County Ambulance Folds
(Ellsworth) – The ambulance company that has provided emergency service to Eastern Hancock County for more than 40-years is closing for good a week from tomorrow. Town officials got letters yesterday from County Ambulance announcing the closure. Owner John Partridge said it was the most difficult decision he’d ever made, and blamed the drop in revenue after Capital Ambulance took over routine transfers between Maine Coast Memorial Hospital and Eastern Maine Medical Center. The same company owns both hospitals and Capital which will place two ambulances for emergency service in the Ellsworth area when County closes up.
Pot Ban Extension
(Bar Harbor) – Voters in Bar Harbor will get a say on whether to prohibit medical marijuana sales for another 60-days while town officials draw up regulations. The town council imposed the moratorium earlier this month, hoping to draw up rules concerning medical marijuana retail sales. The town has not passed any rules about recreational marijuana sales, meaning no recreational pot stores can open up. Maine lawmakers passed a law saying for municipality to host a recreational marijuana store, it must pass an ordinance to allow such facilities.
Plane Crash
(Pittsfield) – Two people on board a plane survived a crash landing near the Pittsfield airport last evening. WABI-TV reports the plane went down shortly after takeoff. It landed near the Pittsfield/Burnham town line. Authorities are investigating why the plane made an emergency landing.
I-95 Robbery
(Howland) – State police are looking for a red sedan with a gray driver’s side door after the occupants allegedly fired shots at a truck driver, pulled him from the cab and stole money. It happened on Interstate 95 in Howland earlier this week. The driver was hauling water from Lincoln for a water bottling company. State police say the two men in the car fled south after the robbery. They believe it’s an isolated incident.
Boat Items Stolen
(Hancock) The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office wants to know who stole items from a boat parked in a driveway along Route 1 in Hancock. The theft occurred sometime overnight Sunday into Monday morning. People with any information can contact the Sheriff’s Office anonymously.
Community Building-Uncertain
(Ellsworth) – The old Ellsworth Falls Community Center on Route 1-A is looking quite sad these days, and the company that owns the property may tear it down. The city’s historical society, though, says it would like the building to remain and get refurbished. Webber Energy bought the old building about 13-years ago, and it had been used as a thrift store. The city used the building as a voting place, and an antique fire truck was housed in the complex.
Distracted Driving Reminder
(Thorndike) Students returning to school in Thorndike will get an eye-opening reminder about the dangers of being distracted while driving. A crumpled up car sitting on a tow-trailer has made its way around Waldo County this summer to bring awareness to the dangers of distracted driving. The Waldo County Sheriff’s Office reports the car will be at the Mount View complex for the start of the school year.
Child Welfare
(Augusta) Governor Paul LePage has proposed child welfare bills that include making it a crime if you fail to report child abuse. The Legislature’s Health and Human Services committee will discuss Governor LePage’s four bills next Monday. One bill would allow the state to access confidential criminal history records when investigating child abuse and neglect. LePage’s legislation would also make not reporting child abuse or neglect a crime punishable by up to 30 days or a fine up to $500.
Fatal Crash
(Wells) State police say the two people involved in a fatal crash in Wells on Tuesday were drywall workers from Massachusetts heading to a job site in the Saco area. 54-year-old Gabino Ortiz crashed his car into trees off the Maine Turnpike. He’s being treated at a Portland hospital. His passenger, 19-year-old Uriel Vasquez died at the scene. Ortiz was cited for driving without a license.
Hiking Challenge
(Sedgwick) The Blue Hill Heritage Trust 2nd annual Hiking Challenge culminates with a celebration this Saturday. Participants have been hiking seven selected trails on the Peninsula the past 2 months. Outreach director Chrissy Allen says those folks can enter for prizes during Saturday’s gathering at Strong Brewing Company in Sedgwick. For details visit Blue Hill Heritage Trust’s website or Facebook page.
Home Sales
(Augusta) The Maine Association of Realtors says the price of single-family homes and the volume of sales rose in July nearly 10-percent compared to the same month a year ago. The median sales price climbed more than 9-percent to $225,000. However there are 12-percent fewer homes on the market than there were a year ago, which is causing prices to rise in many parts of the state.
Sports
- Boston Red Sox 10 Cleveland Indians 4 (the win snaps a 3-game losing streak for Boston. Xander Bogaerts homered twice for Boston. David Price starts against the Indians in the series finale this afternoon)
- The Yankees lost to the Marlins last night, increasing the Sox lead in the American League East to 9-games.
- Ohio State has suspended head football coach Urban Meyer for 3-games and the athletic director for the same time span, both without pay, for mishandling a domestic abuse allegation against an assistant football coach.
- The Sea Dogs lost both ends of a double header to the New Hampshire Fisher Cats.
