Entries by Mary Grow

China Selectmen make three decisions by vote

by Mary Grow China selectmen made three decisions by vote, one by consensus and one by lack of objection at their Oct. 16 meeting. They voted unanimously to appropriate up to $7,500 from their contingency fund to finish work on a new entrance to the basement of the old town house beside the town office. […]

TIF committee hears progress report on bridge

by Mary Grow At their Oct. 16 meeting, China’s Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Committee members heard a progress report on the planned new causeway bridge at the head of China Lake. Committee member Tom Michaud, point man on the project, said relations are good with representatives of Wright-Pierce, the Topsham engineering firm working on project […]

Window inserts offer available for residents

by Mary Grow Vassalboro and area residents tired of drafty windows or interested in lower fuel bills – or both – are invited to sign up for energy-saving, draft-blocking window inserts provided through a Vassalboro organization. Leaders of FAVOR (Friends Advocating for Vassalboro Older Residents) decided at an Oct. 11 meeting they will enroll with […]

China Planners begin work on potential ordinance changes

by Mary Grow China Planning Board members started working on potential ordinance amendments at an Oct. 10 workshop meeting. Retiring board Chairman James Wilkens brought copies of the first few pages of four other towns’ ordinance definitions, covering those beginning with the first two letters of the alphabet. Board members reviewed China’s parallel definitions. They […]

CHINA: Beauty salon gets OK from planners

by Mary Grow China Planning Board members unanimously approved the only application on their Sept. 26 agenda, giving Randy Pottle permission to open a two-chair beauty salon in part of an existing garage at 650 Route 3. Approval comes with two conditions, both of which Pottle said he will meet: the wall separating the beauty […]

Transfer station presents five year plan

by Mary Grow China’s Transfer Station Committee presented a five-year plan for transfer station improvements to the board of selectmen at the Oct. 2 selectmen’s meeting. Committee Chairman Frank Soares said the committee recommends one major expenditure to be proposed to voters at the March 2018 town business meeting, a request for about $32,000 for […]

MEA scores up from last year in area schools

DOE commissioner: “Results are very encouraging.”  by Mary Grow he Maine Department of Education (DOE) recently released results of Maine Education Assessment (MEA) tests for the 2016-17 school year. The state tests students in three areas, English language arts/literacy, math and science, with science tests beginning with fifth-graders. According to DOE information, scores went up […]

CHINA: Eight vie for three seats on board of selectmen

by Mary Grow China voters have three contests and four vacancies on the Nov. 7 local election ballot. There are a total of eight candidates for three seats on the Board of Selectmen. For the two-year terms currently held by Irene Belanger and Ronald Breton, Belanger and Breton are running for re-election and Frederick Glidden […]

Possible school reorganization topic at meeting in Vassalboro

by Mary Grow The possibility of another school reorganization that will affect Vassalboro was again a major topic of discussion at the Sept. 19 school board meeting. Years ago Vassalboro was a separate school entity. Then it became part of School Union #52 with China and Winslow. School Union #52 dissolved after a state-wide reorganization […]