When Colton Sweeney was looking for work back in the early 2000s, what he found at York County Jail was stability, and a tight-knit work family. Now Sweeney, 48, who began his career at the county jail in Alfred as a reserve correctional officer in 2002, became fulltime in 2003, and has worked his way through the ranks, is now a captain.

While people drive by the 1806 York County Court House in Alfred every day, many may have never been inside, and fewer still may know how much history lives in this county-owned building.

Dredging operations and associated work to repair coastal dune devastation stemming from a pair of voracious storms in January 2024 are to begin sometime in November.

The Maine Sheriff’s Association Summer Retreat was hosted by the York County Sheriff’s Office. Attendees heard a number of presentations and spent time networking with each other. York County Sheriff William L. King said Sen Susan Collins was enthusiastic in her acceptance of the invitation to speak at the MSA event. “I am very pleased that Senator Collins took the time to meet with us,” said King. “She has always been a great ally to law enforcement."

York County Commissioners approved the hiring of correctional officers and other county personnel at their Sept 3 meeting, voted on a bid for six vehicles at York County Sheriff’s Office and heard a positive update on the York County Jail food services and commissary contracts.

“York County has a county-wide mutual aid agreement,” Clements said. “We all need to train together so we can operate together when a critical incident happens anywhere in the county. The training center will provide uniform training for all of us. This facility is exactly what we need in York County.”

The woods, fields and lawns in York County and beyond are far too dry, prompting fire officials in many of the 29 county municipalities to institute a burn ban. The fire danger in York County remains in the ‘very high,’ category on the scale, York County fire and emergency management officials say. The next category is ‘extreme.’

York County Commissioners recently approved a new food service vendor and a new commissary vendor for York County Jail, agreed to take part in two proposed opioid settlements that could result in about $600,000 coming into the county coffers, and made several hiring decisions.

York County’s $28.6 million budget for the fiscal year that began July 1 is now in effect following a unanimous July 2 vote to ratify by York County Commissioners. The York County Budget Committee voted 5-4 in favor of passage in a June vote.

Cindy Sanborn had been a stay-at-home parent and a foster mom. Over time, she began looking for a change. She applied for a job as a corrections officer at York County Jail 25 years ago after a family friend who worked there thought she’d be a good fit. As it turns out, she was indeed a good fit. And earlier this month Sanborn was promoted to Lieutenant of the Classifications department.

Students completing the 240 hour firefighter 1 and 2 courses learned search and rescue techniques, firefighter health and safety, fire behavior, personal protective equipment, forcible entry, fire attack, ground ladder operations, ropes and knots, hose advancement, ventilation, use of tools and appliances and more.

York County volunteer CERT members are trained to help others following emergencies until professional responders arrive, to assist with basic first aid, traffic control, search and rescue operations, operating a shelter during an emergency, animal shelter, and more! The next CERT Basic Training is planned for late summer or early fall. Watch for for an announcement on York County Emergency Management Agency (YCEMA) to join the Community Emergency Response Team.

Bob Sirois of Shapleigh,  a volunteer driver at First County Food Pantry in Alfred, was helping fill the bins after a run to pick up food donations on a recent Wednesday. The food pantry is looking for additional volunteer drivers; those interested may call coordinator Rob Boyd at 207-289-9668.

Ensuring emergency medical professionals have top-notch in-depth training in childbirth is essential and will be among an array of EMS courses available at the new First Responder Regional Training Center, on track to open early in 2026. In all, the training center will offer programs for law enforcement including police, corrections and dispatching, and for firefighters and emergency medical providers.

Waving youngsters greeted the convoy of York County Sheriff’s Office cruisers as deputies drove past Shapleigh Memorial School, lights on and sirens blaring. Further down the road, at Shapleigh Fire and Rescue, lights were flashing on all apparatus parked outside, and all available personnel cheered as the cruisers passed by. Inside one of the cruisers was Detective Tom Searway, who just completed 15 years with YCSO, the last five as detective, retiring that day,

When a group of emergency management officials from more than 7,000 miles across the world was looking to see how their counterparts in the United States went about the business of managing weather emergencies and other disasters, one of four agencies they visited was York County Emergency Management Agency.

York County Emergency Management Agency’s Text Alert System is active for summer 2025. The public safety initiative is available at four of Maine's coastal towns: Old Orchard Beach, Wells, Ogunquit, and most recently, York. Launched in 2024, the text alert system provides visitors and residents with immediate notifications about beach safety concerns, such as missing children, severe weather events, and potential ocean hazards.

York County residents can weigh in on the proposed $28.6 million York County government budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1 at a public hearing set for 6 p.m. June 4 at the York County Government building, 149 Jordan Springs Road (Route 4), in Alfred, the county seat.

The York County Budget Committee begins their review of the proposed $28.4 million county budget on May 7. The sessions commence at 6 p.m. in the commissioner’s meeting room of the government office building at 149 Jordan Springs Road, Alfred, and the public is welcome.

York County Emergency Management Agency Open House, complete with live demonstrations and more, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 26 at York County Emergency Management Agency, 149 Jordan Spring Road in Alfred.