Central Maine News: Road Work for Rt 202 from Winthrop to Lewiston

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

A study by an environmental group says the chemistry of the water in Maine's Casco Bay is rapidly changing. Friends of Casco Bay says more than 20 years of data show high levels of nitrogen and low levels of oxygen in a number of coastal locations. The bay is a Gulf of Maine inlet that stretches from Cape Elizabeth to Bath. One of the main drivers of the chemical changes is increased runoff caused by higher rainfall. The Friends say bay is generally "in good health." But also says the changing chemistry could be dangerous for shellfish and the state's shellfish industry. (AP)

A Maine entrepreneur has built a new home that's 90 percent more energy efficient than the typical home and produces more than twice as much energy than it consumes. TideSmart Global built the home — dubbed the Viridescent House — as part of an investment of up to $15 million in creating a sustainable business campus in Falmouth. CEO Steve Woods calls it the state's first "net-positive passive house." The passive house standard means it's 70 percent to 90 percent more efficient. And it's called "net positive" because solar panels make more energy than the home needs, meaning it's better than a carbon-neutral home. Woods said he hopes it serves as an example for other business leaders to follow and help the passive house certification become a state building standard. (AP)

Maine's spring wild turkey hunting season is getting underway across the state. The turkey hunt begins on Monday and lasts until June 6. Hunters are limited to one bearded turkey in several wildlife management districts located in far northern and western Maine. Hunters in more than 20 other wildlife management districts around the state can take two bearded wild turkeys. Turkey hunters in parts of far northern Maine are also restricted to certain weeks of the season based on their year of birth. The state advises hunters to contact state hunting regulators about their assigned weeks. The split season is similar to one that was in place prior to 2007. Maine hunters can take turkeys via bow and arrow, shotgun or crossbow. (AP)

Maine Marine Patrol officers say they have recovered the body of a woman from the Kennebec River. A patrol spokesman says the officers found the body on Friday, floating about 20 yards from shore near the Pittston side of the river. The patrol has been searching the river since March 21, when Kelly Voytasko of Augusta disappeared. Voytasko is believed to have gone into the Kennebec River near the Kennebec Plaza. The state medical examiner's office is working to identify the body. (AP)

A Maine legislative panel is divided over the extent to which the state should restrict the use of electronic cigarettes in public places. The Health and Human Services Committee voted 6-6 along party lines on the bill, which would ban the use of e-cigarettes in public places where cigarettes are currently prohibited, like restaurants, playgrounds and beaches. One Democratic lawmaker who was not present during Friday's hearing can still cast his vote. Republicans who oppose the bill are backing an amended version that would only ban e-cigarettes in day care centers, schools and hospitals. The measure will now be considered by the full House, which is controlled by Democrats. The city of Portland recently approved a similar measure. (AP)

A homeless shelter in Waterville is getting a $1 million grant from the Maine State Housing Authority to help get their expansion plans off the ground. Waterville's Colby Circle shelter will add a another floor to the building. It'll serve homeless young adults who are ready to go from the shelter to an apartment or room of their own. The project is expected to be completed by January 2016. Officials say it could cost $1.7 million. Executive Director Betty Palmer says they will need more funding to complete the project. Residency in the new second floor will include employment programs, education and other support services the shelter already offers. Its target population will be 18- to 24-year-olds. (AP)

Police in Garland, Texas say once the scene is clear, they'll remove the bodies of two gunmen who opened fire on a security guard outside a building where a contest was being held for cartoon depictions of the Prophet Muhammad. Police say the men drove up just as the contest was about to end Sunday. Authorities say a bomb squad was called in to search the vehicle the gunman used. Many Muslims consider drawings of the Prophet Muhammed to be offensive, but authorities aren't sure if the shooting is connected to the event. (AP)

If you travel on RT 202 between Lewiston and Winthrop, there are two projects planned for that area.  According to the KJ, the Maine DOT has scheduled a pair of projects for the road that will carry through much of the summer.  There is repaving from Winthrop to just east of the Leeds/Monmouth town line, is set to begin today. Then crews will start on creating center-line rumble strips from Winthrop to Lewiston. All the work will be done during the day.  (centralmaine.com)