Buckfield voters cut services

BUCKFIELD — Town leaders presented Buckfield voters with a reduced budget during the town's annual meeting on Saturday morning, but the voters made even deeper cuts to various departments and expenditures.

Law enforcement services and social service agency funds were eliminated from the budget altogether.

As compared to last year's budget, the town's expenditures had been cut by 10 percent in the warrant proposed by the town's Board of Selectmen and the Budget Committee.

Movie rental store closing

PARIS — Play On, a movie rental store that opened just a year ago at 130 Main Street in Paris, is now closing.

Owner Doug Van Durme says that the plan is to close at the end of July. He said the store drew enough customers, but that those customers did not rent as often as they did a couple of years ago when the store operated under a different name and different owners.

He blames the poor economy for the difference.

OUIs

The following driver was apprehended by local law enforcement and charged with Operating a Motor Vehicle While Under the Influence of an Intoxicating Substance (OUI).

Robert William Reese, 27, of South Paris was arrested on Main Street in Paris at 1:24 a.m. on June 8 by Paris Officer Raymond Paar. Reese was charged with OUI, Violation of Bail Conditions, Driving to Endanger and Operating Without a License. According the Paris Police Department, Reese has two prior convictions for OUI.

SAD 17 budget approved by overwhelming margin

PARIS — In a referendum vote, a $34.6 million school budget was overwhelmingly approved Tuesday as was the spending of $1.2 million to resolve a mold problem at the Otisfield Community Schools as well as address handicap accessibility issues at three other elementary schools.

On Thursday, June 9, Superintendent Rick Colpitts had presented the budget to about 50 residents.

The budget represents a 1.25 percent increase over the previous year.