Man found dead following house fire in Sabattus
SABATTUS, Maine (AP) — Maine fire officials say a man has been been found dead following a fire that swept through a home in Sabattus. Fire officials said that the body of 69-year-old Edward Greenier was found deceased after firefighters doused the flames. The fire department was alerted shortly after 4:30 p.m. Monday. The state fire marshal’s office is investigating, and an autopsy will be performed.
ACADIA CRASH
Driver pleads guilty in Acadia park crash that killed 3
BANGOR, Maine (AP) — A former resident of New Jersey has taken an expected plea agreement stemming from a car crash at Acadia National Park that killed three people. Thirty-year-old Praneeth Manubolu pleaded guilty on Monday in federal court to three counts of manslaughter, two counts of operating under the influence and one count of unsafe operation of a motor vehicle. The crash happened early in the morning of Aug. 31, 2019, when Manobolu had been living in New Jersey on a student visa. The crash killed three passengers in Manubolu’s car.
ELECTION 2022-MAINE-HOUSE
Poliquin narrows funding gap in key Maine race
BANGOR, Maine (AP) — Former U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin, who is seeking his old job back, has narrowed the funding gap in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District race. The Bangor Daily News reports that Poliquin, who seeks to unseat Democratic Rep. Jared Golden, raised a little less than $600,000 in the final quarter of 2021. The race for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District is likely to get national attention during midterm elections. Golden won the district by 6 percentage points in 2020, but former President Donald Trump won an electoral vote in the district.
PARKING LOT KILLING
Maine man pleads guilty in parking lot killing case
AUBURN, Maine (AP) — A Maine man has pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the death of a Massachusetts resident in a fast-food restaurant parking lot. Police charged Trai Larue, of Lewiston, with murder stemming from the death of 21-year-old Roger Cornell of New Bedford. Cornell was found injured in the parking lot in 2020 and later died at a hospital. Police said at the time of Larue’s arrest that Cornell suffered injuries in an altercation with Larue. Larue’s attorney, Justin Leary of Auburn, said Monday that Larue’s plea agreement includes 25 years, with most of that time suspended.
COUNSELING ACCESS
Multistate compact could help Maine get more therapists
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Maine is considering joining a multi-state compact that allows licensed counselors to practice in other states. Supporters of the proposal say it would improve access to counseling and therapy in Maine. The state would join the Counseling Compact, which allows counselors licensed at the clinical level and residing in member states to practice in other states without needing multiple licenses. The proposal is the subject of a bill before the Maine Legislature presented by Democratic Rep. Jay McCreight of Harpswell. A legislative committee is expected to hold a work session on the proposal in the coming weeks.
SALMON FARM LAWSUIT
Developer of $400M salmon farm sued by a former employee
BUCKSPORT, Maine (AP) — The parent company overseeing the construction of a $400 million land-based salmon farm in Bucksport, Maine faces a lawsuit from an ex-employee hired to work on the three-year delayed project. The Bangor Daily News reported Sunday, Whole Ocean’s parent company, Emergent Holdings, is being sued by GNP Consulting after it was fired for allegedly underestimating the costs to construct the farm by $150 million. GNP Consulting’s attorney did not respond to a request for comment. The attorney for Emergent declined to comment on the lawsuit.