20 May WCME Midcoast News May 20, 2015

The Natives Are Restless

In Freeport, there are some unhappy residents on the western edge of the town near I-295, where state transportation crews have been cutting trees, saying that it’s necessary for safety reasons, so that the trees won’t get in the way of the sun in the winter and ice won’t form on the road. But the residents note that the trees provided a buffer against noise from the highway as well as other environmental protection, and they’ve expressed their frustration to the town council.

Good Fortune in Bath

Retired obstetrician Theodore Drake of Bath is two million dollars richer after two weeks ago buying a Powerball lottery ticket at Brackett’s Market on Front Street in Bath. And Drake’s good fortune is having a ripple effect. The market will receive 20 thousand dollars for selling the winning ticket, and Kim and Steve Brackett have announced plans to distribute that money among their employees–each of whom will receive a 350 dollar bonus

Road Repair

Maine legislators are considering various options to pay for repairs to deteriorating roads and bridges, ranging from a possible gas tax increase to a surcharge on electric and hybrid vehicles. One obstacle for the state is the fact that the  revenue stream produced by the gas tax has been hurt by fuel-efficient vehicles using less gas.