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By Tammy Wells/York County Government Media March 4, 2026, York County Jail has earned a 100 percent score on their recent biennial state inspection. That means the 294-bed facility aced all 145 mandatory standards, and all 95 essential standards for 2024 and 2025. The 100 percent rating is a first for York County Jail. “We’ve been close, gotten scores into the 90s, but never 100 percent,” said York County Jail Administrator Major Lori Marks. York County Jail Administrator Ma

By Tammy Wells/York County Government media March 4, 2026, Many would agree that those who identify as “senior citizens” are an independent, capable lot. Most seniors, with the benefit of decades of experience, are comfortable and adept at managing their lives. But aging impacts everyone a bit differently, and seniors can be vulnerable. Driving might be a bit more of a challenge than it used to be for some folks. Silver-tongued scam artists with an eye on someone's bank accou

By Liam LaFountain, Mayor of Biddeford March 1, 2026, On Monday, March 2 at 6:00 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 familiar. In practical terms, it is the zoning framework that governs development at the University of New England’s B

February 27, 2026, According to reports, a man was allegedly bit in the face by a dog earlier today inside Seeds of Hope Neighborhood Center. Multiple witnesses allege an individual, (who we will refer to as male #1) who frequents SOH, entered the building and appeared "high on drugs". Witnesses allege once inside, male #1 then approached another individual (male #2) who had a dog. Witnesses also expressed that like male #1, male #2 and his dog, are also frequent visitors at

February 26, 2026, The City of Biddeford property tax bills for the second half of Fiscal Year 2026 are now available online using Invoice Cloud and have been mailed to residents. Payments will be due on April 1, 2026. According to city officials, The most efficient way to pay your tax bill is to pay by EFT (e-check) through Invoice Cloud, our online bill payment service. There is a $0.60 service fee for payment processing, which is charged by the vendor. Access this option b

“...I can’t sit on the sidelines while Donald Trump is hurting Maine families and driving our democracy into the ground…. I could never live with myself if I didn’t do everything in my power to stop Donald Trump’s far-right takeover.” - Governor Janet Mills Campaigning for US Senate February 26, 2026, As the race for the Maine Senate heats up, you may notice an increase of emails, phone calls, etc. requesting donations to the campaigns of those running for office. This mornin

Offering hope: ‘What they’ve done is not who they are’ By Tammy Wells, York County Government media February 25, 2026, On a recent Saturday as the Mass at York County Jail neared its end, those eligible for Holy Communion moved to partake. Others were asked by Bishop Robert Deeley if they would like a blessing, and several residents stepped forward with their arms crossed on their chests, as instructed. He smiled at each one as he made the sign of the cross. It was a special

The event, part of UNE’s enhanced workforce-ready initiatives, left many students with newfound confidence in breaking the ice By Deirdre Fleming Stires, Contributing Writer UNE February 25, 2026, In a crowded communal area in the University of New England’s Ripich Commons on the evening of Feb. 18, the University's first Career Connections Mixer got off to a rousing start. And the impromptu conversations between employers, alumni, local civic leaders, entrepreneurs, faculty,

By Tammy Wells, Contributing Writer, York County Government Media February 24, 2026, long-awaited dredging and dune restoration project off Atlantic Avenue, ongoing 24/7 for the better part of a week, was due to wind down around Feb. 20 and move on to Saco beginning around the last week in February. Then, once preparations are complete – around March 2 – the York County government dredge will begin restoring Camp Ellis beach and dunes battered by a pair of storms that devast

February 23, 2026, earlier this evening, Republican John Salamone released a statement announcing his withdrawal from the Maine State Senate district 32 race. Salamone's stamement reads: "After a great deal of reflection and prayer, I’ve decided to withdraw my campaign for State Senate. Over the past several months, I’ve been humbled by the encouragement and generosity of so many people who believe in our shared vision for Maine. Your support, whether through kind words, time

“The community center, long neglected with a band-aid approach, is the true Jewel of Biddeford.. I think it's time to really give this building the TLC it deserves…” February 22, 2026, Below is an op-ed that we received from Biddeford resident Diane Cyr pertaining to the discussion of which projects city leaders should prioritize when allocating the recreational bond funds approved by voters in the November 2025 election. REMINDER - In addition to submitting op-eds, residents

“Donald Trump is a threat to our country, our state, our democracy, and our values…. I’ve stood up to Trump to protect our state before, and I’m ready to do so again.” - Dr. Nirav Shah February 20, 2026, Yesterday, Maine gubernatorial candidate and former Maine CDC Director Dr. Nirav Shah, released what his campaign is referring to as a plan to “Safeguard Maine from Trump. Dr. Shah’s announcement states, “Donald Trump is a threat to our country, our state, our democracy, and

"This is about more than concrete and ramps. It is about trust. It is about accountability. And it is about showing this community — especially its young people — that when they show up and speak, their government listens." February 17, 2026, at tonight's City Council meeting, former Biddeford City Councilor Neva Lance and her wife Samanntha Lance, advocated passionately to the Biddeford City Council in support of spending recreation bond funds on a new skate park for the cit

February 17, 2026, at tonight's City Council Meeting, multiple (the majority) attendees spoke in support of spending recreation bond funds (approved during the 2025 election) on rebuilding a skate park in Biddeford. And although other projects were referenced by individuals, the skate park overwhelmingly recieved the largest amount of support from meeting attendees. Following a new skate park, both maintaining the Community Center and cleaning up the trails at Clifford Park w

February 17, 2026, At this evening’s Biddeford City Council Meeting, with a tied vote of 4 to 4 that was broke by Mayor LaFountain, councilors voted AGAINST approving a resolution in support of LD 2124, an “Act to Support Emergency Shelter Funding using Real Estate Transfer Tax Revenue” Meeting materials state that under current law, 90% of the revenue from the real estate transfer tax is submitted to the State and 10% is retained by the counties, except that, for fiscal year

By Tammy Wells, Contributing Writer February 16, 2026, York County Commissioners understand the need to support the unhoused through shelter subsidies and are urging legislators to seek ways to support them within the state’s coffers, not the counties’ far slimmer purse. In testimony to the Legislature’s Housing and Economic Development Committee at a public hearing Feb. 10, they urged committee members to vote “ought not to pass,” on L.D. 2124, a bill that would further dip

February 13, 2026, According to the Biddeford Fire Department, at "approximately 03:05am on the morning of February 7th, one of the on-duty Biddeford Fire Department members smelled smoke on the 2nd floor area of the Central Fire Station. During the investigation for the source of the smoke, the member found a small fire inside the clean kitchen towel stainless steel bin in the kitchen. The fire was quickly extinguished using water from the kitchen sink and a fire extinguishe

February 12, 2026, Today, Governor Janet Mills issued the following statement in response to the Trump Administration’s repeal of the Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding: “The Trump Administration is abandoning its responsibility to protect the health of our people and the planet from the proven harms of climate pollution. This decision disregards years of scientific research and data, leaving American families to feel the pain with dirtier air, poorer health, rising temperat

By Karen Garnett, Contributing Writer February 12, 2026 – Leadership doesn’t always come with a title—and that message is resonating loudly with eighth-grade students at Saco Middle School (SMS), thanks to the real-world experiences of Jackson Howard, a senior at Thornton Academy and an EMS student at the Biddeford Regional Center of Technology (BRCOT). Howard is currently enrolled in BRCOT’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) program and previously completed the Intro to Medi

By Mackenzie Schors, Biddeford Buzz Contributing Writer Now celebrating their 10 year anniversary, UNE has been hosting their annual “Teddy Bear Toss” (TBT) game every year since 2017 - Here’s a glimpse into what TBT weekend looks like for the community and the UNE Nor’easters: February 11, 2026, What began as a small, community-focused initiative in 2017 has grown into one of the University of New England’s most beloved traditions. This year marked the 10th anniversary of