PORTLAND

In Gray’s wake, Finnigan to serve as acting manager

Patricia Finnigan, the city’s assistant manager, will become acting manager next month when Joe Gray retires from the position.

The selection of Finnigan was announced Wednesday by Mayor Nicholas Mavodones, who said the council will make the pick official on Jan. 19. Finnigan’s appointment will be effective Feb. 11, Gray’s last day after serving as city manager for the past decade.

Finnigan joined the city as assistant manager three years ago and has been a liaison with state and federal officials while also helping to reorganize Portland’s economic development efforts. Mavodones said she also played a key role in nailing down financing for the Ocean Gateway International Marine Terminal and in securing federal stimulus funds.

Before working for Portland, Finnigan was city manager of Auburn and before that worked for the Maine Municipal Association, served on the Bangor City Council and was a reporter for WVII television in Bangor.

Before formally appointing Finnigan, the council will hold a workshop to discuss the search process for a new city manager. Mavodones has suggested a national search with help from a consulting firm, an opportunity for public input and a goal of hiring a new manager within six months. 

Consolidation of churches will create two new parishes

The Portland Diocese said church consolidations are creating two new parishes, in York and Hancock counties. The Catholic diocese says the consolidations took effect as of the first of the year.

In southern Maine, parishes in South Berwick, York and Kittery are merging to form the Parish of the Ascension of the Lord.

On Mount Desert Island, parishes in Bar Harbor and Northeast Harbor are merging into a single Parish of the Transfiguration of the Lord.

The mergers are part of the diocesan plan to strengthen the church’s evangelical mission while having fewer priests.

SOUTH PORTLAND

Police charge Portland man with robbing bank on Nov. 9

South Portland police arrested a Portland man Wednesday and charged him with robbing the Gorham Savings Bank on Gorham Road in South Portland on Nov. 9.

Michael Lafollette, 29, was charged with class B robbery and class C theft. Police said Lafollette passed a note to a teller at the bank demanding money and fled after receiving a small amount of cash. Police declined to reveal how much was taken.

No one was injured and no weapons were used in the robbery, police said.

Lafollette is at the Cumberland County Jail where bail has been set at $1,000.

NAPLES

Wells police arrest suspect in two pharmacy robberies

A Windham man charged with robbing a Naples pharmacy is in custody.

Jessie Lavalle, 21, was wanted on a class B warrant in the robbery of the Rite Aid on Roosevelt Trail in Naples. He was arrested by Wells police Wednesday.

On May 10, 2010, Lavalle allegedly entered the store dressed in a camouflage jacket, wearing dark glasses and a dark cap. He did not show Rite Aid employees a weapon, but threatened to “blow heads off” if they refused to give him OxyContin, authorities said. He fled on foot with an undisclosed amount of the prescription drug.

Biddeford police also have a warrant out for Lavalle on charges of violating bail conditions and robbing a CVS pharmacy there.

AUGUSTA

Baldacci provides $100,000 to four counties hit by storm

In one of his last acts as Maine’s chief executive, Gov. John Baldacci provided $100,000 from a contingency fund to help four counties recover from a severe storm.

Baldacci said Wednesday that Washington and Aroostook counties were especially hard hit by the Dec. 12 storm. He said the state emergency management agency hoped they would qualify for federal aid, but that now appears unlikely.

To qualify for a federal disaster declaration, the state must be able to document statewide damage of at least $1.65 million, and counties must meet thresholds, as well. Baldacci said the money will be shared by Washington, Aroostook, Penobscot and Piscataquis counties.

ELLSWORTH

Losing candidate suing Virginia PAC, others for libel

A defeated Democratic candidate for the Maine Senate has filed a libel suit against a Virginia political action committee and other groups over ads that ran before the November election.

The suit filed last month by James Schatz of Blue Hill claims the Republican State Leadership Committee of Alexandria, Va., libeled him in print and television advertisements days before the November election.

The Republican Committee’s Adam Temple said it is not unusual for a losing candidate to sue. His organization views the suit as a nuisance complaint and hopes it will be dismissed.

But Schatz’s attorney, Barry Mills, told the Bangor Daily News the lawsuit is an effort to fight back against anonymous, out-of-state spending on Maine’s elections.

EASTPORT

Port’s $7 million expansion will help biomass industry

A $7 million expansion of the port facilities in Eastport will help Maine provide wood products that will be part of a push to sell biomass products on the European market.

Port Director Chris Gardner said port officials are also working with companies to export chips, wood pellets, stone and crushed rock.

The expansion will add 12 acres of flat loading space, a new warehouse and a state-of-the-art conveyor system to load and unload ships.

The port set a record last year with more than 400,000 tons of cargo.