GMO bill supporter wants public to vote

AUGUSTA — The sponsor of a Maine bill designed to make it easier to label foods made with the use of genetically modified organisms says she’ll push for a public vote.

The state has a law that will require labels if five contiguous states, including Maine, approve labeling. Rep. Michelle Dunphy of Old Town sponsors a bill that would scrap the trigger provision.

Dunphy has proposed sending the issue to voters. The Legislature’s agriculture committee voted against the idea last month. Dunphy says she’ll advocate for a public vote when the bill reaches the full House.

Maine’s GMO law has an automatic repeal provision if other states don’t pass labeling by 2018. The agriculture committee supported pushing back repeal to 2022.

Broad scientific consensus says genetically engineered food is safe to eat.

State to reopen some scallop fishing grounds

MACHIAS (AP) — Maine fishing regulators say three key scallop fishing grounds will reopen due to a new approach to monitoring the valuable shellfish.

Gouldsboro Bay and Dyers Bay, the Inner Machias Rotational Area and Wahoa/Jonesport Reach will open during the week of March 14. The state had closed the areas on Dec. 13.

A spokesman for the Maine Department of Marine Resources says surveys conducted during the scallop fishing season show that the areas can still withstand commercial harvesting this year.

Maine scallops were worth about $5.75 million last year. They have grown in value per pound at the dock in each of the last six years.

UMaine System gets $500K grant

BANGOR — The University of Maine System has received a $500,000 grant to put toward its effort to bring all of the school’s graduate programs under one roof.

The school said Thursday that the grant from the Harold Alfond Foundation would go toward the “strategic development” of a plan to house the university’s law school, graduate business programs and graduate programs in public health and in public policy and management.

The Maine Center for Graduate Professional Studies would also house the Cutler Institute for Health and Policy.

The Portland Press Herald reports the center would be located at a to-be-determined site in Portland.

Chancellor James Page says the foundation’s support for the initiative now stands at more than $2 million.

Police: Man stole $76K from 90-year-old

FARMINGTON (AP) — Police say a man forged a 90-year-old relative’s signature on several documents and used them to steal more than $76,000 from her bank account.

The Lewiston Sun Journal reports that Farmington police say 42-year-old Brent Adams has been charged with theft by deception and forgery. Both charges are felonies. The Kingfield man was also charged with violating his probation.

Adams now faces up to 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine for each of the charges. He’s scheduled to appear in a Franklin County court in May.

Adams is being held without bail at a Farmington jail on a probation violation.

Adams told police he also stole checks from a 94-yearold woman’s checkbook last August and wrote them out to himself, blaming his drug addiction.

Land Trust to hold annual banquet

SOUTH BERWICK — Great Works Regional Land Trust will celebrate 30 years of work on Saturday at 5 p.m. at Spring Hill Restaurant & Banquet Center.

The annual fundraising dinner and auction will include locally sourced foods and feature more than 150 auction items donated by conservation- and community minded artisans, businesses and friends of the Land Trust.

Proceeds will support the ongoing mission of Great Works to preserve and protect cherished landscapes in Berwick, Eliot, North Berwick, Ogunquit, South Berwick and Wells.

Canine behavior training in Kittery

KITTERY — Canine Solutions Training Services is presenting the truth about canine aggression and why popular training methods don’t work on March 20 at 517 Route 1.

If you’ve tried them all, but your dog’s behavioral issues still exist, then this dynamic seminar is for you. This educational workshop on interspecies communication will teach you more about canine behavior in one afternoon than most people learn in a lifetime.

The cost is $150 for adult(s) and dog and $75 for an adult only. Lunch is included.

Pre-registration is required; no walk-ins allowed. The registration deadline is today. Attendees accompanied by their dogs must bring a copy of current vaccinations, including rabies and kennel cough.

For registration and more information, please visit www.k9sts.com.

Jammin’ for Waban benefit concert

SANFORD — Sanford Elks is sponsoring a concert to benefit the new Autism Therapy Wing at Waban’s Fraser-Ford Child Development Center on Saturday from 7-11 p.m. at the Elks Lodge, 13 Elm St.

Jammin’ for Waban will feature four Maine bands playing rock, country and blues music. Katie Thompson from the WMTW Channel 8 News Team will emcee the event.

Tickets are $20 per person, and with a purchase of eight tickets, a table can be reserved. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 324-7955.