Newry Special Olympian to throw opening pitch at Fenway

NEWRY — Darren Buker's dream will come true on Saturday when he throws the opening pitch to start the Red Sox game against the Cleveland Indians at Fenway Park.

Afflicted with cerebral palsy since he was a year old, the 23-year-old Newry native proved his doctors wrong when they told his parents, Raymond and Rhonda Buker, that he'd never walk or talk.

On Saturday, 36,000 people attending the 7 p.m. game will get to see the Special Olympics Maine gold medalist and avid Red Sox fan in action.

Rumford man accused of raping young girl

RUMFORD — A Rumford man awaiting arraignment in November on a vandalism charge was arrested late Wednesday morning and accused of raping a young Rumford girl last month, according to Detective Capt. Daniel Garbarini.

Garbarini said Wednesday he charged Parker Erskine, 20, with gross sexual assault against a girl under the age of 14. The incident took place sometime between Aug. 10 and 25.

Erskine was arrested at the police station following an 11 a.m. interview.

Rumford crime bulletin

Incident report statistics:

Between 6 p.m. Sept. 17 and 6 a.m. Sept. 27, patrol officers responded to 126 complaints.

Arrests/Summonses:

On Sept. 17 - 8:08 p.m., Matthew McPherson, 18, of Rumford was charged by Ptl. Michael Belanger with theft (shoplifting) and violating conditions of release at a Portland Street business. McPherson is scheduled to appear in Rumford District Court on Nov. 3.

Public works expands to six

DIXFIELD — Selectmen gave the town's fire chief permission to visit an engine his department may want to buy and agreed to advertise for a Public Works foreman.

At Monday's board meeting, fire Chief Scott Dennett requested permission to travel to Alabama to check out a 1995 combination aerial and pumper truck as part of the town's plan to buy a new fire engine to replace the department's 1985 aerial truck.

Rumford Police log

Rumford Police log

Accidents

Sept. 23, 4:40 p.m. — Adam Bedard, 17, of Rumford, who was driving a 2006 Jeep, failed to react quickly enough when a 2006 Subaru operated by Jack Benton, 57, of Belgrade, stopped in front of Bedard in traffic, preparing to turn left from Lincoln Avenue onto Falmouth Street. The Jeep's left front corner struck the Subaru's right rear corner causing approximately $2,000 in damage to the Jeep and approximately $4,000 in damage to the Subaru. There were no injuries.

 

Flu shots and Booster shots

Long before the fall flu shot clinics, River Valley football gets under way.

Between late-summer football practices and flu shots are the homecoming celebrations at Mountain Valley and Dirigo high schools.

Last week was Spirit Week at Mountain Valley High. Each school day challenged students to dress up for Gender Day, Nerd Day, Neon Day, Pirate Day, and for the homecoming festivities, Blue and Silver Day.

Educational trips to Quebec City, Washington, D.C. approved

DIXFIELD — Directors of the Western Foothills School District voted unanimously to allow two educational field trips in the spring.

  Mountain Valley High School Principal Matt Gilbert made the case for a school-wide trip to the nation's capital, Superintendent Tom Ward said. Any student at the Rumford school who is in academic good standing will be allowed to go on the long weekend trip to Washington, D.C.

Group effort opens river access to people with disabilities, small boats

HANOVER — Moran's Landing, a hand-carry canoe and kayak public access site to the Androscoggin River off Route 2, can now accommodate people with disabilities, drift boats and small boats.

More than $10,000 of recent work made possible by donations from local businesses and an Auburn contractor, was completed last week.

Canton lake level being lowered

CANTON — Chairman Malcolm Ray told the Dam Core Committee on Monday night that he has taken three of the six logs out of the temporary dam on Anasagunticook Lake. The rest will be removed in two weeks.

The temporary dam on Whitney Brook has been holding the water level in Lake Anasagunticook constant this summer, which allowed for boating and swimming in the lake for the first time in two years. Ray said the water level will not be as low as it was after the dam gates were opened, estimating it would be down 2 feet rather than 4.

Mexico police log

MEXICO — The following incidents were handled recently by the Mexico Police Department.

Accident

Municipal agenda

Thursday

Rumford: Selectmen, 7 p.m., Town Office

Three teens arrested in Rumford burglary, vandalism spree

RUMFORD — Three juvenile boys were arrested last week and charged with felony criminal burglary and vandalism, and theft in connection with an incident that occurred at a former business on Franklin Street. A 20-year-old Rumford man was also charged in the case.

Capt. Dan Garbarini said the vacant building was burglarized sometime between 1 and 2 p.m. on Sept. 22. Doors were broken to gain entrance, then a number of items inside were destroyed, and a fire extinguisher set off. An unknown amount of loose change was also taken. Police estimate the amount of damage at more than $2,000.

Rumford tax rate jumps 22½ percent

RUMFORD — A drop in the valuation of NewPage Corp. and Brookfield Power Co. has resulted in a 22.5 percent increase in taxes for this town's property owners.

At a special selectmen's meeting Monday night, Town Manager Carlo Puiia told the board and the two dozen or so residents who attended that the Board of Assessors is expected to sign the tax commitment papers for a tax rate of $24 per $1,000 valuation later this week.

That's up from the current rate of $19.60 per $1,000 valuation.

Moratorium vote set for Oct. 14

DIXFIELD — A public hearing on a proposed moratorium on developing wind farms drew a capacity crowd Monday night, but it wasn't the time to argue the pros and cons of such development.

"We're not here to discuss wind energy," said Town Manager Eugene Skibitsky prior to the opening of the hearing. "But whether the town would support a moratorium."

He said the special town meeting set for Oct. 14 would be the time to comment on the advantages or disadvantages of wind-farm developments.

Mailboxes targets of soda bottle bombs

DIXFIELD — Police and the U.S. Postal Service are looking for people responsible for destroying several mailboxes with soda bottle bombs.

Dixfield police Sgt. Jeff Howe said the mailboxes of three homes on Bull Rock Lane, Nova Street and Bradley Street, were targeted during the evenings of Sept. 13 and 16. The streets are all in the same neighborhood, and the residents of the three homes were not there at the times of the incidents.

First open house at Dixfield Fire Co.

DIXFIELD — The Dixfield Fire Co. will hold its first open house on Oct. 10. The event is coordinated by firefighter Jason Hyde and promises to have a variety of activities and events to please both children and adults.

"We need to do more in the community, to educate people about fire safety," he said.

The event takes place at the Main Street fire station from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Prior to the actual open house, children at Dirigo Elementary School will have a chance to compete in a coloring contest.

Public hearing on wind farm moratorium set for Monday

DIXFIELD — Residents will have a chance Monday to learn about and ask questions on a proposed moratorium ordinance on potential wind farm development.

The public hearing begins at 5 p.m. in the community room of Ludden Memorial Library. A special town meeting, with a secret ballot vote, to act on the proposed wind power moratorium ordinance will take place at 6 p.m. Oct. 14, also at the library.

Behind-the-scenes woman honored for her selflessness

MEXICO — A woman who prefers to stay out of the limelight as she tries her best to help those in need was honored Thursday night as this town's Citizen of the Year.

Sue Byam, coordinator of the local food pantry, deacon of her church, and ballot clerk for the town, among other things, was honored by more than 100 town officials, other volunteers and municipal employees at the annual Night of Appreciation.

Foliage change revealing intense colors

Terry Karkos/Sun Journal

Fall foliage colors along Route 140 in Canton on Thursday afternoon, are becoming more intense as peak color nears. On Wednesday, state forest rangers reported seeing a color change of 10 to 30 percent in the western mountains region from Bethel to Rangeley, according to a report on the state foliage Web site at www.mainefoliage.com.

Seven arrests in vandalism, thefts

MEXICO — Six teenage boys and an adult have been arrested in connection with vandalism and thefts totaling more than $5,000 from a River Road salvage yard Friday night.

Peer support worker to help laid off NewPage employees

RUMFORD — Employees who are losing their jobs due to last week's shutdown of the No. 10 paper machine at NewPage Corp. will soon have a peer support worker to help guide them to training or job searches.

Local 900 Union President Matt Bean said he expected to hear late Thursday or Friday on the status of the worker who will operate under the Central/Western Maine Investment Board. That person will be hired from a pool of previously laid off employees from NewPage.

Pupils to receive flu shots

While many school districts in Maine and across the country may experience a delay in receiving seasonal flu vaccine, most of the schools in the Western Foothills School District and those in the Bethel area have received most of their supply.

Gloria Jenkins, curriculum coordinator and assistant superintendent of Regional School Unit 10 headquartered in Dixfield, said Wednesday that a sufficient supply has been received to vaccinate all students in Rumford, Mexico, Roxbury, Byron, Dixfield, Canton, Carthage and Peru schools whose parents gave permission.

Opponents of Roxbury wind farm appeal DEP licensing permit

ROXBURY — Opponents of a wind farm project approved last month by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection are appealing that final order.

Through attorney Rufus Brown of Portland, Concerned Citizens to Save Roxbury, 37 individual camp or property owners, and the Silver Lake Camp Owners Association filed the appeal on Monday.

Roxbury Pond is also called Silver Lake.

Concerned Citizens is an association of seasonal and year-round property owners, renters or regular visitors in Roxbury.

Clothes dryer sets off fire alarm

Terry Karkos/Sun Journal

Rumford police log log

Arrests

• Rebecca Buck, 24, Rumford, warrant charging failure to appear on charge of operating after suspension, turned herself in at 12:30 p.m. Sept. 16 at the police station on River Street. She was released on $300 cash bail and will be arraigned on Oct. 6 in Rumford District Court.