By RANDY SEAVER | Editor This is a piece that was first published in 2012 on my blog, All Along the Watchtower (Today known as Lessons in Mediocrity | Outlaw Journalist). This story has a very sad ending, but it provides a detailed account of what happened to the former Lincoln Mill clocktower that once … Continue reading Can you hear me scream | the rise and fall of the Lincoln Mill clocktower
Tag: Maine
Restored funds ease increase to proposed York County budget
The restoration of the $400,000 in state funding was good news at a time when expenses are increasing for everyone [ Contributed Story ] By TAMMY WELLS | York County Government media When York County Commissioners approved the proposed $31.64 million county operating budget for the next fiscal year April 8 and turned it over … Continue reading Restored funds ease increase to proposed York County budget
OPINION | A Maine reporter explains Graham Platner’s campaign success
Platner is not just running ahead of Gov. Janet Mills for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate. He’s possibly the most remarkable political story in the country. [Republished, with permission] Maine’s Democratic primary race for U.S. Senate, between the two main candidates of Gov. Janet Mills and Graham Platner, has become perhaps the country’s clearest … Continue reading OPINION | A Maine reporter explains Graham Platner’s campaign success
Taking care of the people who feed us
By State Sen. HENRY INGWERSEN | Special to the Gazette March is a funny month. For a few days, the weather was warm, and I was checking my beehives. The bees were buzzing with activity, soaking up the sun. On Sunday, I watched heavy, wet snowflakes fall from the gray sky. The snow coated the … Continue reading Taking care of the people who feed us
Doug Sanford | A preacher’s son, developer
For nearly 50 years, Biddeford's most iconic 'bootstrap developer" has demonstrated a deep love for the city. By RANDY SEAVER | Editor When looking back over the last 50 years of Biddeford’s history, there is no question that Doug Sanford played an extraordinarily pivotal and significant role in resurrecting a community that was brimming with … Continue reading Doug Sanford | A preacher’s son, developer
County’s Citizen Police Academy ‘intriguing, interesting’ grads say
By TAMMY WELLS | York County Government media ALFRED -- A couple of classes of the Citizens Police Academy conducted by York County Sheriff’s Office this winter included law and the US Constitution. It was part of the nine-week program that saw students learn everything from how to conduct a traffic stop to the role … Continue reading County’s Citizen Police Academy ‘intriguing, interesting’ grads say
OPINION | Biddeford should tie taxes to inflation
By BEN NEVEUX | Biddeford Over the past decade, Biddeford’s property taxes have steadily climbed. In 2013 the city’s total tax rate was $16.54 per $1,000 of valuation. By 2022 it had reached $18.23, with several years above $19 and even $20 along the way. That may not sound dramatic at first glance, but it … Continue reading OPINION | Biddeford should tie taxes to inflation
OPINION | Protecting manufactured‑home residents protects municipal budgets
By KATHY DOBBINS, Special to the Gazette Maine’s manufactured‑home communities are facing pressures that many towns and cities can no longer afford to ignore. When municipalities choose not to adopt basic resident‑protection measures—such as rent‑stabilization ordinances or guardrails on pass‑through utility charges—the consequences fall directly onto residents and, ultimately, onto local taxpayers. Across the state, … Continue reading OPINION | Protecting manufactured‑home residents protects municipal budgets
BHS Drama Club will present ‘Mean Girls’
By KAREN GARNETT | Biddeford School Department BIDDEFORD, Maine – The Biddeford High School (BHS) Drama Club is proud to announce its upcoming production of Mean Girls: High School Version, a bold, high-energy musical that brings humor, heart, and sharp social commentary to the stage. Show times are Thursday, March 19, 2026, at 7:30 p.m., Friday, … Continue reading BHS Drama Club will present ‘Mean Girls’
OPINION | Mayor explains new UNE committee
By MAYOR LIAM LAFOUNTAIN, City of Biddeford On Monday, March 2 at 6 p.m., the Institutional Zone Review Committee will hold its first public hearing at City Hall. The meeting begins the public input phase of a broader review of how Biddeford regulates institutional development. For many residents, the term “Institutional Zone” may not be … Continue reading OPINION | Mayor explains new UNE committee
LETTER | Let’s focus on collaboration, not division
City is on the right track in its thoughtful, measured review of UNE development plans I read the recent letter regarding the University of New England review committee with concern, but also with a sense that the issue deserves a more balanced perspective. What was city thinking? Biddeford Gazette, Feb. 28, 2026 It is important … Continue reading LETTER | Let’s focus on collaboration, not division
INTERVIEW | David Kurtz, city councilor, lawyer and hiker
By RANDY SEAVER, Editor David Kurtz takes in a deep breath – pauses – and looks away, toward the coffee shop’s window before answering one of our questions during an informal and candid interview. Kurtz, 39, is one of the three new Biddeford city councilors who were each first elected to office in November. Despite … Continue reading INTERVIEW | David Kurtz, city councilor, lawyer and hiker
OPINION | Biddeford should keep Center
By RANDY SEAVER, Editor Biddeford Mayor Liam LaFountain ran his campaign last year on a platform dedicated to restoring accountability and increasing transparency at City Hall. Those were good messages, and the voters agreed with LaFountain, giving him the edge over the incumbent former mayor. LaFountain pledged to hit the ground running, and he’s already … Continue reading OPINION | Biddeford should keep Center
Bennett brings campaign to Biddeford
By RANDY SEAVER, Editor In the very crowded race to become Maine’s next governor, former State Sen. Rick Bennett is hoping to stand out as an Independent candidate who is ready to tackle tough issues with a common-sense approach and a commitment to people rather than any political party. Bennett, 62, brought his campaign to Biddeford … Continue reading Bennett brings campaign to Biddeford
King being challenged by independent in sheriff’s race
By RANDY SEAVER, Editor Brian Pellerin -- deputy chief of the Cumberland County Sheriff’s office -- recently announced that he is running for York County Sheriff in the November 2026 election. “I am running as a principled independent candidate, committed to professional, nonpartisan leadership in public safety,” Pellerin wrote in a press release that was … Continue reading King being challenged by independent in sheriff’s race
Biddeford lawmaker’s bill addresses online gambling addiction
By RANDY SEAVER, Editor Over just the last few years, online gambling has exploded in popularity all over the country and its impacts are being felt here in Maine -- on several different fronts. That gambling explosion – especially the rise in online sports/fantasy wagering – has also caused some problems, most notably a sharp … Continue reading Biddeford lawmaker’s bill addresses online gambling addiction
The Fire of 1947’s devastating impact on Biddeford
Local author Susan Graham discusses her book that recounts devastating damage to Fortunes Rocks and other Biddeford neighborhoods By RANDY SEAVER, Editor It would become the largest natural disaster in Maine’s history, and it destroyed dozens of homes in many of Biddeford’s coastal neighborhoods. Overall, the “Great Fire of 1947” caused more than $30 million … Continue reading The Fire of 1947’s devastating impact on Biddeford
Turning addiction into something positive
Ryan Paige grew up in Biddeford, and he has now taken the worst part of his life and turned it into a resource that has helped hundreds of people achieve sobriety all across Maine. Paige, 43, has been sober and drug-free since 2019. Flash forward six years, and he is now running a statewide non-profit … Continue reading Turning addiction into something positive
Fecteau’s housing bill gets bipartisan approval
According to a press release, both the Maine House of Representatives and Senate voted unanimously last week to approve a housing bill that was introduced by Speaker Ryan Fecteau (D-Biddeford). The bill, LD 1829, is intended to make it easier to build new housing units by amending zoning requirements and providing clarity for municipalities, developers … Continue reading Fecteau’s housing bill gets bipartisan approval
What’s happening in Augusta: Cleaning Out the Notebook
By Rep. MARC MALON I view this past week in Augusta as transitional. Committees, including my own, finished their work on bills and the bulk of the activity began moving from the committee room to the floors of each chamber. The week began on a stressful note personally. I went to the Memorial Day ceremony … Continue reading What’s happening in Augusta: Cleaning Out the Notebook
BIDDEFORD GAZETTE 