by Emily Elliott
Coastal Journal contributor

ROCKLAND — The Rockland City Council met last night to decide whether to give special permission for an Old County Road property to be re-opened as a methadone clinic. The Council postponed the vote until September 7, to allow more time to research the issue.

The Rockland Planning Board approved re-zoning of the site in early August. Colonial Management Group wants to open a methadone clinic, Rockland Metro Treatment of Maine, at 166 Old County Rd. They currently operate a similar clinic in Bangor with more than 200 patients.

The Old County Road property was formerly occupied by the Turning Tide methadone clinic, which was shut down a year ago by FDA, after its owner, Angel Fuller McMahan, was arrested on cocaine possession charges.

The City Council discussed the methadone clinic issue for just 40 minutes of the nearly four-hour meeting. Only a handful of people attended to discuss the clinic and its implications for Rockland. A few questions arose over the zoning codes and the wording of the contract with Colonial.

The Council was unsure about the definition of a "sole source pharmacy," whether the clinic could only dispense methadone, or could offer other drugs as well, such as Suboxone, which is another drug used to treat addiction. "We felt we needed more time to look into these issues," said Rockland City Council member Elizabeth Dickerson.

BATH — On the night of Sunday, August 21, the Bath Police Department arrested a Brunswick man for driving wildly in a stolen truck. Matthew S. Gaspar, 23, was charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, driving to endanger, and operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license.

Bath officers received a report from Sagadahoc Deputy Matt Shiers at 9:16 p.m. that a maroon truck was traveling over the Sagadahoc Bridge at a high rate of speed. Deputy Shiers turned to follow the truck and radioed its direction of travel. Several Bath officers attempted to locate the truck after it turned onto Congress Avenue. A short time later, the vehicle was observed by a Bath officer leaving the shopping center at a high rate of speed. Witnesses reported the truck almost struck a fence on Floral Street as it drove off. Bath officers were able to track the vehicle to Lark Street, where additional witnesses reported seeing the truck travel through the neighborhood at a high rate of speed. The vehicle was located a short distance away in a parking lot on Central Avenue.

by John Maguire
Coastal Journal staff

VASSALBORO — Fairness, integrity, compassion and excellence: These were the core values repeated to 12 graduates of the 61st Recruit Training Troop before they received badges at an official ceremony Friday, August 11, at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy.

After nine months of strenuous training, graduates changed out of their ceremonial attire and into their uniforms, then drove away from the academy in their assigned vehicles. They were to take a one-week vacation, then report to their assigned regions.

Broad Band performing at the Peace Fairby Annee Tara
Coastal Journal contributor

BRUNSWICK— Twenty-nine organizations came together on the Mall in Brunswick for a peace "party" during the first weekend of the month. The Seventh Annual Peace Fair, organized and sponsored by Peace Works of Greater Brunswick, also attracted hundreds of friends and neighors to listen to music, eat local food, get information and "have conversations" about what peace means and what they can do to work toward it.

The Peace Fair started in 2005, when the then-20 year old grandson of 84-year-old peace and environmental activist Christine DeTroy suggested "instead of just going to meetings, why don't you have a party." DeTroy had seen a small version of the Peace Fair in Florida, and thought Brunswick would be an ideal place for such a gathering.