PORTLAND

Greene man sentenced for fraudulent online sales

A Maine man has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for using his brother’s name so he could sell medicinal creams online that had been paid for by MaineCare.

Samuel Hall of Greene was also sentenced Monday to three years of probation and ordered to pay more than $167,000 in restitution. He pleaded guilty in March to making a false statement to a financial institution, theft of federal money and misbranding of a prescription.

Prosecutors say the 38-year-old Hall opened a bank account in 2010 in the name of his brother by using his brother’s identification. He then used the account to receive payments from the unlawful online sale of prescription and over-the-counter creams.

He also received public health and food stamp benefits for which he wasn’t eligible.

 

Jetport allotted $1.4 million to buy snow-removal gear

The Federal Aviation Administration has allocated money for the Portland International Jetport to purchase snow-removal equipment.

The $1.4 million from the FAA will pay for two front-end loaders, two snow plows and a snow-sweeping vehicle, according to a press release from U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree’s office.

Two sweepers that the airport now uses are almost 20 years old, Jetport manager Paul Bradbury said in the release.

The FAA is also providing $850,000 for the Knox County Regional Airport in Owls Head to buy a new plow truck and put up a fence to keep wildlife off the runways, the press release said.

 

Board reviews proposal for rock-climbing facility

The city’s Planning Board gave a favorable review to a proposal that calls for construction of an indoor rock climbing and fitness facility on Warren Avenue.

Planners reviewed the Evolution Rock & Fitness project during a workshop Tuesday afternoon.

The owners want to build a 13,032-square-foot facility, with parking for 33 vehicles, at 65 Warren Ave.

Planning Board members said Evolution Rock & Fitness, which operates a rock climbing facility in Concord, N.H., will need to return to the board for a public hearing and for final approval of its site plan.

KENNEBUNK

FairPoint aims to restore phone, Internet service today

FairPoint Communications hopes to have land-line telephone and Internet service restored to all of its customers in Kennebunk’s Lower Village by Wednesday afternoon.

The company’s spokesman, Jeff Nevins, said FairPoint engineers inspected a defective marine cable Tuesday during low tide. That cable had initially caused the loss of telephone service to about 60 customers in the Lower Village.

Nevins said engineers determined that it would be more effective to abandon the marine cable line — it’s located on the bottom of the Kennebunk River — and to connect the affected customers to another fiber optic cable that is attached to the bridge connecting downtown Kennebunkport with Kennebunk.

Nevins said crews would install and splice the new cable lines late Tuesday and into Wednesday morning, with the expectation that the customers will have their telephone service restored no later than Wednesday afternoon.

Nevins said the new cable line should be easier to access and maintain, as opposed to the marine cable in the river, which was installed about 30 years ago.

“For our customers, ultimately, it will be a better fix,” Nevins said.

FREEPORT

N.H. governor to be guest at Muskie Lobster Bake

New Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan will be the featured guest at the Maine Democratic Party’s annual summer fundraiser.

More than 200 people are expected at the Muskie Lobster Bake, which is being held Aug. 18 at the Wolfe’s Neck Farm in Freeport.

The party says Hassan is the only Democratic woman now serving as governor. Other guests at the fundraiser include U.S. Reps. Mike Michaud and Chellie Pingree.

The event is named in honor of the late Edmund S. Muskie, who served as Maine governor, U.S. senator and U.S. secretary of state during his political career.