According to a Portland Press Herald story in the Dec. 30 edition, the sale of that paper and the other holdings of the Blethen Maine Newspapers has been delayed until early 2009.

Blethen and Maine Media

Puppies are cute. Babies are cute (or so I’m told). Disney movies ooze cuteness from every pixel.

But I’ve never heard a state fair described as cute. Until now.

James Kopel, a retired college professor from Moline, Ill., thinks the Fryeburg Fair is “one of the cutest state fairs you’ve ever seen.”

Kopel has spent the past 11 years traveling to 41 official and 11 unofficial state

Layoff lowdown: Here’s the first sentence from a front-page, top-of-the-fold story in the Bangor Daily News of Dec. 24: “Contrary to some rumors, Cianbro’s Eastern Manufacturing Facility is not laying

I was faced with a classic dilemma: Should I start this week’s news rehash with the chicken story or the egg story?

I was leaning toward the eggs, because they go better with both hash and rehash, but that was before I discovered meatier fare. Or, possibly, milkier fare.

A cow in Brooks is not only the oldest of her species in Maine, but may be the senior heifer in the entire United States.

Apparently,

Shutdown shuffle: Both the Maine Public Broadcasting Network and its legislative critics appear to be engaging in a carefully choreographed public-relations production designed to score some extra state cash for MPBN.

On Dec. 18, the network announced that due to budget problems,

More – or less – than it seems: For the past two years, Maine Public Broadcasting Network’s expenses have been greater than its revenues. At least on paper. A chart published

Winning the battles of muscle, mental prowess and manipulation required of contestants on the TV show “Survivor” is probably the single greatest accomplishment a human being can achieve.

Well, except for winning “American Idol.”

But triumphing on “Survivor” while wearing a bow tie – that’s something extra special. Like accepting the Nobel Peace Prize dressed in your boxer shorts with little hearts on them.

Seriously, everyone in

The PolitickerME.com Web site is shutting down. An announcement from Politicker’s only full-time reporter, Jessica Alaimo, was posted on the site shortly after 1 p.m. today.

According to that brief

Fewer flacks: Since the early 1990s, the number of official spokespeople at the State House has increased sharply. The speaker of the House, the president of the Senate, the attorney general, the secretary of state, majority offices, minority offices, even the Public Utilities Commission

I am by nature an optimistic person. I don’t think the sky is falling. I don’t believe the apocalypse is upon us. I’m not locking myself in the fallout shelter with 10 years supply of canned goods, several loaded guns and a cook book called “1001 Delicious Ways to Serve Cockroach.”

Yet.

It’s true the economic news of this past week has been on the grim side. But just today, I spotted a hopeful sign. According to a story in the Bangor Daily News,

Doug’s other discovery: Doug Rafferty, a feature reporter and former anchor at WGME-TV in Portland, is appearing in a promotional spot on the station for a 30-minute program about what a news release

Bland is better? Every daily paper in the state ran some kind of story in the last week or so on the three candidates running for Maine attorney general. Some of the pieces did a little digging – Mal Leary of

The Maine Turnpike’s new rest area in West Gardiner has all the usual amenities for travelers: food, beverages, crafts, artwork and – getouttamywayIgottago – restrooms.

One problem. To use the facilities, drivers have to exit the highway. That means that after relieving themselves, they’re required to go through a toll booth to continue their trips on the pike.

Not to worry.

Deadline looms: According to a Nov. 29 posting by Thomas Cushing Munjoy, the mysterious masked marauder of the Maine media, the Seattle Times Co. has until Dec. 27 to complete a deal to sell the Blethen Maine Newspapers to Maine