KENNEBUNK

Chimney fire blamed for blaze that leaves 9 homeless

Nine people were left homeless Friday night after fire heavily damaged a four-unit residential building in the Lower Village in Kennebunk.

The fire at 170 Port Road was caused by a chimney fire, said Jeff Rowe, chief of Kennebunk Fire & Rescue. He said the top floor of the building was damaged by the fire, and the bottom two floors had extensive water damage.

Rowe said eight people were home at the time of the fire, but nobody was injured. He said the Red Cross and a local business are providing temporary housing.

Firefighters responded at 9:19 p.m., and the scene was cleared at 2 a.m. Saturday.

Fire departments from Kennebunkport, Wells and Arundel provided assistance at the scene, and departments from other towns in the region provided backup.

The Lower Village is a section of Kennebunk just across the river from Dock Square in Kennebunkport.

AUGUSTA

Governor hopes to lure manufacturer from China

Gov. Paul LePage is heading to China to try to bring a manufacturing project to northern Maine.

The Republican governor was scheduled to depart for Beijing on Saturday. He’s scheduled to return Thursday.

A spokesman for the governor said LePage will meet with representatives from a company interested in a manufacturing project at the Loring Commerce Center.

He said the project would create several jobs, but declined to provide further details.

Loring officials told the Sun Journal that LePage will meet with executives from North China Industries, known as NORINCO, to discuss a potential rail car manufacturing operation at the former Air Force base in Limestone.

This is the second overseas trip LePage will have made this month. He recently returned from a trade mission in Iceland.

DEER ISLE

Lupine Festival focuses on more than just flowers

The Deer Isle-Stonington Lupine Festival is underway in Hancock County.

The three-day celebration of summer and lupine flowers began on Friday and continues through Sunday. Saturday’s events included a trip through the archipelago to Seal Island National Wildlife Refuge, a nesting site for pelagic birds. Sunday’s schedule includes a Lupine & Lighthouses cruise to Vinalhaven to see lighthouses, seals and pelagic birds.

The festival is in its 12th year. It overlaps with the 75th anniversary Deer Isle-Sedgwick Bridge Celebration.

PRESQUE ISLE

Health woes won’t preclude elderly couple’s anniversary

An Aroostook County couple will celebrate their 71st wedding anniversary this week, one year after they marked a big but bittersweet milestone.

Delbert McCrum, 91, and Wilda Chase, 92, had their first date 75 years ago at a picnic on Mars Hill Mountain. They became sweethearts and were married on June 24, 1943.

Staff at the Aroostook Health Center in Presque Isle say that 18 months ago, Wilda needed to leave their apartment to get the care she needed. It was the first time the couple had lived apart and made for a difficult 70th anniversary.

The week before last, Delbert moved into AHC and rejoined his wife in time for this year’s celebration.

Wilda says being together is their anniversary gift to each other.

CASCO

SEALs to swim Sebago to aid charity for military children

Four Navy SEALs will swim the 13-mile length of Sebago Lake this summer to help military families go to camp next year.

The SEALs hope to raise $80,000, or enough money for 40 military families to attend Camp Sunshine, a Casco camp for children with life-threatening illnesses. Two of the SEALs planning to swim on Aug. 21 are from Maine.

They will begin the swim at the southernmost point of the lake and finish near Point Sebago Resort in Casco.

The New Balance Foundation and Shaws Brothers Construction in Gorham have pledged to match some of the funds raised for the camp.

– From staff and news services