Central Maine News: August 11, 2015

These are some of the stories central Maine is talking about today.

Erica LaChance, 29, of Fairfield, who unexpectedly spent the night Sunday in the Maine woods was found uninjured yesterday morning. Luckily, with just a few bruises. She was found near the intersection of the Kennebec River and Moxie Stream near The Forks. LaChance had been hiking with three friends near Moxie Falls Sunday whe became lost. (BDN)

The investigation is over in to the cause of last month’s fire in Gardiner. Because of the amount of damage to the four buildings on Water Street, officials can not pin point an exact cause. They do say the blaze began in a second floor apartment on Water Street. No charges will be filed and the case is closed. (WABI)

A body was found yesterday afternoon in the harbor near Portland. A city worker discovered the body of a man in the water near Ocean Gateway Terminal. Officials say they have tentatively identified the man as a 43-year-old Portland resident. The death does not appear suspicious. (AP)

Gov. Paul LePage and other officials say the state is preparing for the possibility of an avian flu outbreak and readying residents about how to minimize any impact on domestic poultry. LePage yesterday said the state is being "proactive" about its precautions. The disease has not been detected in Maine, but taking a toll on chicken and turkey flocks elsewhere. (AP)

Gov. Paul LePage has appointed former Republican Chairman Charlie Webster to the Franklin County commission. Webster, served in the Legislature as a representative and a senator during the 1980s and 1990s. He also was the chairman of the Maine Republican Committee from 2008 to 2012. (AP)

Police are likely to renew their cold-case search for a Jay teenager who disappeared in 1986, within a month. Cadaver dogs indicated that human remains are on land abutting property owned by a man who was one of the last people seen with her. centralmaine.com

Travis Coro, 29, of Freedom has been arrested in Waterville for what officials call a ‘pattern’ of domestic abuse." Coro is accused of repeatedly strangling a woman he was in a relationship with. He is facing felony assault charges. centralmaine.com

Gerald J. Crowley Jr., 32, of Litchfieldhas been charged with domestic assault. He reportedly grabbed his partner's throat and pulled her hair when she threatened to leave their Wentzell Road home. He is facing charges of aggravated assault, domestic violence assault and obstructing the report of a crime. centralmaine.com

An Ellsworth woman is out $140,000 dollars from an online scam. She sent a man she met on an online dating site $100,000. She then spent more trying to get it back. Her problems began falling for and believing a person she met on the dating site, plentyoffish.com. (WCSH)

Thomas David Bouchard, 32, of Skowhegan has been arrested after a severe attack on woman in Winslow. He faces an aggravated assault charge for allegedly hitting a woman in the face in a Halifax Street apartment Sunday night and then lead police on a three-hour search through Waterville and Winslow. centralmaine.com

Maine officials say the money generated from the sale of hunting and fishing licenses, ATV registrations and the moose hunt lottery has increased by more than $700,000 over last year. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife says the department generated more than $22 million from the sale of licenses, registrations and permits. (AP)

Waterville police are investigating over a dozen car break-ins from over the weekend. 14 vehicles were robbed and an SUV was stolen and crashed into a tree. The thefts were in an east Waterville neighborhood. The theft of the Chevy Suburban was from a home on Oak Street. centralmaine.com

Maine's November ballot has been finalized and a low voter turnout is expected. The order of the questions on November's ballot has been set. The first question on the ballot will be the citizen's initiative that seeks to strengthen the state's public financing program for legislative and gubernatorial candidates. The second will be a $15 million bond to build more housing for low-income seniors. The third and final question will be an $85 million bond to improve roads, bridges and other infrastructure. (AP)

Maine’s uninsured rate has dropped. However, the state has the highest percentage of adults without health benefits in New England. That from a new Gallup poll released yesterday. centralmaine.com