BERWICK

Teenager suffers injuries in ATV accident in woods

A 14-year-old girl was injured in an all-terrain vehicle accident Sunday morning in the woods off Ridlon Road.

The girl was injured while she was riding with her mother. The accident occurred about a mile into the woods. Berwick police and fire departments and Lebanon Rescue responded to the scene.

Berwick police declined to release the name of the girl or her mother and the extent of her injuries.

NORWAY

Norway man charged with trying to burn down house

A Norway man faces arraignment today after being charged with trying to burn down his own house.

The Sun Journal of Lewiston said 23-year-old Troy Murch Jr., owner of a single-family home in the western Maine town, was arrested Saturday evening on an arson charge after allegedly dousing his living room in gasoline and setting it on fire.

Fire officials said no one was injured in the fire and it was quickly contained to the living room. Murch’s girlfriend told authorities he had been distraught.

AUGUSTA

Utility consumers protected if they arrange payments

The Maine Public Utilities Commission says Maine consumers will be protected from electric and gas service cutoffs this winter if they make a reasonable effort to make payments on their bills.

Maine’s winter electricity and gas disconnection protection time begins Nov. 15. During a six-month period, Mainers falling behind on their bills who contact their electric or gas utility, or the PUC, to make reasonable monthly payments will not be disconnected.

Commission Chairman Jack Cashman said the rules ensure that anyone who is facing disconnection gets a fair chance to arrange for reasonable payments and keep service connected.

 

Preservationists search for historic painted scenery

During the heyday of vaudeville between 1890 and 1940, painted scenery was commonplace in town halls, Grange halls, opera houses and community theaters.

Now, preservationists in Maine are launching a new statewide search for historic painted scenery, which often contains richly painted drapery, countryside or street scenes. They are usually on wooden or metal rollers and often feature ads for local businesses.

With the arrival of movies and then television, the tradition of creating painted roll drops disappeared. Now, much of the historic scenery remains on stage or in storage, sometimes in good condition but more often neglected, torn and dirty.

Some historic scenes have been stabilized, but groups called Curtains Without Borders and Maine Preservation are hoping to locate and document Maine’s historic scenery.

PORTSMOUTH, N.H.

Tuesday marks deadline for casino vote recount

The deadline is drawing near for opponents of a western Maine casino to ask for a recount of votes approving the four-seasons resort.

The Portsmouth Herald reported the group Casinos No! may request a recount of votes in last Tuesday’s state referendum. Opponents have until 5 p.m. Tuesday to request the recount by submitting to Maine election officials the signatures of 100 people who voted Nov. 2. The ballot question won by about 7,000 votes.

Casinos No! executive director Dennis Bailey said there may be other challenges to the casino that raise legal and procedural issues.

Black Bear Entertainment LLC proposes a $165 million casino and resort in Oxford. The group’s Jim Boldebook said there’s no reason for a recount or basis for a legal challenge.

FAIRFIELD

Cigarettes taken in burglary at new Main Street store

Police early Sunday were investigating a burglary at the new Damon’s Beverage Mart on Main Street.

Police Chief John Emery said someone apparently threw a rock through a front window at the market, setting off an alarm around 3:15 a.m.

When Officer Spencer Grinnell arrived one minute later, he saw the broken window and noticed a couple of cartons of cigarettes lying outside the building in the parking lot, Emery said. Whoever broke the window had left the scene.

Maine State Police responded with a tracking dog, but they tracked for a short distance and either lost the scent or the person got into a vehicle, Emery said.

He said it appears that a couple of cartons of cigarettes — besides the two on the ground — were stolen.

Waterville police also were called to provide backup for Grinnell and check the area, Emery said.

Emery said police do not have a suspect in the case.