A version of this story first appeared in the Morning Update newsletter. Sign up here to receive the Morning Update and other BDN newsletters directly in your inbox.
Happy Friday.
Pardon the delay; we had technical issues this morning.
Now tech issues are never the best way to start the day, but then you could return home in the morning to discover a stranger making themselves comfortable. In a scene reminiscent of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, a Bangor man came home after work Thursday to discover a strange woman sleeping in his bed. That stranger is also suspected of stealing clothes and defecating on a rug in another Queen City apartment building earlier this month. Police are mum about the status of his porridge and chair.
Meanwhile, recent testing of Bangor wastewater detected the measles virus. A follow-up test found no additional traces, potentially indicating the virus was deposited by a visitor.
Bad news aside, the day ahead will feature spectacular summer weather, with temperatures in the high 70s to low 80s, gentle winds and tolerable humidity.
So get out there and enjoy it … after you read today’s big story.
Matt Dunlap’s campaign is openly attacking Paul LePage’s age
Paul LePage would become the oldest first-term U.S. representative if he beats State Auditor Matt Dunlap in the November election for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District. That’s a fact. But what it means and whether anyone should mention it are matters of debate.
On Wednesday, Dunlap’s campaign manager, Harry Burke, called the 77-year-old former Maine governor an “old man” who “isn’t capable of standing for that long in front of people clearly” in a post on X, then doubled down saying, “voters are right to be concerned about someone’s capacity to serve at the age of 80.”
It was a sharper attack on a candidate’s age than we’ve seen in other recent races with large age gaps, and Democrats say it’s warranted on the assumption that LePage won’t serve long enough to build seniority and make an impact. Republicans see the age attack as a sign of desperation.
Mainers on both sides of the aisle have said LePage’s age doesn’t appear to have affected his ability to serve, and he’s running at a time when many of the country’s top elected officials are well beyond retirement age, including the last two presidents, who were the first and second to turn 80 while in office.
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From the Opinion Page
“The monument is also just one piece of the puzzle for the Katahdin region, adding to the diversified portfolio visitors and investors look for in rural communities.”
Opinion: Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument offers a beacon of hope