by Eric W. Austin Pervasive in my discussions with local food pantries is a sense of profound gratefulness. “We have been receiving monetary and food donations from many residents,” says Vassalboro Food Station director Cindy Ferland. “The community support has been tremendous.” Food pantries in China, Winslow, Albion and Palermo expressed similar sentiments. “There are […]
by Eric W. Austin “More than a billion birds have disappeared in recent years,” says South China resident Clinton Hayward, a local conservation activist who has established five chapters of Ducks Unlimited across Maine and has spent 70 years birdwatching and following the research on bird populations in North America. Hayward’s latest project is to […]
by Eric W. Austin On March 19, the China for a Lifetime Committee (CFALC) met to discuss the best ways to provide assistance to members of the community that are especially vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes high risk individuals like the elderly or those with underlying respiratory conditions which makes possible infection especially […]
by Eric W. Austin David Ross – China resident, local game warden, and Maine’s nominee for Conservation Officer of the Year – is worried. Fewer Mainer’s are enjoying the great outdoors, especially the younger generation. “The youth – they’re not out there. It’s my age and up,” says Ross, who is in his mid-30s. “Whether […]
by Eric W. Austin Walking into the Swap Shop at the China Transfer Station, you may find that you don’t recognize the place anymore. Gone are the disorganized piles of clothes, toys, tools and odds and ends with no apparent plan or place to stand. Instead, the small space has been arranged with a finesse […]
by Eric W. Austin China’s town manager, Dennis Heath, is excited about a new emergency contact system the town is rolling out next year. Called Hyper-Reach and developed by Ashergroup, based in Rochester, New York, the application is an opt-in emergency broadcast system that can notify residents of important announcements, weather advisories and emergency alerts. […]
This is the first of a three-part series written by Eric W. Austin. (The following does not necessarily constitute the opinions of The Town Line staff or its board of directors.) by Eric W. Austin ometimes the noise from Washington is so loud, it drowns out what’s going on right here in Maine. A few […]
by Eric W. Austin Nearly 30 people attended the Vassalboro American Legion Post #126’s open house and honor ceremony at St. Bridget’s Center on Veterans Day, November 11. The goal of the open house was to provide veterans and their families with a central place to find information on veterans’ issues. One of the primary […]
by Eric W. Austin “The war was so unpopular, you couldn’t go anywhere in public in uniform,” says Vietnam veteran Clinton Hayward. “You would be berated, assaulted, threatened. It was frightening.” We’re sitting in the living room of his home in South China, looking out over Three Mile Pond. He pauses a moment, leans forward […]
by Eric W. Austin Rena and Joshua Dodge were great friends with their neighbor, Richard Breton, until he decided to build a lighthouse on the hilltop behind their residence on Priest Hill Road in Vassalboro. On Tuesday, September 24, nearly 30 people crowded into the central meeting room at the Vassalboro town office for a […]