PORTLAND (AP) – A coalition that supports Gov. John Baldacci’s universal health plan has been formed to promote Dirigo Health and boost public awareness of the program. Dirigo Health Now! held news conferences in Bangor and Portland on Monday to announce its formation.

The governor’s program offers Mainers the best chance to make quality health care affordable and accessible, said the group’s chairman, Mark Mutty from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland.

“Dirigo Health Now! is committed to expanding our alliance and showing lawmakers we support Dirigo Health and want to see it fully implement,” Mutty said in a statement released Monday.

Dirigo is Maine’s program to make health care accessible to the state’s 138,000 uninsured residents by 2009. The program was envisioned by the Legislature as a state-private partnership.

Jail guard sentenced

BOSTON (AP) – A former Bristol County jail guard was sentenced to six years and nine months in federal prison on Monday for his role in an OxyContin and cocaine distribution ring.

Peter J. Medeiros, 36, of New Bedford, was also sentenced to three years of probation following his prison term and fined $125,000 after pleading guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute OxyContin, a conspiracy to obtain OxyContin by fraud, three counts of acquiring OxyContin by fraud, three counts of health care fraud, and three counts of distributing cocaine.

Medeiros, his wife, and others, participated in a scheme in 2001 in which they obtained more than 3,000 OxyContin pills by passing forged prescriptions at New Bedford pharmacies, federal prosecutors said.

After obtaining the OxyContin, Medeiros distributed it in the New Bedford area.

In addition to admitting to the charges related to the OxyContin scheme, Medeiros admitted to selling cocaine on three separate occasions in 2000 and 2001, prosecutors said.

Officials: Bear incidents normal

BANGOR, Maine (AP) – The number of run-ins between bears and people is not any higher than usual, Maine wildlife biologists say.

The season’s weather may have contributed to a slight increase in the number of bear incidents but it’s too early to prove it with statistics, state bear biologist Jennifer Vashon said.

The early snow melt and cold, wet spring may have contributed because bears awoke from hibernation to find there were few berries or plants to eat.

Supporters of a referendum in November that would ban bear baiting say referendum opponents are playing up the bear attacks in an attempt to sway public opinion.

Cecil Gray of Hunters for Fair Bear Hunting, which supports the referendum, said the issue is getting overblown.

But Edie Leary of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Council, which opposes a ban on bear baiting, said her group is making no special effort to increase nuisance bear reports.

Nonetheless, Leary said such reports do bring to the forefront the need to control the bear population.

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