Morning Sentinel from Waterville, Maine • 1

$150 ounded 1904 Copyright 2007 A Blethen Maine Newspaper Sunday May 13 2007 Serving Northern Kennebec Waldo Somerset and ranklin County Communities Sunday Morning Brntini'l niTNnwn iQfld a DAY was meant to Triplets a surprise and a blessing to Oakland family RELATED STORY PLEASE SEE TRIPLETS A10 irst time mothers share their experi ences in Life Leisure section Cl By AMY CALDER Staff Writer and Gabriel The babies now nearly 6 months old did not come easily "We had tried (to conceive) for three years and had a couple of miscar riages" Courtney Desmond said was diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syn She was placed on medication for the disorder which can cause infertility but still did not conceive So they did in vitro fertilization a process whereby eggs are fertilized outside the body and it took Soon the Desmonds learned via an ultrasound that they were going to have not one but three babies "We were so ecstatic just to find out that there were three beating hearts in OAKLAND Courtney Mother's Day wish is simple: To spend time outside planting flowers with her babies nearby all three of them The day undoubtedly will be a happy one for Desmond her husband Keith and their son Austin 10 They will cele brate the latest additions to their household triplets Marissa Samuel Staff photo by Jeff Pouland AT HOME WITH THE TRIPLETS: Courtney Desmond her 10 year old son Austin and husband Keith play with 5 month old triplets Samuel front Gabriel left and Marissa at their home in Oakland on Saturday rt 1 I 4 'Qfeqfr 71 STATEHOUSE SECURITY Capitol safe but dangers apparent By PAUL CARRIER Blethen Maine Newspapers AUGUSTA When it comes to se curity at the Statehouse everyone is on the honor system Signs at the public entrance to the Capitol warn visitors that guns are "strictly there 'Die state owns seven metal detectors and pack age screeners to detect weapons But that equipment purchased in 2004 with more than $28000 in feder al homeland security funds has never been used The Bureau of Capitol Security lacks the staff to operate the machines and legislative leaders who control the Statehouse never have embraced the added level of security formally More than 200 people work in the Statehouse The Legislature meets there The governor has his office there On a busy day officials estimate 700 to 800 people pass through the building including visitors staffers and officials The governor is in a class by himself because he has his own state police security detail or the hundreds of lawmakers workers schoolchildren and others who fill the Statehouse day in and day out however the only shield against an armed attack is a PLEASE SEE SECURITY A7 THOMAS COLLEGE GRADUATION time to look ahead Staff photo by Jeff Pouland LEADING THE WAY: Bagpipe player Herb Wilson leads the processional during commencement exercises at Thomas College in Waterville on Saturday i J' i i Graduates get advice on energy responsibility By DOUG HARLOW Staff Writer WATERVILLE They were class mates in 2004 when the Boston Red Sox achieved their first World Se ries championship in 86 years They were classmates for two New England Super Bowl championships And on Saturday they were the first MORE GRADUATIONS Unity UM UMA commencements on Bl USM UNE on B2 class at Thomas College to graduate from the new Harold Alfond Athletic Center on campus They are the Class of 2007 A total of 148 students marched to "Pomp and during the graduation ceremony which included 118 undergraduates and 30 graduate degree students In his address Christopher Simpson of armington a cum laude graduate with a degree in manage ment and a in business ad ministration and representing tradi tional day division students said Sat urday was the close of a lifetime of ed ucation "So this is he said is what 16 years of education looks like we are what 16 years of education looks like And I know a scary thought for Jim Love who chaperoned our sen PLEASE SEE GRADUATION A7 rom tragedy comes reform Bill keeps juveniles from state prison By ELIZABETH COMEAU Staff Writer Those who knew Marlee Johnston best say she was kind that she could turn negative circumstances into positive outcomes She was bubbly upbeat and had a bright future ahead of her Above all her fa ther Ted Johnston sSI said she was com passionate and cared about other people Nearly two years since death Johnston said he's trying to honor that JOHNSTON part of his daughter through his own actions Johnston is helping to craft legisla tion that would prevent young juve niles such as the teenage boy who was convicted of killing Marlee from being sent straight to an adult correc tional facility need to be abandoning people even when they did some thing as horrible as Patrick (Arm strong) did Johnston said PLEASE SEE JUVENILES A7 INSIDE Index Sox rough up Orioles reliable relievers helped the Sox resume their domination of the Orioles with a 13 4 win DI Bode bolts from US team ormer Olympic medalist and World Cup champion Bode Miller is leaving the US ski team DI Business B5 Obituaries B4 Celebrations C9 Opinion AB 9' Collectibles 5portrfJPi 8 7 Crossword Cd Sutfoku C4 Local Bl 4 TV IlsOpgs Maine Bl 4 WojM A5 6 Nation A2 4 gKf ONLINE POST YOUR GRADUATION PHOTOS: The graduations have begun Say "Con or "I did on our Web site and post a graduation photo too Link to us at wwwonlinesentineLcom Visit onlinesentineLcom for breaking news every day 8 I 2C 15 Weather Mostly sunny Page A1O you need somebody who is not saying it up drive LT COL ANDREW GIBSON Maine Army National Guard chaplain 9 Staff photo by Andy Molloy GUARD CHAPLAIN: Maine Army Na tional Guard Lt Co Andrew Gibson of Pittsfield has returned to his post as chaplain at Camp Keyes in Augusta af ter serving in Afghanistan Chaplain helps soldiers make sense of war zone By STEVE CARTWRIGHT Staff Writer AUGUSTA When Lt Col Andrew Gibson of the Maine Army National Guard was growing up he wanted to be a minister and he wanted to serve his country But as a boy in White Plains NY he have known what it would feel like to perform last rites for a fallen sol dier in Afghanistan After living in a war zone for a year he knows what like The state's first full time National Guard chaplain Gibson was sent to a forward operating base along the Afghanistan Pakistan border An officer not from Maine who was serving with him was struck by a projectile and killed Medics tried to revive him It was one of Gibson's most emotional mo ments and one of his worst he said In another case he had to tell a Somerville mother that her son was dead (Gibson) was said Peggy Dostie whose son Thomas John Dostie was killed when an explosion ripped through a mess hall in Mosul Iraq in 2004 felt more comfortable with him than with my own priest He really understood what we were going through" Also killed in that blast was Lynn Poulin of reedom Just one soldier from 240th Maine Engineering unit has died in Afghanistan Capt Patrick Damon 41 of almouth His non combat death last year remains under investigation Gibson 46 also had happier but oth er very emotional moments He recalled a counseling a soldier who was report edly depressed and suicidal Chaplains must be alert for soldiers who might be faking such a problem but Gibson took the report seriously Months after the counseling sessions the soldier saw Gibson grinned and gave him a hug PLEASE SEE CHAPLAIN A7 i fW i iff nqJuK Wtfi: 4 'J.