How The Town Line nurtures a healthy community

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The Town Line office in South China, ME.

Emily Catesby Emily Cates, board member and author of Garden Works

As Springtime wraps its fragrant, humming breeze around me as I’m out in the garden, I often think a lot about how my efforts and activities will sustain myself, my family, and my community throughout the year and beyond. Every seed planted, every shovelful of dirt, each load of compost is significant towards this goal.

It can be a whole lot of work, but with the help from family, friends, and neighbors, the jobs become less grueling and oftentimes pleasant as we work together side by side.

When I’m not busy in my garden, I enjoy writing about gardening and serving on the board of directors for The Town Line. Being a board member has given me a close up view of the inner workings of our community — and how our reader-supported, free, nonprofit, weekly newspaper informs and enhances our community.

Just as I am amazed at a garden that thrives in adversity, I am impressed with what The Town Line has been able to achieve and contribute for over 30 years on such small amounts of money, and despite the current economic reality facing newspapers because of falling advertising revenues.

Please take a moment to imagine our community without The Town Line. In my mind, it looks a bit like an abandoned, untended lot. Things would go on, but not to their vibrant potential.

If you, as a reader, value The Town Line, appreciate being informed, enjoy the articles and stories, and have in some way been touched by them, then our newspaper is important to you!

Please consider making a contribution and becoming a member. Not only will you personally benefit from The Town Line continuing as a part of a vibrant community, our whole community will continue to benefit.

Donate to become a member here.

China’s Lydia Gilman takes home a Young Stars of Maine award

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Lydia Gilman

Lydia Gilman, 16, and a junior at Erskine Academy, in South China, was one of only six students selected as $1,000 cash prize winners for the 2019 Young Stars of Maine competition, sponsored by the Bay Chamber Concerts and Music School, in Rockport.

Lydia, accompanied on the piano by Chiharu Naruse, performed two vocal pieces: L’Ultima Notte (in the style of Josh Groban) and If I Ain’t Got You in the style of Alicia Keys, for a panel of three highly-esteemed judges on Sunday, June 2, 2019. Lydia was chosen by the judges as this year’s Young Stars of Maine winner of the Nathan Corning Jazz Prize Award. The performance of all prize winners of the Young Stars of Maine will be held on Sunday, June 23, at 4 p.m., at the Rockport Opera House and is free and open to the public.

Lydia Gilman is the daughter of Lance and April Gilman, and granddaughter of Judi Gilman, all of China

Celebrating high school graduation

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Reagan C. Biediger

Reagan C. Biediger, granddaughter of James McGrath, of South China, and the daughter of Dwight and Eva Biediger (Mc­Grath), will graduate summa cum laude in the top six percent of her high school at Medina Valley High School, in Castro­ville, Texas. Reagan has studied piano privately for 10 years, was active in the high school band and color guard team, spending her senior year as a captain for the Medina Valley Color Guard, and studied martial arts at a local martial arts studio. Reagan will attend Texas A&M University, in College Station, Texas, in the fall as a visualization major through the college of architecture, joining her sister, Allison, who will be a senior at Texas A&M University this fall, who is majoring in biology and minoring in both bioinformatics and computer science.

 

 

BHBT donates to Junior Achievement program

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From left to right, Nichole Lee, BHBT China Branch Relationship Manager and JA volunteer, Bob Bennett, JA volunteer, Sarah Sachs VP Residential Lending BHBT, Lisa Veazie SVP Regional Market Manager BHBT, Jill Jamison – Director of Operations JA, Michelle Anderson – President JA, Lilly Fredette China Middle School eighth grade student. (contributed photo)

In early May, Bar Harbor Bank and Trust presented a gift of $4,500 to Junior Achievement of Maine as part of BHBT’s Casual for a Cause. BHBT employees selected JA based on the passion and dedication JA commits to inspiring Maine students to build strong financial futures through mentor led programming. JMG at China Middle School gets great benefit from partnerships with JA and BHBT. JA offers valuable programming that provides students the necessary foundation to plan for long term academic and financial success. Through activities and projects, facilitated by a community volunteer, students learn critical employability and financial skills. JMG students in grades 7/8 at China Middle School have experienced JA programs, “It’s My Future, Economics for Success and It’s My Business.”

Local athlete gathers more accolades

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Dylan Presby

After being presented with the prestigious male sportsmanship award at Newbury College, in Brookline, Massachusetts, Dylan Presby, of China, was recognized by being named to the Malloy All Sportsmanship team for the entire conference. The Nighthawks sophomore will transfer to LaSalle College, in Newton, Massachusetts, next season after Newbury closed at the end of the current school year. He is the son of David and Michelle Presby, of China.

2019 Winslow Boys and Girls State delegates

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Front row, from left to right, Katherine Stevens, Carrie Selwood and Grace Smith. Back, Jacob Huesers, Aaron Harmon, Caleb Mills. (contributed photo)

Winslow High School juniors will be attending the American Legion Auxiliary Girls State at Husson Uni­versity, in Bangor, and American Legion Boys State, at Thomas College, in Waterville, from June 16-26, 2019. This is the 72nd year of Dirigo Girls and Boys State. The students will be learning how local, state, and federal government operate.

China students at state house

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From left to right, Gwen Lockhart, Elijah Crockett, Reiana Gonzalez, Colby Willey, Alexia McDonald, Sam Boynton, Hailey Estes, Senator Pouliot, Lilly Fredette, Joe Wing, Dominick Breton, JMG Specialist Ryan Sweeney. (Contributed photo)

China Middle School students pose for a picture with Senator Matthew Pouliot after participating in the Honorary Page Program.

China survey on town office hours

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This survey seeks input from the residents of the town of China about the operating hours for the town office. Your participation is critical to ensuring the needs of community are being adequately met in the schedule of operating hours. If you have already completed and returned a paper version of this survey, please do not complete the online survey.

There will be paper versions of the survey at the town office and the transfer station.

The survey is available online here.

The Town Line reporter Mary Grow receives Spirit of America award

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Chairman Lauchlin Titus, of the Vassalboro Board of Selectmen, and Mary Grow (Photo courtesy of Mary Sabins)

At the annual town meeting held at the Vassalboro Community School on Monday, June 3, 2019, Chairman Lauchlin Titus, of the Vassalboro Board of Selectmen, presented the 2019 Annual Spirit of America Award to Mary Grow to honor her for her commitment to exemplary local journalism as demonstrated by her years of dedicated attendance at Vassalboro board meetings, and reporting on Vassalboro activities and events to the public. The Spirit of America Foundation Tribute is presented in the name of Maine municipalities to local individuals, organizations and projects for commendable community service.

Gov. Mills visits Webber Pond dam fish ladder

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Maine Gov. Janet Mills, center, netted some alewives at the Webber Pond Dam, in Vassalboro, on a recent visit. She is flanked by Department of Marine Resources Commissioner Pat Keliher, left, and Vassalboro resident, and Webber Pond Board of Directors member Phil Inness. (photo by Jeff Nichols)

Governor Janet Mills visited the Webber Pond alewife fish ladder on Thursday, May 30. It was an historic event. She is the first governor to visit an alewife fish ladder at all, much less to bring the Commissioner of Marine Resources Pat Keliher and the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Judy Camuso to Webber Pond, in Vassalboro.

Gov. Janet Mills, left, discuss alewives at Webber Pond Dam with Department of Marine Resources Commissioner Pat Keliher, right, and Vassalboro resident, and Webber Pond Board of Directors member Phil Inness, center. (Photo by Jeff Nichols)

Webber Pond Association President Frank Richards got to interact briefly. The governor seemed to be having a good time. She was interested to learn that brook trout also ascend the fish ladder and that Webber Pond has become a well-known lake in the realm of bass clubs, tournaments, and even Bassmaster’s magazine.

Webber Pond was one of the first alewife restorations and it has become something of an example for other lakes. The pond has had a run now for about 15 years; since approximately 2004 when the first adults returned from the ocean.

This year the governor’s visit was scheduled on a “Count” day. She borrowed a net from the harvester for the sake of a photo op.

A lot of the conversation centered on the environmental benefits of alewife restoration. The group also had the experience of watching an eagle swoop down and pluck an alewife out of the water.

Next year, possibly, this can be done again and scheduled on a harvest day, in order to present the economic development benefits of alewife restoration to the lobster bait business, lobstering, and especially to the marine fishery.

Alewives are more than lobster bait. They significantly increase the forage available to haddock, cod, and other species in the Gulf of Maine.