DA schedules public meeting on North Pond hermit

Submitted by Around Town Web... on Thursday, May 2nd, 11:16 am

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) - A meeting has been scheduled for people who think they may have had items stolen by a Maine man who lived alone in the woods for 27 years.

The meeting arranged by District Attorney Maeghan Maloney is scheduled for Saturday at the Skowhegan state police barracks.

The Kennebec Journal reports that Maloney says it is a chance for people to ask questions and see items seized from Christopher Knight's campsite to start the process of reclaiming them.

The 47-year-old Knight was arrested last month when police say he was caught stealing food from a camp in Rome. Authorities believe the man known in local lore as the North Pond Hermit may be responsible for more than 1,000 burglaries.

Knight is being held on $25,000 bail on burglary and theft charges.

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And the Food Was Amazing! Thank You Cancer Community Center

Submitted by Diane Atwood, Freelance Writer and Blogger

Thursday, May 2nd, 2013, 7:26am

And the Food Was Amazing! Thank You Cancer Community Center

I had such a great time last night! Here I am with Fran Seeley and Lisa Hachey at the Cancer Community Center in South Portland. Every year the Center honors its many volunteers and we were all on the guest list for the 2013 Recognition Reception. Read more.

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Governor unveils school grades

Submitted by Chris Rose on Wednesday, May 1st, 6:40 pm

AUGUSTA, Maine (NEWS CENTER) - The Governor and his Commissioner of Education released their controversial plan to give schools across the state a grade, the same way students are graded.

Of the state's 422 elementary schools 81-percent received a C or better. Only 69-percent of the state's High Schools got those grades.

The Governor's Commissioner of education says parents hear all kinds of information about test scores being thrown around and schools given titles, but no one knows what it all means. He says simplifying it into grades of A, B, C, D or F is something everyone can understand.

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Fire crews' quick response saves Readfield home

Submitted by Tim Goff on Wednesday, May 1st, 3:49 pm

READFIELD, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- Fire crews from six towns responded to a house fire on Winthrop Road in Readfield late Wednesday morning.

"The garage was fully involved in fire, and it was working its way up one of the walls of the house," explained Readfield Fire Chief, Lee Mink, who was one of the first to arrive on scene.

Chief Mink says they attacked the fire with a massive stream of water to knock it down and prevent it from spreading into the home. A car, and the garage it was in, were destroyed in the blaze.

With fire danger high throughout the state, crews worked to keep embers from sparking a fire in the woods and fields near by. A Maine Forest Service helicopter, on its way to another incident, flew over the scene to check for any flare-ups away from the home and found none.

"We were fortunate that we didn't spark up a brush fire," said Mink.

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Spectrum Generations Launches New Website

Submitted by tbrewster, Community Content Provider

Wednesday, May 1st, 2013, 10:16am

Let’s face it, we all search the web for information – a phone number to call to get your car fixed, or the closest location to buy window blinds. But where do you go to find the help you need to figure out how you’re going to live on a fixed income when you retire? Or, how are you going to be able to care for your elderly mom who’s starting to show signs of dementia, and still work a full time job?

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Depression in the Elderly

Submitted by Diane Atwood, Freelance Writer and Blogger

Wednesday, May 1st, 2013, 8:31am

As we grow older, lifestyle changes and personal losses can easily make us feel sad and depressed. Depression is not considered a normal part of aging, but University of Southern Maine professor Nancy Richeson, PhD, says for many reasons, depression in the elderly is common.

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College students learning lessons from farm to table

Submitted by Tim Goff on Tuesday, April 30th, 5:56 pm

UNITY, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- Before it became a school with a focus on environmental professions, Unity College was a chicken hatchery known as Constable Farm. Now, chickens are making a comeback on campus, being bred to teach lessons and provide sustenance for the less fortunate.

"We have chicken heritage here, for sure," exclaimed Sara Trunzo, coordinator of the college's farm and food projects. "Because of our history, because of our connection to hunger relief in this community, and our interest in learning about more sustainable agricultural methods, we thought, let's grow some chickens for the food pantry and do it on our campus in a way that a lot of students are involved with."

The lessons being learned extend far beyond the field of farming.

"Really, we are asking our students to think critically about systems and what the impacts are on people, profit and planet," she explained.

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