by Mary Grow Rufus M. Jones Rufus Matthew Jones was a South China farmer’s son who became internationally renowned. Here is the story of his early life, mostly as told by himself in two of his many books. Rufus Matthew Jones was born Jan. 25, 1863, in South China, into a Quaker family. The Encyclopedia […]
by Mary Grow Newly-elected Vassalboro Selectman Barbara Redmond got an introduction to almost everything the board does at her first meeting on July 23. She participated in the on-going discussions of paying bills and overseeing town departments; in the annual ritual of setting the tax rate; and in the once-in-a-lifetime planning of a 250th anniversary […]
by Mary Grow George J. Mitchell This writer hopes you-all aren’t tired of reading about people, because four more biographical pieces are coming your way. After some of the obscure Maine governors you probably never heard of, these four will be people born in or otherwise connected to the central Kennebec area whose names should […]
by Mary Grow At a short July 20 virtual special meeting, Vassalboro School Board members took five important decisions, without dissent. They accepted the almost $7.97 million 2020-21 school budget voters approved at the annual town meeting June 22 and confirmed at the polls on July 14. They approved two-year contracts with bus drivers, custodians, […]
by Mary Grow A dozen Windsor voters, mostly masked, who spaced themselves around the Windsor School gymnasium were in an agreeable mood at the July 15 town meeting. Supplemented by four selectmen and several town employees, they voted unanimously in favor of every warrant article except one. That one they voted unanimously against; moderator Jeffrey […]
by Mary Grow At their July 20 meeting, China selectmen approved new Town Manager Becky Hapgood’s proposed town office hours, emphasizing her plan to review them after a few months’ trial. The new schedule, effective Saturday, Aug. 1, will be as follows: Monday, Wednesday and Thursday the office will be open from 7:30 a.m. to […]
Voters had two questions remaining from their June 22 open town meeting to answer at the polls July 14, local elections and the annual school budget referendum. Town Clerk Cathy Coyne reported the results of uncontested elections were as follows: Barbara Redmond got 694 votes for a three-year term on the Board of Selectmen. She […]
by Mary Grow China voters approved the entire warrant for the 2020 annual town meeting at the polls July 14, including the 2020-21 municipal budget and related items. This year’s voting was by written ballot because the town’s quorum requirement of 118 registered voters is incompatible with coronavirus-mandated limits on the number of people assembled […]
by Mary Grow Here follows the third and probably final piece on Maine’s governors and the second that lists those with a connection to the central Kennebec River valley, with some random notes that might be of interest. William T. Haines, Maine’s 49th governor, was born in Levant and was valedictorian of the Class of […]
by Mary Grow At their July 6 first-in-the-month meeting, China selectmen heard town department reports, submitted in writing and summarized by retiring Town Manager Dennis Heath. The major news from the town office is that people may now enter the building to transact business. No more than two people are allowed in at the same […]