Bangor, Maine News Update: March 22, 2018

Governor Paul LePage wants to raise the salary for the office before the next governor is elected. He says the 70 thousand dollars Maine pays now isn’t enough to attract the best talent, so he’s proposing a raise to 150 thousand dollars a year, which would move it from the lowest in the nation to the middle of the pack. The raise wouldn’t affect Lepage, who is unable to seek re-election.

It’s okay to shake hands at mass again, since the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland has lifted its flu-season protocols. In January, church officials decided suspend the sharing of consecrated wine, and discourage the shaking or holding of hands. Even though the protocols are lifted, they encourage folks to use their own best judgement.

A Recovery Resource Fair this Friday in Machias will offer information to local residents about the services available to them in Washington County as they navigate their journey through recovery from substance use disorder. The event being held from noon to 6 at the University of Maine at Machias will also provide information about medical care, employment assistance and financial services.

Big changes could be coming to Bangor’s waterfront pavilion as concert officials have presented the city with a plan to improve the venue. The changes would be bigger, with more amenities and a more permanent structure, plus the city plans to install sewer lines for better bathrooms. Officials say this summer’s concert-goers will enjoy upgrades to the concession area and a more streamlined security process.

Some folks in St John Valley are going for a world record by cutting a giant circle on a frozen lake and turning it into a carousel. Residents of Sinclair have used augers to cut more than a thousand holes in the ice, and chain saws to connect the holes for a carousel that’s 430 feet across.