Waterville family gives city child a breath of fresh air

Waterville resident, Weldon Black, has opened his heart and home to Alvin, age 13, of Brooklyn, New York, through The Fresh Air Fund’s Friendly Towns Program since 2016. Weldon first learned about The Fund when a local volunteer leader, Lynne Dailey, came to speak in his town. Weldon has been hosting for seven years and is looking forward to spending his second summer with Alvin later this month.

The brightest parts of Weldon’s summers are when his Fresh Air son comes to visit. During last summer’s visit, Alvin joined Weldon in mini golfing, building campfires, and kayaking on Lake Androscoggin. “I hope I’ve been able to show him everything that Maine has to offer,” Weldon said. “It’s a different way of life here.” Weldon loves being able to rediscover his home state by showing Alvin all the fun to be had outdoors.

Weldon says that being a host parent has taught him a lot. “I’ve learned to be more open and accepting of other people’s experiences and ways of life,” Weldon explained. His time with The Fresh Air Fund has been “fulfilling and fun,” and he hopes that Alvin has learned as much as he has from the experience.

Since 1877, The Fresh Air Fund, an independent, not-for-profit agency, has provided free, enriching summer experiences and academic programs for more than 1.8 million New York City children from low-income neighborhoods. Each summer, thousands of Fresh Air children visit suburban, rural, and small town communities across the East Coast and Southern Canada through The Fresh Air Fund’s Friendly Towns Program.

To learn more about how to become a host family in North Central Maine, please call Susan Brooks at 207-453-2762 or visit www.freshair.org.

CHINA NEWS: Erskine announces schedules, bus routes for Fall 2017

Fall 2017

Erskine Academy schedules and bus routes:

FRESHMEN ORIENTATION will be held on August 28, at 6:30 p.m., in the Erskine Academy gymnasium. Parents and freshmen students are encouraged to attend.

Freshmen parents are reminded that the school does require a current freshmen entrance physical prior to the first day of school. Any questions please call the school nurse at 445-2962.

Tuesday, August 29, – First day of school – Freshmen only;
Wednesday, August 30, – all students will attend;
Friday, September 1, – Erskine will not hold classes;
Monday, September 4, – Labor Day Holiday – no classes;
Thursday, September 14, – school picture day.

NEW STAFF MEMBERS: Megan Childs – Family & Consumer Economics teacher; Katherine Newcombe – English teacher & Ed Tech III; Rebecca Sellers – art teacher.

BUS ROUTES:

Students should be at their pick-up points 5 – 10 minutes before the stated pick-up times for the first few days of school. Bus fare is $10 per week. Parents of freshmen are advised to check the bus schedule at New Student Orientation.

Pat Vigue – Bus 13 (Palermo Area)

6:25 – Palermo School
6:30 – Turner Ridge Road
6:35 – Banton Road
6:40 – Level Hill Road
6:45 – North Palermo Road
7:00 – Weston Ridge
7:15 – Tobey’s
7:20 – Frontier Village
7:25 – Leave Frontier Village
7:30 – Arrive at Erskine Academy

Sheila Wescott – Bus 11 (Chelsea/Windsor Area)

6:12 – Leave Erskine to Tyler Road
6:17 – Weeks Mills Road
6:20 – Legion Park Road/

Lamson Road (turn-a-round)

6:23 – Barton Road
6:25 – 105 to Spring Road
6:50 – Chelsea School
6:53 – Wellman Road
6:55 – Route 17 to Windsor
7:00 – Hunts Meadow Road
7:10 – Route 126
7:15 – Vigue Road
7:20 – Route 17 to Route 32 Windsor
7:25 – Route 32 (Rideout’s Store)
7:35 – Arrive at Erskine Academy

Wayne Lacey – Bus 1 (Whitefield-Jefferson Area)

6:25 – Leave Country Corners Store
6:30 – Travel down Route 215
6:35 – Route 126 to Jefferson
6:40 – Jefferson Post Office
7:00 – Intersection of Route 32 & 17
7:10 – Intersection of Route 17 & 206
7:20 – Intersection of Route 105 & 32
7:23 – Choate Road
7:25 – Windsor Neck Road/South Road
7:30 – Kidder Road
7:30 – Arrive at Erskine Academy

Janice Cook – Bus 16 (Windsor/Whitefield/Coopers Mills Area)

6:18 – Leave Erskine- Rte 32 South
6:26 – Maxcy’s Mills Rd
6:28 – Griffin Road
6:33 – Vigue Road
6:37 – Townhouse Road
6:44 – 218N/194N
6:46 – Heath Road
6:50 – Hilton Road
6:52 – 218N //Mills Road
6:59 – Coopers Mills Main Street
7:00 – Windsor Road/Coopers Mills
7:02 – Erskine Road
7:04 – Wingood Road
7:08 – Erskine Road
7:09 – Windsor Road/Coopers Mills
7:15 – Route 105 to Rte 32
7:18 – Route 32 to Erskine Academy
7:30 – Arrive at Erskine Academy

Routes, drivers and bus numbers subject to change

VASSALBORO: Planners approve three applications

by Mary Grow

Vassalboro Planning Board members spent two hours Aug. 1 approving three applications that were on their agenda and one that wasn’t.

Richard Behr’s application to amend the plan of a subdivision off Riverside Drive has been on previous agendas, when Behr did not have a complete plan. It was not on the Aug. 1 agenda because, Codes Officer Richard Dolby said, he did not know Behr was ready.

Behr still needs to fill out an application and provide a final plan, but the plan he presented was enough for board members to approve the change. Behr is dividing one lot in the subdivision into two to provide access to his property outside the subdivision. Part of the former lot five will be offered for sale, he said; the rest will give him a driveway.

Two North Vassalboro projects were also approved, and one on Dunham Road. All were in shoreland areas, requiring board members and Dolby to make sure no construction would be within 100 feet of the high water line.

Peter J. Reny has approval to remove an old mobile home on a Main Street lot and replace it with a larger one. Reny explained that if the Vassalboro Sanitary District sewer line is extended to pass his property, as planned, he intends to replace the newer mobile home with a house. Since Vassalboro Planning Board permits have a one-year life, board members declined to expand the permit to include a hypothetical house several years in the future.

Raymond Breton’s application to tear down an old house on Willow Street and build a pole barn for horses and buy or build two microhouses (which he defined as 600 square feet) was approved, but not to his satisfaction. Board members agreed that each microhouse is a dwelling unit, no matter its size, and a dwelling unit in the shoreland zone requires a 40,000 square foot lot.

Breton did not want to devote 80,000 square feet to the two small houses, because, he said, he might want to redivide the land in the future for other projects. The board unanimously approved the pole barn and two houses provided that each house had at least 40,000 square feet of land and provided that all construction was more than 100 feet from Outlet Stream.

The Dunham Road application was from Barbara Pierce, represented by Whitefield contractor Rusty Peters, to add three bedrooms to the existing parsonage on the property.

Small streams crossing the property mean this project, too, is in the shoreland. Peters said the addition would come close to the 100-foot line. Dolby said he and Peters would measure distances and site the addition legally.

The addition will provide three more bedrooms, Peters said. The septic system is sized to accommodate the adjacent church, so it is more than adequate for the addition.

The next Vassalboro Planning Board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday evening, Sept. 5.

Kostrons receive LakeSmart recognition

Ron and Sandra Kostron, of China, are awarded the LakeSmart Award for their undeveloped lot on China Lake. They have owned the property for 18 years and have kept it completely natural. The shoreline is composed of rocks along with vegetation covering the entire length of the shore. There are five layers of buffer on the property including duff (leaves and pine needles left on the ground), ground cover, shrubs, understory (young trees) and canopy (mature trees). All the plants are native. Native plants have a better chance to survive especially during times of extreme weather. For more information about the LakeSmart Program go to the China Lake Association website or contact chinalakesmart@gmail.com.

Historic presence of alewives in China Lake’s Outlet Stream reconfirmed

Original letters written by Stacy Blish and others, of Vassalborough, in 1799, submitted to the Massachusetts legislature. The decision of the governing body sealed the fate of the stream for more than 200 years, as numerous mills and factories were located along the banks of Mile Stream and little attention paid to its ecological health or fisheries. Photo of the letters from the State Archives, in Boston.

Submitted by Landis Hudson, executive director Maine Rivers.
Documents recently found in Massachusetts Archives have shed light on the early history of China Lake’s Outlet Stream, reconfirming the historic presence of native alewives. Petitions and letters, signed and dated from 1798 and 1799, state that alewives were known to make their way up the stream to China Lake, but the presence of sawmills and grist mills prevented the migratory fish from completing their journey to spawning areas. The letters and petitions were written requesting that the Outlet Stream be exempted from fish passage laws to allow water-powered industries to flourish.

As was typical for the colonial period, smaller waterways like Outlet Stream were harnessed for power first because their flows were easier to control. Later, as the technology advanced, dams were built on larger rivers, like the former Edwards Dam on the Kennebec River, first built in 1837.

Letters and petitions from residents along the Outlet Stream were submitted in response to fish passage laws enacted in Massachusetts requiring dam owners to provide fish passage, due to local concerns about the declining populations of migratory fish, notably salmon, shad and alewives. In 1797, just one year before the residents along Outlet Stream sent in their letters and petitions, a law was passed requiring fish passage in Cumberland and Lincoln Counties. Maine was then a part of Massachusetts; records from this period can be found in Massachusetts State Archives, in Boston.

One letter written by Stacy Blish in January 1799 states:

“Stacy Blish, of Vassalborough, in the County of Lincoln, of lawfull age testify and say that I have lived near a Stream called Mile brook which empties itself into Sebasticook river for eighteen years last past that before any mills were built on said Stream Alewives used to pass up said Stream into a pond out of which it flows but no Salmon or Shad ever frequented it and for fifteen years last past since mills have been erected on it no alewives have been known to pass up into the pond.”

Another petition signed by 40 individuals noted, “the carrying on and Improvements of those Mills Are the principle if not the only means upon which a large number of respectable and industrious citizens depend on for acquiring property… That formerly the fish called Alewives (only) used to pass up said stream but for more than ten years None have been seen to pass up said stream…”

The letters and petitions were successful and resulted in the passage of a law titled, “An Act Exempting Mile Stream in the Towns of Vassalborough, Winslow and Harlem from the Operations of All Laws Regulating the Salmon Shad and Alewife Fisheries in Said Towns.” This act sealed the fate of the stream for more than 200 years, as numerous mills and factories were located along its banks and little attention paid to its ecological health or fisheries.

I’m Just Curious: Dictionaries

by Debbie Walker

Did you know there is a dictionary of dictionaries? Yup, sure enough. I was at a yard sale recently and there was this huge thing! Well it is a book and it was large so, of course, I had to check it out. (I have a thing for dictionaries)

It is Webster’s Encyclopedia of Dictionaries, North American Edition. So…in this book that if I refer to it as WED you will know what I am talking about. It holds an amazing amount of information.

There is a regular Webster’s Dictionary in it.

Next is a section of Synonyms, Antonyms and Homonyms. Anyone know what all these are? Someday I may use that section.

The next section is Crossword Puzzle Dictionary. I may have use for that one. The next collection is the Medical Dictionary. I probably wouldn’t use that. This dictionary is the 1976 model and is way behind what the computer can tell you now.

So as we travel on there is the Bible Dictionary. I am guessing it’s all the words and maybe names you would find in the Bible. I doubt any of that has changes recently.

Too funny! The next one is the Rhyming Dictionary of one and two syllable rhymes. I would probably be tempted to use that section one day, especially if some part of that would help the kids at school. They loved rhyming stories last year.

Next on this trip through this huge book is the Music Dictionary. So far, in looking at this section, the only thing I understand are the words naming the musical instruments. The other words might as well be written in Greek!

Next in our adventure is the Book of Familiar Quotations. Shakespeare said, “Abuse is the bitter clamor of two eager tongues.” About acting, of course, Shakespeare said, “All the world is a stage.” Now I might use that section for a column someday.

Onward is the Legal Dictionary, I probably won’t be interested in that one. But you never know for sure.

The Dictionary of Scientific Terms, yuck! I have absolutely no interest there!

After that is Outline of U.S. History. Now I may have to cruise that one a bit. The problem I have with written history is you have to think about who is writing what and why. The old writings about anything involving Native Americans is usually trash talk.

Gazetteer Atlas – okay – well it has the information about countries and states. Probably very outdated info, some countries have even been renamed since I left school.

I’m just curious what kind of books you have laying around. Enjoy your read. Questions and/or comments you can send to dwdaffy@yahoo.com. Sub: Dictionaries

Thank you for reading! (Check out our paper online if you can.) That book is so big I think I will give it its own name; maybe a good one would be Harriet!

REVIEWS: Actor: Bob Steele; Conductor: Rudolf Albert; Singer: Wilson Pickett

Peter CatesREVIEW POTPOURRI

by Peter Cates

Rider of the Law

starring Bob Steele, etc.; directed by Robert N. Bradbury, 59 minutes, released 1935.

Bob Steele

Actor Bob Steele (1907-1988) was very well known for the B westerns of the ‘30s and ‘40s, in which he portrayed, more often than not, the hero. Rider of the Law features an Arizona town under siege by a gang of outlaws and, of course, lacking any law enforcement with real spine. A stage arrives with a, to put it politely, wimpy Easterner, who has no clue how to mount a horse, let alone fend for himself. In due time, the newcomer reveals himself, however, to be skilled with both gun, fists and horsemanship, and as the appointed marshal of the town, going undercover to learn the lay of the land. Bob Steele’s characterization of the marshal conveys above-average talent, especially the comic antics he engages in while undercover. Finally, the director of the film, Robert N. Bradbury (1886-1949), was Steele’s father.

All in all, a very compelling film !

Wagner

Rudolf Albert

Tristan and Isolde, Prelude and Liestod; Tannhauser, Overture and Venusberg Music; Counterpoint/Esoteric 5614, stereo vinyl LP, recorded late ‘50s to early ‘60′.

Yet another, very talented conductor from below the radar, Rudolf Albert (1918-1992), showed a gift for alive, exciting recordings of classical works that had been played in concerts and recorded too often; this Wagner program is no exception, definitely worth seeking by interested collectors. I own several of his records and testify to his very high level of work, even more so than some of the so-called “world’s greatest conductors, ” their advantage being better press agents!

Wilson Pickett

The Exciting Wilson Pickett
Atlantic SD 8129, 12-inch vinyl stereo LP, recorded 1966.

Wilson Pickett

The late Wilson Pickett (1941-2006) was not only a hugely successful rhythm and blues singer/songwriter, selling millions of records, but also a gifted one, whose feisty, invigorating delivery, timing and musicianship made so many of his singles and albums, including the above posted one, worth hearing and owning as part of any well-rounded recording collection. Two special favorites are In the Midnight Hour and It’s All Over, both written with Steve Cropper. Finally, the vocal and instrumental support, which included Booker T. and the MGs, was galvanizing.

Pickett died of a heart attack at 64 and Little Richard delivered a eulogy.

GARDEN WORKS: Could this be an answer to a free, locally-available source of nutrients for your garden?

Emily CatesGARDEN WORKS

by Emily Cates

Every now and then a reader makes a suggestion for these garden articles, and I always welcome ideas and discussion- even criticism. The other day, though, someone brought something to my attention that I believe we should look closely at and really consider. If anything, I think we should at least start a conversation about it, as there is a great possibility to positively impact our local community.

The “free” mulch placed between rows in Ann Austin’s garden. Photo courtesy of Emily Cates

So, I was talking with Ann Austin the other day. She and her son Eric live on China Lake and take frequent walks on the causeway. They were walking and talking and had a realization while looking at the shoreline: As one examines that end of the lake, it is apparent that there is an excess of organic matter that washes up on the beach over by the Landing and northeast shore. It is a beautiful beach in a prime location, though marred by the buildup. “Could we”, thought Ann, “turn this unsightly mess into something useful?” After all, she has personally seen the benefits when this organic matter washes up on her property and she rakes it up and uses it as a mulch and soil amendment. “The best part,” she adds, “is that it’s free and there is no worry of adding weed seeds to the garden.” I have seen her gardens and concur that they are thriving and beautiful, with minimal weeds. See for yourself in the pictures in this article!

The benefits of using fresh-water seaweeds in the garden and compost pile have been known anecdotally to gardeners for ages, though researchers have recently begun to study them more closely. In addition to being a good source of nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus and minerals, fresh-water weeds and algae can be applied without the danger of excess salt, like what is found in ocean plants such as kelp. Since the freshwater seaweeds live in the water, there are no terrestrial weed seeds that will grow in a garden. Some lakes and ponds that are overrun with invasive or excessive aquatic plants are weeded mechanically, and as long as these plants are applied on soil well away from water bodies, they can be a great asset to building the soil. (Even pond scum from that mosquito-infested swamp in your backyard could theoretically be worth it’s weight in a bag of fertilizer from the garden store- if you’re adventurous!) Need convincing? Check out this link about using freshwater seaweeds: http://homeguides.sfgate.com/freshwater-seaweed-gardens-89607.html and pond scum: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/composting/ingredients/pond-scum-garden-fertilizer.htm.

If you live within sight of China lake, there is a good chance you pass by this potential resource for your garden every day. I know I have, and the thought of driving several miles in the opposite direction to haul a load of manure while this local supply of nutrients sits untapped seems silly to me. It’s no secret that China Lake- like many others with agricultural activities near their watersheds- has an excess of nutrients as a result of runoff. Why not recycle these nutrients as they manifest themselves in the organic matter of aquatic plants?

Some of the many healthy plants in Ann Austin’s garden. Photo courtesy of Emily Cates

I have observed that the area by The Landing is cleaned annually and the municipal workers haul off the debris. Of course their efforts are appreciated and I think they do a good job, but I also notice that the problem persists into other times of the year — especially when gardens are ready for mulching and amendments. Could gardeners load themselves up with a few buckets or so of the stuff? I’m not talking about dump truck loads, just enough for the average resident’s garden and flower beds.

On the other hand, I do have some questions that I am hoping will contribute to a meaningful community discussion. First of all, what’s in the stuff? Surely it’s loaded with nutrients, but what else? I would appreciate an in-depth analysis of the material to ensure there are not elevated levels of harmful substances that are included in what runs off into the lake- such as heavy metals, pesticides, petroleum products, sewage, pharmaceuticals, and even radioactive “hot particles”. These contaminants are persistent in our environment, and most do not normally break down in the average compost pile. Since many folks and myself are conscientious of what we put in our bodies, certainly the sentiment would ring true in our gardens as well.

Secondly, is it legal to harvest the organic matter? If so, how much is permissible to collect? At what times would gathering it be preferred? Perhaps this activity could take place in a time and manner that would not adversely affect local businesses, The Landing in particular.

Lastly, and most importantly, what is the ecological impact? Old-timers reminisce how this area of the lake was once clear and the preferred place for swimmers, but claim the current problem began when Rte. 137 was built through the wetland to bypass the village. Would regular harvesting and utilization of the buildup prove beneficial? Would it improve the quality of the water and aesthetics of the lake? Or would it have unanticipated consequences? Since I do not have the answers to these questions, I am calling on everyone with notions on how to improve our community to please contribute to this discussion if you can.

In conclusion, I’ll let us reflect on these thoughts: Could we solve our problem of a beach with an unattractive attribute and make it into something useful and pleasant? Ideally, we could envision a cleaner, more appealing causeway and shorelines that could be enjoyed to their full potential, along with our surrounding community filled with vibrant, beautiful gardens.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: Atlantic salmon restoration steady but slow despite many efforts

Roland D. HalleeSCORES & OUTDOORS

by Roland D. Hallee

I’ve been reading a lot lately about the fate of the mighty Atlantic salmon.

Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, have long been the target of recreational and commercial fishing, and this, as well as habitat destruction, has reduced their numbers significantly. The species is the subject of conservation efforts in several countries.

Several populations of Atlantic salmon are in serious decline in Maine. The Endangered Species Act currently places 11 Maine rivers on the list: the Kennebec, Androscoggin, Penobscot, Sheepscot, Ducktrap, Cove Brook, Pleasant, Narraguagus, Machias, East Machias and Dennys. The Penobscot is the anchor river for Atlantic salmon populations in the U.S. Returns in 2008 have been around 2,000, more than double the 2007 return of 940.

However, on the Kenduskeag River, in Bangor, according to Richard Dill, a biologist for the Maine Department of Marine Resources Bureau of Sea-Run Fisheries and Habitat, over recent years, the return of salmon to the river has been particularly low. In 2012, 624 salmon returned to the fish trap at the Veazie Dam. In 2013, just 372 salmon were counted at the facility.

There has been some success thus far with populations growing in the Penobscot and Connecticut rivers. In November 2015, salmon nests were observed in the Farmington River, a tributary of the Connecticut River, where Atlantic salmon had not been seen spawning since probably the Revolutionary War.

Atlantic salmon were once abundant throughout the North Atlantic. European fishermen gillnetted the salmon in rivers using hand-made nets for at least several centuries. Wood and stone weirs along streams and ponds were used for millennia to harvest salmon in the rivers of Maine and New England. Human activities have heavilty damaged salmon populations across their range. The major impacts were from overfishing and habitat change, and the new threat from competitive farmed fish.

The first laws regarding Atlantic salmon were started nearly 800 years ago. Edward I instituted a penalty for collecting salmon during certain times of the year. His son, Edward II continued the legislation.

Atlantic salmon fishing is illegal in Maine. Anyone who accidentally catches one is required to release the fish alive and uninjured immediately. The fishing rule, listed in the law book under an S-33 code, also requires that “at no time should an Atlantic salmon be removed from the water.”

The North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization (NASCO) is an international council made up of Canada, the European Union, Iceland, Norway, the Russian Federation and the United States. Established in 1983, it helps protect Atlantic salmon stocks, through the cooperation between nations. They work, hand-in-hand, to restore habitat and promote conservation of the salmon.

The Army Corps of Engineers reports that Project SHARE, of Eastport, is seeking a permit from the Corps to conduct work in waters of the U.S. in conjunction with an Atlantic salmon enhancement project in China (Maine), the Narraguagus River and the Barrows Stream, in Crawford.

The application proposes to place fill/structures below the ordinary high water line of the West Branch of the Sheepscot River, in China, along with the other two sites, in conjunction with an Atlantic salmon rearing habitat enhancement project. The fill/structures consist of Post Assisted Log Structures (PALS) and Large Woody Debris. Eighty-eight PALS will be placed in the West Branch of the Sheepscot River to enhance 6,275 feet of river.

The work may impact Essential Fish Habitat for Atlantic salmon. This habitat consists of stream bottom composed of mixed sand, gravel, cobble and boulders. Long-term impact to this species is expected to be minimal with appropriate erosion control measures, in stream work windows and other best management practices. The Corps has primarily determined that the site-specific adverse effect will be minimal.

Much is being done to restore the Atlantic salmon populations in the North Atlantic region, but much more needs to be done.

Next week, see what Kathleen McKeoghain, of AlterNet, has to say about Atlantic salmon populations.