Blake Thomas, 21, was summoned on a charge of reckless conduct.

According to Deputy Larry Fickett, Thomas threw a gasoline can into the fire, causing an explosion that injured a 19-year-old Lamoine man.

The victim was taken to Maine Coast Memorial Hospital in Ellsworth and then transferred by helicopter ambulance to Maine Medical Center in Portland. His injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

Stores Cited

A compliance check Saturday of seven stores by the Hancock County Alcohol Enforcement Team led to administrative summonses for three of the stores.

According to Deputy Chris Thornton, the stores are Merrill and Hinckley in Blue Hill, the Harborview Store in Stonington and CG Growers of Sedgwick.

Cemetery Vandalism

Vandals last month damaged a plaque at the Maplewood Cemetery in Orland.

A caretaker reported that grooves had been dug into the Bell Tower plaque at the cemetery. The plaque is valued at $1,000. Two young men with a white dog were spotted in the area and left the scene in a maroon station wagon.

Arrests

Shaun Parsons, 33, of Tremont was arrested Friday on a charge of operating while under the influence of drugs. Parsons additionally was summoned on charges of possessing hypodermic needles and possession a useable amount of marijuana.

Also on Friday, Isreal Hall, 33, of Surry was arrested on charges of operating after suspension and violating the conditions of his release following a traffic stop on Route 1 in Hancock.

Plants Stolen

Tomato plants were stolen Saturday from a home on the Bald Mountain Road in Dedham.

Dozing Driver

Falling asleep at the wheel reportedly is

Article source: http://fenceviewer.com/site/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=74319:man-injured-in-bonfire-explosion&Itemid=938

It’s estimated that as many as a third of college students smoke pot. But for 25-year-old Robyn Smith, “reefer madness” has taken a whole new meaning at the University of Southern Maine where he’s a part-time junior who lives off campus and who has a doctor’s authorization to use medical marijuana.

“Gotta make sure the keys are out of the ignition or else it’s driving under the influence,” Smith said.

Smith is sitting in what could be described as his mobile pharmacy his mother’s borrowed SUV. He’s parked across the street from the school so he can self-medicate without violating laws that prohibit both smoking and drug use on school grounds. Maine is one of 16 states that has legalized medical marijuana but it’s still not permitted on the USM campus. So Smith either goes home to use or retreats to the privacy of a parked car.

Susan Sharon: “What strain are you using today?” Robyn Smith: “So, I have some Blueberry Widow, right now, which is a hybrid. I tend to use it alot because I have more of it than the other strains.”

An Army veteran who spent 15 months in Afghanistan, Smith has been diagnosed with anxiety, a joint disorder and migraines that are so severe he occasionally winds up in the emergency room. He’s currently prescribed half a dozen painkillers and other drugs to ease his symptoms. He’s free to bring those on campus. But he said he doesn’t like the way they make

Article source: http://www.mpbn.net/Home/tabid/36/ctl/ViewItem/mid/3478/ItemId/21799/Default.aspx

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WELLS, Maine — Law enforcement agents, parents, teachers, counselors and school officials gathered at York County Community College on Monday for a presentation on marijuana abuse sponsored by York Hospital’s Choose to be Healthy, Healthy Maine Partnership.

In southern Maine, there is a growing concern about marijuana use in schools, where abuse of the drug has been rising since 2006, officials said. Sally Manninen, substance abuse prevention coordinator for the Choose to be Healthy program, said the idea for the event grew out of needing to address the growing problem and to give both professionals and parents the information they need about marijuana.

“Teachers didn’t have the tools they needed for the classroom. Law enforcement was up against the confusing messages of medical marijuana, and counselors working with students who believe ‘it’s no big deal,’” she said.

Manninen wanted to provide resources and tools for practitioners and parents, and she believed a good starting point was eradicating myths about marijuana.

Speaker Dr. Mark Publicker, former medical director of Mercy Hospital’s substance abuse program and president of the Northern New England Society of Addiction Medicine, began his address with a clear message.

“Cannabis is a powerful psychotropic drug that is harmful for a regular brain,” he told those gathered, adding that the drug is “worse for the still developing brain of a teenager.”

Gina Brodsky, York High School substance abuse counselor, said she is seeing trends in abuse of the drug.

Republican presidential candidate Rep. Ron Paul speaks at the university in Chico, Calif.

Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul’s hard-nosed troops aren’t giving up. Far from it. As demonstrated anew last weekend in Nevada and Maine, they are shaking up the GOP establishment and causing discomfort to strategists for front-runner Mitt Romney by capturing delegate blocs at the state level as they prepare for the Republican National Convention in Tampa this summer.

[See pictures of Ron Paul on the campaign trail.]

Paul organizers won’t tell the media exactly what they will do in Tampa or which states they will target next. And they have many challenges. For example, party rules often require national delegates to support the winner of state-level contests on the first ballot. So even though newly selected delegates in Nevada, Maine and elsewhere might personally back Paul, they could be bound to vote for Romney on the initial roll-call vote. But there is an alternative scenario. Paul strategists tell me that a delegate is permitted to abstain on the first ballot, which could conceivably deny Romney the nomination if enough of them go that route, combined with those still committed to candidates who have dropped out.

There is a strong desire among Paul supporters at

Article source: http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/Ken-Walshs-Washington/2012/05/07/ron-paul-continues-to-nip-at-mitt-romneys-heels

Town hall to focus on synthetic drugs

Ellsworth drug demand reduction program staff is teaming up with narcotics experts from the area to host a town hall meeting from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., Thursday, May 10, at the Dakota’s Ballroom to provide information about synthetic drug abuse and trends for Airmen.

“Synthetic drug use is a growing concern on base,” said Shelley Satterlee, 28th Medical Operations Squadron Drug Demand Reduction Program manager. “Military members have used synthetic drugs, had frightening symptoms, and ruined their careers.”

Experts from the Rapid City Police Department, Detachment 226, Air Force Office of Special Investigations and the Joint Drug Enforcement Team will speak about a variety of issues affecting Airmen at Ellsworth, including synthetic marijuana or Spice use, other illegal drugs and prescription drug abuse.

For more information, call Satterlee at 385-3231.

Household goods surge coming up

With summer approaching, the 28th Logistics Readiness Squadron Traffic Management Office will require a minimum of three to four weeks notice from airmen to get a household goods shipment picked up.

TMO officials have noted there is a critical shortage of over-the-road truck drivers this year, which may cause a longer wait for household goods to be packed out and picked up. Airmen who will be moving or doing a permanent change of station are encouraged to plan ahead of time and take advantage of all of the Defense Personal Property System.

The DPS gives airmen the ability to start and complete a claim at the convenience of their home. DPS also allows airmen to rate

Article source: http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/local/communities/ellsworth/base-briefs-for-may/article_352dae42-9570-11e1-970e-0019bb2963f4.html

Ricardo Hairston was also sentenced Thursday in Androscoggin County Superior Court to three years of probation upon release and barred from using alcohol, illegal drugs, firearms or dangerous weapons.

The Sun Journal ( ) reports the 20-year-old Hairston pleaded guilty last month to charges of robbery, burglary and theft.

Prosecutors say Hairston was one of three men who broke into a Lewiston couple’s home in September 2011. Two of them had guns. They took marijuana the victim was legally allowed to use for medical reasons, as well as electronics.

Hairston won a state championship in the triple jump at Edward Little High School.

___

Information from: Sun-Journal, http://www.sunjournal.com

Article source: http://www.necn.com/05/04/12/Lewiston-man-gets-2-years-for-marijuana-/landing_health.html?&apID=6c76fe1a5f80402a888b70f9083ca0b2

Yesterday at 12:00 AM

Hallowell pot dispensary fitting in

By Susan McMillan smcmillan@mainetoday.com
Staff Writer

HALLOWELL — For nearly two years, Chelsea resident Deborah Hutchinson had to rely on the help of friends to procure the marijuana she uses to relieve spasticity from multiple sclerosis.

Now, however, she can drive across the river to buy medical marijuana at the Wellness Connection of Maine dispensary that opened in downtown Hallowell in January.

“It’s made it so much easier,” said Hutchinson, 58. “I don’t have to worry about where I can get it. Before I wasn’t sure when I could get it, so I sort of rationed it. Now it’s so easy to go over there and get it.”

In a little more than three months of operation, the Hallowell dispensary has served about 100 patients, according to Wellness Connection Executive Director Rebecca DeKeuster.

“Things are going really well,” DeKeuster said. “We’ve had good response from patients in that area, and we’re adding new patients all the time.”

Friday was 4/20, a day of celebration for marijuana activists and users across the country, with gatherings taking place on college campuses and in other public places.

Wellness Connection hosted small celebrations at each of their three sites, with treats and banjo music, DeKeuster said. At 4:20 p.m., they raffled off a marijuana delivery device.

Wellness Connection opened a dispensary in Thomaston last fall and another in Portland in late March. They have about 400 patients at all three sites, DeKeuster said.

The nonprofit organization operates two cultivation

Article source: http://www.kjonline.com/news/hallowell-pot-dispensary-fitting-in_2012-04-22.html

12:00 AM

After three months, Hallowell pot dispensary fitting in

By Susan McMillan smcmillan@mainetoday.com
Staff Writer

HALLOWELL — For nearly two years, Chelsea resident Deborah Hutchinson had to rely on the help of friends to procure the marijuana she uses to relieve spasticity from multiple sclerosis.

Rebecca DeKeuster

Now, however, she can drive across the river to buy medical marijuana at the Wellness Connection of Maine dispensary that opened in downtown Hallowell in January.

“It’s made it so much easier,” said Hutchinson, 58. “I don’t have to worry about where I can get it. Before I wasn’t sure when I could get it, so I sort of rationed it. Now it’s so easy to go over there and get it.”

In a little more than three months of operation, the Hallowell dispensary has served about 100 patients, according to Wellness Connection Executive Director Rebecca DeKeuster.

“Things are going really well,” DeKeuster said. “We’ve had good response from patients in that area, and we’re adding new patients all the time.”

Friday was 4/20, a day of celebration for marijuana activists and users across the country, with gatherings taking place on college campuses and in other public places.

Wellness Connection hosted small celebrations at each of their three sites, with treats and banjo music, DeKeuster said. At 4:20 p.m., they raffled off a marijuana delivery device.

Wellness Connection opened a dispensary in Thomaston last fall and another in Portland in late March. They have about 400 patients at

Article source: http://www.onlinesentinel.com/news/after-3-months-hallowell-pot-dispensary-fitting-in_2012-04-22.html

AUGUSTA, Maine — Hundreds of people gathered at the Augusta Civic Center this weekend for Canna Maineia, an exposition extolling the benefits of medical marijuana.

Live music, numerous vendors and medical marijuana users of many stripes crowded the civic center for the two-day event, which was organized by Jim Fowler of Hermon. Much of the conference focused on providing information for people about how to grow their own marijuana, through education and sales of everything from growing lights to organic soil to smoking implements. Among the keynote speakers was Dustin Sulak, an osteopathic physician with practices in Hallowell and Falmouth.

“I see such a wide variety of patients in my practice

Article source: http://bangordailynews.com/2012/04/15/news/augusta/medical-marijuana-exposition-in-augusta-attracts-hundreds-of-attendees/?ref=latest

AUBURN — Two of three men charged in the robbery last year of a Lewiston man’s medical marijuana have admitted to related charges.

Ricardo Hairston, 19, of Lisbon Street, Lewiston, pleaded guilty Thursday to robbery, violation of condition of release and criminal threatening. He had been a track star at Edward Little High School where he graduated in 2010.

Hairston agreed to an underlying sentence of 10 years on the Class B robbery charge, the most serious of the charges, which was reduced from a Class A. The time he must serve on that charge was capped at five years, but he can argue for less time at sentencing, according to a plea agreement.

He also agreed to three years of probation, during which time he may not use or have alcohol, drugs, firearms or dangerous weapons and would be subject to random searches and testing. His sentencing is scheduled for May 3.

Kevin A. Stitchel, 22, of Bartlett Street pleaded guilty to charges of robbery and criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon. On the robbery charge, he was sentenced last week to 10 years in prison with all but four years suspended, plus three years of probation. He will serve a two-year concurrent sentence for the lesser charge.

Derrick J. McDuffy, 21, also of Bartlett Street, is awaiting a mental health exam and is expected to be appointed a new lawyer.

McDuffy was charged with robbery, burglary and criminal threatening, all felonies. He also was charged with violation of condition of release and theft by

Article source: http://www.sunjournal.com/news/lewiston-auburn/2012/04/14/two-three-lewiston-men-plead-guilty-medical-mariju/1181585