PORTLAND

Candidates for Congress report fundraising totals

Maine congressional candidates are reporting raising more than $400,000 from July through September for their 2nd Congressional District campaigns.

In quarterly finance reports filed Tuesday with the Federal Election Commission, Democratic state Sen. Emily Cain of Orono reported raising more than $75,000 for the quarter, while fellow Democratic Sen. Troy Jackson of Allagash raised nearly $72,000. Alden Smith of Sangerville hadn’t filed by late Tuesday afternoon.

On the Republican side, former state Sen. Kevin Raye of Perry raised $90,000, and former Navy officer Blaine Richardson of Belfast raised a little over $1,000. Former state treasurer Bruce Poliquin said he would file a report late Tuesday showing he raised $221,000.

The seat is now held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud, who is running for governor in the 2014 election.

Ruptured gas line leads to evacuations; no one hurt

Work crews digging near 68 Boyd St. in Portland ruptured a gas line Tuesday morning, leading to the evacuation of a nearby child care center and apartment building.

Firefighters responded to the leak at 11 a.m.

Because there was an odor of gas in nearby buildings, they evacuated occupants, said Fire Chief Jerome LaMoria.

Nobody was hurt, and people were allowed back in the buildings at 11:40 a.m. once the gas leak was stopped and firefighters determined it was safe to return.

LaMoria said that when people smell gas they should leave immediately, leaving doors and windows in the position they are in and call 911.

COLUMBIA FALLS

Lit tree honoring veterans moved from Bar Harbor

A perpetually lit tree that honors veterans has found a new home in eastern Maine after Bar Harbor’s town council pulled the plug.

The council two years ago agreed to let nonprofit group Wreaths Across America put lights on a tree in a park and keep it lit in honor of veterans.

But the council last month voted to pull the plug after some people complained that an accompanying plaque referred to Christmas and they weren’t Christian.

In response, Wreaths Across America set up a larger lighted tree near its headquarters in Columbia Falls.

In ceremonies Sunday, volunteers took the lights and plaque from the Bar Harbor tree and brought them to Columbia Falls, where a lighting ceremony was held for the new tree.

YARMOUTH

Town library gets $200,000 donation for renovation

Yarmouth’s Merrill Memorial Library is $200,000 closer to its fundraising goal of $1 million to pay for remodeling the 108-year-old building’s third floor, according to a library organizer.

The families of Leon and Lisa Gorman and Jennifer and Bennett Wilson together made the donation, said Gro Flatebo, who chairs the library’s capital fundraising campaign.

The public-private project includes $1.5 million in town-issued bonds approved by Yarmouth voters in June. Roughly $600,000 is left to be raised before March 2014, Flatebo said.

Construction is expected to begin in November and take up to 18 months. The library will remain open during construction.