ICE OUT 2022? Take a guess. Win a prize!

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SEND US YOUR BEST ICE OUT GUESS FOR 2022

Write down your best guess (one per person) and send it to The Town Line, PO Box 89, South China, ME 04358, or email us at townline@townline.org with the subject “ICE OUT 2022“. If more than one person guesses the correct date, a drawing will be held to determine the winner. Get your guess to The Town Line office by noon, Friday, March 18, 2022.

Email: townline@townline.org. Or use our Contact Us page!

PRIZE: To be determined

The records below, of ice out dates on China Lake, were provided by China residents Bill Foster, Captain James Allen and Theresa Plaisted.

Bill Foster brought in the ice out dates from 1874 to 1883. They came from a 215-page log/diary. In the log/diary are recorded the comings and goings from 1870 to 1883 of the F. O. Brainard Store, as well as personal notations of special and everyday events.

Captain James Allen brought in the ice out dates from 1901 to 1948. They had been recorded on the outhouse wall of the old Farnsworth house, also located in China Village.

Theresa Plaisted brought in the ice out dates from 1949 to 1991. She explained to us that a friend and neighbor, Ben Dillenbeck, had kept the record on his cellarway wall until his death on December 12, 1987.

Theresa transcribed Mr. Dillenbeck’s record and has kept the record up to date ever since.

This year, we will be checking China Lake to determine the official date for “Ice Out” in 2020. We will not be looking in hard-to-access areas for that very last crystal to melt, so the definition of “Ice Out,” for the purpose of this contest, is: “When, to the best judgment of the assigned viewer, the surface of the lake appears to be free of ice.” The judge’s decision is final.

Can you guess the day The Town Line declares China Lake free of ice?

Ice Out dates for the last 148 years!

1874 – April 22
1875 – May 6
1876 – April 30
1877 – April 16
1878 – April 12
1879 – May 3
1880 – April 21
1881 – April 19
1883 – April 29
1901 – March 27
1921 – March 28
1932 – April 27
1933 – April 20
1934 – April 19
1935 – April 25
1936 – April 4
1937 – April 20
1938 – April 20
1939 – May 4
1941 – April 16
1945 – April 2
1947 – April 12
1948 – April 8
1949 – April 6
1950 – April 14
1951 – April 9
1952 – April 19
1953 – March 19
1954 – April 19
1955 – April 13
1956 – April 27
1957 – April 10
1958 – April 16
1959 – April 22
1960 – April 21
1961 – April 30
1962 – April 20
1963 – April 22
1964 – April 21
1965 – April 18
1966 – April 18
1967 – April 29
1968 – April 13
1969 – April 23
1970 – April 23
1971 – April 30
1972 – May 1
1973 – April 8
1974 – April 2
1975 – April 23
1976 – April 11
1977 – April 18
1978 – April 21
1979 – April 12
1980 – April 10
1981 – March 18
1982 – April 22
1983 – April 1
1984 – April 17
1985 – April 6
1986 – April 8
1987 – April 6
1988 – April 6
1989 – April 22
1990 – April 11
1991 – April 8
1992 – April 15
1993 – April 21
1994 – April 20
1995 – April 9
1996 – April 5
1997 – April 23
1998 – April 9
1999 – April 2
2000 – April 4
2001 – April 27
2002 – April 6
2003 – April 21
2004 – April 14
2005 – April 16
2006 – March 26
2007 – April 23
2008 – April 17
2009 – April 11
2010 – March 19
2011 – April 17
2012 – March 21
2013 – April 6
2014 – April 19
2015 – April 22
2016 – March 15
2017 – April 17
2018 – April 23
2019 – April 12
2020 – March 27
2021 – March 30
2022 – ?????

Spaghetti supper and no talent show

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photo by jeffreyw: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffreyww/

The Madison American Legion will be hosting a spaghetti dinner and “No Talent” Show, on Saturday, April 2, 5 – 6:30 p.m., at Madison American Legion Hall, 20 S. Maple Street. A Fun Night of Laughter, “No Talent” Show, at 7 p.m., with special guest: Gary Crocker, a Maine humorist, Vietnam veteran, public speaker who feels laughter is the key to a well-balanced life. Also in the lineup are Kenny Rogers and Dolly Pardon, Sunny & Cher, Miss Piggy and more.

Following the “No talent” Show, Karaoke/Dance with Randy & Lisa Michaud will continue to entertain until 11 p.m. Tickets are $10 per person for members and $15 per person for non-members. Limited tickets will be sold. Tickets must be purchased by March 14 so get your tickets now! Tickets are available at the American Legion Hall, in Madison, ask a member or call Pauline 207-680-6362, Diane 314-5135, Val 634-3329, Harriet 635-2051. FMI: call Pauline 207-680-6362.

Winslow High School senior wrestler crowned state champion

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Referee Shawn Guest, from Bath, presenting State Champion Sam Schmitt with his award. (photo by Jason Gendron)

by Mark Huard

Winslow High School Senior, Sam Schmitt, captured Maine’s Class B State Wrestling Championship at 138 pounds on Saturday, February 19, at Morse High School, in Bath, continuing a family tradition of state champion titles.

Schmitt overcame a very tough finals opponent from Wells with an impressive eight takedowns to finish at 17-10 for the win, a highlight contest that also earned him the coveted Wally LaFountain and John Smith Outstanding Wrestler Award for the State Champ­ionship meet. Sev­eral weeks prior, he won the KVAC Championship at 138 pounds and celebrated his 100th high school career win earlier this season.

Sam comes from a long line of wrestling family members with uncles, cousins and even two sisters that have all competed in the sport for Winslow. He is the fourth of the clan to win a Maine State Championship, joining his grandfather Randall Fredette (1961), cousin Ryan Fredette (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018) and cousin Alex Demers (2020) as a title holder. This is Sam’s 12th year of wrestling, having started in the Pee Wee program as a kindergartner and later winning the Maine State Pee Wee Championship as a second grader. He was no stranger to the high school state finals, having placed fourth his freshman year at 106 pounds, third his sophomore year at 120 pounds, and like many other Maine school athletes, did not have a junior season due to COVID restrictions.

In addition to excelling as a student-athlete, Schmitt is a member of the National Honor Society and was recently chosen as Winslow High School’s Student of the Month by faculty and staff. He plans to pursue a degree in business marketing, has been accepted at several colleges already. Sam is the son of Tara and Mike Fredericks, of Winslow, and Rob and Lisa Schmitt, of Waterville.

Pediatric orthopedic surgeon joins Northern Light Inland Hospital

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William Bassett, MD

Northern Light Orthopedics and Northern Light Inland Hospital welcomes William Bassett, MD, the only fellowship-trained surgeon in the state performing complex pediatric orthopedic surgery. Thanks to a partnership with Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center, in Bangor, where Dr. Bassett also sees patients, he will now be available to the central Maine community.

Dr. Bassett treats benign bone tumors, club feet, foot reconstruction, fractures, hip dysplasia, leg length discrepancy, lower extremity deformity, and scoliosis.

Dr. Bassett joins their Orthopedics practice, located at 25 First Park, in Oakland. Contact your Primary Care provider for a referral or call 207.861.7862 for more information.

Dr. Bassett earned his medical education from Drexel College of Medicine, completed a residency in Orthope­dic Surgery at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Orthopedic Residency, and a fellowship in Pediatric Orthopedics and Scoliosis at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children.

He is proud to provide subspecialized surgical care to patients throughout Maine. Dr. Bassett says, “My goal as a pediatric orthopedist is to help children retain and regain their childhood by enabling families to take part in activities that they enjoy, while improving patients’ overall quality of life. I help families understand complex problems while providing realistic and attainable goals.”

A member associate of the Pediatric Orthopedic Society of North America, the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, and American Orthopedic Association, Dr. Bassett is eligible for certification by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery.

For more information, visit northernlighthealth.org/Inland-Hospital. Annual Backyard Composting and Rain Barrel Sale!

Backyard composting and rain barrel sale

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All composting supplies and rain barrels are available. Get one of each and be ready to conserve precious water and make compost to improve garden soil.

Knox-Lincoln Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD), in cooperation with Maine Resource and Recovery Association, is again offering local residents the opportunity to improve soil and conserve water right in their own backyards at deep discount prices! It’s easy with the tried-and-true 80-gallon Earth Machine backyard composter and the 55-gallon Systern rain barrel. Both are made of recycled materials, designed to fit into any landscape, and are offered at wholesale prices. The Earth Machine composter has an “in at the top/out at the bottom” design and a 10-year warranty. The Systern rain barrel fits under a downspout to take advantage of roof run-off for garden watering and has built-in mosquito mesh and overflow capability.

We also are offering a 3-foot x 4-foot trap wire bin made by Brooks Trap Mill in Thomaston that has a 3/4 cubic yard capacity. This larger bin, made of coated lobster trap wire, is perfect for yard debris and has the seal of approval from some of Maine’s top composting experts.

To make it even easier to convert kitchen scraps into soil, we also have accessories: a 2-gallon Sure Close kitchen scrap pail with vented, locking lid that keeps odors in and flies out; Wingdigger compost aerator and turner to mix compost layers and decrease compaction without straining your back; and the REOtemp compost thermometer with a 20-inch stem to monitor interior temperatures and turn anyone into a serious composting enthusiast! Prices for all items are well below suggested retail.

Ordering deadline is Friday, April 22, 2022. Either order online at https://www.knox-lincoln.org/backyard-sale/ or download an order form on our website and send with check. Scheduled pickups for composting items will be in June at the District office located at 893 West Street (Rt 90), Rockport.

For more information or to request an order form by mail, contact Knox-Lincoln SWCD at 596-2040 or julie@knox-lincoln.org.

New president named at Northern Light Sebasticook Valley Hospital, in Pittsfield

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Randy Clark

Northern Light Health has announced that Randy Clark, MBA, will become Northern Light Sebasticook Valley Hospital’s next president. In this role, Clark will also serve as a Northern Light Health senior vice president. He succeeds Terri Vieira, who retires on April 1, 2022.

Clark has earned a stellar reputation as a leader, colleague, and neighbor of Pittsfield and Sebasticook Valley Hospital. He began his career at the hospital as a controller in 1996, becoming vice president of Finance in 2005 and vice president of Finance and Operations in 2016. In 2021, he expanded his finance role when he also became vice president of Finance for Northern Light Inland Hospital and Northern Light Continuing Care, Lakewood in Waterville, with Operations added to his Inland role in January 2022.

In making the announcement, Timothy Dentry, MBA, Northern Light Health president, and CEO, said, “Randy has outstanding knowledge of healthcare operations and experience in finance, business development, and patient experience. He knows the hospital and the Sebasticook Valley region. He is well-positioned to lead the organization as it continues to focus on making healthcare work for the people we serve.”

Clark noted, “It’s been a privilege to be part of the team at Sebasticook Valley Hospital for many years, and it’s helped prepare me for this opportunity. We have many ongoing challenges to face with the pandemic and workforce shortages, but I am confident that we are headed in the right direction to keep community-based care strong in Pittsfield. I’m proud that our staff is very engaged, cares deeply about every patient, and is committed to our mission and values.”

Clark was raised in Madison. He and his wife have two grown children, a daughter and a son, who live in Maine.

He assumes his new role on April 1, 2022.

Prayer hour at China Baptist for Ukraine

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China Baptist Church

The crisis in Ukraine has prompted the China Baptist Church to invite the community to prayer, this Saturday, March 5, from noon to 1 p.m. Pastor Ron Morrell is announcing an hour of prayer for the people of Ukraine.

The China Baptist church will be open so local residents can unite in prayer for the country and people of Ukraine. You can come in and pray at any time during the hour and pray privately for as long as you would like. There will be a register to sign if you would like to show prayer support for the people of Ukraine and the Russian people. The country has the largest group of Baptists in the Eastern Europe, and we will be attempting to contact and share with Ukrainian church leaders our registry of names to show ongoing prayer support. There will be no obligation to sign the register. You can still pray for the people of Ukraine. Join with your neighbors and friends in China and the surrounding towns in prayer during this critical time. Please call Pastor Morrell at 968-2366 with any questions or for further information

China rec committee talks about possible pickle ball court

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by Mary Grow

Pickleball, anyone?

Reacting to local requests, China Recreation Committee members discussed the possibility of adding a pickleball court to the town’s recreational facilities at their Feb. 23 meeting.

Pickleball requires a paved court. Committee Chairman Martha Wentworth’s first idea was to convert a corner of one of the two ballfields near the China schools that the committee oversees.

Raigan York protested that soccer uses every inch of the ballfields, and often school fields as well.

Wentworth then proposed the currently-wooded area along the north side of the school property. She intends to investigate further.

York said there are two sizes of pickleball court, 30-by-60-feet or 34-by-64-feet.

Addition of an outdoor basketball court was mentioned as another possibility.

In other business Feb. 23, committee members unanimously approved a so-far-informal request from officials of Central Church, on Route 3, to use a ballfield for an Easter egg drop the afternoon of Saturday, April 9.

Wentworth said she understands that several hundred Easter eggs will be scattered on the ground, with another 200 “special eggs,” some containing prizes, dropped from a helicopter. She intends to get more information.

Planning for the upcoming sports season, committee members talked about browntail moth control, field maintenance, portable toilets and making sure users clean up the snack shack.

Wentworth said the recreation committee could use one more member. Interested residents are invited to contact the town office.

Committee members postponed detailed discussion of their proposed 2022-23 budget to their next meeting, scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 23.

China Ice Days exceed all expectations

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Sheldon, a local angler, puckers up to one of the fish she caught at the derby. (photo by Cindy Senkbeil)

Record number take part in ice fishing derby

by Sandra Isaac

On February 20, the China Four Seasons Club and the China Village Fire Department held its 3rd Annual Ice Fishing Derby. With over 500 estimated participants, this looked to be the most successful derby yet.

“The turnout was amazing again this year,” said Tom Rumpf, China Four Season’s President, and Chairman for the Ice Fishing Derby. “The weather earlier in the week had us a little concerned but the dip in temperatures made sure that China Lake had plenty of ice for safe fishing.

Don Doyon checks his fishing trap during the China Lake Ice Fishing Derby. Later in the day, Doyon won third place for his 2.96-pound smallmouth bass, while another family member, Ashely Doyon won first place with her 3.36-pound catch in the same category. (photo by Cindy Senkbeil)

Rumpf had sent his son Colby out on the lake throughout the day on Saturday to drill and test various spots. “The shortest depth he got was 17 inches, so we were confident with the thickness of the ice.” Anglers were still advised to used caution as they headed out onto the lake, some as early as 5 a.m., to secure a spot for fishing.

The camaraderie of the sense of community was strong out on the lake. Everywhere you went, people were setting up traps, barbequing, serving hot drinks, saying hello to fishing neighbors and friends. Each time a flag would go up on a fishing trap, surrounding groups would call out “Flag Flaaaag!” followed by laughing and people trying to figure out which lucky person had a fish on the end of their line.

“The fish were coming in all day to be weighed,” said Darrell Wentworth, China Four Season’s Vice President, and Derby committee member. “It was great to see so many kids coming in to weigh their fish, too. They were excited. It was great to see so many families involved.”

Central Church was set up on the ice again this year, helping kids who were new to the sport, learn about the fishing equipment, how to set up the traps, and what types of bait to use. Traps for Kids donated 25 ice fishing traps and the Derby Committee allowed Central Church to distribute them to the new anglers. In addition, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust along with Jack Traps of Maine supplied 75 bait buckets that kids received on a first-come basis. The Maine Audubon Society and Standard Waterproofing supplied goodies inside the buckets for the kids to enjoy.

The Derby Committee set up a children’s fishing category again this year, with prizes being awarded for the most perch by count. “We didn’t expect it, but this year we had a tie for fifth place,” said Rumpf. “We also didn’t expect so many kids to be in the other categories. One little girl (Madalynn Bellfleur) won first place for her 1.02-pound brook trout. I’m not sure who was more proud– her or her father. It was really great to see.”

“We were so fortunate and grateful for the amount of support we received from the community for the Ice Fishing Derby,” Rumpf continued. “We had over $7,000 worth of donations in the form of fishing prize money and door prizes to give away. Every single one of those dollars went back to the derby participants. We had over 50 door prizes! I had people contacting me two days before the event asking how they could help. It was just amazing.”

The top fishing prize, also known as the “Lunker of the Day” went to Lukas Finely for his largemouth bass that weighed in at 5.36 pounds. Last year’s Lunker was a 6.60 pounder caught by Jeremy Ross. The derby finished off with a fireworks display performed by Central Maine Pyrotechnics. A full list of fishing winners as well as door prize winners can be found on the derby website: chinalakeicefishingderby.com.

Matt Allen (right), owner of Bugbusterzzz Pest Control, sponsored the largemouth bass category and presented the first place prize to Lukas Finely for his 5.36-pound catch. Tom Rumpf (left) announced that Lukas’ fish also was the Lunker of the Day – the largest fish caught during the China Lake Ice Fishing Derby, held on February 20, 2022. (photo by Cindy Senkbeil)

3rd Annual China Lake Ice Fishing Derby WINNERS!

LUNKER OF THE DAY! $200 – Maritime Farm – Lukas Finely – Large Mouth Bass – 5.36 lbs.

Brook Trout

1st place $150 – Vassalboro Car Care – Madalynn Bellfleur – 1.02 lbs.
2nd place $75 – AMP Electric – Kaila Bourgeois – .88 lbs.
3rd place $25 – KC Auto – Sheldon – .70 lbs.

Brown Trout

1st place $200 – Central Maine Auto Group – Trevor Brockway – 3.44 lbs.
2nd place $100 – New England Import – Ava Smith – 3.26 lbs.
3rd place $50 – Greg’s Restaurant – Cameron Bragg – 2.46 lbs.

Large Mouth Bass

1st place $100 – Bug Busterzzz – Lukas Finely – 5.36 lbs.
2nd place $50 – Bug Busterzzz – Brandon Farrin – 5.08 lbs.
3rd place $25 – Bug Busterzzz – Ben Frazer – 4.96 lbs.

Pickerel

1st place $100 – China Variety & Redemption – Dakota Champagne – 3.96 lbs.
2nd place $50 – Adam’s Realty – Tristian Anderson – 3.78 lbs.
3rd place $25 – Greg’s Place Restaurant – Sawyer Bragg – 3.70 lbs.

Small Mouth Bass

1st place $100 – Central Machine – Ashley Doyon – 3.36 lbs.
2nd place $50 – Fernald Family Chiropractic – Jess Mullen – 3.26 lbs.
3rd place $25 – Bob’s Glass and More – Don Doyon – 2.96 lbs.

Children – 15 and under
Perch: White/Yellow – Most by Count

1st place $50 – KC Auto – Madisyn Niles with 30!
2nd place $40 – North Country Harley Davidson – Isaac Gigvere with 13.
3rd place $30 – North Country Harley Davidson – Nick Bowman with 7.
4th place $20 – North Country Harley Davidson – Ellie Soule with 4.
Tie for 5th place $10 – North Country Harley Davidson – Brook Shorey with 2.
Tie for 5th place $10 – Sandra Isaac Images – Shelbie & Haley with 2.
Honorable Mention – Chase Richardson with 1.

Door Prizes Winners’ List:

Barefoot Custom Coating – $400 Gift Certificate – Scott Braley.
AFC – Augusta Fuel Co. – 100 Gallons of Fuel – Joel Fernald.
Brookfield Renewable Energy and Jack Traps of Maine -Lithium StrikeMaster Auger – Zach Needham.
Jack Traps of Maine – (3) Jack Traps – Roberta Dionne, Jared Grenier & Ziggy.
Kim Mackenzie for Edward Jones – Clam 360 Portable Ice Shack – Nichole Bilodeau.
Standard Waterproofing – Jet Sled and a Hand Auger – Sadie Marte.
MA Haskell – $250 Gift Certificate – Tim Theriault.
Maine Ice Shack Rentals – 8×10 Ice Shack and Gear Rental – Herbie Shores.
North County Rivers – Rafting Trip for (2) – Nathaniel Rickman.
B&B Septic – $250 Gift Certificate for Service – Wayne Dubay.
Whitt’s Garment Works – (2) Sweatshirt and Hat – Elijah Gigvere & Norm Parker.
Whitt’s Garment Works – (2) Coat and Hat – Bill Cook & Rick Dumont.
Magic Falls Rafting Company – Rafting Trip For 1 – Jeanne Marquis.
Heritage Traps – (3) Red Heritage Laker Tip-Ups – Kevin Shores (+t-shirt), Wayne Dubey & Kraig Violett.
Lakeview Lumber – (2) $50 Gift Certificate + Extras! – Scott Braley & Ben Loubier.
Central Maine Power Sports (2) $50 Gift Cert. – Peter Quigley & Ron Knowles III.
Outback Beauty – (2) Jack Traps – Skeet Smith & Brittney St. Armond.
GHM Insurance Agency – (2) $50 Gift Certificates to MMCC – Jerry Keay & Katherine Wight.
Knowles Mechanical – $100 cash – Pauline Rancourt.
MJEK Seafood- (2) $50 Gift Certificate – Doug Hillman & Gary McCarthy.
Hannaford Supermarkets – $50 Gift Certificate – Gene Cowing.
Fish Tails Emporium – $50 Gift Certificate – Floyd Harkins.
Tobey’s Grocery – $50 Gift Certificate – Darrell Wentworth.
Raider’s Sugarhouse – Maple Products Gift Basket – Bill Reed.
Silver Street Tavern – (2) $25 Gift Certificates – Nate Pelletier & Elijah Crockett I.
Polished Salon – (2) $25 Gift Certificates – Dan Brockway & Jack Flanagan.
Korner Store – (2) $25 Gift Certificates – Priscilla Adams & Ryan Newgard.
Irving’s Circle K – (2) $25 Gift Certificates – Sara M & Stephen Labbe.
Hussey’s General Store $40 Gift Certificate – Morgan Britto.
Savage Nutrition – (2) $20 Gift Certificate – Barb Frost & Jody Ray.
Bolley’s Famous Franks- $30 Gift Certificate and a T-Shirt – Eric Lind.
Fred’s Coffee – Coffee Gift Basket – Robert Folson.
Rita’s House of Pizza – $25 Gift Certificate – Jared Grenier.
Asian Cafe – $20 Gift Certificate – Robert Folson.
Barber Parlor – Free Hair Cut – Henry Carter.

Special THANK YOU to Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, Traps for Kids, Maine Audubon Society, Standard Waterproofing, and Jack Traps of Maine for donating the Kid’s Bait Buckets and all the goodies that went inside! The kids loved them!! Next year we hope to give away 100 of them!!

THANK YOU to Central Church for setting up and helping teach kids how to ice fish and introducing them to this lifelong sport.

THANK YOU to Casella Waste Systems for taking care of our essential needs.

Local Town Meetings Schedule for 2022

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Town meetings 2022

ALBION

Elections Friday, March 18, 1 – 6 p.m.
Besse Building
Town meeting Sat., March 19, 10 a.m.
Albion Fire Dept.

CHINA

Town meeting to be held in ballot format again.
Tues., June 14, 7 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Portable building 571 Lakeview Dr.

FAIRFIELD

Annual town budget meeting Mon., May 9, 7 p.m.
Fairfield Community Center 61 Water St.

PALERMO

Elections Fri., March 11, 1:30 p.m.
Voting 3 – 7 p.m.
Palermo Town Office

SIDNEY

Town elections Fri., March 25, 12:15 – 8 p.m.
Town office, 2986 Middle Rd.
Business meeting Sat., March 26, 9 a.m.
James H. Bean School 2896 Middle Rd.

SOLON

Sat., March 5 Elections 8 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Business meeting 1:30 p.m.
Solon Elementary School

VASSALBORO

Business meeting Mon., June 6, 6:30 p.m.
Vassalboro Community School 1116 Webber Pond Rd.
Elections Tues., June 14
Vassalboro Town Office 682 Main St. 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.

WINDSOR

Town meeting Thurs., June 16, 2022, 6 p.m.
Should Windsor School take one more snow day, meeting will be held Wed., June 15, 2022, 6 p.m.

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To be included in this list, visit our Contact Us page or send an email to The Town Line at townline@townline.org.