Issue for March 27, 2025
Update on plans for improving water quality on Webber Pond
Given worsening water quality in recent years that has resulted in nuisance algal blooms (including harmful cyanobacteria), in 2024 a group of local community volunteers sought and obtained state and federal grants, along with support from the towns of Vassalboro and Windsor, the China Region Lakes Alliance, the Sage Foundation, and Lake Stewards of Maine/Maine Lakes to develop an updated Watershed Based Management Plan (WBMP) for Webber, Three mile and Three cornered ponds. This “Tri-WBMP” will include a 10-year “Action Plan” to help restore water quality in all three ponds…
Town News
Revised plan for safer transfer station facilities expected
VASSALBORO – At their March 20 meeting, Vassalboro transfer station task force members decided on new instructions for engineer Jeff Senders that they expect will give them a revised plan for a safer facility…
Select board discusses town recreational program future
VASSALBORO – Vassalboro select board members began their March 20 meeting with a short discussion of the town recreation program, since resident Michael Phelps had attended the meeting to hear about it…
Cemetery committee mulls over which trees to take down
VASSALBORO – During a short March 17 meeting, Vassalboro Cemetery Committee members decided the survey of trees in the Nelson Road Cemetery should be redone before the town seeks a contractor to take down any of them…
Money was a main topic at China select board meeting
CHINA – Money was a main topic at the March 24 China select board meeting in several different ways, from fairly big items (including review of budget committee recommendations related to the June 10 town business meeting warrant and proposed future expenditures) to the price of trash bags for Palermo residents using China’s transfer station…
Browntail moths are down, but not out
CHINA – Browntail moth (BTM) aerial surveys revealed a decrease in populations in some areas of the state; however, there are still some towns that have high concentrations of winter webs. These include areas in towns surrounding Sebago Lake, communities in a line from Livermore Falls to Falmouth, and communities in Dedham…
Area scouting leaders recognized with awards
CENTRAL ME — Scouting leaders from Kennebec, Lincoln, Knox, Franklin and Somerset counties gathered to honor Yvette Bernier with the highest award a local Scouting district can bestow on a volunteer – the District Award of Merit – in recognition of her service as an Assistant Scoutmaster and volunteer role of nurse for many years both at Camp Bomazeen events…
HealthReach welcomes new clinician
MADISON — This past February, staff of the Madison Area Health Center welcomed Madison Chadbourne, LMSW, to their professional healthcare team…
VUMC receives grant to remove steeple
MADISON — The $40,000 price tag came as an unexpected shock to folks at the Vassalboro United Methodist Church (VUMC) last fall when, in the middle of installing a new lift/elevator they found major damage to their steeple and roof that required immediate attention…
MDF’s Maine Downtown Center welcomes Waterville to nationally recognized revitalization program
WATERVILLE — The Maine Downtown Center (MDC), a program of Maine Development Foundation (MDF), has announced that Van Buren and Waterville are joining its Maine Downtown Center Affiliate Program…
Andrei Llanto named to fall dean’s list at Nebraska
WATERVILLE — Andrei Llanto, of Waterville, has been named to the deans’ list at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, in Lincoln, Nebraska, for the fall semester of the 2024-25 academic year. Llanto, a junior majoring in business and law, was named to the dean’s list for the College of Business.
Nicole Magioncalda elected into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi
AUGUSTA — Nicole Magioncalda, of Augusta, was recently elected to membership into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the nation’s oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society, at University of Maine. Magioncalda is among approximately 20,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni to be initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year. Membership is by invitation only and requires nomination and approval by a chapter. Only the top 10 percent of seniors and 7.5 percent of juniors are eligible for membership.
Jessica Fisher named to Hartwick College’s fall dean’s list
CHINA — Jessica Fisher of China, was named to Hartwick College’s Fall 2024 dean’s list, in Oneonta, New York. Fisher, is pursuing a major in Psychology and Sociology with a minor in Social Work.
Eastern student Olivia Bourque makes fall 2024 dean’s list
VASSALBORO — Eastern Connecticut State University, in Willimantic, Connecticut, recently released its dean’s list for the fall 2024 semester, to include Olivia Bourque, of Vassalboro, a senior who majors in Health Sciences.
ICE OUT 2025? Take a guess. Win a prize!
CHINA — Write down your best guess (one per person) and send it to The Town Line, PO Box 89, South China, ME 04358, or email us at townline@townline.org with the subject “ICE OUT 2025“. If more than one person guesses the correct date, a drawing will be held to determine the winner. Get your guess to The Town Line office by noon, Friday, March 21, 2025…
Name that film!
Identify the film in which this famous line originated and qualify to win FREE passes to The Maine Film Center, in Waterville: “Yo, Adrian!” Email us at townline@townline.org with subject “Name that film!” Deadline for submission is April 3, 2025.
Webber’s Pond Comic
Webber’s Pond is a comic drawn by a local central Maine resident…
Local happenings
EVENTS: Women’s History Month celebrates Waterville’s native Alleen Thompson
WATERVILLE — In celebration of Women’s History Month, we will have a special feature about Miss Alleen Thompson. On Saturday, March 29, the door opens at 2 p.m., and the presentation begins at 2:30 p.m…
EVENTS: Battle of Maine on tap March 22
WATERVILLE – The 43rd Battle of Maine Martial Arts Championships will be taking place on Saturday, March 22, 2025, at Champions, in Waterville…
EVENTS: Holy week schedule at SCCC
CHINA – As part of Holy Week, South China Community Church (SCCC) offers several special services: Palm Sunday (April 13, at 10 a.m.), Maundy Thursday (April 17, at 6 p.m.), Good Friday (April 18, at 6 p.m.), and of course, Easter (April 20, at 10 a.m.). This year, for the first time, Pastor Paul Harwath is providing a copy of the Shroud of Turin for viewing and contemplation…
EVENTS: 100 Women Who Give event will award $10,000 to local charity
WATERVILLE — Waterville Area Women’s Club will host its second annual “100 Women Who Give” event Thursday, April 10, at 6 p.m., at Snow Pond Center for the Arts, in Sidney, where attendees will cast live voting to select one local nonprofit to receive a $10,000 unrestricted gift…
EVENTS: History of Sanitary District topic of WHS talk
WATERVILLE – Join local resident and Kennebec Sanitary Treatment District Superintendent, Nick Champagne, for a photo journey through the process of creating the facility and how it serves to keep the Kennebec River clean. Saturday, April 5, door opens at 2 p.m., Nick’s presentation begins at 2:30 p.m. Admission is free, donations gladly accepted…
EVENTS: ShineOnCass animal baby shower & PJ party
ALBION – Children dressed in their pajamas will welcome baby lambs, goats, calves and other newborn animals also wearing pajamas, on Sunday, May 4, at the ShineOnCass Animal Baby Shower & PJ Party at Hart-to-Hart Farm & Education Center, in Albion…
Obituaries
FAIRFIELD – Joseph Larouche, 77, of Fairfield, passed away on Monday, March 3, 2025, following a courageous battle with kidney disease. He was born on September 19, 1947, in Montreal, Canada…
CALENDAR OF EVENTS: Classic Western Movie Brunch
WATERVILLE – Maine Pine Catering’s next Classic Movie Brunch will take place on Saturday, March 29, at 38 Gold St., in Waterville, from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. This will include a classic John Wayne film and a delicious western breakfast. Extra points if you wear spurs. Doors open at 10 a.m., breakfast served at 10:30 a.m., movie starts at 11 a.m…. and many other local events!
EVENTS: Local central Maine Town Meetings schedule for 2025
CENTRAL ME – List of area town meetings. To be included in this list, visit our Contact Us page or send an email to The Town Line at townline@townline.org…
Up and Down the Kennebec Valley: Courts (new)
CENTRAL ME HISTORY — One of the chapters in Henry Kingsbury’s 1892 Kennebec County history is about the courts. The next chapter is titled The Kennebec Bar and names members of the Kennebec Bar who practiced as lawyers and/or held judgeships or other legal positions… by Mary Grow
Up and Down the Kennebec Valley: Vassalboro Ctr./Getchell’s Corner
VASSALBORO HISTORY — When Henry Kingsbury started his detailed description of the Town of Vassalboro in his 1892 Kennebec County history, he named six “post hamlets” and five “prominent localities.” Each post village was also a “manufacturing and mercantile” center, he said… by Mary Grow
Up and Down the Kennebec Valley: Windsor High Schools
WINDSOR HISTORY — Last week’s story covered primary schooling in the Town of Windsor, south of China and Vassalboro and east of Augusta in the Kennebec Valley. This week’s article will add a bit of information on Windsor high schools, plus a biographical sketch of an early area settler who was Windsor’s first primary-school teacher…. by Mary Grow
Up and Down the Kennebec Valley: Windsor Primary Schools
WINDSOR HISTORY — The area was first settled in the 1780s, mostly by people moving inland from Bristol and Damariscotta via the Sheepscot River. Organized around 1790 as New Waterford Plantation, it became Malta on March 3, 1809, Gerry in 1820 and Windsor in 1822…. by Mary Grow
Common Ground: Win a $10 gift certificate!
DEADLINE: Wednesday, April 10, 2025
Identify the people in these three photos, and tell us what they have in common. You could win a $10 gift certificate to Hannaford Supermarket! Email your answer to townline@townline.org or through our Contact page. Include your name and address with your answer. Use “Common Ground” in the subject!
Previous winner: Robin Marchesi, Vassalboro
Town Line Original Columnists
SCORES & OUTDOORS
by Roland D. Hallee | Recently, someone showed me a photograph of an insect they alleged bit one of their children. They wanted to know what it was and whether it was harmful. It didn’t take long for me to identify it as an earwig…
MAINE-LY GARDENING
by Jude Hsiang | Starting seeds indoors is easy, economical, and fun. Most garden seeds can be planted in April and ready to transplant outdoors when the danger of frost is past. If you haven’t done this before, start small with one or two of your favorite vegetables or flowers. Young children can plant larger seeds like beans, which are easy for tiny hands…
MAINE-LY GARDENING
by Jayne Winters | During our recent series of “Taking a Trip Down Memory Lane,” I’ve shared a few stories that Carleen Cote wrote about local school children initiating various fundraising projects for Duck Pond Wildlife Care Center. However, not only young members of our community have supported this facility over the years. In September 2003, Paul Basham wrote about 35 adult volunteers who gathered at Duck Pond…
REVIEW POTPOURRI
by Peter Cates | Sir Eugene Goossens (1893-1962) conducted the Rochester Philharmonic during the 1920s; succeeded Fritz Reiner as Music Director of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra from 1931 to 1946…
AARP NEWS YOU CAN USE
by Joyce Bucciantini | The Maine Legislature is in full swing. Legislators are working diligently through a myriad of proposed bills on a wide range of topics of concern to the citizens of Maine. In Maine, every proposed bill receives a public hearing by the appropriate legislative committee…
FOR YOUR HEALTH
HEALTH | If you or someone you care for is among the 1 in 3 U.S. adults estimated to have prediabetes, a condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough yet to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes, or is among the nearly 40 million Americans the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates have diabetes, chances are good you or the person you care for won’t even know it…