PORTLAND

Search continues for suspectin Occupy bomb incident

Members of Occupy Maine reported a relatively peaceful evening Monday, two days after someone heaved a chemical bomb into the midst of the Lincoln Park encampment.

But there was one unrelated arrest.

Portland police charged a man with disorderly conduct after one of the protesters, who had been elected to head security, asked police for help.

The man appeared intoxicated and was being loud and disruptive, police said.

Police warned Nicholas Michael, 22, then charged him. He was taken to the Cumberland County Jail. Occupy Maine protesters had asked him to move his tent away from theirs after he began yelling and swearing, police said.

Meanwhile, police continued to search for those responsible for throwing the chemical device into the camp. Nobody was injured in Sunday’s incident, but the device created a loud noise and lots of smoke, protesters said.

Police have been asking area businesses for any security video that might show the older-model silver compact car whose occupants, witnesses believe, threw the device.

Occupy Maine was not the suspects’ sole target, police said. Officers reported hearing a similar device explode about an hour before, somewhere southwest of the park. Police were unable to locate the other device.

Fore Street chef recognizedfor local food commitment

Chef Sam Hayward of Fore Street won a national award in New Orleans on Monday night recognizing his commitment to promoting local, sustainable foods in the culinary world.

Hayward received the “Sustainer” award from the Chefs Collaborative, a nonprofit network of chefs, farmers, fishermen, educators and food lovers, at the group’s annual national summit.

The Sustainer award recognizes a chef who has been a mentor to others, and who “is a model to the culinary community through his/her purchases of seasonal, sustainable ingredients and the transformation of these ingredients into delicious food.”

Hayward is one of Maine’s best-known chefs, and his restaurant was one of the first in the state to start sourcing as many ingredients as possible locally. In 2004, he was named the best chef in the Northeast by the James Beard Foundation.

SKOWHEGAN

Gifford’s buying Md. firmwith nearly identical name

Gifford’s Ice Cream of Maine is buying a Maryland company with a nearly identical name.

Skowhegan-based Gifford’s Ice Cream on Monday announced a deal to buy Silver Spring, Md.-based Gifford’s Ice Cream and Candy.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The two companies were not previously affiliated.

The Bangor Daily News reported that Roger Gifford, co-owner of the Maine Gifford’s, said it’s “uncanny” that the companies not only have similar names, but share similar histories as well.

The Maryland company was founded in 1938 and distributes ice cream in Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Delaware, West Virginia and the District of Columbia.

The Maine company started making ice cream in 1983, but its dairy business goes back a century.

AUGUSTA

Visa program looks to spur business in western Maine

A visa program to stimulate business has been approved for western Maine.

State and federal officials Tuesday said the U.S. Department of Homeland Security authorized a regional center in Rangeley to coordinate foreign investment and new job creation as part of the EB-5 employment-based visa program.

Under the program, a potential immigrant can apply for a U.S. visa by agreeing to invest at least $500,000 in an American business that creates at least 10 new jobs directly or indirectly for U.S. workers.

Franklin County and Livermore Falls are included in the special designation, said George Gervais, commissioner of the state Department of Economic and Community Development.

Christopher Farmer, USA Lifestyles president and Saddleback general manager, said at a State House press conference that new investments will be allowed in ski lodges and resorts, testing laboratories, wood products manufacturing, restaurants, leasing nonresidential buildings, museums and construction.

State official warns drivers about hoax license websites

Secretary of State Charlie Summers is warning motorists about websites claiming to provide new driver’s licenses and driver’s license renewals.

Summers said the websites charge customers, but never send valid credentials. Maine’s Bureau of Motor Vehicles has received complaints about websites called DMV-DriversLicences.com and US-DriversLicenses.com.

Summers says new Maine driver’s licenses can be obtained only at state Bureau of Motor Vehicles branches or mobile units. The only valid website for renewing a Maine driver’s license is maine.gov/online/bmv/dlr. Proof of residency and legal presence must already be established to renew online.

A complete listing of BMV locations is at maine.gov/sos/bmv/locations.

BOSTON

Fishermen who remain hauling in more money

An expanded report on a contentious new commercial fishing management system indicates many fishermen who remain in the shrinking industry are making significantly more money.

Under the system, enacted in 2010, “sectors” of fishermen divide an allotted quota of groundfish, such as cod. Last month a preliminary report showed fishermen got better prices last year, but there were fewer boats and revenues were increasingly concentrated in fewer hands. That continued previous trends.

The expanded report released Tuesday shows much higher income for owners who fished in sectors.
The average owners’ share for vessels between 30 and 50 feet long rose from $48,000 to $66,000. Bigger boats, up to 75 feet long, saw shares jump from $143,000 to $207,000. Owners’ shares in boats longer than 75 feet went from about $306,000 to $421,000.

BANGOR

Man sent to psychiatrichospital in 2010 stabbing

A Bangor man has been sent to a psychiatric hospital after being found not guilty by reason of insanity of stabbing a fellow tenant at a boarding house nearly two years ago.

In a hearing at the Penobscot Judicial Center on Monday, 49-year-old Clinton Grubbs pleaded no contest to elevated aggravated assault.

Prosecutors accused Grubbs of stabbing Frederick Pond, 57, in the side of his abdomen and his right hand with a 4- to 5-inch chopping-style knife Jan. 6, 2010.

Pond , of Bangor, underwent emergency surgery that day and died several months later. Prosecutors said his death could not be directly tied to the stabbing.

– From staff and news services

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