SACO

City administrator says he’ll retire at end of year

City Administrator Richard Michaud announced Thursday he will retire at the end of the year.

Michaud has held the city’s top leadership position since 1999. He said he will retire Dec. 31 and, in a letter to the City Council, offered to assist with the transition to a new city administrator.

In his letter, Michaud said he has “been fortunate to have worked with an exceptionally hard working and professional city staff.”

“I have enjoyed working with mayors and councils who are visionaries, leaders, stewards of the public trust, and who did what is best for the city,” he wrote. “As well, I have enjoyed working for elected officials who are business friendly, innovators, early implementers, goal driven and results oriented.”

Mayor Don Pilon and the City Council will lead the process to hire a new city administrator.

POLAND

Poland man arrested, charged with child porn

A man convicted a decade ago of molesting children has been arrested for allegedly possessing child pornography, according to Maine State Police.

Deland E. Small, 60, of Poland, was arrested by the Computer Crimes Unit on Wednesday and charged with possessing sexually explicit material, according to Stephen McCausland, spokesman for the Maine Department of Public Safety.

Small was arrested at his place of work in North Yarmouth and taken to the Cumberland County Jail in Portland.

The arrest came after detectives seized computers last month at his home at 187 Johnson Hill Road and found dozens of images of child porn, McCausland said.

Small was convicted in 2003 of unlawful sexual contact with a child, served jail time, and was required to be on Maine’s sex offender registry for 10 years, which ended last fall.

BATH

Man charged with counts of assaulting 8-week-old

Police have charged a 24-year-old man with multiple counts of felony assault against his 8-week-old infant.

Police on Thursday arrested Brandon E. Ross of Middle Street on six counts of aggravated assault, three counts of assault and three counts of endangering the welfare of a child.

Ross had been indicted by a Sagadahoc County grand jury. He was being held at Two Bridges Regional Jail on $25,000 bail pending an Aug. 5 appearance in West Bath District Court.

Police were alerted to the case by a Department of Health and Human Services investigator on April 7.

The arrest was the result of a lengthy investigation, said Lt. Robert Savary.

Savary would not release details about the allegations against Ross or the nature or severity of the injuries suffered by the child.

The child has been placed with family members.

AUGUSTA

State to receive $127 million for infrastructure projects

Maine will receive $127 million through selling bonds that will support several transportation and infrastructure projects.

State Treasurer Neria Douglass said the state’s general obligation bonds were sold Thursday and the proceeds will be available later this month.

The money will support several projects, including some that have already been funded through the treasurer’s cash pool.

The Department of Transportation will receive $41 million for highways and bridges and $13.6 million for ports, harbors and rails. Other projects being funded include $3.67 million in energy upgrades for the University of Maine System and $3.95 million for a new science building for the Maine Maritime Academy.

PORTLAND

State parks, historic sites open for free on Sunday

Most of Maine’s state parks and historic sites will be open for free admission Sunday in honor of Father’s Day.

State officials say all vehicles with a Maine license plate will receive free admission to 48 state-owned and operated locations. Gov. Paul LePage calls the free admission “a way of thanking Maine residents and showing appreciation for their support of Maine parks.”

The offer lasts from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. There will not be a rain date. The free admission does not apply to Baxter State Park, Scarborough Beach State Park, or the Penobscot Narrows Observatory.

More information about Maine parks is available at www.maine.gov/dacf.

– From staff and news services