been established for every state to implement the new 988 hotline so that it connects callers with local responders, and Maine officials say they expect to meet the deadline. The new system will operate like the 911 emergency call line, but is intended specifically for those experiencing a mental health crisis.
WCME Sports:
Thomas Labbe, the star senior midfielder of this year's Brunswick Dragon boys lacrosse team, is named to the 2022 Varsity Maine All-State team. Labbe, already an all-American and the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Player of the Year, led the Dragons to the Class B state title, scoring five goals in a 14-13 win over Yarmouth.
Also named to the team, Henry Bergeron, a senior defenseman at North Yarmouth Academy.
Named to the girls All-State team are Katelyn D'Appalonia and Maggie Holt, also of North Yarmouth Academy.
From WCME News:
A pointed response from Maine Second District Congressman Jared Golden in the wake of a federal court ruling from Judge James Boasberg that federal regulators violated both the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act with new regulations that failed to adequately reduce the lobster fishery’s threat to the North Atlantic right whale:
“Judge Boasberg’s ruling is the latest in what has been an unrelenting and groundless campaign against Maine lobstermen by elite, out-of-touch conservation groups and their city-dwelling, silver spoon donors and lobbyists. The Maine lobster community is working to understand the full implications of the ruling and determine next steps, and I will continue to fight alongside Maine lobstermen against yet another effort by special interests and unelected officials to ignore scientific data as they try to put lobstermen out of business.” -
99-5 WCME streaming through the weekend--wherever you go in this world--at RadioMidcoastWCME.com.
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As well as the name of any song you don't hear on WCME that you wish you did hear.
We promise to read and consider everything you send us.
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From WCME News:
It's a ruling seen as a large win for environmental groups and at the same time a major loss for the lobster industry.
A federal judge has ruled that federal regulators violated both the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act with new regulations that failed to adequately reduce the lobster fishery’s threat to the North Atlantic right whale.
In a 43-page ruling, Federal Judge James Boasberg writes that “For centuries, these whales were imperiled by excessive hunting, but today the greatest human-caused threat comes from entanglement in fishing gear,” and the judge goes on to say that "much of that gear is dropped into the ocean by crews fishing for lobster.”
The Maine Lobstermen’s Association says in a statement that it will not allow the industry to go down without a fight.
The parties have been ordered to submit a proposed briefing schedule for the remedies by July 20. There will be a status hearing July 22.
From WCME News:
It's a mystery.
Why has the Coast Guard stopped the operation of the ferry from Richmond across the Kennebec River to Swan Island?
It's also notable that a date has so far not been set for the service to resume.
It's not clear what prompted this move--the state has provided ferry service between Richmond and the island since the 1960s and the current ferry has been in service for seven years. This move has caused the cancellation of field trips to the island at the end of the school year.
There is apparently no record of the boat being inspected as a small passenger vessel, and as a result the captain of the port deemed it as “a significant unsafe boating condition and an environmental threat to the port and navigable waterways.”
An order, issued May 27 and signed by Capt. A. E. Florentino, reads: “In my capacity as Captain of the Port in Northern New England, I have determined that operation of your vessel with passengers for hire represents a significant unsafe boating condition and environmental threat to port and navigable waterways of the United States. Therefore, I hereby order you to immediately cease operations as a Passenger Vessel until such time as it can be shown to the satisfaction of the Coast Guard that your vessel is being operated in compliance with all applicable federal laws and regulations.”
From WCME News:
Two people are hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries after a small private Cessna plane crashed at Portland International Jetport shortly after take-off.
The airport director says the plane "broke apart" when it crashed. Photos of the wreckage show that the tail section had partially split from the cockpit.
(Photo courtesy, Portland Jetport)
Heads-Up!
--The Maine Department of Transportation will be doing paving work on Route 201 in Topsham, with work to begin next Wednesday, July 13th and be finished by September 9th. The project area begins north of Old Augusta Road and extends north for nearly four miles, ending at the Bowdoin town line. You may encounter lane closures and alternating, single-lane traffic patterns.
--Also on July 13, paving work will begin on Route 24 in Brunswick, and be finished by September 9th. The project area begins south of Mountain road in Harpswell and extends north for almost eight miles, ending near Forrestal Drive in Brunswick. Once again, you may encounter lane closures and alternating, single-lane traffic patterns.
From WCME News:
The cause of an early morning fire that destroyed a two-story home at 2 Chase Lane is under investigation by Brunswick firefighters and police, although this fire is not believed to be suspicious, and the lone resident escaped without injury.
It was a fire that went to a second alarm, and received mutual aid from Topsham, Bath, West Bath, Freeport, Lisbon, Durham, Phippsburg and Woolwich.
Fire Chief Ken Brillant says it was a firefighting operation made difficult by the fact that it was located outside of the hydrant area and required water to be trucked in.
