MAINE:
MAINE BUDGET
Maine State House tension grows over budget
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) - Maine Gov. Paul LePage says the Department of Health and Human Services will run out of money to pay Medicaid providers in three weeks, and he's blaming the Democratic-led Legislature for inaction on his budget proposal. Democrats, meanwhile, are accusing the administration of financial mismanagement.
Democrats asked DHHS Commissioner Mary Mayhew to meet with the Appropriations Committee for a rare Sunday session to face questions about the situation.
LePage made his announcement late Friday afternoon and he used his weekly radio address on Saturday to chide lawmakers for failing to act on his budget plan.
House Speaker Mark Eves questioned the timing of the governor's announcement, saying LePage's comments were geared more to "fear mongering than problem solving."
EMS MEMORIAL
EMS memorial to go up in Maine
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) - A new memorial is being erected to honor Maine emergency medical services personnel.
A groundbreaking ceremony is being held in Augusta on Saturday for the new EMS Memorial, which will be located between the law enforcement and firefighters' memorials along State Street.
Construction begins next week.
Officials say the memorial is the first of its kind in the U.S.
The memorial honors those who have lost their lives in the line of duty, while also providing information about the origins of EMS in Maine and how the system works today. It was funded by private donations and is located on state-owned land.
BANK ROBBERY SENTENCE
NH gets big sentence for Maine bank robberies
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - A New Hampshire man has been sentenced to more than 15 years in federal prison for bank robbery, interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle and interstate transportation of stolen property.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen in Portland, Maine, imposed the 188-month sentence Friday on 45-year-old Bernie Subocz of Manchester, N.H.
He was accused of a pair of bank robberies in Wells and York in Maine in November 2011. He pleaded guilty.
Another Manchester resident, 34-year-old Christie Hendrix, was previously sentenced to 22 months for stealing a car and using it as the getaway vehicle in the York robbery.
Torresen imposed a harsher-than-normal sentence on Subocz, enhancing the penalties based on a criminal history that she described as 1 of the worst she'd seen.
MAINE COMMENCEMENTS
Busy weekend for college commencements in Maine
BIDDEFORD, Maine (AP) - It's a busy day for college commencements in Maine.
U.S. Sen. Angus King is the keynote speaker at the University of New England's 178th Commencement at the Biddeford campus on Saturday. The university will award 1,450 degrees at the event. Included are 26 students who make up the inaugural graduating class from UNE's College of Pharmacy.
Commencement ceremonies are also scheduled for Saturday at Unity College, University of Maine campuses at Farmington, Fort Kent, Machias and Presque Isle, the University of Maine School of Law, and Husson University's Portland campus.
COMMUNITY COLLEGE COMMENCEMENTS
4 Maine community colleges hold commencements
SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - More than 1,800 students are receiving degrees from 4 of Maine's community colleges.
Commencements are being held Saturday for graduates of Southern Maine Community College in South Portland, Kennebec Valley Community College in Fairfield, Northern Maine Community College in Presque Isle and York County Community College in Wells.
U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud is the speaker at the Northern Maine Community College commencement. Attorney F. Lee Bailey, whose high-profile clients have included O.J. Simpson and Patty Hearst, is speaking at Southern Maine Community College.
Graduation ceremonies at Maine's other community colleges were held earlier in May. In all, nearly 2,900 community college students are graduating this month.
NEW HAMPSHIRE:
HAMMER ATTACK
Police: Roommate dispute leads to attack in NH
HOLLIS, N.H. (AP) - Police say two men and a woman from Massachusetts are charged with attacking a man with a hammer and knife following a roommate dispute in Hollis, N.H.
Police say three people connected to 1 of the roommates returned to the home, identifying themselves as police officers early Friday before attacking the victim in his RV.
The three are due to be arraigned Monday.
Police charged 53-year-old Ralph Doucette and 43-year-old Paul Carbonneau of Lowell, Mass., with burglary, assault and impersonating an officer. Charged with first-degree assault and burglary was 57-year-old Cynthia Nagele, of Lowell. All three remained jailed Saturday. It was unclear if they'd retained lawyers.
Police say the victim, who wasn't identified, dialed 911 during the attack. His injuries were described as serious.
NOT A SAMARITAN
Samaritan charged with running over pedestrian
DURHAM, N.H. (AP) - New Hampshire police say a motorist who presented herself as a good Samaritan who drove an injured pedestrian to the hospital is the same person who caused the injuries.
Durham police say 38-year-old Michelle Blain of Barrington drove an injured University of New Hampshire student to a hospital Thursday night and explained that she'd happened upon the injured pedestrian.
Officers say she was intoxicated, there was damage to her vehicle and her story didn't add up. She was charged with aggravated driving while intoxicated, negligent driving and conduct after an accident.
It was unclear if she'd hired a lawyer.
The student, 22-year-old Hieu Nguyen of Plymouth, Mass., was treated and released. He told police he had no memory of the episode.
BANK ROBBERY SENTENCE
NH gets big sentence for Maine bank robberies
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - A New Hampshire man has been sentenced to more than 15 years in federal prison for bank robbery, interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle and interstate transportation of stolen property.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen in Portland, Maine, imposed the 188-month sentence Friday on 45-year-old Bernie Subocz of Manchester, N.H.
He was accused of a pair of bank robberies in Wells and York in Maine in November 2011. He pleaded guilty.
Another Manchester resident, 34-year-old Christie Hendrix, was previously sentenced to 22 months for stealing a car and using it as the getaway vehicle in the York robbery.
Torresen imposed a harsher-than-normal sentence on Subocz, enhancing the penalties based on a criminal history that she described as 1 of the worst she'd seen.
COMMENCEMENTS-NH
5 NH colleges to hold graduations
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - 4 of New Hampshire's more prominent colleges and its only law school are holding graduation ceremonies.
Graduating students at the University of New Hampshire, Plymouth State University, St. Anselm College, New England College and the University of New Hampshire School of Law are collecting their degrees Saturday.
Commencement speakers include former FBI Director Louis Freeh at St. Anselm and U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte at New England College. The Army's deputy chief of staff for intelligence, Lt. Gen. Mary Legere, is speaking at UNH and former U.S. Institute for Peace President Richard Solomon is speaking at Plymouth State's commencement.
The UNH law school ceremony will feature attorneys Ted Olson and David Boies, who argued in favor of same-sex marriage before the U.S. Supreme Court in March.
FOUNDER'S DAY CELEBRATIONS
NH, Vt. communities share Founder's Day
HAVERHILL, N.H. (AP) - Two Connecticut River communities, one in New Hampshire and the other in Vermont, are celebrating the 250th anniversary of their founding.
Haverhill, N.H., and Newbury, Vt., were founded on May 18, 1763. And Founders' Day events on Saturday include re-enactors from the Revolutionary War in Haverhill and music, poetry and discussion in Newbury.
One event coming through both areas is the American Veterans Traveling Tribute, which includes a scaled-down replica of the Vietnam Memorial, including all inscribed names.
It's making a stop in Wells River, Vt., on May 22 and in North Haverhill, N.H., from May 23-27. Additional events are planned throughout the year.
MIGRATORY BIRD DAY
NH walk focuses on migratory birds
GORHAM, N.H. (AP) - Early risers are celebrating International Migratory Bird Day with a guided walk in the White Mountain National Forest.
Forest biologist Lesley Rowse is leading a two-hour walk Saturday morning starting from Gorham. The program is meant to educate the public about the variety of birds, including warblers and thrush, that return each year to breed in the forest. Rowse says the location is an area that is usually bursting with the sounds of singing birds.
VERMONT:
HOSPITALS-AID-IN-DYING
Hospital to delay on aid-in-dying
MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - Several Vermont hospitals are saying they'll to put off implementing the state's new aid-in-dying law, at least for now.
And an official with a statewide hospital association says that's likely the case with most or all of them.
Gov. Peter Shumlin is scheduled to sign into law on Monday the bill allowing doctors to prescribe lethal medication to terminally ill patients who request it. And the new law is to take effect immediately.
Jill Olson of the Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems says hospitals need time to work through with their medical staffs and ethics committees how to implement the law.
The law will allow doctors to prescribe lethal medication to terminally ill patients who request it.
TRAFFIC DEATH CHARGES
Vt. woman guilty of DWI, not homicide, in NY crash
FORT EDWARD, N.Y. (AP) - A 31-year-old Vermont woman arrested after a fatal crash in upstate New York has been convicted of drunken and reckless driving. But a jury acquitted her of manslaughter and homicide.
The Glens Falls Post Star reports Cassie Earley of Arlington, Vt., cried when she heard the Washington County jury's verdict Friday.
Prosecutors said her blood alcohol level was 0.18% when she crashed into an oncoming car at 7 a.m. on July 29 in the town of Hebron. That's more than twice the legal limit. The crash killed 83-year-old Vincent Muro Sr., of West Rutland, Vt. A passenger in Muro's car was injured.
She was tried on charges including drunken driving, manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide.
Earley faces up to a year in prison when she's sentenced June 14.
FOUNDER'S DAY CELEBRATIONS
NH, Vt. communities share Founder's Day
HAVERHILL, N.H. (AP) - Two Connecticut River communities, one in New Hampshire and the other in Vermont, are celebrating the 250th anniversary of their founding.
Haverhill, N.H., and Newbury, Vt., were founded on May 18, 1763. And Founders' Day events on Saturday include re-enactors from the Revolutionary War in Haverhill and music, poetry and discussion in Newbury.
One event coming through both areas is the American Veterans Traveling Tribute, which includes a scaled-down replica of the Vietnam Memorial, including all inscribed names.
It's making a stop in Wells River, Vt., on May 22 and in North Haverhill, N.H., from May 23-27. Additional events are planned throughout the year.
FISHING MEETINGS
Vt. board to hold meetings on fishing changes
MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Board is holding three public hearings this month on proposed changes to trout and bass fishing regulations.
The board proposes reducing the daily creel limit for brook trout by half and opening 11 new river sections to catch & release trout fishing with artificial flies or lures outside of the normal season. A section of the Walloomsac River in Bennington would be stocked with 2-year-old brown or rainbow trout.
And catch & release open water bass fishing outside the normal season would be proposed on all lakes, ponds and reservoirs not listed as "seasonally closed waters."
The public meetings will be held May 28, at the St. Johnsbury Elementary School, May 29 at the Pavilion Auditorium in Montpelier and May 30 at the Kehoe Education Center in Castleton.
ELDER FRAUD
Vt. AG urges Congress to combat elder fraud
MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - Vermont Attorney General William Sorrell wants Congress to do more to combat what he calls "elder fraud."
Sorrell testified Thursday in Washington before a subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives to review the federal government's current efforts to detect financial scams targeting senior citizens.
Sorrell warned of the prevalence of elder scams.
He cited two reports received by his office within the last 10 days. In one case an 83-year-old man lost $8,000 to an investment scam. In the other, a 79-year-old woman lost $29,000 in wire transfers to a "romance scammer" in Ghana.
Sorrell says the states and the federal government need to be partners to protect the most vulnerable from fraud.
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