To the editor:We want to thank the volunteers from the “China for a Lifetime’ committee and others who came to help cut up “Grandfather Pine” (as we always called him) and did so much more. We truly never could have done any of that ourselves. We will never forget your kindnesses.
Thank you.
Rosalyn Vance
Roni Newton
China
Vassalboro Community School (contributed photo)
VASSALBORO, ME — The May 17 Vassalboro School Board meeting was Chairman Kevin Levasseur’s last, after 21 years on the board, and was marked by expressions of appreciation on both sides.
Superintendent Alan Pfeiffer and board members thanked Levasseur for his service, and Pfeiffer assured those present that, “I still know where he is” in case his experience is needed.
Levasseur thanked all those he’s worked with over the years, especially the present board members. “You’ve come through the worst two years we’ve ever had with flying colors,” he told them.
At Vassalboro’s June 14 local election, school board member Jessica Clark is unopposed for re-election and Amy French is unopposed to fill the vacancy on the board. One agenda item at the first post-election meeting, scheduled for Tuesday evening, June 21, will be election of a new board chairman.
Counselor Meg Swanson is also resigning. In an April 24 letter posted on the school website, vcsvikings.org, Pfeiffer said Swanson will move to the state Department of Health and Human Services and oversee a special program on school readiness.
Pfeiffer told board members at the May 17 meeting that the process of seeking new administrators and staff members to replace those resigning or retiring is going well. He is pleased that five new substitute teachers have qualified and been hired since the April board meeting, making it easier to maintain in-school classes despite staff illnesses.
Board members unanimously approved two new staff members, Ashley Smith as a custodian and Megan Sutherburg as school nurse.
Curriculum Director Carol Kiesman said Vassalboro Community School (VCS) has received a grant for a four-week summer school program. It is currently scheduled to start the last week in June; classes will be three days a week, with transportation provided and a field trip at the end.
The program will focus on reading and mathematics. Student enrollment is by teacher recommendation or parental request.
Finance Director Paula Pooler said it appears that both the overall school program and the school meals program will be within budget when the fiscal year ends June 30. Pfeiffer anticipates no unusual building and grounds maintenance issues over the summer. School grounds have been treated for ticks, he reported.
For the June 21 meeting, Pfeiffer has invited the executive director of the Maine School Management Association to discuss responsibilities of superintendents and school board members.
by Mary GrowCHINA, ME — China Transfer Station Committee members decided at their May 17 meeting they will not recommend a new building to shelter the second compactor just north of the main trash hopper, because cost estimates are too high.
Instead, they plan to investigate a cover to protect the controls and container contents from rain and snow, both to extend their useful lives and to avoid paying to truck away water as well as trash for disposal.
Committee Chairman Lawrence Sikora said he had an estimate of $238,000 for a 20-by-20-foot metal building – to protect an $80,000 piece of equipment. Such an expenditure would make sense only if the building were multi-purpose, in Sikora’s opinion, and neither he nor others present suggested other uses.
Sikora asked committee member Mark Davis to see about prices for waterproof tarps from an Augusta source. Director of Public Services Shawn Reed commented that town truck bodies have canvas covers; the only problem is that they’re hard to roll up when covered with snow.
Committee members again agreed to recommend that select board members buy a new loader as soon as possible. They took no vote because, Sikora pointed out, they already made a formal recommendation at their April 12 meeting (see The Town Line, April 21, p. 3).
Reed said the prices he had as of March 1 have already gone up, one by $14,000, another by $20,000.
Reed strongly recommended the new machine have a quick-connect bucket that can be removed and replaced with a 12-foot “pusher” to remove snow. That addition would have cost $10,000 and is now $11,790, he said; but the overtime money it will save over the life of the machine – which could be 25 years — makes it still worthwhile.
Another pending improvement at the transfer station is a cement pad on which to store appliances, tires and other items awaiting disposal. Reed, referring to a map of the transfer station on page 60 of the newly-printed China town report (for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2021), pointed out the shortage of unoccupied space. He intends to talk with Codes Officer Jaime Hanson about setbacks from boundaries and other regulatory issues before suggesting a site.
Robert Kurek, one of Palermo’s representatives, shared information compiled from RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags by his colleague, Chris Diesch. The pages show how often a given tag was recorded, without giving any information about the person to whom it was issued.
Committee members have previously discussed making fuller use of information the RFID system can provide. They have also considered scrapping it and returning to stickers on vehicles; and installing a “guard station” at the entrance.
Site Manager Tim Grotton said if there were a manned entrance, some type of placard or sticker would still be needed, unless newcomers were expected to produce a driver’s license to get in. Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood would like an annual renewal requirement for RFID placards, if they continued to be used.
Committee members again reached no conclusions.
The committee’s next regular meeting date would be June 14; since that is voting day, the committee will not meet June 14. Sikora announced his pending resignation from the committee, due to time constraints, and suggested others should choose a meeting day.
by Mary GrowCHINA, ME — After a long discussion at their May 23 meeting, China Select Board members unanimously voted to buy a new Volvo loader from Chadwick-BaRoss, Inc., of Westbrook.
Director of Public Services Shawn Reed urged them to make an immediate decision. Prices are rising weekly, he said; if board members put off action until their June 6 meeting, he would need to ask for new bids.
The proposed price, $154,300, was the lowest of five bids received, and the Volvo was one of two loaders Reed recommended. Select board members authorized Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood to negotiate for a lower price.
Hapgood said the balance in the equipment reserve fund is just under $370,000.
The bids included, separately, prices for a snow pusher and a grapple. These auxiliary pieces can be attached to the loader in place of the bucket. Reed recommended buying the attachments, eventually: the snow pusher, he said, would save time cleaning up after storms, and the grapple would make piling brush more efficient.
Select board members expect Reed to continue investigating the attachments, for example evaluating new versus used (if available), and seeing if he can obtain one or both, with connecting links compatible with the Volvo, at a lower price from another dealer.
Board members discussed several options before their decision, including keeping the town’s 25-year-old loader a few more years, or leasing instead of buying a new machine.
Hapgood had asked board member Wayne Chadwick, who is familiar with heavy machinery, to try the loader. His comment: “It’s startin’ to show its age, more so than I thought it was before I drove it.”
William Terry, a representative of one of the unsuccessful bidders, warned of expensive repairs and extensive down time if China tried to keep so old a machine operating. Local resident Brent Chesley, another man with expertise, said leasing a loader would cost taxpayers more than buying one.
The other unanimous decision made May 23 was to adopt a resolution approving the Kennebec County Hazard Mitigation Plan.
Kennebec County Emergency Management Agency Director Sean Goodwin explained that the document is updated every five years, based on information towns supply. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has already approved the current draft, he said; municipal approvals are the final step.
Goodwin said the major advantage of adopting the plan is that it speeds relief funding in case there is a disaster in town. Towns are not required to deal with every listed risk, like a culvert that is likely to wash out; local officials are free to act according to their priorities and budgets.
The plan, dated 2021, is on the Town of China website, china.govoffice.com, the final item under the Emergencies tab at the left-hand side of the home page.
Sections of the document cover four types of potential hazards: floods, severe winter storms, wildfires and severe summer storms. The plan provides historical information and evaluates risks for each town.
For example, in China there are no areas known to be at risk for wildfires. Albion, Belgrade, Benton and Chelsea are among towns in which wooded areas, especially those with houses among the trees, are considered at risk. Clinton, Monmouth, Oakland and Readfield officials consider areas along railroad tracks as at risk.
Hapgood reminded those present that the town office will be closed Saturday, May 28, and Monday, May 30, for the Memorial Day holiday. The town office will also be closed Tuesday, June 14, because staff will be at polls in the portable building, and Monday, June 20, for the new Juneteenth federal holiday.
Absentee ballots for local, Regional School Unit 18 and state voting are now available, and the ballot return box is outside the town office building.
From left to right, Maine Gov. Janet Mills, Nate Gray, of the Maine Department of Marine Resources, and Landis Hudson, executive director of Maine Rivers. (photo by Eric W. Austin)
The Alewife Restoration ribbon cutting celebration was held in Vassalboro on May 19, with Gov. Janet Mills present to cut the ribbon at the new fish ladder installed on the Box Dam.
[See also: After 200 years, alewives set to return to China Lake and These fish have been waiting 200 years for this moment.]
The new fish ladder at the Box Dam that will allow alewives to migrate naturally toward China Lake. (photo by Eric W. Austin)
Vassalboro resident and alewife restoration activist Ray Breton. (photo by Eric W. Austin)
Vassalboro Town Manager Mary Sabins addresses those in attendance. (photo by Eric W. Austin)
Landis Hudson, Executive Director of Maine Rivers, right, speaks at the ceremony, as Gov. Janet Mills, left, looks on. (photo by Eric W. Austin)
Maine Community College System (MCCS) President David Daigler announced recently that Karen Normandin has been appointed president of Kennebec Valley Community College, in Fairfield, effective June 1. Normandin has been serving as acting president of Kennebec Valley Community College (KVCC) since May 2021…
Over the past couple of weeks there has been a noticeable fish kill on Webber Pond, in Vassalboro. On the east shore of the cove, dozens of dead largemouth bass have been washing ashore. The question that has been asked is why only largemouth bass have been affected… by Roland D. Hallee
VASSALBORO — Public works issues – 2022 paving plans and the need for a new truck – were the main topics at the May 12 Vassalboro select board meeting…
VASSALBORO — At a brief special meeting May 10, Vassalboro School Board members unanimously hired Ira Michaud as the new principal at Vassalboro Community School (VCS)…
CHINA — China Director of Public Services Shawn Reed has consensus support from the town Road Committee for his paving plans for this summer, which involve extensive use of chip seal rather than asphalt resurfacing…
WINDSOR — At their April 12 meeting, the Windsor Select Board unanimously gave the go ahead for Town Manager Theresa Haskell to sign the contract with Greenwood Emergency Vehicles LLC for the purchase of the new E-One/Freightliner Tanker for the Windsor Volunteer Fire Department…
from The Solid Rock Soccer parents (China) – We are writing to show our support for Jennifer Tuminaro as she runs for public office. As the soccer coach for Solid Rock, Jen leads humbly, giving clear instruction while coming alongside to help guide those around her…
Identify the film in which this line originated and qualify to win FREE passes to Railroad Square Cinema in Waterville: “You can’t handle the truth!” Email us at townline@townline.org with subject “Name that film!” Deadline for submission is June 9, 2022…
NORTH ANSON – Carrabec High School, in North Anson, top ten students in the class of 2022…
VASSALBORO – American Legion Post #126, in Vassalboro invites the community to join them as they lay wreaths at the various veteran monuments in Vassalboro on Monday, May 30, 2022…
CENTRAL ME HISTORY — The story of French-Canadian immigrants in the Augusta and Waterville area, as presented by the writers cited, is partly a story of separateness and discrimination evolving into cooperation and mutual respect… by Mary Grow [2066 words]
AUGUSTA HISTORY — Two distinctly non-British peoples who came to live mainly in Augusta and Waterville, the largest manufacturing centers in the central Kennebec Valley in the 19th and early 20th centuries, were French-Canadians who came south from Canada’s Québec Province, and Middle Easterners, especially Lebanese and Syrians… by Mary Grow [1841 words]
MAINE HISTORY — The Samuel Osbornes discussed in last week’s article were not the only Black family in 19th-century Waterville. Various sources mention several others, though details are often scanty and/or confusing. Local historians did not consistently state the race or nationality of people they wrote about… by Mary Grow [1754 words]
MAINE HISTORY — Records tell of a Kennebec Valley slave-owner, Captain Abiel or Abial Lovejoy (Dec. 15, 1731 – July 4, 1811), who lived in Vassalboro from 1776 and in Sidney after the west side of the Kennebec River became a separate town in 1792. He was a native of Andover, Massachusetts, who came to the lower Kennebec Valley as a Massachusetts soldier (rising to the rank of captain) in the 1750s… by Mary Grow [2050 words]
Webber’s Pond is a comic drawn by an anonymous central Maine resident (click thumbnail to enlarge)…
Memorial Day activities for South China, Fairfield, Madison… and many other local events!
CHINA – Peter S. Fernald Jr., 63, died Saturday, April 16, 2022, as a result of a car crash in China, in which he was a passenger. He was born January 23, 1959, in Augusta… and remembering 6 others.
SMALL SPACE GARDENINGby Melinda Myers | Enjoy your garden and landscape once the sun sets with strategically placed and attractive landscape lighting. Select the best type of light that complements your garden design and best accomplishes the intended purpose…
MAINE MEMORIESby Evangeline T. | I’d been born in my grandparents’ large farm house, and as a young girl, I’d spend a week or two with them each summer. I loved it there. My grampy was a happy and full-of-fun guy. He had a name for me – Bambi, because I reminded him of the little deer in Walt Disney’s movie…
REVIEW POTPOURRIby Peter Cates | Former First Lady Dolley Payne Todd Madison (1768-1849) grew up under very strict Quakers in Virginia chafing at their authoritarianism, and, needless to say, would fall very, very far from that denominational tree. She was the third of eight children born to John and Mary Payne who moved the family to Philadelphia in 1783…
(NAPSI) | According to recent research by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 2 million middle- and high-school students use e-cigarettes…
Too many kids take breath-taking risks by vaping—but they can be helped.
by Marcella Bianco
(NAPSI)—According to recent research by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 2 million middle- and high-school students use e-cigarettes. With the study conducted fully during the COVID-19 pandemic, this places U.S. youth in a pandemic and an epidemic.
Nicotine hurts the developing brain and this addiction can lead to others. What’s more, vaping increases a person’s chance of experiencing complications from upper respiratory illnesses, and some researchers believe a relationship exists between vaping and serious respiratory impacts, such as those from COVID-19. While a network of solutions is required to overcome this epidemic, there are actions people can each take today.
Families play a critical role in influencing a child’s decision-making. Parents and guardians can help keep their kids healthy by having thoughtful, factual conversations about the dangers of vaping. For assistance getting started, parents and guardians can turn to no-cost digital tools from Be Vape Free—a nationwide initiative, built around the evidence-based CATCH My Breath program, that provides standards-aligned e-cigarette prevention resources for educators teaching grades 5-12 and families. Be Vape Free was created in partnership with the CVS Health Foundation, CATCH Global Foundation, and Discovery Education.
The parent toolkit is designed to give parents, guardians, educators, and community members the opportunity to learn more about the vaping epidemic, gauge a child’s risk of trying e-cigarettes and find the best strategy to talk to kids about the dangers of e-cigarettes. Chock-full of facts and research, these resources have just about everything families need to empower students to live a healthy life. With the toolkit, families can answer key questions related to vaping including:
• What is vaping?
• Why do teens vape?
• What do vapes look like?
• What are in vapes?
• What are the effects of vaping?
• What are signs of vaping?
With this informational foundation, parents and guardians can connect with their kids to initiate conversations about the dangers of e-cigarettes based on facts. Together—one conversation, one day, and one student at a time—we can end the vaping epidemic by arming young people with the tools they need to make healthy, smart decisions, and impart lessons that last a lifetime.
Ms Bianco is the National Program Director for the CATCH My Breath youth e-cigarette prevention program. She has 18 years of experience working in tobacco prevention and control with government and non-profit organizations.
HERE’S LOOKING AT YOU: Pat Clark, of Palermo, caught this Indigo Bunting at a feeding station.
EGGS BY THE DOZENS: Joan Chaffee, of Clinton, snapped this photo of polliwog eggs during one of her recent walks.
RED HEAD: Emily Poulin, of South China, recently photographed this male cardinal.
Dolly Madison
by Peter CatesFormer First Lady Dolley Payne Todd Madison (1768-1849) grew up under very strict Quakers in Virginia chafing at their authoritarianism, and, needless to say, would fall very, very far from that denominational tree. She was the third of eight children born to John and Mary Payne who moved the family to Philadelphia in 1783.
In 1790, Dolley married a lawyer John Todd, with whom she had two sons. It was a happy marriage but short-lived.
In 1793, a yellow fever epidemic broke out in Philadelphia. Within four months, it caused over 5,000 deaths, including those of her husband, his parents and their youngest son.
However, in 1794, Dolley was introduced to a 43-year-old Congressman, James Madison Jr., who was a very shy 5-foot 4-inch bachelor but had the help of a mutual friend, the smooth talking reprobate and later Thomas Jefferson’s vice-president Aaron Burr (Both of these gentlemen were discussed in a previous column.).
Pres. James Madison
Unlike her staid predecessors Martha Washington and Abigail Adams, Dolley was one live wire whose personality, consummate charm, flamboyant clothes and generosity of spirit would leave its imprint on the political life of the nation’s capital for decades.
Dolley knew just how to talk to people and put them at ease. While her husband preferred to be by himself in the study and had few social graces, let alone the willingness to learn any, she was the first to have bi-partisan social gatherings; she also held firm to the rule that partying and political shop talk do not mix.
James’s second term may have been made possible by Dolley’s ability to win friends and influence people.
In 1814, the British invaded Washington and burned down the White House and other buildings, but Dolley did remove the painting of George Washington and other valuables in the nick of time.
By 1815, after living in rented houses, the Madisons moved into a newly-rebuilt White House.
One very early photo exists of James and Dolly Madison during their dotage in the 1830s and of her with others towards the end of her life. A quite fascinating daguerreotype has her with the 11th President James Knox Polk and the 15th President James Buchanan at an 1849 social gathering. These can be viewed on Google.
by Melinda MyersEnjoy your garden and landscape once the sun sets with strategically placed and attractive landscape lighting. Select the best type of light that complements your garden design and best accomplishes the intended purpose.
Solar powered lighting eliminates the need for outdoor outlets, extension cords or buried low voltage lines. The solar panels charge during sunny days and can be mounted on the light or on a long cord, allowing you to place the solar panel where it gets the most sunlight. Some lights turn on automatically at dusk, others have a manual on-off switch, and a few have a remote on-off control.
Votive and pillar candles are longtime favorites. Set them in a container on the table or line a pathway. Unfortunately, the wax does drip, there is a danger of fire, and the flame can blow out in a strong breeze.
Consider using battery-operated candles instead. These look and flicker like the real thing and eliminate some of the problems and dangers of candles. Look for those with remote controls or timers to make lighting your space hassle-free.
Use these battery-operated candles in decorative holders like the Dahlia Blossom Punched Metal Lanterns (gardeners.com). You’ll enjoy the copper cut lanterns as garden art by day and the intricate light pattern they cast at night.
Pot up your favorite flowers and tropical and edible plants in solar illuminated planters. Luminous solar-powered planters are frosted white by day and can be programmed to display one color or set for color-changing mode. These pots have a ten-foot cord, allowing you to place the pots where the plants will thrive and connecting it to its solar panel in a sunny spot nearby.
Solar torch lights have flickering lights that create a realistic look while lighting a pathway or sitting area. Use one to highlight a special spot in your garden or several to light a pathway, patio or larger space when entertaining.
Prevent trips and falls while also boosting safe access to your favorite outdoor spaces by lighting steps as well as pathways. Look for solar powered lights like Maxsa Solar Ninja Stars that can be mounted on steps, the ground, deck, wall, or other flat surfaces. The integrated solar panels come with a rechargeable battery.
Add overhead glow to patios, decks, or balconies with string lights. They come in a variety of styles to light up larger spaces or highlight your favorite tree. Multicolored waterdrop string lights will add a festive look to any space. Luminites® Solar String Lights feature Edison bulbs that provide six to eight hours of steady or gently flashing modes.
Add some fun, personality or added interest with specialty lights. Outdoor lights like the Twinklelite™ Solar Stake Lights have flexible branches covered with 120 LED bulbs. Twist and bend the branches to accomplish the look you desire. Then wait for the lights to turn on automatically at dusk.
Add some landscape lighting to help you enjoy quiet moments or festive gatherings in your gardens after dark. Select the best lighting options that are easy to use, complement your design and provide the needed lighting in your landscape.
Melinda Myers is the author of more than 20 gardening books, and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and was commissioned by Gardener’s Supply for her expertise to write this article. Her web site is www.MelindaMyers.com.
