Maine news, sports, weather from Waterville Morning Sentinel

February 21

Morning Sentinel police log, Feb. 21, 2013

ST. ALBANS — A St. Albans woman was taken to the hospital early Thursday morning suffering from serious injuries after a car accident on Nokomis Road.

February 21

Augusta Council OKs tax deal for hospital site redevelopment

AUGUSTA — City councilors unanimously approved a tax break Thursday to help a local firm redevelop the MaineGeneral Medical Center hospital building which is about to be left nearly empty when a new regional hospital opens later this year.

February 21

LePage touts mental health record amid gun control debate

Gov. Paul LePage is pointing to his record on mental health care spending as he lobbies the Obama administration and Maine's congressional delegation to follow his lead rather than support increased gun control in response to the shootings in Newtown, Conn.

February 21

Former Gardiner man connected to California killing goes free

A former Gardiner man once charged in connection with the killing of a Maine couple in California left a courtroom this week a free man -- just weeks after his friend and accomplice was sentenced to life in prison.

February 21

Senators react to NRA gun control ad

U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King are downplaying the significance of an advertisement by the National Rifle Association that urges Maine voters to convince their senators to reject President Barack Obama's gun control agenda.

February 21

Customer service chief for Johnny's seeds gets chamber 'Stardom Award'

WINSLOW -- While Michelle LePage prefers to stay out of the spotlight, she loves to make the customer the star at Johnny's Selected Seeds, directing behind the scenes to make sure clients have a good experience.

February 21

Railroad liability bill blasted by opponents

AUGUSTA -- A bill that would limit railroad liability for accidents at private crossings will not be approved as written, state legislators said Thursday after hearing from people opposed to the bill.

February 21

Collins, King tour Bath Iron Works, discuss looming spending cuts

BATH -- Automatic federal budget cuts that are scheduled to take effect March 1 would affect defense spending disproportionately, U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King said Thursday after touring Bath Iron Works, a major Maine employer that relies on defense contracts.

February 21

Legislative committee leaves superintendent's residency up to municipalities

AUGUSTA -- A legislative committee voted 12-2 Thursday in favor of a bill that would allow local school boards to decide whether they want to require superintendents to live in their cities or towns.

February 21

Lawyer for girl charged with manslaughter seeking closed competency hearing

SKOWHEGAN — The lawyer for an 11-year-old girl who is charged with manslaughter in the death of an infant last summer has filed a motion in District Court to have a competency hearing scheduled for next week closed to the public and news media.

February 21

Man robs, flees Key Bank in Waterville

WATERVILLE — A man robbed the KeyBank on Kennedy Memorial Drive on Thursday afternoon, fleeing with an undisclosed amount of cash.

February 21

Fairfield passes formal resolution to oppose tax cuts

FAIRFIELD — Gov. Paul LePage’s proposed elimination of municipal revenue sharing is so drastic that the town Council has taken the unusual measure of passing a formal resolution urging state lawmakers to oppose it.

February 21

Legislators urged to get Maine's courts into digital age

AUGUSTA — Chief Justice Leigh Saufley on Thursday urged legislators “to bring the courts into the digital age,” saying the Maine’s antiquated paper-based court records system soon needs an electronic conversion that will cost millions of dollars.

February 21

Maine panel rejects mandatory gun safety courses in schools

Members of the Education Committee say they don't want to create a new mandate when schools are already stretched thin on time and money.

February 21

Flu shot doing poor job of protecting older people

For those 65 and older, the vaccine was only 27 percent effective this year, the worst level in a decade.

February 21

Monmouth couple injured in Richmond crash

Couple and young child hurt when their car is slammed from behind.

February 21

Four Maine environmental groups win EPA grants

The grants will fund projects designed to contribute to increasing the environmental knowledge and skills of students, teachers and families in the state.

February 22

Maine lawmaker pushes to legalize small amounts of marijuana

Similar propositions have been defeated before in Maine, but now two other states have legalized it, demonstrating a wider acceptance.

February 21

Lawmakers send LePage $153 million spending bill

The Legislature passes the bill with two-thirds support, enough to override a LePage veto.

February 22

Lawsuit targets Medicaid cuts in Maine

The suit is filed on behalf of five Maine residents to stop cuts to a program that helps 6,000 low-income or disabled Mainers pay their medical bills.

February 22

Democrat proposes keeping Maine liquor in private sector

Senate Majority Leader Seth Goodall says the governor's plan to take over the function paints too rosy a picture.

February 22

Witness saw accused Zumba prostitute disrobe; 'really awkward'

Meanwhile, Alexis Wright's landlord testifies that tenants complained about "moaning and groaning" and he found video-recording apparatus in her studio.

February 21

Maine's senators oppose automatic federal budget cuts

Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King say cuts to defense spending would hurt Bath Iron Works.

February 21

Body found in LA hotel water tank puzzles investigators

The cisterns are on a platform 10 feet above the roof. Someone would need a ladder and the ability to bypass an alarm and locked door to access them.

February 21

Waterville police log, Feb. 20 and 21

Thefts, bad checks, intoxicated person

February 21

N.H. man finds what may be mammoth tooth

A fisherman near Rye Harbor found what may be a large prehistoric tooth.

February 21

Wilton woman sentenced for role in store arson plot

Prosecutors say Nicole Hennessy acted as a lookout for a man offered who was $4,000 to burn down the JP Corner Store in July 2011.

February 21

Facebook glitch forces woman, 104, to lie about age

Gail Marlow says when she tries inputting her grandmother's birth year as 1908, Facebook changes it to 1928.

February 21

More elite universities offer free online courses

Cambridge, Mass.-based edX, which was founded by Harvard and MIT, says it will add six new institutions, including five outside the U.S., which will offer at least 25 additional courses.

February 21

Obama weighs stepping in on Calif. gay marriage case

The administration has one week to file a friend-of-the-court brief with the Supreme Court outlining its opinion on California's ban on same-sex marriage.

February 21

NH bill considers arming school employees

Some argue arming school employees would have saved lives at Sandy Hook Elementary School and at other school shootings.

February 21

Lab tests turn up lungworms in Maine moose

Officials are recommending care in dealing with dead animals, including wearing rubber or latex gloves when field dressing game.

February 21

Chief justice says Maine courts need to enter digital age

Chief Justice Leigh Saufley says that having paper files in Maine courts is no longer quaint.

February 21

3.7 million miles of quality care

WATERVILLE -- Delta Ambulance administrators have long regarded the company as invisible to the public in central Maine.

February 21

Red ink kills jobs

FARMINGTON -- Franklin Community Health Network will eliminate 35 to 40 positions because of mounting losses, according to its president and CEO, Rebecca Ryder.

February 22

South Africa police replace top Pistorius investigator

The twist in the state's troubled investigation fueled a growing fascination with the case against the amputee Olympian, who is charged with premeditated murder.

February 21

Was history revised at Freeport tavern?

FREEPORT -- The sudden closing of the Jameson Tavern, a favorite gathering spot for locals and travelers since 1801, has drawn surprising attention to the town's contentious claim that it was the "birthplace of the state of Maine."