Happy Saturday, Lewiston!
I enjoy connecting with you each week via these newsletters, and I'm pleased to now be doing so in two other ways.
To help with the load of letters we receive during election season, I'm once again editing missives from the Sun Journal region. It's great to read the viewpoints of many of you with whom I enjoyed working in recent years; it's sort of like Old Home Week.
I'm also excited to take part in my company's newsroom listening tour, the next stop of which will be at the Lewiston Public Library from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 15. I've gotten to know many of you via email or phone, and I'd love to meet you in person ... so come on by!
As always, I encourage you to email me with submissions about upcoming events or other community contributions to be included in this newsletter.
In this week's newsletter: Lewiston hopes busking fest is here to stay; early voting begins; food pantry fire; and Lewiston letters.
Thanks for reading. Until next time,
- Alex Lear
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MORE NEWS
|
|
Sterling Drost, 2, enjoys an inflatable bounce house all to himself and his aunt (not pictured) during a recent community block party in Lewiston. The event was built around receiving public input from pedestrians, cyclists and citizens of Lewiston about city street safety. It had other features to encourage attendance such as Art Van, a food truck, live DJ booth and the bouncy castle. (Libby Kamrowski Kenny/Staff
Photographer)
|
|
|
|
|
While the organizers behind Lewiston’s first busking festival last Saturday didn’t get an official attendance tally, it was clear that those who came out, or stumbled upon the event, were captivated. On social media, some described Lewiston Live's street performances as infectious and funny, and photos and videos of attendees show nothing but smiles. Organizers hope the positive reviews can translate into more interest and momentum as they plan a multiweek stint along Lisbon Street next spring.
A teenager was hospitalized yesterday afternoon after suffering a gunshot wound on Bates Street in Lewiston, police said. The 17-year-old may have been the victim of an accidental discharge; police said the victim was not cooperating with the investigation, and would not tell them how he was shot.
Officials in the Twin Cities look to be on board with a proposal to move Lewiston-Auburn 911 Emergency Communications to Auburn Hall. The emergency dispatch center, operating out of Auburn’s central fire station on Minot Avenue, was originally planned to remain there following the property’s upcoming overhaul into a combined police and fire public safety facility for Auburn. But officials say the cost to keep it there, along with the need to relocate the facility during construction,
led the 911 committee to explore alternatives.
Early voting for the Nov. 4 election has begun across the state. Lewiston residents will vote on four City Council seats. Voters wishing to cast an absentee ballot may do so in person at the city clerk’s office at City Hall through Thursday, Oct. 30. Here are the candidates.
A woman was hospitalized after a fire Tuesday at Kaydenz Kitchen Food Pantry in Lewiston. Fire officials were called to 551 Lincoln St., the former Schemengees Bar & Grille, for reports of an explosion followed by flames from a burning car spreading to the building. The fire burned through a section of the shelter where two wings join together. The next morning, the focus had already shifted to cleanup and rebuilding.
The Lewiston School District’s ability to retain teachers has shown a marked improvement over the past three years, Superintendent Jake Langlais told the School Committee Monday. From a high point of 1 of every 3 teachers — 32.76% — in 2022, the turnover rate dropped to 13.11% for the fiscal year that ended in 2025, a nearly 60% decline.
Skelton Taintor & Abbott, one of Lewiston’s largest and oldest law firms, has bought a Lisbon Street building to become its headquarters. Commercial real estate firm CORE brokered the $1.2 million deal, and the 18,000 square feet of Class A office space will become the firm’s primary office after a renovation is completed.
Since former Lewiston police Chief David St. Pierre retired in September, City Administrator Bryan Kaenrath has delivered on his promise to listen to community input before the choice is made for a new chief. Sitting in a circle of nearly three dozen people at Gather to Grow on Monday, he responded to a variety of comments, including complaints of systemic racism, the need for more community policing and suggestions that recently suspended Detective Joe Philippon be named the next chief.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
THIS WEEK'S MYSTERY PHOTO
|
|
If you can identify where this photo was taken, contact us at bmail@sunjournal.com with your answer, your name, town and phone number. Correct entries will be put into a drawing for a $25 gift card courtesy of Hannaford Supermarkets.
(P.S. Did you guess last week's Mystery Photo correctly?)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
COMMUNITY VOICES/AROUND TOWN
|
|
|
|
JKA Maine Academy of Greene was part of TEAM USA at the 2025 JKA Pan American Karate Championship, held Sept. 27-28 in Bogota, Colombia. From left to right are Ben Farris of Greene, Ariana Touchette-Ruiz of Lewiston, Miguel Torres of Lewiston, Liam Laflamme of Greene, and Michael Umayam and Coach Ferdie Torres, both of Lewiston. Laflamme won a silver medal in the 14-year-old Kata division, and Umayam took silver in Men’s Individual Kumite, according to board
member and parent Lori-Ann Touchette. (Courtesy photo)
|
|
|
SUBMIT YOUR NEWS: Whether it's an upcoming event, municipal update or something else entirely, we're
always looking for local happenings to feature in this newsletter. Send us the details for consideration.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
THINGS TO DO
|
Family pumpkin painting takes place at the Lewiston Public Library, 200 Lisbon St., today from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Attendees decorate mini foam pumpkins with a variety of paint pens, sharpies and acrylic paint. The pumpkins are one per person and first come, first served. This free program is recommended for families and kids ages 2-14. Learn more here.
The Lewiston Farmers Market runs tomorrow from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 2 Oxford St. The weekly gathering offers visitors a chance to connect with one another and shop for a wide variety of local foods and goods. Click here to learn more.
The Taste the Harvest street festival, a celebration of all things local, fresh and flavorful, runs from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 15. Hosted by the LA Metro Chamber in partnership with the Lewiston Farmers Market and Good Food Council of Lewiston-Auburn, the event transforms Lisbon Street into a harvest-themed block party thrumming with food, music and fun. Learn more and get tickets here.
Denis Ledoux will discuss his latest book, "Here to Stay: Lives in 17th Century Canada," at the USM Franco-American Collection, 51 Westminster St. in Lewiston, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 15. Ledoux writes of four early family members from the 1660s who struggled against the odds to maintain a foothold on the continent. Learn more here.
The Lewiston Public Library's Horror Book Club, which meets monthly at 200 Lisbon St., will discuss Riley Sager's "The Only One Left" from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 16. "In 1983, home-health aide Kit McDeere arrives at a decaying Hope’s End to care for Lenora Hope, helping her write about the events leading up to her family’s massacre in 1929, and soon discovers this seemingly harmless woman could be far more dangerous than she first thought," the event description states. Click here for more info.
Girl Scout Discovery Night, a signup event for new members, will be held at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17, at the Raymond A. Geiger Elementary School, 601 College St. in Lewiston. Learn more here about this gathering for grades kindergarten to 5 and their families.
The Fall Funnies Fundraiser, presented by the Lewiston Senior Citizens group, takes place Friday, Oct. 17, at the Lewiston Armory, 65 Central Ave. Doors open at 6 p.m., and the show begins at 7 p.m. Johnny Ater headlines alongside Sara Poulin and
Crystal Bernard. Tickets cost $20 if purchased by Wednesday, Oct. 15, or $25 at the door. Call the Senior Office at 513-3059 for more information.
Ready to party like it's 1813? The Jane Austen Regency Ball lights up Callahan Hall at the Lewiston Public Library, 200 Lisbon St., from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18. LPL's inaugural literary ball, commemorating Jane Austen’s 250th birthday, features English country dancing and light refreshments. This free event is open to ages 13 and up; no registration is required. Regency attire and fancy dress are encouraged. Learn more
here.
|
|
|
YOU'RE INVITED: NEWSROOM LISTENING SESSION
|
|
|
Our journalists are traveling around Maine to hear from citizens about what they want most from their local news sources. Join us and Maine Public on
Wednesday, Oct. 15 at the Lewiston Public Library. Get the details.
|
|
|
|
|
THE WAY IT WAS IN LEWISTON
|
|
|
Oct. 15, 1995: “It's so quiet you can hear the room breathe. Whoosh ... whoosh ... whoosh. A soft rhythmic sound. A machine sound. The sound of air being pumped into teaspoon-sized lungs. Getting oxygen to hearts the size of a quarter.
“This is the neonatal unit on the third floor of Central Maine Medical Center.”
Click here to read more of this story from 1995. Subscribers enjoy exclusive access to search and browse our digital archives on Newspapers.com.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Alex Lear is a lifelong Mainer who has spent about 25 years in journalism, the first 20 as a reporter for newspapers in Damariscotta and Falmouth, and the rest as the Opinions section editor for the Sun Journal. His long-running
“Learics” column won first place in the Maine Press Association’s 2023 Better Newspaper Contest. He and his wife Lauren are kept young by their 8-year-old daughter Alaina. Send feedback and suggestions to Alex. You can support this newsletter by encouraging friends and family to subscribe here. Read more news at sunjournal.com.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
