Central Maine News: January 19, 2016

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

(KJ) -- The Augusta Police Department is offering a new program it hopes will lead to quicker rescues when someone who has Alzheimer’s disease, another form of dementia, or autism wanders away from home. According to the KJ, the Wanderer Program allows the family or caregiver to sign up and provide information in advance that could help locate a person who leaves home and is unable to return. The registration can be done online or by visiting the Augusta Police Department.

(KJ) -- The Waterville City Council will consider authorizing City Manager to start negotiating with Colby College to sell city-owned land on The Concourse to Colby so it can build a student dormitory in downtown. According to the KJ, the land, about three-quarters of an acre, is the spot where the farmers market sets up on Thursdays during warmer weather. It’s a first step. If the city decides to sell the property and Colby decides to buy it, councilors would have to vote on an order for the sale. An order requires two votes.

(AP) — Nearly 80,000 Maine residents have signed up for health care coverage through the HealthCare.gov platform since open enrollment began in November. Officials with the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services say 78,891 people from Maine have either signed up or had their coverage automatically renewed as of January 9th. The deadline to enroll for coverage starting February 1 passed on Friday.

(WGME) -- Singer/songwriter Don McLean was arrested early Monday morning, accused of domestic violence assault. Camden police responded. to McLean’s Camden home from a 911 call early Monday morning. An investigation by responding officers led to the arrest of the 70-year-old McLean for domestic assault. He was arrested without incident and taken to Knox County Jail in Rockland. He was released on $10,000 unsecured bail. He is scheduled to make his initial appearance in Knox County Unified Court in Rockland Feb. 22.  The victim of the assault did not require going to the hospital.

(AP) — Maine police are looking for the person who shot a man as he slept in his Scarborough home. Scarborough Police say 47-year-old Bruce Glidden is recovering at Maine Medical Center from non-life-threatening gunshot wounds. Police called it a "targeting event" that occurred at 1:27 Monday morning. He said Glidden's wife and two children were asleep elsewhere in the house and awoke to gunfire. Authorities say the intruder entered the house through an unlocked door and left the scene immediately after the shooting.

(WGME) -- A Bates student died after he was found unresponsive in his dorm room. First responders rushed James Jhun to the hospital on Sunday, where he was pronounced dead. Officals say he had a prior medical condition.  And according to WGME, an autopsy is scheduled to be done sometime this week, but police say his death does not appear to be suspicious.

(AP) — A bipartisan Senate agreement would give more flexibility to schools in what healthy meals they serve students. Some schools have complained that the current rules are burdensome, and the changes would ease requirements on whole grains and delay an upcoming deadline to cut sodium levels. The Senate Agriculture Committee is set to vote on the changes on Wednesday.

(AP) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American College of Physicians are telling doctors to avoid using antibiotics when treating even severe colds. And they've issued new guidelines, which have been published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The experts say don't prescribe antibiotics for acute bronchitis unless pneumonia is suspected. And they suggest over-the-counter remedies for pain. They say overuse of antibiotics leads to drug-resistant germs.

(AP) — Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder is likely to devote much of his annual State of the State speech Tuesday night to the drinking water emergency in Flint. The state already is providing lead testing, filters and bottled water for the city of 99,000. And some say customers shouldn't have to pay their water bills because the water is contaminated with lead. It's unclear if lawmakers will cover the expense. The governor also is expected to again press lawmakers to address mounting financial problems in Detroit's school district.