Maine senators welcome Navy proposal for a 355-ship fleet

PORTLAND (AP) — Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King of Maine are praising a Navy proposal to boost the fleet to 355 ships.

The proposal is an increase of 47 ships and includes an additional 16 large surface combatants like destroyers built at Maine’s Bath Iron Works and Mississippi’s Huntington Ingalls shipyard.

The Navy currently has fewer than 280 ships, and the previous goal was to grow to 308 ships.

Collins, a Republican, and King, an independent, said Friday that they welcomed the Navy’s “candid” assessment of what’s needed to protect the U.S. They noted that the assessment is good news for national security and for the workforce at Bath Iron Works.

Shipbuilders are hoping to stay busy during the Trump administration. Trump has vowed to build up the U.S. military.

Disabled man catches fire while tending woodstove

BRUNSWICK (AP) — Firefighters say a disabled man was severely burned while trying to put a log in his woodstove to keep warm.

Officials say Thomas Soucy’s pants caught fire Friday afternoon and the fire spread to much of his body and his wheelchair. He called for help using Lifeline, an emergency call service.

Brunswick Fire Chief Ken Brillant told the Portland Press Herald that Soucy was “very severely burned on the lower half of his body.”

Firefighters doused the flames, and the 62-year-old Soucy was flown via LifeFlight helicopter to Maine Medical Center in Portland. Officials say the injuries are severe enough that he might be transferred to Boston.

Maine is dealing with the coldest weather so far this season. The temperature dipped below zero early Friday and remained in single digits.

Protests are expected to accompany Maine’s electoral voting

AUGUSTA (AP) — Maine’s electoral voting is normally a sleepy affair. But this year — the first time Maine has split its electoral votes — the ceremony is going to be accompanied by protests.

Several groups plan to gather Monday at the Statehouse to rally against President-elect Donald Trump, who won one of Maine’s four Electoral College votes. One group has been organizing the Storm the Statehouse event. Another group is the Dec. 19 Coalition, which includes the Progressive Change Campaign Committee and Democracy Spring.

Trump supporters are gathering, as well, in support of Maine Republican Chairman Rick Bennett, who’ll be casting the state’s lone vote for the GOP’s Trump.

Maine Republican Party Executive Director Jason Savage implored the party faithful to show up to support Bennett.

“I don’t think it’s overly dramatic to say that I do not want to see him having to wade through a crowd of protesters without a strong contingent of proud and strong supporters by his side,” Savage said in an email Friday.

Bennett is going to cast the vote on behalf of Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, which favored Trump.

Maine’s other three electoral votes — two for the statewide winner and one for the winner in the 1st Congressional District — are going to Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Cops: Youths or late teens suspected in mass cow release

CLINTON (AP) — Police say they’ve interviewed at least one person of interest after hundreds of cows were let out of their pens at a Maine farm last month.

Police say about 150 cows were released at Misty Meadow Farm in Clinton on the night of Nov. 29 or early Nov. 30. Farm workers rounded up the cows and got them back into their pens.

Hours later, police say roughly 500 cows were released and discovered by the next shift of workers. One cow fell into a drainage hole, broke its neck and died.

Police say other acts of vandalism were also done at a nearby farm.

Police Chief Stanley Bell tells the Morning Sentinel they believe the culprits are youths or late teenagers. An investigation remains ongoing.