Trenton Auction
(Trenton) – A Trenton complex that housed a couple of Christian schools has sold at auction. Keenan Auction posts on its website that yesterday’s high bid for the property formerly owned by John Linnehan Jr. sold for 1-point-4 million dollars. Keenan did not identify the winning bidder. Most recently the space has billed itself as an events center. It had been home to Acadia Christian Academy which shut down due to low enrollment a couple of years ago. The complex included the school building and an office building.
Hospital Firing
(Ellsworth) – A hospital worker who fired off a letter to the editor of an Ellsworth newspaper says the hospital has fired her. The Ellsworth American reports Karen Jo Young worked for Maine Coast Memorial Hospital for 13 years in the rehab department. The letter firing her accused her of violating a media policy. Young’s letter to the editor which was critical of hospital policies appeared in last week’s American, and the dismissal was effective immediately.
Former Chief Plea
(Bar Harbor) – The former police chief in Bar Harbor has entered a guilty plea to driving drunk. Nathan Young’s attorney entered the plea this week after police in Ellsworth picked him up just before Christmas last year. Young is still suing the Town of Bar Harbor for firing him from the police chief’s job. After the guilty plea, Young will pay fines for driving drunk and violating probation and has lost his driver’s license for 5-months.
Traffic Loop – Hancock
(Hancock) – Magnetic wires buried in pavement usually control traffic lights, and motorists this week did a double take as workers installed them on Route 1 in Hancock at the Mud Creek Road. Maine DOT officials tell Star 97-7 that wires will measure vehicle counts and weights, and there are no plans for a traffic light at the intersection, as there is not enough traffic on the popular shortcut between Route 1 and Route 3 to warrant a light.
Apple Crop
(Ellsworth) A dry summer is blamed for a smaller than usual apple crop at one local orchard. Johnston’s Orchards owner Brett Johnston says another hurdle he faced this season was keeping “apple scab” at bay. Johnston says apples with the fungal disease are still safe to eat and his orchard has plenty of apples without it. His orchard is open from 10 to 5:30 each day on Branch Pond Road in Ellsworth.
Lockdown Drills
(Hancock Cty) A couple of schools on Mt. Desert Island went into lockdown mode this week as the Hancock County Emergency Management Agency facilitated an active shooter- school lockdown exercise for the staff. EMA deputy director Bradley Nuding says the exercise is part of the statutory requirement for schools to conduct lockdown drills annually. Nuding says the Hancock County EMA’s next lockdown exercise is with the staff of Northeast Harbor Elementary School on Monday, October 2nd at 3 o’clock.
Motorcycle Crash
(Augusta) State police say a Hallowell man died when he lost control of his motorcycle in Augusta. Troopers say 33-year-old Edward Lingley was driving too fast as he exited Interstate-95 at exit 109, causing the bike to slide on a sharp curve before striking the back portion of a tractor trailer truck in the opposite lane. Lingley was killed instantly in the crash a little before 8 Wednesday morning. The truck driver from Indiana was not injured. The exit was closed for a couple hours while troopers investigated.
Missing Man
(Hope) The Knox County Sheriff’s Office says the man from Hope reported missing earlier this week could be in danger. Loved ones reported 23-year-old Avery Smith missing Sunday night after not having seen him for more than a day and say he was despondent. A day after the missing persons report a reliable witness told the Sheriff’s Office they saw Smith with two people on the beach in Cape Elizabeth. They found Smith’s vehicle there but no sign of Smith. He’s described as 6-foot-1, 230 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information on his whereabouts or the two people seen with him, are asked to call the Knox County Sheriff’s Office.
Franklin Fire
(Franklin) A permitted debris fire in Franklin burned down a nearby cottage last weekend. Fire Chief Bob Grindle tells the Ellsworth American that firefighters responded to George’s Pond Road just before Noon on Sunday. Property owner Bryant Kennedy of Ellsworth purchased the permit last Friday from the Maine Forest Service to conduct the burn on Saturday but didn’t quite extinguish the fire because it rekindled the next day. Firefighters were able to use water from the Pond to put out the flames but the structure was flattened. A thermal image camera was used Monday morning to check for high levels of heat in the ground but the area was determined to be safe.
Ayla Reynolds Declaration
(Portland) A Maine toddler whose 2011 disappearance sparked a massive and ongoing investigation has now been declared legally dead. A judge’s order allows Ayla Reynolds’ mother, Trista, to file a wrongful-death lawsuit against Ayla’s father, Justin DiPietro. He told police he believes his daughter was abducted, and his family has maintained that belief. But investigators who found blood in his basement bedroom believe Ayla was killed. No one’s been charged with a crime.
Sports
- Boston Red Sox 10 Toronto Blue Jays 7 (Rick Porcello gets the win, Xander Bogaerts knocked in 4-runs).
- Boston sends Eduardo Rodriguez to the mound against Houston tonight. The magic number to clinch the American League East is 2, as the Sox are up 3-games on New York with 4 games left in the regular season.
Boys Soccer
Washington Academy 2 MDI 0
Jonesport Beals 4 Narraguagus 3
Girls Soccer
Orono 5 Bucksport 1
Searsport 1 GSA 0
Lee 6 Sumner 3
Shead 4 Woodland 3
Volleyball
Narraguagus 3 Jonesport Beals 0
MDI 3 Machias 0
