BANGOR

Police looking for suspect in triple homicide Aug. 13

Police are seeking a 31-year-old man in the deaths of three people whose bodies were found in a burning car in Bangor, but investigators are mum on the arrest warrant.

Police in Brockton, Mass., confirmed to the Bangor Daily News that they were looking for Nicholas J. Sexton on a fugitive-from-justice warrant for a triple homicide in Maine. Sexton’s hometown was unknown.

Deputy Attorney General Bill Stokes, chief of the criminal division, declined to comment Saturday on whether there was an indictment or an arrest warrant.

The burning car, which had Rhode Island license plates, was discovered early on Aug. 13 in a Bangor parking lot. Video surveillance captured someone running from the scene.

Relatives and friends said the three victims had attended a small gathering and left in a white Pontiac with Rhode Island plates before their deaths.

Authorities identified the victims as Daniel Thomas Borders, 26, of Hermon; Nicolle Ashley Lugdon, 24, of Eddington; and Lucas Alan Tuscano, 28, of Bradford. Their deaths were ruled homicides, but the state Medical Examiner’s Office was ordered not to disclose how they died.

GORHAM

Police charge local man with sexually abusing girl

A 47-year-old Gorham man was arrested Friday night on four counts of gross sexual assault, a class A felony.

Michael W. Newton is charged with sexually abusing a girl younger than 14. The assault, which police said occurred many times through the summer, was reported to police on Thursday.

Reports of the alleged assaults were received by the Department of Human Services, triggering the investigation, police said.

Newton was arrested at his home on Ash Drive at about 6:30 p.m. by Gorham police. He is being held at Cumberland County Jail.

Gorham police said they are continuing to investigate the assaults and urged anyone who suspects their children may have had contact with Newton to call the detective unit at 222-1660.

PORTLAND

Federal grant of $25 million will improve teachers’ pay

The U.S. Department of Education said it’s awarded nearly $25 million to the Maine Education Department to improve pay and provide more educational opportunities to teachers in poor school districts.

The Maine Department of Education was one of 35 winning applicants nationwide out of more than 120 applications.

The Teacher Incentive Fund grant provides $8.8 million in the first year and a total of nearly $25 million over five years to encourage school districts to upgrade teacher compensation through career ladders or performance-based pay.

The money will be applied to 17 schools in six school districts: RSU 16 (Poland area); RSU 19 (Newport); Millinocket; Bangor; MSAD 11 (Gardiner); and RSU 86 (Fort Fairfield).

AUGUSTA

Crafts group seeks design for specialty license plate

The Maine Crafts Association wants to have a new specialty license plate in support of crafts and creativity.

The group is soliciting submissions from which a winning design for the plate will be selected. The submission deadline is Oct. 12.

Organizers say once the plate design is chosen, they will begin collecting 2,000 signatures, each with a $25 contribution, as required by the Secretary of State’s Office.

The plate could be available beginning in 2014. A portion of the plate’s cost would go to the Maine Crafts Association in support of programs, marketing and scholarships.

WESTFIELD, Vt.

Mainer arrested for trying to steal scrap metal, fleeing

Vermont state police say a laid-off worker trying to steal scrap metal is in custody after a brief chase.

Troopers say 24-year-old Michael Adams of Dixfield, Maine, attempted to elude a trooper who noticed his vehicle with its headlights off behind a business early Saturday in Westfield, Vt. Troopers said Adams crashed into equipment in a lot used by PLC Construction Co. while fleeing.

— From staff and news services