Local News
47-Year-Old Bette Reilly Found Dead in Scarborough Pond After Reported Missing
SCARBOROUGH, Maine — A missing Westbrook woman was found dead Sunday afternoon after an extensive search at a pond near Pleasant Hill Road in Scarborough, according to local authorities.
The victim has been identified as Bette Reilly, 47, of Westbrook, who was last seen walking along the edge of a pond before she disappeared.
According to the Scarborough Police Department, officers and firefighters responded at approximately 2:30 p.m. Sunday to the Pleasant Hill Driving Range, located at 132 Pleasant Hill Road, after receiving a report of a missing 47-year-old woman.
Investigators determined that Reilly had last been seen walking along the water’s edge near the pond before she could no longer be located.
As the search intensified, the Maine Warden Service Dive Team was called to assist.
Dive team members searched the pond and located Reilly’s body in approximately nine feet of water.
Despite the recovery efforts, Reilly was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities said Reilly’s body has been transported to the Maine Office of Chief Medical Examiner, where an autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause and manner of death.
Investigators have not released any information indicating what led to Reilly entering the water, and officials have not announced whether foul play is suspected.
The Scarborough Police Department is continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding Reilly’s death in coordination with the Maine Office of Chief Medical Examiner.
Officials said the investigation remains active, and additional information is expected to be released once the medical examiner completes the examination and investigators gather further evidence.
The death of Bette Reilly has left family, friends, and members of both the Westbrook and Scarborough communities mourning her loss as authorities work to determine exactly what happened.
Local News
U.S. Government Nuclear Incident: Savannah River Site Declares Emergency After Laboratory Fire and Reported Radiological Release in South Carolina
AIKEN, S.C. — Emergency response operations were underway at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site near Aiken, South Carolina, on Wednesday evening, October 28, 2026, after a fire at the Savannah River National Laboratory prompted officials to declare a Site Area Emergency and report a radiological release inside the facility.
According to the Savannah River Site (SRS), the emergency was declared at approximately 5:39 p.m. after a fire was reported in a room at the Savannah River National Laboratory. The fire has since been extinguished, and officials said no contamination had been reported outside the affected facility.
An emergency dispatch reportedly described the incident as involving an unfiltered, ground-level radiological release. The full extent and nature of the release have not yet been detailed in the information provided by officials.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reportedly characterized the event as a “U.S. Government Nuclear Incident.” Authorities have not provided further details about the FAA designation in the available information.
As emergency crews responded, employees in areas affected by the incident were instructed to shelter in place as a precaution. Personnel involved in emergency response and shutdown operations were exempt from that instruction, according to the Savannah River Site’s announcement.
Officials also restricted access to the facility. Barricades at site entrances were closed to incoming traffic while response operations continued.
In addition, rail, river and air traffic in the vicinity of the Savannah River Site were being restricted as part of the emergency response.
The restrictions were precautionary measures intended to support response operations while officials assessed the situation.
Despite the reported radiological release inside the laboratory, the Savannah River Site said there was no indication of consequences beyond the facility’s boundaries.
Officials have not reported radioactive contamination outside the affected facility. However, the emergency response and investigation remain ongoing, and further information about the release has not yet been provided.
The distinction is important: a radiological release was reported within the facility, but authorities had not reported that radioactive material had spread beyond the Savannah River Site.
At the time of the reported update, officials had not announced any public evacuation order or other specific protective action for nearby communities.
The South Carolina Emergency Management Division and members of the State Emergency Response Team were coordinating with Savannah River Site officials and standing by to provide support if needed.
The Savannah River Site said it had notified the appropriate state and local government agencies and that its officials were directing the response.
Residents in nearby communities were advised to monitor local radio and television stations for official updates and any instructions issued by state authorities.
Officials said additional information, including further media contact details, would be provided through the site’s public information staff as it became available.
The cause of the laboratory fire, the circumstances surrounding the reported radiological release and the full scope of the incident had not been established in the information available.
Authorities have not reported contamination beyond the affected facility, but the situation remains under review as emergency personnel continue response operations.
Residents should rely on official communications from the Savannah River Site, South Carolina emergency management officials and local authorities for verified updates.