Local legislator participates in virtual ecological conference

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Representative Stanley Paige Zeigler, Jr.

District #96 state Representative S. Paige Zeigler recently spent two days in a Zoom conference with other ecologically-concerned state legislators from throughout the nation. The meeting was convened by the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators, whose thousand-plus members regularly trade advice to improve laws and governance of natural resources. Zeigler led the Maine contingent as the group held its 2020 National Forum in virtual space on August 6 and 7, an opportunity for 150 state leaders to discuss goals and methods. Keynoted by Ken Salazar, interior secretary in President Obama’s first term, the participants discussed:

Sustainable food systems. Attendees exchanged ideas on how to promote local production of healthy food without damage to the environment.

Utility reform. This part of the meeting focused on transition to renewable energy sources with lower costs both to consumers and to the planet.

Habitat connectivity. Participants discussed ways to regulate development so as to avoid slicing and dicing habitats into areas too small for wildlife to thrive.

PFAS pollution. A major component of plastics, PFAS (polyfluoroalkyl substances) is a group of “forever chemicals” that leach into soil and water, enter the food chain, and are known via animal studies to damage the liver, thyroid, reproductive organs, and immune system. Maine officials are intensely interested in PFAS control since February, when milk from one central Maine dairy farm was found to contain 60 to 150 times the standard limit. The farm’s milk production has been shut down, and investigators are trying to find the source of the pollution.

Transport electrification. Decided in favor of a feasibility study on converting the Ferry Service to electric power so as to cut greenhouse gases.

Environmental justice. A pair of Maine laws served as examples: one requires private well testing for contaminants, but the other helps out with the cost, an essential provision because toxic waste tends to be dumped where the poor live.

On August 6, a meeting was held by the University of Maine regarding a new source of power. Because of public/private cooperation, Maine is on the brink of starting to launch wind generation offshore. The university has the technology and there is financing available. The partners are going to work with the fishing fleet so they will have access to the areas they need. The state could generate all of its own power at an affordable rate and still export some.”

CHINA: Town business meeting to be conducted by written ballot in 2021

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by Mary Grow

China selectmen have decided the 2021 annual town business meeting at which the budget is approved will be conducted by written ballot, not at an open meeting. They have not set a date; March and June 2021 were suggested at their Aug. 17 meeting.

Until 2020, the business meeting was an open meeting, held recently in the primary school gymnasium on a Saturday morning in late March or early April, with a quorum of 120 voters needed to start the meeting. Pandemic restrictions on large gatherings led to the cancellation of the April 2020 meeting. It was rescheduled as a written ballot on July 14, with approved expenditures retroactive to the July 1 beginning of the fiscal year.

Selectmen do not know what restrictions, if any, will be in effect next spring. They agreed they should be prepared; and if the past is a guide, a written-ballot election will bring more voter participation than an open meeting.

Selectmen to hold special meeting

China selectmen will hold a special meeting at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 24, primarily to set the 2020-21 tax rate. Town Manager Becky Hapgood said their decision should make it possible to mail tax bills early in September. By town meeting vote, the first half payment of 2020-21 taxes is due at the town office by the 2 p.m. closing time Friday, Sept. 25.

A proposal to set a March meeting date was deleted from the decision after Town Manager Becky Hapgood said that preparations for a written ballot require more advance time than preparations for an open meeting. Because of the need to have ballots available well before election day, she estimated selectmen might need to have the entire budget in final form as much as 75 days before the scheduled vote.

Last spring, she reminded them, they were working on the budget into February in anticipation of an early-April meeting.

Hapgood also suggested if the town vote were combined with the school budget vote, which has in normal years been in June, the town would save money. She plans to prepare a timeline to guide board members as they find an appropriate date.

In other business Aug. 17:

  • Hapgood outlined plans to use a $31,360 Covid-19 grant for a variety of purposes, including additional signs and weekly mailings to keep residents informed, touchless hand-sanitizer dispensers and refills for town buildings and personal protective equipment.
  • She described plans to share a counter clerk with the Town of Windsor, with the person working a 40-hour week, half in one town office and half in the other. There would be no additional cost to China, she said, and the new employee would benefit by getting experience faster than by working half-time.
  • Looking at two issues related to codes enforcement, board members unanimously endorsed Codes Officer Bill Butler’s recommendation to approve a holding tank on Fire Road 20, and asked Hapgood to ask Butler to review penalties for codes violations to see if fines should be increased.

After the Aug. 24 special selectmen’s meeting to set the 2021 tax rate, the next regular meeting is scheduled for Monday evening, Aug. 31.

Many take out nomination papers

As of Aug. 17, the following China residents were circulating nomination papers for local elective office.

  • For three seats on the board of selectmen, incumbents Ronald Breton and Janet Preston, plus Blane Casey, Brent A. Chesley, Milton F. Dudley, Peter Foote and Jeanne Marquis. The other incumbent whose term ends in 2020 is Donna Mills-Stevens.
  • For the at-large position on the planning board, Brent A. Chesley, Megan Marquis and incumbent James C. Wilkens; for the District 2 seat, incumbent Toni Wall; and no one for the District 4 seat now held by chairman Thomas Miragliuolo.
  • For the at-large seat and the secretary’s position on the budget committee, no one is circulating papers. Incumbents Thomas A. Rumpf and Timothy Basham are seeking nominations for re-election in District 2 and District 4, respectively.

Signed nomination papers must be returned to the town office by the 2 p.m. closing time Friday, Sept. 4, for candidates’ names to appear on the Nov. 3 local ballot.

Maple sap producers qualify for federal assistance

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Following a push by Maine’s Congressional delegation and Governor Janet Mills, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced that producers of maple sap used to make maple syrup are now eligible for direct financial relief to help offset the financial harm they have experienced due to COVID-19.

In June, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and Representatives Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden sent a letter to USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue in support of maple syrup producers’ eligibility for direct relief from the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). CFAP, created through the CARES Act, is providing up to $16 billion in direct payments to deliver relief to America’s farmers. In the letter, the delegation also noted their full support of a letter previously sent by Governor Mills, which outlined the necessity of this relief for the Maine maple syrup industry.

“Maine is proud to be the country’s third-largest producer of maple syrup. This is a strong sector of our state’s agricultural economy, representing more than 800 full- and part-time jobs,” said Senators Collins and King and Representatives Pingree and Golden. “Maine maple syrup producers experienced substantial revenue losses due to the cancellation of Maple Sunday events this spring. We strongly supported making maple syrup producers eligible for assistance through CFAP, and we are pleased that they will now be able to access this lifeline for farmers.”

“Like many pillars of our economy, Maine’s maple syrup producers have suffered unprecedented financial hardship caused by the coronavirus pandemic. I am pleased to hear that the USDA heeded our call and that our maple syrup producers can now access the resources they need to survive these challenging times,” said Governor Janet Mills. “I hope to see continued changes to the CFAP program to ensure that more Maine farms, of all sizes, whose financial stability and futures have similarly been disrupted, benefit from this important program.”

Maine is home to more than 550 maple syrup producers whose combined output totaled 580,000 gallons with a value of $21.6 million last year alone. Similar to other agricultural producers across the country, maple syrup producers in the state of Maine have suffered greatly due to COVID-19. The impact on this industry is even more acute than most, however, given its short season from late February to mid-April and heavy reliance on direct-to-consumer sales.

Every March, sugarhouses across Maine host Maple Sunday events, an annual celebration showcasing maple syrup operations throughout Maine that serves as a catalyst for sales. Due to the pandemic, this collection of events was effectively canceled this year, eliminating many producers’ best opportunity to connect with consumers and secure sales.

CFAP was established to provide “vital assistance to producers of agricultural commodities who have suffered a five-percent-or-greater price decline and face additional significant marketing costs as a result of lower demand, surplus production, and disruptions to shipping patterns and the orderly marketing of commodities.” To date, a total of more than $14 million has been awarded through CFAP to Maine farmers to help offset the financial harm they have experienced due to COVID-19.

The USDA is continuing to accept applications from farmers through September 11. More information about CFAP and the application process can be found on USDA’s resource page: Farmers.gov/cfap.

American Legion collecting school supplies

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American Legion Auxiliary Unit #39, Madison is once again collecting school supplies for children in our local schools (Madison MSAD #59 and Carrabec RSU #74). With all the uncertainties ahead this year, the need is even greater. Here is a list of the items needed: rulers, erasers, pencils, colored pencils, ink pens (blue, black & red), crayons, glue sticks, backpacks, pouches for binders, 1″ binders, 1 subject notebooks and college ruled filler paper.

Items can be dropped off in the collection box at the Madison American Legion Hall, 20 South Maple Street, on Wednesdays and Fridays, after 3 p.m., and on Sundays noon to 4 p.m. If you would like to send a monetary donation, make checks payable to Madison ALA, PO Box 325, Madison, ME 04950 with School Supplies in the Memo.

Founded in 1919, the American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) helps to advance the mission of The American Legion. With more than 600,000 members, the ALA is one of the nation’s most prominent supporters of veterans, military, and their families. ALA members volunteer millions of hours annually, with a value averaging $1.1 billion each year. From helping to draft the GI Bill in 1944 to advocating for veterans on Capitol Hill. The American Legion Family has been instrumental in advancing legislation that improves the quality of life for our nation’s veterans. If you would like to become a member contact Robin Turek, president, at 696-8289.

Give Us Your Best Shot! for Thursday, August 20, 2020

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To submit a photo for this section, please visit our contact page or email us at townline@townline.org!

PLENTY OF ACTION: Rick Lawrence, of Benton, submitted this photo of heavy action around a feeder last winter.

ALERT: Tina Richard, of Clinton, sent this photo of two deer in a field near her home.

QUIET SUNSET: Jean Satchell Roseman captured this sunset on Sheepscot Lake.

PEEK-A-BOO: Roland Hallee, of Waterville, snapped this chipmunk hanging out in a bagonia plant at camp, in Vassalboro.

MIRROR IMAGE: Michael Bilinsky, of China Village, photographed these two gold finch in a mirror-like image.

CHANGING TIME: Joan Chaffee, of Clinton, snapped this changing maple leaf.

A quiet summer afternoon at an outdoor concert

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Enjoying a warm, sunny August afternoon, about 30 people attended a concert at the Albert Church Brown Memorial Library, in China Village, on August 16. (photo by Carla Gade)

by Mary Grow

A concert presented by Bill Berlinghoff at the Albert Church Brown Memorial Library, in China Village, on August 16. (photo by Carla Gade)

Over two dozen area residents listened appreciatively to folksinger Bill Berlinghoff as the Albert Church Brown Memorial Library, in China Village, held its first public event since March.

Berlinghoff sang and played guitar and banjo on the library’s south lawn. His repertoire includes songs composed and/or made famous by such Maine people as Jud Strunk, Dave Mallett (Mallett’s The Garden Song, also known as Inch by Inch, had audience members singing along) and Gordon Bok, as well as several songs by Berlinghoff.

Berlinghoff’s songs are listed on his website, www.billberlinghoff.com, for people who would like to hear some of them and read the lyrics.

Another well-received number was Jan Harmon’s The Lobster License Plate Song,”composed in 1988 to recognize Maine’s addition of a red lobster to its license plates. The song is copyrighted, so it can’t be reproduced here; again, interested readers can find it on the web by looking up the title.

Carla Gade and Miranda Perkins, the new librarians at the Albert Church Brown Memorial Library, are planning other public events this fall as long as the weather allows continued outdoor gatherings. Watch for notices on the library’s signboard, in this newspaper and elsewhere.

 

 

 

FOR YOUR HEALTH: Here To Stay, Online Fitness Offers Multiple Benefits

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More and more people are jumping on the online workout bandwagon.

(NAPSI)—You may know regular exercise and physical activity enhance your physical health and emotional well-being, boost your energy level and quality of life, but recent developments in fitness may shake things up.

What’s New

With more people now working from home or juggling the multiple responsibilities of busy lifestyles, online workouts are more popular than ever. Whether you’re interested in HIIT, yoga, strength training or trampoline workouts, you can find streaming services and virtual sweat sessions as close as your phone or computer.

Why It Makes Sense

Online fitness classes deliver many benefits, including:

1.Maximum convenience. You can access workouts on your own time, according to your schedule. You may love Group-X classes at the gym, but it’s faster to squeeze in a workout at home during packed days. Plus, you can choose whatever class you want instead of being limited by your gym’s schedule. Many websites offer video workouts that can be done in a tiny apartment or outside, with or without accessories. In addition to website offerings, some services even offer Apple TV® or Roku® Apps for additional access.

2.Cost-effective. The average health club membership can cost $500/year or more, which is a lot to pay if you aren’t using it regularly. Online streaming services typically cost a fraction of the price of gym memberships. For example, JumpSport® Fitness TV, which provides extensive professional fitness trampoline workouts, offers a free trial period and costs only $59.99/year (or $9.99/month). Even if you did only six workouts a year (and you know you’d do more than that), the subscription easily pays for itself.

3.Variety. Cross-training has never been easier with the sheer volume and types of exercise sessions available today. You can choose from livestream or on-demand, with formats such as boot camp, Pilates, interval training, core conditioning, trampoline classes and more, available through websites, streaming services or apps. Many boutique clubs deliver workouts that vary by modality, intensity level (beginners versus advanced, for example), equipment utilized and duration, and organize classes so that it’s simple to search or filter offerings based on specific criteria.

4.Privacy. With social distancing the new normal, some people may prefer to exercise alone versus in larger group settings. Plus, using online workouts mean you don’t have to worry about getting to class early and saving your favorite spot. Not only that, you can bypass the locker room for the privacy of your home. And you get to wear what you want; there’s no judgment for bed head or your favorite ratty T-shirt. You’ll find that some instructors record workouts in professional studios, while others show you their more personal side and record from their living room, with or without their pets hanging around. Even through a screen, you can get a comfortable, more personal, private session.

“The online streaming boom for fitness is here to stay,” points out Forrest Bless, VP of Marketing at JumpSport. “JumpSport Fitness TV [Video.JumpSport.com] collaborates with clubs all over the nation, so people streaming from home can choose workouts from a boutique club in NYC to a personal trainer in LA, which is great for variety and to accommodate different preferences.”

Get Started

If you’d like to take on fun and effective online workouts at home with fitness trampoline sessions, you can start with a 90-day free trial of JumpSport Fitness TV, and begin reaping the benefits of low-impact bounce sessions for your body and mind.

Visit www.JumpSport.com/Free90.

Memories of Windsor during the 1940s and 1950s

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Priscilla’s Diner in Windsor. (Contributed photo)

by Gerald Day

Let me give you an idea of what it was like living in a small town in Maine in the early ‘40s and ‘50s. This was a long time before computers, cellphones and TVs in every home. I was in high school before we had a TV and they were nothing like we watch today. I have some vivid memories of that time.

In those years, each town had individual schools in each area of town and ours was called Windsor Neck Grammar School. The reason we had so many schools was because we didn’t have transportation like we have now. Students had to be able to walk to school. The ratio of teachers to students back then was six to one. Teachers of today would love to have that kind of ratio.

Our teacher, Mrs. Jones, knew each student, as she had seen us grow up from cute children to brats as we got older. Nowadays, they would call myself and my brother troublemakers. We just had busy hands and minds so the teacher gave us projects to do.
One of the first tasks I was assigned was to erase the blackboard. (Remember, there were no computers back then.) I did a good job doing that. So good that she thought I might be able to start the wood burning stove in the morning, as that was how we heated the school. Everything was going fine until hunting season, a time when all the boys old enough carried some ammunition around with them.

We were so young the grown ups only let us use .22 low caliber rifles, which contained about 20 grains of powder and were better suited to target practice than to hunting.

One morning while I was starting the fire, my brother threw a .22 caliber bullet into the fire. Well, in a short time there was a small bang and a “ting” sound, that was all.

A couple of weeks later my brother came to school with a .30-.30 caliber hunting rifle cartridge, which has about seven times the gun powder of the .22 caliber. While I was reaching for more wood, he threw the .30-.30 round into the stove. It didn’t go off like the .22 had. We thought it was a dud. Mrs. Jones took roll call, which didn’t take that long with only six students, and there was still no explosion from the stove. I thought I had escaped my brother’s antics unscathed. Mrs. Jones began the morning lessons. Suddenly, the stove covers jumped up and back down with a clatter and sparks flew everywhere. Not phased, Mrs. Jones stood up from her desk and calmly walked over to examine the damage and the dent in the side of the stove. Without saying a word, she returned to her desk.

Then she looked at me. I knew I was in trouble when she motioned me over to her desk. She sent me to the storage room to sit facing the wall. She must have heard me going through stuff in the closet because she decided I needed to be where she could see me and soon had me stand in the corner facing the wall instead.

My brother started snickering at the trouble he had gotten me into. She told him to stop or he could stand in another corner. So he stopped.

I was not allowed to start the fire anymore.

Shortly after that we moved to the new consolidated grammar school. I was in the sixth-grade or seventh-grade, maybe age eight or nine. That was 1946, 74 years ago. When Mrs. Jones and her sister retired from teaching, they opened a restaurant on Route 17. It is still in operation today under the name of “Priscilla’s Diner.” Maybe you have eaten there.

We would do anything to get money for school clothing. Daily, I worked on a farm, milking cows at 4 a.m. and again at 4 p.m., seven days a week. It took about two hours for each milking. Every six weeks, when a farm needed help cleaning out their chicken barns, I’d help there, also. They raised 6,000 chicks, called broilers, and they kept them for six weeks until fully grown. Then the chickens were picked up for processing. The week after they were picked up and prior to the arrival of the next batch, the barns had to be cleaned and made ready for the new chicks. When Gray’s or Scott’s blueberry fields needed blueberry rakers, we did that, too.

By my second year in high school I was tired of small jobs and having no money. I went to the Edwards Cotton Mill, in Augusta, to get a job working from 4 to 11 p.m. I continued to go to school until I started falling asleep in class. The school found out I was working in the mill so they called and made the mill let me go.

When I was 17-1/2 years old, and could go into the military with a parent’s consent, my mother signed for me and away I went to the U.S. Air Force to make it a career.

Augusta students named to UMF dean’s list

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The University of Maine at Farmington has announced its dean’s list for the fall 2019 semester. UMF maintains a dean’s list each semester for those students completing a minimum of 12 credits in courses producing quality points.

Augusta students include Allee Cloutier, Suzanna Dibden, Sydney Goodridge, Josh Hoffman, Alison Laplante, Lexi Lettre, Michael Levesque, Alexis Libby, Catie Meehan and Justin Rodrigue.

Albion students on UMF dean’s list

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The University of Maine at Farmington has announced its dean’s list for the fall 2019 semester. UMF maintains a dean’s list each semester for those students completing a minimum of 12 credits in courses producing quality points. Students whose grade point average for the semester is equal to or greater than 3.8 are listed with high academic achievement. Students whose grade point average for the semester is less than 3.8 but equal to or greater than 3.5 are listed with academic achievement. Any incompletes must be satisfactorily completed before the student is honored with Dean’s List status. Academic achievement awarded at commencement is based on all course work taken at UMF.

Albion students who achieved dean’s list status at the University of Maine at Farmington include Molly Burns, Lauren Faloon, Allison Frankenfield, and Noah Grindstaff.