by Mary Grow As readers know, major wars have major effects, beginning before the battles, continuing for the duration and lasting years afterwards. Early historians tended to focus on economics and politics: whether development was slowed or speeded or both, who replaced whom in leadership. Later came interest in social effects, especially significant in the […]
by Mary Grow China Broadband Committee (CBC) members have a list of seven possible sources for expanded and improved broadband service to all town residents. At their Jan. 6 meeting, committee members discussed what they know about the different companies; what additional information they need; what federal and state funding might be available, once distribution […]
by Mary Grow In her 1971 history of Vassalboro, Alma Pierce Robbins wrote that the North Vassalboro Methodist Church was organized around 1850. Its members met in a Union Church (whose origins apparently are not recorded) until about 1875, when they bought an unfinished Winslow church and brought it to Vassalboro. Fifty years ago, Robbins […]
by Mary Grow For the next however many weeks, this series will discuss 19th-century wars that affected central Kennebec Valley residents. After the British gained legal control of the region by the 1763 Treat of Paris, the valley was mostly peaceful, but military actions elsewhere had local effects. Your writer will start with the American […]
by Mary Grow With work on the 2022-23 budget not quite ready to start, China Select Board members had another short meeting with a varied agenda on Jan. 3. Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood reminded them their brief meetings are about to end. She has tentatively scheduled a joint meeting with the budget committee for Monday […]
by Mary Grow The Vassalboro Select Board will meet at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022, in the town office meeting room. The advance agenda is the same as for the Dec. 22, 2021, meeting that was canceled due to treacherous roads, including a public hearing at the beginning of the meeting. The hearing is […]
by Mary Grow Vassalboro School Board members had the usual variety of issues on their Dec. 21 agenda, with more discussion than decision-making. One decision board members made, unanimously, was to raise the hourly wages of substitute food service personnel, educational technicians and teachers to meet the new state minimums effective Jan. 1, 2022. Board […]
by Mary Grow Vassalboro, Waterville, Winslow There is no evidence that the Town of Vassalboro had a public library before 1909, when the ancestor of the present lively institution was founded. The 1909 association’s bylaws give it two names, the Free Public Library Association of Vassalboro, d/b/a Vassalboro Library Association. The library has always been […]
by Mary Grow China Planning Board members settled all three issues on their Dec. 14 meeting agenda. They approved a revised subdivision plan for Fire Road 19, updating records to show a relocated road. They agreed the former subdivision on the Lakeview Drive lot that Brent Chesley recently bought from the Town of China had […]
by Mary Grow Members of China’s Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Committee received their first applications for 2022-23 TIF funds at their Dec. 13 meeting. They postponed action until more applications are in, they hope by the Jan. 3, 2022, deadline. Scott Pierz, executive director of the China Region Lakes Alliance, talked about plans for the […]