Airport Service
(Trenton) – Just what airline will serve the Hancock County airport in Trenton this coming summer remains an unsettled question. The Ellsworth American reports County Commissioners favored offering the seasonal air carrier contract to Silver Airlines, but that company’s bid was contingent on it winning service to Plattsburgh New York and Presque Isle. Pen Air had served the airport and it bid for a renewal. It also served Plattsburgh and Presque Isle but appears to have lost those bids.
Weston – Ethics
(Bangor) – A Bangor city councilor did not violate conflict of interest rules when he voted in favor of funding an agency for whom his company does business. The city’s ethics panel made the ruling yesterday. Cary Weston runs a marketing firm and failed to disclose his ties to the Greater Bangor Convention and Visitors Bureau. His company supplies website services for the bureau. The Bangor Daily News reports it took just 15-minutes for the ethics panel to rule there was no violation in its first ever investigation into allegations of city councilor misconduct.
Fairfield Standoff
(Fairfield) – A 33-year old Fairfield man went to jail after a standoff in his home town following an assault. Police shut down West Street for more than 6-hours yesterday as they tried to get Kenneth Ruggerio to come out of the home. They’d received a complaint about an assault at the home. Ruggerio gave up at about 5:30 last evening and police took him to jail.
Manslaughter-Guilty
(Rockland) – Jurors convicted a Tennessee truck driver on two manslaughter counts along with several other crimes after a May 2016 crash that killed two people. Village Soup dot-com reports 55-year old Randall Weddle will be sentenced later. Weddle was under the influence and behind the wheel of a logging truck when he crashed into several cars on Route 17 in Washington, killing 74-year old Paul Fowles of Owl’s Head and 45-year old Christina Torres-York of Warren.
Boating Rescue
(Eastport) – The Coast Guard rescued 4-people from chilly waters off Eastport yesterday after their 14-foot skiff capsized. A 5th person in the boat swam to shore, and a person on land called 9-1-1 to report the incident at about 2-o’clock yesterday afternoon. The Eastport Coast Guard station launched a 29-foot response boat which was joined by a 45-foot boat that was quickly on scene. They found one person on top of the overturned skiff, two men and one woman in the water holding onto it. None of them wore life jackets or dry suits, and the Coast Guard tells Star 97.7 they got them to an ambulance quickly for hypothermia treatment.
Salmon Farm
(Belfast) A Norwegian aquaculture company plans to set up shop in Belfast, creating as many as 60 jobs. Nordic Aquafarms executive Eric Heim made the announcement Tuesday about the land-based salmon farm. Belfast mayor Samantha Paradise tells Star 977 the multi-million dollar investment will be located at the water district property on the border of Northport. Paradise says an informational session will be held in the coming weeks to get the public up to speed on the project.
Pot Conspiracy
(Bangor) – When drug agents raided a sophisticated marijuana growing operation in Frankfort more than a year and a half ago, they were told it was growing medical marijuana. Trouble was, no one had a medical marijuana caregiver registration with the states. They seized more than 400-plants and lots of paraphernalia from the facility and charged, among others, Nicholas Reynolds. The 33-year old entered a guilty plea in Federal Court this week. The US Attorney’s office tells Star 97.7 that Reynolds faces up to 20-years in prison and a million dollar fine.
Teen Suicide
(Yarmouth) State police investigating the death of a 13-year-old Yarmouth girl say they suspect suicide. It’s protocol for state police to investigate the death of anyone 17-years or younger. The victim is Emma Daley, a 7th grader at Harrison Middle School in Yarmouth. She was found unresponsive at her home by family members Monday evening. She was rushed to Maine Medical Center in Portland where she died shortly after arrival. If you or anyone you know is battling depression or has thoughts of suicide, help is available by calling the Maine Crisis Hotline or by dialing 2-1-1.
Recreational Pot Delay
(Augusta) Republican House Leader Ken Fredette is calling for a delay on recreational pot sales in Maine until next year. The ban on pot sales technically lifts this Thursday, but the state hasn’t set up a way for marijuana retailers to get the needed licenses. Maine voters approved a law legalizing recreational marijuana for adult use in 2016. But while possession and use of pot is legal, sales have remained illegal as lawmakers try to overhaul the voter-approved law and spur the regulatory process.
Sports
Star 97-7 Sports….
- Anaheim Ducks 3 Boston Bruins 1
- Rob Gronkowski says he expects to play in Sunday’s Super Bowl
High School Basketball
Boys
Bangor 56 Brewer 50
Orono 73, John Bapst Memorial 42
Oceanside (Coop) 80, Belfast Area 54
Hampden Academy 56, Medomak Valley 39
Girls
Brewer 61, Bangor 42
Hampden Academy 56, Medomak Valley 39
Orono 43, John Bapst Memorial 34
