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 10, 2021

Boys & Girls Clubs of Kennebec Valley celebrates project milestone

The final beam of the new Boys & Girls Clubs of Kennebec Valley building bearing the signatures of donors, staff, club kids, families and community members will be placed Wednesday.
Published
November 9, 2021

Gardiner’s Johnson Hall meets fundraising challenge, closes in on $5.5 million goal

A fundraising challenge to renovate the upper theater at the historic opera house in Gardiner is within 90% of its $5.5 million goal.
Published
November 7, 2021

Plan for downtown Gardiner’s future nears completion

Draft of Heart of Gardiner plan includes range of recommendations, including enhancing the entrances to downtown Gardiner and redesigning Arcade parking lot.
Published
November 6, 2021

For central Maine entertainment venues, the show must go on … with precautions

While concert halls and theaters are ready to welcome back both performers and audiences, the continuing COVID-19 pandemic continues to be a challenge.
Published
November 5, 2021

CDC investigates second outbreak at Augusta rehab facility

Sixteen cases have been reported among the facility’s residents, and 11 cases have been reported among staff, Robert Long, spokesman for the CDC, said.
Published
November 2, 2021

Augusta-area voters turn out in steady stream to weigh in on Question 1, local races

While several communities had local races on their ballots, most people turned out to vote on Question 1, a referendum question about the New England Clean Energy Connect corridor.
Published
November 2, 2021

Large weathervane among key early tests for new Kennebec County administrator

Scott Ferguson started work as the new county administrator this week, attending his first meeting Tuesday of the county commissioners who puzzled over what to do with a large weathervane at the facilities office.
Published
November 1, 2021

No record for Augusta Halloween mask event, but organizers excited by new city tradition

Organizers say they will try for another record next year, as they build on the city’s reputation as the capital of Halloween in the region.
Published
October 31, 2021

Committee seeks comments for Gardiner downtown master plan proposal

The project is expected to outline goals for making downtown Gardiner a vibrant and sustainable neighborhood. The public will have a chance to review the final draft starting Thursday.
Published
October 28, 2021

With controlled burn permits now free in Maine from all sources, creators of pioneering online services feel vindicated

Law that went into effect earlier this month to make state-issued online burn permits free of charge will not change what one private online service based in West Gardiner has been doing in allowing towns to issue free online permits for nearly a decade.