Jessica Lowell

Kennebec Journal

Jessica Lowell covers business and economic development and general news in the Gardiner area. After short but intense aspirations to be an opera singer (age 4) and a deep-sea diver (age 6) her most enduring passion has been telling stories. A University of Maine graduate, she worked for newspapers in New Hampshire, upstate New York and Wyoming, where she has won awards for investigative and explanatory journalism. She’s a fellow of the Knight Center for Specialized Journalism and the Institute for Journalism and Natural Resources. After several years out of journalism, she returned to Maine and to writing, where she spends her free time enjoying both trees and the ocean, two commodities that Wyoming lacks.

Latest

Published
November 14, 2022

Boil-water order issued for Augusta neighborhood after water pipe breaks

The Greater Augusta Utility District issued a boil-water order Monday evening for residents of sections of Haskell, Cony and Malta streets after a water pipe broke as district employees were trying to fix it.
Published
November 14, 2022

Organizers launch final fundraising push for Gardiner fountain

About $150,000 has been raised so far to fund repairs to the historic fountain, erected as a monument to Gardiner native Gideon S. Palmer, a volunteer regimental surgeon in the Civil War.
Published
November 13, 2022

Renovations expose bones and secrets of Maine’s oldest opera house

Now that the long-anticipated renovation of the Johnson Hall Performing Arts Center in Gardiner is underway, the work is revealing the building’s history.
Published
November 11, 2022

Augusta’s Olde Federal Building may be redeveloped into luxury apartments with rooftop bar

The historic building, built more than 130 years ago to house federal offices and a courthouse, would also feature retail space under a proposal that the Augusta Planning Board is scheduled to review at its meeting Tuesday.
Published
November 9, 2022

Matthew Boucher wins Kennebec County register of deeds race

Mathew Boucher, a small business owner and graphic artist, will assume full-time duties at the register of deeds office in January after defeating incumbent register Diane Wilson, who has worked in the deeds office for 25 years.
Published
November 9, 2022

Kennebec County elects first Republican commissioner in over 30 years

Joseph Pietroski Jr. narrowly defeated Democrat Charlotte Warren in the race for the District 2 Kennebec County commissioner seat.
Published
November 3, 2022

Work on Gardiner facilities plan set to begin this month

Gardiner officials are planning to take a look at the age and condition of existing city facilities and assess their needs for coming years as part of a facility planning process that gets underway this month.
Published
October 30, 2022

United Way of Kennebec Valley to line up giving with community Impact2032 goals

Impact2032 is to shape the United Way of Kennebec Valley’s community investment grant decisions that are to be made once this year’s fundraising campaign, with a $2 million goal, is completed.
Published
October 27, 2022

Two candidates vie to become Kennebec County register of deeds

Incumbent Democrat C. Diane Wilson and Republican Matthew Boucher are running for register of deeds, which oversees maintaining and preserving the documents recorded at the registry, including mortgages, deeds and plans.
Published
October 26, 2022

Fire at Richmond mobile home causes minor damage

A fire that was apparently started by a lit candle that either tipped over or was knocked over by a cat caused minor damage to the home at 7 Post Road.