China’s Dylan Presby given prestigious male sportsmanship award at Newbury College

/0 Comments/in , /by

Dylan Presby

China resident Dylan Presby has been presented with the prestigious male sportsmanship award at Newbury College, in Brookline, Massachusetts.

Dylan, who just completed his sophomore season at the liberal arts college, finished the season with a .301 batting average, good for second on the team, was tied for the team lead in runs scored with 21, second in hits, which included three doubles, two triples, one home run, and 14 runs batted in.

Dylan is only the third baseball player to achieve this honor.

In what was thought to be a rebuilding season coming off a 5-15 record in 2017, Newbury College won its first-ever Conference Championship and NCAA Tournament birth in 2018.

Unfortunately, Newbury College is one of the small liberal arts colleges that will be closing at the end of the current school year.

Dylan will be transferring to Lasell College, in Newton, Massachusetts, in the fall.

Dylan played his high school baseball at Erskine Academy, in South China. During his senior season, he batted .490, and went 4-2 as a pitcher with two saves. His regular position is second base, although he did fill in playing center field.

For his accomplishments at Erskine, Dylan was named the Kennebec Journal’s Baseball Player of the Year, an accolade that, it is believed, has never before been given to a China resident.

He will be taking some time off at home for the next couple of weeks before he starts his internship in the Cape Cod Baseball League, a prestigious Massa­chusetts league for developing college players.

Dylan is the son of David and Michelle Presby, of China.

See this related story: China baseball player working to crack lineup at Newbury College

FOR YOUR HEALTH: Floods Can Affect Your Well Water’s Well-Being

/0 Comments/in /by

(NAPSI)—For over a million families, farmers and business owners, seeing floodwaters receding may just be the beginning of their troubles—but it doesn’t have to be.

The Problem

The National Ground Water Association (NGWA)—a not-for-profit professional society and trade association—says people who have inground wells in areas affected by flooding need to watch for contaminated water.

This is particularly likely to be a problem in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, Wisconsin and any place with broad, sand and gravel valleys and glaciated rolling countryside. These places could be standing in water for several days, risking contamination if the wells aren’t properly maintained. Exposure to E. coli, coliform and other pathogenic microbes from human and animal fecal matter in floodwaters is a common health concern following a major flooding event. Floodwater can also carry other contaminants.

“Even slight flooding around a well can potentially carry contaminated water to the wellhead,” explained Chuck Job, NGWA regulatory affairs manager, “and if the wellhead is cracked or faulty in any way, the well and water system could be compromised.”

Adds Bill Alley, NGWA science director, as temperatures rise, well owners should continue to monitor and test their systems. “While frozen ground may not be saturated from storm water, warmer weather may allow floodwaters to infiltrate and contaminate subsurface water during a thaw,” he said.

Similarly, hundreds of thousands of wells were potentially affected during the Atlantic hurricane season in places including North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, Virginia and Alabama.

What To Do

Following a flood, disinfection and wellhead repair may be common needs among well owners. Well relocation and elevation may also be useful and protective. As always, NGWA recommends water well system professionals be used to assess and service wells.

NGWA has a flooding resource center on its website. Included is information on how to protect well systems before and after a flooding event.

Learn More

The association also has other resources that may help when dealing with flooded water wells. These include the best-suggested-practice “Residential Water Well Disinfection Following a Flood Event: Procedures for Water Well System Professionals” and a Water Well Journal article titled “Responding to Flooded Wells.”

You can find these and more at www.WellOwner.org.

SOLON & BEYOND: Inquiry from afar on the passing of Carolyn Waugh

/0 Comments/in /by
Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percyby Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percy
grams29@tds.net
Solon, Maine 04979

Good morning, my Friends. Don’t worry be happy!

I didn’t realize The Town Line paper went as far away as Portland, I think that is wonderful! Especially after I received the following very interesting e-mail from Betty Manter who lives there.

She wrote: Dear Marilyn Rogers-Bull, I just learned Carolyn Waugh passed away and found your article/tribute to her. I am grateful to have stopped into the farm summer before last and spent time with her. She was amazing and remembered me and details about me and my last visit, which had been a longtime prior.

I am a direct descendant of the original Solon French family that built her farm, my great-grandmother, Livonia French, grew up there and my grandmother (Mary Berry Manter) and I often visited the farm as my grandmother had so many memories there. The last family member to have grown up there, Esther French, gave me a photo of the farm which I’ve always treasured. It was taken on her wedding day to Earl Spaulding, who lived on a neighboring farm. The last French to own the farm, sold it to Carolyn’s father.

Anyway, I’m writing because I would really love to come to Carolyn’s celebration on June 29. I’d also like to donate my old photo to the Solon Historical Society. (There must be one?) Could you help me here and offer information as to how I might learn more about Carolyn’s celebration?

Thank you in advance for your help.

I am hoping I can find out the answers to her questions and get in touch with her.

Embden Community Center will be putting on their monthly supper on Saturday, May 11, at 5 p.m.

Went to the Solon Town Office one day last week and received this bit of information: “On behalf of the MMA Workers Compensation Fund, we are pleased to send the Town of Solon a grant reimbursement check for $2,000. The check was mailed to Elaine Aloes has been copied on this letter.

“The check is payment for the October 2018 Ed MacDonald Safety Enhancement Grant awarded to your department for purchasing of fifteen Fire Helmets.

“If you have any questions about your grant award please call Jennette Holt at 624-0140. Your interest in workplace safety is appreciated and we are glad the MMA Workers Compensation Fund could assist you with your safety efforts. Together we are building safe communities.”

Again this year BIKES FOR BOOKS PROGRAM is going on at Solon Elementary School. This spring Solon students are participating in the Bikes for Books program. The Solon Masons are sponsoring a program at the school for the fourth year.

In this program, students read books and fill out a form on each book they read. In early June there will be an assembly with a drawing from the book forms that have been submitted. A girl and a boy from each class will win a new bike donated by the Masons. We will also award a prize to the student who reads the most books in each class.

Your child’s teacher has book forms for this program. Students are encouraged to read books at school and at home.

We appreciate the support of the Masons in making this program possible at our school this spring.

In March the third graders participated in a coloring contest sponsored by the Elks for schools in our region. Two of the regional winners came from Solon Elementary School.

Winning fourth place was Levi Hamblen, who received a certificate and a check for $15. Winning first place was Lane Frost, who received a certificate and a check for $75. Congratulations to Levi and Lane!

And now for Percy’s memoir entitled: The Human Touch: ‘Tis the human touch in this world that counts, The touch of your hand and mine, Which means far more to the fainting heart Than shelter and bread and wine; For shelter is gone when the night is over And bread lasts only a day, But the touch of hand and the sound of the voice Sing on in the soul always. (words by Spencer Michael Free.)

SCORES & OUTDOORS: Yes, there are flying squirrels in Maine

/1 Comment/in /by

flying squirrel

Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

Did you know flying squirrels exist in Maine? Well, be it known that Maine is home to the northern flying squirrel.

The northern flying squirrel, Glaucomys sabrinus, is one of two species of the animal, the only flying squirrels found in North America. The northern flying squirrel is found in coniferous and mixed forests across the top of North America, from Alaska to Nova Scotia, south to North Carolina and west to California. The flying squirrel was placed on the protection list on June 6, 2011, by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

If you want to see a flying squirrel, you will have to be an early riser, because the flying squirrel, unlike its cousins, is nocturnal. All other North American squirrels are active during the day.

Arboreal rodents, they have thick light brown or cinnamon fur on their upper body. A furry membrane extends between the front and rear legs, and allows the animal to glide through the air. It’s grayish on the flanks and whitish underneath. They have large eyes and a flat tail. They can also be identified by their long whiskers, which are common to nocturnal mammals.

A flying squirrel doesn’t actually fly, but glides downward, using the wide flaps of skin along its sides to help slow its descent. To become airborne, this mammal leaps and spreads its legs, uses its tail as a rudder and moves its legs. Immediately after it lands, it will scurry to the far side of the tree just in case an owl is in pursuit. They can glide distances of 20 to 30 feet.

Northern Spotted Owl

Northern flying squirrels are an important prey species for the Spotted Owl. Other predators include large birds, especially the Great Horned Owl, hawks, the American Marten, the Canadian Lynx and Red Fox.

The major food sources for the squirrels are mushrooms of various species, although they also eat lichens, nuts, tree sap, insects, carrion, bird eggs and nestlings, and buds and flowers. The squirrels are able to locate truffles, although they also seem to use cues such as the presence of coarse woody debris, indicating a decaying log, and spatial memory of locations where truffles were found in the past.

They are also known to cache food for when food supplies are lower. These caches can be in cavities of trees, as well as in the squirrels’ nest. Lichens and seeds are commonly cached.

The northern flying squirrel nests in holes in trees, and will also build outside nests called dreys. They sometimes use cavities created by woodpeckers.

Except when rearing young, the squirrels shift from nest to nest frequently. They often share nests. Although there usually are 2-5 individuals in a nest, it was once observed that over 50 individuals were occupying one nest.

The sharing of nests is important in maintaining body temperature in the winter, as flying squirrels do not hibernate. In the winter, they tend to live in conifer areas of mixed woods, while in summer they are found in conifers and deciduous areas. This behavior is associated with the belief that the canopy cover is important in protecting the squirrels from predation and colder temperatures. In all but the worst severe weather conditions, the squirrels are active year round.

Squirrels, in general, get no respect. They are a nuisance around bird feeders and can raise havoc in a garden, not to mention them digging through your pumpkins in search of the seeds. But, did you know that January 21 is Squirrel Appreciation Day? Founded by Christy Hargrove, a wildlife rehabilitator, from Asheville, North Carolina, in 2001, that day is set aside annually to give us all the opportunity to enjoy and appreciate the tree-climbing, nut-gathering neighborhood squirrels. That includes flying squirrels, too.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

What player made the first 3-point basket in the NBA?

Answer can be found here.

Roland’s Trivia Question for Thursday, May 2, 2019

/0 Comments/in /by

What player made the first 3-point basket in the NBA?

Answer:

Chris Ford, of the Boston Celtics, on October 12, 1979.

Putt 4 Cass slated for May 18

/0 Comments/in , , /by

Big Sister Paige Lilly and her “Little Brother” Hunter Stevens, came out to support the program that brought them together two years ago by participating in last year’s “Putt 4 Cass.” (Contributed photo)

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mid-Maine (BBBSMM) will celebrate the life of Cassidy Charette by raising money and awareness for local youth mentoring programs at a mini-golf fundraiser “Putt 4 Cass” on Saturday, May 18, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Gifford’s Famous Ice Cream & Mini Golf, in Waterville. (Rain date May 19.) Cassidy was a junior at Messalonskee High School when she was killed in a hayride accident Oct. 11, 2014. Since her passing, her school and its surrounding communities continue to honor and remember the teen whose passion was helping others.

The third annual mini golf event invites schools, businesses, athletic teams, clubs and organizations to form mini golf teams of four players, choose their preferred hour to golf, register online and raise funds for local BBBS mentoring programs, then join the community on May 18 to “Putt 4 Cass.” Last year’s event raised almost $20,000 for local programming.

“Putt 4 Cass” will include course challenges with hourly prizes, ShineOnCass T-shirts for team fundraising, and Gifford’s Famous Ice Cream. Volunteers are welcome. Walk-ins will be accepted, as space allows, for a $20 donation.

Charette was a long-time volunteer for BBBSMM and advocated for a school-based mentoring program at her high school. In her memory, Big Brothers Big Sisters created two school-based programs pairing Messalonskee high school mentors (Bigs) with youth facing adversity (Littles) at Atwood Primary and Williams Elementary schools in Oakland. A third program at the Boys/Girls Club and YMCA at Alfond Youth Center in Waterville, matches kids in the after-school care program with high school “Bigs” from Messalonskee, Winslow, Waterville and Lawrence high schools. More than 100 youth are being served through ShineOnCass programs.

To register a team, sponsor, volunteer, or for more information, call Mae Slevinsky at 592-4616, email mae@bbbsmidmaine.org or visit www.bbbsmidmaine.org.

Laura Sullivan Wins Earth Day Basket

/0 Comments/in , /by

Rebecca Wood drawing the winning ticket at Hussey’s Store. (Contributed photo)

Laura Sullivan, of Jefferson, was delighted when she learned she had won the Living Communities Foundation’s Earth Day Basket Raffle. Sullivan is looking forward to using the gardening tools and supplies to plant her perennial bulbs and veggies.” The contents of the basket were valued at over $300. Most of the tickets were sold at Hussey’s, and they graciously donated several essential garden tools.

This would not have been possible without the hard work of volunteers Nanci Pollard, Ronn Sepp, Ann Sears, Denise Wilcox, and Mike Dunn. Proceeds benefit the Palermo Community Center and Community Garden, and the Palermo Food Pantry.

China scout achieves rank of Eagle Scout

/0 Comments/in , /by

Nick’s pottery

by Ron Emery
Assistant Scoutmaster

On March 28, Troop #479, of China, honored an Eagle Scout at a Court of Honor held for South China resident Nick Shelton, at the China Baptist Church. Family, friends and Scouts attended the ceremony marking the advancement of this young man to the highest rank in Boy Scouts.

Eagle Scout Nick Shelton

Nick joins a group of Eagle Scouts who have completed community service projects with the help of fellow Scouts and other volunteers. Each Eagle candidate must plan and supervise an Eagle service project to demonstrate his capacity and willingness to exert his leadership ability in activities that are constructive and worthwhile in his community.

Nick’s project benefited the Waterville community by selecting a project for Waterville Creates! Waterville Creates’ clay studio now has four double-sided free standing shelves. Each side has three color coded shelves to dry pottery and helps keep each individual works separated and easily located. He and fellow scouts and Scouters, friends, and family built and moved the four shelves to the clay studio. This Eagle Service project led by Nick Shelton provided many man-hours of service to the clay studio at Waterville Creates for the ceramic artists. Those who came to his Court of Honor were presented a soup bowl he has made in his pottery shop.

Nick and his parents created a special Eagle Scout ceremony and asked other members of Troop #479 to help him with the ceremony. The Court of Honor was called to order by Kennebec District Advancement Chairman Chuck Mahaleris, Senior Patrol Leader Aiden Pettengill welcomed the guests to the Court of Honor.

Nick is the son of Joe and Terry Shelton, of China, and is a student at Erskine Academy. Nick is currently making pottery for his company called MOPO.

Thompson inducted in Sigma Beta Delta Honor Society

/0 Comments/in , /by

Katherine Thompson, of Waterville, was inducted into the Emmanuel College chapter of Sigma Beta Delta, the international honor society in business, management and administration, on Tuesday, March 26th.

Sigma Beta Delta, founded in 1994, was established to honor students who have attained superior records in business programs in schools and colleges with regional accreditation.

TRASH TALK: We should treat every day like Earth Day

/0 Comments/in /by
by Irene Belanger

Mon. April 22 was “Earth Day.”

In our towns we should treat every day as Earth Day to keep our roadsides and yards clean of litter as possible.

Many thanks to China Democrats for cleaning in the China Village areas (thank you Matt Brunton for organizing the effort), Boy Scout Troop #479, for the areas they will do, the Bennetts and Richard Dillenbeck, for Lakeview Drive areas, the Goodine Family Group, for Route 32 South, and all of you who clean your roadsides to make us all proud . Thank you to all Palermo folks who do their areas.

If some of you would like to do a cleanup of your road please feel free to organize a group and let me know if you need some extra bags.

Please remember it is state law to keep your large loads covered and secured so that debris doesn’t fly off, and so that you don’t get fined for littering.

Thank you all so much for doing your part! Irene 445-2349.