Crime/Public Safety/Drugs
Eliot Out of Jail Following Arrest on Child Porn Charges
(Portland) Former gubernatorial candidate Eliot Cutler posted bail and is out of jail after his arrest on charges of possession of child pornography. Officials with the Hancock County Jail said Cutler made bail Saturday, after a day in custody. The Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit arrested Cutler without incident on Friday at a home he and his wife share in Brooklin. The 75-year-old twice ran for governor as an independent, using his personal wealth to pay for the two unsuccessful campaigns in 2010 and 2014.
(Portland) Two-time former gubernatorial candidate Eliot Cutler reportedly admitted police would find child porn in his home – that’s according to the Hancock County District Attorney. Police were tight-lipped Friday when they searched Cutler’s homes in Brooklin and Portland. The 75 yo Cutler was arrested on four counts of possessing sexually explicit material involving a child under age 12. Bail was set at $50,000, which Cutler posted on Saturday. Authorities say the investigation began in December, following a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Auburn Teens Face Assault Charges
(Auburn) Three Auburn teens face assault charges after a disturbing social media post surfaced showing an assault on two presumably homeless people. WABI-TV reports on Sunday, police arrested two girls – a 14 yo and a 16 yo – in connection with the incident. A 15 yo accused of recording the assault also faces charges. Two of the calls reporting the incident to police came from the mothers of the two teens responsible for the attack. Police on Sunday say they’ve become aware of similar videos as a result of the attack and will pursue criminal charges against anyone involved.
Bangor Man Arrested on Burglary Charges
(Bangor) A Bangor man has been arrested in connection with a burglary of the Bangor YMCA on Second Street last Thursday. 48 yo Ryan MacDonald is charged with felony burglary, two counts of felony theft, and other charges. The arrest follows a report by police of multiple Bangor businesses being broken into this month. 51 yo Clyde Cooper is the only other person so far charged in the break-ins.
Waterville Man Arrested on Terrorism Charges
(Waterville) A Waterville man who was arrested last month for unlawful possession of destructive devices was reportedly inspired by ISIS to allegedly plan an attack on a Chicago mosque. NBC News reports 18 yo Xavier Pelkey is said to have colluded with two teens over social media to plan the attack.
Parents Charged in NH Girl’s Disappearance
(AP/Concord, NH) The father and stepmother of a five year old whose disappearance went unreported for a year have been formally indicted on charges related to the girl’s well being. The Bangor Daily News reports Adam and Kayla Montgomery have been jailed since January in the 2019 disappearance of Harmony Montgomery, who vanished sometime in December that year, but who authorities did not know was missing until last fall. The search for the little girl remains active.
Belfast Faces Concerns Following Potato Factory Fire
(Belfast) The City of Belfast is monitoring water quality in the Passagassawakeag River and Belfast Bay, following Friday’s massive fire at the Penobscot McCrum potato processing plant. The Bangor Daily News reports the huge amounts of water used to douse the flames, plus chemicals and other substances from the building, didn’t have far to travel before becoming runoff into the bodies of water. The U.S. EPA is monitoring for hazardous materials, including ammonia and carbon monoxide. So far, officials say, none have been detected.
Missing 80 yo Found Deceased
(Manchester) A missing 80 yo man from Manchester was found dead early Saturday afternoon near his home. Mark Latti with the Maine Warden Service tells Star 97.7 Malcom Lyons had been missing from his residence on Buck Trail after he went for a walk Saturday morning. Lyons was found by officer Scott Dalton and his K9 in the woods behind his house. The death is not considered suspicious.
Local Politics
Ranked Choice Voting Bill Passes House
(AP/Augusta) A bill that would allow Maine municipalities the option to adopt ranked-choice voting has passed the House and is headed to the Senate. The bill’s sponsor, Democratic Rep. Seth Berry, says the bill would expand the ranked choice option – currently used in state primary and federal elections – to 413 municipalities that do not have charters outlining election decisions. The Portland Press Herald reports during elections, unchartered towns follow state law, which requires them to decide elections through a plurality.
Blue Hill/Brooklin Schedule Elections, Town Meetings
(Blue Hill/Brooklin) Two local elections coming up this week. Voters in Blue Hill go to the polls Friday to elect candidates for the Select Board. Blue Hill’s Town Meeting is set for Saturday at 9:30 a.m. at the Blue Hill School gym. And Elections are Friday in Brooklin from 2-6 p.m., with a Town Meeting Saturday at 9 a.m. at the Brooklin school gym.
Health
Bill Would Assist with Dental Insurance
(AP/Augusta) Maine legislators are considering a law change to try to make dental insurance a better value for consumers. The proposal is based on the Affordable Care Act rule that requires health insurers to have an 80% medical loss ratio, which means insurers spend 80 cents of every dollar on customers’ claims and items that improve care quality. The ACA does not require the standard for dental insurance. The Maine Senate unanimously passed the bill last week.
Environment
Offshore Wind Port Advisory Group Formed
(Augusta) An Offshore Wind Port Advisory Group will advise the Maine Department of Transportation and other state officials about the potential development of wind port facilities needed to realize the environmental and economic benefits of the rapidly developing offshore wind market. The group was formed by Maine DOT and consists of 19 members, including co-chairs Beth Ahearn of Maine Conservation Voters and Searsport Town Manager James Gilway.
Education
Bridge Academy Maine
(Veazie) In 2011, a group of Career Technical educators looked at the issue of students incurring huge student loan debt out of high school and the problems that presented in entering the workforce here in Maine. Bridge Academy Maine Executive Director Brian Langley tells Star 97.7, the educators put their heads together and began to brainstorm. (((Bridge 1 “…get ‘em in with little or no debt.” :20))) The result was Bridge Academy Maine – an ingenious way to bolster the workforce and allow students to work here in Maine by creating a course of study for students to earn college credit while still in high school. Contact BAM or your high school guidance counselor to learn more.
(Veazie) What if your student could graduate from high school with hands-on learning, mentoring, college credit, and prepared for the rigors of a further college education? Executive Director Brian Langley tells Star 97.7, that’s the goal of Bridge Academy Maine. And Langley says it’s not just for students enrolled in technical centers. (((Bridge 2 “…because of scheduling problems.” :15))) Langley says the Bridge Academy Maine program was devised to help those students who might otherwise have been kept out of that pathway. Check with Bridge Academy Maine or your high school guidance counselor to learn more.
(Ellsworth) Students in rural America have a unique opportunity to work with Vanderbilt Medical School. Bridge Academy Executive Director Brian Langley tells Star 97.7, how the program benefits students here in Maine. (((Bridge 3 “…in America via Zoom.” :08)))). Langley says the program is the brainchild of Drs. Billie and Julie Hudson, who spend time in Maine and whom he met rather randomly in a local hardware store. (((Bridge 4 “…to work directly with Vanderbilt.” :09))) This summer, as a result of the program, two Ellsworth high school students have been accepted to Aspirnaut Summer Research Internships at Vanderbilt, where they’ll get to experience hands-on and mentored laboratory experiences.
(Ellsworth) This summer, Ellsworth HCTC students Katherine Gell and Elizabeth Leaf are headed for life-changing Aspiration Summer Research Internships at Vanderbilt University. Brian Langley is the Executive Director of Bridge Academy Maine, which works to bridge the gap between high school and post-secondary by, among other things, helping students earn college credit while still in high school. (((Bridge 5 “…in a really good way.” :22))) Bridge Academy Maine partners with the Aspirnaut program and helps provide a seamless pathway for students to high-wage, high-demand jobs. Check with your high school guidance counselor to learn more.
Business/Economy
State Attempting to Recoup Aid from Ineligible
(Augusta) The State of Maine is working to recoup $46 million dollars from Mainers it says failed to retroactively prove their eligibility for a federal aid program. The Portland Press Herald reports some 11,000 Mainers could be affected. Beginning in 2021, anyone claiming Pandemic Unemployment Assistance was required to provide proof of identity and employment verification, which most claimants did. However, those who didn’t comply now reportedly owe millions to the federal government in overpaid unemployment.
Tourism, Hospitality Coalition Formed
(Augusta) Looking for summer work or seasonal employees? A coalition of six associations is working to be a central resource for Maine’s tourism-related jobs. The Portland Press Herald reports the Maine Tourism Association, Hospitality Maine, and others have opened the Maine Tourism Career Center online, which includes full-time and seasonal job listings for employers to advertise their positions. Job seekers can upload resumes, search for job opportunities, connect with employers, and sign up to receive weekly job alerts from their field of interest.
Human Interest/Entertainment
Hancock County Food Drive Gets Underway
(Ellsworth) The 11th Annual Hancock County Food Drive kicks off with a county-wide food collection and fundraising event this Saturday, April 2nd, from 10 until 2. Look for Food Drive volunteers, dressed in colorful fruit and vegetable costumes, stationed outside ten area grocery stores to collect food donations, raise funds, and rally excitement for the Drive, which runs through April 30th. Food Drive partners aim to raise $40,000 during the month-long campaign.
Red Cross Honors Glenburn Teen
(Bangor) The American Red Cross will honor a Glenburn teen this coming Wednesday for his special act of bravery after his mother fell and cut her wrist. 16 yo Cyrus Iarrobino, a high school junior, sprang into action, creating a tourniquet from his new shoe laces, slowing his mothers bleeding until emergency crews arrived. Cyrus will receive the Red Cross Certificate of Extraordinary Personal Action at a 10:30 a.m. ceremony on March 30th at John Bapst Memorial High School.