PORTLAND

Former Standish lawmaker will report to prison May 17

A former legislator from Standish who was sentenced in U.S. District Court to serve six months in prison and pay $384,000 in restitution for misusing federal funds is scheduled to report to prison on May 17.

Adam Mack, 38, was sentenced April 22 and must serve three years of supervised release after his term.

Mack, who was a Republican member of the Maine House from 1997 to 2000, pleaded guilty in October to a single count of equity skimming.

After he left the Legislature, Mack was the president and majority owner of Chartwell Management Company Inc., a Portland-based residential firm that managed nine multifamily residences, including Barron’s Hill I in Topsham. To buy that property, the property owner took loans subsidized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s rural development program, according to court records.

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In January 2007, Mack withdrew $384,000 that Chartwell was holding for the agency as security for the mortgage loan and improperly used those funds to pay unrelated expenses for other properties in which he and his family members had an interest, court documents say.

When authorities charged Mack more than five years later, he had not returned any of the $384,000, the U.S. Attorney’s Office says.

THORNDIKE

Bullying was not a factor in teen’s suicide, police say

An investigation into the suicide of a 13-year-old Mount View Middle School student in March shows that bullying was not a factor in her death, police said Tuesday.

The Waldo County Sheriff’s Department also found that no crimes were committed in connection with the suicide of Kitty McGuire of Troy, said Chief Deputy Jeff Trafton.

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“Interviews with family, friends and the school failed to provide any specific instances of bullying at the school,” he said.

Kitty McGuire’s grandfather Fred McGuire said Tuesday that he still believes bullying played a role.

McGuire’s death was investigated after her body was found March 26 at her home. Many of her relatives and friends have said she was bullied because she questioned her sexual identity, expressing herself by dressing in black and experimenting with her hair and makeup.

Further details of the police investigation are not being released because of their sensitive nature, Trafton said.

Fred McGuire said he believes police did a complete investigation but the school should have done more to prevent bullying in the first place.

AUGUSTA

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Police collect record amount of prescription medication

Police throughout Maine gathered a record amount of unused and unwanted prescription medication last weekend in the sixth National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day.

Departments collected 22,260 pounds of medication that residents dropped off at police stations and other collection sites. Most of the collections were held Saturday.

That’s up sharply from the 13,980 pounds collected last fall and more than the previous record of 19,980 collected in the spring of 2012.

The federal Drug Enforcement Administration coordinates the take-back and funds disposal.

Maine passes a resolution to overturn Citizens United

Maine is joining other states in asking Congress to support a constitutional amendment that would overturn a U.S. Supreme Court decision that cleared the way for unlimited campaign spending by special interests.

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The resolution seeking to reverse the Citizens United decision was approved by lopsided, bipartisan margins in the Maine House and Senate on Tuesday. Supporters say Maine is the 13th state to pass such a resolution.

In its decision, the court ruled that the federal government may not prohibit direct corporate and union spending on advertising for candidates’ elections.

FREEPORT

ACLU will honor Delogu for commitment to rights

Orlando Delogu, professor emeritus at the University of Maine School of Law, will be honored Thursday by the American Civil Liberties Union of Maine at the Harraseeket Inn with the Justice Louis Scolnik Award.

Delogu, whose career at the law school has spanned 47 years, is a founding member of the ACLU of Maine. He oversaw the organization’s growth from 1967 through 1973.

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The award was established in 1989 to honor members of the legal community who have demonstrated outstanding commitment to the protection of civil liberties. The award is named for former Maine Supreme Judicial Court Justice Louis Scolnik, the first president of the Maine Civil Liberties Union, now ACLU of Maine.

State House’s dome will get new $1.2 million copper top

The Maine State House, known to many by its patina-green dome, will get a new copper top.

Legislative leaders have approved a plan to remove the present copper covering, which has grown thin and leaky over the 103 years it’s been in place, and replace it with new copper. The plan was approved Monday and is set to start next spring.

The $1.2 million cost requires no new appropriation or borrowing. The old copper will be recycled and cut into small pieces for mementos.

Proposal to exempt silver, gold from sales taxes dies

The Legislature has killed a bill to make gold and silver legal tender and exempt it from sales taxes.

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The Senate rejected the bill Tuesday. The House voted against the bill last week.

Supporters saw it as a way to draw some of the multimillion-dollar coin trade show business away from New Hampshire. They also said passage would give Mainers opportunities to buy locally, which would help Maine businesses.

But opponents were skittish about creating a new tax exemption, saying it could encourage other requests for tax breaks.

FARMINGTON

Man gets four-month term for thefts at two ski areas

A Livermore Falls man has been sentenced to serve four months in jail for breaking into two Maine ski areas.

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Ronald Davis II was sentenced recently for thefts at Titcomb Mountain in Farmington and Spruce Mountain Ski Slope in Jay.

Police say Davis, 23, stole $670 and portable radios from Titcomb Mountain in March 2012, and took radios from Spruce Mountain in November and drove a municipal bulldozer to the top of the mountain.

KITTERY

States to seek federal grant to fund bridge replacement

Maine and New Hampshire plan to apply for a $25 million federal grant to replace a bridge that was damaged by an oil tanker.

The Portsmouth Herald reported that the states will apply for a Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery grant for the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge.

The states expect to pay about $12.5 million each for the replacement, which is expected to begin next year and be complete by 2017.

The bridge between Portsmouth and Kittery has been closed for repairs since it was struck April 1. It is expected to reopen by May 25.


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