Verso Paper mill in Bucksport ends last shift

BUCKSPORT, MAINE -- 12/17/2014 -- Lexi Pelkey, 6, holds a "We believe in Bucksport" sign while waiting for Verso Paper mill workers to leave the mill one last time Wednesday in Bucksport. Bucksport officials and residents organized a rally for workers of the Verso mill. Wednesday marked the last shift at the 84-year old mill. Ashley L. Conti | BDN

BUCKSPORT, MAINE -- 12/17/2014 -- Verso Paper mill workers line up to leave the mill one last time Wednesday in Bucksport. Bucksport officials and residents organized a rally for workers of the Verso mill. Wednesday marked the last shift at the 84-year old mill. Ashley L. Conti | BDN

BUCKSPORT, MAINE -- 12/17/2014 -- Verso Paper mill workers leave the mill one last time Wednesday in Bucksport. Bucksport officials and residents organized a rally for workers of the Verso mill. Wednesday marked the last shift at the 84-year old mill. Ashley L. Conti | BDN

BUCKSPORT, MAINE -- 12/17/2014 -- Bucksport residents become emotional as Verso Paper mill workers leave the mill one last time Wednesday in Bucksport. Bucksport officials and residents organized a rally for workers of the Verso mill. Wednesday marked the last shift at the 84-year old mill. Ashley L. Conti | BDN

BUCKSPORT, MAINE -- 12/17/2014 -- Verso Paper mill workers leave the mill one last time Wednesday in Bucksport. Bucksport officials and residents organized a rally for workers of the Verso mill. Wednesday marked the last shift at the 84-year old mill. Ashley L. Conti | BDN

BUCKSPORT, MAINE -- 12/17/2014 -- A women holds a sign while waiting for Verso Paper mill workers to leave the mill one last time Wednesday in Bucksport. Bucksport officials and residents organized a rally for workers of the Verso mill. Wednesday marked the last shift at the 84-year old mill. Ashley L. Conti | BDN

BUCKSPORT, MAINE -- 12/17/2014 -- Verso Paper mill workers leave the mill one last time Wednesday in Bucksport. Bucksport officials and residents organized a rally for workers of the Verso mill. Wednesday marked the last shift at the 84-year old mill. Ashley L. Conti | BDN

BUCKSPORT, MAINE -- 12/17/2014 -- Verso Paper mill workers leave the mill one last time Wednesday in Bucksport. Bucksport officials and residents organized a rally for workers of the Verso mill. Wednesday marked the last shift at the 84-year old mill. Ashley L. Conti | BDN

December Work

BELFAST, MAINE -- 12/04/2014 -- Belfast Curling Club members sweep the ice to help curl their rock during a league game at the Belfast Curling Club in Belfast Thursday.  Ashley L. Conti | BDN

BREWER, MAINE -- 12/31/2014 -- The street is reflected in to an empty Dave's Barber Wednesday in Brewer. David Grant died Monday from injuries after being struck by a vehicle while walking to work on the morning of Dec. 20. Ashley L. Conti | BDN

CORINTH, MAINE -- 12/27/2014 -- Central's Emma Campbell tries to steal the ball from Hermon's Kaite Corey (blue) during their basketball game at Central in Corinth Saturday. Ashley L. Conti | BDN

NEWBURGH, MAINE -- 12/11/2014 -- Piper Mountain Christmas Trees owner Jim Corlissin works to make garland while Maria Kingsbury begins to decorate a wreath Thursday at their shop in Newburgh. Piper Mt. Farm has been a Christmas tree destination for 25 years and is steeped with Christmas tradition. Ashley L. Conti | BDN

NEWBURGH, MAINE -- 12/11/2014 -- Piper Mountain Christmas Trees' Troy Oliver (left) lowers a freshly cut Balsam Fir into a device for Greg Havens to bur a hole into the bottom Thursday in Newburgh. Piper Mt. Farm has been a Christmas tree destination for 25 years and is steeped with Christmas tradition. Ashley L. Conti | BDN

DEER ISLE, MAINE -- 12/07/2014 -- The sun sets in Deer Isle Sunday. Ashley L. Conti | BDN

HERMON, MAINE -- 12/19/2014 -- Hermon's Tyler Beaton (left) is fouled by Central's Kyle Ham during their basketball game at Hermon Friday.. Ashley L. Conti | BDN

ORLAND, MAINE -- 12/20/2014 -- Aria Tapman, 6, plays with one of her cats in her family's itty bitty home in Orland Saturday. Jen Jacques and her daughters are spending their first official Christmas in the old garage turned home. Ashley L. Conti | BDN

ORLAND, MAINE -- 12/20/2014 -- Jen Jacques (right) helps put her daughter's, Asha Kirkland, 13, hair into pigtails while her other daughter, Aria Tapman, 6, watches in their itty bitty home in Orland Saturday. The family will spend their first official Christmas in the old garage turned home. Ashley L. Conti | BDN

BANGOR, MAINE -- 12/05/2014 -- Pearl Harbor survivor Chief radioman Robert P. Coles Jr., of the US Navy, listens to speeches during a commemoration of Pearl Harbor on the pedestrian bridge over the Kenduskeag in Bangor.  Ashley L. Conti | BDN

BANGOR, MAINE -- 12/03/2014 -- University of Maine's Aaron Calixte (second from left) goes up for two past Wagner's Romone Saunders (left) during their basketball game Tuesday at Cross Insurance Center in Bangor. Ashley L. Conti | BDN

DEER ISLE, MAINE -- 12/07/2014 -- Brandon Higgins' mother, Louanne Higgins, looks to the sky while remembering her son during a memorial Sunday at Deer Isle-Stonington High School in Deer Isle. Higgins recently passed away from a four year battle with brain cancer. Ashley L. Conti | BDN

DEER ISLE, MAINE -- 12/07/2014 -- Pallbearers load Brandon Higgins' coffin into the hearse following  a memorial for Brandon Higgins Sunday at Deer Isle-Stonington High School in Deer Isle. Higgins recently passed away from a four year battle with brain cancer. Ashley L. Conti | BDN

GARLAND, MAINE -- 12/21/2014 -- Maine State police and funeral employees remove the bodies of a women and her two children from their home on Paul Road in Garland Sunday. Ashley L. Conti | BDN

GARLAND, MAINE -- 12/21/2014 -- A Maine State police officer moves the yellow tape to allow funeral worker to collect the bodies of a woman and her two children at the scene of suspicious deaths on Paul Road in Garland Sunday. Ashley L. Conti | BDN