Jose Leiva/Sun Journal

Andrea Croteau of Lewiston walks down Novella Street in the cool of the late afternoon on Thursday, pushing her 8-month-old twins, Piper and Chloe, in a baby carriage and her 3-year-old daughter, Lily, in a wagon. "We do this every afternoon; it keeps the children from getting bored," Croteau said.

Amber Waterman/Sun Journal

Anita Brissette walks her bichon frisé dog, Rudy, along a stonewall on Route 117 in Turner on Thursday evening. "I have to walk earlier and faster every day," Brissette said of the sinking sun.

Board: Sabattus Selectmen

Met: Tuesday night

Police shortage

Issue: Last year, the police department trimmed its budget to pay for five police officers instead of seven. Sabattus applied for federal stimulus funds to pay for the two lost jobs but didn't get it. Now, already tight, one officer has been deployed to Afghanistan and another is retiring soon.

The scoop: Police Chief Thomas Fales asked selectmen if he could fill one position. If he couldn't, Sabattus may see less police coverage at night.

Charges

Lewiston

• Martin Gerding, 26, of 200 Rosedale St. on a warrant, 4:10 p.m. Wednesday at 17 Maple St.

• Paul Myrand, 45, of 203 Pine St. on a charge of harassment by telephone, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at 74 Pierce St.

• Kevin Andre Roberts, 22, of 295 Bates St. on a warrant charging carrying concealed weapon, 6:40 p.m. Wednesday at 38 Walnut St.

• Isaac I. Witham, 21, of 255 Lisbon St. on a charge of violating condition of release, 11:04 p.m. Wednesday at 92 Bartlett St.

Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

David Veinott of the Auburn Parks and Recreation Department begins the two-week process on Thursday of decorating light poles in Auburn. The job requires a minimum of four trips up the ladder for each pole. The first to go up and around is the ribbon, then garland, lights, and finally, the bows. Veinott has decorated the poles for the past 11 years. "I've done it in every kind of weather," he said. "Snow, rain, cold. You name it. Today is good." 

AUBURN — Solid waste officials hope to inspire people to leave more recycling curbside by getting local retailers to showcase some of the benefits.

City retailers are being asked to create displays showing the things they sell that are made from post-consumer, recycled waste. It's part of the city's effort to mark Maine Recycles Week, Nov. 8-15.

The Sun Journal filed a Freedom of Access Act request last week with the Androscoggin County Commissioners'  office to get a copy of video captured on Androscoggin County Jail security cameras at about 11:30 p.m. on Sept. 22.

Jose Leiva/Sun Journal

Boston University professor Liah Greenfeld lectures on mental illness in contemporary America on Thursday at Bates College in Lewiston.

There comes a time in every girl's life when she wants to throw a massive Thanksgiving dinner party.

Or play Iron Chef. Or Top Chef.

Or cook really excellent deep-dish pizza and pull it out of the oven with a wooden pizza paddle.

(You know, in her 30-room villa big enough for a brick pizza oven.)

TURNER — "He was a great soldier."

That was Henry B. Poisson's memory Wednesday afternoon of an old comrade-in-arms who shared some extraordinary combat experiences with Poisson. It's how he described Norman Martino of Lewiston, who died a couple of years ago.

Martino was best man at Poisson's wedding, and Poisson stood up for Martino at his wedding, but it was the remarkable war experience that created a special bond between them.

LEWISTON — The number of absent students at McMahon Elementary School last week was 17 percent, high enough to report to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

It's down to 9 percent this week, Lewiston school nurse Cathy Liguori said Wednesday. Liguori has overseen the flu vaccine clinics for Lewiston schools.

Amber Waterman/Sun Journal

Members of the Androscoggin Dance Company, from left to right, front to back, Kiah Baxter, Melina Plummer, Sara Spellman and Heather Baxter, work on their routine during a dress rehearsal at the Franco-American Heritage Center in Lewiston on Wednesday. The dance company will make its debut performance at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the center.

The following suspect meets Auburn Police Department's policy on community notification.

Offender's name: Dennis Huckabey

Age: 55

Street address: 193 Black Cat Road, Auburn

Conviction: Transportation of child pornography by means of a computer and possession of child pornography.

Date of conviction: Aug. 23, 2001

Record location: U.S. District Court, Portland

Offender's name: Michael Teague

Age: 38