SALEM, Mass.

Buckfield man gets 4 years in Massachusetts child rape

A Maine resident has been sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting a Massachusetts girl over several years starting when she was 8.

Jonathan Hare of Buckfield, was sentenced Tuesday after pleading guilty to child rape and seven counts of indecent assault and battery on a child.

Prosecutors say the abuse occurred when the girl was living with her mother in apartments in Salem, Beverly, Marblehead and Gloucester, Mass. Prosecutors say the 31-year-old Hare, who at one point lived with the girl and her mother, would sneak into her room at night and molest her, warning her not to tell anyone or he’d kill her.

Hare’s lawyer said her client wanted to accept responsibility for his actions, the Salem News reported.

FALMOUTH

Heat lamp sets coop on fire, killing two chickens, rooster

A couple of chickens and a rooster were killed after a fire broke out Wednesday night in a chicken coop located off Middle Road in Falmouth.

Falmouth Fire Chief Howard Rice said the building, which he described as a large shed, was engulfed in flames by the time firefighters arrived, around 8:45 p.m.

The building was destroyed, but the owner, Keith Alling of 5 Jensen Way, was able to rescue four chickens.

Rice said the coop was located about 100 feet from Alling’s home, which was not damaged. Rice attributed the fire to a heat lamp inside the coop.

PORTLAND

Shooting spree left windows in eight cars shattered, police say

Portland police are asking for the public’s help in finding the person or people responsible for shooting out car windows in the Emery Street area on Portland’s peninsula.

Residents reported windows broken in eight cars between 11 p.m. Tuesday and 1 a.m. Wednesday.

Five of the cars were on Emery Street, one on Spring Street and two on Birchwood Drive on the northwest side of the city. All the windows were on the side facing the street and police believe a BB or pellet gun was used, police said.

The total damage caused is more than $4,000, police said.

Police asked that anyone with information call 874-8584 or contact them online at www.portland-police.com.

BERWICK

New Hampshire fugitive arrested at local residence

The U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force says a man wanted in New Hampshire has been arrested at a residence in Berwick.

Authorities said 23-year-old Jacob Brown was on supervised release as part of a sentence for his role in a 2010 bank robbery in Farmington, N.H. He had left a residential substance abuse treatment center in Dublin, violating his conditions of supervised release.

Brown, who was arrested Tuesday, was featured as this week’s “Fugitive of the Week” broadcast on local stations, published in newspapers and posted online.

AUGUSTA

Democratic-led Senate upholds vetoes of two bills

The Maine Senate has upheld Republican Gov. Paul LePage’s vetoes of two bills: one that would have placed some limits on fireworks use in the state, and one that would have expanded insurance coverage for hearing aids.

The Democratic-led Senate voted 20-15 in favor of sustaining the veto of the bill that would’ve restricted the use of fireworks before noon and clarified that their irresponsible use could represent disorderly conduct.

LePage said the proposed restrictions were “heavy-handed regulations” that sought “to roll back the existing legal framework that permits the use of approved fireworks.”

Fireworks became legal in 2012 in Maine.

Supporters say the bill merely sought to give relief to those concerned about firework use. They say they’ve received complaints from veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, parents of small children and farmers with livestock.

The hearing aid coverage bill, sponsored by Democratic Sen. Linda Valentino of Saco, would’ve mandated that insurers provide coverage for hearing aids up to the age of 26. Currently, it’s only required up to age 18.

The Senate voted 23-12 on the bill, falling short of the two-thirds support needed to override the governor’s veto.

LePage said that the measure would’ve increased monthly premium costs, making plans less affordable for all Mainers.

Valentino said in a statement that many young adults don’t get coverage for hearing aids, which can be expensive, meaning that many don’t have access to the devices “that would have a profoundly positive impact on the quality of their lives.”

Sweetser CEO and president will retire at end of 2014

Sweetser has announced that its chief executive officer and president Carl Pendleton will retire at the end of the year.

Pendleton has worked at Sweetser, a behavioral health care organization, for 36 years and has served as president and CEO of the nonprofit since 1991.

“This decision is one I have known I would eventually need to make, and although I have been considering my future for a few years, it has not been an easy one. I have made this decision now with the support of my family as well as Sweetser board members and employees. I have full faith that the work we do, throughout every community in Maine, will continue,” Pendleton said in a statement.

The search for a new president and CEO will be led by Sweetser’s board and Pendleton will remain in an advisory capacity during the transition period after a new leader has been chosen.

Sweetser provides treatment and support and hope to children, adults and families through a network of mental health, behavioral health and educational services. The organization has more than 600 employees serving about 20,000 adults and children throughout Maine.