Vandals took ruining campaign signs a step further this week when a “Vote Yes on 1” sign in Bangor not only was broken but its stake pieces were used to make a cross.

A Bangor man reported Thursday that for the second time this week a sign on his lawn supporting the repeal of the gay rights law had been damaged. Another campaign sign on his West Broadway lawn about 10 feet away was untouched. That sign was supporting a candidate for the Bangor School Committee.

The first time the referendum sign had been damaged, the sign’s stake had been broken. The man was able to put the sign back up. Thursday morning, he found that the sign had been ripped up, the stake broken into pieces and that a screw was used to affix two pieces in the form of a cross.

A motorist stopped in traffic Thursday on the River Road in Orrington where construction work was being done was rear-ended by another motorist.

No injuries were reported, although damage to the vehicles was estimated at $2,000 each. Flaggers at the road construction site helped direct traffic around the accident, which occurred about 3:45 p.m., Penobscot County Sheriff’s Deputy Kenny Williams said.

A transient man was not wanted by officials at a substance abuse counseling facility in Bangor, but he was wanted by authorities in Aroostook County.

Bangor police officers were sent to the Acadia Recovery Community early Thursday morning after it was reported that Mark Whitmore was to be removed. A computer check revealed that a warrant had been issued out of Presque Isle for Whitmore’s arrest for failure to pay fines and fees in connection with a criminal trespassing conviction, Bangor police Officer Steve Pelletier reported.

The man was arrested and taken to Penobscot County Jail.

– Compiled by BDN reporter Doug Kesseli