Maine State News From The Associated Press 5-5-22

Maine town says fewer people applying for government jobs

BLUE HILL, Maine (AP) — A Maine town says it has seen a decrease in job applicants for local government jobs in a pattern that has left vacancies in administrative positions in different municipalities across the state. The Bangor Daily News reported Wednesday that Blue Hill town administrator Shawna Ambrose left her position at the beginning of the year. The town’s select board still has not been able to fill the position four months after Ambrose’s departure. But Blue Hill isn’t the only town facing this issue. Top city and town positions across Maine have been left vacant without permanent replacements for months. Cities have had difficulty pulling in applicants to fill the vacancies.

MISSING WOMAN-BOYFRIEND CHARGED

Maine man pleads guilty to killing girlfriend, mom of twins

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — A Maine man has pleaded guilty to killing his longtime girlfriend and the mother of his two children. Authorities charged Nicholas Lovejoy of Waterville with the death of 29-year-old Melissa Sousa in Waterville in 2019. The Kennebec Journal reports the 31-year-old Lovejoy agreed to a plea deal Wednesday that will cap his sentence at 45 years in prison. Police found Sousa’s body in the basement of an apartment the couple shared with their twin girls.

SUPREME COURT APPOINTMENT

1st Black justice ready to serve on Maine’s supreme court

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — The first African American to serve on the state’s highest court said he’s ready to get to work. The Maine Senate voted last month to confirm Rick Lawrence to the Supreme Judicial Court, and he was sworn into office Wednesday by Democratic Gov. Janet Mills. Lawrence is a two-decade veteran district judge who served as deputy chief judge of the District Court. He said he’s already reading legal briefs to bring himself up to speed on some of the cases before the court.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-MAINE

Infections grow, hospitalizations at 2-month high, in Maine

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The number of COVID-19 infections is growing in Maine, with the seven-day average more than doubling since late April. The Maine Center for Disease Control reported 1,198 new infections Tuesday as the state reflected a regional trend of growing infections driven by new variants of the coronavirus. The number of people hospitalized with the coronavirus grew to 162, the highest point in two months, in Maine on Tuesday. About three-quarters of the state is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, but the rate of vaccination has slowed. More contagious omicron subvariants are fueling increases in the Northeast, especially New York.

ELECTION 2022-MAINE-GOVERNOR

Group reserves $5M in TV ad time for Maine governor’s race

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The Democratic Governors Association is reserving $5 million in television advertising time to support the reelection of Maine Gov. Janet Mills. The DGA announced its television reservation on Wednesday. That’s a day after Mills and former Republican Gov. Paul LePage reported fundraising numbers since Jan. 1. The Mills campaign raised $1.1 million to bring total fundraising to $2.7 million. That extended her fundraising advantage over LePage. He has raised a total of $1.3 million to date. The association’s announcement will add to flood of ads on over airwaves. The Maine Republican Party previously announced nearly $4 million in TV ad bookings.

GOVERNOR CANDIDATE-CHILD PORN

Former candidate charged with child porn allowed back online

ELLSWORTH, Maine (AP) — A judge has ruled that a former Maine gubernatorial candidate charged with possession of child pornography can get back online. That’s despite Eliot Cutler possessing thousands of videos of children being sexually abused. An affidavit was unsealed Tuesday as a defense attorney attended an initial court appearance on behalf of Cutler, a wealthy attorney. A judge modified Cutler’s bail conditions to allow him to have access to the internet for banking and other legal activities. A special monitoring software would produce alerts if sexually explicit images are accessed. Cutler ran for governor twice as an independent, using his personal wealth to bankroll both campaigns. He didn’t enter a plea Tuesday.