Articles by Terry Karkos
Riding lawnmower catches fire, burns Rumford garage
RUMFORD, Maine — Rumford and Mexico firefighters were sent to a tractor and structure fire on Route 2 late Saturday afternoon. But when they arrived, the tractor, a small riding lawnmower, had been pulled away from a garage at 1086 Route 2 and flames on the garage wall were extinguished. ...
Woman suffers injuries in 3-vehicle Rumford crash
RUMFORD — A Rhode Island woman in town for a wedding this weekend was injured Friday afternoon in a three-vehicle crash on Route 108 at the Congress Street intersection, police said. Cynthia Conant-Arp, 65, of Warwick, R.I., complained of a neck injury and was taken by Med-Care Ambulance to Rumford ...
Dixfield teen riding atop car roof pinned under it after rollover
MEXICO, Maine — A Dixfield teenager who was riding on a car roof Thursday afternoon on Thad White Road was pinned under the car when it rolled into a drainage ditch, police said. Firefighters from Mexico, Rumford and Dixfield lifted the rear of the car and held it up, allowing ...
‘Fatigue failure’ in 65-year-old engine part caused Durham doctor’s fatal plane crash
Fatigue failure of an engine part that was more than 65 years old caused a Durham doctor to fatally ditch his antique plane in the ocean near Portland Head Light in Cape Elizabeth last summer. The 1946 Stinson Voyager was flying over the ocean along the coast on June 24 ...
Three Maine lakes ranked nationally for bass fishing
Maine is getting a reputation for offering good bass fishing, but it’s not well-known across the nation. That could soon change. More than 270 bass tournaments were scheduled through Nov. 10, as of Thursday, and three lakes made Bassmaster Magazine’s nationwide list this year for the 100 Best Bass Lakes. ...
Rumford board learns how paper mill is assessed, hears pitch for zip line park
By Terry Karkos, Sun Journal on May 03, 2013, at 5:59 a.m.
RUMFORD, Maine — Selectmen met with the Board of Assessors and their industrial appraiser Thursday night to learn how they determine the tax assessment for the NewPage paper mill. NewPage officials initially asked selectmen recently for a tax break, but were told that’s not something selectmen can do. They were ...
Livermore Falls man charged with burning without a permit
LIVERMORE FALLS, Maine — A 72-year-old man was charged Saturday afternoon with burning without a permit when he inadvertently started a wildfire, a Maine Forest Service ranger said in a news report. If convicted, Manley Abbott of Strickland Loop Road faces a fine of up to $500, plus possible court-ordered ...
Winds stir up leftover embers to ignite fire in Dixfield
DIXFIELD, Maine — Winds on Friday afternoon are believed to have reignited a permitted burn at 19 Holman Road off Route 2, said Dixfield fire Chief Scott Dennett. Heat and flames from the fire also melted siding on the house at that address before firefighters from Dixfield, East Dixfield, Peru, ...
Maine town votes to keep elementary school open
ANDOVER, Maine — Voters in this western Maine town stood behind their beloved elementary school, voting Saturday morning to keep it open another year. Now the future of Andover Elementary is up to the SAD 44 board of directors. It is expected to vote Monday, April 22, on whether to ...
River floods in Andover
ANDOVER, Maine — Above-normal temperatures in the mid-70s on Friday combined with heavy rain Friday night into Saturday morning to melt snow and drive the Ellis River over its banks. By 11:45 a.m., the river was encroaching on a banked section of the Covered Bridge Road, where the low end ...
Maine’s 17th Tractor Supply Co. store planned for Rumford
RUMFORD, Maine — River Valley Crossing mall off Route 2 has a new tenant that’s expected to open in June in the old Sears and Shop ’n Save store location. Construction is underway on a new Tractor Supply Co. store in Rumford, the company’s 17th Maine location, Michael Graham of ...
3 Rumford residents accused of stealing more than $40,000 from elderly woman
RUMFORD, Maine — A lengthy investigation into the theft of thousands of dollars from an elderly Rumford woman led police to arrest and charge three Rumford residents with felony crimes. Detective Sgt. James Bernard, who was in Paris on Friday morning for grand jury testimony, arrested David J. Hodgkins, 33, ...
‘Skinny’ suspects target bodybuilding boosters at Rumford store
RUMFORD — An exercise in body building took a criminal tack Monday afternoon when two skinny suspects decided to amp up their efforts, police said. The teen suspects rode bicycles to Rite Aid in Rumford, entered the store and attempted to shoplift three body building supplements valued at $130, Rumford ...
Maine town of Byron aims for mandatory gun possession
BYRON, Maine — Town officials say they believe residents will pass a mandatory firearms possession article at the annual town meeting Monday night. Head Selectman Anne Simmons-Edmunds said Thursday that all three selectmen favor it and expect residents to approve it. The article asks, “Shall the town of Byron vote ...
Convicted sex offender accused of holding person against will in Roxbury
ROXBURY, Maine — A convicted sex offender accused of holding a person against his or her will Friday night on Route 120 in Roxbury was arrested by Maine State Police early Saturday morning. Stephen V. Heath, 56, of Roxbury is being held without bail on a charge of criminal restraint ...
Turner man remains hospitalized after snowmobile accident
ANDOVER, Maine — A Turner man seriously injured Friday in a snowmobile accident, remained hospitalized Tuesday at Central Maine Medical in Lewiston. Warden Brock Clukey said Tuesday afternoon that Alex Thibodeau, 46, was riding a Yamaha snowmobile down a trail when the sled hit ice and slid sideways into a ...
Rumford man pleads not guilty to assault, terrorizing charges after allegedly threatening apartment residents with knife
RUMFORD, Maine — A local man is awaiting trial in April after pleading not guilty to terrorizing, assault and other charges at his arraignment Monday in 11th District Court. Jason Joel Kehrer, 35, of 566 Prospect Ave., Rumford, was conditionally released on $500 secured bail, according to his court file. ...
Dixfield sled racer working to overcome paralysis
RUMFORD — Paralyzed from the waist down in a snowmobile accident, Nate Clark is fighting back far from home. Determined to walk again and ride snowmobiles, the longtime sled racer from Dixfield is undergoing a grueling, five-week therapy regimen at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta. Clark, 28, suffered a spinal ...
Jay boy’s wish for bedroom makeover granted
JAY, Maine — When granted a wish by Make-A-Wish Maine, some children with life-threatening illnesses want to meet a famous person, attend a concert, hit a big mall for a shopping spree, travel, or even catch a sumo wrestling match. Ten-year-old Josh Brochu of North Jay simply wanted his bedroom ...
Pickup carrying 4 teens goes over guardrail in Peru
PERU, Maine — Four Turner youths in a pickup hauling a trailer of frozen sawdust on Route 108 Wednesday night took a wild ride into the woods when the load shifted, state police said. Neither driver Cody Craig, 17, nor his passengers were injured. They were Desiree Tweedie, 18, Cody ...
Former Bangor YMCA building sold to new dental technology school
LePage tells legislative leaders he’s moving out of State House because of ‘censorship’
Maine Sports Hall of Fame member, DJ Dana Wilson convicted of child pornography possession
Community members rally in memory of Nichole Cable; events, fundraisers planned
After 27 years, a father continues to search for his daughter, presumed dead
The scramble to fill the 2nd District seat if Mike Michaud runs for governor
Rep. Diane Russell’s fool’s errand
How the omnibus energy bill will benefit Maine
Goodwin steps down as Brewer High School boys basketball coach
Bucksport’s Cassidy Adams strikes out 19 in single game
New University of Maine hockey coach expected to be named next week
UMaine trails Binghamton 8-2 in suspended game at America East baseball tourney
Live Updates: UMaine baseball vs. Stony Brook in America East tourney
‘All That’ actress Amanda Bynes arrested after allegedly tossing bong out apartment window on 36th floor
Maine School of Science and Mathematics alumni drawn to give back to magnet school
5 Things To Do This Weekend, May 24-27: Raindrops can stop falling on my head anytime they’d like, thanks.
Maine’s beer industry continues to brew double-digit growth
New York City rumble showcases Maine’s lobster roll dominance