Recall sought for two Paris selectmen

PARIS — Less than a week after voters approved a recall ordinance, petitioners asked for a recall election to be scheduled for two selectmen.

Town Clerk Anne Pastore said she had received petitions asking that recall elections be scheduled for Chairman David Ivey and Vice Chairman Troy Ripley. Pastore said the town had received more than 320 signatures in support of each petition; 211 signatures needed for a petition to be presented to selectmen. Pastore was working to certify the signatures before the board's next meeting on Nov. 23, she said Tuesday.

Veterans Day program set for Wednesday

PARIS — The annual Veterans Day program will begin Wednesday at 10 a.m. in the Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School.

Gil Turner, past post commander of the American Legion Post 72, will be this year's master of ceremony. Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School Principal Ted Moccia will give the keynote address.

A special performance will be made by Vietnam veteran Al Pelletier who will sing his original song, "The Wisdom That We Gained."

The high school band will play several selections including "God Bless America."

Gingerbread House forum set

NORWAY — The Gingerbread House Task Force is throwing a Gingerbread House party Tuesday to celebrate the completion of phase one of the plans to save the building, and to ask residents to help plan for its future.

The meeting, which will be in the front reading room of the library, will include a slide show of pictures of the interior of the house.

Bench base vandalized

Leslie H. Dixon/Sun Journal

Stephens Memorial Hospital staff member Butch Larson worked on removing graffiti from the new cement pad that holds a community bench at the foot of Pikes Hill in downtown Norway. 

Selectmen set meeting for revaluation, tanker funding

PARIS — Selectmen scheduled a special town meeting next month to determine whether residents will appropriate the use of funds for two projects.

The board voted Monday to set up a meeting for Dec. 3. Interim Town Manager Michael Thorne recommended that $225,000 be put toward a revaluation of town properties, and that other funds be used to repair the Fire Department's tanker truck.

Oxford County arrest log

PARIS — The following arrests were recorded at the Oxford County Jail:

• Dustin H. Douglass, 34, of Hartford, Nov. 6, domestic assault, $500 unsecured bail, Oxford County Sheriff's Office.

• Kam M. Evangelista, 35, of Rumford, Nov. 6, Waterville District Court warrant for unpaid fines for operating after suspension, $910 bail, Rumford Police Department.

• Logan I. Cromwell, 22, of Norway, Nov. 6, domestic assault, $500 bail, Norway Police Department.

This week's meetings

Tuesday

Bethel: Airport Master Plan Committee, 7 p.m., Town Office

Casco: Selectmen, 7 p.m., Central Fire Station

Hartford: Cemetery Committee, 6:30 p.m., Town Hall

Wednesday

Bethel: Planning Board, 7 p.m., Town Office (town office is closed)

Thursday

Buckfield: CDBG Grant Committee, 6:30 p.m., Municipal Center

Hartford: Comprehensive Plan Review Committee, 7 p.m., Town Hall

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

Casino backers collect 99,000 signatures in 20 days

It looks like Maine voters will again be asked to voice their opinion on a resort and casino in western Maine, after the group proposing the project announced Monday that it collected 99,000 signatures to get the proposal on the November 2010 statewide ballot.

If more than 55,000 of the nearly 100,000 signatures are certified, then Mainers could vote on the matter as early as next fall.

Maine casino group collects 99K signatures

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - A group that wants to build a resort and casino in western Maine says it has collected 99,000 signatures seeking to put the proposal to a statewide vote.

Black Bear Entertainment LLC spokesman Peter Martin says the signatures were gathered in just 20 days. He said residents have expressed support for an Oxford County casino because it would create jobs and boost state revenues.

If more than 55,000 signatures are certified, Mainers could vote on the matter in November 2010.

Otisfield man OK after motorcycle accident

OTISFIELD — Nathan Herbert, 32, of Otisfield suffered non-life threatening injuries as a result of a single motorcycle accident on the Gore Road in Otisfield at about 5 p.m. on Sunday, according to state police.

He was taken by ambulance to Stephens Memorial Hospital in Norway, according to Maine State Trooper Gregory Tirado, who was at the scene.

Town police force on the line

BETHEL — Selectmen could decide the future of the town's police force when the board meets at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 9, in the town office.

This past week, Town Manager James Doar, whose suspension of Chief Alan Carr on Sept. 25 led to Carr's resignation for personal reasons on Oct. 20, gave the board two alternatives to consider.

Major sewer project proposed

NORWAY — Town Manager David Holt said he is about to apply for a federal stimulus grant that could pay as much as 75 percent of a proposed $1.5 million sewer project to address 100-year-old sewer lines in the downtown area.

The money would pay to replace more than 1,000 feet of sewer pipes in the Fair, Paris, Whitman, Cottage, Pine, Oak and King streets area that were installed in 1913.

Oxford County arrest log

PARIS — The following arrests were recorded at the Oxford County Jail:

• Shirley M. Thunder Horse, 23, of Lovell, Nov. 2, domestic assault, personal recognizance bail, Maine State Police.

• Peter S. Harrington, 33, of Canton, Nov. 2, domestic assault, $300 bail, Maine State Police.

• Andrew J. Coombs, 46, of West Paris, Nov. 3, operating after suspension, $100 bail, Paris Police Department.

• Cyebo A. Barker, 38, of Paris, Nov. 3, violation of bail conditions, no bail listed as of Nov. 6, Paris Police Department.

Attempted murder charge dismissed

PARIS — A 48-year-old man indicted last year in a Norway stabbing has had the charges against him dropped.

The state dismissed charges of aggravated attempted murder and elevated aggravated assault against Steven Ray Piirainen of Coldwater Brook Road in Oxford. According to court documents, the District Attorney's Office is declining to proceed because the victim in the case is unavailable.

Hartford board considers moving transfer station

HARTFORD — Selectmen agreed Thursday night to investigate the cost and benefits of moving the town's waste transfer station from Marble Road to the sand and salt shed site on Gurney Hill Road.

Board Chairwoman Lee Holman and Selectman Jack Plumley agreed there were problems with the location and layout of the station. The change would not affect the present curbside pickup of garbage. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection endorses the plan.

Former Bethel chief appointed officer

NORWAY — Selectmen on Thursday night unanimously appointed former Bethel police Chief Alan Carr as a part-time police officer.

Carr, who resigned late last month from the department he has served since 2003, said he was "honored" to work with the Norway Police Department and residents. His new job will be to help fill in gaps in shift coverage.

Police Chief Rob Federico said Carr, who worked for 37 years as a state police trooper, would bring tremendous experience to the position.

Gingerbread House gets major boost

NORWAY — A anonymous donor has given $75,000 toward the effort to save the historic Gingerbread House on Main Street.

"We're surprised and thrilled to receive this confirmation from folks in the area that the reuse of this building will contribute to our sense of place and purpose for generations to come," said Pat Shearman, chairman of the Gingerbread House Task Force.

Two charged in Lovell threatening incident

LOVELL — Two men were charged with making threats Wednesday after police were called to a disturbance on Foxboro Road, Maine State Police said.

Craig Richardson, 41, of Lovell was taken into custody after he barricaded himself in a house at 276 Foxboro Road. Richardson was charged with assault and criminal threatening. Also arrested was 23-year-old Daniel Bokuniewicz of Brownfield on a charge of criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon. Bokuniewicz remained at the Oxford County Jail on Thursday, while Richardson was not listed as an inmate there.

Oxford selectmen support casino proposal

OXFORD — Echoing a decision it made last year, the Board of Selectmen on Thursday unanimously voted to support a proposal that would place a resort casino in the town.

Members of Black Bear Entertainment LLC, which is gathering signatures to put the casino proposal before voters in next year's , November election, made a brief presentation to selectmen.

Peter Martin, spokesman for the group, said it is staying with Oxford for a proposed site because of the need for more jobs in the area.

Mount Abram adds 400 acres of skiing and riding terrain

GREENWOOD — After expanding its skiing and riding terrain by an unprecedented 400 acres this summer and fall, Mount Abram Family Ski Resort is banking on attracting visitors who want to rediscover the mountain.

With plenty of woods-clearing help this fall from New England Telemark Association volunteers, the Greenwood ski hill's usable terrain jumped from 250 acres to 650 acres, Marketing Director Kevin Rosenberg said.

Memorial removal protested

STONEHAM — The family and friends of a man killed in an ATV accident in July are hoping to retain a roadside memorial in the White Mountain National Forest after a ranger said it could not be placed there.

The memorial was in honor of James Mullen, a 51-year-old man who had returned from working in Florida to assist his mother. Al Cummings, a friend of Mullen's, said Mullen was collecting firewood for his mother on July 3 when he lost control of his three-wheel vehicle and crashed over an embankment on Hut Road.

Panels in Harrison School gym repaired

HARRISON — Elementary School students are once again using the gymnasium/lunchroom after a large wall soundproofing panel fell and struck a student last week.

"Inspections have all been done and corrective action is finished," Oxford Hills School District Superintendent Mark Eastman said Wednesday of the work that school officials have done to reinforce the panels and inspect similar panels throughout the district.

Oxford Hills high school scores show progress

OXFORD — Curriculum Director Kathy Elkins reported to the Oxford Hills School District Board of Directors on Monday that the high school was the only secondary school participating in either the Class A western or eastern football conference to make adequate yearly progress in the Student Achievement Tests.

"Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School is the only Class A school to make AYP," said Elkins as board members, school staff and others at the meeting applauded the news.

Hebron Student Council

Submitted photo

Hebron Station School students have elected their new Student Council for 2009-10. From left, front row, are Tyler Punch, Vice President Zane Dustin, Emma Timberlake-Knapp and Sam Bourget; back row, Jacob Caron, Bruce Cobb, adviser Cory Munsey, President Hannah Hartnett, Rachel Brouwer and secretary Kaden Cutler.

Beth's House gets major contribution

NORWAY — A local business has made a significant contribution to the Beth's House Fund.

New Horizon Capital Investments LLC, owned by Harvey and Dawn Solomon, made a $5,000 contribution to help the 24-year-old West Paris woman who suffers from spinal muscular atrophy and wasn't supposed to live past her second birthday.