LEWISTON – Two local teens were arrested last week in connection with a fire that destroyed an Adams Avenue storage building.

The 15-year-old Lewiston boys were each charged with arson and burglary after detectives questioned the pair Oct. 15.

Although fire investigators believe the blaze was set from the outside of the storage facility, police say the two teens had entered the building before it went up in flames Oct. 12.

Police did not disclose motives for the alleged arson. A witness reported seeing at least two young people near the building shortly before it went up in flames.

The two teens arrested were taken to Long Creek Youth Development Center in South Portland.

Fire inspectors were continuing to investigate the cause of the blaze in an attempt to learn exactly how it was set.

School boiler

to be replaced

BETHEL – By unanimous vote Tuesday the Board of Directors for SAD 44 approved using $23,975 in contingency funds to replace the boiler at the Woodstock Elementary School in Bryant Pond.

According to Bethel board member Elaine Cross attempts had been made during the summer to fix the boiler by Honeywell Corp., but because of the age of the boiler all attempts failed.

“The boiler is pretty old and it was found that it just could not be fixed,” said Cross.

In support of Cross’ statement, Business Manager Bruce Powell explained that Honeywell had tried to fix a leak in one section of the boiler, but discovered it could no longer get replacement parts because of the age.

“The boiler is 15 years old,” said Powell, “and Honeywell found that it was obsolete and no replacement parts could be found.”

Casino topic

of Bates lectures

LEWISTON – Bates College will host two separate, public lectures on the Nov. 4 casino referendum this month.

Speaking against the proposed $650 million casino, which would be owned by the Penobscot Nation and Passamaquoddy Tribe, will be state Rep. Mary Black Andrews, R-York. Her talk, “Casinos: A Windfall or Bust?” will be on Wednesday, Oct. 22.

Speaking for the casino issue will be Penobscot Chief Barry Dana, who will present “The Casino: New Answers to Old Problems” on Oct. 29.

The lectures will allow the speaker to talk for one hour, with one more hour allowed for questions and answers. Both will begin at 7 p.m. in the Keck Classroom (G52) of Pettengill Hall at Bates College. Pettengill Hall is on College Street near Russell Street. Parking is available at the Olin Arts Center on Russell Street, or on College Street.

For more information call 786-6462.

Hospital going smoke-free Nov. 20

RUMFORD – Rumford Hospital will join more than 20 other Maine hospitals by becoming smoke-free next month.

The change will take place Nov. 20, the date of the Great American Smokeout.

Deb Gorham, clinical coordinator at the hospital, said the ban on smoking for employees, visitors and patients applies to the parking lots, vehicles and outdoor areas of the hospital, Swift River Healthcare, the Rumford Veterans Clinic, and the Elsemore/Dixfield Clinic. Rumford Community Home, which is also associated with the hospital, will not go smoke-free at this time because it serves as home for its residents.

The decision to go smoke-free was made by the hospital’s Wellness Committee.

Smoking was banned inside the hospital about 15 years ago.

Landlords: Fee

for trash unfair

AUBURN – Auburn landlords said they’d rather pay higher property taxes than trash collection fees Wednesday night.

“Spread the wealth. That’s what I say,” said Lewiston resident Marcel Roberts, who owns seven apartment buildings in Auburn. “If you raise property taxes, it’s spread over everybody in town and everybody pays less. This way, it’s discrimination against landlords.”

Roberts was among 40 area landlords who crammed the City Council chambers in the Auburn City Building to complain about the city’s plan to begin charging for trash collections at apartments of four or more units.

City Manager Pat Finnigan said the city hopes to begin charging $1.54 per apartment per week beginning in December – about $80 annually per unit. The new fee should generate $30,000 for the city in the current fiscal year, if approved.

Inspection questioned by town

SUMNER – Fire Chief Bob Stewart said he believes a recent inspection of the town’s firetrucks was poorly done, perhaps to the point of endangering the town.

Stewart reported to selectmen Oct. 14 that there are documented discrepancies in the reports made by the inspection company. He showed the board three checklists filled out by the company employee who conducted the inspections.

Among items checked off as having been inspected are a number of parts that Sumner’s trucks don’t actually have.

The checklists show that pumps on the trucks were tested at 30 inches of vacuum, although the pumps are only capable of producing 23 inches of vacuum.

In addition, the town was billed for five hours of labor. Stewart said he doesn’t believe the inspections lasted more than four hours.

Stewart reported that he tried to contact the owner of the company and found that he was unwilling to discuss the matter.

Paris school site OK’d by state

AUGUSTA – The state Board of Education on Wednesday unanimously approved the site planned for the Paris elementary school.

“I will ask the school board to authorize a warrant and referendum vote to purchase the site,” said SAD 17 Superintendent Mark Eastman. “The referendum will allow us to buy the land and use bond funds, not local funds. The interest that we pay on the bond notes will be a project cost.”

The warrant will ask voters to appropriate $210,000 from the district’s undesignated fund to purchase the 16.2 acres of land on the corner of High Street and Hathaway Road. It further authorizes the board of directors to issue bonds or notes to refund the undesignated fund balances.

“The voter approval allows us to pay costs associated with the evaluating and acquiring of the land,” Eastman said. “That cost will be in the $20,000 range at this point. There is still more work to do related to DEP (Department of Environmental Protection), not a lot more, but some more.

“We have already jumped through most of the hoops,” he said.

Selectmen hear

of tax problem

PERU – Selectmen Oct. 13 heard from the town clerk that the town had still received no communication from a delinquent taxpayer, and next week the board is scheduled to sign papers to begin the process of selling a portion of the property to pay the taxes.

The action will be publicized three weeks before actually claiming the property.

Selectman Andy St. Pierre said the man had several years of reminders to make arrangements with the town for payments.

Pulsifer said the board always gives ample notice before action is taken in delinquent tax situations.

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