Bangor, Maine News Update: September 20, 2017

The Knox County Sheriff’s office is warning parents to talk with their children about stranger danger and boundaries after a possible attempted abduction. Officials say a little girl was walking when a car containing three people she didn’t know stopped and the occupants tried to persuade her to get in. The girl repeatedly said no, and then ran through a wooded area to get home, where she told her parents what had happened.

Two women have filed a federal lawsuit alleging that the police failed to protect them from a man who is now serving two life sentences for a deadly rampage in Northern Maine. Brittany Irish and her mother Kimberly say they had gone to the police to report a rape at the hands of 37-year-old Anthony Lord, but were told that there weren’t enough officers to watch their house. Lord attacked both women and others, and killed two men, including Brittany’s boyfriend.

Workers at Bath Iron Works are threatening to strike on Monday if contract negotiations this week are not successful. The Bath Marine Draftsmen’s Association represents about 750 employees at BIW. A key issue in the contract negotiations is the company’s proposal to eliminate most flexible work schedules, a practice that allowed many members the freedom to work while caring for their families.

The future of the Bangor Mall is viewed as precarious after the Commercial Observer revealed this week that it’s in danger of foreclosure. TV-5 reports the publication cited an alert from a credit rating agency that reported the Mall’s owner, Simon Property, has until next month to repay or refinance an 80 million dollar loan. A bond rating agency recently downgraded the mall’s performance after the closure of Macy’s and concerns about Sears and JC Penney, which have leases due to expire in the next two years.