Ellsworth Flooding
(Ellsworth) – The company that regulates the water levels around the Union River lakes in Ellsworth says a faulty sensor led to flooding in the past week. Brookfield Energy tells the Ellsworth American they monitor water levels at a central office out of state, and the sensor did not pick up that water in Leonard’s Lake was high last week. They got calls though, especially when Shore Road in Ellsworth flooded. Turned out the water was a foot higher than allowed by federal licenses. They had to release water over the Union River dam, creating quite a high river downstream.
Old Town Mill
(Old Town) – The Old Town mill complex that formerly housed the Diamond, International mill has new owners, again. OTM Holdings purchased the land and buildings along the Penobscot River just outside of Downtown Old Town. WVII-TV reports the company plans to utilize the facility to take scrap wood waste and turn it into fuel and engineered wood products. It has been many years since the former mill made paper. The University of Maine utilizes part of the complex for its Forest Products Biotech Institute.
Counterfeit Bill
(Stockton Springs) – Federal authorities are investigating a fake $100-dollar bill that turned up in Waldo County. Police have charged 28-year old Adam Damon of Stockton Springs with passing the counterfeit bill at a local convenience store, using it to buy various small ticket items. The Pen Bay Pilot reports Damon denies knowing the bill was a phony.
Retail Pot Sales Vote
(Augusta) The moratorium on retail marijuana sales established by the Legislature last year expires today. Representative Louis Luchini says the current bill that could potentially go into effect today has issues, including not protecting motorists enough from impaired driving or preventing marketing toward children. Luchini says lawmakers need more time to make it right. Regardless of which way the vote goes today, Governor Paul LePage has 10 days to either sign or veto the extension on the moratorium bill.
Murder Charge
(Kansas) – A Bucksport man is accused in the shooting death of a man in Kansas last summer. WABI-TV reports Robert Colson is charged with second-degree murder, theft and burglary. Colson allegedly shot Matthew Schoshke to death in his Tescott Kansas home last August, stole his truck and dog, and drove to California. Colson was arrested 2 weeks later and the dog was returned to Schoshke’s family.
Whale Deaths
(Portland) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration held a news conference yesterday (on Wed) to discuss the deaths of minke whales along the East Coast last year. The agency deems it an “unusual mortality event” and is investigating. The minke is more abundant than some other whale species that have been threatened by die-offs, but minke are a favorite of whale watchers.
New Fire Chief
(Unity) A third-generation firefighter has been named the new fire chief in Unity. Village Soup-dot Com reports 38-year-old Blaine Parsons will take the role after current chief David Smith steps down this week. Parsons’ firefighter career began in middle school at the age of 12. He says his dad was the fire chief back then and suggested Parsons join the fire department to keep him out of trouble.
Art Program
(Ellsworth) The Maine Arts Commission will bring its 2018 Arts Iditarod program to Ellsworth next week. Executive director Julie Richard says the seminar will feature three intensive workshops. Richard says the Arts Iditarod program is geared toward anyone in the non-profit sector or individual artists. It’s at Ellsworth City Hall on Tuesday the 6th at 2 PM. Register by visiting: Maine Arts dot Maine dot Gov. (yes that’s correct, the website has Maine in it twice.)
Money Grant Scam
(Waldo Cty) The Waldo County Sheriff’s Office is warning citizens of a new scam that’s hit the area. A group called “Money Grants” will send a text message offering grants of $20-thousand to $500-thousand-dollars. If you’re approved you’re instructed to pay Money Grants for their administrative fees to receive a grant. At least one person reported being advised they could receive a $5-hundred-thousand-dollar grant by paying $10-thousand-dollars in administrative fees. Sheriff Jeff Trafton says don’t give out any personal information via phone or text. And if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Propane Customers
(Maine) Propane dealers are urging customers to stock up now, before the next cold snap. The Propane Gas Association is asking customers who don’t have automatic deliveries to check their supply now and schedule deliveries at least 10 days in advance. The cold stretch from late December into January caused an unexpected increase in demand, and there’s still plenty of winter left.
Unclaimed Money
(Augusta) The Office of the State Treasurer in Maine says it has received more than $11 million in unclaimed property in the past year and state residents should see if any of it belongs to them. The state collects unclaimed property from organizations such as former employers, banks and utility companies. Visit: Maine Unclaimed Property dot Gov to check your status.
Benefits Fraud
(Bangor) – A Calais woman has to pay back the government more than $33-thousand dollars and will spend 2-months in prison for cashing social security checks she had no right to receive. The US Attorney’s office tells Star 97.7 that 46-year old Amy Lynn Holmes collected more than $96-thousand dollars through the SSI program. Holmes told SSI that she lived alone and had no help from anyone. She in fact was married and had assistance from her husband. They used the money for Florida vacations and vehicles. She told investigators she knew what she did was wrong.
Sports
- Boston Celtics 103 NY Knicks 73 (Terry Rozier had a triple double for Boston)
High School Basketball
Boys
Hermon 45, Mount Desert Island 33
Washington Academy 66, Old Town 44
George Stevens 74, Deer Isle-Stonington 38
Cony 63, Brewer 58
Dexter Regional 36, Bangor Christian 33
Girls
Old Town 68, Washington Academy 19
Brewer 41, Cony 32
Woodland 73, Calais 71
Hermon 48, Foxcroft Academy 23
