PORTLAND

Police explore possible link among three robberies

Police are investigating possible connections between an armed robbery of a city credit union and two previous robberies in the city.

Police say a man with a gun entered the TruChoice Federal Credit Union about 4:30 p.m. Thursday, demanded money from two tellers and fled with cash.

There were several other employees and customers in the credit union, but there were no reports of injuries.

The robber was recorded on video surveillance. He is described as a white man wearing a dark sweat shirt with the hood up, and possibly wearing a ski mask.

Police are looking into whether Thursday’s robbery is connected to a Jan. 12 robbery at the University Credit Union and a Jan. 11 robbery at a convenience store.

LINCOLN

Girl, 6, hospitalized after being hit by school bus

A 6-year-old Maine girl was still hospitalized Thursday with multiple injuries after being hit by a school bus.

The Bangor Daily News said first-grader Sophia Nelson of Lincoln was in serious condition Thursday at Eastern Maine Medical Center. A spokeswoman said the hospital had no information on the girl Friday.

Lincoln Police Chief William Lawrence said police suspect Sophia had left the bus Wednesday afternoon and then somehow was struck by a wheel or the bus’s undercarriage.

The girl’s mother told police her daughter suffered a broken femur, four compression fractures in her skull and one in her neck.

School officials said the driver was in “extreme shock” after the accident. She has been placed on administrative leave.

OXFORD

Casino names West Virginia man as general manager

A casino under construction in western Maine has hired a general manager.

Casino officials say Jack Sours has moved to Maine to become manager of a casino in Oxford slated to open in late spring or early summer.

Sours most recently was president and general manager of Mountaineer Casino Racetrack and Resort in West Virginia.

The Oxford casino, which has yet to be named, will have slot machines as well as poker, black jack and other table games.

AUGUSTA

Summers says errors let noncitizens register to vote

Maine’s secretary of state says a yearlong review has uncovered deficiencies in the state’s voter registration system.

In an annual report to the Legislature’s Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee on the state’s voter registration system, Charlie Summers wrote that more than 150 noncitizens — who by law aren’t allowed to vote — may have registered to vote over the past few years, with a third of those actually voting.

According to the Bangor Daily News, Summers said the problems were mostly clerical errors and not intentional fraud. He concluded in the report that Maine’s election system is due for a review to ensure its accuracy and integrity.

Lawmakers declined to discuss the report until the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee meets next week.

Berlin City settles claims over warranty disclaimers

Maine’s attorney general says an auto dealership has settled claims that warranty disclaimers it made when selling new cars were unfair and deceptive.

Under an Unfair Trade Practice Consent Decree approved in superior court, Berlin City Auto Group is prohibited from telling consumers that only the manufacturer — and not the dealer — is responsible if a new car has a serious defect.

Attorney General William Schneider said Maine law stipulates that car dealers are required to share responsibilities for repairs if a new car has serious problems.

Berlin City has agreed to pay a $5,000 civil penalty, but does not admit to any wrongdoing.

The company has dealerships in Portland and South Portland.

State receives $8.7 million to conserve two forest lands

The LePage administration says the state has received federal grants totaling $8.7 million to conserve two forest properties in western Maine.

Most of the money from the U.S. Forest Service Forest Legacy Program, $7 million, will purchase 11,800 acres on Crocker Mountain in the town of Carrabassett Valley. The lands are part of a working forest owned by Plum Creek and include a segment of the Appalachian Trail and opportunities for ATV and mountain biking trails.

Another $1.7 million will enable the state to purchase a conservation easement of more than 5,800 acres on family-owned timber lands in Madrid Township.

SYRACUSE, N.Y.

Maine man who accused coach is dropping his case

The attorney for a Maine man who accused fired Syracuse assistant basketball coach Bernie Fine of molesting him says he’s dropping a lawsuit filed in Pittsburgh.

Jeffrey R. Anderson, attorney for Zach Tomaselli, said in a statement that he “will be dismissing his case” against Fine.

The 23-year-old Tomaselli told The Post-Standard of Syracuse in an interview Friday that he altered emails from Syracuse police before forwarding them to the paper in an attempt to bolster his account. In a phone interview with The Associated Press, Tomaselli insists he did not “fabricate the story” about Fine molesting him when he was 13. Two former ballboys also accused Fine of molesting them.

Fine has denied the allegations.

BRUNSWICK

Tenants of 40 years, others evicted due to rotting porch

A Brunswick husband and wife have been evicted from their home of 40 years after the town condemned their apartment building because of a rotting wood porch.

Town officials say the porch is in such poor condition that it can’t be used as one of the apartment building’s two required exits, leaving the town no other option than to condemn the structure.

Joe and Jackie Toth as well as five other tenants have moved out.

Joe Toth tells the Times Record that he offered to pay for repairs himself, estimated at $15,000 to $25,000.

But Codes Enforcement Officer Jeffrey Hutchinson says repairs cannot be made without express permission from the landlord. And that landlord, who has a business address in Washington state, is nowhere to be found.

MACHIAS

Sheriffs investigate colleague for telling about probe

The Maine Sheriffs’ Association has launched an investigation into Penobscot County Sheriff Glenn Ross, who admits he told longtime friend the Rev. Robert Carlson that he was under investigation for possible child abuse just hours before Carlson’s suicide.

Washington County Sheriff Donnie Smith calls Ross’ actions “unethical conduct.”

At a meeting in Vassalboro on Thursday, the sheriffs attending agreed that the association would conduct an inquiry into Ross’ conduct, a step required by the group’s bylaws when a member raises a complaint about another member. Ross is the group’s president.

Ross told the Bangor Daily News that he was obligated to tell Carlson because he may have had to restrict access to the county jail, where Carlson was chaplain.

The attorney general’s office said Ross did nothing illegal.

FARMINGDALE

Ordinance sought to handle problem of nuisance cats

Chief Constable Matt Guilfoyle wants the town to create an ordinance that would deal with nuisance cats.

Guilfoyle told the Board of Selectmen on Wednesday that constables have spent a lot of time in recent months dealing with cat problems, including a cat that had to be taken to the animal shelter about eight times in the past three months.

The biggest problem areas are some mobile home parks in town and the Pine Mill Apartments, he said.

It’s an expense to the town because state law mandates that an injured cat must be seen by a veterinarian before it can go to the shelter, and that money comes out of town coffers, he said.

Selectmen asked Guilfoyle to research ordinances in other towns and work on it quickly so the town can hold a public hearing before the matter is decided by voters at town meeting in June.

CONCORD, N.H.

Group to back candidates who’d repeal gay marriage

The National Organization for Marriage has pledged to spend $250,000 to help elect New Hampshire lawmakers who support repealing the state’s gay marriage law.

The organization said Friday it will work to hold accountable lawmakers who oppose the repeal.

The announcement comes three weeks after supporters of the law announced formation of the New Hampshire Republicans for Freedom and Equality PAC to support Republicans who vote to retain the law.

The House is expected to vote in the coming weeks on a bill to repeal the two-year-old law and replace it with civil unions for any unmarried adults, including relatives.

The bill would not enact the same civil unions law that was in effect before gay couples were allowed to marry.