Central Maine News: Vermont VA Police Officer Charged with Pointing a Loaded Gun Another Vehicle on I-95 in Central Maine

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

A police officer at the Vermont VA Medical Center is charged with pointing a gun at a driver and passenger in central Maine. Demetria Buhalis of Brownsville, Vermont is charged with aggravated criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon. A passenger in the Maine car reported to police at 11:55 a.m. Wednesday that the driver of a Honda Accord had pointed a gun at them as she passed them on Interstate 95 in the Augusta area. The Maine driver and passenger followed the Honda until troopers were able to stop the car in West Gardiner. Police found a loaded handgun sitting underneath a back pack in passenger’s seat. (AP/WGME)

People with intellectual disabilities and their families are raising concerns about a bill that would adjust the way the state makes changes to services. Under a bill Sen. Eric Brakey presented on behalf of the Department of Health and Human Services, the department would no longer have to get legislative approval to make changes to the rates of services for people with intellectual disabilities and autism. Advocates and family members of people with intellectual disabilities told a legislative committee that they'd have fewer opportunities to provide input on changes that impact the services they receive. DHHS spokesman said that waiting for the Legislature to take action can often take months and the process should be more efficient. (AP)

The chief of the Maine State Police says his agency failed to respond the way it should have after receiving a 911 call from a day care center about an intruder in Dayton, in southern Maine. Workers at the Little Hands, Big Hearts day care say it took more than two hours for a trooper to show up after the Friday call. Six children were in the building at the time. No one was hurt and nothing was taken. (AP)
Nine people charged with participating in central Maine cocaine and oxycodone ring are pleading not guilty. Police say the defendants were arrested in an early morning drug raid following an investigation by Dexter police that took more than 18 months. They say more arrests are likely. The arrests come after a wiretapping effort in which hundreds of hours were recorded.  The defendants appeared in federal court in Bangor on Tuesday and pleaded not guilty. Police charged 57-year-old Roger Belanger of Corinna; 47-year-old Mark Tasker of Dexter; 26-year-old Greg Tasker, 38-year-old John Williams and 42-year-old Cynthia Williams of Stetson; and 21-year-old Whitney Chadbourne, 23-year-old Corey Pomerleau, 66-year-old Eugene Moulton and 46-year-old Antoinette Perreault of Harmony. Twenty-nine-year-old Kelli Mujo was also arrested in Rhode Island. (AP)

Maine is trying to help food recipients meet the volunteer requirement Gov. Paul LePage's administration began enforcing last year. The Department of Health and Human Services said Wednesday that it's partnering with LearningWorks to connect food stamp recipients with volunteer opportunities. It's also encouraging Temporary Assistance for Needy Families recipients to participate. Since October, some recipients have been required to work, volunteer or participate in a work-training program to receive food stamp benefits after three months. DHHS said last month that 9,000 people had been removed from the program since it began enforcing the rules. Advocates said there aren't enough jobs and volunteer opportunities available. (AP)
The sponsor of a Maine bill that would change the way the state regulates raw milk sales says the legislation needs more work in committee before it can go to the House of Representatives for a vote. Representative William Noon's bill would allow dairy farmers to sell unpasteurized milk directly to customers without a license. The bill only applies to farmers who sell to consumers at their farm. It requires the farmers to take a sanitation course and prohibits them from advertising. Noon says the bill needs to be refined in the Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry before it goes out for a vote. The committee voted 7-6 to recommend that the law change not pass. Noon did not speculate on when the bill might get a vote. (AP)

Maine's attorney general is urging state budget writers to give her more resources to combat Medicaid fraud and elder abuse. Attorney General Janet Mills wants to add a third attorney to the HealthCare Crimes Unit, which investigates and prosecutes Medicaid fraud and patient abuse and neglect in health care facilities. Mills says in a statement that adding a third prosecutor will bring in a significant amount of state revenue while also improving the integrity of Maine's health care programs. She says the unit has recouped nearly $61 million in state and federal tax dollars since 2010. The Judiciary Committee has unanimously endorsed Mills' proposal. The Appropriations Committee will now decide whether it ends up in the budget sent to lawmakers for approval. (AP)