China police log for September 2017

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SEPTEMBER 2:

12:05 p.m., report of disorderly conduct, Rte. 3. Complainant advised to speak with landlord.

SEPTEMBER 7:

5:05 p.m., Check of South China boat landing.

5:25 p.m., business check, Vassalboro Rd.

5:45 p.m., business check, Vassalboro Rd.

6 p.m., traffic complaint, Rte. 3, by Palermo. Unable to locate vehicle.

6:30 p.m., check of China Village boat landing.

6:45 p.m., business check, Lakeview Dr.

7 p.m., stationary radar detail. Main St., no violations noted.

8:10 p.m., business check, Windsor Rd.

SEPTEMBER 9:

2:15 p.m., traffic stop, Vassalboro Rd., warning for inspection violation.

2:33 p.m., traffic stop, Vassalboro Rd., warning for speed.

3 p.m., traffic stop, Rte. 3, warning for inadequate tires.

4:10 p.m., business check, Pleasant View Ridge Rd.

4:45 p.m., check of Thurston Park.

5:25 p.m., residence check, Neck Rd.

6 p.m., business check, Rte. 3.

SEPTEMBER 11:

1 p.m., complaint of trespass by motor vehicle, Rte. 3

2 p.m., traffic complaint, Pleasant View Ridge Rd.

SEPTEMBER 16:

noon, traffic complaint, Waterville Rd., passed on to Winslow Police Dept.

12:25 p.m., residence check, Neck Rd.

12:35 p.m., traffic stop, Neck Rd., warning for inspection violation. Summons for no insurance.

1:45 p.m., check of Thurston Park.

2 p.m., stationary radar detail, Pleasant View Ridge Rd.

3:15 p.m., keys locked in vehicle, Killdeer Point Rd.

3:35 p.m., traffic stop, Alder Park Rd., warning for speed.

SEPTEMBER 23:

10:27 a.m., residence alarm, Sunset Lane.

11:10 a.m., check of South China boat launch.

12:10 p.m., check of Thurston Park.

12:50 p.m., traffic stop, Lakeview Dr., warning for speed.

1:10 p.m., business check, Windsor Rd.

1:30 p.m., traffic stop, Windsor Rd., warning for speed.

SEPTEMBER 29:

Excessive acceleration complaint, Alder Park Rd.

SEPTEMBER 30:

12:20 p.m., stationary radar detail, Alder Park Rd.

1 p.m., assist China Fire Dept., near Branch Pond.

5 p.m., assist homeowner with grass fire, Lakeview Dr.

Waterville ‘Parade of Lights’ set for Nov. 24

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Image credit: City of Waterville/Kringleville.org

by Mark Huard

Downtown Waterville’s Annual Holiday parade held the evening after Thanksgiving has drawn thousands of families to Main Street for many years and serves as a fun and festive kickoff to the holiday season. The Children’s Discovery Museum is excited to be adopting this wonderful event. The museum has been a staple in the Central Maine Community for many years and will be relocating to a large space in Waterville in the spring of 2019.

While the staff of the Children’s Museum waits to open the doors of their new location, they are excited to be hosting such a wonderful family event for the community.

The 12th Annual Parade of Lights will be held on Friday, November 24, at 6 p.m. New this year floats will assemble at the Waterville Legion Parking Lot, at 21 College Ave., and travel down Main Street and continue to the Castonguay Square with the lighting of the giant spruce tree and Santa’s arrival at Kringleville. Central Maine Photography will be offering light up wands at the parade for anyone who is interested.

What a great time of year to get together and show our community spirit and support for one another.

Santa will visit with families and children on the following dates:

November 24 – after parade until 9 p.m.; December 2-3, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.; December 9-10, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.; December 16-17, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.; December 20-22, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Educators help to provide necessities for needy

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From left to right, Kappa members Mary Whitten, of Gardiner, and Betty-Jane Meader, of Waterville, load the car for delivery of a variety of items to The Essentials Closet. Contributed photo

Members of the local Kappa Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma International recently donated a variety of items to The Essentials Closet at the First Congregational Church on Eustis Parkway in Waterville.

Pastor Mark Wilson initiated the idea of The Essentials Closet about a year ago, noting that we have the local soup kitchen, evening sandwich program, the food pantry, and homeless shelter. In none of those places can people get the essentials — laundry detergent, toilet paper, dish detergent, shampoo, paper towels, tissues, bath soap, deodorant, feminine hygiene products, toothbrushes, diapers, baby wipes, and toothpaste.

“Furthermore, these items cannot be purchased with their EBT cards and state assistance programs,” explained Pete Downing, director of the program with his wife Lora, of Sidney.

Some members of St. Mark’s Church have chosen to fill the needs of diapers and feminine hygiene items. “We recently had 1,500 diapers delivered by this church. This is a huge blessing and will be of such great help to many of your young mothers,” says Lora.

“People need to feel clean and have clean clothes in order to go to work and have their children go to school bathed and in clean clothes,“ commented Lora.

The Essentials Closet is staffed by three or four volunteers and is open the last two weeks of every month—Mondays, 5 to 7 p.m. and Wednesday and Friday from 9 to 11 a.m. Since April 17, they have served 580 different people, and some come every month. “We average about 180 people per month from all over Central Maine,” said Lora.

Delta Kappa Gamma is an international organization of women educators from around the world. One of the primary strands of the mission is service to local communities. There are 16 chapters in the State of Maine.

New books at Albion Public Library

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Non-fiction:

Anthology of Vassalboro Tales, by Esther Bernhardt and Vicki Schad
More Than a Train Yard and Whistle Stop: The Canadian Pacific Railway’s Brownville Division, 1886-1963, by Kenneth Hatchette
Carnival Glass, 11th Edition, by Mike Carvile.

Fiction:

The Dog Master, by W. Bruce Cameron
The Train to Crystal City, by Jan Jarboe Russell.
The Land of Painted Caves, by Jean M. Auel.

Juvenile Fiction:

The Demigod Diaries, by Rick Reardon.

Kervin welcomed to Castleton University

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Castleton University, in Castleton, Vermont, is excited to welcome Heather Kervin of Winslow, ME to the Castleton community. Kervin is one of more than nearly 600 new students who have registered for the fall 2017 semester!

Knight enrolled at St. Lawrence University

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St. Lawrence University, in Canton, New York, has welcomed Saige Knight, of Oakland, as a member of the class of 2021. Knight attended Messalonskee High School.

BBBS seek volunteers in mid-Maine

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Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mid-Maine (BBBSMM) is looking for volunteers in Kennebec Valley to serve as coordinators at its School-Based mentoring programs. Coordinators are adults from the community who can dedicate 1½ hours one day each week from October through May (except school vacation weeks) to be at the match meetings of high school “Bigs” and elementary school “Littles.” The meetings take place after the school day.

Every school mentoring location has 1-2 coordinators who attend each week to oversee and supervise the weekly match meetings to ensure match quality and child safety.  School-based coordinators are interviewed, screened and trained and receive ongoing support and training from BBBS staff throughout the year. Continuing education credits are also provided.

Successful coordinators are responsible, dedicated, enjoy working with and coaching youth of all ages and backgrounds, have great listening skills, are willing to learn, love to play, have patience, flexibility and a sense of humor. Coordinators arrive early to greet the matches, help set up and clean up meeting supplies and snacks, facilitate group match activities if appropriate and coach “Bigs” as they navigate their relationships with their “Littles.” Coordinators have regular weekly contact with BBBSMM staff to discuss match meeting and site logistics, attendance, successes, issues and concerns.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mid-Maine has immediate need for School-Based Coordinators at the following local sites for the 2017-18 school year:

Hussey Elementary (Augusta): Mondays, 3 – 4 p.m.
Gardiner Area Boys and Girls Club (Gardiner): Thursdays, 4 – 5 p.m.
Alfond Youth Center (Waterville): Mondays, Wednesday, or Thursdays 2:45 – 4:15 p.m.

​ To learn more about becoming a volunteer School-Based Coordinator in the Kennebec Valley region, please contact Lindsey May, School-Based Manager, at (207) 592-4606 or email lindsey@bbbsmidmaine.org.

China Town employees get a new health plan

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by Mary Grow

Their meeting twice rescheduled due to lack of power, China selectmen finally connected with two health insurance experts at a Nov. 1 meeting that was also attended by town employees.

China employees, like those in many other Maine towns and cities, are insured by the Maine Municipal Employees Health Trust, a nonprofit affiliate of the Maine Municipal Association. According to Director of Health Trust Services Anne Wright, they have the best of the five insurance plans offered.

At the instigation of board member Jeffrey LaVerdiere, selectmen invited a representative of F. A. Peabody Company, an insurance broker, to talk about private insurance plans.

Max Lynds, vice president for Life and Benefits in Peabody’s Houlton office, said up front he could not duplicate the current policy with no deductible and low co-pays. However, LaVerdiere said, if a different policy cost employees more the town could reimburse them and still save enough on premiums to come out ahead.

An hour-long blizzard of facts and figures followed – co-pays, co-insurance, deductibles, health reimbursement accounts, health savings accounts, drug benefits, diagnostic benefits, primary care providers, specialists, in-network, out-of-network, individual rates, couples rates, family rates. After the presentations and questions, selectmen considered town employees’ health insurance in an executive session. After that, Town Manager Daniel L’Heureux reported, they voted to switch to the Health Trust’s POS (Point of Service) 200 plan. L’Heureux estimated future savings to taxpayers at about $23,000 a year. Asked the effect on taxes on a $100,000 house, he replied the homeowner would save about $5.

There is a general expectation that rates will increase in 2018. L’Heureux said during the discussion that Health Trust rates are likely to increase from two to six percent, private group plans from 15 to 18 percent and individual rates by even more. Neither Lynds nor Wright contradicted his figures. The next regular China selectmen’s meeting is scheduled for Monday evening, Nov. 13. L’Heureux said the agenda includes a review with China’s emergency service providers of the stipends voters approved at the March town business meeting.

ARI to hold informational walk at Masse Sawmill

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The Masse Sawmill site on Rte. 32, in East Vassalboro. Contributed photo

The Alewife Restoration Initiative has announced the successful completion of the first of six dam projects on China Lake Outlet Stream. To celebrate, they welcome the public to an informational nature walk at the Masse Sawmill site, in Vassalboro. Please join them for a short afternoon stroll along the restored section of Outlet Stream, while learning about the many ecological processes that are beginning to return the stream to natural habitat.

They will start the walk at 1 p.m., on Saturday, November 11, and expect it to last around an hour. The following experts in fields related to the project will give informal presentations and answer questions:

  • Nate Gray is a fisheries biologist with the Maine Department of Marine Resources and a longtime advocate for restoration of alewives in the Sebasticook River watershed. Nate will discuss alewives, eels, mussels, and many other aquatic critters that will benefit from the improved connectivity of Outlet Stream.
  • Brandon Kulik is a Senior Fisheries Scientist at Kleinschmidt Associates and a board member with the Sebasticook Regional Land Trust. Brandon will discuss the re-establishment of a healthy stream channel, and how this creates habitat for fish, aquatic insects, and the whole community of organisms that live in Maine streams and rivers.
  • Daniel Hill is a wildlife technician and natural resource manager for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, and a board member with the Sebasticook Regional Land Trust. Dan will discuss native plant species that will re-populate the former impoundment, how they benefit birds and animals living along the stream corridor, and the importance of controlling invasive plants.

The event will take place on Saturday, November 11, beginning at 1 p.m., at the Masse Sawmille, 373 Main St., Vassalboro. Dress for the weather, and for easy trail walking. The distance covered will be short (1/4 mile to 1/2 mile), and the walking easy, but there will be no indoor shelter or bathrooms available. Prepare to be outdoors for an hour or so. Event will be held rain or shine, barring very severe weather.

For more information, email or call Matt Streeter, mstreeter212@gmail.com, 207-337-2611.

Senior night at Lawrence High School

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Senior night took place on October 17 for the Lawrence High School, of Fairfield, soccer team. Members of the team make their way onto the field for their last game of the season.

Photo by Mark Huard, owner Central Maine Photography