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Many eyes were on Skowhegan last week as a U.S. Border Patrol operation resulted in the detentions of reportedly more than a dozen agricultural workers on a bus heading to Backyard Farms in Madison. News of the early morning bust reached as far as the pages of The Boston Globe.
Details of what happened remain scant, other than accounts from the bus driver and immigrant advocacy groups. U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the agency that includes the Border Patrol, has yet to release or confirm any details.
One of those detained, a Venezuelan man, was ordered released pending a bond hearing in immigration court. Two other Venezuelan men challenged their detentions in federal court, but later withdrew their petitions. One had valid work authorization, his attorney argued.
U.S. Senator Susan Collins, a Republican, insisted the detentions were not an indication of another wave of increased immigration enforcement in Maine. Collins previously announced the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's "Operation Catch of the Day" in January had ended.
Stay tuned, and thank you for reading,
— Jake Freudberg |
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ODDS AND ENDS |
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The Skowhegan Planning Board plans to meet at 6 tonight to review a site plan review application for a medical cannabis grow house on Waterville Road. The Staff Review Committee, which had initial authority over the application, previously denied it.
The Skowhegan Zoning Board of Appeals is set to meet at 10 a.m. Thursday to hear the administrative appeal of violations issued to Shelters By Jesus, the homeless shelter on McClellan Street. Town officials and state fire inspectors found numerous code violations during a December inspection.
If it seems like there have been a lot of fires in our area recently… you would be correct. A garage fire Wednesday night on Waterville Road marked the 13th or 14th working fire in the Skowhegan area this year, according to Fire Chief Ryan Johnston. That is about double what the area usually experiences, Johnston said.
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AROUND TOWN: CALL FOR ARTISTS |
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The Margaret Chase Smith Library is looking for artists to contribute work for a U.S. semiquincentennial exhibition June 11 to Aug. 7. The library seeks art that captures the soul of America — its founding, its defining ideals, and its enduring consciousness — while also centering the spirit of Maine. The library is especially interested in exhibiting pieces made in Maine, or by Mainers, and highlighting the unique artistic voice of our community in this historic moment.
Final inclusion in the exhibition will be determined by library staff and is contingent on space restrictions. Works included in this exhibition will not be for sale.
All visual and multimedia arts are welcome. Open to artists of all levels and experience levels. Artists from Maine and especially those from its underserved communities are encouraged to submit their work. The application deadline is April 17 and selections will be announced May 1.
Submit digital images and a brief artist's statement through this form.
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THE WAY IT WAS IN SKOWHEGAN |
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Feb. 17, 1964: "For the first time in several years in Skowhegan a touch of conservatism and economy was apparent," as voters say no to creating a public works department and reject other articles.
Click here to read more of this story from 1978. Subscribers enjoy exclusive access to search and browse our digital archives on Newspapers.com. |
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Thanks for reading Skowhegan Now. You can support this newsletter by encouraging friends and family to sign up. Find more Skowhegan news and explore our other newsletters. |
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Jake Freudberg covers Skowhegan and Somerset County for the Morning Sentinel. He started reporting at the Morning Sentinel in November 2023. Jake grew up in Massachusetts and graduated from Tufts University. While in school, Jake wrote for various news organizations in the Boston area. He's also a Maine whitewater rafting guide and lived in Spain's Canary Islands for a year.
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