Things You Need to Know Today: Wales Man Arrested for Tapping CMP Transformer with Jumper Cables

Here are the things you need to  know today......

A Wales man was arrested for stealing power. According to the Sun Journal Nicholas Gagne had climbed the pole and tapped into the transformer with jumper cables. This is the third time they disconnected him. While impressed with his ingenuity, what he is did is very dangerous and theft of services.

There is some interest in building housing at the old Statler mill site. According to centralmaine.com Augusta officials still want some private commercial development along with some housing. Councilors will talk about their interest level at the meeting Thursday.

Tracy O’Clair is the interim executive director of Waterville Main Street. According to centralmaine.com  she is serving as a subcontractor for Waterville Main Street through June, which is the end of the organization’s fiscal year.

From the Associated Press:

Police are investigating the deaths of a husband and wife, whose bodies were found inside their Standish home. 65-year-old Donald Cragin and 55-year-old Sandra Lee Cragin were found Tuesday afternoon by a relative who had gone to check on them. Detectives say the deaths are not considered suspicious.

A Maine state senator says a pair of proposals she has authored will reduce the out-of-pocket cost of college and make it easier for students in the state to get their degrees. Cape Elizabeth Democratic Sen. Rebecca Millett's proposals include a bill that would increase the minimum grant from the Maine State Grant Program from $1,000 to $2,000 per eligible student.

Maine Republican Gov. Paul LePage says greed is behind a proposal to build a new casino in southern Maine that will be on the ballot in November. The proposal would only allow a York County casino license for Scott's brother Shawn, former owner of Bangor Raceway. LePage has criticized the campaign's past efforts to get on the ballot and says the proposal will hurt Maine's economy.

Maine health officials will ask Republican President Donald Trump's administration for permission to ban soda and junk food purchases with food stamps. WGME-TV reports that Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Mary Mayhew says she will once again ask for a waiver to do so. LePage last summer threatened to halt Maine's administration of the federal food stamp program if he can't ban recipients from buying products such as Mars bars and Mountain Dew.

Maine Republican Gov. Paul LePage is arguing the state shouldn't help "illegal immigrants" by funding cash benefits for legal immigrants seeking political asylum. LePage said Tuesday that Portland is "the leader" of breaking laws about using General Assistance money for illegal immigrants.

President Donald Trump is expected Wednesday to begin a series of executive actions on immigration. Two administration officials say Trump will start with plans to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. And later in the week, Trump plans to look at restricting the flow of refugees into the U.S. Trump campaigned on pledges to tighten U.S. immigration policies.

President Donald Trump is telling Chicago that it needs to "fix the horrible 'carnage' going on." Trump has tweeted that there've been at least 228 shootings this year and 42 killings, and if the city doesn't reduce its homicide figures, he'll "send in the Feds!" Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson responded late Tuesday, saying the Chicago Police Department would be willing to work with the federal government.

Gunmen in Somalia have fought their way into a hotel in the Somali capital after a suicide car bombing at its gates. Police say dozens of people, including lawmakers, are thought to have been staying at Mogadishu's Dayah hotel at the time of Wednesday morning's attack. There's no information yet about any casualties.

A Nebraska state senator with a history of questionable online behavior could become the state's first lawmaker to get kicked out of the Legislature in recent history. Lawmakers could vote Wednesday to remove state Sen. Bill Kintner from office. He's faced criticism for a pattern of behavior that includes cybersex on a state computer and retweeting a joke that implied Women's March protesters were too unattractive to sexually assault. Kinter has scheduled a news conference before lawmakers vote.