Discussion on benefits of clean energy economy planned

JAY — Area residents are invited to attend a community discussion Tuesday about the benefits of a clean-energy economy with a representative of Repower Maine.

The event will be held at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 20 at the Jay-Niles Memorial Library in North Jay. It is free and open to the public.

Auburn man faces sex charges

FARMINGTON — A judge ordered an Auburn man Thursday be held on $300 cash bail or a Maine pretrial service agreement on charges of sexually assaulting a child.

Zachariah Tardif, 23, was also ordered to have no contact with the victim or children under 12 with the exception of his young son.

Tardif was arrested by Wilton police on a warrant listing two counts of felony unlawful sexual contact, which could result in up to 30 years in prison and, or up to a $50,000 fine.

Woman convicted of animal cruelty uses stun gun on trooper

FARMINGTON — Police say a 65-year-old New Sharon woman assaulted a state trooper with a 975,000-volt stun gun during an investigation into possible animal hoarding at her house on Lane Road.

 Carol Murphy pleaded not guilty in Franklin County Superior Court on Thursday to assault on an officer, criminal threatening, refusing to submit to arrest and criminal use of an electronic weapon. She was being held at the Franklin County jail on $10,000 cash bail or $100,000 worth of real estate.

Tours of wind power project offered

KIBBY TOWNSHIP — TransCanada Corp. will hold a grand opening celebration of its Kibby Wind Power Project for invited guests only on Friday.

However, there will be a chance for members of the public to get a tour as well at another time, project spokesman Tobey Williamson said Wednesday.

To set up a tour of the site, people may call 1-877-943-3367.

Nearly half of the project's 44 wind turbines are now operational, providing clean energy to the New England power grid, according to a news release.

Man sentenced in connection with camp burglary spree

FARMINGTON — A Livermore Falls man was sentenced Wednesday to serve 2½ years in jail with all but 30 days suspended for his part in burglaries and vandalism at camps on Porter Lake in New Vineyard and Strong in 2008.

Dylan R. Couturier, 19, had entered a guilty plea in June to 11 felony counts of burglary, five felony counts of aggravated criminal mischief and four misdemeanor counts of criminal mischief and one misdemeanor count of theft by unauthorized taking.

Chilly stroll

Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

Nora McCourt, left, and her brother Henri, the 2-year-old twins of Matthew and Camille McCourt, are all bundled up as they go for a stroll down Main Street in Farmington on Wednesday morning. Pushing the stroller is Sara St. Pierre of Lewiston, a student at the University of Maine Farmington who baby-sits the children.

Lawn Mower Leaves

Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

Chris Fennell, an artist from Birmingham, Ala., dons his welding mask as he prepares to fuse together more than 1,000 used lawnmower blades to create a sculpture in front of Bjorn Plaza on the campus of the University of Maine Farmington. He started the piece, named "Lawn Mower Leaves," last month and hopes to complete it this month.

Former UMF student pleads guilty to possessing child pornography

FARMINGTON — A former University of Maine at Farmington student pleaded guilty Wednesday to two misdemeanor charges of possession of sexually explicit materials of a person under 16, with the condition he can withdraw them if he wins his appeal.

The state dismissed a felony charge in a plea agreement that pertains to children under 12.

Fall foliage

Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

The Western Maine foothills and mountains are awash in fall colors with a dusting of snow on the mountain tops as seen from Mosher Hill Road in Farmington Wednesday morning.

Wausau Paper mill sold to Jay couple

JAY — A local couple has bought Wausau Paper's Otis Mill with plans to redevelop it into a business and industrial complex and preserve its history.

Mary Howes and Tim DeMillo, wife and husband, are the principals of Otis Ventures LLC. They sealed the deal Tuesday, Howes said Wednesday. The couple also owns Howie's Welding and Fabrication Inc. of Jay, which will be staying where it is, she said. Otis Ventures is a separate entity from the welding operation.

Public hearing on proposed new police station draws few

FARMINGTON — Few residents turned out for a public hearing Tuesday on a proposed $2.75 million new police station. Voters will get their chance to decide the issue on Tuesday, Nov. 3, by secret ballot, Town Manager Richard Davis said.

The proposed station would be built on a piece of town at the intersection of High Street and Farmington Falls Road. It would be where the former highway garage was located, prior to a new facility being built years ago off Cascade Leisure Brook Road.

Voters to consider lifting town-imposed land restrictions

NEW SHARON — Selectmen will hold a special town meeting Saturday to ask voters if they want to authorize the board to give partial relief from land restrictions imposed by the town on a deed held by Janet and Alton Kennedy.

The property is on Water Street and Sandy River and where Imelda's Fabrics and Design is. A storage building was partially built before a deed restriction that doesn't allow for a building on that section of the property was brought to selectmen's attention.

The couple had a building permit from the town to construct the building.

Temple woman remembered for community focus, work

TEMPLE — Sandy Gregor was remembered Tuesday as a multi-talented woman who touched the lives of many in Franklin County.

Gregor, 57, of Temple died early Thursday at a Lewiston hospital after a battle with cancer, friend and longtime neighbor Bob Kimber of Temple said Tuesday.

A memorial service will be held at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 25, at Trinity United Methodist Church in Farmington.

Same-sex marriage law to be debated Wednesday at UMF

FARMINGTON — A debate on Maine's same-sex marriage law will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14 at the University of Maine at Farmington's Lincoln Auditorium in the Roberts Learning Center.

The public is encouraged to attend the event, which is sponsored by the Daily Bulldog as part of an ongoing series of hot-topic forums.

Crews plow first snow

RANGELEY — State trucks headed up to northern Franklin and Oxford counties Tuesday morning to plow for the first time this season. Snow fell in low-lying areas as well as higher elevations, though most melted as soon as it hit the ground.

A dusting of snow covered some yards in Jay and Buckfield and other towns, while more snow fell in Andover, Rangeley and Eustis. It was still snowing late morning in Eustis. Most places were receiving rain while some had a mixture of snow and rain.

Franklin County Arrest Log

Franklin County arrest log

Richard Bickford, 40, Dryden, operating under the influence/ATV, Oct. 9, $500 unsecured bail, Maine Warden Service.

Natale Coccia, 50, East Wilton, two warrants: operating after suspension, Oct. 9, $300 cash bail, $200 cash bail, Wilton Police Department.

Melinda M. Thompson, 38, Farmington, obstructing report of crime, Oct. 9, $2,500 unsecured bail, Farmington Police Department.

Donald Nemeth, 49, Chesterville, warrants, Oct. 10, $500 cash bail, Franklin County Sheriff Department.

Coming down

Ann Bryant/Sun Journal

Lawrence Yeaton of Farmington drove the tractor at left Monday to pull down one of the two leaning silos at his farm on Whittier Road. The picture was taken seconds before the one in the foreground collapsed. Both silos were emptied this year with a plan to take down the one Monday and possibly fix the remaining one. The Yeatons had milked cows for 51 years before stopping this year.

Half-time nurse added to help with increased workload

LIVERMORE FALLS — School directors voted to add a half-time nurse for the rest of the school year to help the district's nurse Annie O'Shea handle an greater workload.

Regional School Unit 36 has three schools in Livermore and Livermore Falls as well as the Cedar Street Learning Complex in Livermore Falls, which serves students in special programs. It is also where Central Office and Head Start programs are located.

Phillips road repair contracts awarded

PHILLIPS — Selectmen awarded contracts to repair Wheeler Hill Road and Tory Hill Road to Thorndike & Son of Strong, the lowest bidder, according to information provided by Town Manager Jim Collins.

"Bids were awarded to lowest bidders in each instance," Collins said. "We hope to have all gravel work and a base coat of paving completed by Nov. 15. We will add a surface coat of paving in the spring."

Municipal agenda

Thursday

Fayette: Discontinued Road Committee, 6:30 p.m., Starling Hall

Contractor questions bid process

LIVERMORE FALLS — A Livermore contractor asked school board directors why the lowest bidder did not receive the contract for plowing and removing snow for the Livermore and Livermore Falls school system.

Directors of Regional School Unit 36 authorized new Superintendent Judith Harvey to make the decision, and she chose Eldwood Leighton of Livermore Falls because he did the work last year and was told he did a good job, she said. Leighton bid $23,000.

Obama responds to Jay boy’s letters

JAY — When 8-year-old Max Dayson had concerns about proposed school budget cuts, he went straight to the top.

He wrote to President Barack Obama.

It was the second letter he had written to Obama with the help of his older brother, Rico Gortmans, 15.

Dayson is a third-grader at the Jay Elementary School. Gortmans is a freshman at Jay High School.

The first letter Dayson wrote was in February to say hello.

Two charged after police smell pot at traffic stop

JAY — Police stopped a car for a defect on Main Street and ended up charging two occupants with illegal drug possession and a driving violation, police said.

Emily Eaton, 26, of Portland was arrested early Thursday on a misdemeanor charge of unlawful possession of  marijuana and permitting illegal operation of a motor vehicle, Police Chief Larry White Sr. said.

She was also issued a civil summons for possession of drug paraphernalia, White said.

Manager authorized to sign contract with neighboring town for rec program

JAY — Selectmen voted Monday to authorize the town manager to sign a contract with Livermore Falls so  Jay children could attend that town's summer recreation program, contingent upon voter approval.

Jay would be charged $12,000 for the service, with Jay residents paying $30 for one child and $10 for each additional child, Town Manager Ruth Marden said. The participant fee is in the same neighborhood of what they were paying in Jay, maybe a little less, she said.

Municipal agenda

Franklin

Jay: Selectmen, 6:30 p.m., Town Office

Salem: RSU 58 Board of Directors, 6:30 p.m., Mt. Abram High School

Wilton: Planning Board, 7 p.m., Town Office

Oxford Hills

Sumner: Fire Department Auxiliary, 6 p.m., Town Office

River Valley

Dixfield: Selectmen, 5 p.m., Ludden Memorial Library

Peru: Selectmen, 6 p.m., Town Office