Conservation District seeks nomination for Board of Supervisors

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Knox-Lincoln Soil & Water Conservation District has one opening on its five-member Board of Supervisors. The volunteer board, which is responsible for guiding the District’s business affairs and operations in it’s mission to provide assistance to the community in conservation of land and water resources, is comprised of three elected and two appointed supervisors, who each serve overlapping three-year terms. This year we are seeking nominations for one elected position.

Anyone interested in 1) running for the office of supervisor, or 2) voting in the election must be a registered voter within the boundaries of the Knox-Lincoln Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD). Candidates need have only an interest in conservation and a willingness, at a minimum, to participate in a monthly board meeting at the District office or online. To run for an elected position, a candidate must submit a nomination paper signed by 25 Knox or Lincoln county residents.

In addition, the SWCD Board welcomes Associate Supervisors, non-voting members appointed by the Board, who may have an interest in the general activities of the District or a specific area of interest or expertise to share.

Nomination forms may be obtained by contacting the District office. The completed election document must be received at the District office by 2:30 pm on October 24th, after which candidates will be posted on our website, https://www.knox-lincoln.org/board-of-supervisors. Completed Ballots must be received at the District office no later than 9 a.m on November 19, 2025, and will be counted at the board meeting tentatively scheduled for November 19, 2025, at 9:30 a.m.; public is welcome to attend.

To receive nomination papers or a ballot, or for more information, contact Election Superintendent, at 893 West Street (Route 90), in Rockport, 596-2040 or julie@knox-lincoln.org.

EVENTS: 31st annual SVH Breast Cancer Awareness Walk Saturday, October 18

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Northern Light Sebasticook Valley Hospital’s 31st annual Breast Cancer Awareness Walk will be happening Saturday, October 18.

Register online at northernlighthealth.org/SVHWalk. The event is available to all ages.

Proceeds from the walk will support mammograms, equipment, or other service needs to enhance the care provided at Northern Light Women’s Health in Pittsfield. The walk will begin at Maine Central Institute’s (MCI) Wright Gymnasium, on the MCI campus, in Pittsfield, rain or shine. Participants may join a team or register as individuals and are encouraged to help raise funds by collecting pledges for their walk. Businesses are invited to organize company teams and challenge other businesses.

“If not for the funds raised by this walk, many patients would not have received their mammogram. For some of these patients, breast cancer was diagnosed. However, due to early detection, these women have a good prognosis thanks to everyone who donated to this event,” shares Jen Castonguay, director of Ancillary Services and coordinator of the event for 20 years. Castonguay adds, “Patients can conveniently schedule their screening mammogram online at northernlighthealth.org/Sebasticook at a time that works for them. They also offer walk-in options Monday through Friday, 8 a.m to 2 p.m.”

Registration for the walk is $20 and can be completed online at northernlighthealth.org/SVHWalk, by downloading and printing registration and pledge forms, or picking them up at the Women’s Health Center. You can bring your registration form and pledge funds raised to the event or drop them off at the Women’s Health Center attached to the Hospital. Participants who attend the community walk on October 18 will receive a gift as a thank you for participating.

For more information about the event, visit northernlighthealth.org/SVHWalk, contact the Women’s Health Center at 207.487.4036, or follow on Facebook at Facebook.com/Northern-Light-Sebasticook-Valley-Hospital.

Vassalboro’s historic Leach-Overlock House endangered

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Vassalboro’s historic Leach-Overlock House

by Mary Grow

Vassalboro’s Leach, or Leach-Overlock, House is on Maine Preservation’s 2025 list of most endangered historic properties.

The house is on Bog Road, the next building west of the Vassalboro Public Library. It was built around 1805, has been on the National Register of Historic Places since Oct. 20, 1983, and was owned by artist Trudy Overlock until her death in July 2023.

The Maine Preservation notice says the Federal style Cape was built for “local lawyer and postmaster Philip Leach.” It used to have a porch (removed in 1953) and a longer ell connecting a barn; the barn burned in 1960, the notice says.

The Leach house’s outstanding feature is its stenciled interior walls and painted parlor floor, said to have been done by “itinerant folk art stenciler Moses Eaton Jr., of New Hampshire.”

Eaton was born Aug. 3, 1796, in Hancock, New Hampshire, and died Nov 16, 1886, in Dublin, New Hampshire. Trained by his father and later working on his own, he decorated buildings in New Hampshire and Maine in the 1820s and 1830s.

Maine Preservation’s writer described the Leach House work: “The stenciling was completed in bright primary green, red, and yellow, with recurring motifs of a pineapple, a maple leaf within a wreath, a red starburst, and a red bird on a willow. Above the mantlepiece is a unique motif of a yellow bird on a basket of flowers.”

The writer says Overlock bought the house in 1983 and started remodeling. After taking off five layers of wallpaper in the parlor, she found – and appreciated – the stencil work.

“She painstakingly unveiled the stenciling throughout the entire parlor then successfully nominated the house to the National Register of Historic Places,” the notice says.

When she died, Overlock left neither siblings nor children, and no “transition plan” for the house. A family member notified Maine Preservation, whose officials realized they could arrange for the building’s future only by having a personal representative appointed. This person “would need to coordinate all 19 potential heirs from across the country, in addition to addressing outstanding medical debts, back taxes, and a house in worsening condition.”

Maine Preservation hopes to be appointed personal representative. The organization would make repairs and sell the house for a residence, with a “preservation easement” in the deed protecting the stencils.

Meanwhile, the house continues to deteriorate. Maine Preservation officials worry about damage to exterior details, the aging roof and especially effects of cold winters and dampness on the stencils.

The notice thanks the Vassalboro Historical Society and the Center for Painted Wall Preservation for research, and the 1772 Foundation for a grant. It concludes with an appeal for funds, because “resolving this legal matter will continue to require significant staff hours and expensive counsel.”

Donations may be sent to https://www.mainepreservation.org/donate.

PHOTOS: Lawrence High School holds homecoming parade

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Members of the Fairfield PAL field hockey team during the Lawrence High School Homecoming parade on October 3. (photo by Ramey Stevens,
Central Maine Photography staff)

The Clinton Lions PAL cheerleading float during the Lawrence High School Homecoming parade on October 3. (photo by Ramey Stevens, Central Maine Photography staff)

South China Library: A Tile Tale

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New South China Public Library, on the Jones Road. (contributed photo)

by Bob Bennett

The purpose of this brief article is to update local folks, and hopefully some from “away” as well, on a question that some have been asking.

As every human knows, projects big or small can take an unanticipated amount of time. This has certainly proven to be true for the (re)creation of the South China Public Library. But, though we are really close to completion we are still faced with a relatively small, but heavy, issue. This concerns the tiles that we have offered to patrons as a way to donate funds.

We have sold 41 of these six- and eight- inch square tiles as fundraising opportunities for individuals, families and others over the past few years. For a while, they were on display atop tables in our community room but as that space has become more and more popular and useful, they have now been stored. The major issue is to determine where and how do we mount them. The library’s board has decided they should be displayed where they are most visible, most likely on wall space. Several possibilities have been presented and discussed, but the final option is still a bit up in the air. One of the key issues is determining a type of adhesive to be used on the corrugated backs to stick them to walls.

For everyone who has helped the South China Library to meet its goals, please know that we are moving on as quickly as possible to find a method to get these creations on display as soon as we can!

The fundraiser is ongoing and tiles can still be ordered by going on line at thatsmybrick.com/southchinalibrary, or stopping by the library to pick up an order form.

Bob Bennett is a member of the South China Board of Directors.

Kennebec County 4-Her wins national challenge

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Morgan B. (photo courtesy University of Maine Cooperative Extension)

Submitted by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension

When people think of artificial intelligence and conservation, they don’t always imagine the two intersecting. But for one Kennebec County 4-H member, the overlap has opened doors to innovation and earned national recognition. This summer, Morgan B, a member of the Delta Prime Robotics 4-H Club, from the Richmond area, won a national 4-H AI Community Challenge competition. Her project, the Fish-Friendly Culvert AI Chatbot, ties together the seemingly disparate worlds of conservation and technology, offering a potential solution for one of Maine’s long-standing infrastructure and environmental challenges: poorly designed culverts.

Bridging Conservation and Technology

Culverts may seem like a minor detail in the landscape, but they play an outsized role in both community safety and ecological health. Across Maine, undersized or improperly installed culverts cause flooding, road washouts and costly repairs. They also block fish passage, fragmenting critical coldwater habitats needed by salmonids and Maine’s cherished wild brook trout.

Morgan’s project uses artificial intelligence to help landowners identify problem culverts and find solutions that benefit both people and fish. By uploading inlet and outlet photos of their culvert, landowners can receive an AI-generated assessment that highlights structural issues, identifies permitting needs and even connects them with potential grants to cover replacement costs.

“I wanted to choose a project that had a widespread impact,” Morgan explained. “Culvert replacement isn’t just for fish, it reduces flooding and road washouts and creates healthier communities. This solution is scalable, user-friendly and educational. An AI Chatbot could give immediate, personalized help and up-to-date information.”

From Concept to Prototype

To ensure the chatbot would deliver accurate, relevant information, Morgan consulted with experts in the field. She shared her early prototype with Matthew Streeter, president of the Sebago chapter of Trout Unlimited, who has worked in habitat connectivity and coldwater conservation for more than a decade. Streeter confirmed that the AI-generated assessments were factually correct, validating the project’s potential as a real-world resource.

The chatbot, affectionately named “Cully,” guides users through a friendly conversation. After requesting basic information like location and stream width, Cully analyzes culvert photos to flag issues such as perched outlets, undersized pipes and flow restrictions. It then provides recommendations for replacement options—like bottomless arch culverts or bridges that mimic natural stream conditions—and funding opportunities through state, federal and nonprofit programs.

A Youth Perspective on AI

As part of the 4-H AI Community Challenge, Morgan learned new skills in machine learning and data analysis while gaining a deeper understanding of how AI works. For example, she learned about retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) databases, which are systems that strengthen AI responses by connecting them to reliable data sources. She also discovered new ways AI can generate images and was inspired to learn that Mira Murati, former CTO of OpenAI, is a female leader now pioneering AI safety through her new venture, Thinking Machine Lab.

The competition also asked students to reflect on when it might be inappropriate to use AI. Morgan was clear-eyed in her answer: projects requiring human judgment or carrying risks of harm should not be delegated to machines. AI, she emphasized, should be a tool, not a substitute for creativity or responsibility.

The project is an example of how 4-H emphasizes hands-on learning, mentorship and leadership. By identifying a real problem in her community, working with an adult expert to validate her ideas and applying new technical skills to create a solution, Morgan experienced the full cycle of learning by doing. Along the way, she built confidence, practiced problem-solving and contributed meaningfully to conservation efforts. These outcomes are at the heart of 4-H’s mission to prepare young people for success in work and life. To learn more about the Maine 4-H program, visit the website at extension.umaine.edu/4h.

About University of Maine Cooperative Extension: As a trusted resource for over 100 years, Extension has supported UMaine’s land and sea grant public education role by conducting community-driven, research-based programs in every Maine county. UMaine Extension seeks to build thriving communities and help grow the food-based economy. Extension also leads Maine’s 4-H program, the most successful out-of-school youth educational program in the state. 4-H programs are grounded in the belief that kids learn best by doing and are developed to fit a variety of backgrounds, interests, budgets and schedules. Participants complete hands-on projects in areas like health, science, agriculture and civic engagement in a positive environment where they are encouraged to take on proactive leadership roles.

EVENTS: Lincoln Pumpkin fest set for October 11-12, 2025

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In celebration of Pumpkinfest, Lincoln County Historical Association will present a special demonstration of the work of the colonial cooper on Saturday, October 11, and Sunday, October 12, between noon and 4 p.m., at the Chapman-Hall Hous,e at 270 Main Street, in Damariscotta.

The cooper was a skilled woodworker who selected, split, shaped, and fitted wooden staves into strong, durable containers. They fashioned barrels, wooden tubs, buckets, and other stave items to fulfill a multitude of needs. Jeff Miller will use his woodworking skills to show how the cooper would create a bucket, one of the most essential household items in colonial America

The oldest known house in Damariscotta today, the Chapman-Hall House is a rare Maine example of a plank-on-frame building. In November 1753, Nathaniel Chapman purchased two parcels of land in Damariscotta, at that time part of Nobleboro, and referred to as Nobleboro. One parcel consisted of 150 acres, and the second of 200 acres. Tradition has held that Nathaniel Chapman moved to Damariscotta in 1754. The 150-acre piece included all of what is now downtown Damariscotta.

The Hall name became part of the house’s history when Tilden Hall purchased the property in 1832. Tilden Hall was a blacksmith and practiced his trade in town. Newly married in 1835, Tilden brought his wife Elizabeth to his Damariscotta home. In the 1856 Maine Business Directory, under Damariscotta, Tilden was listed as a Blacksmith. In the 1869 Maine Business Directory, under Edge Tool Manufacturers, Tilden Hall was listed as a maker of “axes.” The Hall family owned the house until 1907.

October 11 and 12 is the last weekend the Chapman-Hall House will be open for the 2025 season. It is still available for school tours by appointment until the end of the month. For Pumpkinfest weekend, admission will be half-price – $5, instead of $10; children 16 and under are free. The coopering demonstration is open to the public, free of charge, and is not part of the house tour.

Lincoln County Historical Association is a nonprofit organization that provides stewardship for the 1754 Chapman-hall House, the 1761 Pownalborough Courthouse in Dresden, and the 1811 Old Jail and Museum in Wiscasset. For more information, please visit www.lincolncountyhistory.org.

Local student makes a difference

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Ashlynn Niemi, of Augusta, joined with more than 360 first-year students at Emmanuel College, in Boston, Massachusetts, to make an immediate impact in the community through the New Student Day of Service.

Rising early on the last day of summer vacation, the students volunteered at food shelves, homeless shelters, and other organizations that meet vital community needs through the day of service.

In addition to encouraging new students to embrace Emmanuel’s rich history of serving the common good, the day of service helped them connect with Boston and each other.

Transformational new laws to protect residents of mobile home communities take effect

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Last week, four new laws sponsored by Senate Democrats to preserve some of the strongest remaining affordable housing options in Maine took effect. These transformational laws, passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Mills earlier this year, aim to help residents of mobile home communities purchase the parks they live in via a right of first refusal, tax incentives and a new method of funding the Mobile Home Park Preservation and Assistance Fund.

These laws come as Maine has seen a growing trend of out-of-state private equity firms attempting to buy up mobile home communities. Often, these corporate firms raise lot rents on residents and neglect maintenance.

“Over the past year, the Housing and Economic Development Committee has taken a hard look at how to build more housing in Maine and, just as importantly, how to protect the affordable housing we still have,” said Sen. Chip Curry, Senate Chairman of the Legislature’s Housing and Economic Development Committee. “These new laws give residents a fighting chance to stay in their homes and safeguard their communities. They push back on business models that put profits over people, and they show what it looks like when we legislate with urgency, compassion, and impact.”

LD 1145, “An Act to Protect Residents Living in Mobile Home Parks,” introduced by Sen. Tim Nangle, D-Windham, creates a right of first refusal for resident cooperatives to match a third-party offer to purchase the park they live in, providing them with the ability to control their future housing costs while ensuring that sellers receive the full market value of their property.

“Mobile home communities are not commodities. They are neighborhoods where families, veterans and seniors have built their lives,” said Sen. Nangle. “Maine can’t solve our housing crisis if we don’t also protect the affordable homes we already have. This law ensures that when these communities go up for sale, residents have the chance to step up and protect their homes, their dignity and their way of life.”

LD 1016, “An Act to Establish the Manufactured Housing Community and Mobile Home Park Preservation and Assistance Fund,” introduced by Sen. Cameron Reny, D-Bristol, creates a per-lot transfer fee on the purchase of mobile home parks, which applies only to purchasing entities with a net worth of more than $50 million, preserving the ability of local for-profit, non-profit and resident co-ops to buy and sell parks as they have for decades. Revenues from the transfer fee paid by equity firms and other high-end investor entities go toward a permanent Mobile Home Park Preservation and Assistance Fund to support residents at risk of displacement.

LD 554, “An Act to Encourage Resident-owned Communities and Preserve Affordable Housing Through Tax Deductions,” also introduced by Sen. Reny, creates a tax deduction to incentivize the sale or transfer of housing developments, manufactured housing communities, or apartment complexes to resident-owned communities, cooperative affordable housing corporations, or municipal housing authorities. This law allows for an income tax exemption of up to $750,000 on capital gains from these transfers.

“All Maine people deserve the opportunity to be secure in their housing,” said Sen. Reny. “This year, we’ve been working hard to preserve one of Maine’s last forms of naturally affordable housing: mobile home and manufactured home communities. My bills, LD 554 and LD 1016, help give residents the leg up they need when trying to purchase the land under their homes and invest in the future security of their community. I’m glad to see these tools become available to Maine residents.”

LD 1768, “An Act to Protect Residents of Mobile Home Parks by Amending the Real Estate Transfer Tax,” introduced by Sen. Donna Bailey, D-Saco, eliminates the real estate transfer tax on sales of mobile home parks when the buyers are the residents themselves.

“This year, my colleagues and I worked hard to maintain and preserve the affordability of mobile home parks,” said Sen. Bailey. “Whether it’s residents of Atlantic Village, Blue Haven or Old Orchard Village, I continue to hear from folks who worry about the sales of their parks or steep increases in their rents. Over the summer, I have been attending meetings in these communities. I also can’t forget a mother who recently wrote to me. She works full-time while raising her two sons, and her family budget is already stretched thin. She is doing all she can. Having experienced something similar, I know these laws matter. I also know that we have more work to do.”

As non-emergency legislation, these new laws took effect on September 24, 2025, 90 days after the First Special Session of the 132nd Legislature adjourned.

LD 1145, the right of first refusal law, was initially proposed as emergency legislation that would take effect immediately upon the governor’s signature, but House Republicans blocked the bill from receiving the necessary two-thirds vote.

The final chapter: celebration of life for Don & Carleen Cote

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The Cotes, Carleen, left, and Don, in 2001. (contributed photo)

Couple remembered for the many years of dedication to the rehabilitation of injured wildlife

by Jayne Winters

On September 20, a Celebration of Life for Don and Carleen Cote was held at the VFW, in Augusta. As I was driving by the former Duck Pond Wildlife Care Center on my way to this special event, a beautiful male Bald Eagle flew just above my car. A fitting symbol of freedom, strength, and courage, with resilience to endure difficulties.

The Celebration of Life was a wonderful tribute to Don and Carleen: photo albums were on each table, documenting their 60 years of dedication to wildlife rehabilitation; a memory board of pictures from childhood to high school graduation to their wedding and the years that followed reflected decades of commitment and love for each other; flowers and antique dolls were also on display, remembering Carleen’s other interests; and last, but not least, were decorative wildlife statues, along with a pet carrier and toy stuffed weasels.

Don giving a moose some love. (contributed photo)

Attendees included, of course, family members, as well as representatives from the Dept. of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, fellow rehabbers, past Duck Pond volunteers, and many friends – some lifelong, others fairly recent. Memories and stories were shared and it was indeed, a celebration of two people who truly made a difference in many lives.

In a May 2018 tribute, The Town Line’s former editor, Lea Davis, noted a poem Carleen was fond of, which read, in part:

“My job is to assist God’s creatures… I was born with the drive to fulfill their needs.

“I take in helpless, unwanted, homeless creatures without planning or selection. I have bought dog food with my last dime. I have patted a mangy head with a bare hand. I have hugged someone vicious and afraid. I have fallen in love a thousand times. And I have cried into the fur of a lifeless body too many times to count. I am an Animal Rescuer. My work is never done. My home is never quiet. My wallet is always empty, but my heart is always full.”

I found the entire poem [author unknown] on-line and want to include another portion of it:

“…I notice those lost at the road side and my heart aches. I will hand raise a field mouse and make friends with a vulture. I know of no creature unworthy of my time. I want to live forever if there aren’t any animals in Heaven, but I believe there are. Why would God make something so perfect and leave it behind?

“…We are a quiet, but determined army and we are making a difference every day.

“There is nothing more necessary than warming an orphan, nothing more rewarding than saving a life, no higher recognition than watching them thrive. There is no greater joy than seeing a baby play who, only days ago, was too weak to eat. By the love of those who I’ve been privileged to rescue, I have been rescued. I know what true unconditional love really is, for I’ve seen it shining in the eyes of so many, grateful for so little.”

From that first baby black duck in 1964 to the final transfers of a few deer, foxes, racoons, ducks/geese, and squirrels to other rehabbers and the Maine Wildlife Park, in Gray, it’s truly overwhelming to think about the thousands of birds and animals Don and Carleen cared for, whether to nurture them back to health for release or to provide pain-free comfort during their final hours. Theirs is an undeniable legacy of the compassion, commitment and values they upheld. They are truly missed, but will never be forgotten.

I’ll end this last Critter Chatter with a quote from a card a mutual friend sent to me after Don’s passing: “As some people journey through life, they leave footprints – of kindness and love, courage and compassion, joy and faith. Even when they’re gone, the trail they’ve left behind continues to inspire us.”

Carleen holding a baby red fox. (contributed photo)