LAMOINE

Police say man who killed father, uncle acted erratically

State police say a man who used two guns to kill his father and uncle in Lamoine acted erratically before killing them and then being shot by police.

State police say family members told investigators that Leon Tilden, 27, appeared to be depressed and had guns in his cabin. They said he had been staying up late, shooting at raccoons and other animals in the middle of the night.

Autopsies showed that his father, Robert Tilden, and his uncle, Russell Pinkham, both 50, died from multiple gunshot wounds early Tuesday. Leon Tilden was later shot to death in a confrontation with state police.

Steve McCausland of the Maine Department of Public Safety said investigators may never know what caused Tilden to kill his father and uncle.

BIDDEFORD

Officials say hearings to delay, not stop sale of incinerator

A public hearing on plans for solid waste disposal will delay the sale of a Biddeford trash-to-energy plant but officials say the purchase and eventual closure of the incinerator will still happen.

The Department of Environmental Protection will be holding a public hearing on the request to amend the license for Juniper Ridge Landfill in Old Town to allow it to accept in-state municipal solid waste, which now is disposed of at the Maine Energy Recovery Co. incinerator in Biddeford.

No date for the hearing has been scheduled.

The Journal Tribune reported that the hearing will delay the sale of the incinerator from Casella Waste Systems Inc., Maine Energy’s parent company, to the city, which was originally expected in November.

PORTLAND

Portland man pleads guilty to 32 counts of child porn

A Portland man pleaded guilty Thursday to 32 counts of possessing child pornography.

Michael Merrow, 52, had been charged with 35 counts of possessing sexually explicit material of a minor under 12. He entered guilty pleas to 32 counts in Cumberland County Unified Criminal Court and three counts were dismissed.

Assistant District Attorney Hannah Ames said during the proceeding that the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit learned that child pornography was being viewed or shared from an IP address they traced to Merrow. Merrow initially denied viewing the images but then admitted he had to authorities, she said.

Ames said the images were of actual children who were under 12 years old and the images had last been viewed between March and June of this year.

Jon Gale, Merrow’s court-appointed lawyer, noted during the hearing that there was no indication that Merrow took pornographic photos. Gale said Merrow is unemployed and has long been on disability.

The sentencing date has not been set. Merrow is to undergo a psychiatric evaluation before then. He remains free on $1,000 bail.

TOWNSHIP 1, RANGE 6

Two hurt when blood van hits 800-pound moose

Two people were injured when a van transporting blood to Bangor from a blood drive in Presque Isle hit an 800-pound moose.

Police say the van was destroyed and the cow moose died in the collision about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday on Interstate 95 south just north of Medway. The moose ambled into the passing lane from the woods on the left side of the road.

The blood on board was not damaged and was transferred to another van for delivery.

Police tell the Bangor Daily News reported that the occupants of the van suffered minor injuries from a shattered windshield.

A calf was also spotted but was not hurt and was seen wandering back into the woods.

BANGOR

Police warn of telephone ‘arrest warrant’ money scam

Police are warning Mainers to be wary of a new telephone scam.

Bangor police got a complaint Tuesday from a woman who said a caller had told her that a warrant had been issued for her arrest and she was to call an Officer Richard Johnson at a Texas phone number to make a payment.

Bangor police say they called that number and were given the runaround. The Texas Attorney General’s Office said the call to Maine was part of a nationwide scam, which had generated numerous complaints and is under investigation.

Police urge consumers to be wary of phone calls from anyone claiming to be in a powerful position and demanding money.

 

Bangor educator named top superintendent in Maine

The leader of the Bangor School District has been named the top superintendent in Maine.

Betsy Webb was voted Superintendent of the Year by the Maine Schools Superintendent’s Association in Augusta on Wednesday.

The award is based on Webb’s leadership, community involvement, fiscal management, and professionalism.

Bangor School Committee Chairwoman Phyllis Guerette said she nominated Webb in part because of how much Webb has been able to help the school district accomplish despite $5.5 million in funding cuts in four years.

Webb says the honor is a testament to the entire school stem, including students and faculty.

The school committee will recognize Webb’s accomplishment at its Nov. 15 meeting.

PORTSMOUTH, N.H.

Heavy lift barge to aid in recovery of sunk tugboat

The Coast Guard says the tugboat that sank in the Piscataqua River, forcing two crew members to quickly escape, will be recovered on Friday.

The tugboat, the Benjamin Bailey, is owned by Riverside Marine in Eliot, Maine. The business is a subcontractor to Archer Western, the firm working on the construction of the new Memorial Bridge connecting Portsmouth, N.H., to Kittery.

It’s not clear why the tugboat went down on Wednesday. Neither crew member was hurt.

Coast Guard Lt. Nick Barrow said divers will take steps Thursday to reduce any further environmental threat. He says a heavy lift barge will retrieve the boat on Friday.

 

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