JAY

Toddler started fire that left 12 homeless, authorities say

A fire investigator says the fire that destroyed an apartment building in Jay was started by a 2-year-old boy in a second-floor bedroom.

No one was hurt in the fire Thursday morning, but 12 people in three families were left homeless.

Assistant Fire Chief Mike Booker said the building was a total loss.

Forty firefighters from six towns battled the blaze until early Thursday afternoon.

State Fire Marshal’s Office investigator Edward Hastings IV told the Sun Journal that the fire was started by the toddler, but he did not say how the fire was ignited.

PORTLAND

Donor disclosure law upheld in suit by gay-marriage foe

A federal judge has upheld Maine’s campaign finance disclosure law as constitutional in a lawsuit brought by an organization that opposes gay marriages.

The National Organization for Marriage sued after the state ethics commission found that it was required to disclose the identities of its donors. On Friday, U.S. District Judge D. Brock Hornby granted a summary judgment upholding the constitutionality of Maine’s election disclosure laws.

Maine law says groups that raise or spend more than $5,000 to influence elections must register with the state and disclose their donors.

The National Organization for Marriage donated $1.9 million to Stand for Marriage Maine, a political action committee that helped repeal Maine’s same-sex marriage law in 2009.

It’s unknown whether the organization will appeal. A message left at its offices in New Jersey wasn’t immediately returned.

ELLSWORTH

Bucksport Road site chosen for medical marijuana store

The company that plans to run a medical marijuana dispensary Down East has selected a site on Bucksport Road in Ellsworth for the business.

Maine Organic Therapy will open the dispensary on a 1.25-acre lot on Carriage Road.

The land’s owner, Steven Joy, has asked the Planning Board for a permit to build the 1,201-square-foot building in the city’s commercial-light industrial zone.

Maine Organic Therapy is the nonprofit company designated by the state to operate a medical marijuana dispensary for Washington and Hancock counties.

Joy says he hopes the building can be ready by May.

Joy told the Bangor Daily News that Maine Organic Therapy expects to have 400 patients this year and to grow to 700 patients within three years. 

POLAND

Two men critically injured when snowmobiles collide

Game wardens say two snowmobilers were critically injured when their sleds collided in Poland.

The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife said Robert Bissonette, 35, of Auburn and Jared Murphy, 20, of Poland were riding together about 7 p.m. Thursday and got separated.

Wardens say the collision occurred when Murphy went to check on Bissonette.

Both men were taken to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston.

A witness told game wardens that at least one of the snowmobiles was speeding.

BIDDEFORD

Library wins award to fund event with children’s author

The McArthur Public Library has received the Maureen Hayes Author/Illustrator Visit Award from the Association for Library Service to Children.

Sally Leahey, the library’s interim director, said the national award provides $4,000 to fund a visit from an author-illustrator. The library is planning a community event, “One Book, One School, One Library,” that will bring Maine writer Cynthia Lord to town.

Lord, a Newbery Honor Award-winning author of children’s novels, will speak with children. The library is collaborating with the Biddeford Intermediate School Literacy Team on the event, Leahey said.

The award will help fund the author visit and programming for the event, as well as a number of books for the library. Susan Veltfort, Grand Administration Committee chairman for the award, said the committee was very impressed by the library’s well-thought-out program.