Central Maine News: Nov 18, 2015

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

Homes and small businesses that use Central Maine Power's standard electricity offer will see slightly lower rates next year. The Maine Public Utilities Commission said it has accepted a bid for energy supply that was 3 percent lower than last year. The rate is tied to the low cost of domestic natural gas used to generate much of New England's electricity. Medium-sized business customers who use the standard offer will see an annual average drop of 11 percent compared to last year. The standard offer is the default rate for customers who don't sign contracts with a competitive energy supplier and it covers about 70 percent of Central Maine Power's home customers. (AP)

More Tim Hortons restaurants are closing in Maine and employees say they were caught off guard. According to WGME the company decided to close some locations in Maine and New York. It's still unclear exactly how many stores are closing, but at least two locations in Maine are shut down, Mill Creek location in South Portland and the store at the Maine Mall. Tim Hortons closed six Maine stores in 2013. (WGME)

The Maine Drug Enforcement Agency searched a house and camper in Wells for a suspected meth lab. This suspected bust brings the total for the year to 45. The Wells police chief said she's concerned this suspected meth lab was in a populated area, but what most is concerning is that several kids live in the house and the camper. They range in age from six months to 10 years old. (WCSH)

A collision between a van and a fuel truck claimed the life of a Farmington woman Tuesday night. The crash happened around 5:30 pm on the Farmington Falls Road in Farmington. Police say the crash caused the truck to leak fuel and heating oil. The Department of Environmental Protection did respond and has been contained. Police say the woman driving the van crossed the center line causing the crash. Two people in the truck were treated for minor injuries. (WABI)

Waterville city councilors rejected a vacant property ordinance after the city manager voiced concerns with the ordinance, which would have required property owners to register vacant buildings. According to the KJ, earlier this month councilors gave unanimous approval to the ordinance, but after a motion was made to give it final approval Tuesday night, the city manager said he was concerned that the city had limited resources to enforce the new ordinance, and also was concerned it could duplicate the efforts of a new state law that went into effect in September requiring the registration of foreclosed properties. (centralmaine.com)

Police in France say two suspects in last week's terror attacks in Paris have been killed in a police operation north of the capital. Two other people are being detained. Police carried out a large operation in the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis, where they believed the suspected mastermind of last week's attacks, Abdelhamid Abaaoud, was holed up in an apartment along with several other heavily armed people. Police stormed the building and two officers were injured as both sides exchanged gunfire. Witnesses also heard several explosions. (AP)

Islamic State militants in Syria are preparing for a possible assault on their de facto capital of Raqqa, as international airstrikes intensify. Residents say IS fighters are hiding in civilian neighborhoods and preventing anyone from fleeing. The estimated 350,000 residents of Raqqa have been gripped by fear, and rattled by daily Russian and French airstrikes. (AP)

President Barack Obama is lashing out at Republicans who want to bar Syrian refugees from entering the U.S. Obama says their words are offensive and they need to stop. Obama says, "We are not well served when in response to a terrorist attack we descend into fear and panic." In Congress, House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have urged at least a temporary halt in the resettlement of Syrians. GOP presidential candidate Jeb Bush is proposing admitting to the U.S. only Christian Syrians, not Muslim. (AP)

Police have cleared one of two Air France flights bound for Paris from the U.S. that had to be diverted Tuesday night because of anonymous threats. The cleared plane, which left Los Angeles, was diverted to Salt Lake City. Authorities are still checking a plane that took off from Dulles International Airport near Washington and was diverted to Halifax, Nova Scotia. (AP)