Devyn DeLeonardis receives Principal’s Award

Devyn DeLeonardis

Devyn DeLeonardis, son of Frederick and Amanda, of North Anson, a senior at Carrabec High School, in North Anson, has been selected to receive the 2024 Principal’s Award, according to Principal Peter Campbell. The award, sponsored by the Maine Principals’ Associa­tion, is given in recognition of a high school senior’s academic achievement, citizenship and leadership.

DeLeonardis has distinguished himself in the classroom.  He has challenged himself and through his hard work and perseverance has made him one of the top students in the class of 2024.  Devyn is a member of the National Honor Society and was selected as the first student to represent his class as Student of the Month.

It is in the areas of citizenship and leadership that Devyn DeLeonardis truly excels.  His eagerness and enthusiasm make him a leader and a role model in our school.  This year Devyn achieved a feat that very few manage.  He earned the rank of Eagle Scout, a rank that only about 5 percent of all scouts manage to obtain.  Devyn has more than doubled the required number of community service hours required to graduate.  To exemplify that, he was quick to present his thoughts on how students could earn more hours of service by helping individuals affected by the recent flood.

For all of these reasons, Mr. Campbell is proud to announce that Devyn DeLeonardis is the Carrabec High School MPA Award recipient for 2024. Devyn will attend an awards luncheon on April 6, 2024, where he will receive his award and be eligible to be selected for one of ten scholarships.

Local author writes about serving in the military during the Cold War

Author Patrick Roy holds his book in the Waterville Public Library. (photo by Gillian Lalime)

by Gillian Lalime

Patrick Roy was born in Waterville in 1947 and lived in the Elm City until 1965 when he joined the military. His book, Memoirs in my Everyday Life, tells readers what the day-to-day life of a soldier was back in 1965. Relatively recently, with some extra time on his hands, Roy has decided to share these stories with a broader audience. Why now? Well, he’s been wanting to do this for a long time. “I can remember things from when I was five years old.” It took Roy three years to complete and publish the book.

We all have someone in our life who is a storyteller. Perhaps an older person, a colleague, or a friend. It is another issue when that person writes down their stories to be read by people outside their immediate circle. About his book, Roy states, “My wife hasn’t read the book because she’s already heard these stories!” Patrick may have told stories from his youth dozens of times (he’s got a huge family!), but writing them down gives them a new life. The truth is that this man has been writing for decades.

When he was 16 years old, Roy would sit down and listen to his transistor radio. Every Saturday, his go-to station would give names of people who wanted to get penpals. One such individual was a young girl from England named Gail. Roy states out of the 300 people who wrote to Gail, “I was determined to stand out, so for that first letter, I wrote every other word in cursive.” Well, it worked. This youthful correspondence across the Atlantic would contribute to Patrick’s later decision to enlist in the military.

This is where Roy’s book takes you: back in time through his Army experience as an 18-year-old who enters the army directly after graduating from high school…much to his mother’s frustrations. Roy started with his training in New Jersey, went to Louisiana, then across the Atlantic to Germany, where he eventually met his pen pal on a trip to England. Roy gives readers a firsthand, day-to-day account of the life of a soldier during the Cold War. Roy recounts humor-filled and extracurricular events in addition to the strict and severe command of Army rules.

Most notable, however, is all of the shenanigans Roy and other soldiers in his company would get up to. Each chapter chronicles a different phase of training, a memorable event, or a new location where duty brought them. The book reveals themes of curiosity, fun, and, of course, if you can imagine being in the mind of a 19-year-old man in the army: girls. “There’s a lot of humor and no politics involved,” states Roy.

This book is for people who can remember living during the Cold War years. Roy says, “I was hoping people would buy these for their grandparents or someone in [my] generation who can relate. Many people say they read the book and did bring back memories!” This book, written by Roy, is intended for someone currently contemplating joining the military and seeking to discover what a day-to-day experience might be like. For the author, he reflects that his experiences as a soldier made him a better human being. “When someone serves in the military, they become a better person than if they didn’t; they learn to be disciplined.”

Roy also traveled to other countries besides England, including a few trips to The Netherlands and visited the beaches on the North Sea. He visited many places of interest and even took a hike up the Alps in southern Germany.

For more information, to connect with Patrick Roy directly, order a book, or see photos from his adventures, go to: PatrickJamesRoy.com.

EVENTS: Waterville Seed Library to launch March 16, 2024

The Waterville Public Library has announced the 2024 launch of the Waterville Seed Library. This entirely free public resource features 30 varieties, including tomato, pumpkin, summer lettuce mix, green beans, and more. Beginning on Saturday, March 16, 2024, while supplies last, garden seed packets can be picked up at the Waterville Public Library, at 73 Elm Street, Waterville. A free Paint a Plant Pot and Plant Basil craft program for youth will be offered on Saturday, March 16, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.

The Waterville Seed Library provides community members with the resources to grow healthy, sustainable food at no cost. The seed library helps to reclaim seeds as a public resource and fosters a culture where local growing knowledge is easily shared. In concert with the Waterville Public Library’s purpose and mission, we celebrate human diversity in our community and strive to be inclusive and accessible to all.

The Waterville Seed Library is made possible through a partnership with the Colby Office of Civic Engagement, Waterville Public Library, FEDCO Seeds, and Johnny’s Selected Seeds. Special thanks to the Colby Office of Civic Engagement and the Ohanian-Szostak Fellows for Civic Leadership for project funding and support.

EVENTS: AYCC to host polar plunge

AYCC Childcare leadership team, Chrissy Johnson, Bobbi Pelletier and DJ Adams, take the dip in 2020. (photo by Missy Brown, Central Maine Photography staff)

The Alfond Youth & Community Center (AYCC), serving the Boys & Girls Club and YMCA of Greater Waterville, has announced it will be hosting its 31st annual Polar Plunge, on Saturday, March 16, at the Oakland Boat Launch. They hope to have 100 participants to celebrate the 100 year anniversary of the Boys & Girls Club.

Funds are raised by each jumper and team, all contributing to the AYCC Kids Kitchen program. Through Kids Kitchen, every child in the Afterschool Program, both in Waterville and at the off sites, receives a warm meal and snack every day. In addition to the Afterschool Program, the Greenhouse to Your House weekend meal kits are funded through Kids Kitchen. By giving to your favorite jumper, you’re making a difference in the lives of children in our community.

Jumpers with the most money raised will receive the grand prize of a week’s stay at the West Wind II resort, in the Bahamas. Prizes will also be awarded for the best costume, best jump, and to the oldest and youngest jumper.

Scouts mark 114th year with Sunday services

Scouts with Father March, at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, in Augusta. Front row, Tristan Morton, Augusta Troop #603, Brent Trundy, of Augusta Cub Scout Pack #684. Back, Anthony Fortin, Troop #603, Trenton Franklin Troop #603, Fr. Nathan March (Eagle Scout). (photo courtesy of Chuck Mahaleris)

by Chuck Mahaleris

February marks the 114th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America and it is also when most Cub Scout Packs and Scout Troops hold Scout Sunday services in their communities. The Twelfth Point in the Scout Law is that “A Scout is reverent. He is reverent toward God. He is faithful in his religious duties and respects the convictions of others in matters of custom and religion.” To encourage members to grow stronger in their faith, religious groups have developed the religious emblems programs and also welcomed Scouts in to their houses of worship for the annual Scout Sunday service.

Scout Sunday can be held anytime during the year when it is convenient to the church, but many gather for Scout Sunday in February. During these services, Scouts take an active part in the program. At St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, in Augusta, part of the St. Michael’s Parish, Scouts on February 4 participated in the liturgy, served as ushers, greeted parishioners, and managed the offertory. Anthony Fortin, of Augusta, is a Scout in Troop #603, “Scout Sunday is important to me because I get to bring my religious life and my Scouting life together and enjoy a day as being both a Catholic and a Boy Scout which are two major aspects of my life.” Trenton Franklin is also a Scout in Troop #603 and took part in the Scout Sunday program even though he is not a Catholic. He found it to be a great way for him to show reverence while exploring and learning about other faiths.

“For 90 years, the Gardiner area Scouts have called Christ Church their home,” the church posted on their Facebook page on February 4. “Today we thanked them for being a part of our community and shared a blessing with them in recognition of their acts of service. Just look at these sweet faces that are growing into the giving hearts of tomorrow. Brittany St. Amand, one of the leaders of Cub Pack #672, said of the church community, “They’re always so kind and welcoming to our Scouts.”

The Moose River Congregational Church held their Scout Sunday on February 11, and Scouts and leaders from Troop #497 served as greeters, presented the offering and gave the readings. Troop #497 Scoutmaster Karla Talpey said, “A Scout is Reverent. It is a part of who we are, being Boy Scout, or a leader. Taking the time to be thankful to God for all that we have and are given is an integral part of the ways of life of a Boy Scout.”

Winston Duchette of Troop #604, in Winthrop, took part in Scout Sunday Mass held at St. Francis Roman Catholic Church where he attends Faith Formation classes. He is also the troop’s chaplain aide and in that role led the opening prayer during the Eagle Scout ceremony held to honor two of his fellow Scouts recently.

Dawson Turcotte accepted to med school

Dawson Turcotte (Contributed photo)

Dawson Turcotte, son of Eric and Kris Turcotte, of Skowhegan, was accepted into the University of New England’s Doctor of Osteo­pathic Medicine Program beginning July 2024. Dawson will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in medical biology from the University of New England this May. Dawson is a 2021 graduate of Skowhegan Area High School.

Poor People’s Campaign set for March 2

Maine Poor People’s Campaign organizers pictured are David Jolly, Murry Ngoima, and Chris McKinnon, handing out pamphlets promoting the upcoming rally. (photo by Jonathan Strieff)

by Jonathan Strieff

On Saturday, March 2, the Maine Poor People’s Campaign will lead a march and rally at the State House to kick off a 40-week effort to mobilize poor and low-wage voters ahead of the November elections. Simul­taneous direct actions are planned at 31 state capitals around the country and Washington, DC. The event will offer a platform for low-income Mainers to speak to the daily challenges they face and to articulate the legislative action needed to address them, including voting rights, livable wages, affordable housing, health care, women’s rights, gun safety, tribal sovereignty for the Wabanaki nations, and environmental justice. On Monday, March 4, organizers from the campaign intend to hand deliver their demands to Governor Janet Mills and every legislator in the State House.

In a press release, campaign organizers David Jolly and Linda Homer explained the goal of the months long effort is to harness the untapped power of poor and low-wage voters in the political process. Through door-to-door canvassing, voter registration drives, phone banking and other coordinated actions, the Poor People’s Campaign seeks to organize voters to around the issues most impacting Americans living in poverty.

According to the Center on Poverty and Social Policy at Columbia University, in Maine, poor and low-income people account for 32.5 percent of the population. More than 35 percent of working adults earn less than $15 per hour. Nearly 162,000 households depend on SNAP benefits (food stamps) to feed themselves, benefits that were cut by as much as $250 per month last year. Poverty is considered to be the fourth leading cause of death in America, more deadly than homicide, gun violence, diabetes, or obesity.

The original Poor Peoples Campaign was conceived by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference as a large scale act of nonviolent civil disobedience. In 1968, two months after King’s assassination, organizers with the SCLC erected a Shantytown of more than 3,000 individuals on the National Mall in Washington D.C., called Resurrection City, in an effort to make visible the plight of poverty in America. After six weeks of turbulent occupation, the remaining demonstrators were cleared in a massive police sweep. The economic bill of rights and other demands of the campaign were never met.

Fifty years later, Revs. William Barber II and Liz Theoharis revived the Poor Peoples Campaign to confront what they identified as the five systemic evils afflicting American society; Racism, Poverty, Militarism, Ecological Devastation, and the Distorted Moral Narrative of Religious Nationalism. In Maine, this took the form of rallies, worship services, and small group meetings and teach-ins. The work of the group emphasizes building power within local communities, changing the moral narrative, and eventually impacting policy for the benefit of the most marginalized people.

Saturday’s rally will gather at 10 a.m., in Capital Park, in Augusta. At 11 a.m., the assembly will march to the State House to rally. Anyone seeking additional information can contact mail@mainepoorpeoplescampaign.org.

Kennebec Valley Council of Governments names Joel Greenwood executive director

Joel Greenwood, from the Kennebec Valley Council of Governments. (photo by Eric Austin)

The Kennebec Valley Council of Governments (KVCOG) has announced that its board of directors has appointed Joel Greenwood as executive director.

Eric Dyer, KVCOG Board of Director’s President and Town Manager of Readfield, announced “We are excited for the opportunity to bring one of our most talented and experienced employees into the executive director role on a permanent basis. Joel is already well known to our membership and fully aware of KVCOG operations and services, which will result in a near seamless transition for the organization.”

Dyer added, “In his new position Joel’s expertise as a planner will strengthen KVCOG’s essential role in supporting regional and local planning initiatives and provide deliberate and thoughtful leadership.

“I am very happy to be able to step up on a permanent basis to lead KVCOG as its next executive director, ” Greenwood said. “My long tenure and experience in the organization will make the transition as smooth and quick as possible. I’m grateful to continue working with the exceptional team at KVCOG that provides high-quality and valuable services to the municipalities of the Kennebec Valley.”

“As an organization, KVCOG will continue to look for new ways to assist communities across the region.” Greenwood succeeds Matthew Underwood, who tendered his resignation to the board of directors in late January. Joel has been with KVCOG since 2011 and has had more than 20 years of experience in nonprofit work, redevelopment, economic development in rural communities and all aspects of rural and urban planning. His years of experience in all aspects of KVCOG’s operations, existing relationships with its members and as an admired mentor and leader to the KVCOG team translates to a bright future for KVCOG and its member municipalities.

EVENTS: Apple tree pruning workshop

Late winter is the time for pruning apple trees, and Kennebec County Soil & Water Conservation District [Kennebec SWCD] announces an outdoors, skill-building workshop at a volunteer property in Vassalboro.

An apple tree pruning workshop will be held on Saturday, March 9, from 9:30 a.m. – noon, at 167 Taber Hill Rd Road, in Vassalboro.

The workshop, led by apple tree enthusiast Joe Dembeck, will cover methods and tools used to prune fruit trees in order to increase their viability and production. After a brief overview, participants will get to test their skills pruning apple trees.

Dress in warm layers as this is an outdoor event. Participants are encouraged to bring their own pruning equipment as well as work gloves. Heavy shoes or boots are also recommended. Pole saws, hand saws, and loppers will be available for participants to try as well. This is a fairly primitive site with limited restroom facilities. Please be prepared to use outhouse facilities if needed.

Registration by Monday, March 5 is required. The cost is $10 per person, payable by cash or check on the day of the event. Please note, enrollment will be limited to 24 individuals to ensure a safe and productive event for all participants.

To register or for more information, contact the Kennebec District office at 207-622-7847 x3 ask for Dale Finseth at Dale@kcswcd.org.

CORRECTION: The address has been updated.

VASSALBORO: New hire proposal withdrawn; select board nixes KVCOG membership

by Mary Grow

After reviewing pieces of the proposed 2024-25 town budget at their regular meeting Feb. 22, Vassalboro select board members scheduled a special meeting for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 29, to continue discussion.

Two decisions were made Feb. 22.

Town Manager Aaron Miller said he had postponed his proposal to hire a part-time town office staff member, given the difficulty of finding candidates for the position. Select board members did not argue.
Paying for a membership in the Kennebec Valley Council of Governments was deleted. Board chairman Chris French said he saw no need for the organization’s help in 2024-25.

Board members reduced the proposed 2024-25 paving budget. They agreed to buy a skidsteer, to plow North Vassalboro sidewalks beginning next winter and for other, year-round uses, and to budget the first of three installments for a new loader. No public works department representative was at the Feb. 22 meeting.

They considered a proposal to offer family health insurance to town employees. Miller said five employees would be interested. French sees offering the coverage as a way to keep Vassalboro competitive in the job market.

There was consensus that adding family coverage to present policies is not necessarily the way to go; more options will be explored.

Conservation Commission spokesman Holly Weidner said the China Region Lakes Alliance (CRLA), for which $13,500 was recommended, is inactive for lack of an executive director. There is a proposal that China and Vassalboro lake associations take over the CRLA’s Courtesy Boat Inspection (CBI) program, with the Conservation Commission coordinating and getting the $13,500.

The proposed appropriation was labeled water quality and its place in the budget left undetermined while, Miller said, he “figures out what’s going on.”

Weidner said over the years CBI inspectors have found and removed fragments of invasive weeds on boats being brought to China and Vassalboro lakes and ponds.

Select board members’ recommended budget will be reviewed by the budget committee. Voters will make the final decisions at the June 3 annual town meeting.

The Feb. 22 meeting started with a public hearing on a revised solid waste ordinance, now renamed the Solid Waste & Recycling Ordinance. There were no public comments. This ordinance, like the budget, will need voters’ approval.

A second public hearing was on an application for a junkyard license for the property at 1499 Riverside Drive, which includes a junkyard and a business named ABC Fuel. There was agreement to consider the junkyard and the fuel business as separate, even though they’re on the same site.

Codes officer Jason Lorrain said although the application is for a junkyard license renewal, he considers it a new license, because, he said, former owner Olin Charette’s son is the current owner.

On Lorrain’s recommendation, select board members unanimously approved the junkyard license. Lorrain said the new license has the same conditions, like requiring screening, that previous ones had.

From the audience, planning board member Douglas Phillips said ABC Fuel needs a site review permit from the planning board as a new business.

In other business, select board members continued discussing with Lorrain, Phillips and Miller what changes, if any, need to be made in town ordinances to comply with the new state law commonly called LD 2003.

Intended to promote affordable housing, LD 2003 loosens density requirements in some parts of municipalities to allow one or two ADUs, Accessory Dwelling Units, to share a lot on which a single house currently stands.

There was agreement on two points: the law would not allow increased housing density along Vassalboro’s lakes and ponds, because shoreland zoning limitations would prevail; and the relevant document in Vassalboro is the town’s eight-page Building Permit Ordinance, not the Site Review Ordinance.

Miller said there are evidently two options: propose amendments to the Building Permit Ordinance for voters’ approval, or take no action, in effect leaving compliance with state law to the codes officer.

The codes officer, rather than the planning board, has primary responsibility for the Building Permit Ordinance. Lorrain has been studying the issue and presented some questions for select board discussion.

An ordinance amendment, if the chosen choice, would require a public hearing and a town vote. Renewed discussion was postponed until May, after board members finish preparing the 2024-25 budget.

Open letter to Maine legislators

The following letter was sent to all Maine legislators from Vassalboro Town Manager Aaron Miller:

Feb. 21, 2023

Dear Legislator,

I am writing to you today as a member of Delta Ambulance’s Board of Directors, Town Manager of Vassalboro, first responder for Whitefield, and resident of Alna.

Faced with inadequate funding, EMS agencies in Maine have struggled for years to keep their heads above water. In the years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of those services have been pushed beyond their tipping point.

Staffing shortages were exacerbated by delays in new EMS clinician graduations and agencies were subsequently forced into wage wars to recruit and retain existing field providers. Payroll along with other operating costs rose to levels never seen before while insurance reimbursements, the backbone of EMS funding, stagnated.

The Blue Ribbon Commission extensively studied EMS services across Maine and identified a large gap between reimbursement and expenses. The Commission recommended a dispersal of $70 million each year for five years to all of Maine’s transport services. Despite the Commission’s recommendation and clear demonstration of need, less than half of the $70 million was approved for a one-time infusion, and only $10 million was allocated for emergency funding. Furthermore, transporting services like Delta were capped at receiving no more than $200 thousand – an amount that quite frankly will do nothing for sustainability.

For the first time since 1972, Delta, which currently provides 911 coverage to 13 towns in the greater Augusta and Waterville regions, recently instituted service fees of $15 per capita to towns receiving their 911 coverage. At the end of last year, Delta announced that the per-capita charge will increase to $25 per capita for 2024 and that by 2025, it will fall somewhere in a range between the mid-thirties to seventies depending on other factors. These numbers reflect the necessary changes to reach a break-even budget.

Just recently, municipal officials in the towns of Albion, Benton, China, Fairfield, and Oakland have cited a “fiduciary responsibility” to their citizens and are asking for a reduced rate of $20 per capita this year – an amount that cannot be accommodated by Delta. If the BRC’s recommended amount had been approved and released promptly, it would have allowed for a slower per-capita rate increase and lessened the blow to towns already facing financial challenges of their own.

The funding was announced seven months ago. Delta still hasn’t seen any of these funds despite a successful application submission which was not made available until December. Can you please let us know when we can expect to receive these funds? What are the plans to effectively address the statewide issue and how will this be accomplished in a timely manner?

Sincerely, Aaron C. Miller