Family fun in the sun shines bright this summer with kids’ half-price whitewater rafting on Maine's Kennebec and Penobscot Rivers with Northern Outdoors - Maine's premier Adventure Resort

BREWER - The Downeast Chapter of National Active and Retired Federal Employees will kick off its 2008-09 season Wednesday, Sept. 17, with a lunch at 11:30 a.m. at the Weathervane Restaurant in Brewer. Penobscot Nation historian James Francis will speak about the Penobscot tribe at the event.

By JOHN HOLYOKE On Tuesday, the news many had expected finally arrived: Federal agencies are moving forward with a plan to expand the protection of Gulf of Maine Atlantic salmon by including fish in the Kennebec, Androscoggin and Penobscot rivers under an endangered species listing.

By KEVIN MILLER; OF THE NEWS STAFF Federal agencies have proposed designating Atlantic salmon in the Penobscot, Kennebec and Androscoggin rivers as endangered species, raising the possibility of another battle between U.S. and state officials over the beloved sportfish.

By John Richardson Atlantic salmon is one of Maine's true hard-luck species. Rivers that once were filled with tens of thousands of the majestic fish each summer have seen the numbers steadily decline to, in some cases, 10 or 20 fish.