Issue for March 4, 2021
Benton resident celebrates 102nd birthday
Born during a pandemic, Charlie Kent has witnessed the evolution of modern America
“Fifteen two, fifteen four, fifteen six, a double run for sixteen and right jack for seventeen.” What is this you ask? It’s how Charles Kent, of Benton, celebrated his 102nd birthday—winning many cribbage games against various family members. According to Ellie, his eldest daughter from Syracuse, New York, he’s a master at pegging points throughout every game he plays. Charlie, as he is fondly known by his friends, has passed along his love of cribbage, not only to his children, but his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, several who were honored to play with him over his recent birthday weekend…. Submitted by daughter Ellie Peavey
Your Local News
Broadband committee makes no recommendations to board of selectmen
CHINA — After their two-hour discussion Feb. 18, China Broadband Committee (CBC) members spent more than four hours interviewing representatives of three broadband program vendors, with brief intervals of committee reaction, on Feb. 22; and talked another three-quarters of an hour in a time-limited (to allow another committee to meet) Feb. 24 meeting…
Selectmen approve warrant for June 8 town meeting
CHINA — At a long March 1 meeting, China selectmen approved the warrant for the June 8 town business meeting, which was to be reviewed by the Budget Committee at a March 2 meeting…
TIF committee puts document in near-final form
CHINA — China Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Committee members put their proposed revised version of the town’s TIF document in near-final form at their Feb. 25 meeting…
Planners say two solar ordinances will not be ready for town meeting
CHINA — China Planning Board members decided at their Feb. 23 meeting neither of two ordinances they are working on would be ready for a vote at the June 8 town business meeting…
Assessors decline property assessment appeal
CHINA — The three members of China’s Board of Assessment Review, meeting Feb. 24, unanimously denied William and Susan Flanders’ appeal of their property valuation, with alternate member Dwaine Drummond (who votes only if a regular member is absent) indicating that he agreed…
Vassalboro selectmen to meet in person
VASSALBORO — Vassalboro selectmen meet in person at 6 p.m., half an hour earlier than usual, Thursday, March 4, in the Vassalboro Community School gymnasium. The Budget Committee will meet at 7 p.m., same place and same format. Audience members will be required to wear masks, pass the temperature check at the door and observe social distancing…
Gibbs Library to host local ecologist
WASHINGTON — Gibbs Library will be hosting local ecologist Shri Verrill for a presentation and discussion about the new Maine Climate Plan. The Maine Climate Council submitted their final plans to the legislature and Governor Janet Mills in December. The program will introduce audience members to climate change in Maine, the goals and solutions recommended in the Maine Climate Plan. (Join her on Sunday, March 7, from 3 – 4 p.m., for the online event…)
Become a member: An open letter to our readers
Dear Reader: For the past 33 years, The Town Line has pledged a mission statement to “create a vibrant rural community connecting our towns, organizations and individuals through communication, education and public dialogue.” It’s all part of The Town Line’s mission to be a positive force in our community…
211 Maine Management moves to 50 Elm Street, in Waterville
CENTRAL ME — 211 Maine, a statewide initiative providing access to health and human services, has announced the relocation of its management office to 50 Elm Street, in Waterville, after the sale of the United Way building at 150 Kennedy Memorial Drive…
Rep. Cathy Nadeau announces local projects in Maine DOT work plan
CENTRAL ME — State Representative Cathy Nadeau (R-Winslow) has announced that the Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT) Work Plan for Calendar Years 2021, 2022 and 2023 is available. The estimated value of work in the plan totals more than 2,180 individual work items with a total value of $2.71 billion…
Gagne digital branch manager at New Dimensions FCU
WATERVILLE — New Dimensions Federal Credit Union (NDFCU) has announced its new Digital Branch Manager, Teresa Gagne, who began in the credit union industry, as a teller, over 30 years ago. Since then, she has worked her way up and has landed in the lending department, where her indirect lending expertise has been second to none over the past 25 years…
Trout stocking sale underway; Pre-order deadline is May 19
ROCKPORT — Knox-Lincoln Soil & Water Conservation District (KLSWCD) is once again sponsoring an annual trout stocking sale for your home or farm pond. They offer two sizes, 4 – 6-inch rainbow trout and 7 – 9-inch brook trout, as well as oxygen bags that hold up to 50 fish. Minimum order is $50…
Pruning apple trees: hands-on workshop in Rockland
ROCKLAND — Knox-Lincoln Soil & Water Conservation District is offering a hands-on workshop to teach pruning apple trees on Friday, March 19, from 9 a.m. to noon, and Saturday, March 20, from 9 a.m. – noon, at MacDougal Park, in Rockland…
Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Historic listings, Augusta Part 9 (New)
AUGUSTA HISTORY — The Augusta historic district not yet discussed is the Capitol Complex Historic District, added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. This district includes several individually listed buildings: the State House, the Blaine House (official residence of Maine’s governors) and the Gannett House, home of the First Amendment Museum… by Mary Grow [2002 words]
Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Historic listings, Augusta Part 8
AUGUSTA HISTORY — Just south of the historic buildings at the north end of the west side of Augusta’s Water Street (described in last week’s article) is a much newer building that gained a place on the National Register of Historic Places on May 2, 1986. The D.V. Adams Co .- Bussell and Weston Building, at 190 Water Street, was built in 1909… by Mary Grow [1752 words]
Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Historic listings, Augusta Part 7
AUGUSTA HISTORY — The east (river) side of Augusta’s Water Street has another individually-listed 19th-century historic building besides those described in The Town Line articles published Feb. 4 and Feb. 11. The 1899 five-story brick building at 325-331 Water Street was first known as the Gannett Building, later as the “Journal” Building and now as the University of Maine at Augusta’s (UMA’s) Handley Hall… by Mary Grow [1848 words]
Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Historic listings, Augusta Part 6
AUGUSTA HISTORY — Last week’s exploration of Augusta’s Water Street Historic District talked about the designated historic buildings on the northern half of the east (river) side of the street. This article will continue south along the river… by Mary Grow [1635 words]
Listing of local town meetings
CENTRAL ME — Listing of local town meetings in central Maine. To have your town listed, please email us at townline@townline.org…
Webber’s Pond
Webber’s Pond is a comic drawn by an anonymous central Maine resident…
Obituaries
SOUTH CHINA – Anne (Sawyer) Fortin, 87, passed away on the afternoon of Thursday, February 11, 2021. Anne was born on October 8 or 9, 1933, in Fort Fairfield, to Lewis S. and Beryl (Staples) Sawyer… and remembering 7 others.
2020-’21 Real Estate Tax Due Dates
Real Estate tax due dates for the following towns: CHINA, VASSALBORO, WATERVILLE and WINDSOR…
Common Ground: Win a $10 gift certificate!
DEADLINE: Friday, March 5, 2021
Identify the people in these three photos, and tell us what they have in common. You could win a $10 gift certificate to Retail Therapy Boutique in Waterville! 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: Donald Eldridge, South China.
Town Line Original Columnists
SCORES & OUTDOORS
by Roland D. Hallee | As we say “goodbye” to February and welcome March with open arms, a thought comes to mind of an old weather lore, “In like a lion, out like a lamb.” In this case, it could be vice versa, considering the mild weather we have had as we usher in the third month of the year. So, it’s more like, “In like a lamb, out like a lion”…
ERIC’S TECH TALK
by Eric W. Austin | The world is filled with too much information. We are inundated with information during nearly every moment of every day. This is a problem because much of it is simply spin and misinformation, and it can be difficult to separate the quality information from the background noise that permeates the internet…
MAINE MEMORIES
by Evangeline T. | Hello and welcome to Maine Memories, little snippets of life from our home state. For this installment, I have a story about the wonderful Saturday nights of my childhood. I recall when Saturday night was something to look forward to, a truly special and momentous event. My home town only had a general store, a post office, and a small service station…
POETRY CORNER
by Marilou Suchar | The telephone rings
Who could it be?
Gone are the days
That they want me!…
REVIEW POTPOURRI
by Peter Cates | Armenian American singer Armenuhi Manoogian (1915-2011), known by her stage name as Kay Armen, achieved fame during the 1940s and ‘50s with her NBC radio show, records and appearances in films and on television. Her 1950 recording of Come On A My House appeared one year before Rosemary Clooney’s megahit…
I’M JUST CURIOUS
by Debbie Walker | Last week you saw A Little Fun and the first part of the little test for couples. How did you do with the first one? The original came from a book titled Humor for a Woman’s Heart. The test was written by Bill and Pam Farrel. And here is the second part…
SOLON & BEYOND
by Marilyn Rogers-Bull | I’m going to lighten up this morning after putting in so much about all the heartache and sadness of the flooding of Flagstaff. I’ll start with this little saying I found; “Forty is the old age of youth; Fifty is the youth of old age. As you slide down the banister of life, may the splinters never point the wrong way”…
FOR YOUR HEALTH
(NAPSI) | Researchers may have uncovered a key reason some people remain sharp as a tack into their 80s and 90s: Their brains resist the buildup of certain proteins that mark Alzheimer’s disease…