China transfer station committee asks for travel reimbursement

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by Mary Grow

Members of China’s Transfer Station Committee, meeting remotely the morning of Nov. 10, discussed a variety of trash-disposal and recycling issues, but made only one decision.

They voted to ask that the 2020-21 town budget include $1,000 for committee expenses, so that members could, for example, get mileage reimbursement if they visit the Fiberight/Coastal Resources waste disposal facility in Hampden, or attend training classes if deemed useful.

In the past, any such funds came from the transfer station budget. Committee members and Town Manager Becky Hapgood agreed a separate budget line would promote transparency.

The Hampden facility has been closed for several months. Hapgood and committee member Irene Belanger said the Municipal Review Committee (MRC), the group of facility-using towns on which Belanger represents China, is overseeing pending transfer to new ownership. No decision has been made, and Belanger had no guess as to when one would be made.

Meanwhile, transfer station Manager Ronald Marois said, China’s municipal solid waste (MSW), the things residents dump in the transfer station hopper, is being landfilled in Norridgewock. The exceptions are tires, which are sent to Penobscot Energy Recovery Center (PERC), and recyclables.

Bob Kurek, Palermo’s representative on the committee (because Palermo shares China’s transfer station, paying both an annual fee and a per-bag charge), said he would have appreciated advance notice on the recent elimination of mixed paper and other items from recycling.

Hapgood apologized for the lack of notice. Selectmen approved the changes more quickly than usual, she explained, for two reasons: low market prices and especially the desire to minimize handling items brought in, for the safety of transfer station staff.

Cardboard also needs handling, but cardboard recycling is mandated by town ordinance and therefore continues.

Safety was paramount when Kurek asked about plans to reopen the free-for-the-taking building, earlier called the swap shop, which was closed to avoid bringing in things and people as the pandemic spread. Hapgood’s reply referred to the current surge in Covid-19 cases in Maine and nationally as the reason no date is being proposed.

Marois thinks the pandemic is the main reason the transfer station has been extremely busy, taking in unusual amounts of both household waste and demolition debris.

“We can’t keep up with it,” Marois told the rest of the committee. “Everybody’s still home, and they’re still cleaning or remodeling.”

The station manager added that the more thoroughly demolition debris can be crushed and compacted, to get more into each truckload, the lower the overall hauling cost; but large items, especially mattresses, are hard to compact.

Committee Chairman Larry Sikora suggested at a future meeting, committee members might review the fees charged for disposal of items other than MSW to see if they need changing. (The list of fees is on the town’s website, under transfer station.)

Committee members also plan to review operating manuals for the transfer station, probably a project for early 2021. Sikora said they are in two volumes, each about three inches thick, and he believes some of the content dates from 1992. The second volume is mostly manuals for specific pieces of equipment; Marois and Kurek suggested some might no longer be needed. Committee member Karen Hatch volunteered to work on the manuals.

The next Transfer Station Committee meeting is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 8. It will again be a Zoom meeting.

New face covering mandate on municipal property

By order of Maine Governor Janet Mills, face masks must be worn by everyone in publicly accessible parts of state, county or municipal buildings and grounds, whether or not physical distancing is possible. China Town Manager Becky Hapgood said the order covers the China transfer station, both grounds and buildings.

The written word in business to be presented at chamber breakfast

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Ted Helberg

Ted Helberg, retired business executive and former English instructor will deliver a presentation sharing the importance of good writing in business communications. This is a facilitated discussion on using effective and accurate word choice, grammar, and organization in business writing.
Ted will interject a little humor, discuss common errors, and offer methods to correct them.

This informative presentation will be the focus at Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce’s December Business Breakfast. December’s breakfast will be held on Thursday, December 3, from 7:15 to 9:00 a.m. at the Best Western Plus, 375 Main Street, Waterville.

Ted Helberg is a recently retired business executive. He worked in Human Resources for almost forty years in several industries. He also served as an adjunct instructor of English at several colleges.

During graduate school, Ted was a teaching assistant in English, tutor for law students, and helped create a national grammar hotline.

Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce holds monthly informative presentations on a variety of educational business topics. Cost of the Business Breakfast is $20 for members, $27 at the door and for non-members. Breakfast is included with the reservation.
To register, e-mail Cindy@midmainechamber.com or call 207-873-3315.

The major sponsors for the Business Breakfasts are: AT&T; Cross Employee Benefits; New Dimensions Federal Credit Union; Nicholson, Michaud & Company; O’Donnell, Lee, McCowan & Phillips, LLC; Sheridan Corporation. The print media sponsor is Morning Sentinel, a division of Masthead Maine; radio sponsor is MIX107.9; video sponsor is Kennebec Savings Bank.

Some items regarding CDC guidelines for attendance: out of concern for the safety of attendees, registrations at this indoor event will be limited to a maximum of 50 persons. Tables and seating will be spaced out, and a plated breakfast will be provided, as opposed to the buffet offered in the past. Masks are requested to be worn for registration, and until seated. Separate entrance and exits are offered to minimize passage of attendees, upon arrival and departure, and hand sanitizer will be provided.

About Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce: Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting and advocating for business prosperity and regional economic improvement.  Its region includes the towns of Albion, Belgrade, Benton, Branch Mills, Burnham, China, Clinton, Fairfield, Hinckley, Oakland, Rome, Shawmut, Sidney, South China, Thorndike, Unity, Vassalboro, Waterville, Weeks Mills and Winslow.  For more information on the Chamber, including how to become a member, call (207) 873-3315 or visit www.midmainechamber.com.

Sabrina Jandreau joins Central Maine Growth Council as Development Coordinator

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Sabrina Jandreau

Central Maine Growth Council, a public-private collaborative regional economic development partnership, has hired Sabrina Jandreau as its next Development Coordinator.

Jandreau, a graduate of Gordon College, in Wenham, Massachusetts, will be responsible for supporting the execution of economic and community development projects and programs put forth by the Growth Council.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to work for the Growth Council. As a life-long resident of central Maine, having the ability to return home and work for an organization that supports the betterment of small businesses and overall community development is humbling.”

Sabrina brings previous experience as a Strategic Planning and Business Development intern for Northern Light Health’s home office, in Brewer. Throughout her Gordon College career, she served as the NCAA Commonwealth Coast Conference SAAC president from 2018-2020 and served as the Vice President of Finance for Gordon’s student government. In this role, Sabrina was responsible for organizing the fiscal budget for the 2020-2021 school year, totaling more than $250,000, respectively.

Sabrina graduated in May 2020 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Economics, and Law. Her background in studying economic development and public policy will support the Growth Council’s economic development plan, which facilitates the implementation of both public and private investments and projects.

“Central Maine Growth Council is excited to have Sabrina join our dynamic team during a time in which we’re scaling our organization and will be launching a regional accelerator initiative,” said Garvan Donegan, director of planning, innovation, and economic development. “Sabrina’s work will be critically important to continuing to advance our development pipeline, fuel our organizations growth, and deliver on our mission of cultivating a robust local and regional economy.”

Central Maine Growth Council is committed to fostering a robust regional economy. Its belief is that the standard of living and quality of life of our citizens is best served by a vibrant, healthy economy. To find out more about how CMGC can help your business succeed, give us a call at (207) 680-7300.

Unity College earns national honor for sustainability in its curriculum

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Association for the Advancement for Sustainability in Higher Education recognizes America’s Environmental College in its Sustainable Campus Index

As America’s Environmental College, it’s important for Unity College to establish itself as a leader in sustainability — to not only talk the talk, but to also walk the walk, doubling down on its mission. As Unity College leans into curricular excellence in sustainability — a key contributor to the College reaching record enrollment, which has more than doubled over the past five years — the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) has recognized the College for its contributions to sustainability in its undergraduate and graduate curriculum.

Designations such as these have garnered attention from students nationally, contributing to the unprecedented growth the College has seen in recent years. Many adult, place-bound learners are seeking a degree rooted in sustainability, and receiving this honor reaffirms for them that Unity College is on the right track with its Path Forward.

The AASHE 2020 Sustainable Campus Index recognizes top-performing colleges and universities from across the country overall and in 17 distinct aspects of sustainability, measured by the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS). Criteria include sustainable learning outcomes, immersive experiences, internships in sustainability fields, and sustainability courses and topics within courses.

“We here at Unity College take pride in developing the next generation of environmental leaders, and being recognized by AASHE reassures us that not only is our mission more relevant than ever, but that our curriculum and our students are thriving,” said Unity College President Dr. Melik Peter Khoury. “Through Hybrid Learning and Distance Education, we’ve taken strides to reach more students where they are, so now they can put our sustainability-minded education right to use in their own hometown. So it’s not only a win for our students, but for their communities as well. And a win for the environment, as it reduces the carbon emissions that students generate to receive a Unity College education!”

Unity College incorporates sustainability into every aspect of its functions, from academics to operations and planning. In fact, every single graduate program has at least one sustainability learning outcome, and all research-producing units are engaged in sustainability research. The College has also realized a reduction in building energy of more than 25 percent through efficient construction and retrofits. Meanwhile, 15 percent of electronic purchases, 80 percent of janitorial products, and 100 percent of copy paper meet recognized sustainability standards

“Sustainability is ingrained in our culture,” said Chief Sustainability Officer Jennifer deHart. “From orientation on, all of our students and staff understand the role that we all play in protecting our environment, and are aware of just how important it is to make the right decisions to limit our carbon footprint. And, sometimes changing the smallest habit can make a significant difference, like diverting 45 percent of our waste from landfills, including our food waste that is recycled into energy. If you do the math over years, it’s quite an accomplishment.”

The College’s sustainability curriculum is clearly both timely and desirable. Congratulations to all the Unity College students, faculty, staff, and alumni who have helped in leading the College’s sustainability efforts.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: Making Diet Decisions During A Pandemic

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(NAPSI)—Dreadful as the pandemic has been, for some people it has meant a positive health change. Three in 10 Americans made a major change to their diet during this time, according to new research.

As with most changes, the big question always lingers—will the changes last?

The study suggests they may well. Seven in 10 of those respondents said their new diet has lasted longer because they did it during the ongoing pan¬demic, versus if they made the change at another time.

What the Study Showed

Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Herbalife Nutrition, the survey looked at specific changes respondents made. Of Americans surveyed, 47% started eating more plant-based foods, while 54% started eating more fruits and vegetables—and 43% made an effort to eat less meat.

Results also found that a third of American respondents cut out or ate less sugar, and 39% cut down on the number of treats they ate.

Why the Choice to Change Now? 

For many respondents, it was because they had extra time on their hands. In fact, fifty-three percent said they had more time to research healthier foods, while 51% said they had time to cook more and learn new recipes.

In addition, 40% said they were away from such negative influences as office snacks, while 37% wanted to use this time to make a positive change.

A third made the change to accommodate their loved ones. For nearly one in four the cost of meat was the cause, and for another quarter, it was on the advice of a healthcare professional.

“There is never a bad time to make a positive change in your lifestyle, especially when those changes lead to lasting, healthy results,” said Dr. Kent Bradley, Chief Health and Nutrition Officer, Herbalife Nutrition. “During this pan¬demic it appears more individuals are choosing quality nutrient-dense sources like those found in a plant-based diet.”

When asked about their current diets, 75% said they eat meat while 18% identified as “flexitarians,” and the rest were vegan or vegetarian.

Yet plant-based diets might be on the rise: 61% of respondents said they’d like to incorporate more plant-based foods into their diet, but they aren’t sure where to begin. The survey also found 40% of American respondents are more open-minded about plant-based foods and “meatless meat” options during the pandemic. In a similar survey conducted last year, half of respondents were more open-minded about plant-based foods and “meatless meat” and 70 percent believed meatless meat would continue to grow in popularity.

Bradley added, “I commend all those who are empowering themselves in the midst of this pandemic and have found a way to create new healthy habits.”

STUDENT WRITERS – Examining “The Social Dilemma”: The real impact on young people

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STUDENT WRITERS PROGRAM
This week featuring: ERSKINE ACADEMY

by Olivia Bourque of Vassalboro, Maine
Erskine Academy Junior

It is truly paradoxical that a generation has been raised to be enthralled by inventions detrimental to their mental health and wellbeing. A Netflix documentary, The Social Dilemma, addresses the evolution of and dangers of social media, an enigma and issue growing exponentially along with the minds of young adults. Simply stated, exposure to harsh and unfiltered content on social media harms teens’ self esteem, while captivating them with unlimited information tailored to their wants and interests. Software smarter than anyone and worth millions of dollars generates a feed of suggested content to keep everyone mindlessly engrossed, though this software was never created to improve the mental state of the person behind the screen, but rather to make some people an enormous amounts of money.

An embellished version of this enchantment is demonstrated with a teenage boy, a standard social media app, and a fictional group of people controlling his suggested feed (replacing the job of designated software for this purpose). At the beginning of the documentary, this group of people keeping the teenage boy actively swiping seems innovative, although the boy’s family and friends blatantly express their concern and frustration with his obsession. Any parent of a child with a smartphone would likely wholeheartedly confirm this aggravation, as these apps truly are addicting. This is expected, however, especially with the knowledge that machines present users with content hand-selected for their amusement.

As the film continues, the people controlling the teenage boy’s suggested feed and notifications slowly come to the epiphany that their job is not in the best interest of the user whom they’re supposed to keep engaged. Though this was a satisfying ending, it is unrealistic, as these groups of people are actually machines, incapable of understanding human emotions, actually observing how its work affects their users, and finally does not have the power to discontinue their work. With this, society does not have anyone to rely on to contain this mass craze, and therefore we must come to this revelation on our own.

In a smaller part of The Social Dilemma, a teenage girl represents a massive demographic of those whose mental health and self esteem is at jeopardy; she is also spending far too much time scrolling through content tailored to her, and along the way she begins to compare herself to others, instilling unrealistic expectations for herself. Like this girl, many young adults question their worth once they see what the ideal woman or man should look like through a series of heavily edited pictures.

This can often lead to numerous mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, and eating disorders. Instead of taking away social media’s power to contort self-image, the girl responds to this insecurity by fixing her hair, makeup, and lighting, finding the perfect filter, and posting a picture of herself attempting to conform with current beauty standards.

This backfires on her when she receives mean comments online about her ears. From this, her self-esteem plummets, and she does everything in her power to cover her ears. Not only does this teenager unknowingly succumb to temptation of handpicked material online, but she also alters her emotional state as a result. This enforces the idea that a generation of self-destructive slaves to the internet are being created, and it’s almost unavoidable.

Student Writer’s Program: What Is It?

The Town Line has published the first in what we hope will be many articles from local students under the heading of the “Student Writer’s Program.” While it may seem plainly evident why The Town Line would pursue this program with local schools and students, we think it’s worth the time to highlight the reasons why we enthusiastically support this endeavor.

Up front, the program is meant to offer students who have a love of writing a venue where they can be published and read in their community. We have specifically not provided topics for the students to write on or about, and we have left the editing largely up to their teachers. From our perspective this is a free form space provided to students.

From the perspective of the community, what is the benefit? When considering any piece that should or could be published, this is a question we often ask ourselves at The Town Line. The benefit is that we as community are given a glimpse into how our students see the world, what concerns them, and, maybe even possible solutions to our pressing problems. Our fundamental mission at the paper is to help us all better understand and appreciate our community, our state, and our nation through journalism and print.

We hope you will read these articles with as much interest and enjoyment as we do. The students are giving us a rare opportunity to hear them out, to peer into their world, and see how they are processing this world we, as adults, are giving them.

To include your high school, contact The Town Line, townline@townline.org.

I’M JUST CURIOUS: Do you ever wonder?

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by Debbie Walker

Do you ever wonder? Tonight, I am wondering. I am wondering, is there ever going to be an end to these ridiculous phone calls or junk mail? I know I am not alone. So why are we bombarded with such junk?

The phone calls are so we can be entertained with their recorded chatter, must not be important enough to them to put a real person on the line. So, it’s not important enough to me to listen to them. I also want to mention a tip that Eric gave us in one of his columns this year. Be wary, some of those calls that would make you think they are people are also recorded. Their responses are timed to make you think they are listening. You can pick those out by saying, “Excuse me, are you a real person?” Guess what, they will keep talking over your question. I hang up.

It doesn’t stop the calls to just hang up and I am not a big believer in the “Do not call list.” I block numbers whenever possible. Since a lot of these calls are computer generated, they call from multiple numbers and I just keep on blocking. It’s all a big pain in the neck (or lower)!

There are so many companies doing this. On the list are health insurance companies, political surveys, extended warrantee companies, etc. Very often if it doesn’t show a name or name of company on my screen, I am not likely to answer the call.

My own insurance company calls me way too many times and I have now blocked them! Leave me alone. No, I don’t want to do your survey and you wouldn’t want me to at this point. No, I don’t need one of your nurses to come to my home for a checkup, check to see if my medications are right for me. It was my doctor who prescribed this medication and I feel like “too many cooks…”. If I have any questions, I will contact my doctor or my pharmacist with my questions.

The extended warrantee companies have become a joke. I have even seen cartoons that included it. But they keep on keeping on. Give us a break! They are companies trying to sell you insurance. A lot of people are still not understanding. Some people would actually buy this if they didn’t understand. My theory is ‘when in doubt, don’t’, but for some, having some woman on the line telling you “this is the last attempt to contact you before it will no longer be available to you.” I can see a few people intimidated enough to do as told.

Okay, enough of that mess. I am wondering what some of your family traditions are for the holidays. I would love it if you would let me know what some of them are. In the meantime I am just curious what you do with those ridiculous calls. Contact me at DebbieWalker@townline.org.

Have a wonderful week and thank you for reading. I’ll be waiting to hear from you!

All Things Irish virtual show planned

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The Best of All Things Irish in Maine 2020, a live virtual show featuring a delightful mix of all things Irish in Maine, will be held on Sunday, November 22, from 4 – 6 p.m. on YouTube.

Enjoy some of the best Irish talent from across the state of Maine. Music, dance, theater and more. Go to maineirish.com/best to register for the event. Help celebrate Maine’s bicentennial by honoring the Irish culture and history of the state.

Thanksgiving pies made to order

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Submitted by Connie Bellet

Just because we can’t have big Thanksgiving gatherings doesn’t mean we can’t have an elegant pie to finish off the most celebrated dinner of the year. Several of Palermo’s Food Pantry volunteers are seeking to raise money to keep the Community Center’s heat on and the freezers running so our neighbors can continue to pick up food for their families on a weekly basis. We are baking traditional pies with local pumpkins, apples, and berries to order so you can pick them up on November 25. For only $10, you might choose a pumpkin, apple, pecan, chocolate creme, or peanut butter creme pie. Pumpkin with a pecan crust is $13, and the apple pie with a cheddar crust is $15. Except for the apple pie with cheddar crust, which is bigger, these are all 9-inch pies.

Orders must be in by November 18. Please call Pauline at 993-3033, or leave a message for Connie at 993-2294. They will call you on November 25 so you can pick up pies at the Palermo Community Center, and pay cash. This will be as contact-free as possible, with curbside pickup just off the deck. There will only be about 30 pies available, so place your order as soon as possible. If you have a special request, please let Pauline know.

REVIEW POTPOURRI – Composer: Tchaikovsky

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Peter Catesby Peter Cates

Tchaikovsky

Symphony No. 5
Paul Kletzki conducting the Philharmonia Orchestra; Columbia Masterworks, MM-701, six 12 inch 78s; recorded November 13 and 14, 1946.

Pyotr Tchaikovsky

Tchaikovsky finished composing his 5th Symphony in 1888; along with the 4th and 6th (Pathetique) Symphonies; it expresses the most intense extremes of emotion, ranging from harrowing despair to jubilation. The composer himself was manic and tormented his entire life by self-doubts and depression. These three symphonies mirror them but have memorable melodic material and development which have sustained their popularity in concert halls and recording studios since their composition. I have lost track of the number of recordings I have of them.

Tchaikovsky visited Hamburg, Germany, in 1888 and 1889 and was hosted by a locally-prominent music teacher Teodor Ave-Lallemant (1806-1890) during the first trip before he completed the symphony. The two struck up a fast friendship but had a most interesting conversation regarding the older man’s feelings about Tchaikovsky’s music.

Ave-Lallemant felt that the composer’s pieces heard then, which included the Serenade for Strings and 1st Piano Concerto, were horrendous sounding but blamed its lackings more on Russia’s cultural backwardness than on the composer. He insisted that Tchaikovsky had the makings of a great composer if only he would move to Germany to absorb its inspiring traditions.

Tchaikovsky wrote in his journals that “Evidently Herr Ave-Lallemant harbours a deep prejudice against Russia, and I tried as far as I could to mitigate his hostile feelings towards our country, which, incidentally, this venerable Russophobe did not actually express openly but merely allowed to shine in his words. We parted as great friends.”

He dedicated his 5th Symphony to Ave-Lallemant and conducted its German premiere on his 1889 trip to Hamburg. Sadly, the gentleman was too ill to attend and died the following year. Tchaikovsky’s German publisher wrote a letter to the composer conveying the news and the following comment:

“Good Herr Ave-Lallement has died. The most distinguishing event in his life was in any case that which put his name on your 5th Symphony. He accorded you his full sympathy. ”

Paul Kletzki (1900-1973) conducted an especially beautiful performance that was suffused with poetic lyricism and the 1946 recording can be heard on YouTube. Kletzki grew up in Poland and, while he was fighting for his country during its war with Russia, a bullet grazed his skull while all too many of his comrades were killed. Later he fled the Nazis but his parents and a sister were murdered during the Holocaust.

Every recording I have heard of him is quite good and many of them can also be heard on YouTube.

He died on March 5, 1973, after collapsing during a rehearsal with the Liverpool, England, Philharmonic.