SOUTH PORTLAND

Police seeking information in robbery of supermarket

A man who, police said, made no attempt to disguise his identity robbed the Shaw’s Supermarket on Waterman Drive on Monday night.

Sgt. Steve Webster said the suspect, a white male in his early 40s, entered the supermarket around 6 p.m. and walked the length of the store before approaching the service desk, where he informed the clerks that he was robbing them.

Webster said the suspect mentioned a gun but never displayed a weapon. He then left the store with an undisclosed amount of cash. No one was injured.

He was last seen walking south toward Market Street, wearing a green jacket, red ball cap with sunglasses resting on top, and jeans. He had a goatee and a mustache.

Since the suspect made no attempt to hide his face, police are hopeful that someone will be able to identify him.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the South Portland Police Department at 799-5511. Anonymous tips can be e-mailed to [email protected].

BIDDEFORD

Victim of ‘violent assault’ released from hospital

The 27-year-old victim of what police are calling a racially motivated, “violent assault” was released Monday from Maine Medical Center, according to his fiancee.

His fiancee said he was doing fairly well considering the nature of the attack by five men, who allegedly used baseball bats and clubs to beat him. He suffered head injuries, but no broken bones.

Biddeford police said the victim, his 29-year-old fiancee and her 4-year-old daughter were asleep in a room at the Sleepy Hollow Motel around 2 a.m. Saturday when five men approached their room and used bats to break out the window.

Three men have been arrested in the incident. Dale M. Pinkham Jr., 20, of Old Orchard Beach was charged with disorderly conduct, carrying a concealed weapon, and aggravated assault; Darren Crawford, 20, of Biddeford, was charged with elevated aggravated assault; and Michael Gagne, 18, of Old Orchard Beach was charged with aggravated assault.

PORTLAND

Woman accused of running into roommate with car

A Portland woman has been charged with aggravated assault and reckless conduct with a motor vehicle after she allegedly tried to run over her roommate with a car on Monday night.

Lt. Gary Hutcheson said 35-year-old Mary Webb struck 33-year-old Kenneth Burton with her car while he was standing on Sherman Street. Webb’s 6-year-old daughter was in the 1992 Dodge Neon with her at the time.

Hutcheson said the incident took place during an argument between Webb and Burton. Burton was transported by ambulance to Maine Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries.

Webb was taken into custody at 114 Park Ave. Webb is claiming that the incident was accidental.

AUGUSTA

Hearings on tap this week for four Cabinet nominees

Four of Gov. Paul LePage’s Cabinet nominees face hearings before legislative oversight committees this week.

Leading off the schedule this afternoon will be H. Sawin Millett Jr. of Waterford, LePage’s choice for finance commissioner. In that role, Millett would continue to lead budget-making duties, which he’s been doing as a member of LePage’s transition team.

On Thursday, the Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry takes up the nomination of William Beardsley of Ellsworth as conservation commissioner.

Also Thursday will be hearings for Philip Congdon of Round Pond for appointment as commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development, and for Norman Olsen of Cherryfield, nominee for Department of Marine Resources commissioner.

PORTLAND

Pingree, colleagues visit Guantanamo Bay prison

U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree is visiting detention facilities at the U.S. Naval Base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, along with other members of the House Armed Services Committee.

The Maine Democrat left Monday morning with a bipartisan group of lawmakers for a tour of the prison, which opened nine years ago and currently houses 173 people.

The visiting lawmakers include Armed Services Committee Chairman Buck McKeon, a Republican from California. The group will inspect the detention facilities and talk to top military officials about the detainees being held there.

Pingree says she wants to see the Guantanamo facilities firsthand and talk to the commanders on the ground.

 

Smoke from burning toast causes evacuation of hotel

Several guests of the Hilton Garden Inn evacuated the Commercial Street hotel just before 7 a.m. Monday when smoke from burning toast set off the building’s fire alarm system.

Deputy Fire Chief Scott Thomes said the guests were only outside a few minutes while Portland firefighters determined what triggered the alarm. The guests followed correct procedures in evacuating, Thomes said.

Hilton Garden Inn, which is at 65 Commercial St., is six stories tall. One guest reported that smoke filled the bottom floors.

 

Average gas price keeps climbing in Maine, to $3.18

A price-watching website says the price of regular unleaded gasoline in Maine has risen 2 cents per gallon in the past week, to $3.18 per gallon.

MaineGasPrices.com says Maine’s average compares with the national figure, which rose nearly 1 cent per gallon to $3.07.

Including the latest change, Maine prices are 36.5 cents per gallon higher than the same day one year ago and 7.3 cents per gallon higher than a month ago.

FALMOUTH

Driver walks away unhurt after freight train hits car

The driver of a car hit by a freight train around 12:20 p.m. Monday was uninjured.

Falmouth police said the driver had just entered a rail crossing at Blackstrap and Davis Farm roads when the train hit the four-door sedan’s rear end. The impact spun the car around and pushed it into a snowbank.

A section of Blackstrap Road had to be closed after the accident, and the train, destined for New York state, was delayed for about 90 minutes.

Police said the railroad crossing had no gate, but the lights and crossing bell appear to have been working. The name of the woman driving the car was not available.