Great Falls Balloon Festival begins (Video Update)

LEWISTON, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- The 20th annual Great Falls Balloon Festival takes flight this weekend. The first balloons lifted off Friday morning.

The festival runs through Sunday, with balloon launches scheduled every day at 6 AM and 6 PM, weather permitting.

The theme of this year's parade is "Celebrating 20 Years of Flight".
It will be held Saturday at 11am. The one-mile parade route goes from Spring Street at the Auburn Public Library, down Court Street across the Longley Bridge, onto Lincoln Street.

The main launch site for the festival is Simard-Payne Memorial Park (formerly Railroad Park), off Oxford Street in Lewiston.

From Points North
Take the Maine Turnpike (I-95) to Exit 80, Lewiston. At the light, turn left and follow ME-196 W/Lisbon Street downtown (about 2.5 mi.). At the intersection of Lisbon Street and Main, turn left. At the next light, turn left onto Lincoln Street. Simard-Payne Memorial Park is located off Oxford Street, one block over from Lincoln.

From Points South
Take the Maine Turnpike (I-95) to Exit 75, Auburn. At the light, turn left and follow US-202/ME-4/ME-100/Auburn (Washington Street and Minot Avenue) for about 4.75 mi., to the intersection with Court Street. Turn right onto Court Street. Cross the bridge into Lewiston. Take the first right onto Lincoln Street. Simard-Payne Memorial Park is located off Oxford Street, one block over from Lincoln.


View Larger Map

Moose viewing hotspots added to NH itineraries

LANCASTER, N.H. (AP) — An organization that promotes northern New Hampshire activities has added a new moose viewing itinerary to its website.

Highlighted roadways for viewing are in Pittsburg, Errol, Gorham, Twin Mountain and Bretton Woods.

The New Hampshire Grand site advises when to set out to see moose and what environments best attract them. It also has information on the 21st annual North Country Moose Festival taking place Aug. 24-26 in Colebrook and the neighboring towns of Pittsburg, West Stewartstown and Errol in New Hampshire, and just across the Connecticut River in Canaan, Vt.

The itinerary can be found on http://www.nhgrand.com.

Hunter's Specialties Moose Call Buy new: $31.99 Usually ships in 24 hours

Maine TV game wardens to appear at state game park

GRAY, Maine (AP) — Some of the Maine game wardens featured on the Animal Planet TV show North Woods Law will meet with the public this week at the Maine Wildlife Park in Gray.

State game officials say the event will take place Thursday afternoon. Officials have received a lot of requests for the event from parents of children who watch the Discovery cable TV program.

Visitors will have the chance to meet several of the featured game wardens and a couple of their K9s to learn more about them and their job.

There will be special items for children as well as the opportunity to get autographs and photographs with the wardens.

There is no extra fee for this event, but regular park admission will apply.

Animal Planet Retractable 16-Foot Pet Leash and Flashlight Buy new: $12.99 / Used from: $9.62 Usually ships in 24 hours

Maine Turnpike toll increase is approved eff. Nov. 1

PORTLAND, Maine — Motorists traveling the full length of the Maine Turnpike will pay 40 percent more, with cash increases of 50 cents to a dollar at three toll plazas, under a plan approved Thursday by the turnpike's board.

The plan, effective Nov. 1, increases cash tolls by $1 at the York toll plaza and by 50 cents at toll plazas in West Gardiner and New Gloucester. Also, there are 50-cent increases for northbound traffic entering in Wells and southbound traffic entering in Gray. Maine E-ZPass rates will increase 1 cent per mile.

Under the new rates, the cost of traveling the entire turnpike from York to Augusta will increase from $5 to $7.

The president of the Maine Motor Transport Association said he was confident that the toll increase was necessary.


The rate increase will bring in an additional $21.1 million in annual revenue, helping to cover the turnpike's operating budget, maintenance and long-term debt service.

Director Peter Mills said that even with the increase, the Maine Turnpike remains among the bottom 20 percent among U.S. toll roads for cost. And it seems inexpensive compared to $12 to get under the Hudson River in New York and a proposed $14 toll for a new Tappan Zee Bridge outside New York.

"You're still getting a bargain for driving 109 miles in Maine," he said.

Critics pointed to inequities of Maine's toll system, where motorists can pay vastly different rates per mile depending on where they get on and off the highway.

Turnpike officials say E-ZPass electronic payments are more equitable because they're billed per mile up, allowing for potential savings over flat rates paid at toll plazas.

The board on Thursday directed the turnpike to take steps to make it easier for Maine motorists to participate in the electronic tolling system, which is in use in 14 states.

Already, the turnpike has reduced the cost of the transponder device from $25 to $10. And the turnpike is considering selling transponders at AAA branches and allowing online activation instead of the current system of mailing in E-ZPass applications to the turnpike headquarters, Mills said.

Mills predicted that within 10 to 20 years the Maine Turnpike will exclusively use electronic tolling. At present, 62 percent of Maine Turnpike revenues come from E-ZPass users; of that total 38 percent comes from Maine motorists and 24 percent comes from out-of-staters, he said.

The last toll increase was in February 2009. When the new toll rates go into effect, the cash cost for drivers will be $3 in York, $2.25 in New Gloucester and $1.75 in West Gardiner. Tolls will increase to $1.50 for northbound traffic entering in Wells and southbound traffic entering in Gray.

FULL STORY: CBS News http://ow.ly/d31jf

EZ-Pass Clip Electronic Toll Tag Holder for E-ZPass / i-Zoom / i-Pass - BLACK Buy new: $5.19 Usually ships in 1-2 business days

2012-2013 N.H. WATERFOWL HUNTING SEASONS SET

CONCORD, N.H. -- The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department has set final season dates and bag limits for the 2012-2013 waterfowl hunting season. After considering comments from sportsmen at the August public meeting, New Hampshire’s proposed waterfowl season is much like last year’s, with a 60-day duck season with a 6-bird daily limit, and a 60-day Canada goose season with a 2-bird daily limit.

Fish and Game will continue split seasons for both ducks and Canada geese in the inland and coastal zones to allow early and late hunting opportunities. This year, there will also be a straight season in the new Northern Zone, where marshes and ponds tend to freeze over earlier than in areas south of the White Mountains. A map of the state's waterfowl zones can be viewed at http://www.huntnh.com/Hunting/Hunt_species/hunt_waterfowl.htm.

Following are the seasons for each zone:

    * The Inland Zone waterfowl season will open on October 2 and run through November 4; then reopen November 21 through December 16, 2012.

    * The Coastal Zone waterfowl season will open on October 3 and run through October 14; then reopen November 21 through January 7, 2013.

    * The Northern Zone waterfowl season will open on October 2 and run straight through November 30, 2012.

To hunt waterfowl in New Hampshire, you must have a New Hampshire hunting license, a New Hampshire Migratory Waterfowl License and a federal duck stamp. You also are required by federal law to register for the National Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program (HIP). Separate HIP permits are needed in each state you hunt. Licensed hunters should call 1-800-207-6183, or go to http://www.huntnh.com and click on "Buy a License Online"; you can receive a permit number at this site (there is no charge). Write the permit number on your hunting license. Each year, a random selection of hunters is asked to complete a voluntary harvest survey.

Hunters are asked to report all banded birds using the toll-free phone number, 1-800-327-BAND or go to http://www.reportband.gov.

For more information on waterfowl hunting in New Hampshire, visit http://www.huntnh.com/Hunting/Hunt_species/hunt_waterfowl.htm.