Hallowell

In the past year, three cafes have opened its doors serving up handcrafted baked goods, from pastries to crepes.

Croissants take five hours: Make the dough, rest it, laminate it, rest it, form it, proof it. “Then you bake it — and voilá.”

An investor with an interest in Hallowell’s downtown picked up his fifth property. “Like Portland, you can walk out the door and go wherever you want. Hallowell has a similar vibe," he said.

At just under six square miles and with a population of barely 2,600, Hallowell is one of Maine’s smallest cities. But along its busy downtown district that hugs the Kennebec River, small is not Hallowell’s vibe.

Downtown revitalization and development are at the heart of the resurgence of some central Maine cities.

There are a number of neighborhoods being built around the state which represent a twist on the condominium concept; where homeowners share the development’s property — but not walls — with neighbors. Residents enjoy the convenience of a traditional HOA, with a bit more privacy.

Previously, scientists plunged in with dive equipment and recording devices — a time consuming and labor-intensive process.

Carl Wilson has been a fisheries scientist and lead lobster biologist at the department for 26 years. The nomination goes to the Legislature for consideration.

Patrick Keliher, who was appointed to lead DMR in 2012, will retire on March 14.

Energy provider Electricity Maine will have to refund about 20,000 customers and pay a $315,000 fine for what state regulators have called “unfair billing practices.”