Victim, 21, shot and injured in Roxbury

A Provincetown man faces assault charges after he was arrested early yesterday morning for allegedly slashing a man in the face with a knife. Police responded to a call around 2 a.m. on Lopes Square that said a man was bleeding from the face, according to a statement by Provincetown police. The 28-year-old alleged victim said he was attacked after an argument with Richard Stotter of Provincetown. Police, assisted by the United States Coast Guard and the Provincetown harbormaster's office, arrested Stotter, 48, aboard the fishing boat Amanda Girl docked at Macmillan Pier, the release said. The injured man was taken to Cape Cod Hospital, where he was treated and released. Stotter is being held without bail and is due in Orleans District Court Tuesday.

Thousands of Catholics from New England are expected at Boston College for annual men's and women's conferences. The Boston Catholic Men's Conference was held yesterday, and the Boston Catholic Women's Conference is being held today. Last year, the events drew more than 5,000 people. Each conference will include forums on faith, family, and work. Organizers say the goal is to celebrate the Catholic faith and reinforce support for parishes and the Archdiocese of Boston. The men will hear from Cardinal Sean O'Malley and actor Jim Caviezel, who starred in "The Passion of the Christ." The women's speakers include Mary Healy, a senior fellow at the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology. This is the fifth conference for men, and fourth for women. (AP)

Two securities firms have agreed to pay the state of Maine nearly $500,000 in fines. Money from the settlement reached with Wachovia Capital Markets and Citigroup Global Markets will go into the state's general fund. In addition to the fines, the companies will offer to buy back securities from Maine residents who lost money when the investments declined in value. Maine and other states have accused the companies of misleading investors by marketing complex, long-term auction rate securities as safe, liquid, and cash-like investments. The Portland Press Herald reports that the firms have been fined $100 million nationally. (AP)

The Bennington Battle Monument is open for the season, but lawmakers warn possible funding cuts to the state's 16 historic sites could change that. State Representative Alice Miller says House leadership has told the Appropriations Committee to find $24 million in cuts if that same amount in new revenue cannot be found. No decisions have been made, but the historic sites are on the list of possible cuts. The 306-foot Bennington Battle Monument is the tallest structure in Vermont. Built to commemorate the 1777 battle during the American Revolution, the monument stands on the site of a former Continental Army storehouse that was the military object of the battle. (AP)

Officials are considering embracing the next level of recycling: an organic waste diversion program. The Vernon Select Board is considering a proposal to increase recycling rates while reducing its disposal costs by diverting food waste and other organic materials to a composting facility. Diverting 40 percent of its trash would save the town about $12,000 a year. Though backyard compost bins are common, "There are very few places in all of North America that have residential organic composting programs," said Bob Spencer, the town's representative to the Windham Solid Waste Management District. He said the district has an education fund, which could help design educational cards to each household about the program. (AP)