ELLSWORTH – Bangor Hydro crews were at work Tuesday morning, striving to restore electrical power to the 25,000 customers still in the dark in the wake of the weekend ice storm.
A utility company spokesman said he was hopeful power could be restored to downtown Ellsworth, including Main Street and City Hall, by noon Tuesday.
Ellsworth City Manager Michelle Beal said city officials were making plans to establish a shelter where those without heat or water could take refuge. What is needed, Beal said, is a good-sized building with a sufficient generator to maintain heat in the event of a continued, or renewed, outage.
For the moment, she said, residents in need of a warm space and a working bathroom are welcome to come to City Hall, which is without power but working off a generator. In the event of emergency, individuals with no other resources or family members to take them in can call 667-2133 and the city will provide them with a room.
All state offices in Ellsworth are closed. The police and fire departments are open but working off a generator. Roads are generally passable but police urge drivers to exercise caution, as some spots may still be slick. Also, branches, trees and wires are down throughout the city.
Power has been out at The Ellsworth American since Monday afternoon. The newspaper will be published on Friday, a day later than planned.
Find in-depth coverage of local news in The Ellsworth American. Subscribe digitally or in print.
Stephen Fay
Latest posts by Stephen Fay (see all)
- Former columnist pens pandemic special - March 1, 2021
- Clued in - May 29, 2019
- Franklin man seriously injured in motorcycle crash - May 26, 2019