BANGOR

South Berwick man convicted in hit-and-run death

A 23-year-old man faces up to 30 years in prison after being convicted in the hit-and-run death of a University of Maine student.

A Penobscot County Superior Court jury today found Garrett Cheney of South Berwick guilty of manslaughter, aggravated criminal operating under the influence and other charges in the Jan. 30, 2010, death of Jordyn Bakley, 20, of Camden.

Prosecutors told jurors that Cheney was drunk when he hit Bakley on an Orono street before fleeing and crashing his pickup truck on Interstate 95.

District Attorney Christopher Almy said pieces of plastic found near Bakley’s body matched the grille and headlight assembly of Cheney’s truck.

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Cheney’s lawyer told jurors there was “a tremendous amount of reasonable doubt” on all charges except driving under the influence.

PORTLAND

Food pantries likely to feel absence of federal funds

Food pantries in Cumberland County are going to feel the impact of losing $143,000 in federal funds that benefited such programs as Preble Street, Wayside and the Salvation Army.

The United Way of Greater Portland, which administers the program, announced Thursday that Cumberland and five other counties in Maine did not qualify for federal aid.

Cumberland County’s Emergency Food and Shelter Program not only benefits some of the larger food programs but also provides aid to many smaller community and church-run programs.

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Lincoln, Sagadahoc and York counties also did not qualify for federal food assistance.

United Way said the loss of funding stems from a federal reduction of funds to Maine, a reduction that saw assistance levels drop from $814,937 in 2010 to $347,251 in 2011.

Two local nonprofits will merge into single agency

The People’s Regional Opportunity Program of Cumberland County and Youth Alternatives Ingraham are merging into a single social services agency.

The boards of trustees for both nonprofit organizations voted this week to merge under one administration, according to a news release.

Michael J. Tarpinian, the president of Youth Alternatives Ingraham, will become the CEO of the new agency, which has yet to be named.

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The agency plans to announce its new name in September and be fully integrated by Oct. 1. The agency programs will help people access health care, housing, child care, early education, nutrition and treatment for mental illness and substance abuse.

PROP has 200 employees and $17 million annual budget. Youth Alternatives Ingraham has 260 employees and a $19 million annual budget. The agencies are funded through federal, state, local and private sources.

BANGOR

23-year-old Jackson man killed at construction site

Police have released the identity of a 23-year-old man who was killed while working at a construction site in Bangor.

Danny Dodge of Jackson was killed Wednesday afternoon when a backhoe rolled on top of him at the site of a Bangor Gas line-extension project.

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Police said he was employed by Bowdoin Excavation of North Yarmouth.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating.

NORTH HAMPTON, N.H.

One dead, two injured in crash on Interstate 95

One person is dead and six others are injured after a crash involving three vehicles on a New Hampshire highway.

The accident happened just after 9 p.m. Wednesday on I-95 in North Hampton. State police said a car driven by 61-year-old Sylvia Hull of Sabattus, Maine, and a tractor-trailer driven by 51-year-old Robert Goodman of Lewiston, Maine, collided in the northbound lanes. The impact caused both vehicles to veer into the southbound lanes and strike a car driven by 80-year-old Alden Milton of Goffstown, N.H.

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A passenger in Milton’s car was killed. That person’s name was not released. Milton was taken to Portsmouth Regional Hospital for serious injuries.

Hull was seriously injured and flown to Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine. She was listed in satisfactory condition Thursday night. Two of her passengers suffered minor injuries and were treated and released from Portsmouth Regional Hospital.

Goodman was taken to Exeter Hospital for minor injuries.

STANDISH

Man dies after vehicle goes off road, hits tree

A 69-year-old man was killed Thursday evening after his 1998 Chevrolet Blazer went off Chadbourne Road in Standish.

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Capt. Jeff Davis of the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department said the victim, whose name is being withheld pending the notification of his relatives, was driving south on Chadbourne Road when his vehicle left the road and went down an embankment.

The man’s vehicle struck a tree, trapping him inside. He had to be extricated from the vehicle before being transported to Maine Medical Center, where he died from his injuries.

Davis said an accident reconstruction team from the Sheriff’s Department is investigating the crash to determine the cause and contributing factors. The accident was reported at 4:42 p.m.

YORK

N.H. man accused of taking videos up women’s skirts

A New Hampshire man has been arrested and charged with invasion of privacy and disorderly conduct after police allege he took videos of women’s private areas while pretending to tie his shoes.

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The York Police Department said the alleged ‘up-skirting’ by 18-year-old Kyle Mehlhorn of Bow, N.H., took place Tuesday afternoon at York’s Wild Kingdom, a local zoo and amusement park.

Mehlhorn, who was arrested, admitted to using a mobile device to look up the skirts of several women at the park.

Police investigators found the device and after obtaining a search warrant determined that Mehlhorn may have videotaped women in other communities.

Mehlhorn is free on bail and is scheduled to be arraigned Nov. 10 in York District Court.

SACO

Funtown/Splashtown plans to add six new water slides

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Funtown/Splashtown USA has announced the addition of six new water slides to its water park.

The six slides will stem from a tower, with four reaching 49 feet high and the other two dropping from 60 feet.

The two higher slides, with tunnels constructed of translucent fiberglass, will launch riders from a capsule at the top, hurtling them down the water slides at speeds of more than 40 feet per second.

The four lower slides will allow park guests to race each other to the bottom of the slide.

A new restaurant and restroom facility is also planned, as well as the relocation of Candy Land, the Funtoberfest Beer Garden and two group picnic areas.

Construction is scheduled to begin in mid-September and be completed next spring.

— From staff and news service reports


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