Petition on wind power moratorium accepted

BUCKFIELD — A resident's petition asking the town to approve a 180-day moratorium on wind power development was found sufficient by selectmen Tuesday night. There were 115 valid signatures on the petition.

The decision on whether to hold a referendum at the polls or a special town meeting to vote on the issue was tabled until all members of the Board of Selectmen are present.

Oxford budget gets hearing

PARIS — The 2010 Oxford County budget got its first public hearing Tuesday night.

The budget predicts $5,894,851 in expenditures, along with a $1,228,757 cap reserved for the operation of the Oxford County Jail. It also projects $2,225,367 in revenues, with the remaining $4,898,241 to be raised by taxation. The amount to be raised by taxes represents an 8.75 percent increase over last year's budget.

Bus incident involved plastic soda bottle

HARRISON — An Oxford Hills School District student threw a plastic soda bottle out of a school bus window Monday afternoon, prompting the driver of the struck car to try to board the bus once it stopped, a Cumberland County deputy said Tuesday.

"The passenger got out of the car, went up to the bus and he stepped on the bus to inform the bus driver," Deputy Steve Welch said. "Obviously, he was quite upset."

Additional drug arrest made

PARIS — A 43-year-old man remained in jail Tuesday after he was charged in connection with a heroin sale.

Greg L. Berry of Hill Street in Paris was arrested in Paris on Friday on a charge of aggravated drug trafficking. Berry was associated with Molly J. Groves, 20, of Norway Center Road in Norway, according to an affidavit by Theron Bickford of the Norway Police Department.

Hundreds of area students attend college fair

PARIS — Hundreds of students from Oxford and Androscoggin counties got an upfront view of college life Tuesday morning during the third annual college fair at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School.

Students from Leavitt Area High School in Turner, Gould Academy in Bethel, Oxford Hills Christian Academy in Paris and the Poland Regional High School joined students from Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School at the fair.

"They have something for everyone," said Bethany Welch of Mechanic Falls, a senior at Poland Regional High School.

Bethel police chief resigns

BETHEL — Police Chief Alan Carr has resigned, according to a statement issued by Town Manager James Doar on Wednesday morning.

The resignation cited personal reasons and was effective immediately, according to the statement delivered by fax to the Sun Journal.

Contacted early Wednesday afternoon at his Oxford business, Western Maine Public Safety Supplies Inc., Carr said he had decided to take a break from law enforcement after more than 35 years of service.

"I'm just going to take one day at a time," he said.

Students cleared to drink well water

HARRISON — For the first time this school year, students at the Harrison Elementary School will be drinking from the water fountains starting Tuesday.

Students have been drinking bottled water as a precautionary measure after coliform bacteria was found in four of five water samples tested from the school's 400-foot-deep well on Aug. 24.

The state required five clean tests to consider water clear of contamination.

Motorist boards school bus after students make gestures

HARRISON — An unidentified motorist boarded a school bus carrying high school students home Monday afternoon after at least two students made inappropriate gestures toward the driver of a vehicle trailing the bus on Route 117, Assistant Superintendent Rick Colpitts told the Board of Directors on Monday night.

Michaud inspects Canton dam

CANTON — Congressman Michael Michaud, D-Maine, met with selectmen and members of the Dam Core Committee on Saturday to see the temporary dam on Whitney Brook and hear about financing a permanent structure.

The town took ownership of the dilapidated dam in 2008 and replaced it with a temporary one. The dam is on an outlet in the northeast corner of Anasagunticook Lake, which is Canton's water supply. Most of the 556-acre lake is in Hartford.

Oxford County arrest log

PARIS — The following were booked at the Oxford County Jail recently.

Francis R. Clark, 19, of 44 North Main St., Woodstock, charged with violation of bail conditions, 11:51 p.m. Oct. 17, Bonney Road in Woodstock.

Troy Masterman, 33, of 292 Christian Ridge Road, Paris, charged with violation of a protective order and criminal mischief, Oct. 17 at 11:25 p.m. at his home.

Heidi Robinson, 33, of 68 Patch Mountain Road, Norway, charged with operating under the influence, Oct. 17 at 1:30 a.m. on Pearl Street.

Saturday Market a success

Customers Kathy McGrane of Potomac, Md., and Shelia Buckland of Norway purchase wood products from vendor Fred Cummings, one of the personnel of the Progress Center in Norway at the Saturday Market last weekend at Norway Grange.

Van catches fire at salvage lot

A 1998 Dodge van caught fire Friday at Lashin's Auto Sales and Salvage on Route 121 in Oxford. Les Wing, an employee at Lashin's, said another employee noticed smoke coming from the engine compartment. The van was being readied to sell, shortly after being taken for a test drive. By the time the employee reached the van, it was in flames, Wing said. Firefighters doused the flames, but the van was a total loss. No one was injured.

New grandstand

Jerod Verill of the West Paris Westies runs to first base during Sunday's game following the dedication of the new grandstand in West Paris. The grandstand was dedicated to Harold C. Perham. The day's ceremony also dedicated the dugout to Ray Brown and the handicap ramp to Avis Hayes.

Municipal agenda

Tuesday

Bethel: Bethel Water District, 7 p.m., Town Office

Buckfield: Selectmen, 6:30 p.m., Municipal Center

Casco: Selectmen workshop, 6:30 p.m., followed by regular selectmen's meeting, 7 p.m., Central Fire Station

Casco: Zoning Board of Appeals, 7 p.m., Central Fire Station

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

Sumner: Road Committee, 7 p.m., Town Office

Wednesday

Buckfield: Buckfield Village Corp., 6:30 p.m., Municipal Center

Oxford County arrest log

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

Blaine T. Whitney Jr., 39, of Norway, Oct. 12, South Paris District Court warrant for unpaid fines for operating under the influence, $1,100 bail, Norway Police Department.

Reed Thomas Valley, 36, of Denmark, Oct. 12, cultivating marijuana, unlawful trafficking in scheduled drugs, $2,000 bail, Oxford County Sheriff's Office.

Fair stage planners to seek CDBG grant

OXFORD — A planner for a proposed stage and theater at the Oxford fairgrounds says organizers plan to apply for a grant of up to half a million dollars to facilitate the project.

Indian Rock sign in question

NORWAY — Selectmen have agreed that Indian Rock should stay at the Lake Pennesseewassee picnic area beside Route 117, even though its authenticity as an ancient corn-grinding site is in doubt.

Town Manager David Holt said Friday that he looked at documents from the state, including pictures of the rock archaeologists reviewed, and the Indian Rock at Lake Pennesseewassee is the same one that was moved from beside the Harrison Road to the picnic area.

Oxford manager presents investigation findings

OXFORD — Town Manager Michael Chammings reiterated his support of the town's police chief at Thursday's selectmen's meeting, saying a complaint by a former reserve officer was properly investigated.

Chammings previously told the Sun Journal that an investigation found no wrongdoing by Chief Jon Tibbetts of the Oxford Police Department. Chris Knight, a dispatcher with the Oxford County Regional Communications Center in Paris, has said he plans to file a lawsuit to appeal his termination as a reserve officer with the department earlier this month.

Bethel police chief still paid but "unavailable to the police department," town manager says

BETHEL — Police Chief Alan Carr has been on a paid suspension from his duties the past two weeks, Town Manager James Doar confirmed Friday.

"Yesterday was payday and he got a paycheck, just like everybody else," Doar said.

Carr's official employment status has been kept secret from the public since a dispute with the town manager led to the suspension. Doar would not disclose any details of the dispute.

Summit Springs to sell "raw water."

HARRISON — Summit Spring Water Co. will soon launch its "Raw Water," bottled unfiltered spring water directly from its source, at the organic and natural food store Portland Whole Foods, President Bryan Pullen said Friday.

"The raw water will be exactly that, gravity fed into the bottle moments after leaving the ground without any filtration, pumping, treatment, etc. Nothing, nada, not so much as a paper towel," he said.

Selectmen set special meeting on Opera House

NORWAY — Selectmen have agreed to hold a special board meeting next week to discuss the appraisal of the damaged Opera House and what steps they may initiate to save the 1894 building on Main Street.

The meeting has been tentatively set for 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22, depending on whether the appraisal, which was done almost three weeks ago, is received by that time.

Harrison school water tests OK

HARRISON — Students at the Harrison Elementary School may soon be cleared to drink tap water after test results on the school's well showed no traces of coliform bacteria.

"They all came back negative," said Oxford Hills School District Facilities Manager Dave Marshall on Wednesday. "We're really pleased about that."

Students at the school have been drinking bottled water as a precaution since the start of school after coliform bacteria was found in four of five water samples tested Aug. 24.

Selectmen take possession of Robinson Mill

OXFORD — The multi-generational Robinson woolen mill passed into municipal hands Thursday as selectmen voted to take possession of the property on the shore of Thompson Lake.

The board voted 3-2 to acquire the 7.5-acre property on King Street, after Town Manager Michael Chammings said the owner had gone into default on a land purchase installment agreement to pay back taxes. Valued at $3.8 million, the property includes a three-story brick mill, a dam, a sewage treatment plant, and other outlying structures.

Land ordinance gets hearing in Greenwood

GREENWOOD — Residents and taxpayers questioned the Planning Board on a proposed land-management-standards ordinance on Wednesday, with supporters saying it was a necessary protective measure and opponents arguing that it amounted to overregulation.

Wrong headline

A headline on a story about the selection of Scott Cole to the position of Oxford County Administrator which appeared on page B1 in the Oxford Hills section on Tuesday Oct. 13 contained incorrect information. The headline should have read "Former town manager to be next county administrator."