FALMOUTH

Small black bear prowling backyards, looking for food

Additional Photos

Falmouth police and state wildlife officials are working to relocate this black bear, which was spotted in a west Falmouth neighborhood. Courtesy Allen Evans

Lillian Harmon, 7, of Scarborough explores the new playground equipment at Deering Oaks in Portland on Wednesday afternoon. Jill Brady/Staff Photographer

Town police say a small black bear has been spotted looking for food in the neighborhood around Mountain and Blackstrap roads.

Police are urging residents to remove trash and bird feeders from outside their homes.

Police said the bear, which weighs about 100 pounds, has entered several backyards but has not displayed any signs of aggression toward people or other animals.

Falmouth police are working with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to relocate the animal.

According to the department’s website, the black bear is the smallest of the three bear species that inhabit North America. Males average 250 to 600 pounds and can stand 6 feet tall; females average 100 to 400 pounds.

The department says black bears are opportunists and will feed on a wide range of vegetation and animal matter. They are very intelligent and will adapt to new food sources, such as agricultural crops, bird feeders and untended garbage.

GORHAM

Man flees police, crashes car stolen from Biddeford police

A Standish man faces charges after leading police on a chase Tuesday night in a car that was reported stolen.

Michael McGraw, 29, crashed on Fort Hill Road shortly before midnight after fleeing police in a Volvo reported stolen from the Biddeford Police Department, police said.

McGraw tried to flee after the crash but was caught by Gorham Police Sgt. Sears Edwards. McGraw was taken to Maine Medical Center in Portland as a precaution because he had been injured in the crash.

McGraw was charged with eluding an officer, criminal speeding, operating after suspension and escape.

WATERBORO

Teen charged with eluding after crashing car into home

A Waterboro man crashed his car Tuesday night after leading a sheriff’s deputy on a chase that started in Lyman, according to the York County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputy Darren Cyr pulled over 18-year-old Jeremy Sterling on South Waterboro Road in Lyman. The deputy had received a report of a potentially impaired driver in the area and had observed Sterling’s Honda operating erratically. 

After pulling the car over, Sterling’s passenger, 18-year-old Connor Monro of Newfield, opened the car’s glove box. Cyr saw what appeared to be a glass marijuana pipe and a bag of marijuana.

Sterling abruptly drove off, according to the sheriff’s office.

Cyr pursued the car, which he estimated reached speeds of 80 mph. Sterling’s car jumped the crown of Route 202 and he lost control of it. The car crashed into a home on West Road, about a mile from the initial traffic stop.

Sterling was treated at the scene and refused to be transported to a hospital. He was charged with eluding a police officer. The sheriff’s office continues to investigate and Sterling could face additional motor vehicle and drug charges.

Monro was treated and released from Goodall Hospital after suffering lacerations to the head.

EAST MILLINOCKET

Canadian company delays plan to liquidate two mills

The state is getting more time to find a buyer for shuttered paper mills in Millinocket and East Millinocket.

Brookfield Asset Management of Toronto had planned to begin selling the equipment in the mills next week.

But Gov. Paul LePage said Brookfield has delayed the liquidation plan in hopes a buyer can be found.

LePage said he’s “cautiously optimistic” a deal can be reached.

The Bangor Daily News reported that no one would say how much extra time Brookfield will give to close a deal for the mills.

The Millinocket mill closed in September 2008. The East Millinocket mill closed on April 1. The closure of the two mills cost about 600 jobs.

— From staff and news services

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