Fierce wind knocks out power in northern New England 

By The Associated Press 

Powerful winds are buffeting northern New England with gusts approaching 60 mph (97 kph), knocking out electricity and causing a tractor-trailer to veer out of control. 

National Weather Service Meteorologist Margaret Curtis said wind gusts in the 40s and 50s were common across the region Monday, with gusts hitting 55 mph (89 kph) in Newington, New Hampshire, and 53 mph in Portland, Maine. Atop New Hampshire’s Mount Washington, a gust of 145 mph (233 kph) was recorded. 

State Police say a trucker blamed wind for causing his tractor-trailer loaded with bananas to swerve and overturn on the Maine Turnpike in Wells. 

Central Maine Power reported that 6,000 customers were in the dark. In New Hampshire, Eversource had about 7,600 customers without power, while Green Mountain Power had 2,300 outages in Vermont.  

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Committee votes against bill that would expand bear hunting 

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — A bill that would have established a spring bear hunt in Maine has failed to generate support from legislators. 

The joint standing committee on inland fisheries and wildlife voted 9-0 that the bill “ought not to pass” on Monday. The Bangor Daily News reports LD 337 would have allowed spring bear hunting across Maine for the first time in nearly 40 years. 

The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife also testified against a spring hunt, saying alternatives should be considered to stabilize the state’s growing bear population. 

Opponents of the measure say Maine already has a 13-week hunting season in the fall and bears are providing for their young in the spring, which may lead to the death of cubs if a hunt was allowed. 

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Maine shuts down scalloping areas as season winds down 

BLUE HILL, Maine (AP) — Maine fishery regulators are closing a handful of areas to scallop fishing as the season begins to wind down for the year. 

Maine is home to a fishery for some of the most sought-after scallops in the seafood world. The fishery begins in late fall and runs to early spring every year. The Maine Department of Marine Resources says it closed down four fishing areas on Sunday to protect the scallop populations. 

The scallop fishery is divided into three zones. The areas that are closing include the St. Croix River in zone three and the Upper Damariscotta River in zone one. In zone two, regulators are closing the Upper Blue Hill Bay and Union River area as well as the western side of the Lower Jericho Bay area. 

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Maine AG warns of calls from Medicare scammers 

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Maine’s attorney general is warning residents about fraudulent calls from people claiming to represent Medicare. 

Attorney General Aaron Frey says the state has received reports about Maine Medicare recipients who have received phone calls from people claiming to be from Medicare and trying to get access to Social Security numbers and other information. Frey says Medicare consumers who provided information to these callers should review Medicare statements closely and call 1-800-MEDICARE right away if they see anything out of the ordinary. 

Frey says residents should never provide information in response to unsolicited calls. Residents can also contact the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Hotline at 207-626-8849 or consumer.mediation@maine.gov if they believe they have been targeted by a scammer. 

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Massachusetts snowmobiler dies from injuries in Maine 

BANGOR, Maine (AP) — Officials say a Massachusetts man who was critically injured in a snowmobile crash has died. 

The Maine Warden Service said Monday that 55-year-old Duane Carter, of Spencer, Massachusetts, died at Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, becoming the seventh snowmobile fatality of the season in the state. 

Wardens say Carter was thrown from his machine when he and a friend on another snowmobile failed to make a turn and collided near Stacyville. Both were taken Friday night to a Millinocket hospital. 

The Maine Warden Service continues to urge riders to slow down. Wardens say the leading contributing factor in fatal crashes is excessive speed. 

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Man killed after snowmobile hits tree 

SPRINGFIELD, Maine (AP) — Game wardens say a man has died in a snowmobile crash in Maine. 

Authorities say 52-year-old John Dorsey, of Lee, died after his snowmobile struck a tree in Springfield Saturday. His body wasn’t discovered until around 11 a.m. the next day. 

Maine Warden Service Cpl. John MacDonald says Dorsey had left a friend’s house around 9 p.m. Saturday on his snowmobile, and then hit a tree after failing to go around a corner. 

MacDonald says the snowmobile was still running when another man found Dorsey’s body. 

Dorsey was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. The cause of the crash is under investigation, but game wardens say speed and alcohol appear to be contributing factors. 

Dorsey’s death marks the state’s sixth snowmobile-related fatality of the season.  

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 Regulators gathering comments on CMP deal 

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine utility regulators are gathering comments on a proposed $1 billion hydropower transmission line to supply Canadian hydropower to consumers in Massachusetts. 

The project faces regulatory hurdles, including a certificate of public convenience and necessity. 

Involved parties can file comments by March 1 ahead of a March 7 hearing. The public can provide comments on the overall project. 

Maine’s Public Utilities Commission is working on a report on the case due March 18. 

Central Maine Power’s $258 million in incentives including money for low-income consumers won Democratic Gov. Janet Mills’ support for the 145-mile transmission line through western Maine. Mills said the New England Clean Energy Connect project will reduce the region’s reliance on fossil fuels, and will cost Mainers nothing.