by Mary Grow Martha (Moore) Ballard (1735 – 1812), to whom readers were introduced last week, cannot be considered a “typical” housewife, because she was a practicing midwife, out of the house on business much of the time. A housewife she undoubtedly was, however, maintaining a home for her husband, surveyor Ephraim Ballard, whose job […]
by Mary Grow The good news from the Nov. 3 China select board meeting is that the planks needed to extend the South China boat ramp arrived, and the job of installing them is under way. Town officials have been trying to improve the launch area and the road leading to it for many months. […]
by Mary Grow Vassalboro Planning Board members approved the only application on their Nov. 4 agenda, with conditions; and they again discussed the unpermitted Rage Room Monica Stanton is running in North Vassalboro. The application was from David Drasba, on Threemile Pond, to add living space – he called it an in-law suite – for […]
by Mary Grow After weeks of articles about men, your writer is ready to start trying to answer a reader’s occasional question: how did women in the Kennebec Valley in the 1700s and 1800s manage, with the large families many had and without modern conveniences and social services? Answers are not easy (except in fiction), […]
by Mary Grow At a short Oct. 28 meeting, three China Planning board members and Codes Officer Nicholas French discussed proposing changes in the town’s Phosphorus Control Ordinance, last revised in 1993. The ordinance is found on the town website, chinamaine.org, as Chapter 4 of the Land Development Code. It says its purpose is “To […]
by Mary Grow The Oct. 30 Vassalboro Select Board meeting began with a presentation on run-off control work needed to protect quality in Webber Pond, Threemile Pond and Threecornered Pond (see box). Earlier in October, Town Manager Aaron Miller received and shared with board members draft water quality reports from the three watersheds. The multi-page […]
by Mary Grow Now that the Vassalboro Sanitary District’s board of trustees has a quorum – three of the required five members – they held a meeting, on Oct. 29 in the Vassalboro town office meeting room. Lauchlin Titus volunteered to chair the board and was elected. Raymond Breton is vice-president and Jenna Davies, treasurer. […]
by Mary Grow Three dozen Vassalboro residents turned out for their school board’s Oct. 28 public workshop meeting, on school safety and other topics. Board members welcomed them and invited them to come back again – and again. Please come to our monthly board meetings, they said. Please come to our meetings with the budget […]
by Mary Grow This article is the last – for now – about the Revolutionary War’s effects on central Kennebec Valley towns. It again covers towns not on the river. As previously mentioned, one effect was a post-war population increase throughout the valley, including veterans, most with families. Some of these men and their descendants […]
For Regional School Unit #18 board: newly appointed board member Heather Neal, unopposed for re-election. Why did you accept appointment to the RSU #18 board, & why are you running for a full term? Please include any specific goals, changes, etc. you would like to accomplish. I accepted the appointment to the RSU 18 board […]