It was no ordinary prisoner transport Friday coming over Longely Bridge. Police cruisers from several agencies flanked the jail van. Guns were drawn. Ordinary traffic was stopped to make way for the processional. It was a strange parade with crackling cop radios, flashing lights and reinforced metal.

Inside the jail vehicle were two men, one described as the head of a powerful crime family operating between New Jersey and Maine. The two were arrested in Auburn on Wednesday, and two days later it was time for a first appearance in Lewiston District Court.

The prisoners were 65-year-old Victor “Papo” Torres and 35-year-old Felix Merced. They were arrested on drug charges in an investigation that involved a little of everything: stolen guns, murder, pipe bombs. Tales of power, big money and killings surrounded the probe.

Around the courthouse Friday, the buzz was that police feared cohorts of the suspects might try to free them in a dramatic, Hollywood-style operation. Or maybe they were concerned about the safety of Torres and Merced.

Either way, the escort to the jail was witnessed by many and acknowledged by no one. Such is the nature of things, when tales of big-city crime run rampant in a small Maine community. The less said, the better.

“We’re not going to comment,” said Lewiston Police Lt. Michael McGonagle, “on any security measures we may or may not have taken.”

– Mark LaFlamme
Fit enough?

After a five-month investigation, Child Magazine this week announced it had found the 10 best and worst states for fit kids.

Maine came in sixth. With the best states.

That came as a surprise to Maine’s top doctor.

“If we’re one of the fittest states for kids it would be scary to see the least fittest,” said Dr. Dora Mills, director of the Maine Bureau of Health.

According to Mills, one-third of Maine youths are overweight or obese, including 36 percent of kindergartners.

The state is trying to fix the problem. The education department is looking at banning all junk food sales in schools. The Legislature is considering a bill that would set strict portion standards for school meals, prohibit teachers from using food as a reward and mandate that students get at least 2 hours of exercise in school every week.

“We have a long way to go,” Mills said.

A representative for Child Magazine said other top states felt the same way. The magazine looked at policies, not obesity statistics, when determining which states were best. All 50 states, she said, have an obesity problem. But some are trying harder than others to fix it.

– Lindsay Tice

Softening the salute

Sometimes, goodbyes need to be muted.

Sgt. 1st Class Michael Jones, a member of the 133rd Engineer Battalion, who died in New York, received a 21-gun salute at his memorial Wednesday.

Mourners gathered inside the Augusta Civic Center. However, the honor guard fired its weapons outside.

The sound of the rifle shots were played indoors on speakers. It was a softer sound, one meant to prevent jolts from the crowd, which included about 250 soldiers who just returned from Iraq.

For them, the shots were likely the first heard since they left the war zone.

“These are men and women who have just returned from combat,” Chaplain Andrew Gibson said after the ceremony. “They’re especially sensitive to sounds like these.”

– Daniel Hartill

Early bird

On Wednesday, the State Board of Education sent out a one-page press release telling people it had met and received the list of schools applying for construction money.

In it, Chairman Jim Carignan was quoted, “The Board receives this work with full confidence that the evaluations and assessments have produced a list which fairly represents the most pressing needs for school construction in the state from Kittery to Fort Kent.”

The problem? The board faxed the announcement at 10 a.m.

The meeting didn’t happen until 1 p.m.

– Lindsay Tice