Nurses negotiate as contract set to expire

BANGOR (AP) — A Maine hospital and nursing union are negotiating about a contract that is set to expire.

The Maine State Nurses Association, National Nurses Organizing Committee and National Nurses United contract with Eastern Maine Medical Center expires on Thursday. Bargaining teams representing the union and the hospital are resuming negotiations that have stalled in recent meetings.

The hospital says staffing ratios and compensation are the biggest issues remaining on the table.

The two sides extended the contract in mid-June when it was about to expire. A hospital spokesman has said the contract could potentially be extended again if no deal is reached.

Police step up efforts to find murder suspect

PARKMAN (AP) — Maine police are setting up an informational roadblock in Guilford to inform residents and tourists about a Parkman man wanted in connection with the killing of his ex-girlfriend.

Robert Burton has eluded authorities for nearly a month since Stephanie Gebo was found dead in her Parkman home June 5.

The roadblock is on Route 15 in Guilford. Electronic message boards have also been placed along roads in Newport, Athens, Charleston, Milo and Monson leading into the Parkman Guilford area to warn tourists about the manhunt. Area residents have been told to remain vigilant.

Authorities say the 38- year-old Burton is familiar with woods in the area and is considered armed and dangerous.

Gebo’s family and friends are offering a $3,200 reward for Burton’s capture.

Man sentenced for fraud, identity theft

PORTLAND (AP) — A man from Windham, Maine, has been sentenced to three months in prison for applying for and using a credit card in another person’s name.

The U.S. Attorney’s office says 46-year-old Manuel Arruda was sentenced Wednesday on charges of mail and access device fraud and identity theft. He also was ordered to pay back nearly $12,000 charged to the card.

Arruda pleaded guilty in February. Court documents said in 2012, he applied online for a Chase Bank Freedom credit card in someone else’s name, using the person’s date of birth and Social Security number.

Prosecutors said he obtained that information using his position as a service manager at a Portland car dealership when the victim brought his truck in for servicing.

The application was approved; Arruda received two credit cards.

Convicted killer, ID thief gets 60 years

ELLSWORTH ( AP) — Prosecutors say a carpenter convicted of killing his employer and raiding the victim’s bank accounts was sentenced to 60 years in jail.

William Morse was sentenced on Thursday in Ellsworth. A jury found him guilty of murder in the fatal shooting of 61-year-old Richard Bellittieri. He was also accused of taking nearly $180,000 from Bellittieri.

Bellittieri was an accountant in Trenton. Prosecutors believe he died in July 2012, about a year before Morse’s arrest.

Prosecutors say Morse killed Bellittieri and then used the money to lead a lavish lifestyle and even presented himself as Bellittieri at times. The state medical examiner said Bellittieri was shot twice in the head. The body was buried with potting soil on his property.

LePage signs $85M bond proposal

AUGUSTA (AP) — Maine voters will consider an $85 million bond proposal to fund improvements to the state’s roads and bridges.

Republican Gov. Paul LePage signed the bill on Wednesday. It will be placed on the November ballot.

It was one of two bond proposals passed by the Legislature this week. LePage has not yet taken action on the other measure, which would put $15 million toward building more affordable housing for seniors.

Most of the money from the transportation bond would go toward building or rehabilitating highways and bridges. A total of $17 million is targeted for improvements to things like ports, harbors and passenger railroads.

Despite his vow to veto every bill, LePage has signed a handful and let several go into law without his signature.

Elder care provider to discontinue service

PORTLAND (AP) — One of Maine’s largest providers of personal care support for the elderly and disabled has announced that it is ending service in Maine.

The Portland Press Herald reports that MAS Home Care of Maine said Wednesday that as of July 29, it will be discontinuing the home care services it provides that receive all or part of their funding from MaineCare.

About 1,000 clients are affected.

The move could put personal support specialists out of work, while their clients would have to find other providers.

MAS Home Care of Maine president and chief executive Ken Johnson says his staff is working on a transition plan that will move those workers to other home care agencies, which would allow them to potentially remain with clients they already serve.

Police to step up road enforcement for 4th

PORTLAND ( AP) — Maine State Police are getting ready to use unmarked cruisers, additional troopers and aircraft for traffic enforcement during the Independence Day holiday weekend.

State Police Col. Robert Williams says police will be looking for “aggressive and impaired drivers” and will also enforce laws about seat belt use and texting while driving. Williams says Maine highway deaths are down about a sixth from this time last year. Maine officials reported 50 highway deaths in in 2014, which was the safest year on Maine roads since 1944.

Williams says the state police and dozens of police departments are using $643,000 in federal highway safety money to pay for the additional patrols to look for drunk drivers.

Houlton agricultural fair under way

HOULTON (AP) — Northern Maine residents are celebrating the four-day Houlton Fair in this city by the Canadian border.

The fair began on Thursday and runs through Sunday. The event is an agricultural fair that includes livestock and horse shows as well as a demolition derby and truck pulls. The event will also feature the Houlton Fair Exhibit Hall and a midway. There will also be fireworks.

Teen in critical condition after rescue

ROME, Maine (AP) — A 16-year-old boy is in critical condition at a Maine hospital after being rescued from a pond.

Officials say the Chesterville teen was swimming with two friends Thursday at Great Pond in Rome and went under as they were trying to swim from a boat back to Crooked Island.

His identity has not been released.

$1K reward offered for jewelry theft info

NORRIDGEWOCK (AP) — A $1,000 award is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever broke into a Norridgewock home in April and stole about $10,000 worth of jewelry.

Somerset County Sheriff ’s Deputy Ron Blodgett tells the Morning Sentinel that investigators have visited area pawn shops and secondhand stores but none of the items have been recovered and no suspects have been identified.

Among the items taken was a set of pearls and several gold necklaces.

Blodgett did not disclose the names of the victims of the daytime burglary.

The reward is being offered by the family.