December 30th, 2020 | by: Stu Marckoon
Drug Sentence
(Bangor) â A confessed drug dealer from Hancock is going to prison for 4-and-a-half years, nearly 2-years after drug agents caught him with a substantial amount of fentanyl. William Smeal pled guilty to drug charges last January. The US Attorneyâs office reports to Star 97.7 that a federal judge sent Smeal to prison and when he gets out, heâll be on probation for another 4-years.  Agents found 40-grams with Smeal when they arrested him in February 2019, and then found 100-more grams when they searched his home. He admitted heâd traveled to Massachusetts earlier in the day to obtain the drugs.
As the 116th Congress comes to a close this December, I would like to congratulate Rep. Jackie Walorski for her electoral success and earning her spot in the 117th Congress.
This new Congress will be essential in the shaping of the future of our country, with a new executive administration and a Senate with slim margins no matter how the results of the Georgia elections turn out. As an Advocacy Corps organizer with the Friends Committee on National Legislation, I am excited to continue working with not only the office of Walorski, but also both Sen. Todd Young and Sen. Mike Braun, to discuss how our current immigration system can be improved in a way that is less punitive towards undocumented immigrants.
Council backs off on limiting street vendorsÂ
ELLSWORTH â Council members approved amendments to three city ordinances and tabled changes to street vendor permit rules at their Dec. 21 meeting.
The changes proposed to the License and Permits Ordinance would raise the permit fee for street vendors selling food and other merchandise on public property from a $10 flat fee to $110 for 30 consecutive or non-consecutive days, but the discussion raised concerns among councilors.
âThat could cover Girl Scout cookie [sales],â Councilor Michelle Kaplan said, along with door-to-door sales. âWhat about the Snap-on Tool guy? The Schwanâs [Home Delivery] guy?â
And Chairman Dale Hamilton pointed out, âThis doesnât distinguish between when someone sold for one Saturday versus the entire summer. One day is less impactful than somebody whoâs going to do it every single weekday.â
City manager negotiations move forward
ELLSWORTH Negotiations to hire Interim City Manager Glenn Moshier in a dual role combining the police chief and city manager positions is moving forward, City Council Chairman Dale Hamilton said on Dec. 29.
“We’re still negotiating, there’s no final decision on how the position will be structured,” Hamilton said, noting there wasn’t “much in the way of new information.”
The new ad hoc group Citizens Acting for a Responsible Ellsworth would still like to hear more, calling for more transparency.
“The complaint is strictly over the process,” said group member Jon Stein, co-owner of Fogtown Brewing Co. and vice president of Heart of Ellsworth’s board of directors. “I think as a city manager [Moshier] would have great communication and move the city in the right direction.” But, he added, Moshier’s qualifications don’t necessarily match those of a city manager and the council “sidestepped” the application proces
Dec. 24—The Ellsworth City Council has changed its plans for recruiting a new city manager after a previous finalist withdrew from consideration. The council is now negotiating with interim manager